Chapter 116: Pointless
“My blood?” Mira responded back, looking at Dorian dubiously. Her humanoid Wise Jade Dragon form gave off a faint, calming air, giving her words a soothing edge.
According to Ausra, most Draconic Bloodlines were Lord Class. They ranged from the Early stage of the Lord Class all the way to a few at the Peak of Lord Class.
Bloodlines of this quality were extraordinarily powerful and rare.
There were even a very small number that were natural King Class Bloodlines, according to her records.
The Wise Jade Dragon species was a Lord Class Bloodline that naturally grew to the Middle of Lord Class. A Bloodline of this quality would be the strongest natural Bloodline Dorian would’ve absorbed, and would serve as an excellent material to combine with his current Bloodlines.
The Golden Flame Dragon in the back had a far stronger Bloodline, one that maxed out at the Pseudo-King level. Dorian didn’t think he’d be able to convince him to give up his blood, however, and according to Ausra, he’d need a huge amount of it to gain the Golden Flame Dragon’s Bloodline.
From what Ausra said, the Bloodline of a Wise Jade Dragon didn’t require any special preparation or a huge amount to absorb, unlike many other Lord Class or King Class Bloodlines. It was a passive, peaceful Bloodline that would be easy to absorb, taking on characteristics of the race it represented.
Some Bloodlines would require a huge amount of blood to gain, others would require special preparation, or could only be absorbed through absorbing a Soul Spell Matrix.
“Hold on. Let me talk to my comrade about it.” Mira waved her hand, causing the dome to collapse.
The sounds of the forest returned to life around Dorian, his hearing returning. He blinked as he looked around, slightly disoriented. The switch was jarring.
Mira backed away, joining the Golden Flame Dragon off in front of them. The duo entered into a quick, hurried discussion, one in which the man made several angry gestures.
Dorian turned and exchanged glances with Leader. They both looked at the two dragons and then shrugged. Leader didn’t question him, instead just waiting patiently.
Before long, the two dragons finished talking. Mira walked away looking dissatisfied, but determined, while Aiden looked on with a rather disgruntled expression.
She walked up to him, her eyes steely as she spoke aloud,
“Very well. I’ll give you a chance.” She held up her hand, holding out a single finger with a pointed nail. She then moved that finger to the side of her pale arm and cut lightly.
Fresh, slightly glowing red blood pooled out. The blood floated in the air, condensing into a ball as Mira manipulated it with magic. She waited several seconds, letting it grow to about the size of her fist, before covering her arm, allowing it to heal.
Mira looked at the ball of blood and then waved her hand. It slowly drifted over to Dorian.
“Prove yourself, if you are the Inheritor of my grandmother.” Her voice was calm, but brooked no argument.
Dorian stretched out his hand, lightly tapping the orb of blood.
‘Absorb.’
‘Absorbing Bloodline…’ Ausra’s voice rang out in his head with a series of prompts,
‘Sufficient data and blood absorbed.’
‘Wise Jade Dragon Bloodline acquired!’
Dorian smiled. After he’d fully Evolved his Grakon Bloodline, alongside his Shade and True Vampire Bloodlines, combining them to form the Wrath Vampire Bloodline, he hadn’t picked out any new Bloodlines. He’d been too focused on surviving and moving forward.
He’d spent the vast majority of his Growth energy as well, so he’d put the issue on the backburner.
This new Bloodline had arrived at the opportune time.
‘Ausra, Evolve me into a Wise Jade Dragon.’
‘Evolving…’
.. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
The Shades had arrived.
“Probus! Damn it!” Trajan manipulated an orb of water to stand in front of him, leaping backwards off it as he forcibly withdrew from fighting the Cursed Water Magician. He was unable to penetrate the writhing black tentacles that protected her, largely due to his injured eyes. He could operate his attacks with skill, but his energy vision was a bit delayed. There was no way around this.
He froze after he landed, however, looking up at the sky, where the disc of light holding the Shades floated.
The Holy Prince Isaac of the Church of Light looked down from the disc, his eyes demure. His head tilted to the side lightly as he spoke to one of the other Shades.
“Is that her there? Or is she in one of the tents?” His voice was cool as he gestured at Helena.
“One of the tents, your holiness. We’re certain of it.” One of the Shades standing at attention responded, a slightly overweight Shade dressed in a pair of long white robes with the insignia of the Church on it.
“She’s already wanted on multiple counts of murder against several Mercenary groups.”
“Got it. But who else is here?” Isaac’s eyes narrowed as he scanned everyone. A cold light appeared in his eyes as he recognized people.
“The Aurelius Vampire warrior genius Helena, the rising darling of Highlord Marcus. And the sword and spell duo Trajan and Probus that you had an encounter with, right Veritas?”
