Author: Chapter 554 has been changed so Ash and crew are not in the level 60s or 70s, but 70s, possibly 80s. Being in the level 60s after so much preparation and high-tier class wouldâve made them look a bit incompetent.
...
Lunaâs lips curled.
"You guys are basically ChronosX but trying to take the Valhallaâs Sinners route instead."
The reaction was instant and explosive.
ChronosX.
That name wasnât just an insult. It was poison. A curse.
Ashâs face twisted, outrage flashing so hard it cracked whatever composure heâd managed to glue back together. Trisha stiffened like sheâd been slapped. Stacyâs breath hitched, her eyes going wide before narrowing into something furious and sharp. Brittanyâs jaw clenched so hard the muscles jumped.
Around them, the crowd reacted with easily audible and visible gestures.
ChronosX wasnât some petty scandal or forgotten guild drama. It was the darkest stain on the Awakened Media Platformâs history. The corporation had treated both men and women like disposable trash, forcing illegal contracts on them and blackmailing young and vulnerable people to do their bidding. The rape. The cover-ups. The slave ring under American soil. Millions had watched Maximilianâs sentencing to death row. Millions more had cheered when it happened.
And everyone here knew exactly who had helped bring that empire crashing down.
Being compared to ChronosX, by this group, wasnât trash talk.
It was a declaration of disgust.
"How fucking dare you...?!" Stacy started with her flaring.
Trishaâs voice cut in over hers, sharp and furious. "You donât get to say that. Take it back, or-"
"I said what I said," Luna replied coolly.
She met all four of their gazes without blinking, storm-purple eyes steady and unimpressed. There was no uncertainty in her posture, no hint of regret. If anything, she looked done.
Brittany finally snapped.
Her large bosom rose and fell as her aura flared in a raw, angry pulse. Her eyes burned as they locked onto Luna, pride wounded far deeper than the insult alone could justify.
"Youâve crossed a line that shouldnât be crossed," she said, voice tight with fury. "You wronged our honor. I must challenge you to an Awakened Duel to right whatâs been wronged."
A few people in the crowd sucked in a breath. An S-tierâs entitled lover calling for a duel wasnât unheard of, but calling out one of them?
Luna blinked once.
Then she shrugged.
"Yeah, yeah," she said dismissively. "After enjoying an A-tier class, more than a year of preparation and investment by your guild, and almost six months of active battlefield experience, you can beat someone who awakened less than three months ago." Her lips curved, unimpressed. "Youâre such a talented bimbo. Hats off to you, Brittany."
She even lifted two fingers and tipped them forward in a mock fedora gesture.
The effect was immediate.
Brittanyâs face flushed red with rage, aura spiking wildly as her fists clenched. "Are you surrendering?! Are you admitting-"
"Enough."
Ashâs voice cut through the moment like a blade.
Brittany froze where she stood, shock flickering across her face as she turned toward him. Ashâs jaw was tight, eyes hard, his glare sweeping over his team with unmistakable authority.
"There will be no duel."
The crowd murmured again, tension shifting as the air deflated just a fraction. Brittany looked like she wanted to argue, wanted to scream, but whatever she saw in Ashâs expression shut her up.
Luna didnât even look at him.
She turned instead, angling her body back toward Kaiden and the others, posture relaxed, storm aura settling as if the whole exchange had already stopped mattering.
"Kai," she said calmly. "Girls. We should just go. The more time we spend here, the more we let them leech off our hard work and success."
That was the final cut.
Ariaâs lips curved first, satisfied. Bastetâs expression softened into something smug and regal, like a queen watching peasants shout beneath her balcony. Calypsoâs eyes gleamed with quiet amusement, already bored by this nonsense. Nyx snorted under her breath, grinning openly now, hands resting easy at her sides.
They werenât tense anymore.
They were above it.
Kaiden glanced at Luna with a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.
Sheâd done exactly what needed to be done.
In a moment where tempers were flaring, where even he got slightly agitated, where egos were clashing, and mana was thick enough to taste, sheâd cut through it cleanly, bringing clarity. Sheâd taken control of the narrative, refused to escalate, and denied Ash the very thing heâd come here for.
More attention.
More relevance.
Kaiden felt a quiet swell of pride as he turned with the group, already moving away without another word. Luna walked at his side, chin high, unbothered by the angry stares burning into her back.
Behind them, Ash stood rigid, fists clenched, surrounded by cameras that kept recording even as his moment slipped through his fingers.
Kaiden let out a low chuckle as they put more distance between themselves and the gathering ground, the tension finally bleeding off his shoulders. He glanced sideways at Luna. Amusement was clear in his eyes.
"You didnât spend that much time glued to your keyboard for nothing. Youâre not just a Grandmaster at League but also at dealing with trolls."
