Chapter 497: Goal
âLetâs see how far she can go under Grandmaâs tutelageâ
Anthony mused with a faint smile.
âWhat about Donna and Vivian? You mentioned they didnât enlist in the military, didnât you? What are they up to now?â
As he spoke, Anthony gently lifted himself off the ground, settling onto a nearby tree branch with casual ease.
Clement and Spectre followed without hesitation, each choosing their own branch and taking a seat before him among the swaying limbs.
âTheyâve established multiple orphanages across the Human Domain. Each one is overseen by a disguised clone acting as the head caretaker. They also founded a guild, exclusive to female recruitsâ
Spectre replied calmly.
âAfter losing her parents to demons and becoming an orphan herself, she refuses to let others endure the same pain, now that she has both power and wealthâ
Anthony reflected silently.
Though Vivian often wore a cold expression, Anthony understood the truth behind it. Her demeanor wasnât cruelty, it was the nature of her elemental affinity.
Beneath that icy exterior, she couldnât bear to see children suffer, not when she knew their pain all too well.
âI thought you said running a guild or any other organisation was too much trouble, a waste of time. So why are Donna and Vivian partnering in one?â
Anthony said, one leg crossed over the other as he rested his chin against his palm.
Spectre let out a quiet sigh before responding.
âThey said that even if itâs a thankless endeavor, at the very least, they can offer women the strength to protect themselves in this cursed worldâ
âAre Donna and Vivian walking the path of feminist revolution?â
Anthony mused with an amused chuckle.
He was well aware of the countless women who had suffered on the Blue Planet, abused, violated, and sold into slavery for the cruel whims of others.
Some were forced to sell their bodies, others became victims of grotesque experimentation or had their very organs harvested.
His lack of direct involvement didnât mean inaction from his subordinates.
Vivian and Donna, had taken it upon themselves to fight back, to liberate women from such horrors and give them a chance at reclaiming their dignity.
âI hope theyâre not neglecting their cultivation in their mission to rescue and empower women?â
Anthony asked, his tone calm but edged with curiosity. While he had told them they were free to pursue whatever path they chose, he had also made it clear: their cultivation was not to be forsaken.
Although he had guessed that all his subordinates were within the same major mana rank, he needed to hear it from Spectre.
âTheyâre at the Ecliptic Rank, just one level beneath me. Rest assured, they havenât been slackingâ
Spectre replied confidently.
Anthony gave a slight nod, but still called upon his system for confirmation. If Vivian and Donna were slacking off, theyâd have some explaining to do.
âOP System, what mana rank are Vivian and Donna currently at?â Anthony asked internally.
[Ding]
[Both individuals are at Ecliptic Rank Level Eight]
Anthony stared blankly for a moment, unsure whether to laugh or sigh.
Spectre had claimed they were just one level beneath him, only for the system to reveal they were, in fact, a level above instead.
Anthony turned to Spectre with a faint smile playing on his lips.
âIt seems your information is a bit outdated, Spectreâ
âWhat do you mean?â
Spectre asked, genuine confusion flickering across his face.
âDonna and Vivian arenât a level below you, theyâre a level above. The situation is quite the reverse, Spectreâ
Anthony replied smoothly.
Spectreâs expression darkened slightly, a subtle frown forming. He was certain he had been ahead of them the last time he checked.
He didnât bother questioning how Anthony had acquired the information. At this point, they all understood, Anthonyâs methods often exceeded their understanding.
âIt seems Iâm the one falling behindâ
Spectre finally admitted with a quiet sigh.
Inwardly, he had already resolved to intensify his already intensified cultivation even further.
As second-in-command, being weaker than the others was unacceptable. Clement was already an anomaly, unnaturally gifted in every way, and now Donna and Vivian had surpassed him despite juggling countless responsibilities.
That settled it. The decision was made.
Spectre shifted his gaze toward Anthony and asked, his voice steady.
âWhich military base were you stationed at? Iâm certain it wasnât this one, otherwise, we wouldâve crossed paths much earlierâ
âMilitary Base Alpha-6â
Anthony replied simply.
At those words, both Spectre and the shadowy Clement frowned.
They had heard the rumors, word of the baseâs destruction had been spreading like wildfire.
But neither of them had made the effort to visit the island where the surviving Alpha-6 soldiers had gathered.
After all, such information was easily accessible through the system. There was no point in wasting time or energy chasing what could be known with a command.
Noticing their expressions, Anthony let out a light chuckle before offering a full explanation. They were his subordinates, there was no need to conceal anything from them.
When they heard that Anthony had singlehandedly saved all the soldiers and the entire logistics division, both Spectre and Clement felt a surge of pride swell within their chests.
This was their master, after all.
How many among them, or anyone at thier rank, for that matter, could accomplish such a feat?
They both knew, they couldnât have done it. Not without the systemâs help.
And even then, the sheer number of points required to purchase a pocket dimension capable of withstanding the destruction of a celestial body, let alone one entirely detached from reality, was astronomical.
Such feats were beyond ordinary comprehension.
Within the shroud of darkness cloaking him, Clementâs eyes flashed.
Though his cultivation level currently surpassed Anthonyâs, he understood all too well, cultivation alone never defined Anthonyâs strength.
He had once made that mistake, believing himself superior during their journey to the floating island.
He paid dearly for that assumption.
And he wouldnât make it again.
Hidden within the veil of darkness cloaking him, Clement smiled faintly. He had no doubt that he, too, would soon be capable of performing feats like the Mirror Dimension.
After all, his current abilities, and the rapid pace of his growth, were all the motivation he needed.
Spectre might see him as the one to surpass, but Clementâs eyes were fixed elsewhere.
His only goal was Anthony.
Nothing else.
No one else.
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