Omega Ascension System[BL]-Chapter 275: _Already Plotting World Domination

Elian’s POV

*****

As they zoomed through the void between space and time, Elian kept his eyes sealed. Even then he felt the chilling lack of warmth gnawing at his bones. Chaotic cosmic energies hit him like they were going to tear him apart.

Through that haze, he didn’t let go of Lucian’s hand for a second. The Alpha Prince, in turn, wrapped his arms around him, pressing his body to his chest tightly.

"Hang on!" Lucian roared.

Eventually, the madness came to a halt. The rift split an exit open, vomiting Elian, Lucian and the Rogue king hundreds of miles north of the Arcadian capital.

Kyren’s palace.

"Ahh!" Elian’s yelp bounced off the walls of the dimly lit hallway they landed on, elbows scraping the marble floor as they fell.

He gritted his teeth, glancing first at Lucian who also seemed disoriented. "Are you okay?"

A smile twitched on the Alpha Prince’s lips, and his arms raised his body off the floor. "I should be asking you that."

They both managed a smile, helping themselves up as they looked ahead.

Unsurprisingly, Kyren was already on his feet, dusting his shoulders with an agitated expression. His crimson eyes flicked to Elian and Lucian.

"Any symptoms of spatial turbulence?" He questioned, squinting. "Disorientation. Nausea. Dizziness. Melted organs?"

"Melted organs?" Lucian nearly exclaimed. "What—"

"Relax. There’s no such thing." Kyren smirked, turning away from them. "That’s odd. My alarms should be on by now since that rift didn’t fully carry my magic signature."

As Kyren brought his gaze to his communication wrist band while Lucian cursed under his breath on how "he couldn’t understand how the Rogue king could make jokes," Elian drew in a deep breath.

’Please, tell me you’re back online.’ he whispered mentally, hoping the system would respond with something.

A roast. An insult. Dragging his life secrets. ANYTHING.

Sadly, all he got was a notification screen in front of his face showing him that same update bar.

[System updating... 80% completed.]

Fuck!

Suddenly, the red crystals around the hallway flashed repeatedly. Then came the loud screeches of alarms blasting all around the palace.

"Ah. There it is." Kyren seemed rather pleased, whipping his head to Elian and Lucian. "Those are the palace security wards and spells. Usually, if a mage is trying to break in with a portal or teleportation, it blocks them and alerts me."

Elian raised his head wearily at the flashing red lights.

Soon, yells and a blur of orders filled the hallway, coming from the far right end of it.

"Someone’s breached the wards!"

"They should be over there!"

Elian swerved to Kyren who only smiled, unbothered.

"Stop." He muttered. Instantly, the alarms stopped, and the lights no longer blinked.

When the group of guards came into view, spears, laser guns and swords in their grip—Elian swallowed. Fortunately, they froze the instant they saw Kyren, some of them even turning pale with embarrassment.

"L–Lord Kyren?" One of them asked, signalling the rest to stay back.

"No—Cousin Bobby." Kyren’s snark was dry. "Where’s Commander Farrell? I hope you guys were productive while I was gone?"

Confusion twisted the faces of all the guards. Some glanced at their comrades, lips parting like they wanted to say something—but didn’t. Not with Kyren’s gaze settled on them like a hawk.

"Sir, we weren’t aware you even left." The guard in the front mumbled, tone apologetic. "Pardon our blunder. As for—"

"It’s no blunder. I told Farrell to ensure things run smoothly while I’m away." Kyren interrupted with amusement. "I guess he carried out that order too perfectly."

Without another word to the guards, he turned on his heels, eyes fleeting between Elian and Lucian.

’Your system still hasn’t updated?’ The Rogue king’s voice in Elian’s head was a calm contrast to his tone with the guards.

’Yep. But it’s close.’ Elian responded swiftly. ’It told me once it’s upgraded, it’ll be able to scan things at a much deeper and profound level. Including scanning my soul and uprooting the pieces of my past I can’t seem to grasp.’

’Why do I feel like you shouldn’t be telling me this?’

’Oh, but I should.’ Elian pushed. ’You’re the only one I can share so much with Kyren—at least, for now. I haven’t told Lucian yet because I still don’t know how he’ll take it.’

There was a split-second pause before Kyren whispered telepathically. ’You should give him more credit... From what I’ve seen you’re the one who’s not letting yourself trust him despite how much he’s proven himself.’

Those words lingered in Elian’s heart even after Kyren looked away from him and gestured at his guards.

"You’re dismissed. Get back to work."

Elian subconsciously glanced at Lucian who already had his silver eyes on him.

"Let me guess... I did that thing where I spaced out?" He asked to which the Alpha Prince chuckled in response.

Lucian shook his head, wrapping an arm around his shoulders and pressing a kiss on the side of his scalp. "Maybe for a second. But after everything we went through? You deserve at least a year of vacation."

