Chapter 153: Two Minutes

[Dragon Tomb destroyed.]

[Obtained: Dragon Tomb Blueprint ×1 | Death Dust ×300 | Rebirth Stone ×300...]

Cassian burst out laughing at the notification.

Bone Dragons were near the bottom of the Legendary troop lines. Even if someone gave him a few, he would hardly bother raising them.

A Legendary recruitment Blueprint was another matter. This one had to be worth several billion Aether.

Of course, among the newcomer Lords, he was the only one in a position to build something like it. Even an Epic Building demanded resources that Riftward Region, with all its Fortune and Elara’s exceptional luck, would struggle to gather.

Raising the Region’s Fortune still seemed the fastest way to bring more valuable resource sites into existence.

"Once all three Marches Rankings are over, we’ll begin Fortune Consolidation."

He could hardly wait.

"When will the second round start? What will it test this time?"

If Riftward Region’s Fortune passed a thousand, even a Legendary resource site might appear.

There were more rewards to collect. Apart from Skarnoth, the eight Bone Dragons and their Undead servants had yielded a rich haul.

[Battle Essence +78,000,000 | Aether +6,320,000 | Glory Points +450,000]

[Troop Soul: Legendary ×1]

[Advanced Physique Book ×1]

[Legendary equipment ×3 | Epic equipment ×8]

There were also Chests, other equipment, and more Attribute Books.

"What a haul."

With the three Demon Lords from earlier, this hunt had brought him close to a million Glory Points.

Cassian gave the new Legendary Troop Soul to Sigrid.

Light flashed around her as she used it.

[Troop Soul: Legendary consumed. Sigrid — Legendary, Two-Star.]

"Thank you, Lord!"

She bowed, unable to hide her delight.

Another quiet day passed.

Quiet for Cassian, at least. The dozen or so Lords from other races he killed during it might have felt differently.

[Time remaining: 01:12:58]

He checked the settlement countdown.

"A little over an hour left. Finally, ten million points."

The third floor would have stronger monsters. Even apart from their Glory Points, the Battle Essence would make the trip worthwhile.

Cassian began calling his force together.

Aurelia arrived first. Of those returning, she was the fastest, though three days without rest had left a trace of weariness on her face.

"Lord, how likely are we to win the Gold Battle Name?"

He considered the possibilities.

"Ninety percent. Unless there’s someone else out there with all the strength and luck of a story’s hero."

Aurelia gave him a look.

"Who could fit that description better than you?"

"The Realm is vast." Cassian spread his hands. "Who knows?"

He meant it.

Liora and Celia arrived while they were talking. The others were gathering too.

A stream of urgent alerts suddenly filled the Riftward officers’ group. Red messages. The highest priority.

Cassian opened the Channel at once.

[Seraphine Valcrest: Please, everyone. Locate Lyra. If anyone can save her, I’ll do anything to repay you.]

The other five Valcrests added their pleas.

[Darian Frost: Lyra’s in trouble?]

[Seraphine Valcrest: She ran into Neroth Thalor. I don’t know how much longer she can hold out.]

Everyone remembered Corin’s warning.

They quickly paid to check her location.

[Darian Frost: Damn it. Fourteen thousand kilometers!]

[Elara Vayne: I’m closer, but it’s still twenty-eight hundred. I’m heading toward her now.]

[Darian Frost: What about the other Marches?]

[Seraphine Valcrest: I asked in the Province Channel too. No one...]

[Nessa Fenwick: I haven’t entered the second floor yet. I’ll head for the pillar now. It’s a long shot, but what if I arrive near Lyra?]

Entry to the second floor scattered Lords to random positions, just as entry to the first had done.

For a moment, hope returned. Over these three days, stories about the Fenwick women had grown more alarming with every retelling.

[Seraphine Valcrest: Nessa, how long?]

[Nessa Fenwick: Twenty minutes.]

[Seraphine Valcrest: Twenty minutes... I don’t think she has that long. Is there really nothing we can do?]

Waiting helplessly for someone dear to her to die was worse than she could bear.

Lyra finally spoke.

[Lyra Valcrest: Seraphine, dying in the Realm is no disgrace to a descendant of our great ancestor. I was ready for it when I entered Glory Battlefield.]

She had already checked the positions of everyone strong enough to save her. She wanted to live. Of course she did.

But this floor was enormous, and the Lords were scattered. Even Elara was twenty-eight hundred kilometers away.

[Seraphine Valcrest: Lyra, if I’d given you...]

Seraphine stopped, her eyes red.

The Seven-Star Release book. If she had given it to Lyra, perhaps her cousin would not have to die.

But how could she say that now? She had freely chosen to give it to Cassian. What would those words make him feel?

[Lyra Valcrest: Don’t blame yourself. Any of you. I’ve only been in Riftward for half a month, but I’m glad I got to fight beside you.]

Her next message was almost cheerful.

[Lyra Valcrest: I’m fairly strong, aren’t I? Perhaps I’ll become a Human heroic spirit, and someone in the future will recruit me as a Hero.]

Cassian had already found her position and worked out what to do.

"Eight thousand kilometers."

He sent a quick reply.

[Cassian Vale: Elara, you don’t need to go. I have a way. Lyra, hold on for two minutes.]

There was no time to wait for their reactions. He opened the Exchange.

Two Legendary Hero Souls were listed at fifty million Aether apiece. Cassian bought both.

He had always hesitated over spending so much on Hero Souls. Unlike a Legendary Hero Sigil, a Soul could turn a chosen Epic Hero into a Legendary one. There was no uncertainty about who would benefit.

This was no time to begrudge the cost.

[Hero Soul: Legendary ×1 consumed. Battle Essence consumed: 13,300,000.]

[Liora Ashmere — Legendary, Two-Star Hero.]

[Hero Soul: Legendary ×1 consumed. Battle Essence consumed: 13,300,000.]

[Liora Ashmere — Legendary, Three-Star Hero.]

"Level up."

Another thirty-two million Battle Essence went into her. Light surged around Liora as her Level rose from thirty to forty-five.

A Level-45 Legendary Three-Star Hero.

It had taken only seconds. Everyone stared.

"Lord..."

Liora felt the strength flooding through her, her eyes wide.

"You’re not expecting me to sleep with you for this, are you?"