193 Life Choices

"W-Wait, we shouldn't have passed the test!"

Riser was happy... he didn't feel any pity for those that stayed behind, contrary to what he believed... most of those girls were happy that they were 'unqualified' to be with their king. That was equal to a freedom ticket. Instead, the two of them he was the fondest of, were outraged and looking at Richter with disbelief and fear.

"Luna, Karlamine! What are you talking about?!" Riser didn't understand why they looked so afraid? as if they hadn't enjoyed their countless nights together. Well, they hadn't.

The Golden Dragon looked at the pair of beauties and smirked with his hands in his pockets as the whole group continued to levitate farther and farther away from the ground under his influence.

"You two passed the test quite easily yet refused to stand up. Do you think I'm blind? From what I can tell, you despise this king of yours... not a surprise. Nevertheless, since you have passed the test I shall give you a chance. You can leave now... or you can become independent and stronger than your king. Your choice".

"Master... do you mean that you wish for them to be ascended as high-class devils?" Grayfia inquired.

"If that is your will, it can be done, Ricchan" Serafall sent him a heart sign with a thumbs up.

"That will depend on their performance. So?" With a wave of his hands, Riser's mouth was sealed as silence engulfed their flight. Now, all of the devils in this golden dome were paying attention to this issue.

Amaterasu and Yasaka had been staring all the time, acting as guests and seeing how he handled matters. Yasaka was even compelled to send some of her cute Yokais in here to get trained but feared that it would be too late since the test was already finished.

...

"..." Karlamine and Yubelluna regarded one another; their decision had been independent, the two of them merely thought of having the same idea. Taking this chance to flee from Riser's grasp. Yet now a new opportunity resurfaced.

"If we accept... could you take his piece away from our bodies? we don't want to be in Riser's peerage!"

"You two traito-" It wasn't Riser who spoke but Ravel, however, she was also shut silent by Richter's will.

"The first part of the training is individual growth... right here, from the strongest to the weakest... you're all going to be evaluated and trained the same way. Medium-class devils, high-class devils, Ultimate-class, Satan-class... you're all just ants in front of me. What makes you think you will receive a different treatment?~"

!!!

While everyone gasped, Richter's peerage giggled... what else could they expect from their master other than utter contempt and disregard for the opposite party. Among them, there were two who felt rather thrilled to hear those words yet were good enough to conceal it.

The dark-haired beauty licked her lips and managed to control herself after giggling with a 'fufu~'.

As for the other, her nine tails gave away her inner wicked thoughts.

"The first phase of the test, you're all going to increase your strength individually".

"Excuse me, Richter-sama... when you say 'all' of us, could it be that you mean-" Venelana smiled while questioning a certain point she believed needed to be clarified.

"When I say all I mean ALL of you... or could it be that you're going to win this war against the Fallen God Faction with this pitiful strength, Venelana?"

"I see, thanks for your favour, Richter-sama... I will work hard to become stronger~" Venelana smiled and bowed down, the response she obtained completely switched the mindset of everyone in this golden dome who was now looking at Richter with different eyes, also eyeing each other up.

From now on, they were all 'students'.

"As for the training? it is simple... you're all going to fight against me and my entourage in groups. Layla, Albedo, Morrighan, Annette and Benneth will be the leaders of those groups, you all get to choose who will be in each group".

...

"Eh?" Layla and the Nephilim all looked at one another in confusion.

"M-Master..." If they were chosen to be the leaders of the groups, that could only mean something.

"I said ALL of you, of course, you're included as well~" His hand went -not so discretely- towards Albedo's bottom... this time it wasn't one of those instances in which the beauty would giggle and answer in kind, instead the girl looked like she wanted to cry. After having experienced countless defeats, she wasn't as enthusiastic to face her master.

To the side, Yasaka and Amaterasu started to whisper to one another, something along the lines of joining the training that Yasaka was fiercely trying to refuse. Ajuka, Serafall and Diehauser were having their own conversation as the 'eldest' of the bunch together with Venelana. Those that believed themselves to have already reached the peak were bound to be surprised by the growth potential of Richter's exclusive method: survival.

"Since you have all passed the test, it is time for me to show you what you should aspire to become".

Confusion abounded so Richter extended his hands and created a golden barrier around the dome. His hand transformed into his golden claw and sliced a rather big spatial crack that started sucking onto every single cloud in the underworld. Those into th golden barrier didn't feel much pressure, but outside of it. It was as if everything was being sucked into this endless void!

The one with the most accurate sense to notice was Amaterasu.

"Richter-sama, t-this crack should be opened in the dimensional gap instead!" The dimensional gap, the space reigned by great red, had a way thicker and stronger spatial membrane capable of holding on even with the disturbances of space unlike places like the Earth or the Underworld, even her own Takamagahara wasn't an exception.

"There is no need to worry, this much is not enough to destroy this universe".