“Indeed, that is the Truth as I see it.” Veritas’ voice was eerie as she spoke, her eyes glowing as she studied them.
“Hmph! What do you blasted Shades think you’re doing, interrupting us in our sacred duty, in our own territory?” A voice from below interrupted their musings.
A human that appeared to be made halfway out of diamond had yelled up, pointing with his left arm.
Taemin turned away from the downed Probus and Xaphan, as well as the struggling Aron, as he yelled. Irritation ran strongly in his voice at the unexpected interruption, especially considering how close they were to resolving the situation.
“Your territory?” One of the Shades returned comment, his voice sputtering. It was a lean, muscular Shade wearing a set of stained white hides.
“Hold Jasper. I’ll handle this.”
Isaac stepped forward to the edge of the disc. As he moved, a powerful, Kingly Aura rippled forth, slamming into everyone present.
“Wizard Taemin of the Borrel Autarchy, the genius Vice-Head of the Diamond Department. I recognize you, one of humanity’s strongest rising stars.” Isaac’s voice carried charisma and strength, making him shine forth with authority and might as he spoke,
“But you seem to be under a bit of a misapprehension. Magmor is not human territory. If anything, it is closer to our Shade Commune than it is to your lands.” He chuckled slightly, his voice taking on a friendly edge. His Aura, however, exploded forth even stronger, an awe-inspiring Kingly Aura full of warm light.
“We have busin-”
“HMPH!” Taemin’s voice echoed with fervor as he cut in, glaring at the Shade Prince.
“You are arrogant, Holy Prince. Do you think I would fear you simply because you have achieved the King Class?” As the half-diamond man spoke, a rich, blue Aura refocused itself around him, gaining more and more impact. This Aura shrugged off the overwhelming light that the Shade Prince had spread, almost as if it didn’t exist.
“The only reason I am at the Pseudo-King Level is because I am consolidating my soul and growing it till it reaches the absolute maximum. Do not think for a minute that I am inferior to you.” His Aura shined forth fully, clashing equally against the King Class Aura the Shade Prince held.
Isaac frowned as he saw this.
The reality of the situation was visible.
Isaac was a genius among his kind. Of the hundreds of millions, and even a few billions of Shades, spread across hundreds of worlds, he was one of the absolute strongest, a genius picked to help guide the Church of Light, and the Shade Race.
He was a powerful King Class Shade, the energy in his soul putting him at the Middle of King Class.
Taemin, the Vice-Head of the Diamond Department, was an incredible genius as well. One that focused on close combat, eschewing the long distance style most Wizards studied.
But Taemin was a genius among the hundreds of trillions of humans, the most populous race in the 30,000 Worlds. From millions to billions, billions to trillions, and then among the hundreds of trillions, Taemin was considered one of the strongest geniuses among all of them. He was second only to the Head of the Diamond Department, and in sheer offensive power, he easily outmatched the bottom 70 Department Heads of the 108 Departments.
He saw his rivals among the Heads of the other Departments and a small number of Vice Heads.
The Wizard King had sent him out, well aware of this.
While Taemin was only a Pseudo-King Class Wizard, he could easily match up to a number of other King Class Wizards in sheer offensive and defensive power.
“I see.” Isaac clapped his hands, his frown erasing as he offered Taemin a warm smile.
“Jasper, Gerulf, Hanton, Alla, handle him.”
“Yes, my prince!”
“Yes, prince!
“Yes, your holiness!”
“Yes, sir!”
A deluge of yes’s rang out as four Shades launched themselves off the platform of light, immediately engaging Taemin.
BOOM
WHOOSH
Explosions of light and magic blasted out as Taemin was abruptly locked into combat. The Diamond Wizard skillfully blocked attack after attack, redirecting multiple strikes. Beams of light, phantom lances of energy, and more rained down on him, forcing him back.
“You may be a genius, but you are still at the Lord Class.” Isaac shrugged.
He’d sent out the four Shades he had that were best at combat. They wouldn’t be able to defeat Taemin, or likely even harm him, but they could certainly occupy him thanks to their training and teamwork.
“Derrick. Tonsol. Handle the other one.” He commanded two others among the Shades, motioning at the gaunt female Wizard that was currently manipulating two large tentacles of black water, apparently intent on breaking up the fight with Taemin.
“Yes, sir!”
“Yes, my prince!”
Two other Shades leapt off the platform, both Late Lord Class Wizards. While they weren’t particularly powerful at plain combat, they were still strong warriors that could hold their own.
The two immediately engaged the woman, sending out streaks of light and energy as they blocked her tentacles.
