Chapter 221: Took You Long Enough
Leo watched the Demon Queen turn around with a smile, speaking. ''Hello there, handsome. Looks like you've been sleeping for a year.''
He was about to speak, but his throat was dry, and his voice was a croak, prompting Faelina, Thalira, Sylvaine, and Cassandra to look concerned as Bella questioned with a concerned expression.
''Are you okay, babe?'' she asked. ''Do you need some blood?''
''Yes,'' he tried to speak, but it was only a whisper.
The six women started giggling before Astra stepped forward and offered him her neck, which he happily bit into. When the white-haired beauty felt this, she let out an erotic moan that left her plump lips. ''Mmmghhh~~.''
Leo began drinking her royal blood; this helped him feel better, but thanks to the fight with the Evil Gods, it used up too much of his energy, putting a strain on his body that would take days to repair.
'But if I drink all the harem's blood, it should speed things up,' he thought as the sweet liquid poured down his throat.
His lips parted from Astra's neck, her blood still warm on his tongue, sweet and potent. His red eyes, glowing faintly, flickered toward Bella. The redhead stood poised; she tilted her head to the side, offering him her neck, pulse thrumming beneath.
''If I drink from them all, it'll speed up my recovery,'' he thought, the hunger urging him forward.
Leo stepped closer, brushing a lock of fiery hair aside. Bella's breath hitched, but she held still, eyes locked on his. With a low murmur, he sank his fangs into her neck, the rush of her blood flooding his senses, rich, vibrant, and intoxicating.
The young woman's blood surged forth, warm and vivid. It poured into his mouth, a rich cascade of sweetness tinged with fire, igniting his senses. Her pulse thrummed against his lips, each heartbeat sending another wave of intoxicating warmth down his throat.
'This will quicken it, especially if I drink from the others,' he thought, eyes half-lidded as the ritual's power stirred within him.
Following that, Bella couldn't help but let out a moan as the sudden pleasure shocked her entire body. ''Arghhhh~~.''
Leo drank steadily for a few minutes until she hit her limit, her legs quivering from the unexpected wave of bliss she was feeling. He gently guided her to sit, her breaths coming in heavy gasps.
Moments later, his gaze locked onto the grinning Faelina, her yellow cat eyes glowing with love. Her tail swayed lazily, exuding a quiet confidence that drew him in. As he approached, her lips curved into a knowing smile.
''Took you long enough,'' she purred, her voice a velvet tease.
Without breaking eye contact, she tilted her head, exposing the smooth curve of her neck, an invitation. Leo's pulse quickened. He stepped closer, the air between them charged with anticipation.
His fingers brushed her shoulder, steadying himself as he leaned in. Her scent, wild and warm, filled his senses. With a slow motion, he pressed his lips to her neck, then let his teeth graze her skin, sinking in just enough to elicit a soft gasp from her.
Faelina's tail flicked sharply, and her hand found his arm, gripping lightly as she sighed, a sound that blurred the line between pleasure and surrender. He couldn't help but enjoy the Demi-Humans' tasty blood.
Minutes passed, and her limit quickly approached, prompting him to pull his fangs out as she collapsed to the grass while breathing heavily. Leo turned toward the pink-haired Thalira, who led the three knights in protecting the others.
''Look at that, you've finally brought peace to the continent,'' the older woman commented with a pleased smile.
Following that, he moved toward the mature knight and grabbed her waist before biting down on her shoulder, this action earned him a moan that left her plump lips. ''Mmmmghh~~.''
Leo started drinking her blood before moving on to Sylvaine and Cassandra. The two women happily let him bite into them. By the time he finished with the women, he felt much better, thanks to all the energy he now had.
'So I was right,' he thought as he clenched his fist. 'The more I drink, the quicker I heal.'
While standing there, Roxy and Luna appeared from the domain, prompting Leo to smile as he greeted them. He hugged both girls and led the group inside as the builders were blocked from sight thanks to the shield he cast over the house.
