Gathering Wives with a System Chapter 461: Isaac’s Expectations, Livestream

Isaac reluctantly released Celia, but only after she swore to complete her Class Advancement within the next three days.

It was only then that he entered the fray.

Judging by the current state of the battle, Isaac's intervention wasn't strictly necessary. Emily had already decisively turned the tide. The city walls were holding firm, the waves of monsters were dwindling, and the awakened fighters were growing bolder with each passing moment.

Nevertheless, Isaac chose to step in.

The very earth began to quake.

Thick roots, as sturdy as ancient pillars and covered in rough, jagged bark, erupted from the soil surrounding the walls. They surged forward like living javelins, ensnaring charging monsters before they could even register the threat. The roots constricted with instantaneous force.

Bones splintered with sickening cracks.

Several monstrous creatures were crushed mid-stride. Others had their torsos compressed so severely that their internal organs burst outward. Many had their heads obliterated as the roots tightened their deathly grip. A few monsters attempted to break free, but the relentless roots dragged them back, pulling them into the earth as if they were prey being swallowed whole.

Isaac's Transcendent rank Mana Manipulation allowed him to broadcast his Sovereign of Land skill across an immense area, all while consuming mana with remarkable efficiency.

A secondary wave of roots burst forth behind the initial assault, ensnaring any lingering stragglers. These roots twisted with ferocity, and bodies exploded in gruesome sprays of blood and torn flesh.

A palpable quiet descended upon sections of the battlefield wherever Isaac's power manifested.

Witnessing this spectacle from within the city walls, the assembled populace fell into a stunned silence.

This was true power.

For the first time ever, the entire human city was observing a live demonstration of genuine high-level strength. This was far beyond a gifted awakener struggling against monstrous foes. It was not a coordinated squad barely maintaining their ground. This was sheer, overwhelming force. A single individual reshaping the very contours of the battlefield.

Until recently, former Governor Marcus had deliberately suppressed information regarding higher echelons of power. His rationale was that if ordinary citizens became aware of the vast disparities in strength, it would inevitably lead to widespread panic and societal instability. His approach favored controlled progress, restricted knowledge, and gradual revelations.

Isaac, however, was pursuing the exact opposite strategy.

He was revealing everything.

He made no attempt to conceal the true potential of an awakener. He didn't pretend that the path to the pinnacle was an unattainable dream. Instead, he showcased it openly, allowing everyone to witness firsthand what was truly possible. If fear was to be felt, he intended for it to transform into motivation rather than paralyzing helplessness.

His objective was to ignite a fervent pursuit of strength within the populace.

Yet, this was not his sole objective.

Isaac discreetly cast a glance towards Celia.

She was hovering slightly above the city wall, meticulously recording every detail while simultaneously live-streaming the unfolding battle. The broadcast's perspective was expertly angled, perfectly capturing Isaac's actions, the erupting roots, the devastating explosions, and the sheer scale of the destruction.

Celia immediately noticed his gaze.

Without a word needing to be spoken, she understood his silent inquiry.

He wanted an update on the situation.

Not on the battle itself.

But on the public perception.

Isaac aimed to cultivate his reputation as both a formidable combatant and a benevolent farmer. He required public recognition that precisely aligned with these two identities. Only then could he successfully establish the unique Domains of War and Farming. The prevailing public image of him had been veering dangerously off course until this point, and if this trajectory wasn't corrected, he risked acquiring entirely different kinds of Domains.

Domains leaning towards Lust.

Domains of NTR.

This was precisely the outcome he was desperately trying to avert.

Consequently, he was putting on a calculated display. Not to an excessive degree, but with deliberate intent. Every movement, every display of power, was meticulously orchestrated to solidify the image of a powerful protector safeguarding humanity.

Celia shifted her focus to the livestream's chat feed.

The comments were scrolling at such a breakneck speed that they were nearly incomprehensible.

She subtly slowed the feed and began to decipher the rapidly moving text.

