XL

After having completed the construction of the five Gundams, Qianye Ying'er said she would surprise him. Like every woman, she took a vastly longer time to get ready so Rokas found himself standing in silence despite the presence of her servants. He had clothes beamed himself into his version of the direct disciple's robes, which repped mainly black with gold-purple outlines alongside his personal nine-headed dragon insignia. Other than that, it wasn't too outlandish with the patterns. Rokas appreciated the simplicity in his clothing.

As all six gundams were in the hall, there were quite a number of high ranking divine masters around.

[System: Those them Laker mamba colours.]

'Speaking of… how are they doing right now?'

[System: They're shit.]

'... Lebron ain't getting that fifth ring, huh.'

[System: MJ is just better.]

'You're not going to make me care about that silly debate again.' Rokas shook his head. 'How is Yinping? Surely you could tell me that much.'

[System: Now that is something you can discover for yourself, can't you, mr genius?]

'Easier said than done… and I never said I was a genius. Everyone just calls me one.'

[System: Now you are simply underestimating yourself. As a matter of fact, your intelligence has greatly improved since you got folded by Jiufang Yu. It has gotten to the point where you'd run circles around any person who walked your earth in that regard.]

'... Really?' He frowned slightly, tilting his head. 'I don't feel any different…'

[System: That is… the prison of the mind. Do you remember what you wrote? The same advice you gave to Xuanyuan Jiantian applies to you. You are your own prisoner.]

'...' Rokas pondered over that statement. 'Am I really holding myself back?'

[System: So, the question is would you rather take hold of your destiny or have others dictate it?]

'You know damn well the answer to that.'

[System: Prove it.][

Suddenly, the door ahead slowly opened to reveal a face that Rokas knew all too well. Wearing a tight golden dress, she was as stunning as ever. Though, unfortunately, she donned her mask. After her came the other core pillars of the Brahma Monarch God Realm.

Immediately, everyone present went to show their respects in the form of a bow.

"You truly outdid yourself this time, Long Ke." Qianye Fantian acknowledged, observing all six Gundams with a keen light in his eyes. "Despite such a short stay… your contributions to our Brahma Monarch God Realm are already so great. I was not wrong in my decision to choose you as my direct disciple."

He pat Rokas' shoulder, who made a slight smile in reply.

"You didn't even see them in action yet."

"I trust that a man of your quality would not create lacklustre weapons." Qianye Fantian countered, giving a warm smile before turning to his Brahma Gods and back to him. "Will you introduce us to the five newest Gundams?"

"I'd love to." Rokas nodded, stepping forward. "After refining the Akatsuki, I decided to build a team of units which effectively supplement each other. As you are all brothers… I suspect that fighting chemistry isn't a new thing to you."

"Oh, I see. That does sound quite brilliant." One of the Brahma Gods remarked.

"First, we have the BMR-02 Buster Gundam. It's the ranged heavy hitter. BMR-03 is most suited for close-range combat. BMR-04 Aegis has the best sensors which allow for better communication, the ability to transform into a faster fighter and it also has a rather peculiar attack mode. It's suited for the role of leader. Now the BMR-05 Strike is an all-around unit focused on striking… naturally. Out of the five, its arsenal is the most versatile by far. I recommend the strongest out of you wielding this one."

"It is certainly not lacking in weaponry." Qianye Fantian remarked.

"Lastly, the BMR-06 Blitz is a stealth/marksman unit which best works for infiltration and extremely long-range combat. Given its mostly black coat, it blends with the night and is capable of concealing itself perfectly. I made this one specifically for myself given my vastly inferior reaction speed to divine masters and the like."

"Are we to choose the rest amongst ourselves?"

"Go ahead." Rokas handed over the keys to all five Gundams.

Almost immediately, Qianye Fantian chose the Perfect Strike. The rest was decided by him as well. From the looks of it, the Aegis was the least popular given its colour and purpose.

"Will practising with them lead to performance issues?"

"As long as you do not damage the core nor use Trans-Am, you should be fine," Rokas answered, shrugging his shoulders.

