"I am listening."

Kaden said and waited for not only Mahina's answer but also their answers as a whole.

He stared at them with his crimson starry eyes. Above him, his Phoenix was spreading wider and wider, and soon everything would be dark, the sky hidden beneath its enormous flaming shape.

A tangible Will was pressing down on everyone. And when the Asterion felt this Will, even the two rulers of the Empire couldn't suppress a shudder.

It was a normal reaction, for Kaden had advanced enough with his Will to incorporate inside it a small wisp of his Emptiness.

The result was one little to none would ever like to experience.

Mahina watched Kaden with calm eyes, despite the fact that inside her thoughts were spiraling in a dizzying circle. She wondered, with dread crawling inside her gut, how one so young and only at Grandmaster rank could be so strong.

Mind you, Luminary and Mahina had reached Elderling rank, yet despite that, they could feel that they would struggle against Kaden.

And that, extensively.

'He is this powerful? And what is this Will?' Mahina's thoughts were erratic, but she swallowed back useless panic and forced herself to calm down.

Luminary, meanwhile, was more amazed by the fire of Kaden than his Will. The Emperor could sense something ancient inside that fire…something mythic and alive.

'This is interesting,' Luminary thought, looking at Sora with strange eyes.

Thoughts churned inside his old mind.

Sora was unbothered, her golden eyes fixed on Kaden like a devotee staring at her idol. Yet Luminary could see her daughter struggling against something. Sometimes she would snap her head away from Kaden's face as if not wanting to see him, but not even seconds later she would peek again with gritted teeth.

Luminary smiled faintly and spared a glance at Mahina. The Empress was already looking at him.

Their eyes met, and Mahina found herself understanding what her husband wanted her to do.

She sighed, knowing well she didn't have any choice.

There were times where pride could lead to one's downfall, and Mahina knew that time was today.

The temperature around them was hell-worthy, and one could see ashes curtaining the surroundings slowly.

Kaden was staring at them with complete focus. Clearly, he was not joking when he said he would fight them if they refused.

Not only that, such an event would make Sora hate them. The parents could already see their daughter was long gone, drowning in the river of love without even realizing.

But the worst was that they were not sure they could kill Kaden. And not killing him, then letting him escape, would mean creating an enemy that could make even them sweat despite one's control over moon and the other over sun.

'How strong would he be at Epithet, or even Elderling? Without forgetting he is a Grandmaster at only fifteen.'

The Empress was unhinged and only cared for her family, but that was exactly why she could not allow herself an enemy she could not kill if everything went wrong.

The Kaden before entering the Madhouse was one she could kill easily.

Now?

Now Kaden had become stronger. Strong enough to make her willing to discard her pride in order to avoid the emergence of a monstrous enemy.

For the first time, Mahina looked at her daughter with hidden gratitude. She knew more than anyone that it was always better to have friends among the powerful than enemies.

And thanks to Sora, maybe it would be possible.

She sighed once more, focusing on Kaden.

All of these thoughts paraded inside her mind in barely five seconds, before she took a step forward toward Kaden.

The Phoenix screeched, burning eyes glaring down at Mahina. The beast was warning her.

Mahina smiled crookedly. Next, she clenched her jaw, then slowly — ever so slowly — lowered her head in front of Kaden.

Instantly the whole world paused, and a solemn but faithful silence bloated the space.

Sirius closed his eyes, for his own pride would not allow him to watch such a scene, despite fully understanding why it was happening.

'Power,' he thought bitterly,' Even my family bows to Power. That's how omnipresent and important it is. One who has no power in this world is nothing but a worm waiting to be crushed, accidentally or not, beneath someone's foot.'

That was how the world worked.

The powerful always had a say in everything. And that was their right.

He knew his mother bowing was not only because Kaden was powerful. It was also because of his relationship with his sister and the possible benefit of it.

Yet it was only because he was strong that she even considered that possibility.

Only that.

Sirius sighed once more, just in time for Mahina to speak,

"I am sorry." Mahina, the Empress of the Celestial Empire, demanded pardon from Kaden Warborn.

That scene was one that could shake the entire Celestial Empire and beyond if made public.

The Empress was bowing toward a child, asking forgiveness.

Sora felt a pang of sympathy and shame for her mother, yet her feelings of happiness overcame her easily. She was trying to suppress a smile, finally relieved that her relationship with Kaden would be mended.

Luminary's arms were shaking, seeing his wife in this state hurting him. He sighed, his decision made, cursing Mahina inside his head, before stepping forward and standing beside her.

Kaden spared him a glance, and his eyes widened when Luminary mirrored Mahina and lowered his head.

Mahina's eyes dilated, "W-What are you doing?" she asked, shocked, voice trembling.

"What else?" Luminary hissed while still bowing, "I cannot let my wife bow alone."

Mahina's eyes widened, heart freezing for a moment. Her lips trembled heavily, and her eyes began to shimmer. She closed them, facing the ground again, not trusting herself to not cry at that moment.

But her body was shaking.

Luminary only smiled, thinking how his wife was cute sometimes, then, "I am sorry," he said to Kaden.

"Dear parents, now why?" Sirius exasperatedly said as he stepped beside his mother.

He exerted immense willpower on himself and bowed too, "Sorry, sorry, great friend of mine," he said with forced humor, body shaking from revulsion.

Yet he bowed.

It would hurt him more to let his parents bow alone while he stood there.

Soon enough, Sora followed her family and ducked her head.

"I am sorry!" she bellowed.

