Asura Conqueror

Emily held two dresses in hand, both blue. She glanced at the one on her left and then the one on her right, her brows scrunched.

"Why not take both?" Marcus, who stood in front of him, asked.

Emily shook her head. "It'd be a waste if I do. I'll probably only use it this Saturday."

Marcus looked around. He called out a lady who was working here and asked her to bag both dresses. 

Before Emily could even react, Marcus already moved his index finger in front of her lips.

"Just don't argue," Marcus asked the lady who worked at the store to carry on. 

The employee nodded and carried both dresses. Emily already tried fitting both a few minutes ago so the dresses already have the right sizes. 

"Let's look around, maybe something else will catch your eye," Marcus suggested. There were no seats so might as just walk around while waiting.

The two walked side by side. Emily would occasionally check the clothes, accessories, and footwear on the sides. 

They both reached the lingerie section of the store.

Emily was about to turn back but Marcus tapped her shoulder. 

He went closer to her ear and whispered. "Some of these would look great on you, why don't we buy a few for, for the future?"

Emily looked at the lingerie being displayed inside a glass, one of which was crotchless. 

Emily punched Marcus' chest and walked back to the counter where they would pick up the dresses. She turned red as the image of her wearing it in front of a naked Marcus in her bedroom appeared in her mind.

"Think about it will you." Marcus followed behind, chuckling.

The two walked towards the counter. The woman behind the counter gave them two black bags with the store's logo on them. Marcus accessed his watch and paid. He then received the bags and said 'thank you' together with Emily.

They immediately went home after stopping for ice cream which Emily wanted.

-----

Strongwald estate.

A plump man walked towards the meeting room, the same meeting room where two of their family leaders fought.

Vid Strongwald, the plump man, walked into the room. The four white pillars were fixed, the round marble table looked as good as new, and so was the floor. Before he sat, he first changed the table, turning it into a rectangular one. He then sat on one side and faced the big screen that was a few meters away from him.

He was usually the early one and was never tardy. How could he be tardy when he almost does nothing the whole day? 

Vid fixed his tight black suit. His body could hardly get any air whenever he wears this. 

Not long after he arrived, Pald Strongwald came walking in. His bald head shined as he entered the well-lit room. He greeted Vid and sat beside him.

Pald and Vid had a good relationship and had never gotten into a fight, mostly because Vid doesn't have that much ambition. What Vid only cares about is his weird hobby.

Vid, who sat at the edge, stood up. "It's best if you sit here." 

"I think that's for the best." Pald agreed. 

Vid suggested so as to keep Pald and Bong as far away from each other as possible. 

They switched seats and now Pald sat at the edge. 

"You two should make up. We don't want to end up like the Flavus family." Vid spoke in a low voice.

Pald scoffed. "Easy for you to say, you're not the one he tormented."

Vid sighed. "That was all in the past. Oh, and didn't you already steal his wife? Isn't that enough?"

In all honesty, Vid didn't care much about the family. He had no children and no wife. But since he was on the same boat as them, might as well help. He also needs funds for his experiments, so the more money the family earns, the more resources he can get. 

"Stole?!" Pald raised his voice. "I didn't steal her away from him, she was mine to begin with, he was the one who snatched her from me!"

"Calm down," Vid raised his hand towards the bald man. "I'm not your enemy."

Pald took a deep breath and nodded. He sat back down and closed his eyes. What Vid said was true, and also, Pald doesn't want to cross blades with Vid. He knows that Vid is powerful, but he doesn't know to what extent since the round man usually stays in his lab.

"Looks like you guys are early." Vice President Merts Strongwald opened the large double doors and strolled in together with Bong.

Merts went to sit to the right of Vid and Bong sat beside him. Both Pald and Bong never glanced at each other even once.

"All three of you know what to say." Merts looked at each of them. He fixed his black suit. "Start the call."

Bong nodded. The giant screen in front of them lit up. It then partitioned into three, and a ring sounded throughout the room. 

It didn't take long for them to get an answer. The four of them looked at the three people who picked up the call.

On the left side of the screen was a woman who wore a white-colored robe. She had brown curly hair that reached to her shoulders, thin brows, and a slim body figure. She looked to be around her mid 30's. Her eyes surveyed the four Strongwald men. 

On the right side of the screen was a man with blond army-cut hair. He wore no robes, but what he did wear was a camo tank top. He sat on a chair with a large straw in his mouth that's connected to the giant keg beside him. He also looked to be around his mid 30's.

On the middle of the partitioned screen was a bald man who had a slight smile on his face. He sat on a throne-like chair with a platter of fruits beside it. He looked to be around his mid 40's.

These were the hearts of Octopi, the ones leading and funding the rebel groups across multiple countries.

There was silence and nothing else. They looked at each other and nothing more.

Pald couldn't take it, so he spoke. "Do you agree? We can't wait for your answer anymore. You people are dragging it every day."

The Strongwald family wanted to ally themselves with these people. With the help of Octopi, the Strongwald wouldn't have to worry about the other big families anymore. The only groups they had to be wary of are the ones from other countries, but with the connections they have, it can easily be handled. 

"We have no problems with the alliance that you are talking about. We also have no problem with the rules and such. However, now is not the time. Our men are already stretched thin on the battlefield. If we start another one there in Estra our organization might crumble." Paul calmly spoke.

To say that Octopi would crumble was only Paul exaggerating. The chances of that happening is very low, but still, Paul doesn't want to exhaust their resources.

Paul also didn't say anything about Miel, the blond with the army cut, not agreeing. He doesn't want these people to see that Octopi wasn't one hundred percent united.

"How long then?" Bong asked. He too wanted for this little project of theirs to start. Especially now that a company called Asura that owned The Corner is getting more and more traction.

He had invested quite a lot in nightclubs, if The Corner would grow much more than it is now, it'll be disastrous for him.

"Two or three months, probably. I'm sure you people have read or even saw the news of how many countries are under our influence." Zee spoke. 

She continued. "There is no hurry, we have all the time in the world. I mean, don't you want preparations to be perfect? You don't want a rush operation do you?"

She giggled at the end.

Pald was about to speak but Merts stopped him.

Merts glanced at the three leaders of Octopi. From the reports he gathered, these people were orphans and had to claw their way up to the upper echelons of society. They were also extremely talented individuals. When he heard about this, he was truly impressed. 

"How about this," Merts spoke. "Two months, two months from now we should cause something big in Estra. You don't have to send your precious soldiers as long as we can cause a disaster that would make us, the Strongwalds, heroes."

Merts thought that there was only a very low chance of Octopi sending their rebel troops to Estra. He, as the Vice President of a country, knows of the events that are taking place on neighboring planets.

"Hmm," Paul thought for a while. "That sounds doable. Let's do that. In the third month, we might be able to start sending troops if needed."

Everyone had smiles on their faces. Bong, although he wasn't too happy about it, he didn't really mind. He could just ask someone to disrupt the business of The Corner for now.