"Brilliant. We shall begin now." Qianye Fantian nodded, opening up the Perfect Strike. His brothers joined him and hopped into their respective Gundams. The exit opened like some hangar and they were off. Meanwhile, Rokas and Qianye Ying'er remained.

'Wonderful.' Rokas thought to himself. 'Mfs already using my Gundams.'

"Given that it may take some time for them to get acclimated to their new toys, you may as well use this time to enjoy the fruits of your labour." Qianye Ying'er changed the topic.

"What do you mean by that?"

"My promise, of course. You never failed to cry about how much you miss your family. Now is the best time to see them."

'Fuck me… this isn't how I thought it would go. Shaking her off would be damn near impossible.'

"I'd prefer to get the invasion over with first," Rokas replied, shaking his head.

"No, no… I insist." Qianye Ying'er smiled through the mask as she looked into his eyes. "This is what you wanted all along, isn't it? Besides, the invasion of the Southern Sea God Realm wouldn't be the last. It would be best if you took your vacation now."

'... I'm getting violated.'

"What's wrong? Are you not so intent on seeing them, after all?"

"... No, it's not that. If I were to return, it would be for an extended period of time." Rokas added, shaking his head. "You've already dealt a fatal blow to Southern Sea God Realm so that conflict might as well be settled quickly. Besides, I'd imagine it wouldn't take that long for them to get adjusted to their Gundams. I mean… you just hopped in the Akatsuki for the first time and used it damn near perfectly."

"It's splendid that you are so eager to fight for the Brahma Monarch God Realm." Qianye Ying'er stated with a slight tone of sarcasm. *Though, we still have some time to ourselves…"

"I want to scout ahead," Rokas answered without hesitation. "Scan the field, find points of interest and maybe get some quick picks."

"Quick picks?"

"Kills. They likely suspect an invasion either way… so causing a little chaos before the main force strikes would be in our interest."

"Not a bad idea in the slightest."

~

In the middle of the night.

From a far enough distance, the Southern Sea God Realm's core city didn't look any inferior to the illustrious Brahma Heaven City. Although, deep down, it was already rotting away with the lack of a God-Emperor and suitable successor to replace him. From a quick observation, Rokas saw that they were primed for a defence against a counterattack from the Brahma Monarch God Realm. The number of installed formations was rather absurd. Everyone was on high alert and spirits were strangely high.

'No wonder… their ancestor made an appearance.' Rokas remarked, turning to the Akatsuki. "How does old age affect someone at the level of a God-Emperor, anyway?"

"The previous, withered Southern Sea God Emperor? It is doubtless to say that he would put up a good fight given his experience. Although, he certainly isn't in his prime. In regards to such matters, it depends on how close the person in question is to the end of their lifespan… if deathly close, they would be no challenge at all."

"I don't think we need the others to take down the Southern Sea God Realm," Rokas stated, sitting back. "If I disable their defences while you distract the rest, we could very well win. Comfortably, even."

"I thought you had more patience than that. You do realise that attacking a Royal Rank Star Realm is vastly different from defending against one?"

"Don't you want all the credit for taking down the mighty Southern Sea God Realm?" Rokas wondered, taking a hit at her ego. "It would be quite the show of strength."

"I have no doubts in my strength… you are the wild card in this operation."

"You know from experience that I'm always a great performer when I want to be." Activating Blitz's stealth mode, Rokas flew closer to the city. "Do a little shooting in their city and that'll draw most of them away from me. Just a little."

"... As eager for glory as any young man." Qianye Ying'er remarked, moving in closer to the city.

'Titanic Sea God Cannon… a weapon capable of breaking the laws of the current Primal Chaos. Yeah, they ain't using that on my machines.'

BOOM.

A rifle beam fired not so far away, exploding a dozen buildings at once. Slashing through the smoke, the golden Akatsuki made its appearance. Immediately, all attention turned to it.

"It's that golden thing… the Brahma Monarch Goddess has come alone!"

