The Invincible Full-Moon System Chapter 1832: Only I

"Is this bothering you?" Rex spread his arms wide and unleashed the surging power surging within him.

"Not in the slightest," Linthia replied firmly, shaking her head. Her dark hair swayed side to side, lagging just a moment behind her motion. "No one can rival your progress. I know I'm not on your level. Yet I'm among the rare few who will keep striving to catch up."

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

He approved of her response. It was exactly what one would expect from the Clarentium Empire's rising general.

"I doubt you visited just to offer congratulations," Rex drew his power back inside. No hint of his vast energy escaped. His command over his aura remained flawless, even after ascending to a superior divine rank. "What news do you carry?"

"The message comes from Dorn, the Gatekeeper of Lava."

"Oh...?"

...

"My daughter..." Great Elder Rosa murmured softly, her voice tinged with sorrow.

She floated high above the rear grounds of her grand estate, observing a silhouette practicing amid shadows on the water. A faint violet glow from the lake below cast light on her form.

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

Days had passed since the assault on Sky City.

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

Yet, despite her dedication and family prestige, building this group 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.

"Enough, my child," She positioned herself a short distance back, fingers interlocked gracefully over her midsection. "You're right that your life force recovers more swiftly, but pushing this intensely burdens your Unbalanced Spiritual Veins. You're injuring yourself more than advancing."

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, mentioning weakness again," Rosa rubbed her forehead wearily. "After all you've endured, who would call you weak? He's in a different world entirely, daughter. It's wiser to move on from him. He's just a man."

"Abandon any dream of his return. He won't come back. He's likely returned to his own domain already," She continued.

Ignoring Rosa's words, April rose unsteadily and resumed her training.

Others' opinions held no weight.

As long as a possibility existed that Rex might come back, she had to prove her strength to him.

She wasn't prepared to surrender.

Deep down, she held a passionate conviction that her emotions—and dedication—would somehow connect with Rex. Some might label it foolish optimism or naive delusion—but she saw it as true love. Genuine affection was scarce among nobles, making her pursuit of Rex entirely justified.

"Fine then..." Rosa let out a heavy sigh. "Follow your heart. Remember, though, he's still bound to the Mortal Realm. His power impresses, but his life span is far shorter than ours. You could spend a century pursuing him if you choose, only to find it all meaningless in the end."

Rosa pivoted to depart.

She had voiced her concerns to April.

Acceptance now rested with April alone. She couldn't compel an unwilling listener.

April was her child, yet mature enough to decide for herself.

A subtle warmth crept into the air as Rosa ascended toward her residence. Given the landscape beneath this enclosed space, nights here ought to chill more than elsewhere.

But this evening felt mild.

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

Her eyes grew wide at the unexpected change.

"I sense no trace of him any— " Rosa's words cut off as her gaze locked onto a silhouette.

April traced her line of sight and spotted the form rising from the garden's border—some distance from the water's edge. It resembled a beast. Coat black as ancient void. A sacred emblem shone like a pendant across his torso. And crimson stones blazing with fury gleamed from his sockets.

Beast was the term flashing through most minds at this view.

But for April, only a single name surfaced.

"Rex..."

April shot a triumphant glance at Rosa, silently declaring her vindication.

No matter the circumstances, Rex hadn't forsaken her.

"What a surprise to see you here," Great Elder Rosa, wielding the authority of her noble lineage, descended from above. She landed with poise on solid earth—and her gaze sharpened. "This sneaking approach is beneath you, isn't it?"

"Mother, please don't address him that wa— "

"Why not? Why should I soften 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 as you please and then vanish? Do you think, after my warning to stay away, you could just depart? True nobility lies in power wielded by the worthy. Not by sneaks like you. You've gone too far."

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

April tugged at her arm, pleading for her to halt such speech.

But the declaration had already escaped.

Steeling herself, she faced Rex directly. To her shock, his expression stayed unchanged. Utterly devoid of feeling. Back then, his chill had seemed like a fleeting facade.

This time, it cut deeper.

His chill pierced straight to the core.

Rex's eyes expanded fully, and he cocked his head, "Your desires mean nothing to me."

Both April and Great Elder Rosa recoiled at his retort.

Instantly, an overwhelming force pressed upon them. Breathing became a struggle. Great Elder Rosa held her posture, preserving dignity amid inner chaos, while April clung on by a thread.

"When have the powerless ever dictated terms?" Rex pressed on, his emitted force intensifying relentlessly. "That's not the way of things. Observe me and reflect. You hold no right to expect anything from me."

"I possess the strength," He indicated himself—then gestured toward them. "You lack it. My voice is the only one that counts. I alone can issue demands. I alone can act freely. But you, Rosa, understand this already."

"And you assume my youth makes me susceptible to your twisted tactics?" He questioned.

His words burned like flames.

Rex had chosen to approach them willingly, yet this was his reception.

He wasn't flawless, but Rosa seemed convinced she could control him through April.

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

Crack—!

The surroundings shattered entirely.

Even House of Aurelius guards rushed over to investigate, but none could approach.

An invisible barrier of the Law of Misdirection repelled them all.

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

They could scarcely endure it still.

He loomed above Great Elder Rosa.

Nearby, April murmured pleas, but her voice failed to pierce through to Rex.

"You're the one who's overstepped, Rosa. For presuming to command me. You ought to fear me," Rex seized a fistful of Rosa's hair and lifted her chin, compelling eye contact. Though his rank fell short of hers, a Demigod's aura overwhelmed utterly. "You've witnessed my ruthlessness. You've seen the lengths I'll go to safeguard those I value. And still, you strive to exploit my protective instincts?"

Rosa remained speechless.

Her mouth parted as if to respond, yet silence prevailed.

"Do you feel secure?" Rex growled threateningly. His grip shifted downward, encircling her throat firmly. His talons dug into her flesh. "Do you believe I'd hesitate to end you? I could rip out your heart this instant, and if your daughter resents me, I'd discard her just as you accuse."

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

His disposition had darkened.

Sneaking here without Princess Davina's knowledge was turning into a poor choice, one he now questioned.

Rex snapped his fingers.

A ray of vital force descended, gouging a pit into the soil.

The depression was profound enough to pool liquid up to his calf.

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

"I once discarded a woman due to rage-clouded judgment, and I've since recognized the error," Rex stated as he wheeled back toward them. "I've grown from that folly. Casting her out without opportunity was unjust, so I'm offering you this single shot."

Rex had intended to extend April some grace, but now he reconsidered.

The decision fell squarely on her.

When the pit overflowed completely, Rex's arm regenerated effortlessly.

The volume of blood here dwarfed what he'd provided Princess Davina.

It might have been twice as much—an outrageous quantity.

"April." His stare fixed on her kneeling form—a profound, weighty intensity. "Drain every bit from this pit. All of it. Once finished, head there." He conjured a scroll from nowhere and flung it down. It mapped the path to the Raging Crimson Basin. "Immerse yourself in the blood lake and master it. Only then will you deserve a place by my side. Until that moment, seek me not. Anticipate nothing. Harbor no dreams."

Rex spun on his heel and cast a final glance backward.

"This could prove fatal, so attempt it only if prepared. Also, eliminate Ethan. He serves no purpose to me."

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

The jump propelled him vastly, vanishing beyond the skyline.

...

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

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

They stood poised to enhance their talents.

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 unforeseen individual positioned right in front of him.