A little later after Bastian taught Aimee and Camila how to gather and store the succubus's meal, Bastian decided to relax in the tub. Julya, as always, sat behind Bastian and gave him the massage he loved. On his left, Aimee massaged one leg, while Camila took care of the other.
The atmosphere was relaxing, and after some time, Bastian asked Julya to take the succubus's meal. He opened a portal directly into the room's wall. As soon as Aimee and Camila saw it, they were startled because they had never witnessed magic up close.
Bastian calmed both Aimee and Camila and explained that this was an entrance to the Godly Abode, an artifact that belonged to him. After the two of them received a change of clothes in the "Maid" style, Bastian instructed them to go to the bedroom and wait for the signal to join him for dinner. During dinner, the two girls obviously caught the eye in their uniforms. Bastian snorted and commented:
"Humpf! Some people do not know how to be discreet!" Julya chuckled and said:
"They are not used to seeing well-dressed young women!" Bastian glanced at Julya and continued to eat quietly.
The next morning, Bastian and the girls were walking peacefully through the local shops when a man in armor approached Aimee and Camila, attempting to grab them by the arms. Bastian quickly intervened, asking the man:
"Sir, what are you doing?" The man in armor assumed a hero's pose with one hand on his sword and declared:
"They are mine!" Bastian looked at Aimee and Camila and asked:
"Do you know this man?" Aimee stepped forward and said, "Young Master, he is the captain of the guard. Sometimes he would give us bread." Camila added:
"But we do not belong to him!" Bastian looked at the man in armor and stated:
"Captain, they are my servants. They do not belong to anyone!" The captain of the guard, dressed in armor, snorted and said:
"Humpf! I fed them, so they are mine!" Bastian looked at the man, pulled out a mid-level core from his spatial ring, and tossed it at the armor-clad captain, saying:
"Here you go! I think that should cover the cost of some bread!" The captain caught the core but then threw it to the ground, stating:
"I do not want that! I want them!" Bastian moved swiftly and retrieved the core before it hit the ground. He looked at the captain, who appeared astonished, and said:
"If you want the core, it is yours. But if you are looking for trouble, you will not even have your life!" Bastian handed the core to the man in armor and walked away. The captain of the guard, seething with anger, clutched the core in his hand and mumbled:
"I am going to rip your head off!" But before the captain could draw his sword, Bastian moved quickly and had the tip of his sword at the captain's throat. The captain swallowed nervously, sheathed his sword back, and raised his arms. Bastian did not want to attract any more attention and told Julya:
"Let us leave before there's any trouble." Bastian locked eyes with the captain and said:
"If you want to pursue this matter, I am happy to accompany you any time." The captain understood that challenging Bastian would cost him his life, so he slowly stepped aside to let Bastian and the girls pass. Bastian headed for the gate with all the girls, with Renee and Ileana following closely behind to ensure everyone's safety.
As soon as Bastian left the city, the first step he took was to send his new servants into the Godly Abode, ensuring that Julya accompanied them, discreetly, away from the gaze of the girl from Paris, Edeline. Edeline was taken aback when Julya, Renee, Aimee, and Camila did not join them, simply vanishing into thin air, but she refrained from commenting. Bastian, on the other hand, was eager to continue the journey as swiftly as possible. To achieve this, he retrieved his Thunderbird from within the Godly Abode, knowing that the journey would span for almost three thousand kilometers, for sure they would arrive much faster by flying.
Edeline was initially startled by the size of the Thunderbird but quickly regained her composure after Bastian assisted her in mounting the gigantic bird. For safety purposes, Bastian positioned himself at the front, with Edeline in the middle, and Ileana behind, and the three soared into the sky in a flight that left Edeline awestruck. She was not only frightened but also awed by the breathtaking landscape. The trip, originally estimated to take around ten days, would now be shortened by at least half.