'That's good timing.'

Rokas took his time getting to where he needed to be, dodging any flying defenders. The Blitz was much slower without its drive fully activated but it was the price to pay for nearly perfect invisibility. In the background, more defenders rallied to stop the terrifying Akatsuki. Already, a tenth of the city had been put to the flame. Such an attack drawed in their strongest defenders… leaving the Titanic Sea God Canon with the third strings to look after it.

'Perfect.'

After a few minutes, the Blitz made it to the hall where the Titanic Sea God Cannon was stored. Thankfully, the halls were massive enough to allow a Gundam to fly through without any collisions.

'Here we go.'

Using Blitz's rifle, Rokas penetrated through the walls blocking the Titanic Sea God Canon. Unveiling itself, its wings expanded as dozens of dragoons spread out to shoot down all opposition.

"That's… a different model!"

The guards within the hall were shaken by the sudden appearance of Blitz. The GN Drive behind it began to spin and absorb energy at a rapid rate to substitute the high performance.

[Lock-on System integrated.]

As Rokas confirmed all of the targets, the dragoons fired at once in a coordinated sequence. With a majority of the guards having their hearts shot clean through, there only remained one true challenge. A Sea God who had been assigned to the Titanic Sea God Canon. Yeah, that sounds about right.

'This Lock-on System is something else…'

[Full Burst System integrated.]

'But this guy could probably tank quite a bit… and my reaction time is nowhere near good enough to dance with him.'

'Trans-Am.'

Suddenly, Blitz's coat of black turned into a shining red.

Aiming its leg cannons, rifles, missiles and dragoons at once… the Blitz fired everything onto the Sea God, unleashing a storm of pale white lightning.

BOOOM.

BOOM.

BOOM.

Onslaught after onslaught, the Sea God could only take so much of a beating. Once the smoke cleared, he was on the ground covered in a pool of his blood. Only when he got to breathe, the grappling hook of Blitz fell upon him and smashed the figure into the ground.

'Again…'

Once more, the Blitz flew up and bombarded the heavily wounded Sea God with its entire arsenal… finishing him off in a crater of devastation. Afterwards, Trans-Am was deactivated.

[System: Man's used up all his Gundam's energy reserves on one guy.]

'He had to go as quickly as possible.'

[System: Also, I'd love to mention that I did absolutely carry you in that encounter.]

'You have my thanks.'

[System: No sarcastic tone?]

'Don't exactly have the time.'

He turned his attention to the Titanic Sea God Cannon immediately after.

[System: Once again, onto the breech.]

'Where did I hear that line from?'

[System: Stronghold Crusader, dummy.]

'Oh…'

After an observation and some flying, he arrived at the formation connected to the Titanic Sea God Canon. In the attempt to activate it, he was denied. The activation sequence seemed to require energy similar to that of the Sea God he defeated earlier.

'Mad, I need their divine power… that's honestly a great security measure.'

Rokas blitzed back to the Sea God's corpse and leapt down from his gundam. Without hesitation, he transformed into his true form and ate away at his remains.

[Profound Strength: Divine Spirit I → II]

[Sea God Divine Power attained.]

'Only one level?'

[System: Cope harder.]

'Hmph, whatever. Profound strength will come with time. But this canon… I have a strong feeling that we're going to be great friends.'

Going back to the formation, he was able to activate it. Instantly, an absurd amount of energy flowed into the Titanic Sea God Cannon through countless artefacts. It started to shine with a heavenly blue glow and radiated a sense of power that hadn't been felt for millennia.

…

The Akatsuki proved to be a nearly untouchable force. Its invisibility paired with its defensive capabilities made even touching the machine an arduous task. Qianye Ying'er was a major reason why, boasting an absurd combat strength with the use of the Akatsuki. Even without trans-am, in a long-winded battle, she was going to win against the Southern Sea God Realm every time.

That is why, despite the best efforts of the Southern Sea God Realm's forces, their city had become a sea of raging flame. Alas, hope had arrived just at the right time.

