Chapter 269: Under Another Name

Cassian was not the only one eager for battle. Apart from the calm Crystal Maidens, his fighters were brimming with fighting spirit.

Even the usually gentle Sylvara had a cold look in her eyes. The Divines had destroyed Pandora, her home. She had every reason to hate them.

Aurelia tested the strength flowing through her and smiled confidently.

"If we faced that Blood Emperor again, the five of us who fought him last time could kill him together."

"Speaking of Mordane, I have a task for you."

Cassian pointed at her.

"Don’t resist."

Under the others’ curious gazes, liquid gold rippled over Aurelia’s body. When it faded, her appearance had changed completely.

Her white wings were dark gold. Her black eyes had turned crimson. Even her armor and weapon looked different.

"Very good."

Cassian nodded in satisfaction. She looked every inch a Bloodkin now. Her face was still beautiful, but it was no longer her own.

Celia looked at him curiously.

"Lord, are you planning to...?"

Cassian nodded.

Everyone understood. A shared excitement passed through the group. They were about to cause trouble, and the Bloodkin were enemies too.

Only Aurelia frowned.

"Lord, would this not go against the justice we—"

She stopped. Everyone was staring at her as though she were some rare creature they had never seen before.

"Very well," she said helplessly.

Cassian spent Aether freely. Soon, apart from several dozen Dawnwings, the Dragons, and the dedicated spellcasters, his force had taken on Bloodkin appearances.

The Golden Statuette could imitate appearance and aura, but not skills. Aurelia would have to avoid revealing techniques such as Skyblade Descent and Thunder Crown.

Fortunately, Bloodkin fought mainly in close combat too.

Cassian had another preparation to make.

"Blood Chalice. Summon Blood Princes."

Stored Blood Essence was consumed. Twelve temporary Legendary Blood Princes took shape and bowed elegantly to him.

With all his bonuses, their fighting strength approached Legendary Nine-Star. They would make the deception far more convincing.

Once everything was ready, Cassian gave a quiet order.

"Sylvara. Liora. Cover us."

"Yes, Lord!"

Liora cast Invisibility. Sylvara used Call of the Wild, taking control of more than a thousand flying Elemental Beasts. One or two creatures would screen each member of the force as they approached.

——

Elemental Beasts filled the sky above Brahma’s Five Elements Temple.

A kilometer above the ground, several powerful Divine Lords fought in their battle forms, talking as they killed.

"This wave is at least fifty percent stronger than the last."

"Good thing Lord Keldran called most of our remaining forces back. The Temple would have taken damage by now otherwise."

"I’m almost envious of Humans and Bloodkin. Those formations of theirs..."

A proud female Divine snorted.

"Our race has no need for such things. Our bodies are the strongest weapons."

"Speaking of formations, the Homeworld on the other side seems troublesome. They’re actually holding off Lord Azrak."

"A pack of Human slaves. The harder they resist, the worse they’ll die."

Her contempt for other races could hardly have been clearer.

As she spoke, she raised her sword to split an approaching Golden Plume Falcon.

"Watch out!"

A companion’s warning rang beside her.

Before she could react, a red figure shot from beneath the bird’s belly.

"You dare!"

She tried to block. The attacker was too close and far too fast. Her sword had only risen halfway when her arm went slack.

Her head left her body, disbelief still fixed in her eyes. Both fell toward the ground below.

"Melora!"

"Damn it! A Bloodkin?"

"Why is there a Bloodkin boss in this monster wave?"

"Idiot! We’re being raided!"

"It must be Blood Throne. But how are they controlling the Elemental Beasts?"

Melora had Grade-B Aptitude, placing her just below the Scions. Even in the Brahma Legion, she had been a well-known fighter.

To die in an ambush like that seemed bitterly unfair.

A moment later, her companions understood that surprise had not been the only reason she died.

"For the Blood Throne!"

The attacker changed direction at an acute angle, moving as though momentum meant nothing, and appeared before a second Lord.

That speed came from overwhelming Physique.

"Insolent!"

This Divine was ready. He planted his enormous sword across his body and met the blow.

