Multiversal Ascension-Chapter 125: A Tender Moment, A Blood-Stained Message (1)

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The forest was bathed in darkness, its natural beauty veiled beneath the starless sky. Tall trees swayed gently with the midnight breeze, their leaves rustling softly, blending with the distant chirping of night birds. Amidst the shadows, a single ray of moonlight pierced through the thick canopy, illuminating a small clearing.

At the center of this serene spot, two figures rested together. A strikingly beautiful young woman with long, silky black hair and piercing green eyes sat on the ground, her expression gentle as she gazed downward. Her delicate fingers combed through the tousled black hair of a handsome young man who lay with his head resting on her supple thighs, his face serene in sleep.

The scene was out of place—a moment of intimacy in the middle of the vast, untamed wilderness. Yet, there was an undeniable beauty to it, as if the forest itself had momentarily ceased its restless existence to witness the tender exchange.

But such moments could not last forever. The young woman's emerald eyes flickered as she glanced at something unseen in the air before her, and a moment later, she shook the sleeping man.

Slowly, his eyelids fluttered open, revealing drowsy green eyes that met hers. A small, sleepy smile tugged at his lips as he took in her face, illuminated by the soft glow of the moonlight.

"Wake up, sleepyhead. The others will arrive soon," she murmured, a teasing undertone in her voice.

For a brief second, confusion clouded his gaze before understanding dawned, and a playful smirk appeared on his face. "Yeahhh, but my pillow is just too comfortable..." he mumbled before nuzzling his face deeper into her warm thighs.

A faint flush crept up Amelia's cheeks as his movements sent an unexpected tingle through her body. Clearing her throat, she tried to maintain her composure. "Mikael!" she scolded, attempting to sound stern, though the slight tremor in her voice betrayed her.

Mikael raised his hands in a show of surrender—or so she thought—until, in a swift movement, his arms wrapped around her neck, pulling her down toward him.

Their lips met.

For a brief moment, Amelia froze, caught off guard by his boldness. But as soon as she felt his tongue teasingly slip into her mouth, her hesitation melted away, and she responded. The kiss deepened, growing passionate as their breaths mingled in the cool night air.

By the time they finally parted, a thin strand of saliva connected their lips, and Amelia's face was painted with a faint red hue. She cast Mikael an exasperated look, though the small smile tugging at the corner of her lips betrayed her true emotions.

"You're really tasty, Amelia," Mikael murmured, half-joking, his gaze flickering to her now slightly swollen lips.

Rolling her eyes, Amelia huffed in faux annoyance, but she made no effort to hide the satisfaction that lingered in her expression.

Their brief moment of indulgence came to an end as they rose to their feet, their senses sharpening as they prepared for the arrival of the others. They didn't have to wait long.

Just minutes later, two figures emerged from the darkness. Despite the lack of light, the approaching women had no trouble navigating the dense forest, their enhanced vision making the night appear as bright as day.

Kiara's sharp, dark blue eyes immediately honed in on Amelia, suspicion and jealousy evident in her gaze. She was already displeased that Amelia had spent two entire days alone with Mikael, but when she noticed the unmistakable traces of intimacy between them, her expression darkened.

A quiet but pointed glare was sent Amelia's way before Kiara swiftly closed the distance between herself and Mikael, latching onto his right arm. Without hesitation, she pressed herself against him, her soft curves molding against his side as she hugged his arm tightly.

Amelia and Lyra exchanged a knowing look, their smiles wry. They were more than accustomed to Kiara's antics by now and knew better than to react.

Mikael, on the other hand, immediately understood the unspoken demand behind Kiara's possessive actions. With a small chuckle, he tilted his head and placed a quick, yet firm kiss on her lips.

Kiara froze.

For a brief second, it was as if her entire mind had shut down, her eyes widening in shock. But then, her lips curled into a wide, almost unsettlingly blissful smile. The jealousy that had burned in her gaze just moments ago vanished entirely, replaced by something far more dangerous—pure, unfiltered obsession. Amelia was quickly forgotten as she got lost in her thoughts.

Mikael watched Kiara's expression with mild amusement before his gaze shifted toward Lyra, who had been silently observing the scene. Her deep purple eyes flickered downward, betraying a hint of shyness mixed with anticipation, but she made no move to retreat. She already knew what was coming.

Not wanting her to feel left out, Mikael extended his free hand, motioning for her to approach.

Lyra hesitated for only a moment before gathering her resolve and stepping closer. This time, she didn't wait for him to initiate. Standing on her toes, she leaned in and pressed a soft kiss against his lips.

Mikael blinked, momentarily surprised by her boldness, but he wasted no time in returning the kiss, deepening it ever so slightly.

When they finally separated, Lyra averted her gaze, a faint blush dusting her pale cheeks. Meanwhile, Kiara remained lost in whatever fantasies were playing out in her mind, showing no concern for what had just happened.

With their brief moment of affection behind them, the group refocused on their mission. Their expressions hardened as they turned their attention to their destination—the capital of the Valden Kingdom.

This was where the next and, hopefully, final phase of their plan would unfold.

Now unhindered by the slow pace of ordinary humans, the four of them moved at astonishing speed, their figures blurring as they darted through the dense forest. The vast distance that once separated them from the capital shrank rapidly, and before long, its towering stone walls loomed in the distance.