During the night, Bastian would land the Thunderbird and let it go inside the Godly Abode for some rest, while Bastian, Ileana, and Edeline shared a tent. This tent, in fact, was another of Bastian's artifacts, offering ample space and security. To ensure their safety, their best choice was the Shadow Panther, who sent shivers down the spine of anyone seeing it for the first time. However, besides Bastian, it appeared more like a pampered kitten. Inside the Artifact Tent, Bastian had set up a kitchen with plenty of food and drinks to ensure there would be no issues.
Edeline was captivated by the artifact and grew so excited that she inquired if Bastian would sell it. However, the answer did not please her, after all, Bastian was not short in any form of currency. This reminded him of another of his artifacts, the "Phone." His curiosity was piqued regarding whether it would function or not. Observing the distance between it and another similar artifact with which he could 'communicate,' Bastian decided to give it a try. In the worst-case scenario, he would not receive any response. He then took out his "Phone" and dialed the Emperor directly. The test response was evidently flawed, leading Bastian to surmise that there might be a need for signal relay towers.
Another action Bastian took was to inquire of the AI about satellites, and the response was as anticipated: There were no longer any satellites in Earth's orbit. The AI also assisted with navigation, as it had access to more information than Bastian did. Bastian further questioned the Operator and AI about the possibility of reviewing all the knowledge in his soul, if possible, he wanted to discard those containing outdated or inaccurate information. The answer did not please him very much, as the answer was:
“Master needs to review all his knowledge by himself!” Said AI with no ceremonies.
Another measure that Bastian took was to ensure that the entire Soul cultivation program he had prepared for his women was correct, without incorrect information, so as not to pollute their cultivation. Bastian was feeling very good about the progress of the trip, and at dawn, he heard certain noises near the camp.
At the same time, the Shadow Panther was restless, which made him suspicious that something dangerous was nearby. Therefore, he went to check it out. However, Bastian knew the dangers that surrounded him and prepared to carry out his investigation alone. But first, he asked Ileana to stay on guard for any eventuality.
Following the noises to hide in the shadows of the forest, Bastian did not need to go far to find something that left him angry and upset: another group of Goblins, and this time, these abominations were attacking another magnificent animal, the "Maltez Deer." With white fur, the giant deer was the size of an elephant and was commonly hunted for its fur and scarlet, in addition to its horns, which generally became sharp and strong weapons or artifacts. From the shadows, Bastian could count more than two dozen Goblins. By the way, the animal was in a terrible situation and died soon after.
Bastian thought it best not to interfere for now. Since the Spiritual Beast could not be saved, he decided to follow them until they led him to their lair, where he could do more damage and annihilate them. Still in the shadows, Bastian remained until he found his destination. The entrance to the cave where they hid was not far away, and it was not long before Bastian could judge that their numbers numbered in the thousands. Bastian knew that alone he would not be able to exterminate them all at once.
From his Divine Abode, a portal opened from which Julya, Renee, Trisha, Aurora, and Luna emerged. Following the plan, four would go in the vanguard, while the other two would take care of the rear to prevent any incidents or misfortunes. When attacking the entrance, everyone would act together, as the number of Goblins and Hobgoblins at the entrance reached at least two dozen.
With the Automated Spitting Bones in hand and plenty of ammunition, the group surrounded and attacked the entrance to the lair silently, and only the ‘whizz’ of sharp bones flying could be heard. Bastian was satisfied, as he knew that they had all practiced a lot, and their shots would not leave a single one to cause a fuss.
However, this did not prevent more than a squad of Goblins from leaving the cave where their lair was located to defend it. Nevertheless, the annihilating power of the Automated Spitting Bones was overwhelming, decimating them as soon as they left the den without any problem. After a while, Bastian and his women decided to invade the den, preventing anyone from escaping through another side or exit. Surely, it was not in vain, because upon entering the cave, in the first contact, Bastian found a large space where they confronted a thousand or more at once. Fortunately, they were not intelligent and poorly organized, numbering nearly a thousand in the first count. Bastian and his women found several large halls, and the alarming numbers indicated that the lair was truly grand.
