Days passed on the world of Astralis as Ash and his companions continued to explore and clear the secret realm, lotuses and artifacts filling their rings, beasts falling in silent, efficient waves.
Meanwhile, outside, the world trembled.
Two days ago, the Galactic-ranked Astral Prime Clan had reappeared on their ancestral soil. The moment the massive continent materialized in the northern hemisphere, phenomena erupted across Astralis—heavens raining starlight, oceans glowing with ancient runes, mountains bowing as if welcoming long-lost children. The world itself seemed to sigh in relief, recognizing its true guardians.
Every invader clan felt the shift.
The Abyssal and Solar Foxes scattered immediately, fleets fleeing into void-space before repercussions could fall. Demi-human clans followed, abandoning outposts in panicked exodus.
The Nocturne and Noctis branches, however, held their ground. Eternal backing gave them leverage to negotiate—or fight.
While the world held its breath waiting for the Astral Clan's move, a fleet of starships pierced the atmosphere like black daggers.
At the forefront floated the flagship Nocturne Eclipse—a colossal vessel of living blood-crystal and shadow-steel, large enough to eclipse continents.
From its core descended a single figure.
Liam Nocturne, Second Prince of the main Nocturne Clan.
Standing at the Ninth Calamity rank.
He landed in the branch domain's central courtyard without ceremony, aura exploding outward like a silent supernova of blood and night. The air grew heavy, moonlight turning crimson in his presence. Every vampire in the domain—guard, elder, or child—dropped to one knee instinctively.
Liam's silver hair flowed like liquid light, eyes deep abyssal red with a psychotic gleam that made even Calamity warriors avert their gazes. His beauty was cruel, sharp as a blade—pale skin, fangs always half-bared in a smile that promised pain.
He strode into the main hall, cloak of living shadows trailing.
"Meeting. Now."
Alucard, Isolde, Damon, Ester, and Kaelthyr assembled quickly, kneeling until he waved them up.
Liam sat at the head of the obsidian table, fingers drumming once.
"Tell me about the outsider Raven brought," he said, voice smooth as spilled blood. "The one who touched what's mine."
Silence.
Alucard spoke first.
"When he arrived, he was just an SSS rank cultivator... but in only a day—no, just a few hours—he dominated the Crimson Crucible. He even faced someone a full major rank higher, wielding a Max Sword Aura. At first, he was an unidentifiable Fox race, but then... he changed. He accepted Kaelthyr's bloodline offering... and since then, he's been missing."
Isolde's voice was cold. "He's arrogant, beautiful, and Raven protects him fiercely."
Damon grunted. "I hate to admit it.... but he's stronger than his rank suggests.... His potential is off the charts."
Ester remained silent, calm mask perfect.
Kaelthyr lounged in his seat, externally quiet, internally grumbling.
'That brat… already giving me headaches. How did he manage to piss off this psycho?'
Liam's fingers stopped drumming.
His smile widened, fangs glinting.
"And Katherine?" he asked softly. The name dropped like a blade.
The room temperature plummeted.
Alucard hesitated. "She… left about three days ago with Raven and the others."
Liam's aura flared—silent, suffocating.
'So, Connor was correct... The Vyrnath Continent, huh?'
The table cracked under invisible pressure.
Internally, psychotic rage boiled. Katherine was his—promised, but she wasn't claimed and had been 'waiting' for him.
Externally, his smile never wavered.
"Interesting," he whispered.
Liam leaned forward.
"They are at the Third Era Secret Realm... Order those there to bring him back. I want to… meet this, Ash."
The meeting ended.
Outside, the moonlight seemed a little darker.
And somewhere in the secret realm, Ash kept moving without a single worry.
---
In the endless void of the Venia Galaxy, where stars drifted like distant embers and nebulae swirled in silent rivers of color, flames suddenly materialized—first as a spark of gold, then erupting into a colossal inferno of sapphire, crimson, and emerald that lit the darkness like a newborn sun.
The flames condensed in a heartbeat, forming three figures who hovered effortlessly in the vacuum, their auras warding off the cold grasp of space. Aurelia, the daughter of Seraphiel, appeared at the center—standing at 6 foot 7 inches tall in her humanoid form, skin glowing like molten gold with faint lava veins, her golden hair cascading endlessly into the void like a comet's tail.
Her eyes mirrored her mother's: one void-black, the other snow-white, both ringed with looping flames that danced with playful mischief. Flanking her were two Elder Guards—ancient phoenixes in stern humanoid shapes, their flame-wings folded tightly, expressions etched with solemn duty.
Aurelia stretched lazily, wings unfurling in a burst of multicolored fire that briefly illuminated a nearby asteroid field.
"Ah, I was enjoying myself in that Myriad Galaxy! Mother really knows how to pick the boring missions, doesn't she?" she said, voice light and teasing, like the crackle of a cozy hearth despite her immense power.
One elder, a grizzled male with scars of cooled lava across his face, grunted. "Princess Aurelia, this is no jest. The Progenitor senses her Nirvana— which should be impossible. We find him, assess his worth, and report."
The other elder, a stern female with hair like frozen flames, nodded gravely. "And uncover how he wields phoenix power without our bloodline. He could be a thief… or something worse."
Aurelia's black-and-white eyes sparkled with mischief as she twirled in the void, hair whipping through space like living aurora.
"Oh, come on, you two fossils! Where's the fun in caution? If he's using Mother's power, he must be interesting—or at least entertaining. Hmmm, Astralis, right?"
The elders exchanged resigned glances but followed as Aurelia shot forward, flames trailing behind her like a comet's path.
They headed straight for Astralis, the void blurring around them in a streak of eternal fire.