"Make it two... With lots of moon dew."

"Oh, you have a deal."

.

.

"I’m so glad you’re back, sir." Farrell bowed for the umpteenth time, leading Kyren, Lucian and Elian to the war room.

It was dimly lit—as expected from every room in the Rogue King’s home. The walls were sturdy, made of obsidian, and glowing with red runes that brimmed with magic.

Ozone and smoke lingered in the air like a fog.

Elian’s new intermediate core was still at an early stage, yet it allowed him to sense magic energies in the room at a higher level than the beginner level.

He couldn’t wait to get the chance to test it out with a spell or two.

"Give me reports, Farrell. Save the sappy words for your girlfriend." Kyren moved, cloak floating behind him like a shadow.

Farrell’s cheeks flushed but he didn’t take the words to heart.

When the Rogue king got to the other end of the rectangular black table at the centre of the room—Elian and Lucian standing beside him—Farrell cleared his throat and began.

"Our troops managed to infiltrate Runecrest city." A holographic map of Arcadia flickered to life above the table. "There were losses—but they were mild. In fact, things went smoother than originally planned."

The commander zoomed in on the city of Runecrest, south of Arcadia. Hundreds of red dots filled the coastal city from different angles, and blue dots pooled in a single building.

"Reds are our people," Farrell explained. "Blues are the Arcadian soldiers in the city, whom we took in as prisoners, keeping them on hold in case they’re of use to you."

"How many?" Kyren asked flatly.

"One hundred and fifty-two... All at least Ascendant core witches. Three are mythic level."

Ascendant core. The next level after the intermediate.

’I guess I’ll have to find ways to evolve my core to—’

[Wasn’t even gone an hour and you’re already plotting world domination.]

Elian’s heart skipped a beat.

The... The system!

[You better believe it, sugar plum! Upgrade completed! Integrating new system functions in 3... 2...]

He didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

Not so long ago, he’d been whining about how empty he felt without the system. Now it was back, already dragging him by his imaginary ponytail.

’You little—’

"Kill them all." Kyren’s words sliced through his mental exchange and the brief silence in the war room.

Farrell froze, fingers curling over the holographic map. "S–Sir?"

"I didn’t stutter." Kyren’s words were final. "Kill. Them. All. I don’t need prisoners. I need their blood splattered on the grounds of the city until the stench reaches my dear mother in her holy tower."

Bloodlust glinted in his eyes.

Elian blinked, glancing at Lucian who seemed just as stunned.

But Farrell didn’t hesitate any further, typing a message into his communication bracelet. When he was done, he nodded at Kyren.

"Orders sent to our soldiers in Runecrest, my Lord. And the surviving civilians?"

"Leave them. For now."

That "for now" didn’t sound so hopeful to Elian. He knew Kyren—or, at least, he knew him well enough to know he had something planned for the civilians. He wasn’t keeping them alive for "mercy".

"Understood, sir." Farrell nodded. "But... Sir? What do you mean by your mother’s holy tower? Is—"

"My mother, Amara Redthorn, is the High Matron of Arcadia," Kyren revealed.

[Ou, looks like I missed a lot.] The system’s voice chirped back in Elian’s psyche. [Actually, I didn’t. Could see everything even though you couldn’t talk to me. Also heard you telling Daddy Kyren about how much you love me.]

[If I had tear ducts or true emotions, I’d cry.]

’Shut up.’

[Love you too, pookie.]

"Gods below..." Farrell’s face paled. "First, your father as the Dark Hand’s leader, and now this?"

"Hm." Kyren huffed. "They’re both leaders of that dreaded organisation. But yes. Looks like psychopathy runs in the family."

Lucian suddenly grabbed Elian’s palm. "Why do I feel like I shouldn’t be listening to this conversation?" He whispered.

"You should, cousin," Kyren answered before Elian could. "You’re the future of Lunaria. And if Arcadia hasn’t made your empire an enemy before, trust me. After today—they most certainly will."

Goosebumps surged through Elian, forcing him to tighten his grip on Lucian’s palm.

[Fortunately for you, I’m back! And ready to even the playing field with my new settings.]

[Wanna see what I—]

Farrell’s ringing communication bracelet forced everyone’s attention—including the system—to him.

[Sigh... The person writing your life’s story really isn’t pulling back with the drama...]

"Farrell?!" A female voice came out of the bracelet. "It’s Ishtar. It’s... It’s about the excavation. We found... We found something—"

She got cut off by static, followed by an explosion that knocked off the connection completely. As if that weren’t enough, the shockwaves from said explosion hit the mountain, shaking the palace and making Elian and the others struggle with their footing.

"Ishtar!" Farrell yelled while Kyren moved, tearing a portal open in front of himself.

He glanced over his shoulder, eyes locking on Elian. "Follow if you dare."