Once inside, they started relaxing as the tanned blonde fell asleep with her head on his shoulder. The nearby fireplace sent much-needed warmth throughout the house, which pleased everyone as the cold outside was getting worse.
As silence settled over the house, Leo rose after making sure Roxy was comfortable and stepped to the window, peering out at the builders working under the vigilant guard of the mages.
The sky, moments ago a pale gray, churned into an ominous black, clouds twisting like ink spilled across a canvas, but it didn't bother him as he didn't have to fight anymore and could relax while building his new empire.
Within seconds, the storm's fury was unleashed, instantly catching his attention as it was getting worse. Rain lashed against the shield encasing the house, each droplet hissing as it struck the glowing barrier.
Leo heard the wind howl, a wild beast clawing at the world outside, while the shield flickered faintly under the onslaught. His breath caught, his fingers tightening on the sill, as the tempest's roar drowned out all else.
The shield started to falter, rattling ominously. Without hesitation, he sent his mana into the shield, his energy weaving into the mages' spell like threads of light. The barrier flared brighter, its hum steadying as he poured more power in.
'This should help,' he mused. 'Hopefully, the palace will be completed soon.'
Moments later, the rattling ceased, the shield now a defiant bulwark against the storm's fury, allowing the workers to work in peace. Once that was done, he made some tea before stepping outside and sitting down.
Leo's gaze swept over the sprawling construction site. The builders toiled with focus, their hammers ringing against stone as they shaped the rising walls of his palace. Sweat glistened on their brows as they stacked blocks.
''Looks like they're taking it serious,'' he muttered while taking a sip of the hot tea.
Beyond them, he noticed soldiers patrolling the perimeter, their boots crunching grass and hands resting on sword hilts. Dust swirled faintly in the air, stirred by the rhythm of labor and vigilance, while the skeleton of his home took form against the horizon.
Following that, Leo continued watching as more Demi-Humans started building a wall around the edge of the island to protect the palace from monster waves, as they hadn't stopped. He learned that many fortresses were being attacked.
When Astra told him this the previous night, he decided to send out his Demonic Dragons and Wyverns that searched for the creatures before killing them. This wittled down the numbers so the armies could deal with the waves.
Days later, Leo soared over the rugged southern reaches of his continent, his eyes scanning the craggy landscape below. Mountain Trolls, their hulking forms wreaking havoc on nearby villages, lumbered into view.
With a flick of his wrist, he unleashed searing Thunderbolts, each strike precise and lethal, reducing the beasts to ash in flashes of blinding light. The air crackled with power as he quelled their raids, restoring peace to the scarred valleys.
While flying above the mountains, Leo's sharp eyes caught a hulking silhouette amidst the mist. The Troll Leader, its gnarled hide scarred from countless battles, roaring commands to its pack.
Towering over the others, it smashed a boulder to splinters, urging its kin to raid the valley below. He dove from the sky, wind screaming past him, his mana igniting in a blazing aura that caught all the monster's attention.
The Troll Leader snarled, sensing his approach, but he was relentless. He struck with a Thunderbolt, singeing the beast, then closed the distance in a heartbeat. Claws of raw mana formed around his hands as he tore into the creature, ripping through its thick hide.
Leo ignored the troll's roars, which turned to guttural screams, its massive arms flailing uselessly as he shredded muscle and bone in a whirlwind of ferocity. Blood and ash sprayed across the rocky ground, the beast collapsing in a broken heap.
The other trolls froze, their guttural grunts falling silent. Eyes wide with primal fear, they staggered back, abandoning their raid as he stood over the mangled corpse, his gaze burning with malice.
Following that, Leo butchered the surviving Mountain Trolls so they wouldn't bother the villagers anymore. Once that was complete, he continued traveling across the continent, clearing it of monsters.
From Dragons to Goblins, he killed them all before turning the dead into his Demonic Soldiers and ended up with hundreds of new beasts he could use if any conflicts arose.