Chapter 130: Black Hole and the Hidden Temple

[Sigrid | Stormlance Valkyrie | Legendary]

[Level: 40]

[Skills: Storm Body / Spear Mastery / Thunder Javelin / Thunder Step]

Thunder Step could multiply her speed in an instant. It also let her step through empty air, giving her a brief taste of flight.

Crystal Nine’s new form offered something even better.

[Crystal Nine | Crystal Maiden | Legendary]

[Level: 40]

[Recorded Form: Crystal Dragon]

[Form Capabilities: Flight / Black Hole]

Cassian had her test Black Hole. After seeing its pull, he nodded in satisfaction.

"Nine, you can really hold your own now."

It was nothing like a true black hole that swallowed everything around it. Even so, its pull extended for hundreds of meters. A Dawnwing at the same Level would struggle to break free, and weaker monsters would suffer heavy damage as well.

The Maidens’ own skill lists had gained nothing new, despite his hopes. This ability belonged to the Crystal Dragon form they had recorded.

He had also selected five hundred of his Epic Eclipse Legionnaires and paid to raise them to Level 25. All five hundred had completed their basic Wings of the Windlord training.

At the Dawnwing Pool, he paid for enough additional recruits to bring the force to a hundred and fifty-six. Once recruitment was complete, he paid to raise them all to Level 25. The five Dawnwings reborn at Level 0 were among them, finally ready to return to the fighting.

The other eleven Ghost Carriers received their share of the Battle Essence too. He paid to raise them from Level 2 to Level 4. Ghost One remained at Level 5.

——

A video conference invitation arrived from Mara.

Cassian accepted at once. When everyone had joined, she spoke seriously.

"Adrian has shared the Fortune Temple’s location with the Legion."

Elara frowned.

"Since when is he that generous?"

"He isn’t." Mara shared an image. "The guardian is a Level-54 Legendary Sea Dragon. Coldridge tried to raid it yesterday and suffered heavy losses. On their own, they probably need another half month before they can take it."

She let them examine the image.

"By then, another Marches might have found the temple. He would rather sell the information now, while he can still get a good price."

A Level-54 Legendary monster.

Apart from Cassian and Darian, everyone drew a sharp breath.

"Isn’t that a little much for newcomer Lords?" Elara asked.

"It is dangerous," Darian agreed. "Anyone without a strong Epic warship should stay out of this. Mara, how is the Fortune divided?"

He addressed her with the easy familiarity of a senior, though Mara was already twenty-four.

"According to combat contribution."

"That’s fair." Darian turned toward Cassian’s image. "You heard her. Contribution. Will you bring your whole fleet this time and let us see what you’ve been hiding?"

Cassian smiled, then asked what mattered most to him.

"Do we have the coordinates?"

Mara shook her head.

"Adrian wants the participants confirmed first. He’ll lead us there himself."

Cassian frowned. With the coordinates, he could take the temple with his own force. A Level-54 Legendary Sea Dragon was a little weaker than Kodra, the Hydra Aurelia had killed for him.

Another possibility occurred to him.

A trap?

Adrian might have made a private arrangement with Black Banner, using the temple to gather the Crown’s strongest Lords in one place. Being allies did not make that impossible.

Cassian considered it, then spoke.

"Let me know when we’re leaving."

With his strength, he could deal with a scheme as readily as a monster.

"I’m in," Darian said at once.

"Count me in too," Seraphine added.

No one wanted to miss a chance at Fortune.

Darian frowned.

"Your warship is an ordinary Epic, isn’t it?"

"But I have six relatives with me," Seraphine said quickly. "All of them specialize in personal combat. Every one of the seven of us is stronger than a Level-40 Epic Hero."

Cassian smiled.

"Seven of you. Quite a family."

Riftward’s participants were settled: Cassian, Darian, and Seraphine.

After the call ended, Cassian sent Liora a message.

[Cassian Vale: Take the fleet to the eastern sea and wait for orders. Keep your movements hidden. Don’t let the other Lords spot you.]

He did not have the exact coordinates, but the Fortune Temple had to be somewhere off Coldridge’s coast.

——

The following day, dozens of large warships lay gathered off the eastern coast. Even the least impressive of them was Epic.

Ghost One sailed into the rendezvous, followed by Darian’s Resolute and Seraphine’s Dauntless.

The three of them joined the temporary Channel Colonel Mercer had created.

Lydia Venn admired Ghost One, which was several times the size of her own vessel.

"So this is your warship, Cassian. Judging by its size, is it already Level 7? Level 8?"

"Size isn’t everything," Corin Alder said, "but that ship certainly looks formidable. No wonder you earned a whole Marches’ worth of votes yourself."

Darian gave a cold snort.

"One ship per Lord. Whose idea was that? Afraid Cassian will take too much of the contribution?"

They had received that condition before setting out. It plainly favored people with fewer ships. Darian himself owned more than one strong Epic vessel.

"That was Adrian’s condition," Mercer said at once. "The Legion will compensate Cassian."

"You’re too kind, Colonel." Cassian smiled. "I’m only a newcomer. I’m here to follow the experts and pick up what I can."

The colonel had an uncomfortable job. He was supposed to coordinate the campaign on Tidecrown, yet he had to keep these great families satisfied. Their influence had been growing for years, while the Legion’s had weakened. If the families here acted together, they could overwhelm its local force.

"I still don’t like this," Corin said. "Adrian suddenly shares the temple, then puts limits on Cassian’s strength."

Lydia nodded.

"Send out whatever scouts you have. If we’re prepared, we should be able to handle any danger."

None of them knew that eleven vast Ghost Carriers were already submerged a thousand meters beneath their ships.

Liora had brought them into position under concealment. Their Energy supplies sustained the deep dive, while hundreds of Ghost Fighters had spread across more than a hundred kilometers of the surrounding sea.

Another Gate opened above the sea, and several large warships emerged.

Adrian’s voice rang out across the Channel.

"My apologies for keeping everyone waiting!"

"Then let’s waste no more time," Mercer said. "Please lead the way."

"Of course."

Coldridge’s ships moved ahead, with the Crown’s allies following behind.

Two hours later, the fleet seemed to pass through an invisible barrier. The view before Cassian suddenly opened up.

"A concealment ward. No wonder House Frost couldn’t find it."

He looked at the great temple floating hundreds of meters above the sea.

"Without Adrian leading us here, we could have searched this ocean for years before stumbling across it."