My Love Debts Are Everywhere!

"Shit! Shit! Shit! How did this happen?!" The black-cloaked man cursed through gritted teeth.

His eyes, bloodshot with fury, locked onto the black crystal orb in his right hand.

The formidable monsters he had sent to stop Athena and Leon were swiftly defeated.

And worse still, the black crystal orbs embedded within the monsters' bodies had been completely destroyed, causing their souls to vanish from his Soul Devouring Crystal Orb entirely.

The loss was staggering, and he couldn't bring himself to accept the crushing reality.

"Damn... Who the hell is that red dragon? How did it get into human territory? Isn't that a violation of the treaty between our two races? Doesn't it fear that its actions could spark a major conflict between humanity and the dragons?" The black-cloaked man muttered, his voice filled with doubt.

No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't make sense of it.

But one thing was undeniable—the red dragon's appearance had shattered his plans and the Temple of Twilight, an outcome he could not overlook.

"There's no other choice. The Soul Devouring Crystal Orb won't stop the invasion of the rebel army and the red dragon. I must contact the other Apostles for help immediately. If the rebels breach the capital, it's over," he muttered, his voice laced with frustration.

He reached into his cloak and pulled out a round black stone, its center glowing with red glass.

This stone was an emergency communication tool, meant for only the most urgent situations.

It allowed him, or any of the six Apostles, to send a distress signal to each other and request help from the temple.

As useful as it was, he didn't want to use it.

After all, each of the Twilight Temple's Apostles vied for the position of Holy Messenger—an esteemed rank just one step below the Son of God.

If he used this emergency stone, it would undoubtedly weaken his standing in the ongoing power struggle for the Holy Messenger position.

But his current situation was dire. If the Holy Empire of Elysium fell into rebel hands, he would face severe consequences.
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Gritting his teeth, he clenched the stone tightly and crushed it with a swift motion.

*Whoosh!*

A flash of red light suddenly erupted as the stone shattered, soaring high into the air before piercing through the throne room's ceiling.

Velix, witnessing the spectacle, was taken aback. His expression shifted to one of concern as he turned his gaze to the black-cloaked man.

"What is that red light?" Velix asked, his voice cold.

The black-cloaked man turned to face him and answered calmly, "It's a distress signal to summon help from the other Six Apostles and the Twilight Temple headquarters."

"A distress signal to call for help from the other Apostles and the Temple headquarters?" Velix repeated, his eyes narrowing slightly.

Though he wasn't well-versed in the inner workings of the Temple of Twilight, he knew a few key details, like the fact that it was led by the Seven Apostles.

The man standing before him was the fourth Apostle, a position of considerable influence.

But what baffled him was why the man felt the need to request assistance from the other Apostles and the Temple itself.

Sensing Velix's confusion, a surge of anger flashed across the black-cloaked man's face, visible beneath his hood.

"I had no choice," he said, bitterness seeping into his voice. "The rebel army turned out to be stronger than I anticipated, and moreover, there was a red dragon from the rebels' side that attacked the capital and killed all my powerful monsters."

As he recalled the loss of his powerful monsters, his hatred for the red dragon intensified with each passing moment.

Upon hearing the black-cloaked man's words, Velix's eyes widened, and his heart began to race.

"What are you saying? A red dragon is helping the rebels and has entered the capital? Are you serious?" Velix asked, his expression darkening.

The black-cloaked man's words seemed utterly absurd. There was a long-standing agreement between humanity and the dragon race not to interfere with one another.

Velix suspected the man might be fabricating this story to cover his own failure to contain the rebel forces outside the capital.

At the accusation, the black-cloaked man's anger flared. His powerful monsters had already been slain by the red dragon, and now Velix was accusing him of making a joke.

If it weren't for Velix's overwhelming strength—and the fact that he was cornered—the black-cloaked man would have already confronted him.

Regaining his composure, he took a deep breath and replied coldly, "I'm not joking, Velix Larrison. The red dragon is real. It has already slaughtered my powerful monsters, and now it's likely on its way here."

Velix's grim expression gradually shifted to one of deep seriousness as he processed the man's words.

Given the current situation, the black-cloaked man indeed had no reason to lie.