"What was that commotion…"

"The Titanic Sea God Cannon… has been activated!?"

"It can blow that golden eyesore right out of the sky!"

"We've won!"

Naturally, this sudden relevation led to quite the attention. Although to those in the sky, they were all too sure that it was on their side.

"Under whose instruction was the formation activated?" The ancestor questioned with a slight frown.

"Well…"

BOOOOOM.

The moment he turned, it was already too late. A terrifying blue light covered tens of thousands of the Southern Sea God's combatants including most of the experts. There were few screams as by the time any noise would've been made, the people in question were incinerated.

Only the ancestor and last Sea King survived but even they were hanging onto dear life. Meanwhile, the Akatsuki was right outside of the firing range.

"... How clever." Qianye Ying'er smiled from within Akatsuki as she focused all of her dragoons onto the last two combatants. Drawing the Akatsuki's double-bladed beam saber, she simultaneously dashed forward to finish the job.

"How… could this be-"

Slash.

The ancestor fell.

Slash.

And so did the last Sea King.

"This is the end for the once great Southern Sea God Realm."

Qianye Ying'er announced, turning her eyes to the ants around her.

Akatsuki's wings expanded, letting out all of its dragoons.

The rest of the Southern Sea God Realm's core city was swiftly put to the flame by the golden Akatsuki. It did not discriminate, slaughtering armed and surrendered civilian alike. Elders, adults, children, beasts… men, women, it didn't matter. Qianye Ying'er wanted the death of everything living.

"What… are you doing?" The Blitz blocked one of Akatsuki's rifle shots with its GN shield. Rokas frowned from within his Gundam. "Can't you see that they've all given up?"

"I'm finishing what we started. When you defeat an enemy, you would be wise to remove the roots that remain. Elsewise-"

"It's pointless and you know it." Rokas countered, frowning slightly. "Who here is going to be a threat to you… ever? Not a single soul. The only reason why I did all that was to kill their strongest men so that we could win swiftly. Everything past that isn't-"

"... Hmph, you are still far too naive. Do you believe that you would be given the same mercy if the roles were reversed? In this cold universe, righteousness is nothing more than a lie."

Akatsuki's gun lowered as she saw a crying child to the side. Standing over his fallen family, somehow he had survived.

"One more for good measure."

BANG.

Once again, her shot was deflected as the Blitz stood over the would-be victim. The turquiose colour GN field stood strong.

"... Is that a challenge? You are truly unruly today." Qianye Ying'er furrowed her brows as the Akatsuki descended. "Tell me, is it worthwhile for this ant to live on all alone without the strength to protect itself? The kinder fate would be death… but you don't understand that quite yet, do you?"

"..."

"Well, are you going to wait for them to take the fruits of our labours?"

"... No." Rokas replied with an indifferent tone. "I'll take care of it."

Bang.

The moment he left, an explosion sounded behind him.

"You still…"

"What did you think I was going to do?"

~

The main treasures of the Southern Sea God Realm were all swiped away by Rokas and Qianye Ying'er. There was a Void Illusion Stone that he eyed but Qianye Ying'er swiftly took it for herself. Rokas didn't speak much throughout, giving short replies as he went through the motions. It was difficult to get the images of what he had seen out of his head. It wasn't a victory or conquest… that conflict had been an outright slaughter. Even those who did not fight had been intentionally put to the sword.

There was ruthless… and then there was crazy psychopath.

"You made quite the mess here."

Qianye Ying'er observed the hall where the Titanic Sea God Canon was stored. Half of the remains were ash while the other half was burned to the point of being unrecognisable or simply torn in half.

"What justifies this act, hm? What excuse do you give yourself to keep that fragile moral high ground?"

"... I only killed soldiers who were prepared to fight." Rokas countered.

"And that makes all the difference? You came into their world, slaughtered their people, took their treasures… do you enjoy living with the delusion that you are noble and righteous? In the end, it is you who enabled all of this destruction to happen." Qianye Ying'er shrugged her shoulders. "Though, this wouldn't be an issue in the slightest if you were more honest and embraced your true self. The moment you let go is when your terrifying potential will be unleashed to its fullest."

