Asura Conqueror

Marcus sat cross-legged inside the cultivation room together with Erika. His eyes closed and his breathing calm. The mana swirled around him as he tried to turn it into chaos essence. 

'More power,' Marcus took a deep breath and opened his eyes. He looked to the side where Erika was and smiled as he saw her peacefully cultivating.

Marcus stood up, fixed his black long sleeve, walked to the door. 

He raised his hand and looked at his watch. 'Nexus should be done by now.'

The task Nexus was supposed to do was fairly simple, so he didn't really worry about the cat's safety. 

He soon arrived in the living room, and there he saw, a bloody figure with one arm sitting on the white couch, being assisted by Eva, Emily, and Zoey.

"What the hell happened? Did you have a run-in against a Preparation Stage expert?" Marcus asked as he hurried his steps. He wasn't expecting to see Nexus in this state, especially here in the mortal realm.

The ladies looked at him, and so did Nexus.

"He rescued every captive the Strongwald had in the plaza." Eva spoke.

The cat lightly chuckled. Blood dripped from both sides of his mouth. "I had to repay a debt. And I am sure that rescuing all of those counts as me being cleared."

Marcus sighed. "There is always a right time and a right place for doing that."

"This was the right place. I won't die here, no mortal can kill me no matter how much they want to." Nexus coughed.

"All right, take it easy." Marcus walked towards Emily and stood beside her.

Nexus raised his hand. "It was a good call bringing Vid to our side. Without his subtle help, I wouldn't have been able to rescue everyone."

"He cooperated with you?" Marcus asked.

Nexus nodded. "In a way. I called him and asked if he could provide any assistance. A few minutes later a lot of the guards in the plaza transferred to the port."

Marcus smiled. "See, though he is a mortal, we can use him. Both sides benefit in this relationship."

"What about in the future?" Nexus laid back to the couch.

Marcus chuckled. "Worry about the future after you heal up. We still have a lot of things to do. With only one arm, you won't be able to do much in the future." 

"Fuck off," Nexus lightly scoffed. "Even with no arms, I could still beat up those Strongwald bastards."

"Okay, that's enough." Eva sat beside Nexus and took a pill from her spatial ring. "Take this, you'll feel a lot better afterward."

Eva placed the pill inside Nexus's mouth.

"Isn't there anything better?" Nexus asked. He wanted something that could fully heal his body right away.

"Do you want to explode?" Eva squinted her eyes as she looked at Nexus.

Nexus sucked in cold air. "I'm sorry and thank you for taking care of me."

"Do you need help going to your room?" Marcus asked.

"No need. I'll heal in a few hours and regrow my arm in a few more." Nexus closed his eyes.

Though he didn't say it, fighting against a Preparation Stage expert while rescuing a dozen fishes out of the water wasn't an easy task, even for him. He had to struggle hard not to get hit by any fatal blows or else he'd have to retreat.

Marcus, Emily, Zoey walked away. The three-headed towards the chamber.

Marcus slowed his steps and looked back. "Did you plan on saving everyone there from the start to repay your 'debt'?" 

"No," Nexus' eyes remained closed. "If I did, I would have called you. I decided to rescue everyone after calling Vid and seeing that there were only a few guards left, I went for it."

"I see," Marcus continued on his way together with the two ladies.

Eva stayed beside Nexus as the cat started to doze off.

----

"Are we going in there again?" Zoey, who was standing to the left of Marcus, asked. She had already gone to the chamber to deliver nagas, kappas, and siyokoys into their cells. 

Emily nodded. "You don't have to go if you don't want to. I know this must have been a lot to take in, plus the things that happened before."

Zoey shook her head. "I have already been there a couple of times today, there is no point in getting overwhelmed now."

Marcus, who stood in the middle of the two ladies, chuckled as he looked at the blonde beside him. "How are you feeling?"

Zoey thought for a while. "My cultivation is rising at extreme speeds, but my mind is still a little shaky."

Emily giggled. "That's totally understandable."

They arrived in front of the door. Marcus slowly opened it and the three proceeded inside.

The large room was filled with noises, and although there were a lot of creatures here, the cells don't look crowded in any way. It was like if a cell was full, a new one would magically appear. And if a hole was filled, a new one would suddenly be dug up.

Marcus didn't mind the stares of the creatures inside the cells. But he did look to his left and saw Zoey clutching his sleeve.

"Don't be scared. They won't be able to do anything to you." Marcus whispered.

Unlike Zoey, Emily was calm as she held Marcus' right hand.

They soon arrived in front of a cell with three nagas inside and inspected their faces. 

Ralma, Iko, and Ergetse transformed into their human forms, knelt down, and bowed their heads. They were then followed by their brethren. 

"All the captives were rescued." Marcus spoke.

"We know, we know." Ergetse had tears flowing down his eyes, and so did the two nagas beside him.

"Thank you!" Iko said in a loud voice.

Gratitude filled the air. 

Zoey looked around the room and saw how harmless the creatures were. It wasn't like the one during the fight in the city.

Her eyes then darted to two females inside the cage. She recognized these two.

She smiled at them and the two females smiled back.

"You won't be staying in those cells for long. We'll be heading to your city in a day or so." Marcus started walking back to the door.

He didn't plan on staying long and just wanted to see how these guys down here were doing.

----

Estra.

In the living room outside the Stone of Destruction. 

Marcus sat together with Eva and Zoey.

"They didn't look anything like the ones we fought a few days ago." Zoey took a sip of tea.

"Less violent? Less destructive?" Marcus asked.

Zoey nodded. 

Emily stayed silent as she looked at the shimmering night sky from the glass window.

Marcus calmly spoke. "They didn't attack this city because they are violent wild creatures. They attacked this city because of what the inhabitants of this land did to them. Some of them might have even grown up hating humans, maybe some lost their loved ones because of humans."

Zoey didn't say anything. Her eyes were glued to Marcus as she listened to his words.

Marcus continued. "There would be fewer deaths if the races of this world knew how to coexist."

The land he ruled in the past had all kinds of races living peacefully. A lot of them even married members of the other race.

"You're young, but it seems like you have already gone through a lot." Zoey finally spoke as she noticed that Marcus wasn't going to say anything anymore.

Marcus smiled but didn't say anything. Zoey would retain her memories soon enough, there is no need to fill her head with more confusion right now.

"When will we head to their city?" Emily turned her head to look at Marcus.

"First thing tomorrow. Once we get there, we'll meet their leaders and try to convince them to fight." Marcus took a sip of tea from his cup.

"Against all the humans here in Estra?" Zoey is still human. She doesn't want a war to happen.

Marcus shook his head. "No, not against all of Estra. Just the Strongwald's. We'll draw in the Octopi at the same time. Once we have those two on the fray, we'll join forces with the other family as we show the true face of the Strongwald's."

Zoey stared at Marcus with awe. She couldn't believe that this teen was playing with the five families and a large terrorist organization in front of her.

Marcus continued. "Big Sister Eva will stay here together with Nexus, as they still have one more plan they need to initiate. As for us, we'll head to their city."

He looked at Zoey. "Do you want to come with us?"

The college girl immediately nodded her head. She wouldn't miss this kind of experience in the world.

"Good," Marcus chuckled. "I'll head to the cultivation room and cultivate." 

He kissed Emily and went straight to the stone.

Emily watched her husband disappear. "He really is in a rush."

"He's really amazing too." Zoey blurted.

Emily giggled. "Don't tell me you like him?"

Zoey vehemently shook her head. "No! No! No!"

She grew up knowing that a man should only have one wife, and Marcus already has two.