Broken Core [LitRPG • Cultivation • Post Apocalyptic • Romance]

James honestly was bothered by Luna taking charge. He had enough to worry about regarding dealing with The Pact and handling their journey to North America and ending the final rent. There were at least two more nests left as well, not to mention he had to find the capital of the Underworld.

"You okay?" Luna asked softly.

His smile faltered as he noticed the worry in her gaze. They had just came together again and she could tell his soul wasn't settled. She was prodding him, trying to better understand what he was going through.

"Just a lot to worry about," he said honestly.

"You have me now." Smiling, she kissed his fingers. "I'm not leaving your side ever again, dear husband."

Bringing them to a stop, he wrapped his arm around her back and pulled her into a passionate kiss, much to the cheering and whistling from the others.

"So hot!" Jamie called out. "Take off her shirt!"

Breaking the kiss, he glared at his sister. "Are you that horny?"

"Yes!"

Laughing, he gestured to Amber. "You can have her tonight. That should tide you over."

Beaming, Jamie skipped over to Amber and pressed her against the wall, making the nekorian's eyes open wide. "Hello, Love. Come here often?"

"James?" Amber asked, her voice tinged with worry.

"You're her problem now," James joked before continuing toward the central room. He honestly didn't know where he was going, so he was thankful when Luna pulled him down a different hall than where he was heading.

A few minutes later, they were sitting around a large table that they surprisingly all fit at. Even Shadow Paw had a seat, even though he laid on the floor, out of the way. The only one that didn't join him was Strong Beak as the vulture thought the building was too cramped.

James panned his gaze over everyone. "We need to find out where we are in the world. From there, we can return to a rent and head to the capital."

"Victor's Crown," Coral stated. "That's the name of the capital. It's where the Council has set up in the old Valiant castle."

"I'm still going to call it the capital," James teased. "With that, I need some of you to head out and scout. Venture out as far as you dare and find what sects are close to us and whether the wastelands are nearby. I'd help, but…"

Luna growled, filling the air with power. "My husband will be busy."

Amber raised her hand. "If I go scout, can we make sure Jamie goes a different direction?"

Snorting a laugh, James shook his head. "You promised her a night and that will be tonight. She's already decided. But you have the rest of the day to figure out where we are." Turning to his brother, he added, "I'll need you to check over the dragons and animals and make sure everyone is healed and how long we'll need to rest for."

"Understood."

Pointing out the Elson brothers, James said, "you three need to build shelters for the animals and add on to the temple. If the dragons want nests or shelters, help them."

Linda stretched her arms above her head. "I'll start scouting. I need to stretch my legs after being cooped up with these yahoos."

"Hey," Grace protested. "But, seriously, I'll start looking for the wasteland and probably play with my poison a little."

Rubbing his hands together, James felt each of their souls. Nearly everyone still had a white soul and it was time to change that. Reaching out, he tapped into all of them but Amber and Zenaria and filled them with power.

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

Screams rang out as everyone collapsed and Amber barely caught Jamie. "What the fuck?"

"Check their souls," Zenaria said with awe.

Luna's eyes widened as the screaming stopped. "How were you able to do that?"

Smiling, James judged their souls to be well into the gold stage and more than ready to hold their own for now. "Over the next week, we will get all of you to violet."

Mender flipped him off. "Give a man some warning if you are going to stick your power in him."

"He can stick his power in me whenever he wants," Grace joked before groaning and resting her head on the table.

Chuckling, James stood. "Take a few minutes to adjust and then get out of here. We have too much to do and not a lot of time. I'll be back tomorrow at some point so we can plan more."

Luna promptly stood and started pulling him away. With her in the lead, she waved her tail against his stomach, clearly more than ready for their time together.

***

Sebastian set down his latest report. Three rents closed and nests destroyed. Only North America is left and my nephew will be heading there soon. I need to finish gathering my supporters.

