Chapter 2691: No.

Even with the weight of four consciousnesses far beyond his own bearing down on him, Apex didn't seem to care in the slightest. As for the pain? He relished in it. It fueled something deep within him, likely stoking from the Barbarian Race he was meant to be born into.

But as with all things, Existence had forsaken him and he had ended up as a Variant Invalid instead. As far as he was concerned, there was no pain greater than that. What could these mere beasts do to him?

"Why have you summoned me here, hag?"

"You are to bring the news back," Nova said without much emotion and hardly any gentleness. "We have managed to procure the Life Tablet."

"Life Tablet?" Apex raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Isn't that thing in the hands of a human brat?"

"No longer," Nova replied shortly, not planning to give any further explanation.

"Then give it to me. I will take it to my master."

"No," Nova replied just as evenly.

She had no obligation to do such a thing. They weren't here in a subservient position. If so, what would be the point in everything they were doing? What purpose would all of this serve?

Apex laughed. "Stingy old hag. How absolutely ridiculous. I don't see the point in all of this posturing. You need us, not the other way around."

BOOM!

A mighty tempest of space descended from the skies and Apex was forced to his knees with such momentum that his knees dislocated, his upper legs driving into the ground and shearing away from the muscle and skin that connected them to his lower legs.

It was a truly ghastly sight, and even Nova and Astral Winds were frowning. However, they said nothing. It was hard to expect Apex to keep getting away with snubbing their noses in his careless disrespect. He spoke as though he was his master, but he wasn't. Ultimately, he was just a junior, an ant in their eyes.

Unfortunately, no matter how they punished him so, they didn't dare to kill him, not for fear of his master, but for fear of the end of their cooperation. Until it stopped benefiting them, they couldn't allow this to happen.

"Oof," Apex pulled his legs out one by one, stumbling backward and laying flat on his back. A bloody grin spread across his face as he looked up. Whether he was on his feet or not, it didn't make much of a difference with how absolutely enormous these creatures were. "So fiery today, are we? I would have thought that aged old bones like you lot would have gotten your tempers sorted out by now. At least let me see the thing."

Nova's beak parted as though she was about to refute again, but when she thought about it, she realized that she should probably show everyone it. It wasn't as though it could be taken away by the likes of Apex.

Seeing the expectant glances of the others, she nodded and was about to take it out when she froze.

"Hm?"

"What's wrong, Nova?" Astral Winds asked.

"... The Life Tablet, it isn't here."

Apex erupted with laughter as though he was having the time of his life, but the old beasts ignored him.

They obviously wouldn't think that Nova had created such a fuss just to dupe them. Not only did they trust her implicitly, but what would she have gained bringing them out here just to say she didn't have it? Plus, for them, the journey was barely a matter of a few strides. What could she gain by making them waste a few minutes? Even wasting several years wasn't a big deal to them.

Of course, there was the idea of forming an ambush, but it wouldn't be a very good ambush if she alerted them to her lie so early on. And, once again, they all trusted her.

"What could have happened?" Nebulafrost asked.

"... It could only be the boy," Nova said softly. "He accepted the matter too easily given his temper. It seemed he had plans of his own... But logically speaking, even if he had an ability to call the tablet back, it shouldn't have been able to escape my senses. The Life Tablet has been captured many times before by creatures far inferior to myself..."

Nova's eyes suddenly lit with understanding. Then, she actually chuckled.

"The brat is clever... It must be related to the Segmented Cube. It seems he also made off with my treasures as well, cheeky little bastard..."

The others were shocked hearing Nova curse like this, it wasn't something she ever did. But even so, it didn't seem like she was mad.

"Old Terror," Nova asked softly, looking toward the Celestial Terra Ancestor. "This won't change anything, will it?"

"No."

The voice was as old as time itself. When he spoke, rustling leaves fell to silence and loose rocks and boulders raised up from the ground. When his voice finally stopped echoing, the rocks and boulders fell, causing avalanches all around the realm.

Nova nodded, looking toward the others.

"The only hole to our plan will be if the boy exposes the fact he has taken the Life Tablet back. It will be best to try and kill to silence him, but he has also proven that he knows how to bide his time when it is necessary.

"In my opinion, his death is a lower priority matter, though something that is most definitely on the list just for the sake of tying up loose ends.

"Right now, though, our main focus should be forcing the Owlans into the light while we grapple from the shadows. While they are basking in all the pressure, we will take the reins and ascend to Godhood once more in a single bound.

"The question is, my brothers... are you prepared?"

Roars filled the skies.

"Go, boy. Report this matter to your master."

Nova swiped a wing and Apex was blown thousands of kilometers away.

...

In the Segmented Cube, Leonel sat in silence, a ticker of time continuously echoing in his mind.