Lunaâs smile widened, smug and unapologetic.
"Heh. Rage baiting is far too easy," she replied, tone bright with satisfaction. "If I can bait random dudes online with three words and a bad take, then you bet I can bait some entitled hoes with the ego of Nyxâs mommy milkers. Too easy."
"Hey!" Nyx protested immediately. "Stop speaking ill of my poor puppies! What have they done to you to deserve this hostility?!"
But there was no real heat in it. Her lips twitched despite herself, and she rolled her eyes in a way that made it obvious she wasnât actually offended. At this point, she was used to Lunaâs antics. More than that - if she was being honest with herself - she even found them a little endearing.
Her gamer girl bestie had a nasty mouth on her, sure. Sharp, reckless, and utterly fearless when it came to poking egos that deserved to be poked.
But she was also loyal to the bone, quick to step in when things went sideways, and instinctively protective of the group in ways that mattered. Nyx exhaled, shaking her head as the curvaceous beauty slipped an arm over Lunaâs shoulders, pulling her in close with a feline purr that was far too pleased with itself.
"I hope your dreams come true," she murmured sweetly, nonexistent tail practically swishing in spirit alone, "and you get a big growth spurt on your twin peaches. If anyone deserves it, itâs you, bestie. I am rooting for you."
Luna stopped walking.
Slowly, dangerously, she turned her head.
"Peaches?" she snapped. "Excuse me?!" She jabbed a finger down at herself, crackling in offended sparks. "And for the record, my body is perfect as is! I harbor zero dreams of growing giant fat reserves, for unlike someone, I have not confused myself for a camel!"
Nyx burst out laughing, and just like that, the bickering ignited instantly, voices overlapping as Luna launched into an indignant tirade and Nyx kept poking the bear on purpose.
It mightâve gone on for a while.
If Calypso hadnât spoken up.
"I agree with Luna," the demoness decreed. "If she werenât satisfied with her breasts, she wouldâve done something about it already. Even I know she can."
Aria blinked, then frowned slightly. "Plastic surgery, while available to us in the modern world, is not something to use lightly. It alters the body in an unnatural way. Itâs not inherently evil or anything like that, it just shouldnât be a rushed decision... And... Kaiâs heart would be broken." She glanced at him. "He doesnât like fake things, especially when it comes to our bodies..."
"Plastic surgery?" Calypso repeated, tilting her head. There were practically a million question marks floating above it. "Whatâs that?"
Nyx squinted. "... Wait. What do you mean? Wasnât that how you meant she could grow her titties?"
"Huh?" Calypso was even more confused. "Obviously not."
"Then...?" Luna asked, suddenly wary.
Calypso didnât miss a beat.
"The old school method, known to us all since our raceâs inception. Part your legs, let your man spurty-spurty inside, get pregnant, and there you go. The little peaches will know thereâs work looming on the horizon, and so they grow."
Kaiden choked.
Nyx howled with laughter.
Bastetâs tail flicked at rapid speed, enjoying the demonessâs unhinged comments more and more.
Lunaâs face went nuclear-red. "You horny demoness... Canât you think of something other than killing and having sex?"
"What else is there to life?"
"... Iâm done with you all. Fuck off."
Luna threw her hands up as she stalked a few steps ahead of the group, shoulders tight, sparks snapping uselessly off her aura as if the mana itself was offended on her behalf. For once, the Storm Valkyrie, self-proclaimed master baiter, terror of comment sections, destroyer of fragile egos, had been completely, utterly outplayed.
And the worst part?
Calypso hadnât even been trying.
The demoness hummed to herself, clearly pleased, walking with an easy sway of her sensual hips as though she hadnât just obliterated Lunaâs entire offense with what she genuinely believed was helpful, time-tested advice. There was no smugness in her expression, no teasing glint in her eyes. Just calm, earnest conviction. That was what made it lethal.
Kaiden rubbed at his face, trying his best to stop grinning lest he never get stormy head again in his entire life, while Nyx leaned heavily against Bastet, laughing hard enough that tears gathered at the corners of her eyes. Even Bastet, usually so dignified, failed to hide her amusement; her tail flicked lazily behind her, every swish broadcasting her approval of the demonessâs unhinged practicality.
Kaiden chuckled softly as they continued on. He glanced across his girls and felt something settle into place.
Behind them, the Ashen Clowns seethed.
Ahead of them, the competition waited.
And just like that, with tempers cooled, priorities realigned, and the mood firmly reclaimed, it was time for Valhallaâs Sinners to stop messing around.
It was time to take the competition seriously once again.
...
Author: Only one Chapter today, but a very long one. My apologies, I ran out of time and energy. Thanks for all the support, and I hope you have a great holiday! Also, thereâs a little gift waiting for you on my Discord server.