Angel Monarch

"…Spend the next few weeks killing as many monsters as you can. When your essence count maxes out, we'll contact you again. Hopefully, Vicky can also Evolve into Transcended by then!"

Henry and Vicky both nodded, understanding Michael's words. They spent a few hours testing out Henry's new abilities and weapons, but now their small gathering came to its end.

Michael stood up and helped his wife to her feet too. The mysterious couple began walking away from the campfire, but before they entered the forest, Henry called after them.

"Why are you helping us?"

This question bothered both him and Vicky, but since Michael made it obvious that they couldn't talk about their motivations, neither wanted to ask it. However, Henry couldn't hold himself back.

The mysterious couple halted their steps and glanced back. Veronica had her usual gentle smile brightening the night, while Michael's face stayed expressionless.

"Because we can and want to. But also because we need to. Believe me, we would love to tell you two everything, but that could cause unforeseeable changes in reality, so keeping you in the dark is necessary."

With that, the married couple moved into the dark forest, and soon even Vicky's spatial perception couldn't find them. Henry and Vicky left the area too.

…

After an arduous few weeks, Henry's essence finally reached its maximum, as did Vicky's. When they visited Sera again, the same feeling as before guided them to a different campsite.

Henry received a new target. This time he didn't need Veronica's rapier, since he had the Wandering Relics. Michael equalized the Prince's opponent again, so his own power was more than enough to hunt down his prey.

Vicky also went on a hunting trip, but unlike Michael's task, Veronica's patronage was unconditional. She simply provided coordinates to the Princess, where a half-dead monster waited for her killing blow.

An hour later, both teenagers arrived back at the camp. Vicky, with a wide smile across her beaming face. Henry, with the grumpiest, most tired expression he ever made in his entire life.

However, after receiving a long hug and kiss from his girlfriend, he couldn't help but smile as well.

They sat down near the campfire and looked through their new abilities while consuming copious amounts of cooked meat.

Afterward, they tested their new abilities until they got the hang of them.

Henry could now push people and objects further in time, essentially making them disappear. His Time Sphere and Wandering Relics became more powerful too. He still couldn't use Past Vision though, and received no other passive abilities.

Vicky was even more disappointed. While she supposedly changed races after becoming a Transcended, her body stayed the exact same. She didn't even receive new abilities, other than a strange dagger, which she disregarded immediately.

Even after Veronica's insistence, she refused to try using the weapon. Vicky was entering her rebellious phase, so pushing against her decision achieved the opposite effect.

However, Vicky's Evolution wasn't for nothing. While she didn't get any new abilities, she did receive a strange dress, which resembled the night sky. It was basically a portal she could wear! This version was sourced from M|V|L^EMPYR.

Overall, they felt content with their newfound power. However, their rapid Evolution and the help they received also brought them concern.

It was clear the mysterious couple hid a lot of information from them, and they either dodged or outright refused to answer most of their questions.

The second gathering soon ended again. Veronica stood up and walked into the forest, while Michael glanced at Henry with pity.

"I'm sorry, Prince Henry, but our next meeting won't be as joyous or carefree as our current one. Rest assured, everything will work out in the end… Goodbye, for now."

Michael bowed from his waist and walked after his wife, leaving the regal couple looking after them in confusion.

Henry couldn't understand what Michael meant, and after more than a year, he had entirely forgotten his words… But in Antarctica. When most of his friends and loved ones lay dead around him…

He finally remembered…

…

"Do you wish to save her?" Asked Michael while walking along the frozen world.

People, projectiles, the dust particles, even raindrops, all froze in time. The wind stopped, and the constant sound of thunder disappeared.

Michael's voice echoed through the eerie silence, reaching Henry's ears with ease.

Tears ran down the young Prince's face, his fingers clutching his fiancée's severed head with tender desperation.

The mysterious man walked through the battlefield without care. It wasn't the first massacre he had witnessed, judging by the desensitized look in his grayish-blue eyes.

His metal cane made a loud knocking noise when placed upon the broken concrete below his feet.

He wore his usual elegant gray suit, which made him stand out even further from the destroyed surroundings. He looked like an apparition, a ghost with purpose.

