Damn, I Have to Marry the Strongest Antagonist at the Start?

The moment the Grand Sage's voice rang out, everyone present felt an increasingly suffocating pressure descend upon them.

His power was unfathomable!

God of Light and the gathered celestial gods all wore solemn expressions.

They had heard of the Grand Sage before, but he had never revealed himself—his existence had seemed like nothing more than a legend.

Now that he had finally emerged, they were horrified to discover that his strength was so terrifying that they could barely fathom it.

It seemed to surpass the realm of Primordial Gods!

Even with over ten Primordial Gods gathered here, facing the Grand Sage directly gave them the illusion of being utterly crushed.

Meanwhile, with the Grand Sage standing before them, Chimera and the other divine beasts felt an absolute sense of confidence.

The Grand Sage had trained them personally, and they knew his strength well—he had completely transcended the Primordial God level, making him the greatest force under The Celestial's command!

However, before they could revel in their arrogance—

A crisp, chilling aura, like a veil of frost, spread across the battlefield.

Instantly, the oppressive energy emanating from the Grand Sage was completely dispelled.

God of Light and his allies immediately felt relief and turned toward the source of this aura, only to be visibly stunned.

Tsukihime!

With a single glance, many recognized the noble, ethereal woman before them.

She was like the radiant moon over a snow-capped mountain—distant, untouchable, and utterly untainted.

Her alabaster skin was as flawless as white jade, and her breathtaking beauty made even the heavens and earth pale in comparison.

"Grand Sage, so you've finally revealed yourself."

Tsukihime's gaze landed on the Grand Sage the moment she arrived.

Among all of The Celestial's subordinates, he was the only one she truly regarded as a threat—the elusive Grand Sage, who had long hidden from the world.

He was obsessed with power and the pursuit of immortality.

And he was The Celestial's most devout follower.

As Tsukihime met his gaze, the Grand Sage also looked at her. A trace of regret appeared on his aged face.

"Tsukihime, if not for The Celestial, you would indeed be a worthy candidate for ruler of the Plane. But now that The Celestial exists, your presence is meaningless. Leave at once—there is no need to waste your time here."

The Grand Sage knew Tsukihime well.

Her unique constitution and origins gave her the potential to become the Plane's ruler, but unfortunately, The Celestial was an even better choice.

"You handle God of Light and the others," the Grand Sage ordered, glancing coldly at Chimera and the divine beasts. "Tsukihime is mine. Consider their deaths a gift to The Celestial's ascension."

Without wasting another moment, he shot toward Tsukihime like a streak of light.

Seeing this, Chimera and the divine beasts immediately took action, launching a fierce assault on God of Light and his forces.

With the Grand Sage's presence bolstering them, their power surged beyond their usual limits. Though they were outnumbered, their strength compensated for the disparity.

At the same time, God of Light and his allies exchanged glances before charging toward the divine beasts.

The Grand Sage's power was simply too overwhelming—they could not face him head-on. The priority now was to eliminate the divine beasts and weaken The Celestial's forces.

As for Tsukihime—the enemy of their enemy was their friend. In the battle against The Celestial, they still needed her.

While the celestial gods and divine beasts clashed in a cataclysmic battle, Tsukihime stood unfazed, her presence as cold and unyielding as an iceberg frozen in time.

A chilling mist radiated from her, slowly spreading outward.

Her icy gaze locked onto the Grand Sage.

She knew better than to underestimate this madman, who had sacrificed everything in pursuit of limitless power and eternal life.

But while the Grand Sage's ambitions were grand, achieving them was impossible.

Even a Plane's ruler was not immune to downfall.

"If not for the Grand Sage, none of The Celestial's subordinates would be a true threat to Leslie," Tsukihime mused. "I just need to hold him here."

"But The Celestial has been scheming for so long. He has even stolen part of the Plane's Authority. Facing him alone is too dangerous for Leslie... This battle must end quickly."

She whispered softly to herself.

Then, images of her mentor and Leslie surfaced in her mind.

"The Celestial has taken part of the Plane's Authority… I wonder if my mentor can hold him back."

"Can Leslie truly take my place as the Plane's ruler?"

"Emotions are the root of all suffering. I only hope Leslie won't be swayed, or all our efforts will be in vain."

Right now, her greatest concern was Leslie.

She and her mentor had meticulously planned every step.

But Leslie's emotions remained the biggest variable.

At that moment, Dolores, who stood behind Tsukihime, furrowed her brow and hesitantly spoke.

"Master, if Owen arrives, will he interfere with Lady Leslie?"

As Tsukihime's puppet, Dolores had learned many secrets indirectly. Now, she voiced her concern.

Tsukihime's brows knitted slightly, but her expression quickly returned to calm.

A faint, almost imperceptible smile played at her lips.

"Owen is already on his way," she murmured. "But he's too late."

"When he arrives, he will only see Leslie as the new Plane's ruler—a Leslie who upholds justice and has cast aside all personal attachments."

With that, Tsukihime turned her icy gaze toward the approaching Grand Sage.

Meanwhile, in the heart of The Celestial's domain within the God of Deities, chaos erupted.

Owen, along with the descendants of Divine Mountain, Ysera, and the Celestial God Palace Lord, was charging up the Tower of Order at a breakneck pace.

They had already stormed through to the fourth level in an astonishingly short time.

Outside, the battle between the divine beasts and God of Light's forces raged on.

The clash between Tsukihime and the Grand Sage was particularly earth-shattering—ancient stars shattered, space-time crumbled, and the very fabric of Order was unraveling. The intensity of their battle struck terror into the hearts of countless onlookers.

Deep within the Tower of Order, at its highest peak—

An elderly man, his hair and beard as white as snow, sat in silent meditation atop a mountaintop.

From here, one could gaze down upon the entire Plane, overlooking the vast expanse of the universe.

Before the old man lay a miniature chessboard, its pieces locked in a fierce battle.

Yet, he did not move a single piece. He merely watched, as though waiting for his opponent to arrive.

His patience was soon rewarded.

Snowflakes drifted from the sky, and a bone-chilling wind swept across the ground, freezing the chessboard beneath a thick layer of ice.

A graceful, icy figure appeared.

Like a lone beacon in the abyss, she instantly became the center of this world.

She sat opposite the old man, separated only by the chessboard. Their gazes met.

In that moment, time seemed to freeze.

The swirling clouds around the mountaintop ceased their motion.

The gentle breeze halted, as if it had become a still-frame in reality.

Only two figures remained—Leslie and the old man.

Frost spread rapidly around Leslie like growing bamboo shoots, while behind the old man, countless phantom figures flickered in and out of existence.

Each shadow seemed to be a different version of himself—yet none of them were truly him.

It was as if he had lived through infinite reincarnations, endured countless tribulations, and arrived at this moment after experiencing every possible emotion.

Madness. Melancholy. Joy. Love.

He had felt them all, a thousand times over.

And in the end, he had transcended them, falling into an abyss of boundless calm.

Now, as he gazed at Leslie, his expression was complex.

After enduring countless trials and eons, the one who finally stood before him was this breathtaking, icy woman.

Compared to her, he truly was old and weary.

Even after all his years and cycles of rebirth, Leslie still managed to astound him.

Whether in beauty, strength, or bloodline—she was the most extraordinary existence he had ever seen.

A woman who should not have existed.

A perfect being.