Ash let out a low chuckle at Ouroboros’s words. He turned his head slightly toward Nia, who was still clinging to his arm.
"Have you two t before?" he asked.
Nia glanced at Ouroboros for a brief mont before answering with a small shrug.
"Sothing like that," she said casually, though her black eyes were narrowed.
"I’ve made a few rounds recently."
Before Ash could respond, Elysia let out a soft, elegant laugh from his other side.
"Well, that’s to be expected," she said with a teasing smile. "After all, Nia is technically the harem’s de facto leader. She tends to know everyone who gets close to you."
Nia gave Elysia a flat look, though she didn’t bother denying it.
It didn’t matter who the woman was; sooner or later, Nia would figure out who she was and decide if she t her standards.
Still, it was hard to imagine the woman wouldn’t—after all, it’s not like Ash went around collecting villainesses or anything.
Ash simply shook his head with a faint smile before turning his full attention back to Ouroboros. His reddish-purple eyes t hers directly.
"Well," he said, his tone calm but carrying a trace of curiosity, "now that you’re here... what’s on your mind?"
Although he had asked, he already knew what was on the mind of this beast.
He had initially created her with the intention of giving Nullen a contracted beast that would predate much of Pantheos’ known tiline.
If things had gone as planned, Ouroboros would have spent so ti outside, continuing exactly what she had been doing—devouring and then reconverting all essences into sothing that could be used within Pantheos.
But, of course, that all changed, and it was Ash’s fault.
After all.... she had seen his true appearance and spent so much ti near him and the others.
And just like all the other won, Ouroboros had developed a deep, almost obsessive attachnt to Ash.
So, trying to hand her over to soone else now would be pointless.
She would never accept it, and forcing the issue would require sothing as extre as wiping her mories — sothing Ash had no intention of doing.
Ouroboros fixed him with a steady stare, her sharp eyes glinting with a mix of irritation and anger.
The corner of her mouth turned down as she stepped closer, closing the distance between them.
"Well, I must say, I don’t agree with your plan," she said, her voice low but edged with steel.
"How dare you think you can just give away?"
Ash listened without protest, not even attempting to argue. If erasing her mories was off the table, then there was only one other choice left.
He gave a faint smile and said, "Welco to the family."
Ouroboros, who had clearly been preparing herself for a debate or so form of persuasion, suddenly froze.
Her sharp eyes widened slightly, and for a rare mont, she looked genuinely caught off guard.
"W-Wait... what?" she stamred, blinking a few tis. "That’s it? You’re not even going to try and convince otherwise? Or tell it’s for the greater good or so nonsense like that?"
She had clearly arrived expecting there was no chance for her to remain in the Pantheon.
From the mont she had gained sentience, she’d been aware of the plan Ash had laid out for her.
Yet, Ash’s easy acceptance of it seed to catch her off guard, throwing her slightly off balance.
Nia arched an eyebrow at the exchange but stayed silent, watching with mild interest, long accustod to Ash’s casual habit of expanding the family.
Elysia, anwhile, let out a soft, graceful laugh.
"Well, that was straightforward," Elysia said with a small smile. "Though I suppose that’s just like you."
Ouroboros was still staring at Ash, seemingly processing his words.
After a few seconds, she clicked her tongue and crossed her arms, trying to regain her usual sharp composure.
"...Hmph. Fine then," she muttered, though the corners of her lips were slightly raised. "Don’t think you can take it back later."
Ash let out a light chuckle.
"I won’t," he said, glancing at the three won gathered around him.
"Alright, let’s get going."
With a relaxed wave of his hand, the air around them shimred and distorted.
In the blink of an eye, Ash, Nia, Elysia, and Ouroboros disappeared from the Sacred Dinsion, leaving Pantheos behind as they stepped into the vast expanse of the Pri Expanse.
-----
The concept of destiny was essentially the belief that the events of one’s life were all predetermined or influenced by so greater force beyond imdiate control.
In the Pri Expanse, this idea had been brushed against by countless beings at one point or another.
Yet, for the longest ti, there was said to be a being with no destiny at all.
No matter who tried to peer into it, study it, or uncover its path, nothing ever appeared.
Even he himself moved freely, untethered by any visible fate.
But little did he know, he was always moving toward his destiny, just like everyone else.
The difference was that his fate lay far beyond the reach of anyone who tried to perceive it—even beyond his own understanding at tis.
But now, everything was different.
Ash’s destiny had never been aningless—no, from the very beginning, the Author had a plan for him.
That plan was for Ash to beco the strongest fantasy character in modern literature, and ever since the creation of both the Novel and Ash himself, that was the path he had been relentlessly chasing.
Alongside that goal, the chance to beco the Author and truly free had also erged.
All of this led to one undeniable truth—Ash could now see his destiny with his own eyes.
And more than just seeing it, he was ready to embrace it.
So, what would co of Ash finally accepting his fate?
His ineffable destiny.
----
Ash, Nia, Elysia, and Ouroborus appeared high in the skies of the Pri Expanse.
The mont they materialized, the difference was imdiate.
The air here felt thinner, almost fragile....
Distant cracks of white light split across the horizon like fractures in glass, and the usual heavy pressure of the Pri Expanse had noticeably weakened.
Ash stood at the front, floating casually in the air. He took a slow, deliberate breath through his nose, as if savoring the current state of the realm.
A small, amused smile gradually ford on his face.
"Well well well..."
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