Upon reaching a safe vantage point, they came to a halt. Beneath the moonlight, the four stood in a small clearing, their gazes locked onto the massive fortress ahead. Without wasting time, they began discussing their individual roles for the upcoming infiltration.

"I'll take care of the king and the crown prince," Mikael declared, his tone leaving no room for argument. "Since I'm the only one here who can use shadow magic, it'll be easiest for me to infiltrate their quarters. Not to mention, they'll be the most heavily guarded targets."

His reasoning was solid, and none of the girls had any objections.

"In that case, I'll handle some of the warmongering nobles," Amelia stated firmly.

"I'll do the same."

"Same."

Lyra and Kiara echoed her decision without hesitation.

Mikael, however, couldn't help but furrow his brows. While Amelia was skilled at stealth due to her past training, her ability wasn't magical in nature. Infiltrating heavily guarded locations would still be difficult for her, but he believed she could manage with enough effort.

Lyra and Kiara, on the other hand... that was a different story. To his knowledge, neither of them had abilities suited for stealth. Unlike Amelia, they lacked even basic infiltration training. Mikael had his doubts.

Clearing his throat, he drew their attention. "Not to doubt you girls, but are you sure you'll be able to infiltrate guarded locations without being detected?" His gaze swept over them before he continued, "If you don't think you can, it's fine. You can just sit this one out while we take care of things. Honestly, I'd be a little jealous." He added the last part with a teasing smirk to keep the atmosphere light.

Amelia stepped forward, her green eyes filled with unwavering confidence. "Don't worry about me. I'm sure I can handle these nobles without being caught."

Mikael accepted her answer—it was what he had expected. His gaze then shifted to Lyra and Kiara, both of whom were still silent.

Lyra hesitated, twirling a strand of her purple hair streaked with pink. "Um... I can use earth magic to burrow underground. That should allow me to sneak in without being noticed."

Mikael nodded slightly. That was a valid method. Not the most efficient, but it could work.

Then, all eyes turned to Kiara. Unlike Lyra, she didn't hesitate to admit the truth. "Me? I... don't really have confidence in my ability to infiltrate," she admitted bluntly.

An awkward silence stretched between them for a few seconds before Amelia let out a small chuckle and gave her a reassuring smile. "That's fine. You'll be our key player tomorrow anyway, so taking time to rest is actually a good thing."

Mikael and Lyra nodded in agreement, and with that, the discussion moved on to the finer details of their plan.

Thanks to the intelligence provided by Rithen Kingdom's spies embedded in Valden, they had access to crucial information—details that made this plan even possible in the first place.

They had intel on the king's schedule and the palace layout, along with similar details about the crown prince, including an analysis of his personality. On top of that, they had precise information on which nobles were pushing for war, where they were located, the layouts of their estates, and other valuable details.

It was an invaluable trove of information, and they intended to use it to its fullest.

In the end, their targets were distributed based on their respective ease with infiltrating. Mikael would handle the king, the crown prince, and three warmonger nobles. Lyra would eliminate four, while Amelia would take care of the remaining three.

Once their final preparations were complete, the trio set off toward the capital, leaving Kiara behind—at least for now.

Their infiltration proceeded smoothly. They slipped past the city's outer defenses with ease, moving like ghosts through the night.

As soon as they entered the capital, they separated, each heading toward their respective targets.

Alone in the dimly lit streets, Mikael activated a shadow spell, his body melting into the darkness itself. He weaved through the capital's winding alleys, his presence blending seamlessly with the night. Guards patrolled the area, but none of them even glanced his way. After all, who would notice a mere shadow amidst the darkness?

Navigating the city with ease, Mikael soon arrived before the grand royal palace. A towering masterpiece of architecture, its golden embellishments gleamed faintly under the moonlight.

Yet, he paid no attention to its splendor.

He wasn't here to admire the scenery—he had a job to do.

Without hesitation, he slipped past the guards stationed at the palace gates, his shadowy form making him all but invisible. Moving swiftly through the palace corridors, he followed the route he had memorized from the intelligence reports.

Eventually, he reached a section of the palace that was noticeably more guarded than the rest. He maneuvered past the layers of security with practiced ease, his shadowy form silent as he infiltrated the royal wing—the private quarters of the king and his closest family members.

It was the most opulent part of an already extravagant palace.

Guided by the king's schedule, Mikael moved through the lavish halls, searching for his target. After a few minutes, he finally found him.

However, upon seeing the scene before him, Mikael's shadowed face darkened.

'Are you fucking kidding me?' he cursed inwardly.

Before him, sprawled across an enormous bed adorned with extravagant silks and golden embroidery, was the king—a fat, middle-aged man.

And riding atop him was a voluptuous woman, her exaggerated moans echoing throughout the room.

"Ahhh! Harder, my king!" The woman's moans rang through the chamber, but the sheer lack of sincerity in her voice was enough to make even the densest fool cringe.

Mikael exhaled sharply, exasperation flashing across his face.

'Great. Now what the hell am I supposed to do with this?'

His gaze lingered on the scene for only a second before he looked away, disgusted. He had no interest in watching this revolting display. With a mental command, he cut off the sounds as well, retreating entirely into the shadow dimension, unwilling to see or hear any more of it.

Author Note:

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