Reincarnated With The Degenerate System-Chapter 249: A New Order Part 2

"Hai-Yen."

I reached out, the leather of my gloves creaking faintly, and tilted her chin upward with two fingers.

Her skin was warm, a stark contrast to the biting mountain air swirling around us.

For a moment, she just stared, her breath uneven, eyes scanning my face to find the deception.

I thought she would push my hand away.

She didn’t.

I leaned in slowly, giving her time to pull back. Time to reject me.

She stayed.

Our lips met.

It wasn’t soft. It wasn’t gentle. It was tense, like two blades testing each other.

Her fingers tightened around my sleeve instead. Not pushing me away. Holding on.

That surprised me more than any insult she’d ever thrown. Could it be she really fell for my tricks that easily? If so, she might have more in common with her little sister than I’d realized. Maybe the strong, confident woman was just a mask.

The more I tasted her small lips, the more she drew me in.

I deepened the kiss slightly, testing again.

Still no refusal. In fact, when I moved my tongue, hers instinctively met mine, deepening the kiss. I had to admit, having such a beautiful woman beneath my lips was intoxicating—so much so that my hands slid down her waist, giving her a firm squeeze.

When I finally pulled back, her lips were parted, eyes unfocused for a second before her pride rushed back.

She inhaled sharply, realizing just now what we did.

"You—" she started, but the words didn’t come.

I studied her face. Flushed cheeks. Quick breaths. Conflicted eyes.

"You didn’t stop me," I said quietly.

"That doesn’t mean I accepted," she shot back.

"You could have pushed me away."

Silence.

Her hand still gripped my clothes.

Slowly, she let go.

"Don’t misunderstand," she said, trying to regain control. "That didn’t change anything."

"Of course," I replied.

But something had changed.

She wasn’t looking at me with hostility anymore.

I let the moment sink in, the thrill buzzing between us.

"You really are a scum. How can you even think about kissing a girl in front of a horde of monsters?" she let out a sigh.

She scowled, still annoyed. "How about you stop flirting and focus on what’s in front of us? I know you’re strong, but how do you plan on stopping this? I don’t think even bombs could wipe out this many. I— "

Just as she was about to finish, I stole another quick kiss from her lips.

"What can I say? My brain works differently. Don’t worry," I pulled back just enough to grin at her. "I’ve got this."

I raised my hand. The air around us trembled, shimmering with energy. Clouds churned violently, darkening until they were nearly black.

Shadow let out a low, resonating roar, his wings stretching wide as a shadowy aura pulsed from him.

Magic circles began forming in the air, spinning and glowing.

Each circle shimmered with the colors of storm—pale blues, silvers, and flashes of white.

Sparks of static energy danced along the edges, arcs of lightning flickering between the symbols.

Winds twisted around them, carrying the charge, while tiny shards of charged clouds coalesced inside each circle.

Her eyes widened, pupils dilating as she stared at the swirling storm above my hand.

From the way her eyes lingered on the converging energy, I could tell she understood—it wasn’t just powerful. It was beyond anything a Seeker could hope to control.

I’m not even done yet.

"Converged!"

The horizon vanished beneath a wall of swirling darkness. Lightning cracked across the sky, flashing in jagged streaks that lit her face in harsh, silver light.

By now, the monsters could sense their impending doom. From below, countless attacks from massive boss monsters shot through the air, streaking toward us.

"Sweetie, deal with it,"

Shadow roared, and blue flames erupted from her, forming a blazing wall between us and the oncoming attacks.

None of these monsters could ever hope to match the power of a fully matured mutated Elder Dragon. Even their fiercest strikes dissolved against the inferno, sparks and smoke rising from the scorched ground.

With the danger momentarily gone, I could finish my spell without rushing.

"Perish... Lightning Requiem!"

A blinding flash erupted. The first bolt of lightning struck with a deafening crack, splitting the ground like a hammer smashing stone.

From a distance, it looked as if a god of lightning itself had grown furious, raining punishment upon the world.

Arcs of pure electricity danced across the sky, converging and splitting, striking everything in sight. Monsters scattered in panic, but more bolts followed—relentless, precise, tearing apart trees, rocks, and anything foolish enough to stand in their path.

