Chapter 410: Waiting (Request Subscription)

「Hmm…」

The towering spirit legion commander stood silently, his lifeless gaze piercing through the thick fog toward the direction of the anomalous fluctuations.

It seemed another holder of the Spirit Pool fragment had become anomalous.

But it didn’t matter.

Over these long centuries, powerful beings had always found Spirit Pool fragments and claimed them for themselves.

They killed each other, fighting for control of the fragments; the victor would enjoy the Spirit Pool’s aid for a long time.

Just now, the legion commander sensed a peculiar disturbance.

It was an unprecedented sensation!

He felt as if fate itself was calling to him.

He seemed to see something, yet seemed to see nothing at all.

「That was…」

The legion commander remained silent, pondering inwardly.

He seemed to be waiting for something.

He seemed to be hoping for something.

But in the end, he did nothing.

He sent no scouts to investigate, made no defensive preparations—merely quietly withdrew his gaze and looked toward the training ground before him.

Before him, the Spirit Legion fought in silence.

Their battles produced no deafening roars, only the quiet thuds of colliding bodies and bursts of spiritual energy.

They split into two factions, attacking each other.

Each spirit gave their all, eyes blazing with unwavering combat resolve, launching relentless assaults on their comrades as immense power erupted with every strike.

One spirit lunged at his opponent, his weapon flashing with icy light; after a tense standoff lasting minutes, he seized an opening and struck with brutal precision.

BOOM!!!

The struck spirit was grievously wounded, his body flying like a severed kite before crashing heavily to the ground.

The victor showed no triumph—instead, he seized the moment and charged toward his next “enemy.”

The fallen spirit writhed on the ground, his wounds shattering into shimmering light that scattered away, leaving him motionless.

The other spirits in battle paid no attention, not one glancing their way.

No one cared. No one minded. This was merely a scene they had witnessed countless times.

Only the overseer spirits standing by dragged the gravely wounded comrades to the glowing Spirit Pool behind them and tossed them in.

The Spirit Pool’s energy gently enveloped the wounded, swiftly repairing their ravaged bodies; soon, they opened their eyes again.

Meanwhile, the other spirits did not pause—they quickly adjusted and began their next battle.

When the wounded spirit was fully restored, he rose immediately and plunged back into the fray without hesitation.

The battle resumed.

They fought furiously against each other, sparks of combat flying silently through the air.

They fought in endless cycles, as if they were not only comrades-in-arms but mortal enemies sworn to destroy each other.

The fighting never ceased.

And this scene had persisted for countless years.

In truth, they did not know why they fought, yet their minds held only one thought: never stop. They were forever preparing, forever waiting.

Even though their divine master had departed.

Even though their efforts might forever be meaningless.

They still fought.

They were waiting.

Waiting for their god’s return.

Waiting for a chance to prove themselves.

To prove their loyalty, to prove their worth.

「Huh…」

After watching for a long while, the legion commander sighed silently, picked up the weapon beside him, and walked slowly toward the center of the battlefield.

The instant the legion commander entered the battlefield, both sides of the spirits halted their attacks and turned toward him with fierce yet reverent gazes.

Click!

Without a word, all the spirits raised their weapons again.

But this time, they were no longer each other’s enemies—no longer needed to kill one another.

For now, they had a common foe.

The legion commander!

Thus, the spirits let out their first roar.

「Fight!!!」

As the spirits attacked, the legion commander merely stood silent, raising his massive weapon.

「Fight!!!」

He roared, slamming his weapon down with all his might.

BOOM!!!

The colossal shockwave hurled every surrounding spirit into the air!!!

「Huh?」

On the other side, Valentina’s ears twitched as she heard a distant sound.

Huh?

Her body’s constant swaying halted; she turned her head toward the distance.

Over there, was someone fighting?

The Hunger Dragon considered it briefly, then dismissed it with a shrug.

She paid no mind to the anomalous fluctuation.

「Hmm… whatever. Not worth worrying about~」

What’s strange about fighting?

Isn’t that normal?

I’m fighting too!

Still, her instinct told her the opponent’s strength was likely considerable.

If the chance arose, she should find an excuse to fight them!

Valentina loved combat.

But since her advancement, she had yet to meet a worthy opponent.

That three-headed chimera hadn’t even let her warm up—she’d crushed it effortlessly.

How disappointing.

While she was distracted, Herbert did not slack off—he seized the opening the moment she hesitated.

「There’s an opening!」

Herbert seized the instant Valentina shifted her stance, unleashed his full force, and instantly turned the tables, pinning her down.

One second, two seconds, three seconds—captured!

Hunger Dragon subdued!

But before Herbert could gloat, Valentina snapped back to awareness and grinned contentedly.

「Hehe, you finally got excited too!」

「If that’s the case, then I’ll get serious too!」

She gave Herbert no chance to react—her long leg snapped out, locking tightly around his waist.

「Hehe! I won’t let you run away~」

Herbert felt the pressure, realized he could not break free, and clenched his lips.

In that moment, he understood—he had no retreat left.

So Herbert took a deep breath, abandoned all thoughts of escape, and fixed his gaze with the determination of one saving the world.

「Then let’s fight!!!」

In the end, the battle lasted until dawn, barely ending with Valentina’s humiliating defeat.

Valentina had overestimated her strength.

Though her stamina was nearly infinite, her sensory endurance still had limits.

After repeated defeats, she gave up, exhausted and disheveled.

Herbert, barely victorious, held the lazy, cuddling Hunger Dragon as he watched the sun slowly rise, his mind too empty to devise a new sunrise law.

His waist was drained.

His mind was drained.

He was no longer in Sage Mode—he was nearly ready to become a monk.

He had longed for increased strength, yet after gaining it, he still hadn’t met his expectations—he couldn’t crush the Hunger Dragon effortlessly.

