Supreme BeastTamer: I Can Copy and Upgrade Skills 10x!

"What next, brother?" Ria the priestess came up to Adrian, who was standing atop a half-destroyed building overlooking the city.

His eyes reflected the burning city in the distance. After a few seconds, he let out a sigh. "We will start from scratch, and this time make it more fortified so that it will be difficult for enemies to invade us."

"I've already sent the soldiers to rescue the survivors. It also appears that a majority of them were hiding in the capital, including those from the big noble families."

A sharp gleam passed through Adrian's eyes when he heard the part about the nobles, and his entire aura changed.

Ria noticed this and asked, brows furrowed. "Any problems?"

"About that noble part," Adrian said. "All previous noble families will be stripped of their titles, especially the big four. They all fled when the kingdom was in trouble. There's no need keeping dead weight in our midst."

Ria nodded. "I understand."

"Come on, let's get to work." Adrian waved his hand, and the two immediately got to work.

---

The people from the western region didn't return immediately, as there were still some decisions to be made before they could leave.

In the meantime, Nox had been placed in one of the intact buildings and was being attended to by Lumi and other healers.

Inside the room, a few of the key members were present, watching his peaceful face. The reason only a few were there was because the others had decided to stay with Celine's daughter, Wendy, who was still mourning her mother's death.

Celine had been a childhood friend of Nathan, Hans, Gordon, and Elvin. Because of this, the four men never left her side.

Although they had won the war, it came at a great price. The only people joyous were the soldiers and citizens of the Vermilion Kingdom, while the people from the west remained gloomy, especially those from the Cromwell Barony.

"I still can't believe she's gone," Serena muttered in disbelief.

Inside the room with Nox were Serena, Akira, Nyx, Jack, and Aina.

Aina was wiping his body with a warm towel while the others stood a few meters away from the bed.

When Serena spoke, Aina's hands paused slightly before she resumed cleaning.

As for Jack, he hadn't been personally close to Wendy or Celine, so it could be said he was the least affected.

Akira, however, had spent some time in the Barony and gotten to know its people. In fact, she had been found by Aina and Celine inside the Luminary Forest after her escape from Adrian.

Even though their time together was short, Akira had learned how accommodating and kind the people of the Barony were—especially the town healer.

It was a shame she had to sacrifice herself.

However, without a doubt, everyone could tell the one who would be the most heartbroken after Wendy was none other than Nox.

Yes, Celine loved all the kids, but it was no secret that Nox held a special place in her heart. He had spent more time with her than even Wendy.

"One thing is certain, it will take some time before he comes to terms with reality," Aina whispered as she cleaned his face.

"So, when are we leaving?" Nyx suddenly asked. "The kingdom has been saved and the Barony is crowded. Besides, we need to start building our kingdom."

When she said our kingdom, everyone's eyes lit up.

With how fast everything had happened, they had almost forgotten that Nox had struck a deal with Prince Adrian to take control of the western region from the Vermilion Kingdom.

"Right," Jack whistled excitedly. "Hope I get a good post."

"If we were to return naturally, it would not only take days but also expose us to monsters," Aina spoke up, standing. "Our best bet is to wait for Nox to wake up, then he'll do his thing."

---

Somewhere in the capital, two figures were conversing in the shadows.

"It seems the war has finally ended," one of them said.

"True, I can't hear any more sounds," the other responded. "Come on, let's go check it out."

"You think they'll still accept us?" the first asked in a quiet voice.

"They have no choice," the second replied in a deep voice. "Besides…I'm a noble. My ancestors helped build this kingdom into what it is today."

"Very well then, my lord."

---

For the first few hours after Noir and Number Two's deaths, the soldiers of the Vermilion Kingdom didn't rest. Instead, they searched the capital for stray demons.

While this went on, Adrian, with the help of the soldiers and the Awakened from the west, began slowly cleaning up the capital.

The air was still filled with miasma, and it took hours for mages with wind affinities to completely clear the atmosphere.

Little by little, the miasma dissipated. The soldiers worked in shifts, hauling away debris, lifting beams, and dragging corpses to a burning pit.

Adrian gave orders tirelessly, personally overseeing everything himself.

By the fifth day, the entire capital was cleared, and new buildings were already being erected. Life slowly began returning to normal.

The days dragged on, but Nox did not stir. His chest rose and fell steadily, yet it was as if he was trapped in a world of his own. The healers tried everything—elixirs, chants, even rare potions—but nothing woke him. It felt unnatural, as if he was resisting the call of the world itself.

"Are you sure he's going to be fine?" Nyx frowned.

Serena clenched her fists. "He can't stay like this forever. The Barony needs him. We all do."

Akira's gaze softened. "He fought harder than anyone. Maybe his body is just… demanding rest."

"Rest? He's been asleep for almost a week. If this goes on, people will start whispering. Rumors spread fast, and without Nox awake to shut them down…" Jack retorted.

Suddenly, Wendy walked in. "He will be fine… something like this happened back in Snowhelm as well."

"Wendy!" everyone exclaimed at once, their eyes filled with questions.

"I'm fine, guys, you don't have to worry about me anymore." Wendy displayed a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "My only concern is getting Nox to wake up."

Meanwhile, Nox slowly opened his eyes—but instead of waking in the real world, he found himself face to face with a beautiful, white-haired woman.

…someone he hadn't seen for a long time.

"T-Tera?"