'Why am I being lectured for having the slightest ounce of empathy? Just because you don't have a heart, doesn't mean I should be the same.'

"What should we do with this?" She changed the subject, turning to the Titanic Sea God Canon. "It's a fine weapon… I wonder how you found it so quickly?"

"It doesn't matter how I did it."

"So that's how it is."

Rokas stepped forward and took the Titanic Sea God Canon into his Inner World.

"I suppose you do need it the most." Qianye Ying'er smiled slightly. "Rather bold to claim it as your own without asking, however."

"Unless you have the Sea God Divine Power, it would be useless to you."

"And you do?" She raised an eyebrow.

"I got it during the battle."

"How?"

"Does it matter?" Rokas asked a similar question again.

"I love and hate you today." Qianye Ying'er chuckled, shaking her head. "Let's go home."

~

A few days later, the other five Gundams went for seconds of whatever remained. Meanwhile, Rokas couldn't quite get the incident out of his mind. It served as a reminder of who he was dealing with… and her lack of humanity. Given how everyone else in the Brahma Monarch God Realm felt about it, he also began to question himself. Was he the one who was too 'soft' or were they too savage? Was there truly no use for empathy in this world?

Resting on Ying'er's bed, such questions raced in his mind.

"You're still not over some people you didn't even know?" Qianye Ying'er smiled as she entered and took off her mask. "Or are you merely acting upset for favours in bed?"

"I shouldn't have expected too much from you… it's in your nature to be like this." Rokas tried not to look at her.

"Like what? Surely you have a word for it."

"A crazy bitch."

Rokas' frown turned to a smile as he said it but only for a moment.

"Those are truly hurtful words to say to your future wife." Qianye Ying'er remarked, her golden eyes glancing at him. "Didn't your mother teach you how to treat women?"

"Oh, she did. She also told me that some women aren't worth all that. I think… you're also forgetting that I'm not with you by choice."

"It's rather hard to tell when you're sooo very intimate." She chuckled, stepping closer with every word. "Whether you like it or not, we are going to be married someday. Though… I am under the suspicion that you'll wisen up before then. The incident regarding the Southern Sea God Realm is nothing but a passing tide."

"When can I go home?" Rokas got off the bed before she could join him.

"I'm not rewarding enough?"

"I want what was promised."

"You do look more handsome when your eyes are blazing with such fury. I'd imagine your wives are vastly inferior to me… so what drives such strong feelings of 'home'? You don't give me the impression of someone with many friends. It must be your daughter."

"They are not inferior."

"Was there a hint of truth in what I said? Don't worry, they're not here… are they? Being truthful and saying I'm better in every way wouldn't hurt their poor hearts."

[System: About that… they kind of are here.]

"It would be a blatant lie if I ever said that."

"Hm… why don't I see for myself? After all, we did agree that you would be able to go wherever you wish after this."

"Not with you." Rokas countered, shaking his head. "I'd be going alone."

"... That is rather unfortunate. Despite all this time that we've spent together, you still can't place your faith in me. How… disheartening." Qianye Ying'er's face fell slightly. "After all that I've done for you? Is this… all I get?"

'...' Rokas frowned slightly as she turned to leave, putting on her mask. 'Am I being gaslighted right now?'

"Nonetheless, I will keep my word to you."

As she left behind golden particles, Rokas was left with a bewildered expression.

'She's really trying to play man's like that…'

~

When the Southern Sea God Realm was left in complete devastation, the Brahma Heaven God Emperor and his three Brahma Gods returned with their Gundams. Waiting for them stood Qianye Ying'er and Rokas, the former masked while the latter was indifferent to their appearance.

"These Gundams truly are the most brilliant weapons." One of the Brahma Gods hopped out and smiled as he stepped down to the ground. "Though large and slower, their power makes all the difference."

"Sadly, we did not have a proper test." Another added. "Only their scraps remained."

