The Empyreal Gem Master

Inside a Defense Tower atop the walls of the Sanctified White Mountain Stronghold.

Thousands of powerful Gem Masters were ready to unleash their abilities towards it if need be- and over a hundred Airships floated in the skies while carrying massive metal crossbows already armed with unstable pulsing arrows flashing with Energeia.

Yet with the Defense Tower, the gaze of the Lord of this Stronghold was a dark one.

Lord Tavu.

He oversaw the protection of this Stronghold as currently, his gaze was ashen while he looked at Alexander!

"The entire Galanis Bloodline has aligned with Beasts? Mortal and Ascendant Branches alike?! They gave out information on this Stronghold and other Strongholds that may already have fallen if not under attack? This…!"

His gaze was unsightly to see!

He didn't wish to believe any of these words.

Especially from someone who came with two Tier 7 Beasts.

He looked towards this young man with a gaze of disbelief and hesitation as at that moment, one of the Tier 7 Beasts beside him harrumphed.

"Hmph, you dumb thing dares to not believe the Ascendant Master when he is going out of his way for your worthless lives? Majority of the forces of the Peacock Lineage are clustered within the Skypeak Ascendant Stronghold of Galanis. Let's see, the Lord there was called…Bibus!

His people just recently came here as they told us how many Gem Masters you all had, their level of power, and even intel on what Gem Recipe the Lord of the Sanctified White Mountain Stronghold would be using. That's you, yes? Let's see, your Gem Recipe was…The Bear Titan?"

…!

The color drained from the Tier 7 Ascendant Branch Leader of the Asmodeus Lineage before them!

Rage began to burn within it as such knowledge…was not something Beasts should have.

After she finished, Anastasia looked towards Alexander happily as if she had made some great contribution to this conversation.

She instead saw a frown on his face as she blinked innocently, with the sharp voice of the Asmodeus Lord before them echoing out as he continued his rage at learning of betrayal.

"So you are the Beasts working with Galanis? You say you're a Gem Master of Carthage? Has the Mortal Branches of Asmodeus also fallen to the grasps of Beasts?"

Their appearance here was too shocking.

But Alexander only rose up while shaking his head with a sigh.

"No. The City of Carthage survived against the first wave of attacks from a joint operation of Galanis and Beasts. And these two here…" Alexander looked at Vishpala and the troublemaker Anastasia as he continued.

"They're beasts I convinced to change their ways and follow me."

…!

The Asmodeus Lord of this Stronghold stared at him blankly with an incredulous look.

He convinced Tier 7 Beast Lord to change their ways? What did that even…

"Haha, yes, Ascendant Master is very convincing. When he first met me, he used Sis Vishpala here to pound me to the ground- Mmm!"

The mouth of Anastasia was covered by Vishpala as she struggled with complaints, Alexander gazing up at this Ascendant Gem Master in front of him with mixed emotions.

It had only been a few days, but he had truly come too far.

"I personally do not care whether you believe me or not. I simply came to pass on the most accurate information as I don't wish to see more children lose their mothers and fathers. I don't wish to hear of entire Strongholds and Fortresses falling with millions killed. You hold a high position as a Tier 7 Ascendant Gem Master. Pass the message on to other Human Lords in charge of Strongholds.

Ask for reinforcements if you have to. Do not get caught off guard."

His words came out without hesitation.

The Asmodeus Lord before him had a difficult expression as he stared at him, but he simply continued.

"The World of Ephesus will face more and more Beasts of Corruption. Tier 7 Beast Lords, Tier 8 Beast Kings, and even Tier 9 Beast Emperors. I truly don't even know how the Human Lineages will cope with all of this. And all of this knowledge is likely why the Galanis Lineage already turned…"

The more words he uttered, the more ashen the face of the Asmodeus Lord became!

Alexander himself shook his head as he had some minutes to think when he was flying towards the Sanctified White Mountain Stronghold.

He doubted his place in this increasingly dangerous world of Ephesus.

His head was set on revenge against the Elven Beasts whose hands were involved in his mother's death, but after killing Elven Beast Commanders and thousands of lower ranked Elven Beasts…he didn't feel any profound sense of accomplishment or relief.

He was looking for revenge for so long and the power to carry it out, but by the time it came…he didn't feel much!

This caused him to doubt himself.

The state of Meta Comprehension still remained active.

But even in this state, he asked himself.

Who was he in this vast landscape?

Was the ideology of becoming a Conqueror that he formed over the last day enough?

What if after he did all of this, he would come to feel the same as he felt after thousands of Elven Beasts lay dead?

"..."

The Ability of Meta Comprehension stifled his emotions and made him more analytical, but they were still there.

He was still there.

What did he…truly want?

Yes, he wanted to have the power to be safe. For his father, Claire, and those closest to him to be safe.

But apart from all that.

What did he want?

The recent battle and level of power he was exposed to made him truly reflective as even until now, he didn't arrive at a clear answer!

"Why did you stop speaking? What else is there?"

The Asmodeus Lord, with an ashen expression, spoke out after seeing Alexander stare blankly in the last few seconds.

Anastasia was the one to reply to him as through their bond, she sensed tumultuous and calm waves within her new Master.

"Hush, Human. The Ascendant Master is thinking!"

...!