Ryuk's attention had never been on Aetheris energy.
Even though he could cultivate it and probabaly had the manual for it in the Shop, he had never considered it a priority because he never really thought it was that capable of much power.
He felt it more right to focus on improving his Apex energy cultivation instead.
But that was because, deep in his mind, he wasn't that impressed by Aetheris energy.
He was never aware of its true capability, and that process made him think of it as lesser—something that wasn't worth focusing on compared to improving his Apex energy cultivation.
But now, his heart was soundly beating in excitement.
For now, he could say without a doubt that Aetheris was an energy that wouldn't even pale next to Apex energy.
If anything, it was more overpowering than it, and now he felt the intense urge.
The urge to cultivate it and unlock the dimensions.
"Do you ever think you could reach such a level, Asteralaxia? To possess the power to control the 9th Dimension?" he asked her curiously, as Asteralaxia turned to look at him, staring him long in the eye for a while—until a level that would make anyone feel uncomfortable—but Ryuk kept his gaze locked into her blue eyes, watching as the blue circular rings in them began fading away, revealing her brilliant blue core within, and she slowly took her gaze away.
"It sounds crazy to think about, doesn't it? The power of the Ninth Dimension. The absolute peak of Aetheris Energy..." Aster asked, as Ryuk simply listened.
"But for as long as I live, I will keep chasing that peak. That very peak of power. The power of the Ninth Dimension harnessed on my fingertips," she said, unconsciously raising her fingers as blue energy curled around them, until it faded away, as she turned to look at Ryuk, a bizarre expression forming across her face.
"What's with that face?" she asked.
Right now, Ryuk was grinning like a madman, his mouth widening until it reached his ears, making him look like a demon.
"Huh?" Ryuk said as he felt himself brought back to reality, his grin receding just as swiftly.
"Oh. Seems like I fell into a trance from your god-like description..." he said with a smile, as Asteralaxia rolled her eyes.
"Getting dreamy. Seems fair since it's night. But that is too far away."
"To reach the First Dimension at all can take at least 20 years. And that time is doubled by around five times to reach the second dimension."
"Easier to reach the third though, once the second is reached."
"The cultivation of Aetheris takes more years than Apex energy. But it is very well worth it in the end," she explained as Ryuk's eyes flashed.
'Makes sense. For such an overpowering energy, it would be weird if it's so easy to reach,' he thought, but then a second thought occurred in his head as he looked at Aster with his jaw faintly hanging, an expression Aster didn't fail to see.
"What is it again?" she asked, as Ryuk closed his lips and muttered,
"Well, it's just... I was wondering—if it takes 20 years to reach the 1st Dimension, and five times that to reach the second stage... That means you're easily more than 120 years old!?" he asked in shock, but Asteralaxia had the same expression on her face.
A neutral calmness.
"Sorry. I just didn't know you were an old woman," he said—but then:
VROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM
The air flashed by as Ryuk dodged his head in an instant, the air above his head blasting to the side, and in the end, he stepped his leg onto the ground, instantly re-appearing a few distance away, only to turn and see Aster in the motion of slapping the place where Ryuk's head ought to have been.
"What the hell?" Ryuk screamed in shock, as Aster slowly took her hand back.
"Seems like no one ever told you—the ultimate disrespect to a lady is calling her old," Asteralaxia said with a faint squint on her face, and Ryuk could only swallow.
"My bad! But what the heck—you wanted to slap my head off!?" he asked in horror as Aster shrugged her shoulders.
"I can't kill you because of the Contract Grimoire, so you would have been fine."
"A little slap though, I bet would do more help to you than bad." she said—something that made Ryuk roll his eyes.
"Anyway Ryuk. What do you plan to do now? What are your next plans?" Aster asked, curious as Ryuk furrowed his eyebrows.
"And why do you want to know that?" he asked, and she replied.
"Because I'm stuck with you now. Remember your second command, which is to come with you? I can't get 300 meters away from you anymore!"
"I'm literally stuck around you unless you take back your command. So I need to know what your next plan is before I'm forced to endure it," she said as Ryuk's eyes flashed.
He truly had ordered her to come with him during the Latis Kingdom, and he had used the Contract Grimoire order forcing her to always remain around him now—even though that was never his intention.
"Oh. What I want to do?" he asked, his gaze furrowing before he responded.
"I want to improve my strength."
"The War situation might be well balanced now, since the old monster has been awakened, and the Ten Families know what they're fighting and can better prepare."
"But still, I want to improve my strength. Who knows how the future can turn out?"
"And when it comes to improving my cultivation—I want to begin the cultivation of my Aetheris energy," Ryuk answered, as Aster's eyes flashed.
"Good then. I also want to return to the cultivation of my Aetheris energy, so I guess our plans go together," she said, as Ryuk nodded.
"If so, then—I found a place where Aetheris energy is at the maximum. Although I didn't get to check it out because I had better plans..."
"But now, maybe we should both give it a check?"