"You can only blame their eagerness." Qianye Fantian chuckled as he left the Perfect Strike and looked at the couple. "There will be many tests in the future, I am most certain of that. For now… there are matters that have to be discussed."

He glanced at the Brahma Gods and they all dispersed. Rokas raised an eyebrow as he realised that he was alone with Qianye Fantian and Ying'er.

'What's this about?'

"In a void, there is nothing wrong with having a kind heart. In truth, many would agree that it is a great virtue. But… in such a world, this virtue will only be taken advantage of until it leads to your downfall. In the end, people will only seek to benefit themselves." Qianye Fantian pat his shoulder and looked him in the eyes. "Is it worthwhile to sacrifice yourself for others?"

'Am I being lectured?'

"... No."

"If you were defenceless, would the people of the Southern Sea God Realm, fighter or not, spare you? When you have your enemies on their knees, the wisest choice is to swiftly cut them down. Because life… is the pathway to endless possibilities. So long as your enemy is alive, they may just find a way to threaten you. If not you directly, then someone close to you."

Rokas nodded slightly. 'Let's get this over with, please.'

"For instance… their crown prince still lives. While his strength is lacklustre compared to us, he could very easily kill you." Qianye Ying'er stated. "For him to have a Southern Sea God Realm to return to would make targeting you easier. But, due to the state of the realm, he no longer has anything to fall back on."

'They're really great at justifying a mass genocide.' Rokas thought to himself. 'Too good, actually.'

"I get it." Rokas replied.

"Very good… now that this matter is out of the way, it is time to discuss the future. Come."

He took them to a hall Rokas hadn't quite yet seen. The entire place was filled with gold-crimson paintings of figures of the past and their triumphs. From the original Brahma Gods to the latest Brahma Heaven God Emperor… it was an astonishingly vast library.

"How much do you know of the Brahma God Heaven Clan?"

"No one had the time to give me a history lesson." Rokas shrugged.

"When true gods still roamed this universe freely, the Brahma God Heaven Clan stood at the very peak in regards to overall strength. Blood-thirsty ambition drove the warmongering Brahma Gods to obliterate all of their enemies one by one. Before the sudden death of Mo E, the Creator of Power, the Brahma God Heaven Clan could only be rivalled by the Dragon God Clan in terms of wealth and power. It was the very peak of human clans. Even after that event and the chaos that ensued… only the calamity which the devils unleashed brought them down.

"You mean the Dragon God Clan was stronger," Rokas remarked. "They weren't exactly rivals, were they?"

'The propaganda is real.'

"The advantages of dragons are hard to overcome." Qianye Fantian let out a warm laugh. "The Dragon Gods of old were only inferior to Creation Gods. Unless… you were to count Mo E as part of the Brahma Heaven God Clan's strength, truly rivaling them would be nigh impossible."

"So… why did we move here, exactly?"

"Ever since the first Brahma Heaven God Emperor found it, this hall of memories is where all of our succession ceremonies have taken place. As my direct disciple… you are expected to attend one sooner or later. But first, your compatibility should be put to the test."

Rokas blinked as the Brahma Soul Bell appeared in Qianye Fantian's hands. Shining over him, a golden light dashed towards him. The light danced about for several seconds before returning.

"... You already have the Brahma God Divine Power?" Qianye Fantian observed, chuckling slightly, glancing at Qianye Ying'er. "This is a phenomenon I didn't quite expect."

"Long Ke does have a tendency to absorb my profound energy." She replied.

"I'm sure he does more than that."

"... Father."

'Did she get embarrassed?' Rokas chuckled alongside Qianye Fantian. 'This man…'

"Long Ke, though you are my direct disciple and will perhaps even hold the title of Brahma Heaven God Emperor someday, you are not intended for the sovereignty of the Brahma Monarch God Realm." Qianye Fantian changed the topic, observing his expression. "This fact doesn't seem to impact you in the slightest, I see…"

"Ying'er gets her birthright and I don't get dragged into doing something I'd be terrible at. Why would I be upset in the slightest?"

