While Lancelot and co were headed back to Lancelot's Great Dame Empire, Deus… he moved in a different direction entirely. He was headed to the Great Lumen Empire with the Goddess of Earth, that was where Lancelot was headed before Deus changed his plans...
Deus didn't want to head there immediately.
There were important things that needed to be done first.
His vessel was failing. A weak body meant weak control, and that was something he couldn't allow—not when the stakes were this high.
Soon… once he had crafted the perfect vessel, he would head for the Lumen Empire with the Goddess of Earth. With Mira by his side, they would journey across the planet. He needed to raise the overall strength of Earth's inhabitants—and quickly at that. If he could, he'd pierce through the Veil and take the fight directly to his enemies' galaxy, weakening their forces from within.
All while keeping a constant eye on Earth.
The possibility of a surprise attack was something he'd never dismiss.
He stood still, watching as Lancelot and the bounty hunters blurred away, heading back along the path they once came from. Their first stop would be with Lancelot's wife. She was still resting, and it would be best for them to recover before heading out again.
He closed his eyes for a moment. At that moment, Mira materialized beside him, a subtle breeze swirling around her arrival. The soft scent of earth and flowers followed her presence.
Her eyes sparkled with pride and joy as she lowered her head respectfully.
"I've gotten what you asked for, Lord," she said.
Deus gave a slight hum in response.
Mira reached out and offered a Void Ring—a spatial treasure capable of holding and preserving materials for thousands of years.
He accepted it.
Deus scanned through the ring's contents with his divine sense, his usually indifferent expression flickering briefly with surprise.
'This… this is far more than I expected.'
Inside were rare treasures—life-forged minerals, elemental cores, divine roots… and most importantly, a perfectly preserved god-level corpse.
Kira, the 10th God of Nature. The god Deus killed and gave it's corpse to Mira for her to preserve...
'With this body… the vessel should hold. Low-tier god-level physique, but it's enough… for now.'
To achieve anything stronger, he'd need even rarer resources. Earth, after all, was still a young world.
Deus sighed softly and began preparing for the refinement process.
But before that, he summoned two special beast soul of his, suddenly, a sharp, resonant cry filled the air.
The sky shimmered as a phoenix-like beast soul materialized before him, its radiant flames swirling gently around its divine form. A moment later, the ground trembled as a massive dragon emerged, coiled and majestic, its black scales gleaming under the sun like polished obsidian.
"Kyuuu~" the phoenix chirped emotionally, its voice filled with longing and affection as it looked upon Deus.
The dragon let out a low rumble, deep and powerful, but… warm. Alive.
Mira, who stood to the side, could barely believe her eyes. She had seen much as the Goddess of Earth, but this… this was something entirely different.
What was happening?
A burst of blinding light suddenly erupted from the phoenix and dragon. Mira instinctively shielded her eyes.
Then… silence.
When the light dimmed, standing in place of the phoenix and dragon were two stunning women, both clad in intricately designed armor.
The phoenix—now in human form—had flowing red hair like a fire dancing in the wind. Her eyes burned with passion, her face was impossibly beautiful, and her body... curvaceous in all the right places. Her breasts were full, soft-looking, the kind that would rest perfectly in a man's hands when—
No. She was more than that.
Her very presence carried the wild, untamed elegance of fire itself. She wore blood-red armor, tight around her chest and waist, leaving a generous amount of cleavage exposed. The lower part of the armor hugged her hips but split at the thighs, revealing toned legs that sparked more imagination than any full nudity could. She looked dangerous… and desirable. A woman who could slay armies, or steal hearts just as easily.
Mira stared, stunned.
And beside her…
The dragon had become a woman of equally breathtaking presence. She had long, jet-black hair that fell past her waist like a waterfall of midnight. Her face was regal—sharp, commanding, yet hypnotically feminine. Her figure was equally striking, her chest full and proud, though not quite the overwhelming size Mira herself possessed.
Her armor mirrored the phoenix's, but in deep obsidian black. The design clung to her like a second skin, accentuating every line of strength and grace. Her waist was slim, her hips curved, her thighs sculpted. And peeking through her thick black hair were two elegant pairs of dragon horns, one on each side—smooth, sharp, and dignified. She looked divine. Powerful. Unyielding.
"Seraphina… Nyx…" Deus spoke softly, and for the first time in a long time, a flicker of emotion surfaced in his gaze. "It's been so long."
"You're finally out of the Realm of the Dead…" he added, voice low. "It felt like eternity. Still can't believe the God of Death made it so difficult… severing our link, keeping you sealed."
"Deus…" Seraphina's eyes shimmered as she dashed forward, throwing her arms around him in a tight embrace. "I missed you…"
Deus said nothing, but lifted his hand and gently patted her red hair.
To Mira's shock, Seraphina shivered slightly at the touch… and let out a pleased purr.
The phoenix was melted under his hand.
Meanwhile, Nyx stood with her arms folded across her chest, her black eyes fixed on them, calm and unmoved.
"How many times have I told you, Seraphim," she said coldly. "Don't get all clingy with Deus. It's annoying."
Seraphina didn't respond. She was far too happy.