Chapter 371: An Ally’s Welcome

Most war gods possessed greater divine power than dark gods such as Gluttony and Lust. Statues dedicated to them stood among the finest Legendary Buildings.

Cassian had not inspected this one’s full attributes, but the strength it had given the Orc army spoke well enough for it.

"With enough Faith Power stored, it can even produce a Mythic effect and break through a spatial seal."

He considered the immense figure before him.

Inviting a god into his Domain would be much easier than persuading one to leave. Rely too heavily on divine support, and he might eventually discover that the god had become the real master. A powerful war god would be especially difficult to deal with.

After a moment, he opened the Exchange and bought a fresh Legendary Heavenwork Design.

"I’ll take the Blueprint first."

The Design spread through the air and covered the statue. The kilometer-high figure shrank rapidly, folding into the sheet that settled in his hand.

[Acquired: War God Statue Blueprint — Legendary ×1.]

He had no such doubts about the other Buildings.

"Dismantle them."

The Bloodmaw Royal Palace came down with the rest. Its towering walls and roofs collapsed in a thunderous cloud of debris.

Resources flowed into storage. Cassian watched with growing pleasure.

Orc Buildings used different materials from Human ones, but many of the basic resources were shared.

"A thousand Domains. This is enough of the basics for Rank XIX, with plenty left over."

He reviewed what he still needed.

"That leaves the materials specific to Human Buildings. Two months should be enough to reach the next Rank."

He waited a little longer.

No further notice appeared.

"So killing the Blood King and destroying his palace doesn’t count as destroying the Bloodmaw Court."

There was no Founding Writ among his rewards.

"Fair enough. They still have a billion troops."

His thoughts turned toward the forest.

"How is Pandora holding up?"

At least the palace’s destruction would disable the Court’s office system. The high-ranking Orc Lords commanding the invasion would lose a substantial part of their strength.

That should help.

Half an hour later, Seven’s crystal bat form descended before him.

"Lord. The Bloodmaw Region and the surrounding fifty kilometers are clear. All enemy units have been eliminated. Other Orc armies are appearing several thousand kilometers away."

"Good."

Cassian had ordered his troops to hunt down the survivors as soon as the main battle ended. He did not know whether Vargul had managed to send word elsewhere, but he still wanted as few witnesses as possible.

"Assemble everyone. We’re returning to Pandora."

First, they had to leave the sealed area around the capital. Then they would have to cross the border, which was under a spatial seal as well.

Even with the strength of his troops, the march would probably take two days.

——

Elsewhere on the Grimward Steppe, several dozen Domains stood together against a pack of more than a thousand Galeclaw Beasts.

The monsters were Level 110. Behind the strong defenses of their Rank-XVII Domains, the Black Banner Lords were handling them comfortably.

Dozens of Lords had gathered to enjoy the sight.

"A million Lords from Vaust Province, all hunting here under the Court’s protection. Even if we can’t beat Divine Province in the Outer Realm War, we’ll surely finish above the other Crown Provinces."

"Divine Province?"

A man with a thin mustache gave a cold laugh.

"Have you forgotten? Thanks to Cassian’s mistake, most of their strongest Lords have their Domains trapped in Pandora. Cassian and Darian included."

He looked around the group.

"If they want to live, they’ll have to abandon those Domains. Once they’re destroyed, they won’t even be Lords. Divine Province won’t be a threat anymore."

The smiles around him widened.

"Soon, we’ll be the ones enjoying all that rich land."

They had plenty of grievances against Western Beacon too. None seemed very important beside the prospect of dividing Divine Province’s wealth.

"Riftward has over six thousand Fortune now. Do you think we’ll get a place there?"

"They say something remarkable happens at ten thousand. A Region can even gain spatial properties and move as a whole."

"Ten thousand is a long way off. Keep hunting. Vaust needs a place in the top ten this time."

Roars interrupted their happy conversation.

The Lords hurried to higher ground and looked out. A huge Gate had opened several kilometers away. Orc troops were pouring through it.

"No need to worry. They’re from the Bloodmaw Court. Probably just passing through."

The mustached Lord relaxed, then cursed under his breath.

"Filthy beasts. After the way they’ve treated us, the Black Banner will wipe out their kingdom one day."

A young woman beside him frowned.

"Something’s wrong. Aren’t they coming straight at our Domains?"

The others began to notice it too.

"You outsiders dared to attack our Royal Palace!"

The roar reached them before anyone could act.

"We let you hunt on our land, and this is how you repay us? Die!"

Tens of thousands of Orc troops had already assembled. Their leading Lord threw out two scrolls.

"Spatial Lock! Silence!"

Word of the palace’s fall was spreading through the Court. Every office bonus had vanished. The Orc Lords remaining on the steppe needed no messenger to tell them something had happened to their royal seat.

They did not yet know Vargul was dead. That news would have made them even more furious.

Only outsider Lords had the Gate privileges to appear without warning deep inside Bloodmaw territory.

The foreigners hunting under the Court’s protection became the nearest targets for its anger.

As the spatial seal closed around them, the mustached Lord’s manner changed completely.

"Great Lords of the Orcs! There must be some misunderstanding!"

The army reached the walls and attacked without another word.

Domain defenses were powerful. Against tens of thousands of troops with such a large Level advantage, they were not enough.

A little over ten minutes later, the mustached Lord screamed as an Orc Lord’s mace crushed him into the ground. The other Black Banner Lords soon followed him in death.

Similar attacks broke out across the vast steppe.

Western Beacon, the Black Banner, and the Jade Court suffered heavy losses once again.

Fortunately for the foreign Lords, the Orcs could not afford enough Spatial Lock Scrolls to seal every settlement. Their poor coordination also let news of the attacks spread quickly. Most of the outsiders managed to flee the Outer Realms.

Even so, Gavin and Nerissa nearly lost their minds when the reports reached them.

"Why? We had an agreement! We have the same enemy! Why would the Bloodmaw Court attack us?"

"Damn those Orcs! We’ve only been hunting there for a few days!"

——

In Pandora Forest, the Elven Elders studied the news they had recently received.

"Vargul forced a passage through the spatial seal..."

"That must have cost him dearly. The Court must be in serious danger."

Caldrin still sounded unable to believe it.

"Lord Cassian really attacked the Royal Palace. He forced Vargul to go back and defend it."

Then his expression darkened.

"But the emperor gained Sovereign Beastheart when he advanced. A Mythic skill! Lord Cassian is in danger."

Worry spread around the gathering.

Cassian was their ally. The healthy growth of the Ancient Tree depended on him as well.

"We shouldn’t give up hope," Maereth said gravely. "Vargul may be beyond anyone’s strength at present, but Lord Cassian has a great many flying troops and Heaven’s Battle Array. If he sacrifices part of his force, he may still escape."

For once, even Sylvara felt a trace of doubt.

A Level-115 Mythic was formidable enough. A Lord at that Level was something worse.

Then she thought of Celia and the Crystal Princess. Her confidence steadied.

"Elders, I believe my lord can destroy the Royal Palace."

"Exactly," Maereth said. "Even if we have doubts about Lord Cassian, we should trust our queen."

Nobody mistook the words for confidence. Several Elders shook their heads, but respect for Sylvara kept them from arguing.

A message chimed.

Caldrin glanced at it. His eyes widened.

"Quickly! Everyone, look at the report from the front!"