"I would not be so quick to paint yourself as a terrible ruler. You are compassionate, outspoken, charming, clever, innovative and quite driven when you have a goal to strive towards. In truth… you may be even better than me after you gain enough experience and realize how to use your gifts to your advantage."

'Compassion is a gift now? Pick a side…'

"Compassion towards your people." Qianye Fantian clarified. "Nothing is wrong with that. If anything, it is one of the finer traits a ruler can have. As for compassion for the enemy… that is a weakness."

"Well… I don't know about all that. Ruling would require strong leadership qualities and prior knowledge of how it all works."

"Do you think that I came out of my mother as the Brahma Heaven God Emperor?" Qianye Fantian questioned, smiling slightly. "In my youth, I was fiercely willful and indulged far too much in women. One too many led to heartbreak… soon enough, you learn from your mistakes and grow from them. Regardless, I turned out to be the most ambitious and talented of my brothers. My father… he believed in throwing you straight into the lake while he watched you attempt to swim. Suffice to say, I swam."

'Ain't no way buddy got rejected." Rokas thought to himself. "Do you have the same methods as your father?"

"Truthfully, ruling is not the most difficult thing in the world. All you need is the power and your word becomes law." Qianye Fantian stroked his chin. "Although, one word of advice would be… take the advice of those wise in the field that you require. Then use that advice to mould your decisions. Other than that, you should always maintain your authority. Do not allow it to be openly challenged by anyone under you."

"Alright… I'll keep that in mind." Rokas took a deep breath, nodding slightly. "... I'd like to ask for something."

"Oh?" He raised an eyebrow, seemingly already knowing exactly what he was going to say. "How old is she, your daughter?"

'He knows?' Rokas glanced at Qianye Ying'er.

"Her fifth birthday just passed." A flash of regret crossed his eyes as he slightly clenched his fists. Slowly and steadily, it turned to fury as he stared at him.

"As a father who has had plenty of children, I do know the pain of absence. Sometimes duty keeps me occupied or I simply have one too many… but, in the end, she will only be so young once in her life." Qianye Fantian acknowledged, nodding his head. "Such moments are as priceless as heavenly treasures to some."

Qianye Fantian pat his shoulder, smiling rather warmly. "Take as much time as you need, Long Ke. We will not be going anywhere. Should you wish to return with her when the time is right, she would have a better life than my own children."

"I'll think about it." Rokas nodded. 'No.'

"I've yet to see you so giddy with joy…" Qianye Fantian smiled. "If the pursuit of power ever becomes your goal, you know where you can find it. As your master, I have yet to teach you much and that is one of my regrets. I assure you that the Brahma Monarch God Realm is the best place for you to blossom as there is not a single resource that I would keep away from you. Skilled and insightful sparring partners at every level, our most sacred profound arts, treasures, resources, artefacts, weapons… anything. You only need to truly accept your role as my direct disciple."

"Think about it once you are ready."

As he blinked, the figure of Qianye Fantian scattered into golden particles leaving the observant Qianye Ying'er and Rokas alone. While he looked at her, she turned her back to him.

"Such a shame that you do not see what is right before you. You could have anything that a man could possibly want and yet you still walk away, simply because of your strange lack of trust." Qianye Ying'er shook her head in disappointment. "Alas, my father made his decision."

"You almost sound like you're going to miss me."

"... I most certainly will." She turned to face him with all her beauty, a magic spell that never failed. She raised her hand and caressed the side of his cheek with her delicate palm. "Won't you?"

Her golden eyes shined warmly as she tilted her head ever so slightly… a rarity.

"You know exactly what you're doing."

Rokas glanced away.

"Stop being so uptight… you're better than that."

She held his head firmly with both of her hands, lowering it as she pushed her lips against his. She kissed him as such several times, though he didn't reciprocate any of it.

"Did you prefer being tied down? I could very well accommodate that."

"Just… fuck off, alright? I'm not in the mood."