Covered in shadows, he called for his aides to come to him. The same nekorian that had taken charge, or was voluntold to help him, scurried into his room.

"Yes, Sir?"

"We will begin marching on the rent in the next week," he ordered. "If we are to stop the Valiant, we will need all of the Council to come together. Send out orders to the other nine."

"Yes, Sir!" Saluting, the woman hurried out of the room to get started.

As for him, Sebastian started writing up different orders for the elite groups. They were going to gather and travel to the rent as a unit. The monsters along the way would be crushed and a base would be set up. His nephew would come after them soon enough. Sebastian wanted to choose the battleground, if only to take one advantage away.

Rubbing his eyes, Sebastian blew out a slow breath. How his nephew learned to destroy the rents was beyond him. The energy contained in them was a death sentence to anyone that tried to harness it. It just wasn't possible.

Setting the last order down, he stacked them neatly and called for his aide again. It was only moments before everything was sent out and he moved to the window.

Should I let him destroy the last rent before killing him? Or should I handle it afterward? If he could do it, then I should be able to as well.

Clenching his hand into a tight first, Sebastian controlled his anger as he pressed it against the glass. He needed to end this before he lost control of the narrative.

***

Amber let out a slow breath as they were all left in the central room. "You all know what to do. We need to discover where we are as quickly as possible. I'll take your reports tonight."

"And I'll take you," Jamie teased.

Shaking her head, Amber refused to be provoked. Instead, she stood and walked out of the room. Zenaria was the first to hurry to her side, the kitsune's tails swaying happily.

"We get to move in with him," Zenaria said softly.

Amber beamed. "We do. Tomorrow night, but we'll have to share with Grace as well. Are you okay with that?"

Shrugging, Zenaria said, "it's fine. But the four of us girls will need to talk and set up rules like Luna stated."

"Yeah." Leaving the building, Amber started running to the north, Zenaria staying by her side.

"Only a few months left," Zenaria said with a growing smile.

"And then we'll settle down and grow our family." Amber was more than ready to be done fighting. It had been months of life and death battles with some of the family dying. She was beyond done with it all and wanted to settle down. She wanted little kittens running around.

"We should tease Luna and tell her we're already pregnant."

Snapping her attention to Zenaria, Amber started laughing. "We'll tell her tomorrow night. I can't wait to see her expression."

Giggling, the kitsune waved before breaking off to go her own direction. With everyone else having spread out, Amber focused. She needed to know where they were in the world and the sooner she could find a sect, the better.

A few hours passed before she noticed a mountain in the distance. Picking up her pace, she blurred across the ground and through the forest. To her surprise, she came across a squad of cultivators that all had cores, yet they were rather weak. It took her moment to realize they had what the west called Aether in their systems.

Oh, shit, we are in the Americas.

Slowing to a walk, she approached the cultivators, making them draw their weapons. "Lower them," she growled.

The woman in charge was a higher cultivation than the others and pointed a sword at her. "What are you doing out here, nekorian?"

"Trying to figure out where I am in the world," Amber said honestly. "And if I were you, I'd stay away from the temple in the distance. Unless you are suicidal."

With a gesture of her sword, the woman sent her compatriots to surround Amber. With a sigh, Amber pulsed her soul, knocking everyone back and to their knees.

"I won't stop you from trying to attack me, but know that you will not survive." Crossing her arms, Amber walked over to the woman. "Where am I?"

"North America," the woman gasped.

Amber checked the woman's soul and found it slightly damaged from the small attack. I'll need to rein in my attacks.

"What is the sect called?" Amber asked.

"Misty Mountain Sect."

With a growing smile, Amber started to laugh. "Oh, that's too perfect." It had only briefly been talked about, but James originally came from that sect. She had what she needed to change everything. Summoning her claws, she filled them with power and shredded the group before they knew what had happened. Turning on her heels, she returned to the temple. She had to interrupt James and Luna. They would want to hear this right away.