Isaac knew all the strong Wizards or warriors in the Borrel Autarchy, and he didn’t recognize the woman. Therefore, she was most likely not a threat. The Magic she used gave off an odd vibe, faintly unsettling, but didn’t seem particularly strong.
WHOOSH
Isaac’s body blurred as he moved so quickly he seemed to teleport, landing down softly on the ground. He held his hand up, commanding the remaining Shades to wait on the disc. The rest of the Shades were part of the support and tracking team, and would prove little help in combat.
tap tap
Isaac’s eyes trailed off to the side as he saw Veritas land down next to him.
“I sense my own kind here.” Veritas’ voice was strange and ethereal in Isaac’s ears. One he found faintly distasteful.
“There.” The Anomaly pointed in the direction of several of the Aurelius Vampires.
Trajan was currently tending to Probus, trying to wake him up. Helena was standing guard, her eyes glaring as she stared at the Shades. She looked back and forth at the downed Anomalies, trying to help Aron to his feet. The wolf-armored warrior was still struggling, however, not fully cognizant. Xaphan was out cold.
“More Anomalies?” Isaac’s eyes tightened in displeasure.
“If I absorb them, I will grow closer to becoming an Angel of Light.” Veritas responded and continued,
“That is the Truth.”
“First, however, I will check for the fox. She is needed as well.” Veritas’ body shivered and rushed forward, headed straight for the tents set up by the Aurelius Vampires.
WHOOSH
Before Veritas could move far, however, another figure slammed down in front of the Anomaly, intercepting it.
“Veritas, right?” Helena began, her eyes cool. She rubbed at her Spatial Ring again, extremely tense. A thousand things were happening at once. She was ready to pull the trigger on the Magic Artifact she’d been gifted to use by General Carus at a moment’s notice.
“I was hoping you and I could talk.”
A few dozen meters away, Isaac rubbed his chin, looking from the tents to the downed Anomalies.
‘Hmm… fewer of these chaotic, banal beings existing is probably a good thing, for the common people.’ He nodded his head. Veritas’ existence was already irritating and dangerous enough.
Abruptly, his body blurred. His movements were similar to that of the Shade that Dorian had fought on Blizzaria, Jasper, in that they were unbelievably fast. Isaac’s movements, however, had more control and moved with even greater speed.
In a fraction of a second, before anyone could react, he appeared right next to Xaphan. He scooped up the demonic chef all in one motion, tossing him onto his shoulders.
“NO YOU DON’T! THAT ANOMALY BELONGS TO THE BORREL AUTARCHY, AND IS FORBIDDEN FROM BEING KILLED!”
Taemin’s voice burst out in extreme rage as he smashed down next to the Holy Prince, completely ignoring his attackers as he charged. Several small wounds appeared on his body, penetrating his innate barrier as a result of his reckless attack.
The force of his impact split the entire stone outcropping in twain. A huge crater appeared as rocks exploded, shrapnel shooting off into the air. Huge chunks of jagged rock jutted up as a result of his monstrous strength.
Unfortunately, by the time he arrived, the Holy Prince had already vanished, his speed too fast to be tracked by the unaided eye.
The exploding ground sent several of the Wizards and warriors on the ground flying. The Shades that were trying to hold back Taemin were sent up several meters as they regained their footing. Several of the Grandmaster Class Vampires that were watching off to the side were knocked backwards.
The Anomaly Aron had his sword stabbed into the ground, still trying to recover from the huge Aura that had knocked into him. Aron was clutching at his sword, and thus managed to avoid being knocked into the air thanks to that.
Lastly, it sent the vampire duo Probus and Trajan flying. Trajan managed to resist the surprise impact by instinct, dodging it like the Shades by jumping into the air.
The unconscious Probus, meanwhile, was unable to move, and was sent flying towards the center of the impact.
Directly into the hands of the Diamond Wizard Taemin.
Taemin caught the unconscious vampire warrior by the neck, snorting lightly.
Trajan’s vision was a mess of energy, but he managed to catch Probus’ energy signature moving through the air. One that moved and landed, directly on the signature of the half-diamond Wizard that had attacked him.
“Hmph. Your obstruction to the Borrel Autarchy was as I said it would be.” Taemin began, rolling his shoulders.
“Wait! Stop!” Trajan’s face twisted as he heard this, immediately clasping his hands.
All of this had happened in a split second. The Shades were still recovering, not yet able to attack Taemin.
Taemin paused in that moment, turning to look at Trajan. He didn’t smile, but instead frowned, his eyes growing cold.
“Do you think this is a game, Vampire? Your choices have consequences. If you choose to obstruct the Borrel Autarchy, your life will end like his…” Taemin held Probus up by his throat.
And crushed it.
“Pointless.”