Damn, I Have to Marry the Strongest Antagonist at the Start?

The Dark Lord charged toward Owen in a desperate final attempt, but as soon as he approached, golden ripples emanated from Owen, freezing him in place.

With a single slash, Owen severed the Dark Lord's head.

The Dark Lord's aura began to dissipate entirely from the scene.

The onlookers, still reeling from the shock of seeing two Primordial Gods obliterated, were stunned once more. The Dark Lord, too, had been dispatched in a single exchange.

It was too fast.

The speed with which these three Primordial Gods were killed by Owen was beyond comprehension.

Moments earlier, they had thought that while Owen clearly held the upper hand, taking down such formidable opponents would require a grueling, prolonged battle.

But now, the seemingly impossible had happened with stunning ease.

Primordial Gods were not common warriors. Even among the myriad forces under The Celestial, they were the absolute elite, the core pillars of power.

Drip. Drip.

The blood rain falling from the skies grew denser and more viscous.

Owen shifted his gaze to the only remaining adversary—Dolores.

Dolores, staring at the triumphant Owen, displayed deep-seated apprehension in her eyes.

After all, Owen had just slain three Primordial Gods—a feat that defied reason.

Yet, after a brief pause, Dolores regained her composure, fixing her gaze on Owen.

"Owen, do you have any idea what transpired between us in the future?"

Owen's response was one of calm indifference.
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Though he was somewhat curious, he believed that the future would unfold naturally. There was no need to know in advance.

Moreover, with the Dark Lord and the two Primordial Gods eliminated, the future's course would inevitably change.

Dolores's attempts at intimidation fell flat in the face of Owen's apathy.

Seeing his disinterest, Dolores's brows furrowed deeply. Her plan to use their supposed future entanglements to manipulate him had failed.

As Owen dismissed her significance, Dolores's fury surged. In an unexpected move, she pulled down her collar slightly, exposing a mark on her chest.

For a moment, the onlookers couldn't help but direct their attention to her.

Dolores was a stunning beauty with an icy demeanor and an exquisite figure. Her provocative gesture momentarily entranced those present.

But their attention quickly shifted to the mark—a vivid, lip-shaped scar-like imprint on her otherwise flawless skin.

The implications were clear, igniting imaginations and suspicions among the crowd.

"Owen, this mark is your doing. If you have no intention of taking responsibility, say so!"

As Dolores spoke, a massive surge of Force of Karma materialized, sweeping through the heavens and earth.

This Force of Karma was overwhelmingly destructive, capable of reducing even a Primordial God like Dolores to ashes.

Yet Dolores stood motionless, as if oblivious to the impending danger. Calmly, she said:

"Owen, I admit I underestimated you today. But the score between us is far from settled. We will meet again in the future."

As her words fell, the Force of Karma engulfed her entirely, shattering her body into a mist of blood.

Owen's eyes widened at the sight, then narrowed in thought.

A peculiar detail struck him: unlike other mages, Dolores left behind no residual soul after being obliterated.

"A projection?"

Owen muttered, his eyes narrowing.

From Dolores's confident demeanor, it was clear that this was not her true form. She would undoubtedly resurface in the future.

Rachel approached, her expression wary.

"She's cunning, Owen. Just a projection, and she deceived those two into dying for her."

Owen's expression grew heavy.

Despite having fought Dolores multiple times, he hadn't detected any signs that she was a mere projection. Clearly, her crossing of the Time River had been meticulously planned.

Her two allies had been pawns, entirely unaware of her true nature, used as cannon fodder.

Such a ruthless adversary—both toward herself and her allies—would not be easily dealt with in the future.

Rachel, her thoughts wandering, gave Owen a curious look.

"Owen, given how upset Dolores seemed, what exactly did you do to her?"

Owen, genuinely clueless, could only respond with a blank stare.

How could he possibly know? These were events of the future, entirely outside his knowledge.

As Owen struggled to find an answer, The Chief and the other tribespeople approached.

Most of them were battered and exhausted from the intense battle, having expended all their strength. Were it not for Owen's intervention, they might not have survived.

Fortunately, the outcome had been favorable. While many were injured, no mage had fallen.

To The Chief, this was an acceptable result. Every warrior was precious; even one loss would have been devastating.

The Chief looked at Owen with profound respect.

The four Primordial Gods who had attacked were not ordinary foes. Even if he had unleashed every ounce of his power, The Chief knew he wouldn't stand a chance against them.

But Owen had defeated them all.

Their deaths would undoubtedly shake The Celestial to its core.

"Owen, what should we do next?"

The Chief's tone was urgent.

The Celestial's wrath was not to be taken lightly, and immediate decisions were needed.

The others turned to Owen as well, viewing him as the unshakable pillar of their group.

Owen took a deep breath, sweeping his gaze over the crowd.

"As I promised, I will lead you out of here. Now, it's time to fulfill that promise."

With those words, Owen gripped his Flame Sword and stepped toward the shattered Dark Temple.

Raising the blade high, he unleashed a devastating slash.

Boom!

The strike lit up the entire Demon Abyss, its sword light cutting through the darkness.

The ancient temple, which had stood for countless ages, crumbled under the force.

As the Dark Temple collapsed, a pillar of light shot skyward, illuminating the once-blackened sky of the Demon Abyss.

From the temple's ruins, cracks spread rapidly, shattering the seals that had confined the region.

In moments, the black sea evaporated, and the sky fractured like a crumbling dome.

Then, with a deafening crash, the false sky shattered completely. Golden sunlight streamed through, bathing the stunned tribespeople in its warmth.

For the first time, The Chief and his people felt the touch of sunlight.

"This… Is this sunlight?"

The Chief extended a trembling hand, feeling the radiant warmth.

"We're free!"

"Owen, you've done it! We're free!"

Cheers erupted from the tribe as they celebrated their newfound liberation.

Having been trapped for so long, expending countless resources and efforts to no avail, they could hardly believe it.

But now, thanks to Owen, they were finally free.

In the distance, Raina and others saw the sunlight piercing through the sky. Joy lit up their faces as they realized the truth: their time of confinement had ended.