The explosion didn't damage the structure of the buildings and underground quarters, but the protective inscriptions couldn't prevent the tremors from spreading. They preserved the integrity of the constructions, but the detonation still affected the entire area.

However, no one came to check the situation, and even the heroic cultivators living right above that underground area didn't bother to leave their positions.

Daniel was astonished. He knew that the experiments of a rank 5 cultivator could end up poorly, but the fact that none of the underlings of the Hive had come to help them was quite unnatural!

After all, that matter concerned the quarters of their leader. Noah's safety should be the main priority of the weaker heroic a.s.sets.

Of course, Daniel couldn't possibly know that the other Elders had already checked on him once when the first explosion resounded right under their feet. Yet, they had only found an annoyed Noah who ordered them to never check on his status anymore back then.

Daniel soon started to understand that such explosions were a common sight in the neutral city.

The two women next to him had reacted too fast, and they didn't even appear bothered by that situation. Their expressions were more a mixture of helplessness and annoyance toward the interruption of their battle.

"This one goes on me," June said at some point, and she started to walk back in the underground as if nothing unusual had happened.

"They all go to you if I can't shut down your battle intent soon enough." Faith replied as she followed her along the corridor.

Daniel could only follow after the two of them while wearing a confused expression. In his mind, he was already reevaluating his expectations toward the task of an amba.s.sador of the neutral city.

When the three of them returned inside Noah's quarters, they found him staring at the wall where the black cloud was hovering just a few minutes before. Yet, there was no gas now, and only a few marks on the azure rocks carried traces of its detonation.

The Demonic Sword flew casually above him, but it didn't seem interested in what he was doing. It had merely reacted to the sudden danger, but even the living weapon appeared used to that kind of commotion.

Faith and June sat in a corner and took out a few cups that they quickly filled with strong wine, but they acted so naturally the Daniel felt forced to stare at them to be sure that he didn't see things.

Daniel knew that Noah and June were in a relations.h.i.+p, but he had yet to become used to her behavior. After all, he didn't know her too well. The only pieces of information in his possession came from the reports that his family had gathered when it was still planning a revolution.

June didn't appear as a battle maniac at all while she drank and conversed with Faith. She seemed even able to go along with Faith's playful character.

The image of the talent of the Ballor family that Daniel had in his mind fell apart in a few seconds when he saw how she acted there.

"I told you that she was cute!" Faith exclaimed when she noticed his stare. "And you have yet to see how they are together. I actually feel jealous at times."

"Hmph," June snorted as she kept Faith still to prevent her from hugging her. "The most beautiful woman of the Mortal Lands can't be jealous. Just leave Noah and me alone and get yourself a partner."

"But men are so easy to take," Faith complained as she gave up on jumping in June. "Except for your man, I guess."

Daniel stared at the two of them having that casual discussion with wide eyes. They were mighty rank 5 cultivators and the best talents of their generation, but they also appeared to be close friends that could relax together.

Such a sight wasn't common among cultivators at that level, especially when he took into consideration the different organizations behind them. It was usually impossible for experts coming from forces that used to be enemies to reach that type of trust.

Yet, Faith and June had done that, and the fact that Noah was involved only made the situation even more astonis.h.i.+ng in Daniel's eyes.

The images of the young man that had faced the rank 4 Excavating Worm in the Bare Dungeon appeared in his mind. Too much had changed in those decades. Still, they were now under the same roof as existences that the entire world revered and praised.

Noah stood up at that point and neared the three of them while wearing an ugly expression.

Daniel's stopped staring at the two women. He didn't know how jealous Noah could be about his lover, but he wasn't going to test his chances since his mood appeared quite sour already.

"Don't worry," Noah said as he noticed his reaction. "Faith has more chances than you at that."

Then, he sat next to June and filled a cup of wine for himself.

Daniel felt a wave of amazement enveloping his mind once again as he kept on staring at that scene. He saw June casually laying her back over Noah's chest and playing with one of the scales on the side of his torso.

The most astounding aspect of that situation for Daniel was that Noah didn't seem to notice that. He let her be as he closed his eyes to immerse himself in his thoughts.

Daniel could only accept that Noah wasn't only the monster that had spread chaos through the old continent when he was only a human cultivator. There was a side of him that no one knew except for June, Faith, and now him.

"Are you going to stay there?" Faith asked at some point, and Daniel sighed before joining the three of them in that casual meeting. He even took a cup from his s.p.a.ce-ring to drink with them.

Though, he had to try his best not to stare too much at the couple at his side.

"So," Faith said after Noah reopened his eyes, "How many more explosions should we expect? Elder Estelle is starting to think that you will blow the entire city up."

"I'm about to increase the quant.i.ty of energy," Noah replied, "The other Elders should apply the protective inscriptions even on the buildings around this one."

"Even more?" June asked with a surprised tone. "Didn't you just raise it?"

"Forcing my "Breath" into a shapeless construct is impossible," Noah answered. "I need to create a procedure that would lead it to a higher form naturally."

"Won't that make the testing phase far more dangerous?" June asked while wearing a helpless expression, but Noah limited himself to smirk.

Daniel was utterly clueless about that topic, and it appeared that even Faith didn't know much about it since she had started to ignore them. Yet, an idea suddenly popped in her mind, and she expressed it loudly. "June told me about your ex-girlfriend! Didn't she come from a place with a training area for heroic cultivators?"