However, he still found it difficult to believe that a dragon was aiding the rebel forces against him.

"In that case, do you have any way to deal with the dragon?" Velix asked cautiously.

The black-cloaked man shook his head. "I don't have a solution for that. The red dragon is incredibly powerful, and I'm not sure I could defeat it."

Velix's body tensed at the response, but before he could react further, the black-cloaked man added, "However, I've already sent a distress signal to the Temple, and they should be on their way. Our priority now is to hold off both the red dragon and the rebel forces outside the capital for as long as possible."

Velix narrowed his eyes. "How long until your comrades arrive at the palace?"

The black-cloaked man glanced down briefly and replied indifferently, "At most, fifteen minutes."

He then looked up at Velix and asked, "Do you have any way to hold the red dragon off until they arrive?"

Velix cut off the flow of mana to the black-cloaked man, raising his Seven-Crystal Aurora Magic Staff high.

"I can hold it off," Velix said in a grim tone. "However, I can only manage for twenty minutes. If the help you're waiting for doesn't arrive by then, we'll have no choice but to face the red dragon and the entire rebel army head-on."

The capital and the Imperial Palace were protected by powerful magic circles crafted by the Great Mages throughout the ages. Even someone as formidable as Leon, the Demon Emperor, or the Dragon Empress wouldn't be able to break through them.

But activating the magic circles was incredibly draining on his mana. Given his current condition, Velix could only maintain them for twenty minutes.

It was a risky move. If help from the black-cloaked man didn't arrive within that window, Velix knew they would lose everything.

Still, he had no other option. This was his only shot.

"Good!" The black-cloaked man sighed in relief and nodded. "Don't worry. I can guarantee they'll be here in fifteen minutes."

Velix gave a brief nod and said no more.

*Roar!*

At that moment, a deafening roar echoed from outside the palace, shaking the very air.

The expressions of both Velix and the black-cloaked man shifted, their vigilance intensifying to its highest point.

"It's here..." Velix muttered, his eyes narrowing.

...

Five thousand kilometers to the east of the Holy Empire of Elysium lay the small, remote town of Luvira.

Due to its location, the town had a population of just under sixty thousand.

Nevertheless, its economy and social activities were thriving.

Merchants from various cities frequently set up stalls to sell their goods, contributing to the bustling atmosphere.

Furthermore, with rebellions erupting in several cities and towns along the border, many people fled to more remote areas to escape the conflict.

Luvira was one such destination, causing its population to steadily grow each day.

At the heart of Luvira stood a well-known brothel called Night Dream. It was a popular spot, attracting both young and old men who came to relax, have a drink, or enjoy the company of the beautiful women who worked there.

"Waiter! Bring me your finest wine!"

In a lavish room, a tall, imposing man sat on a sofa, his arms draped around the waists of two beautiful women.

The man had a muscular build, his massive muscles clearly on display.

Though his appearance was rather ordinary, the women on either side of him gazed at him with affection, their eyes filled with admiration.

"Master Diego, you promised you'd buy me a fancy necklace two days ago. When are you going to get it for me?" a beautiful woman with short, shoulder-length black hair asked in a playful tone.

Her slender, yet curvaceous figure swayed seductively toward the man.

The man, slightly tipsy and holding a glass of red wine, lifted the woman's chin and gazed at her with a soft, affectionate look.

"Don't worry. I'll get it for you after we leave here," he replied, offering a faint smile.

The woman's eyes brightened with happiness, but before she could speak, the woman to the man's left interrupted.

"Master Diego, you promised me as well!" She protested, her lips forming an adorable pout.

"Hahaha! Don't worry, I won't forget about you," the man chuckled, turning his head with a wider smile.

The two women exchanged a glance, their smiles filled with contentment and joy.

But suddenly, the man's relaxed expression shifted. He stood up abruptly, catching the two women off guard.

"Master Diego, what's going on?" the short-haired woman asked, her voice laced with curiosity.

The man, however, ignored her, his focus fixed on his right palm, which gleamed with a blood-red light.

He narrowed his eyes, murmuring softly to himself, "What's happening? Why is that man asking for help?"