The last couple of months had been nothing short of astonishing for Cain.
Thanks to Mirena and the forces of the Aztorus Kingdom, the rate at which On Beasts were being hunted had increased exponentially. It was not rely a matter of quantity, but also of quality.
With the combined might of the Royal Blutlinie and the Royal Guards, even Middle Alpha-Oga Overgod On Beasts were being driven into the Ocean of the Blood Sun.
Each one that fell brought with it torrents of energy and soul force, feeding directly into Cain's grand design and accelerating his growth at an unprecedented pace.
And the benefits did not end there.
Mirena had also succeeded in securing vast quantities of treasures from the Aztorus Kingdom-artifacts saturated with raw energy and blood-aspected power. Convincing the higher authorities to part with such resources had not been easy, especially since many of them still viewed the Ocean of the Blood Sun as nothing more than a disposable strategic tool.
However, Mirena had frad it differently.
By explaining that the continued expansion of the blood ocean would seal off the Kalous Kingdom's escape routes and tighten the noose around their capital, she had shifted their perspective. What they saw now was not a tool to be discarded, but a living fortress-one that would decide the fate of the war.
In the end, they agreed.
Perhaps the most significant developnt of all, however, was far less public.
Prisoners of war were now being sent to the Ocean of the Blood Sun
on a daily basis.
Cain harvested their souls first, storing them carefully. Then he consud their bodies and residual energy, refining them before purifying their Ancestor Drops. One by one, these Drops were fused into the fourth cocoon, the vessel that would soon beco his new body.
As Cain focused his attention on that cocoon, excitent and anticipation surged through his soul.
"It isn't even complete yet," he mused, "and it has already reached the limit of the ArchDeity Rank."
That was rely its cultivation base.
In terms of raw combat power, it was even more terrifying. Its speed alone already surpassed that of his other two bodies by an overwhelming margin.
Of course, Cain understood that physical attributes were only one facet of a Royal Blutlinie's strength.
The true core lay in their Ancestor Power.
Turning inward, Cain examined his Ancestor Drop. It had grown so potent that advancing directly into the Alpha-Oga Overgod Rank would pose no difficulty whatsoever after his birth.
"With this foundation," he calculated calmly, "I could reach the Middle Stage within a few decades."
That level of talent was absurd by any standard. Even the most exceptional geniuses required hundreds of thousands-if not millions -of years to break through the Early Alpha-Oga Overgod Rank.
Yet even that was not enough for Cain.
His goal had never been power for its own sake.
He needed strength-overwhelming, absolute strength-to swim against the current of existence itself and return to the Nine Empyrean Suns Universe.
And he needed it fast.
"My Primordial body can endure for millions of years without a soul," Cain thought grimly. "But my people cannot."
A solemn weight pressed down on his consciousness.
It had already been several years since his battle with the Curse Eater, and he had no way of knowing what had transpired back ho in his absence.
"The Root is confined within the World of the Root," he reasoned, "but I am certain they are preparing sothing. Expansion is inevitable." The pressure was imnse-but it was also the crucible he needed. If Cain wished to rise faster than any other life form in Paradise, he had no choice but to embrace it.
Just as he was about to sink deeper into cultivation, a disturbance rippled across the Ocean of the Blood Sun.
Mirena appeared above the crimson surface, her expression unusually
tense.
Monts later, a humanoid avatar of blood rose from the ocean, bowing slightly before her.
"What is the source of your disturbance, Lady Mirena?" the blood
avatar asked calmly.
Mirena studied the hollow eyes of the avatar for a mont before
releasing a quiet sigh.
"There has been unsettling news from the northern battlefield."
The avatar's expression darkened.
"What problem could there be? The forces of the Aztorus Kingdom
were supposed to have complete control."
"We did," Mirena replied. "Until the Crown Prince of the Kalous
Kingdom arrived."
At those words, the tension in her face deepened noticeably.
The blood avatar fell silent, adopting a solemn deanor.
After consuming the mories of two Royal Blutlinie from the Kalous Kingdom, he knew exactly who the Crown Prince was.
An extraordinary talent-perhaps even more remarkable for his discipline than his innate gifts. Unlike others, he had deliberately slowed his cultivation early on, refining his foundation to near perfection. That decision had placed him behind his peers for a long ti, making his early years a constant struggle.
Yet he had never wavered.
Step by step, he closed the gap.
In the end, he ascended to the Alpha-Oga Overgod Rank with a potential that suggested he could one day reach the Late Stage.
But even that paled in comparison to his Ancestor Power. That power alone had earned him an invitation to the strongest force in the realm-the Dark Blood Kingdom-where he had trained for the last several thousand years.
"He is capable of controlling On Beasts," the blood avatar said, continuing Mirena's explanation, "and fusing their souls with his own, greatly enhancing their strength. His limit was the Middle Stage Alpha-Oga Overgod. With enhancent, he could push them to the threshold of the Late Stage."
Mirena shook her head.
"That was his old limit," she said grimly. "He is still only at the Early Alpha-Oga Overgod Rank-but he is now controlling a Late Stage Alpha-Oga Overgod On Beast, known as Sky Terror."
The avatar frowned deeply, but the bad news did not stop there.
"He did not co alone," Mirena continued. "He brought with him two Middle Stage Alpha-Oga Overgod Royal Blutlinie. Together, they struck the northern border with overwhelming force."
"Our overall strength is still superior," she added, "but their presence
has forced our battle lines to pull back."
She paused briefly before delivering the final blow.
"If our intelligence is correct, he is stabilizing the situation at the
northern front... before turning his attention toward the Ocean of the Blood Sun."
Her eyes locked onto the blood avatar.
"And destroying you."
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