CHAPTER 561: CHAPTER 561: WEAKNESS DOESN’T NEED YOUR PERMISSION

"...You all should prepare yourselves, I have thought of the perfect challenge for my Consort Trial."

Kael looked at them, "But since I’m biased, I would like to give some of you a head start against the rest who may think they can compete with you."

What Kael said confused the ladies but they remained silent and continued listening.

Kael looked up at this time just in time to see Ozia floating down from one of the hatches of the arkship.

Shortly after, Memphis rose from one of the seats in the coliseum to join Ozia before they touched down on the elevated platform Kael and the rest were standing in.

"All-King," Memphis greeted.

Right at this time, Katari suddenly disappeared from everyone’s view.

Kael nodded at Memphis, "I’ll need to trouble you a bit Memphis, I need to get rid of some deficiencies," He said.

Memphis raised an eyebrow, "Oh, what’s that?"

"I’ll need you to take my consorts under your care and mentorship for a little while.

Resources will be given to them to help out with the process and I will reward you well.

The same treatment you gave to me, give it to them," Kael said.

"I understand," Memphis said, nodding her head, "But you need to understand that they may not have the same results that you and Katari had.

Katari was extremely fortunate and lucky to have had that conversation with Exalon at that very moment at that time, earlier or later and it might not have worked.

You yourself actually took fifty years in the time bubble and baptism, even though it might not have seemed like so long for you.

You are older than you think you are right now and all the benefits you gained from that session were mostly due to your efforts and talent."

Kael nodded, he knew that he was probably sixty or more years chronologically if he counted the year he spent in the time bubble. But for him, it didn’t seem like that much time had passed.

"I know, how long is the optimal time for close contact mentorship with them?" Kael asked.

Memphis thought for a while, her green eyes glowing faintly with the power of time.

Ever since Kael had used the Conqueror Mode Avatar on her, she had gotten somewhat closer and more familiar with Kael.

She had gotten a brief taste of the lowest power level an immortal could have and she was addicted.

"A week probably, then they would have to go out to put whatever they learned to practice if not they might fall behind," Memphis said.

Kael thought for a moment, "That will be fine, My Consort Trial will be starting in a month, they just need to be prepared for the moment it starts."

"Oh," Memphis realized, "Aren’t they already your consorts? Why do they need to join?"

This question quickly garnered the attention of the consorts who had been paying attention to Kael and Memphis’s conversation.

Indeed, why did Kael suddenly want them to join all of a sudden, were they not his consorts already?

They didn’t even know what the trial was going to be about yet.

Kael’s mentality was like a pendulum, swinging from one extreme to another extreme, struggling to come to a settled balance.

The best term to describe Kael’s thought process right now was Chaotic Harmony. And tired could be seen in the way he was starting to think.

Hearing the question, Kael narrowed his eyes. One may think he was angry with his consorts for being weak, but he wasn’t.

Would a man be angry with the ants in his backyard for being ants? No, it was their nature to be ants, it was their nature to be squashable.

It was their nature to be weak.

How could Kael be angry that his consorts were weak when his thought pattern warped to see them and everyone around him that way?

But Kael also knew that with the help of some mutations and a harsh environment, even ants could become strong enough to take down lions.

Even entry-level employees could rise to become CEOs and powerful politicians, he had seen such cases with his own eyes.

Just because weakness was a natural trait didn’t mean it should be tolerated especially when to exist in this universe is to fight against the very nature of all things.

And that was what Kael wanted to do, he was like a surgeon, carefully weeding out all the parts that needed to be removed.

"Memphis, weakness does not need permission to take over your life.

It only needs space," Kael said, enough for Fidel and everyone else to hear.

The words were burned into their minds.

Ozia looked at his father in shock, Priya and Nbayé also saw the difference.

Kael had...changed.

No, he was embodying what he was meant to become.

And it was starting to show in the way he treated people.

Could this have been caused by Exalon’s death? Perhaps.

Ozia decided to ask about it later in private. It may not be nice if Kael continues going down the path he was going.

Memphis nodded, not arguing with Kael’s logic because it was very much a logical thing to say.

"Kael, what will the trial be about?" Nalii asked, the question that was on everyone’s mind.

Kael looked at her.

"Primordials," He said casually.

"What?!" Chloe half-whispered and half-shouted.

Kael did not explain further, "You all will go with Memphis today, I’ll be busy with other things.

Also, Katari is exempt from all this, obviously."

It was not favouritism, Kael just needed his strongest assistant around him at all times.

Besides, as demonstrated on the Battle Planet, they were of no use to him if he didn’t allow them the opportunity to grow.

Let it not look like he was the one hindering their progress by wanting them to be by his side at all times.

The consorts had different thoughts running through their minds.

Some like Chloe and Nalii were not really on board with Kael’s new decision. Nalii just felt that Kael should be more considerate and should not beat himself so much.

He was still her son after all.

Chloe was not on board with the whole thing for a different reason though.

Those like Alora, Diane, Eidel, and Ruda were more or less excited about it. It was a chance to train with resources and prove themselves to be worthy of Kael’s affection.

Nbayé and Priya, despite all their differences, had already formed a bond and were now used to moving together whenever they were not working on their own things.

Nbayé had the thought of testing out some of her new investigations and saw this as an opportunity while Priya just hoped to be able to create a stronger bond among the lionesses.

Zabita had yet to guess what the trial would actually be about but she was already thinking of tagging along with Olivia before anyone called dibs.

No matter what the trial was, staying by Olivia would make everything easier and better.

"Uhm, Father...I mean, All-King..." Ozia called, suddenly feeling nervous.

Kael turned to Ozia who was still shorter than him but was soon to catch up in height at some point.

"Are you going to check on Ma’abu?" Ozia asked.

"Yes," Kael confirmed, "I’m going with Fidel to finalize his fate and retrieve his heavenly beacon.

Do you want to come along?"

Ozia nodded quickly, "Yes, I’m not busy at the moment," He said.

"Very well then, let’s head back to the Massive Black Pyramid first."

Kael then levitated off the floor and ascended toward the arkship. He had barely gone a few hundred meters before hundreds of kings rushed up from the seats below, turned into streams of light that accompanied Kael to the arkship.

"I’ll pick you all up at the end of the next twenty-four hours," Memphis said as she and the consorts all ascended.

Even as Kael had already flown away, his warp effect was left behind to aid some of his consorts in flying.

Mixed signals...

/////

A few hours later.

Kael was in a meeting room with ten tier 7 lion kings, Memphis, Fidel, Ozia, and Katari.

"So Ma’abu is no longer in heaven?" Memphis asked.

"Yes," He’s currently imprisoned on a place called Planet Kareem under the supervision of another Tier 7 lion king," Kael said, his eyes flashing with a strange light.

"Ma’abu’s case is special, so his punishment must be special.

Death alone is too merciful," Fidel commented.

"Agreed," One of the tier 7 lion kings said.

This tier 7 lion king was a friend of Memphis and during that battle, he had been one of the last few to escape in that last second.

He had also held his heavenly gate open long enough with other lion kings so that Exalon could escape, only for Exalon to be able to let go of the gauntlet before the time ran out.

That moment had shaken him to the core. If Exalon had thought of running into the heavenly gate, Ibadon would have had a clear view and would have destroyed everyone around that heavenly gate.

Exalon was the only reason he was standing here today.