[IronWall_88]: holy shit, he is so strong

[FaithfulFarmer]: we should call him Lord Isaac

[ToxicSlimeLOL]: wow look at this idiot. "Lord Isaac" lol. is he your saviour or what?

[FaithfulFarmer]: yes he is. he gave my family jobs and food crops at low rates

[GutterKing]: just say you are poor gng

[SaltedPenguin]: fuck I hate that bastard. he is showing off

[LaughingGhoul]: lol another crybaby

[ConspiracyMage]: am I wrong though? he only came out after lady emily showed overwhelming strength. he just didn’t want to be outshown. what a bastard

[ShadowSpectator]: yeah he is a bastard

[PeanutObserver]: lol the haters are here

Celia let out a sigh. Such reactions were entirely expected. Immense popularity invariably attracted a certain level of backlash.

However, the subsequent influx of comments took a decidedly different and unexpected turn.

[TruthSeeker777]: haters? you are stupid if you can’t see how dangerous he is. goddess celia and lady emily are his girlfriends. does it make sense that powerful and proud women like them would share their partner?

[Watcher_09]: yeah celia was single until now. suddenly she has a boyfriend? suspicious

[GoldMarketEye]: saintess alice too. isn’t she rumored heir of calloway conglomerate? why would she share her partner?

[FanboyCrusher]: wow you guys are stupid. he’s rich handsome and strong. of course he has multiple partners

[BlackRumor]: i bet he has dirt on them. he’s forcing them

[CuriousGoblin]: wait i heard he has another girlfriend. look at this [pic]

A picture appeared.

Celia blinked her eyes.

It was Professor Catherine.

[FlamingCrow]: holy fuck who is that smoking hot babe.

[DropoutMage]: she was a professor in my academy. she was good, but strict at the same time, even with isaac.

[AngryScholar]: what the fuck. he didn’t even leave his professor

[ExposeEverything]: lord isaac my foot. he’s clearly chasing beautiful women. He is just a lustful bastard with good PR.

[SaltRain]: +1

[FireSpam]: +1

[BitterToast]: +1

[EchoEcho]: +1

[MobMind]: +1

[MobMind2]: +1

The chat exploded in a frenzy.

Celia immediately started banning users who made rude comments about Catherine, herself, Alice, or Emily. But insults directed at Isaac were overwhelming. There were far too many. She banned one user, and three more seemed to appear instantly.

Ruby, the city’s AI assistant, automatically filtered extreme profanity and deleted the worst messages. Even with her intervention, the chat remained chaotic.

People were already jealous because of Isaac’s relationship with Celia. Emily’s overwhelming battle display had made matters worse. Instead of praising Isaac, many viewers now claimed he was clinging to powerful women, manipulating them, or forcing them to stay by his side.

Celia glanced at Isaac again.

He was still fighting, but his eyes occasionally flicked toward her with quiet expectation. He clearly believed people were praising his combat strength.

Then she looked back at the chat.

The comments had somehow become even more aggressive, calling him shameless, lustful, and manipulative.

Celia pressed her lips together tightly.

Her shoulders trembled slightly.

She almost burst into laughter.

He was definitely getting a Lust Domain.

Maybe even NTR.

Isaac noticed her expression and frowned slightly. He didn’t understand why she was smiling like that, but he didn’t dwell on it. Instead, he focused back on the battlefield.

Once the monster numbers dropped enough, he withdrew from the front lines.

He deliberately stepped back and allowed the younger awakeners to take over. They needed real combat experience, and now the pressure was manageable. Isaac watched from above, observing how they fought.

At the same time, he evaluated his own forces.

His summons moved across the battlefield, engaging monsters with different abilities. Some were individually powerful but fought independently. Others, especially the soldier-type summons, moved in tight formations.

Isaac narrowed his eyes.

As expected, the stronger summons lacked coordination. Their abilities were diverse, and they were dangerous individually, but they didn’t function as a cohesive unit.

The soldier summons were the opposite.

Individually, they weren’t particularly strong. But their coordination was precise. They covered each other, rotated positions, and exploited openings. In large-scale battles, their combined strength surpassed many stronger individual summons.