Those who attempted any kind of trap or sneak attack soon met their end under Bastian's agile and deadly blade. Deep in the cave, after incinerating more than three thousand Goblins and hundreds of Hobgoblins, Bastian found something that made him sick: the so-called "nursery" where the abominations reproduced and fed those born. However, there were no survivors, just a pile of dozens of bodies from which it was heard an ominous sound indicating that more than a dozen had been fisting over those corpses. Bastian did not think twice about using his Black Flames, extinguishing every last bit of bone dust.
When Bastian finished with the extinction of the lair, Bastian asked Trisha, Aurora, and Luna to be on guard in the ambush, to kill any remnants that might appear. Sitting cross-legged, he used the energy of his Soul to search in more detail of the cave, trying to find any hiding place or hidden exit.
One thing caught his attention, a hidden room, with plenty of resources, including cores, ores, plenty of Spiritual Herbs, weapons, and arms. Bastian also found several dead Spirit Beasts and some eggs. AI called him, saying that it was good resources, and obviously, Bastian grabbed everything.
Fortunately, he found nothing else, which indicated that he had successfully extinguished that lair. Bastian and his women left the lair, and not far away, Julya and the girls who came to help him exterminate the lair entered the Divine Abode, while Bastian returned to the camp.
Back at the camp, Bastian called for Ileana and told her everything. Meanwhile, Edeline, who was listening, broke down in tears and said:
"This plague of Goblins infests our continent! They kidnap and kill thousands every day!" Bastian nodded in agreement and added:
"There were at least a dozen bodies in the pile I incinerated." He rubbed his chin, looked at Edeline, and asked:
"Why do not you exterminate this pest?" Edeline, with tears streaming down her face, replied:
"Finishing them may be easy for the Young Master, but for us, it is very difficult. Our cultivation is very low, and we do not have many weapons or masters to teach us." Bastian, still thoughtful, looked at Edeline and inquired:
"Did the survivors of the great catastrophe never teach them?" Edeline shook her head from side to side and said:
"Only the royal families maintain the masters and cultivation techniques, and they only train those who serve them after performing a Soul Contract." Bastian thought and concluded that cultivators exercised dominance and maintained their power through force.
To this end, he ensured that only those under their power were cultivated. Bastian shook his head and asked Edeline:
"What is the regent's cultivation?" Edeline looked at Bastian and replied:
"Our King has the cultivation of a Grandmaster." Bastian scratched his head and commented:
"The energy here is purer than where we come from, and all my women have achieved similar or higher cultivation. I think your King is lazy or does not have the cultivation techniques that allow him to reach higher levels."
Edeline did not understand what Bastian was talking about since she did not comprehend the subject. Not being a cultivator, it would be difficult for her to understand. After all, the world of non-cultivators or mortals is much simpler.
Bastian then understood the general situation, and this made him angry to the point of wanting to end certain families. But AI recommended him not to do so, as one of the reasons was the lack of resources. Bastian remembered what had previously happened to the planet when cultivation was massified.
Bastian thought and pondered the situation, agreeing with AI regarding the lack of resources. Currently, the energies available on the continent were of a medium level and could be purified to reach the levels necessary for effective cultivation for a few cultivators. However, if there was mass cultivation, the lack of resources would once again lead to a scarcity of the few resources and it would create endless fights, ultimately putting the planet at risk.
Bastian took the opportunity to question Edeline about other things, such as the general situation of the continent and its population. One thing that intrigued him was the information that the former Great British Island was 'isolated', and there was no communication between the island and the continent. That is when Bastian immediately remembered the tunnel that connected the island to the mainland and became curious about the situation.
Bastian pondered the biggest problem in the "Fallen Continent," which was the pollution of energies, limiting cultivation. He had the brilliant idea of creating a cultivation field where people from the "Fallen Continent" could come to cultivate. Bastian also remembered that there were other islands, but the proximity of the Great British Island had an appeal and charm that excited him.
Bastian laughed when he remembered the Ancient Eternal Queen, and then a joke crossed his mind: "According to evil tongues, it was she who served Christ at the last supper!" Bah! These people, Ha! Ha! "Currently, she has returned home to be welcomed by her eldest son, the prince of princes, also known as the guardian of the lowlands... The Devil himself!" Ugh... I honestly want to die as a friend of these people!
