Chapter 735: Tomorrow
At Anthony’s words, Warlord Raelith’s thoughts shifted, drifting through distant memories he had long tucked away. Once, he too had tried his hand at love, those days of soft laughter, fleeting warmth, and emotions that once stirred something human in him. But that was in the past. Those memories were like faint embers of a fire long extinguished. Now, all that mattered to him was the katana, the blade, the path of endless refinement.
To him, Anthony was still young, barely at the beginning of his journey when it came to matters of the heart. He hadn’t yet experienced the cruel trials that came with time. After all, time was love’s greatest enemy. Passion burns bright in the beginning, but would he and Vega’s affection remain the same, untouched and unwavering centuries from now? The universe had seen countless romances ignite like stars, only to fade into cold ash when centuries passed and emotions eroded.
Of course, it wasn’t that love was impossible, there were rare exceptions. The Sword Saint and the Elemental Queen of Destruction had stood side by side for centuries, an unbreakable pair who had shaken the world together. The same could be said of the Lightning God and the Saintess of the World, beings who stood at the pinnacle of the Blue Planet with emotions that remained untainted by time. They were the kind of couples sung of in poems and etched into the annals of cosmic history.
But just because it had worked for them did not mean it would work for Anthony.
Still, Raelith did not speak these thoughts aloud. They remained exactly what they were, silent thoughts. Nothing more, nothing less.
"Let’s meet with the rest of the Warlords, shall we?" he said, a faint smile touching his lips.
He lifted a finger and swiped it across the air. Space itself groaned in response as a fissure tore open, a rift that shimmered like liquid glass. Without the slightest pause, Raelith stepped into it. Anthony followed behind him without hesitation, his expression steady. The fissure sealed behind them, the torn space knitting itself seamlessly as if it had never been disturbed at all.
The view shifted in an instant.
Raelith and Anthony appeared within another expansive chamber, one carved with grand imperial stone and reinforced with various arrays that pulsed faintly beneath the surface. There, Warlord Aerenya and Warlord Brontagar sat together, clearly in the middle of a discussion.
Warlord Aerenya sat with her usual grace, her green eyes carrying that serene softness that could disarm even the most aggressive or deranged man. Her flowing hair shimmered like strands of living jade, spiritual energy dancing around her in gentle ripples. She looked every bit like a celestial guardian wrapped in tranquility.
Across from her sat Warlord Brontagar, towering and vast as ever. He sat directly on the stone floor rather than a seat, simply because no normal chair could hope to contain his colossal frame. His muscles had grown even more pronounced since the last time Anthony had seen him, and his skin, dark brown interlaced with streaks of obsidian black, radiated a primal pressure. The atmosphere around him was heavier, denser, more dangerous than before, as though he had just returned from a battlefield where gods fell.
They’ve all improved, Anthony noted internally as his gaze swept across the two.
"Raelith, you are finally here," Warlord Brontagar’s voice rumbled like thunder rolling across the sky. Just the vibration of his tone made the very air tremble.
At those words, Warlord Aerenya was about to speak, her lips parting to greet Raelith, but she suddenly froze. Her senses sharpened, and her attention shifted. She had noticed another presence beside Raelith, one she instantly recognized. Her green eyes snapped in that direction, meeting Anthony’s calm blue gaze.
"It’s been a while, Warlord Aerenya. Warlord Brontagar," Anthony said with a gentle smile, his tone neither too humble nor arrogant.
"Where have you been?" Warlord Aerenya asked immediately, echoing the same question Raelith had posed only moments prior.
"Went back to the Blue Planet to handle some things," Anthony replied, still smiling slightly. He tilted his head innocently. "Am I in trouble?"
His light-hearted question caught both Brontagar and Aerenya off guard. For a moment, both of them blinked before a subtle smile tugged at their lips. They shook their heads.
Warlord Raelith walked forward and took a seat in a nearby chair. As for Anthony, he did not move toward any of the prepared seating. Instead, he lifted a finger slightly, and with precise control, he used Quantum Manipulation to form a seat out of thin air. The particles gathered, shaped, and condensed, forming a chair that resembled more of a throne than a simple seat. He sat down comfortably, completely composed.
If this had been in the past, Anthony would have remained standing like a disciplined soldier, acknowledging the difference in military rank between him and the Warlords. Although that rank disparity still technically existed, Anthony found himself caring little for such formalities now, especially with the events soon to unfold in the near future.
However, that did not mean he had suddenly become disrespectful. Far from it. Anthony was simply a man who mirrored the energy given to him. He smiled at those who smiled at him and crushed those who moved against him without hesitation. And the Warlords had been nothing but welcoming and consistent during his time on this military base.
The air shifted slightly, subtle but noticeable, as the three Warlords looked at him. None of them spoke immediately. They did not know where to begin. Should they caution him for daring to sit in their presence without formal permission? Should they discuss formal matters first?
To them, even without Anthony’s current Planetary-level combat capability, he still had the right to sit before them freely. After all, his parents were existences who stood far above them, Supreme Monarchs who could collapse planets with a single attack. In truth, this meeting was more than just a reunion. It was a silent attempt to solidify ties before Anthony was officially named a Supreme Monarch.
After all, who else held more resources than a Supreme Monarch? Their current cultivation progress was only possible due to resources supplied by Mitchelle, their Supreme Monarch. Establishing a connection with Anthony now could increase their own combat potential in the future, possibly giving them a chance, no matter how slim, to touch the threshold of the Planetary Realm themselves.
Anthony could feel their intentions. In this vast galaxy, power was everything. Alliances formed not from sentiment, but from mutual benefit.
"There is no need to say too much and make the atmosphere awkward," Anthony said with a calm smile, breaking the silence. "I know the reason you three have been looking for me, and I understand why. But I advise you not to overthink it, at least until I officially become a Supreme Monarch."
He paused, letting the weight of his words settle. "By then," he continued lightly, "any plans you have, you can happily put into motion."
Warlord Brontagar, Aerenya, and Raelith exchanged glances. Anthony had seen right through them, but none of them denied it. After all, in this vast universe, resources were the foundation upon which strength was built, and everyone knew it. At the same time, a subtle warmth bloomed between them, because without directly stating it, Anthony had tacitly acknowledged that once he ascended, they would be allowed to ask him for resources without fear of offending him.
"Mom should be back by tomorrow, right?" Anthony asked, his tone shifting just slightly.
Warlord Brontagar was the one who responded, his deep voice echoing. "She and the rest of the Supreme Monarchs will return tomorrow. But... you might not be able to meet her immediately. After battles of that scale, even beings of their level sustain injuries. All Supreme Monarchs will be placed under intensive healing under the Saintess of the World’s supervision."
Anthony nodded slowly. The explanation made sense. Still, a small part of him couldn’t help but wonder what kind of injuries his parents might have sustained. But the thought was fleeting. He dismissed it a moment later.
Who said injuries were guaranteed? They might return completely unscathed. Though knowing his grandmother, she would still confine his parents temporarily just to thoroughly inspect their bodies. After all, if demons had left behind something malicious within them, even the slightest oversight could be catastrophic.
’Tomorrow,’ Anthony thought to himself, a calm anticipation forming in his chest. With that, he rose from his seat.
"Thank you for the information," he said courteously. And with that, his form dissolved into motes of light, vanishing from the chamber entirely.
Left behind, the three Warlords exchanged glances once more, this time with wide grins stretching across their faces. The thought of their future power surging, their cultivation paths widening, filled them with renewed determination and silent excitement.