The blade caught it.

Then the Epic greatsword broke. The Divine behind it split in two as well.

An Epic weapon could not withstand a Heartsense Sword of such quality, strengthened by Sword Soul.

The remaining Lords were terrified.

"Stronger than Lord Keldran! Does Blood Throne have a Legendary Nine-Star Hero?"

"That blood-drinking sword must be exceptional Legendary equipment."

"We can’t fight this alone. Get our Heroes and troops!"

A little over ten seconds later, Celia had killed them all. She shook the blood from her Heartsense Sword, still disguised as a Bloodkin’s blade, and sped toward her next target.

The plan was simple. Use the sudden attack to kill as many Divine Lords as possible.

Only the Lords.

An assault on that scale could not remain hidden. Messages flooded the Brahma Legion’s Channel.

[Enemy attack! Bloodkin!]

[Didn’t Blood Throne just attack Mount Celestia’s Temple? Are they going to fight Angels and Divines at once?]

[This Bloodkin is too strong! Scion Orvath is dead! He didn’t even last ten exchanges!]

In less than a minute, thousands of Divine Lords died, including three Scions.

Their own nature had helped make the slaughter possible. Nearly every Divine Lord possessed the fighting strength of a Warbound Lord, and they liked leading from the front.

Keldran’s face turned sickly.

These were real deaths. Fewer than twenty thousand Lords had remained to guard the Temple in the first place.

"All Lords, retreat to your Domains!"

On the other side of the vortex, Azrak had seen the messages too.

"Keldran! What’s happening at the Temple?"

Before his deputy could answer, a clear voice carried across the sky.

"My friends from Blood Throne! Thank you for setting aside our differences and coming to help. Shall we split this Temple’s spoils equally?"

Keldran turned toward the voice. More than ten kilometers away, a young Human stood on a Dragon’s back, his clothes moving in the wind.

He answered Azrak through clenched teeth.

"Cassian. The Human has joined forces with Blood Throne to raid our Temple!"

"Those lunatics again? Where did they come from? Weren’t all the vortices heavily guarded?"

"Cassian must have crossed as soon as he discovered the vortex." Keldran sounded unsettled. "As for the Bloodkin... perhaps they used a vortex too far away for us to detect."

Azrak drew a deep breath. Wariness entered his eyes, along with a trace of reluctant admiration.

"To see the opportunity that quickly, and act without hesitation... He has nerve. How many are there?"

"Fewer than a thousand."

Before Azrak could relax, Keldran sent a recording.

"But they’re far too strong. See for yourself."

In the images, a Blood Prince used Feast. Within seconds, a Legendary Soulhunter was drained of blood. Blood Touch followed, killing two more.

Legendary troops. Cut down as easily as grass.

"That isn’t even the strongest one," Keldran added. "Orvath activated Divine Form and still lasted fewer than ten exchanges against one of their fighters. The enemy didn’t even use a skill."

He tried to make sense of it.

"Blood Throne must have sent all its best fighters. That would explain how they crossed such a great distance from an undiscovered vortex and reached our Temple."

Azrak took another deep breath. One possibility came immediately to mind.

"Mythic troops? A Mythic Hero?"

"I’d sooner believe they’re using something like Primordial Blood for a temporary burst." The arriving reports only made Keldran more alarmed. "Otherwise, there are far too many Mythic fighters here."

Azrak was silent for a moment.

"I’ll send reinforcements back at once."

The army attacking the Homeworld held only half his Legion’s total numbers, but sixty percent of its strongest fighters. No one had expected Bloodkin to appear without warning.

If Brahma lost its own Temple, taking the Homeworld’s would hardly make up for it.

"Losses are unavoidable now," Keldran said quickly. "Keep pressing the Humans, Lord Azrak. I’ve recalled every force on this side to the Temple. Your reinforcements may not arrive any faster."

"Are you sure?"

"I’m cer—"

Golden radiance suddenly filled the sky and earth, cutting off the rest of his answer.

Keldran stared at the terrifying creature before him.

"On second thought... perhaps you should come back."