Ling Luo had just finished bathing Tokoyami Teru, and now he was tending to Kusakabe Kaigen. As he worked, a heavy pressure settled over him. After all, Tokoyami was only fourteen—her body hadn't fully developed yet. Though labeled as a "shōnen," she was actually more of an underdeveloped girl-child. Bathing her had been manageable for Ling Luo to suppress his instincts.

But Kusakabe Kaigen was something else entirely. Not just a proper shōnen—no, a true mature woman! While her bust wasn't overly developed, every curve and contour of her body formed a perfect silhouette. Now she lay in his arms like some exquisite dominatrix, completely at his mercy. To claim he had no thoughts or desires would be impossible.

Each time his fingers slid across her skin during the cleansing, Ling Luo's heart raced faster. Especially when those fingers touched more intimate areas, primal fire surged through him. Under hormonal stimulation, his body responded reflexively, pressing against Kaigen's hips where they connected. As she shifted slightly, her breath occasionally brushed against his neck while jet-black hair trailed over his nose, releasing the womanly fragrance only a true female could possess... Such temptation would break any normal man.

Ling Luo wasn't some righteous paragon or virtuous recluse like Lady Meng Jiang. If a beautiful girl offered to let him do whatever he wanted, he certainly wouldn't refuse. But taking responsibility after was his unbreakable line. That's why he never sought out those without World Hearts—his power made any woman accessible, especially in the magical world where even sweeping through all female students at Mashiba Academy would be effortless.

Though Kaigen did possess a World Heart, Ling Luo still wouldn't touch her. Yet given her current vulnerable state, some harmless teasing was acceptable. But actual violation? That would be pure rape and despicable behavior—something he simply couldn't do to an unconscious girl.

So despite his body's near-explosive desires, Ling Luo maintained his self-restraint... Though even he was surprised at how much his willpower had strengthened in this situation.

After about ten minutes, Kaigen was finally clean. Drying off and redressing transformed the beautiful woman into a striking figure in male attire. Carrying her to Tokoyami's side, Ling Luo dared not stay near either girl any longer for fear of losing control again. He immediately dove into the water tank, submerging himself completely to let cold water cool his raging emotions—though just those ten minutes had been like experiencing heaven's hell through Kaigen's devastating effect.

"Ugh, I'm my own worst enemy," Ling Luo muttered as he floated in the icy water. His mind was half-numbed with memories of Kaigen's smooth white form. "Truly a self-inflicted punishment!"

Suddenly his right hand shot out from beneath the surface, sending a pulse of white light that instantly killed a demon approaching from fifty meters away. Though his head remained underwater, he'd long since set up a hundred-meter radius perception barrier before placing them on shore—nothing dangerous could approach without triggering his senses.

Five minutes later, Ling Luo finally emerged, using the "Still Water Realm" ability learned from Muna to calm himself. Normally this situation would take at least twenty minutes.

Onshore, both girls still slept peacefully together like true sisters. Ling Luo didn't disturb them as he settled on grassy ground several meters away—alert yet savoring this brief respite while watching over his charges. "What the hell has happened to this world?" He mused aloud. Everything deviated so drastically from original events... The cause was obvious, but details would have to wait until they awoke.

Meanwhile somewhere in the city's shadows:

"You useless piece of trash!" A lean young man with a sharp countenance kicked his kneeling white-haired subordinate viciously. "I told you to kill those two women! Instead you bring back your broken body like some half-dead beggar! Are you brain-dead?!"

The white-haired youth was instantly sent crashing through the opposite wall, coughing up blood yet still crawling forward to kneel before his tormentor. "Forgive me Master," he murmured reverently, "I thought I controlled everything until that unexpected powerhouse appeared..."

"Control?" The young man kicked him again with less force this time. "With your pathetic strength you think you're the world's ruler?!"

The white-haired youth remained submissive like a penitent monk before God.

"What is an antagonist?" his master sneered, gripping his subordinate by the collar. "When it's time to kill, you must kill. Whether or not they deserve it doesn't matter—every enemy must be completely eliminated without giving them any chance to grow strong! That's what makes a true villain!"

His eyes burned with anger at this failure. "You arrogant fool think your strength makes you special? You'll die as an amateur villain unless I keep you around for some use!"

"I accept my punishment, Master," the white-haired youth answered. "But if you take action personally, even someone like him can't survive combined with Shikigami's power..."

"World domination?" The young man snorted contemptuously, tossing his subordinate aside. "You're just a well-caged worm who doesn't know sky from earth! He is Ling Luo—the one who could make me look worse than trash!"

"M-Master?!" The white-haired youth paled at this revelation.

But the young man only continued pacing while deep in thought. His subordinate wisely remained silent—interrupting his owner's concentration would invite cruel punishment.

"Even if he can't use rules now, as a Three Kings figure he must have at least mid-Ling level power," he muttered. "Fighting him gives me maybe 50% odds... No! That's too dangerous. He might bring more than just rule-breaking abilities out of his sleeve. My chances drop below thirty percent..."

"Use this world's forces against him?" The young man considered. "Even if most are weaklings, some can be useful—ants can kill elephants after all. But if he escapes with those hosts..."

His voice darkened further. "The nuclear option? No—their World Hearts might react badly to such energy..."

A sharp kick suddenly shattered the wall as his rage boiled over. "Those damn girls carry something so dangerous I can't even approach them! Originally I planned to have their friends kill them, but that immortal idiot keeps ruining everything!"

At this point he was nearly frothing at the mouth. "That stupid knight—participating in divine wars yet still so naïve and brainless! What good is chivalry? Can it feed you? Make you strong?"

His expression suddenly changed. A light dawned in his eyes as he recalled something critical.

[The shocking truths behind the divine war will continue to unfold... Stay tuned.]