'It won't destroy the universe but the underworld could collapse!' The Goddess couldn't believe he always took things in such a sporty manner.

*RUMBLE!!!*

*WHOOOSHH!!*

From inside the void portal, something created a tyrannical darkness aura and flashed out in the form of a draconian lifeform formed of darkness.

*BOOOOOOMMMM!!!!---

This darkness lifeform impacted against the golden dome, dissipating right at that moment yet causing the hairs of everyone inside to stand on an end.

"W-What was that?!" Serafall, Ajuka and Diehauser were the most awed by the display of lights that was taking place inside this portal.

"This is the Z-AXIS and right now... two powerhouses are fighting one another, ignoring me" Richter sighed and scratched his golden mane-like hair.

Jie Yuan and Li Suo were deep at it.

In one corner, the Creation Goddess of Life was emitting an aura of light and life, waving her hands back and forth and creating seemingly endless lifeforms formed of light. Dragons, swords, titans... all of them with auras that weren't shorter than that of gods. Richter sensed how the energy she was using wasn't hers but instead his. Which essentially meant she was cheating in this battle.

Not that Li Suo cared.

She shamelessly user her master's energy, the Eternal Heaven Pearl's energy and even the Primordial Seal of Life and Death to fight against Jie Yuan.

*BOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMM!!!------

The Heaven Smiting Devil Emperor seemed unfazed, her expression as serene as water as if she was facing an infant. She extended her arm forward against an incoming gigantic light dragon, the moment she touched it. Her technique manifested.

<Eternal Calamity Darkness!>

Boundless barrages of darkness stopped that monster dead in its tracks and corroded it from the inside, forever transforming it into a devil. Both entities were radically opposed to one another.

While Li Suo created life out of her light, Jie Yuan wa capable of transforming any life into darkness. For endless ages, they had always been rivals.

"The current you are but a mere spirit, Li Suo... and you dare challenge me with this pitiful strength? stop playing games and surrender".

*RUMBLE!!!*

The void shook with her mere voice. Richter had to reduce the intensity of his barrier, just so the devils inside were able to feel with their senses what a true Devil Emperor was like. Compared to the Devils of the Primal Chaos, the Devils of Draconic Deus were like dancing mickey mouses.

Grayfia in particular flinched when she felt Jie Yuan's dark aura. Due to the heart lineage, she was bound to one day accept the element of darkness which she had originally no compatibility. She even hated it. Seeing an expert like Jie Yuan wielding darkness and shrouding the void itself, made her thrilled with expectations to increase her strength. Sadly or fortunately her belly was too full to even try anything so reckless.

The Devil Emperor's hand created a gust of greyish flames, the Myriad Tribulation Poison... that was enough for Li Suo to lift up her hands

The Creation Goddess laughed a little in acceptance. Although she didn't despise the current arrangement she had with Richter, it was the truth that the current her was unable to fight against Jie Yuan. The Heaven Smiting Devil Emperor was disappointed, millions of years of rivalry and competition were reduced to this. A weakened Li Suo that could do nothing but depend on her master's life force and strength.

"What is that grey energy, it is so threatening!" Amaterasu remarked, seeing the greyish-black flame that seemed to move around space, taking the shape of a hideous creature that loomed around Li Suo, it consumed all of the swords and dragons that she had created like pebbles falling into a pit of magma ocean where anything was just devoured and destroyed.

"That is a very terrifying poison, don't get close to it... this fight is over," Richter remarked and floated towards Li Suo whose hands were up in surrender as the Myriad Tribulation Poison shamelessly obliterated her life constructs. Against this poison, there was little she could do.

"Retract the words that you said, Li Suo" Jie Yuan threatened.

"Which?~" Li Suo, despite surrendering, didn't release that competitive spirit.

"The ones where you say I'm a background character and Richter prefers you".

"I can't retract words that are a lie, Jie Yuan".

*SNORT!*

"I don't even care who is his favourite, but I shall entertain you. Richter, who do you prefer more?" Jie Yuan turned towards Richter who once again deadpanned... he didn't understand why they always had to involve him, it was the same with his mates.

His answer was straightforward.

"Who is my favourite among you? that would be Ni Jie..."

Their countenance dropped... Li Suo's gaze contained grief, as, for Jie Yuan, hers had killing intent.

"Master, could it be that you-" Grayfia didn't know what to think, 'Is master developing a new fetish?'

With gazes of the discussion focused on him, Richter had to cough and explain himself lest he is taken as a pervert of the lowers spectrum, only comparable to Dgraig's host.

"What I meant that all that energy she gives me is exquisite... compared to the two of you thirsty women, Ni Jie doesn't suck my energy but instead enhanced it. It feels as if I am inside of her and we-"

"I-Inside of her...?! Master how could you-"

"Grayfia, let me finish..."

"RICHTER!"

The Heaven Smiting Devil Emperor wasn't about to allow anyone to get inside her daughter... her new master included.