Chapter 353

Chapter 353: Grinding Stone

The arrival of Fina, the Queen of Magic, and Alice, the Mist Sorceress, swiftly stabilized the battlefield.

In the previous battle, the two women’s impressive performance didn’t just steady the situation—they also lifted the people’s spirits.

Now, from ordinary practitioners to generals and even the commander, everyone’s focus shifted from mere survival against the sect’s onslaught to planning counterattacks and striking at the sect headquarters itself.

Such was the power of morale.

Yet their arrival also brought sighs and sorrow.

Avril, for instance, who’d grown used to seducing Midi, now felt hollow and adrift.

Staying alone felt suffocating—she desperately needed someone to talk to.

But with the battle at its peak, Emil and Victoria, who shared her plight, were too busy proving themselves at the forward base to join her at the front.

Though the Blood Purification members treated her respectfully as their Holy Maiden, their formality only deepened her loneliness.

Left with no choice, Avril turned to Reinhardt and Wiseman.

“What kind of people *are* Fina and Alice?” she asked.

Arad had a saying: “Know yourself and your enemy to win every battle.”

Though victory seemed unlikely, the dark elf assassin decided to gather intel—if nothing else, to understand Midi’s tastes.

“They’re the type with extraordinary potential,” Wiseman mused, narrowing his eyes. Then he sighed. “Pity—I once nearly eliminated the Mist Sorceress. A botched handoff ruined it. Otherwise, *I’d* be the one shaping history!”

Avril stared at him like he’d lost his mind. She didn’t care about old grudges. Their conversation was going nowhere.

Reinhardt, accustomed to noblewomen’s subtleties, grasped her intent.

“Fina and Alice are fiercely independent,” he said after a pause. “They may not surpass Midi, but they stand as his equals in battle.”

“But…” Avril bit her tongue.

*I’m independent too! I’ve fought alongside him since the Sky Arena! And I’ve tried everything to seduce him! Why isn’t that enough?*

Noticing her turmoil, Reinhardt added gently, “By ‘equals,’ I mean they challenge him. Push him to grow. Like a grinding stone sharpens a blade.”

*Equals…* Avril’s heart clenched. A bitter smile surfaced.

Even when Midi was level 51 at the Sky Arena, she’d sensed his future greatness. She’d schemed to use him, then supported him, and now… now she merely followed.

Any notion of equality vanished when she witnessed his Awakened Secret Technique, Sky Sword Dance. No effort could bridge that gap.

Yet Fina and Alice *did* feel like Midi’s equals.

Though lacking flying skills or the title of Thought Capturer, they never faded into his shadow.

As both lovers and the Hawk Brigade’s strongest, they matched Midi’s renown. Together, the trio formed the unshakable Iron Triangle.

Is this Midi’s preference?

"Honestly, I didn’t realize seducing him would be so challenging when I first tried," Avril unconsciously pouted, her voice barely audible even to herself.

Beside her, Wiseman and Reinhardt exchanged glances, both wearing schadenfreude grins. For years, the Delos Empire had suffered Midi’s frustrations – now seeing another join their ranks secretly delighted them. Since Avril showed no signs of giving up, the two Delosians naturally relished any chance to inconvenience Fina and Alice.

As Reinhardt considered how to motivate Avril, a ripple disturbed their magical communications. All three immediately sobered, expressions hardening. The final assault on the Behemoth was commencing.

"Peak level 59." Midi assessed his amplified power after absorbing another Radiance of Light. Though recent battles had been grueling, they’d honed his consecutive level gains into stable foundations. Now he stood at 59’s zenith, one step from 60.

Each ten-level milestone since awakening brought transformative leaps. Reaching 60 might evolve his Spirit Dragon Sword, improving odds against supreme experts. Yet this final step proved harder than ordinary advancement – requiring not external conditions but decisive inspiration.

Even as a reincarnator with second awakening experience, Midi’s path had diverged drastically: perfect demon god fusion, flawless transmutation, extraordinary awakening, Sea Emperor’s Inheritance, psychic energy integration. Now he forged new roads, past life’s knowledge mere reference.

He didn’t rush the breakthrough. Besides, he wasn’t fighting alone anymore.

"Level 55." Fina exhaled contentedly.

"Same." Alice chimed in.

As rear commanders, they’d leveled using Radiance of Light Midi sent from the Sea of Clouds. Being Awakened Ones of Extraordinary Awakening prohibited conventional growth. Reaching 54 without combat proved their exceptional talent.

The Star Ocean’s pure magic dwarfed Arad and Sky City’s concentrations. Combined with recent aerial combat, their level-up seemed inevitable – yet ascending overnight still impressed Midi. Without the Sea Emperor’s psychic energy infusion, he’d only be 55 himself.

Clearly, Fina and Alice hadn’t idled below – they’d accumulated wisdom needing only battle-tempering. With time remaining before confronting supreme experts, battlefield experience could fuel further rapid growth. Midi too needed combat to breach 59-60.

"We’ll use the Blue Truth Sect as our grinding stone." Cold determination flashed in Midi’s eyes.

The Iron Triangle’s Hawk Brigade fleet mobilized swiftly. Their target remained the Behemoth – the All-Seeing Demon’s Insight left no hiding place for the hundred-kilometer beast.

Midi stayed clear-headed: attrition warfare favored enemies despite Fina and Alice’s presence. Gradual conquest didn’t suit realities. Worse, the supreme expert might regain strength over time. Thus his strategy held – direct central assault on the Sect’s heart!

Thirty warships advanced: Wind King Warship at the core, mid-level Wind Fire Warships supporting, low-level Wind Tooth and captured Poison Needle Warships reinforcing. Simultaneously, the All-Seeing Demon’s Insight relayed this move to Sect headquarters.

"Fascinating!" A raucous voice boomed across temple skies.

The speaker towered with oppressive magic, crimson eyes radiating soul-chilling bloodlust – the Guardian even the Sect Leader feared.

"The Sea Emperor’s heir surprises me less than those Holy Blood girls!" The Guardian’s tongue flicked like tasting delicacies. "Devouring them and seizing the Inheritance would make me second only to Apostles!"

"Eighty years guarding this dying relic finally pays off. Reaching Marquis rank means freedom from babysitting corpses!" His manic laughter shredded concealment cloaks, darkness blotting sunlight – revealing high-ranking Demon Faction wings resembling Death’s scythes.