Mountains trembled under the force, rivers boiled as if the earth itself was bleeding, and forests turned to ash and splintered wood. The very land twisted and groaned, reshaped by the storm’s overwhelming power.

The sound was unimaginable. Anyone who heard it would instinctively drop to their knees, praying for mercy, hearts hammering with both fear and awe.

It wasn’t just a storm. It was punishment. It was proof that the forces of the world could bend, burn, and annihilate everything at the hand of one being who wielded true power.

When it finally faded, the ground was unrecognizable. Valleys had been carved, craters scarred the land, and smoke still rose from the ruins. Half the monsters lay dead, bodies strewn like shattered statues.

She parted her lips, awe and fear flashing in her eyes. "Y-you... you did all that... alone?"

I shrugged, a faint smirk on my face. "Not exactly alone. Shadow helped. But yes... this is what I can do."

Her gaze stayed on me. She no longer saw only a reckless man. She saw a man with too much power on his hand.

And if there was one thing universal, it was that women were drawn to either power or money.

I leaned closer, voice low and teasing. "And that... was only a fraction of my real power."

She swallowed hard, silent this time, her heartbeat loud even over the chaos below.

I turned my gaze to the burning forest beneath us. Flames twisted and roared, consuming everything in their path.

"Converged!"

I gathered the fire, spinning it into a swirling vortex that rose like molten threads into the air.

It swelled, growing brighter and bigger, until it shone like a miniature sun.

The color shifted—yellow to orange to white-hot, until the core burned a brilliant, unnatural blue. The heat made the air shimmer, and the roar of fire drowned out even the wind.

With nonchalant swing, I slammed the spell into the ground.

BOOOOM!

The blue inferno exploded, a shockwave of heat tearing through the landscape. Trees vaporized, rocks melted, and the earth recoiled. Smoke and ash filled the air, thick and acrid. The firestorm spread, scorching everything within five miles.

Even above, Hai-Yen flinched, gripping my cloak. Her wide eyes reflected the all consuming fire.

The flames died down, leaving a smoldering wasteland. The remaining monsters were gone, reduced to charred remnants.

I looked at her, voice calm, carrying pride just enough to test her reaction.

"Now you see why I don’t hand out power lightly. This... this is what it takes to keep the world from falling apart."

Her lips parted.

"You... you’re insane," she whispered, yet there was respect there, maybe even intrigue.

I smirked. "Insane enough to save it. That’s the kind of man I am, Hai-Yen. There’s no one in this world more capable than me. So you’re in good hands. In this new order, I’ll make you one of my wives, and you’ll gain status and power."

"I... I can’t just—" she began, then stopped, swallowing hard. Her pride struggled against the undeniable weight of my words.

For the first time, she looked small, caught between defiance and the recognition that I wasn’t joking.

Her fists unclenched, her shoulders relaxing just enough to betray the fight within her.

"I... I will," she whispered. "I’ll be yours."

Her words barely left her lips before I wrapped my arms around her. She stiffened for a heartbeat, then slowly relaxed, pressing herself against me.

"You won’t regret this. I might have many girls, but I’ll make sure to treat you and your little sister even better."

Those words were just bullshit coming from my mouth, but... they worked like magic.

She buried her face against my chest, a shiver running through her. Her defenses—pride, anger, caution—fell away completely. In my arms, she let herself be seen, let herself feel safe... let herself surrender.

"I hate you, but at the same time, I can’t deny that you make my heart race," she mumbled.

"Ah, so I’m your favorite problem. Tragic. I was aiming for ’irresistible hero,’ but I’ll settle for that."

She tilted her eyes and puffed out her cheeks. "Can’t you be more serious?"

I leaned in just a little, letting the grin fade. "I am serious. Seriously attracted to you."

The corners of her lips betrayed her first—twitching, fighting it—before her pout melted into a soft, helpless smile.

"I’m really dumb for falling for your tricks,"

Now that I had her, I began fantasizing about their mother too, just to complete the set. Damn it, my brain really couldn’t stay focused. I hated and loved it at the same time.