Playboy Cultivator in the Apocalypse

Waves of shock and fear washed over the Immortals when Kaze asked why Kiera wasted Qi defending when [half the people]--mainly Immortals--still had Qi. Time and time again, the slang riddler's words proved prophetic.

"Some idiots pointed out that healing people was pointless if everyone died." Kiera announced, "It broke my concentration, so I was forced to stop."

Her words made the mob who rushed her tremble with fear. Luckily for them, she wasn't done.

"However, it was a good point." She continued, shocking everyone, "Some people are ungrateful and pathetic, but it doesn't change that some bad motherfuckers were about to get toasted because of them. So I jumped in where people needed me most."

"Who broke your concentration?" Evalyn asked bluntly, making the rapidly calming Immortals seize in fear again.

"I'll tell you if you insist, but can we just drop it?" Kiera asked bluntly, stunning people once again, "Tonight fucking sucked. I don't wanna deal with more drama or blame people for acting like a wuss during the damn apocalypse. It's annoying, but no one died, so it's not worth wrecking people over."

"Fair enough." Evalyn smiled, "You heard the lady! No one's getting punished unless they did something universally punishable."

Awkward cheers rang out; everyone was unsure whether to be excited about not getting punished. However--

"Fuuuuuck yeaaaaaah!" Larkin cried out, "We fucked some cultivators and zombies up, AND no one got punished! IMMORTAL SKYE FOR LIFE!"

--the jester let out a battle cry, and the area exploded with wild cheers and applause.

Kaze smiled and walked over to Crux, panting inside the half-emptied lake. Everyone fell silent when they saw him, but their anxiety turned to awe when he waved his hand, and her entire body radiated with golden light.

Her wounds healed in real time, with excess disappearing within her or lying on the ground. It was a surreal sight that shocked everyone, especially those who had seen Divine Stitches.

Then he waved his hand, and a spatial barrier shot up around them.

"Hello, Crux." Kaze smiled mysteriously, looking at the large panther, looking at him with her vibrant amethyst eyes, "I heard what you did--thank you."

The divine beast's eyes trembled before she averted her gaze and put her chin on her paws. "Yes, but my family... they know I'm here and declared me a traitor."

"Not necessarily." He said, giving her a complex expression as his eyes wandered, making her turn to him in confusion, "I'm late because I forged your death to prevent that.

I created an illusion of Rayton Blackfoot and said their clan betrayed Killian and sent people to murder you and other high-level cultivators in their weakened states."

Her eyes widened in shock. "You blamed this on the Blackfoot Clan!?"

"Yes, they conspired with Killian to betray the Panthera in my past life." Kaze replied, turning to her, "And I know of their deeds now. They are your enemy and thus mine."

Crux's eyes welled with light tears before she closed her eyes and reined in her emotions. "While I'm immeasurably grateful, your decision to do so was foolish."

"Yes, it was." He chuckled bitterly and looked to the top of the warping spatial barrier, "When the Silver Medallions split, I regretted it.

However, now that we have survived, there's a significant chance that everyone believes you're dead.

When they return, we will face the cultivators to ensure it remains that way until we ascend."

The panther took a sharp breath in disbelief, turning to him with a sharp gaze. She accepted he was genuine, and it made her heart pulse.

Crux had strange feelings for Kaze. Whether they came from her past life, stemmed from her love for his smell, or his charismatic personality was unknown. However, after helping her family, that bond got stronger, making her uncomfortable.

"Will you honestly seize the Sky Plane?" She asked strangely.

The divine beast was a princess, and princesses married into the Clan or for political arrangements, not of their own accord, least to people with a budding harem.

"We will." Kaze confirmed with a knowing smile, "We will seize every plane until we're Immortals on the Immortal Plane, you, me, Evalyn, and Kiera--at a minimum. That's our destiny."

Crux's eyes widened in disbelief upon hearing his statement. "Wait, why are we talking about upper planes!?"

"It's our destiny." He reiterated, unwavering, "Our power exceeds that of any other. It's a natural consequence."

"That's not what I meant!" She shook her head frantically, "I'm asking why I am in your plans for ascension; why am I moving to the top in your mind!?"

"You're here because you want to be with me, are you not?" Kaze asked magnetically, making her grateful she couldn't blush, "That involves going to the top. It's only logical."

"But what of my family!?" Crux cried, burying her eyes with her paws cutely. It was reflexive and only made her want to crawl into a hole and die.

"I'll build their power and install them as rulers of territories." He chuckled in amusement, "If they wish to ascend, we'll find a way to bring them to the top safely.

While I cannot guarantee anyone's safety, I will work not to make the same mistakes I made with Evalyn's mother.

