Card Apprentice Daily Log

Chapter 2886: Ocean Supreme Aqualas

Date: Unspecified

Time: Unspecified

Location: Myriad Realms, Card World, Southern Region, Blossom District, Sky Blossom City

”Great, now I can’t even bear your child without your help,” Anna said self-deprecatingly. She had been so excited about having our child and becoming a mother, but the complications only made her blame herself for not being strong enough.

”Hey, if anyone is to blame for this, then it’s me. I chose a shortcut to power despite knowing the consequences. My sins are the reason I can’t impregnate the woman I love.”

I placed the blame entirely on myself, not because I was trying to play the martyr, but because it truly was my fault. I had turned myself into a hybrid of a Celestial, a Viltronian, and a World Calamity Tree in my haste for power.

Anna held my head in her hands and turned it to face her. Then, kissing my forehead, she said, ”It’s neither of our fault. Besides, you said you can solve it. And even if you can’t, we can rent Jaya’s womb. That would work, right?”

I looked at Anna in surprise, not because of what she suggested, but because I suddenly realized that what she suggested would actually work.

”Yeah, that would work, but she would need to reach at least the Semi Card Demigod Realm first. Still, I think I can figure out a way to safely elevate your bloodline before it comes to that.”

”Great. Take your time. I don’t want our child to be born out of wedlock.”

Instead of feeling relieved after hearing that, I became even more worried. Sensing my body stiffen, Anna immediately remarked, ”Relax. The three of us are handling the wedding preparations. You just have to be present.”

Her words only made me more nervous, because I knew the three of them could barely agree on anything except me, which meant I would inevitably be dragged in to act as the tie-breaker. Honestly, I would rather face Maestro and Konjure.

Sensing my unease, Anna changed the topic. ”If Jaya is a demi-human, how was she able to become a Card Apprentice? Or even survive?”

”Well, her parents stripped her of her demi-human, or rather Viltronian, core at birth, which turned her into a normal human baby. Later, Diana found baby Jaya in a dungeon and raised her as her little sister. Then, once Jaya became a Card Apprentice, the Viltronian core became her fated ingredient, and I turned it into her Origin Card.

”She isn’t the only one either. Karl is a demi-human too, except his demi-human core was destroyed while he was escaping during the massacre of his tribe. There are probably many more like them out there.

”Speaking of Jaya, what have they been up to? I can’t find them anywhere in the city.”

As I spoke about Jaya, I checked in on the Bright Lions, wondering what they were up to. Those guys always liked keeping themselves busy, especially with Aurelia leading them. She was living proof that the nature of a leader truly mattered.

”They all left for Tripoint Border City earlier with a group of Array Masters from the Freedom Fighters. I don’t know what you discussed during the meeting, but they were all chanting about making the West their bitch.”

”Well, I’m planning to continue expanding my campaign into the West instead of pushing further into the South.”

”Why do that? Wouldn’t that mean you’ll have to fight two enemies at once, both the West and the South?”

”We’re already fighting the whole world, so that hardly changes anything. Besides, I’m only taking what they can afford to lose. Most of the territory I occupied in the South, and the land I plan to occupy in the West, had already been abandoned by both royal families. They expected those areas to become frontlines the moment the Empire decided to invade their regions. In a way, I’m only doing what they already anticipated.

”More importantly, neither side wants to deal with us directly because they’re both waiting for the other to do it first. Neither of them wants to waste resources and manpower getting rid of us, only for the other side to reap the benefits afterward. They also won’t rush into forming an alliance against us since they were already prepared to lose the territories I occupied.

”I’m betting on the cracks between the two regions and the royal families to establish the new empire.”

I explained my strategy with complete confidence, as if I could already see it unfolding before my eyes. Especially now that Seraphina had become the new Southern Heir, I truly believed this strategy would work. I didn’t dare say that part out loud to Anna, considering she was the one who had pushed for Seraphina to become the new Southern Heir in her place.

”I see. That’s a wonderful strategy. I love this big brain of yours, mmm-mh, mm-mh, mm-mh...”

Anna rolled on top of me and began peppering kisses all over my face. I had heard of women getting aroused watching men work, but this was my first time seeing one getting turned on by military strategy. Honestly, I guess I lucked out.

And just like that, we found ourselves wrapped in another session of passionate lovemaking amidst the Bloodstorm Clouds.

...

Location: Way Beyond, Ocean Supreme Territory, Bay Of Butch.

Above a boundless ocean, a female humanoid figure streaked through the sky in search of something, or someone. She was none other than the new Southern Heir, Seraphina Heatsend.

Before long, she arrived at a tiny island. At its center, a muscular male humanoid figure could be seen doing push-ups while a female figure made entirely of water sat calmly on his back.

Every time he lowered himself and pushed back up, the ground beneath him trembled under the strain of his shaking arms, as though the island itself was struggling to endure the weight of his training.

”One more! One more!” the water-born girl demanded cheerfully, kicking her legs atop his back as though she weighed nothing at all.

The man let out a strained growl but still lowered himself once more. Veins bulged across his arms and shoulders like coiling dragons beneath his skin. The island groaned beneath him, cracks spiderwebbing through the stone with every movement.

”Aqualas,” he said through gritted teeth, ”we’ve been doing this for a month straight. I know you’re bored, but stop using me for your amusement.”

Despite his complaints, he still bent to her demands again and again, forcing his body lower before driving himself back up through sheer monstrous willpower.

Because the figure sitting on his back was no ordinary girl. Aqualas was the Ocean Supreme, and the playful form perched atop him was merely an avatar. What he truly carried was the crushing weight of the boundless ocean surrounding the island itself.

Seraphina appeared before them in a blur of scarlet light and greeted them calmly, ”Guess who’s back.”