After Kaze watched the Revenge's Protection consume Mary's soul, he turned to his people, first searching for those he cared for.
After identifying Kiera was safe in the isolated cave, he found Jake missing an arm and in significant pain. Veronica was severely injured but would heal naturally.
Kylie, Sage, and the head elites were fine, as they were coordinators for the fighting. However, many suffered from minor Qi deprivation.
Other significant people, including Carmen, General Michaels, Fey Roybock, and Addison Bishop, were also okay.
However, Kane had a massive gash in his leg from a wind blade, suffering alongside Aaron, who was mortally wounded, and Sandra, who had an arm barely strung together with muscle tendons.
Beyond the significant people, almost a hundred were dead, and five hundred were wounded, creating a haunting wail that tormented the nighttime sky.
"I lack the Qi to heal Crux, let alone the others." Kaze whispered pensively, looking at the blonde below, "However, we can reverse the situation if Evalyn [genuinely] consents."
He flew to the ground and seamlessly stepped foot on the grass, walking to the Ice General under the penetrating gaze of the watchful Immortals.
"Great for you to show up." Evalyn said with a sardonic smile.
"I returned as swiftly as possible after learning Killian sent a nuclear bomb to find Crux." He replied earnestly, "This nightmare scenario lacked all sense or reason."
"I got that impression, and I honestly don't blame you." She nodded, "For now, let's focus on the present.
People are dying, the sick are approaching, and there's virtually no Qi in the atmosphere after the constant fighting. The situation's bleak; what should we do?"
"Indeed, it is." He nodded solemnly, "While I loathe to offer this, we can reverse the situation by dual cultivating, as it will restore all our Qi reserves.
However, I refuse to let you sacrifice your body for people we've saved numerous times. So I will only consent if you are positively inclined towards dual cultivating with me [at this moment]."
Evalyn's jaw loosened, and she studied his serious expression as if he were having a stroke. "What the fuck is wrong with you?"
"Are you implying I'm wrong to care or think higher of you than others?" Kaze asked with sharp, narrowed eyes at her aggressive reaction.
"Of course not." She scoffed, rolling her eyes, "Is our relationship so insignificant to you that you're worried I'd find having sex a sacrifice?"
"Sex for obligation is not sex for meaning, and relationships are fluid and not constant." He scoffed breathlessly, "You may hate me for decisions tonight; thus, sex could be detrimental.
While you may find it agreeable, stop treating it as if it's irrelevant."
"It's relevant?" Evalyn laughed in amusement, "I love you, Kaze—whether I like you is irrelevant.
My body desires yours—liking you is irrelevant.
Consenting to sex would help our people—liking you is irrelevant."
The emperor turned to her with a pensive expression, trying to understand her point.
"But I do like you." She laugh-scoffed breathlessly, "So this conversation [is] irrelevant. I can't believe we're even having it right now. So drop it so we can dual cultivate and protect our people."
"As you wish." Kaze replied with a half-wry half-hopeless smile, "Prepare the soldiers to fight the sick while I get Kiera to aid the wounded."
"Understood." Evalyn nodded, "Hurry; these people desperately need you."
…
"Where were you!?" A pink-haired teen screamed in a dimly lit cave, "I thought you were dead! Fucking DEAD!"
"I told you I'd return, did I not?" Kaze asked soberly, "Did you think I was too weak to back my word?"
"I don't think you're weak; that's half the problem!" Kiera laughed sharply, tears falling from her eyes, "You're low-key invincible and can sense people from miles away. So where were you!?"
"Where was.... Do you think me omnipotent, Kiera?" He scoffed in disbelief, "That I can control time, space, the ocean, and sky but maliciously chose not to return?"
"No, that's the other half of the problem!" She cried aggressively, making his eyes fill with vexation, as she implied both halves were the problem, but his expression didn't last long.
"I am certain you'd rip apart the sky, ocean, space, and time if anyone were attacking Evalyn—so if you knew something was wrong, then why the fuck weren't you protecting her!?" Kiera screamed.
"There were only two explanations—you were severely injured or fucking dead! So don't treat me like I'm being over-emotional for worrying about your god damn strength! You got it!?"
Kaze frowned, getting rightfully called out by the intelligent teen. So he opened his arms with a gentle, wry smile and let her walk into his arms.
"While your confidence moves me, I am neither omnipotent nor omniscient." He whispered, "I learned late, lacked information, and made multiple serious mistakes. I'm human."
"I know... it was just so hard, Kaze…." Kiera sobbed, bawling on his chest while gripping his back aggressively, "... to stay inside this cave... while everything melted down....
