The Invincible Full-Moon System Chapter 1832: Only I

"Does it disturb you?" Rex spread his arms wide, channeling the surging power surging through his body.

"Absolutely not," Linthia replied with a firm shake of her head. Her dark locks swayed side to side, trailing her motion by almost a full second. "Nobody can rival your rapid progress. I know full well I can't stand beside you. Still, I'm among the select few who'll never stop striving."

A grin tugged at the corners of Rex's mouth.

He appreciated that response. It suited the future general of the Clarentium Empire perfectly.

"I guess you didn't show up just to offer congratulations," Rex drew his power back inside. No hint of his vast energy escaped. Even after reaching a new level of divinity, his command over his aura remained flawless. "What news have you carried?"

"It's a message from Dorn, the Gatekeeper of Lava."

"Oh...?"

...

"Daughter..." Great Elder Rosa murmured softly, her voice laced with sorrow.

She lingered in the air above her grand mansion's rear garden, observing a lone figure practicing amid enveloping shadows. The faint violet glow from the lake below cast an eerie light on her silhouette.

From her vantage, the tears streaking the figure's cheeks were unmistakable.

Days had passed since the assault on Sky City.

The House of Aurelius reached out to noble families throughout the realm, aiming to form an alliance that would embrace Rex upon his return. April had proposed the idea and poured endless effort into expanding this group.

Yet, despite her dedication and family prestige, building the alliance proved incredibly challenging.

April's sole achievement involved seizing Ethan and locking him away as an offering to Rex.

Following yet another setback, she devoted the remaining hours to solitary practice.

Rosa jolted from her reverie as April hacked up blood and dropped to her knees.

She descended swiftly to her side.

"That's sufficient, daughter," she positioned herself a short distance back, hands folded gracefully over her midsection. "Indeed, you recover life energy more swiftly, but pushing this intensely burdens your Unbalanced Spiritual Veins. You're inflicting greater damage on yourself than any benefit."

April clenched her jaw and tightened her hold on her nodachi's hilt.

"I need to grow stronger fast," she whispered under her breath. "I refuse to stay weak."

"There you go once more—dwelling on weakness," Rosa rubbed the bridge of her nose wearily. "After all you've endured, who would label you weak? He's in a realm beyond reach, daughter. It's wiser to move on from him. He's merely a man."

"Abandon any dream of his return. He won't come back. Likely, he's already retreated to his own world," she continued.

In spite of Rosa's counsel, April rose unsteadily and resumed her training.

Opinions of others held no sway.

As long as even a sliver of possibility existed for Rex's return, she had to prove her resilience.

She wasn't prepared to surrender.

Deep down, she held firm faith that her emotions—and dedication—would somehow connect with Rex. Others might dismiss it as foolish optimism or delusion, but to her, it embodied true love. Genuine affection was scarce among nobles, making her pursuit of Rex utterly worthwhile.

"Fine then..." Rosa let out a heavy sigh. "Follow your path. Remember, though, he's still bound to the Mortal Realm. His might impresses, yet his years are fleeting compared to ours. Spend a century pursuing him if you must, but ultimately, you'll see it amounted to nothing."

Rosa pivoted to depart.

She had voiced her concerns to April.

From here, it fell to April to heed or ignore them. Coercing the unwilling served no purpose.

April was her child, yet mature enough to decide her fate.

A subtle warmth crept into the air as Rosa ascended toward her mansion. The atmosphere of the night had shifted. Given the elevated landscape of this enclosed domain, evenings here ought to chill deeper than elsewhere.

But this night carried unusual warmth.

April retreated a step as the lake's glow abruptly changed from violet to blood-red.

Her eyes bulged in astonishment.

"I detect no trace of him—" Rosa's words halted abruptly as her stare locked onto a silhouette.

April traced her line of sight and soon spotted the form rising from the garden's border—dozens of meters from the water's edge. It resembled a beast. Coat blacker than eternal void. A sacred emblem shimmered like a pendant across his torso. And crimson stones blazing with fury gleamed from his sockets.

The sight would evoke "monster" in most minds.

But April's thoughts fixed on a single name.

"Rex..."

April shot a triumphant glance at Rosa, asserting her vindication.

Despite it all, Rex hadn't forsaken her.

"Quite the entrance for you," Great Elder Rosa descended with noble poise, landing gracefully on the earth—her gaze sharpening. "Such stealth amounts to cowardice, as you're aware?"

"Mother, don't address him that wa—"

"Why not? Why restrain my words? He must face reality."

Great Elder Rosa fixed her piercing stare on Rex, who remained still opposite them. His eyes met hers without flinching, boredom evident within. "Do you believe you can exploit my daughter at will and discard her? Think after my warning to stay away, you could just vanish? True nobility lies in power wielded by the bold, not the timid. You've overstepped."