After long thought, he slowly nodded and murmured: 「Hmm… strength… I still need to increase my strength…」

After the sun fully rose, Herbert’s hollow consciousness gradually returned, no longer in that blank state, and Valentina awoke from the intoxicating pleasure.

Yet the two remained entwined, still like conjoined twins, sitting in the Spirit Pool, feeling the water wash over them, savoring each other’s warmth.

Valentina’s normal body temperature was always high—even in human form, her skin radiated forty to fifty degrees, like a roaring furnace.

Most people could not endure such warmth, and would even avoid getting close.

But for Herbert, who feared no heat, Valentina was like a warm pack, comforting to hold.

Warm, thoughtful.

“Valentina, will you come with me to Elda later?”

Herbert looked at the dragon girl whose eyelids kept fluttering shut, and sighed: “Never mind, forget I asked.”

She was this exhausted—how could she possibly have the energy to go to the Elda Domain?

“Ahh—I’m tired!”

Valentina lazily pouted, rubbing against Herbert’s chest.

She had feelings for the Elda Domain they had cultivated together, but for the other residents, she felt little emotion and had no particular thoughts.

One reason: she didn’t know them.

The main reason: Valentina was extremely sleepy.

She desperately wanted to sleep.

After successfully breaking through, her spirit was already exhausted, not to mention she had kept fighting nonstop afterward—even though she’d sought out those battles herself.

Comfortable. Satisfied. Exhausted.

Yes. Time to sleep.

Herbert had no expectations for this Sleep God of the Discipline Hall’s energy levels.

It seemed Valentina’s post-breakthrough habit of oversleeping hadn’t improved at all… Whatever. As long as it didn’t get worse.

Herbert had no special expectations for Valentina.

She didn’t need to go to school or work. Let her sleep if she wanted.

“Can you get back on your own?”

Herbert looked down at the still surface of the Spirit Pool, his gaze flickering—he successfully saw the Mirror Space.

As long as he wished, he could return at any moment—even right after Valentina had forcibly taken him.

Don’t ask why he didn’t run then.

The answer: feigned resistance, genuine delight. A little private game. Don’t overanalyze the details.

But according to Herbert’s own speculation, this ability of his was limited to himself, with restrictions on others.

Sure enough, Valentina didn’t understand Herbert’s meaning. Without hesitation, she blinked: “Of course—I’ll just fly back~”

From the Miss Hungry Dragon’s perspective, the water’s surface showed no change; she saw no Mirror Space, and thus could not teleport back.

“Then I’ll fly straight back now—ha—” Valentina yawned widely, rising to fly straight back to the monastery.

But as she tried to stand, Herbert grabbed her cheeks and yanked her back.

“Eh! Don’t pinch my face—”

Though she complained, Valentina didn’t struggle. She pouted obediently, gazing at him with mournful eyes.

What are you doing?

Herbert couldn’t help laughing at her expression. He tapped her forehead with his other hand and said, exasperated: “Where do you think you’re going? Are you flying to heaven?”

“Mm!” Valentina nodded.

Exactly—I’m flying to heaven!

Herbert laughed in exasperation. His other hand joined in, pinching her cheeks symmetrically, pulling left and right.

Tugging. Squeezing. Kneading.

As he molded her cheeks like dough, he said: “Miss, can you use your brain a little? Think—how did we get out?”

“If you just fly back so openly, aren’t you telling everyone you escaped?”

How did they get out?

Smuggled.

So returning must also be smuggling!

Valentina blinked, then suddenly understood: “Oh?”

“Oh—oh!”

Herbert looked at her expression of sudden realization, and smirked: “Do you really get it?”

“Nope!”

The Miss Hungry Dragon answered brightly.

As expected.

Herbert looked into Valentina’s clear eyes and thought of classmates from his past school days—the rear-row battle gods who were always zoning out.

Whether they understood or not didn’t matter. Grades didn’t matter. They just had great classroom attitudes and were always cooperative.

As long as they didn’t disrupt order, teachers ignored them—let them liven things up.

Herbert’s attitude toward Valentina was much the same as those teachers’ toward such students—let her be happy.

After all, he didn’t need her to be a wise character. A brute who’d always act before thinking was fine.

“Then what should I do?”

Though she could simply ask the Sage for answers, Valentina had completely abandoned thinking when near Herbert.

She was a useless dragon now—even though she’d never been particularly strong before.

“Listen to me.”

“Mm!”

Under Herbert’s direction, Valentina dressed, jumped up, and plunged straight into the water.

In that moment, Valentina’s figure in Herbert’s eyes transformed into another creature—not the destructive large dog he remembered, nor the dim-witted black-and-white cat.

He seemed to see a fox from a documentary hunting in polar ice.

Leaping high, then diving headfirst into the snow.

Thud!

A muffled sound came from underwater, followed by a stream of bubbles.

Glub glub—

Valentina burst up from the water, pouting: “You lied! I can’t get back!”

Though it didn’t hurt, when her head made direct contact with the bottom of the Spirit Pool, she felt embarrassed.

Are you teasing me?

The Miss Hungry Dragon glared dangerously at Herbert, ready to pounce and devour him again if he said one wrong word.

Herbert watched her flustered expression and nodded inwardly—he now understood the teleportation’s limit.

Relying on others wouldn’t work—not even if he stood beside them. He had to make direct contact.

“Haha, why would I lie to you?”

Herbert smiled cheerfully, took her hand, and guided both their palms into the “mirror.”

Elda Domain.

Sophie waited silently, whispering inwardly: “My Lord, isn’t it supposed to be tomorrow? It’s already… why haven’t you returned?”

“Did something dangerous happen?”

Probably not.

(End of Chapter)