But I did… I trusted you... and stayed in here… Kaze…."
"You did well, Kiera." Kaze praised, hugging her with a complex expression, "You stayed loyal, [protected everyone by being here], and stayed calm. I'm proud of you."
The slang riddler understood his point. She had nearly killed someone when she bent their raw Qi clockwise without knowing they were attacking left-handed. That could've happened at scale.
Moreover, if Kiera reversed Qi around Mary and her technique exploded, it could've killed everyone. She was a severe liability.
"I know, but I wanted to help…." She whispered.
"If that's true, I have a technique you can use to help people now." Kaze replied, poking her forehead, "Permission to [info dump]?"
"Just give it to me, goddamnit!" Kiera snap-laughed, breaking past her tears, "I don't have time for an old man's language lecture during the apocalypse."
"As you wish." Kaze smiled, closing her eyes and transferring a technique into her mind.
The pink-haired teen's expression reversed, and she slid down his chest, collapsing onto her knees with trembling eyes. "W-Wait... t-this is this a joke, right? I-I can't do this…."
"Kiera, listen." Kaze said seriously, lifting her and putting her on his back, "The elites with Minor Healing are responsible for keeping people alive. That's not your responsibility.
I need someone who can do more; only you have the talent and control to use this technique."
"I...." Kiera trembled nervously, "I couldn't do this to save my own life, Kaze. I lack the resolve to face the world, let alone concentrate... I'm afraid, and everything feels pointless. Meaningless."
"If you can't face the world for yourself, face it for me." The emperor said with unwavering eyes, "If you're afraid, develop confidence for me. If your life feels pointless, live for mine, as it's not."
Kiera's heart pulsed, listening to him. His words triggered their conversation the week before when she asked for something to live for. "Will that actually work?"
"Of course it will." Kaze smiled, "Now let's go."
…
Excited whispers spread when they saw Kaze flying back to them. However, everyone hushed when they saw Kiera on his back.
Few had noticed until that moment that she was missing, but now it was clear to all. Moreover, her relationship with the emperor was widely gossiped about.
That was especially true of the soldiers, who knew her intimately because her behavior nearly triggered an international conflict.
Now, he returned with her on his back like a child! Combined with seeing her body shaking like a leaf, hearing and witnessing the traumatizing scene for the first time left people bent.
"I will not explain why Kiera wasn't here, as it's complicated, and we lack time." Kaze announced, putting the teen down, "However, her [absence] was to your benefit, and I will explain why later."
His words inspired breathless, bitter chuckles. While they accepted her special status, they wouldn't believe something so paradoxical.
"That said, her [presence] now is to your benefit!" He continued loudly, snapping people to attention, "Treat her with respect, do not pressure her, and do not question her decisions.
I've given her instructions, so treat everything she says and does to be an order from myself. Do you understand?"
Most Immortals nodded sheepishly. However, the elites and soldiers nodded in conflict, wearing strained expressions or gritting their teeth.
They were bothered that he sheltered her from harm and brought her back after the danger to boss them around with authority.
Kiera saw everyone and looked down at the ground. She hated being in the spotlight, and currently, she was the brunt of begrudgingly-non-lethal attention.
"Evalyn and I must leave for an hour to cultivate and regain strength." Kaze announced boldly, "So protect your country, your brethren, and help Kiera help you."
…
"Are you sure it's okay to leave her alone in that emotional pirana pit?" Evalyn asked cautiously, walking with the emperor to the main mansion.
"If they force her to defend herself, everyone will learn why she wasn't present." He replied, glancing at her seriously, "However, we needn't worry.
Kiera's socially weak but emotionally strong and physically overpowered. So even without our elites protecting her, people cannot easily harm her even if they break my orders. She's safe.
It's also good for her to face adversity tonight in her own way."
Evalyn nodded as they walked through the mansion's doors. The building was dark and ominous. "Upstairs or downstairs?"
"Neither." He replied, waving his hand and pulling her through a rift.
"You have to be joking me." She said in exasperation, looking at his bunker with the same expression Kiera had. "Is this necessary?"
His bed alone, made from six king-sized mattresses stacked side-by-side, made her feel dizzy.
The speak-easy bar, table booths, fireplace, full kitchen, and master-sized bathroom felt like insult-to-injury and left her eye twitching.
"It is." Kaze smiled mysteriously, "These are Soul Qi reinforced beds with ample space. I assure you, Evalyn—we need both for what we're about to do.
We cannot afford to destroy more of this campus than we already have."
Evalyn stared at the arena-sized area of indestructible mattresses in disbelief, feeling a wave of anxiety wash over her, alongside a strange sense of danger and thrill.
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