"I demand you answer for this. Leave the princess and wed April," she insisted.

April tugged at her arm, pleading for silence.

Yet the declaration hung in the air.

Steeling herself, she faced Rex's eyes. To her shock, his expression stayed unaltered. Devoid of feeling. Back then, his chill had seemed like a fleeting facade.

This time, it cut deeper, chilling to the core.

Rex's eyes stretched wide, head cocking slightly. "Your desires hold no weight."

April and Great Elder Rosa reeled from his retort.

In the instant that followed, crushing force descended upon them, stifling their breaths. Great Elder Rosa held her posture amid inner chaos, but April struggled to endure.

"When have the powerless ever dictated terms?" Rex pressed on, his aura intensifying relentlessly. "That's not the way of things. Gaze upon me and reflect. You possess no right to impose on me."

"I wield the strength," he indicated himself, then gestured toward them. "You lack it. My voice alone matters. I alone issue demands. I alone act freely. But you, Rosa, grasp this truth."

"And you presume my youth leaves me open to your schemes, twisting facts?" he challenged.

His words burned like flames.

Rex had approached them willingly, only to face this reception.

He wasn't flawless, but Rosa evidently believed she held control, leveraging April.

"If I were such a coward, I wouldn't have shielded her in the Forsaken Tower," his presence throbbed heavier, fracturing the earth nearby and stirring tempests on the lake. "If I were such a coward, I wouldn't have endangered myself against the Immortal Slugs. And if I were such a coward, I wouldn't have ensured her escape from execution."

Crack—!

The surroundings shattered entirely.

Forces from House Aurelius rushed to investigate, yet none drew near.

An invisible Law of Misdirection barred their path.

Rex advanced with measured deliberation. Every footfall echoed like a giant's tread—the terrain splitting underfoot, fissures widening progressively. With proximity, the oppressive weight on April and Great Elder Rosa escalated.

Even then, they clung to composure.

He loomed over Great Elder Rosa.

At the edge, April murmured faintly, though her voice failed to pierce to Rex.

"You've breached boundaries—Rosa. By presuming to command me. Fear me instead," Rex seized a fistful of her hair, lifting her chin to lock eyes. Though his rank fell short of hers, a Demigod's aura overwhelmed. "You've witnessed my ruthlessness. You've seen the lengths I'll go to safeguard those dear. Yet you persist in sabotaging the advantages of my protective nature?"

Rosa remained speechless.

Her mouth parted as if to speak, but silence prevailed.

"Do you feel secure?" Rex growled threateningly. His grip shifted, encircling her throat firmly. Claws dug into flesh. "Do you doubt I'd end you? I could rip out your heart this instant, and if your daughter despises me, I'd cast her off just as you accuse."

After a tense silence, Rex thrust her away and withdrew his aura.

His disposition had darkened.

Slipping away from Princess Davina to visit proved unwise; regret now gnawed at him.

Rex snapped his fingers.

A ray of life energy lanced downward, gouging a deep depression in the soil.

It formed a basin reaching mid-calf in depth.

Then he severed his arm completely, allowing blood to pour into the hollow, aiming to brim it full.

"I once discarded a woman long ago, blinded by rage, and now recognize that error," Rex stated, pivoting back toward them. "I've grown from that folly. Abandoning her without opportunity was unjust, so I'm granting your sole opportunity now."

Rex had intended to offer April some grace, but that inclination faded.

Now, the decision rested solely with her.

As the basin overflowed with crimson, Rex's limb regenerated effortlessly.

The volume there far exceeded what he'd shared with Princess Davina.

Maybe twice over—an exorbitant quantity.

"April." His stare fixed on her kneeling form—an intense, weighted gaze. "Drain every bit from this basin. All of it. Once finished, head there." He conjured a scroll from nowhere and flung it down. It mapped the Raging Crimson Basin. "Immerse in the blood lake and master it. Only then will you merit inclusion in my circle. Until that moment, seek me not. Anticipate nothing. Harbor no dreams."

Rex spun away, casting a final glance over his shoulder.

"This might claim your life, so attempt only if prepared. Also, eliminate Ethan. He serves no purpose."

With his final words delivered, he bounded into the distance.

His bound propelled him vastly, vanishing beyond the skyline.

...

Rex perched on a coffin atop a round dais. Ruins and battle scars from his clash with Stelios surrounded him. He'd come back to the Tomb of Heroes, the designated spot for his rendezvous with Dorn.

Nearby, in a secure spot, waited Amanir and Devo.

They stood poised to enhance their aptitudes.

An hour remained before Dorn and his entourage arrived.

Ample moments for Rex to gather his wandering mind, still scheming his next moves upon return.

Suddenly, a voice jolted him upright.

He lifted his eyes and beheld an unexpected visitor positioned right in front of him.