Michael walked by Victor without even glancing at the taller man. For the mysterious gentleman, the raven-clocked man didn't hold any interest.

Only Henry's kneeling form and Vicky's severed head stayed in the focus of his serious gaze. Pity and sadness glinted in his eyes too, as if he himself had experienced something similar long ago.

The mysterious man stopped before Michael and knelt down to eye-level. Henry still wasn't ready to acknowledge his previous question; everything felt altogether too overwhelming.

He managed to squeeze out only one simple question. "How…"

Nothing else needed to be said for Michael to realize the meaning behind his question. He glanced around the battlefield with a small, embarrassed chuckle.

"As you know, my old title was Lord of Justice. I know all the laws of the world, which gives me the ability to break them without repercussions. Just as lawyers can evade justice being served, I can evade the laws of reality, including the unstoppable passage of time."

Henry didn't understand what Michael was talking about, but somehow his words calmed the Prince's turbulent nerves.

The mysterious man's expression turned solemn again. He reached out and put one hand on Henry's shoulder. He gave a gentle yet reassuring squeeze, then repeated his previous question.

"Do you want to save Vicky? It's not too late to change the present, but it won't be easy. This next path will be hard, much worse than anything you faced before. In comparison, your so-called 'Afterlife' would be a better and more peaceful option!"

The Prince furrowed his eyebrows and frowned in anger. He took deep offense at Michael's questioning of his devotion.

Michael didn't care much about Henry's anger. He said everything because of his curiosity without actual meaning behind his words.

While he already knew how strong-willed Henry was, he couldn't help but push his buttons to see if he reached his limit or not.

"I think we both know the answer to your question and offer, but I'll spell it out, just for your sake! I'll never, and I mean fucking NEVER!… I won't ever give up on Vicky! She'll live on for eternity, or however long she wants to! I'l make sure of it!"

The mysterious man just nodded with a slight grin. His hand moved away from Henry's shoulder and reached into his pocket, where he pulled out that strange round object.

Up close, Henry finally realized what the object was… A beautiful, intricate pink pocket watch with roses embellishing its metal surface!

Michael pressed the button at its top. With time frozen, Henry saw his movements in more detail… The man disappeared without a trace, then reappeared near immediately…

He held out his hand, bringing Henry's attention away from the pocket watch. Slowly, he revealed a tiny squirming larva inside.

However, anyone could tell with ease that it wasn't a normal animal larva. There was something deeply mysterious and bizarre about it.

The larva's surface glowed in gentle, light blue colors, while most of its body stayed pure white. It pulsated every few seconds, which looked disgusting.

Henry was never a fan of insects, but he hated their offspring even more. They were abhorrent, and he found them nauseating… But Fate must've hated him, at least judging by Michael's next words…

"This is called a Larva of Time. A little creature, which travels back in time constantly, until it grows powerful enough to devour all matter and energy inside its occupied Universe… They're pesky little buggers, perfect for your next Evolution!"

Michael smiled reassuringly while moving the larva towards a very confused Henry.

"What do you mean 'next Evolution'? You usually send me to fight against an equalized monster, and now you're just handing me this larva? There has to be a catch. I can't be that easy!"

The mysterious man chuckled at Henry's naïve words. He moved the larva between his fingers, which increased its squirming.

"The Larva of Time has no offensive capabilities, so fighting against it would be pretty boring. Also, I had already equalized it; otherwise, nothing below a Celestial could pierce through its skin…"

His face turned more serious as his gaze moved away from the larva towards Henry's curious face.

"As I said, your path won't be easy. While you don't need to fight against this monster, its immense power won't relent to your control, like most beasts'. You'll need to figure out some way to obey you, either by beating it or making some deal."

Henry felt lost in Michael's words, but he knew that this was his only chance at saving Vicky… There was no time to waste!

Without another word, Henry reached out his trembling hand. The other continued cradling Vicky's severed head, afraid of letting it go.

When the larva began squirming in Henry's hand, Michael disappeared and time began returning to normal. However, Henry wasted no time… He crushed the tiny insect offspring, killing it with ease…

In the next moment, he heard the usual question pop up in his mind…

'Do you wish to evolve?'