I tried to do so tonight and failed. However, to fail, one must try, and through failure, people overcome and become strong. Such is proof of my resolve."

Crux's eyes filled with disbelief. "Why go so far for me? Was I special to you in your previous life?"

"Significant, yes; special, no." Kaze smiled mysteriously, "However, you're special now. If I didn't take you to the top, who would steal my shirts and sneak them back into my closet wrinkled?"

The panther panicked again and put her paws over her eyes again, hiding her face in shame. "I just love your smell! It's not creepy, I swear!"

"I know it's not." He chuckled amusedly, "And that's why it's natural for you to follow me, yes? Without me, you would lose my smell."

She moved her paws to gaze into his eyes. "You don't find it creepy?"

"I wouldn't protest even if it were sexually motivated." Kaze smiled charmingly, making her narrow her eyes, "Neither do I protest that it isn't.

I ask nothing of you to join me, relationship or otherwise. I only desire for you to follow me to the top and share your eternity with me."

"You're a crazy fool." She huffed, looking away aggressively, "I'll consider it, but don't get your hopes up. Now look away!"

"Yes, ma'am." He chuckled sarcastically with his hands in the [I surrender pose], turning around.

Crux transformed into human form again, letting her naked body lower into the ice-cold lake and float to the top. It felt refreshing, and the cool water on her nipples made her feel more human and attached to the human near her.

"Can... you get my hoodie?" She asked, swimming to the shore of the half-drained lake.

"Of course; where is it?" Kaze asked.

She explained it was on the building, and he disappeared, returning with it and a towel. After letting her dry off, he released the spatial barrier, allowing her to walk out to the sea of gazing faces for the first time.

"I-It's Crux!" A female soldier screamed, "She's okay!"

A split second later, all the soldiers joined in, and an explosion erupted from the trades workers and Immortals.

Crux opened and closed her mouth, looking at the cheering people with confusion in her eyes. While she had saved them, she didn't think that the ungrateful ants who didn't know the value of cultivation techniques would appreciate her sacrifice. However--

"I'm sorry we were idiots! I bake you all the cake you want!" A male soldier yelled, detonating thunderous laughter, applause, and cheers.

"I'll sew your cute hoodie back to health!" A female soldier yelled.

"Let's have a cake baking competition and make her the exclusive judge!"

"Shhhh! Give her some space!"

--Crux was wrong about them not being grateful. Very wrong.

"Hey, Crux!" A cute teen called out from the wall, "I'll help you eat the cake!"

The area fell silent, hearing the tyrannical voice everyone had learned to fear in the last hour.

Her voice reminded them that their celebration was not an overwhelming victory. Everyone was still in a precarious position. However--

"Two pieces." Crux said boldly, turning her head away, "I'll share with you two pieces. Accept with gratitude, foolish mortal."

Kiera's eyes welled with tears, and she jumped from the wall at blinding speed, weaving through the Immortals and soldiers on the way to the divine beast.

Everyone held their breath when the pink bolt jumped at the woman, expecting the divine beast to swat her, making her explode. However, contrary to expectations--

"Foolish!" Crux yelled, accepting Kiera's hug with a strange backflip before landing twenty feet away, "Never place faith in the intentions of others, you fool!"

Kiera ran at the woman at a reckless speed. It forced the divine beast to accept her hug and flip to prevent her from hitting a brick wall at 30 mph or crashing in the distance.

"Be quiet, you idiot!" Kiera screamed, holding the woman tight, "I heard what you did! I don't want to hear of foolishness from anyone else. I... I... was so scared!"

Everyone felt a pang of sadness and a flicker of humanity when Crux, the pompous princess with a superiority complex, embraced the teen to calm her down.

"Shush, child." Crux smiled calmly, hugging her, "You're right, but my foolishness doesn't change or excuse yours. However, I will give you [three] pieces of cake as recompense."

Kiera looked up with narrowed eyes. "Do you think you can buy your way out of threatening your life!?"

"Four pieces." The divine beast scoffed, turning away.

The pink-haired teen's eyes turned indignant to a lethal degree.

Crux took a deep breath and turned to her with a serious expression. "One half. It's not the cake but the principle; ask for more, and I shall exact punishment for your unreasonableness."

Kiera's tear-laden eyes glittered, and she hugged the woman again. "I'm glad you're alive, Crux."

After a slight smile, the Panthera hugged her back. "I'm glad you're alive too, child."

Their embrace triggered a wave of awes, cheers, and applause. Without knowing for certain, everyone felt it marked the end of the hellish, neverending night that inaugurated the beginning of the rapture--and the birth of their new civilization.