"You're so loathsome these days." Qianye Ying'er sighed, placing her head against his chest while she wrapped her arms around him.

Rokas pushed her away, turning to the opposite side.

"You don't need to act like you're into me, you know. I could care less."

"... Suit yourself." Qianye Ying'er put on her mask, stepping forward. "I'll see you off."

[System: Bruddha doesn't even care anymore :skull:]

…

They returned to the hall which had all six Gundams present. While Rokas stepped forward to claim his Blitz, Qianye Ying'er took his hand for a brief moment.

"What…?" Rokas turned back to face her.

"You wanted this, didn't you?" She retrieved something, revealing a grey stone that was just about the size of a fist. It didn't reflect any light and, once one looked upon it, it seemed as if the surroundings were being devoured by it.

"... Yeah."

"This is a Void Illusion Stone and, once broken, you will be able to escape even divine masters. It will teleport any number of people to an entirely random place while also being completely untraceable… in essence, it is a second life. I wouldn't waste it." Qianye Ying'er placed it in his hand. "There's only a very limited number left, even for Royal Rank Star Realms… but you need it more than I would."

"... I appreciate it." Rokas nodded, taking it into his possession.

"I also want you to have this."

Rokas glanced at the next object in question. From a simple observation, it seemed to be a simple golden coin with traces of Brahma God Divine Power.

"If you ever find yourself in a situation where you do need my assistance, break it and I'll know exactly where you are. Although, in short term, it isn't as effective as the Void Illusion Stone… you can't quite kill anyone with it, can you?"

"Sounds like it's a way for you to know where I am all the time." Rokas turned his eyes away from the coin and turned back to her.

"It doesn't activate until you break it… besides, what's the worst that I could do if I knew where you came from?"

"Something along the lines of making sure you're the only woman in my life seems about right…"

"You are far too cautious." She chuckled, shaking her head. "You don't have to take it if you don't want to."

"... If I want to be seen, you'll sense my vast profound energy wherever I happen to unleash it." Rokas handed back the coin and focused for a second as something began to materialise from his profound energy. "This is if you ever get lonely."

"... You're in the mood for jokes now?" Qianye Ying'er blinked, observing the 4 foot tall plushie version of Rokas appear before her. It was softer than silk and very goofy looking with big golden eyes and a wide smile. "I'm not going to take that."

"I think it's cute."

He shrugged, flying up to the Blitz.

"This'll be farewell for now."

"So you intend on returning?" Qianye Ying'er replied, crossing her hands.

"Depends on how things go."

[System: That's what the SovereignOfHeaven always says.]

'... Things never quite go to plan for me, do they?'

~

"You think it was wise to let him go like that?" Qianye Ying'er questioned, turning to her father.

"If what you told me about his physique and soul is true, it would be a sore mistake to continue to build resentment. Your approach was the wrong one from the very beginning… you thought that your beauty alone was enough, no matter how you acted. That did not turn out to be the case, did it?"

"Well…"

"The pride and fury of a Dragon God paired with the explosive power of the Heretic God… in no way would such a person accept having their wings clipped. I should have taken him directly under my wing from the moment I was aware of his talents but I trusted in your abilities to manipulate him effectively. Hm… at this point, giving him free rein over his future while giving the finest offer possible is the only effective path to take."

"It was going well before the incident with the Southern Sea God Realm, royal father. I just don't understand why he would care so much."

"The bloodline of the Phoenix and Blue Dragon runs deep, does it not?"

"..."

"You still have much to learn. Such a young man, as peculiar as he may be, is still very moldable. It is a process that takes time… but the results make it more than worthwhile, considering the phenomenon that he is. We can only hope that he does return out of his own free will this time. Otherwise…"

"He most certainly will."

She replied, almost as if it were a promise.

"We will see."

Qianye Ying'er watched as her father flashed away, leaving her alone. She swiftly returned to her bedroom where Rokas' plushie sat watching at the corner of the room. Chuckling, she took off her mask.

'If you don't return, then I'll just have to find you…'