Mahina's tears were slowly flowing down, chest heavy with overwhelming feelings.

Her tears were not tears of humiliation, but tears of gratitude and happiness to have such a family.

She was ready to shoulder the shame by herself, but her family did not allow her that.

'I did not regret it,' she thought, crying silently, 'and I would do it again if it means preserving my family. I don't care who or what I am going against. I will do anything for my family.'

Even if it meant crawling in front of a child, she would.

Even if it meant killing a god, she would.

That was who she was. That was Mahina Luneblessed Moonborn. She was an Empress, a Moonborn, and an Asterion.

She was a being of Pride.

But before any of those, she was a wife and a mother.

She froze her tears and absorbed them back inside of her, not willing to show her weakness in front of Kaden.

Kaden, meanwhile, stood there, somehow transfixed by the scene. He only wanted Mahina, yet the whole family was bowing in front of him.

That would have been a moment of pride for many people, but Kaden felt nothing but slight embarrassment.

Now, he thought irritatingly, he looked like he was the bad guy.

He sighed and retreated his power back inside him.

The Phoenix shrieked one last time and disappeared into ashes.

The space regained its previous atmosphere and the pressure vanished instantly.

"Enough." Kaden growled in annoyance, "Just raise your head, it's enough. Do the rest of the things I asked and let me go away."

Noticing his awkwardness and embarrassment, the Asterion were surprised.

The young child had a whole bloodline bowing in front of him, yet he didn't feel pride nor superiority over them.

He felt awkward. He felt…human.

Sirius was the first to raise his head. He took a step closer and stood beside Kaden. Then he wrapped an arm around his shoulders, smiling widely,

"Kaden, let's be friends!" he laughed, "You are powerful and handsome enough to be Sirius's friend. Take it, it's a great opportunity."

Kaden spared him a lazy glance, "Leave me alone."

"No can do, great friend of mine." Sirius cackled even more.

Sora stood on the other side of Kaden, scowling at her brother, "He is my friend!" she hissed, looking ready to fight Sirius for his audacity to claim Kaden.

"He can have more than one friend. And I know you must be boring, sister." He looked at Kaden next, "I promise you great company with me. And besides, you will one day have the right to scream that you are the great friend of The Honored."

Sirius grinned widely, tapping Kaden's shoulder with eerie familiarity, his eyes dancing with fighting spirit,

"Trust me, great friend of mine!!"

"He is my friend, damn it! Leave him!" Sora growled again.

In the middle of the Asterion siblings, Kaden's head was aching with their constant shouting inside his ears.

He looked at Mahina and Luminary as if pleading with them to educate their children and give him the things he was owed so he could disappear.

Again, the Emperor and Empress noticed how Kaden was human.

Honestly, they would have never believed he was one after the level of power he had just unleashed at his age.

Yet despite everything, there was something about Kaden that invited people, that drew them in like a magnet.

Luminary smirked inwardly, 'This boy… this boy is something.'

Mahina shook her head, 'I find myself liking him because my children like him. How ironic.'

She paused, said something aloud toward The Will. With that, Old Smith was freed from enslavement.

Next,

"The mythic artifact is Sora's," Mahina said, then looked at her daughter, "What is your decision?"

Sora nodded, "He can take it, I don't need it."

She was confident with her new power.

Mahina now slid her gaze back to Kaden, "I guess you have your brother if you're asking me to release Smith." She smiled thinly, "I wonder how you did it."

Kaden shrugged, "I wonder too."

Now that he had everything, Kaden could finally go. But before he even acted on his thought, Mahina threw something at him.

Kaden instinctively caught it, staring down at it. The thing looked like a stone, but crimson-colored and emitting a soft aura of blood.

Kaden arched an eyebrow.

"This is the blood stone. This is what I used to strike a deal with Dain," she said. "He was very motivated to obtain it, saying it's a gift for his younger brother."

Kaden stayed silent at her words. Then he smiled, his beauty blooming even further.

'That's just like him. No… that's just like all of them.'

He truly had the best family.

"Where did you get this?" he asked next.

"On the Ocean of Blood, on the southern edge of the River Kingdom, west of Fokay."

Kaden raised an eyebrow. 'Ocean of Blood? The place The Will told me about when I succeeded my first evolution quest?'

How curious.

But that was a thought for another time.

For now,

"Fine," he said, body beginning to dissolve into crimson-gold ashes, "It was a weird meeting."

"Are we friends now?" Sirius asked with a smile.

Inside Kaden's head, Blanche spoke:

'Accept, master. His destiny is worthy.'

Kaden fell silent for a moment, then nodded at Sirius, "I guess yes."

Sirius laughed, saying how they would dominate the world with their greatness, then Sora spoke,

"When?" she asked, voice trembling, "When will we meet again?"

"Well," Kaden began to hesitate but,

"I invite you to our castle, Kaden Warborn," Luminary suddenly said, "You will be a guest of the highest order."

He smiled,

"Will you come?"

Sora's golden eyes beamed.

Kaden thought for a moment, then smiled, "I will." He said, then looked at Mahina, "Ah yes, I still don't like you, Empress."

Mahina smiled, "You will learn how to do so, boy."

Kaden clicked his tongue and disappeared from Asterion completely within a storm of ashes, leaving behind the Asterion family.

Silence settled around the space before Sirius looked at his sister and smiled mockingly,

"When will we meet again?" he imitated Sora's voice while making a strange face.

Sora's face flushed red,

"What are you? A child?" she scowled, then hid her face in deep shame.

They laughed.

—End of Chapter 357—

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