Chapter 175: Preparing to Descend

Five Free Will Lords stood together in Coldridge, their faces drawn. None was weaker than Adrian had been before Cassian killed him.

Their new Commander, Austin, had been luckier still. Only a month after entering the Realm, he had obtained a Legendary Troop Sigil. That was why Free Will’s leadership had sent him to Tidecrown: to counter Cassian’s Dragons.

"Third place," a young blonde woman said bitterly. "Losing to Bharan’s farmers is bad enough. But how did Riftward beat us? They barely have thirty thousand Lords!"

"Claire, have you forgotten where Cassian finished on the Glory Battlefield?" Austin asked.

"His Glory? Even if he spent it all on fields and seeds, he couldn’t..."

She stopped, eyes widening.

"You mean he reached ten million points and unlocked the third-floor exchange?"

"It’s the most reasonable explanation. Perhaps that list offered farming treasures like Time-Space Farms."

Claire could find nothing to say for a moment.

"How can he be this lucky? Every step he takes, the Realm seems to help him."

The major powers had studied his rise in detail.

Hero Power had come, and his mysterious first Hero had beaten everyone else’s. Then came Troop Power, and he had created a new Rare troop line. When resources became the contest, the Hall of Renown had appeared in his Region, offering fields, seeds, and production knowledge.

One convenient opportunity after another. Was he the Realm’s favorite child—or its father?

"Ten million points takes more than luck," Austin said, shaking his head. "He needs strength to make use of those opportunities. There must be other cards behind those Dragons. As things stand, I couldn’t beat him."

"One man can’t fight a whole Marches," Claire said coldly. "We offered him a billion Aether for the Commander’s seat, and he refused. Once the Governorship is settled, he won’t get a single coin."

"Fortunately for us, he refused." Austin smiled, his eyes gleaming. "Otherwise, Riftward would never have become what it is today."

Marches Rankings tested different strengths. Most contenders could only hope to place well in their own specialty. Bharan had farming Lords in abundance, but its results suffered whenever the contest turned to war.

Riftward kept winning everything.

A Marches like that was a rarity. Now that every Region had at least four Fortune, its value had multiplied again.

Austin suddenly raised his eyebrows. His smile widened.

"We may not have to wait for the Governorship after all."

Claire looked at him, then brightened.

"The Black Banner is moving?"

"Yes. Their Lords in Sector 663 are preparing to descend. They’ve asked us to cooperate."

Claire laughed.

"He finally pushed them too far!"

"Descent from Sector 663 requires only three days of advance registration," Austin told the others. "Get ready to take over Riftward."

"The Royal Hall’s first Hill King is mine," Claire said at once. "And I don’t like the name Riftward. Let me think of something better."

She already spoke as though the Marches belonged to her.

The others exchanged helpless looks. Austin was the strongest among them, but Claire held the highest standing. Her surname was Ross, and she belonged to a senior generation of that enormous family.

——

Before setting out for Elara’s Domain, Cassian bought a fresh Legendary Hero Soul from the Exchange for fifty million Aether.

"Lady Aveline? You’re here too?"

Cassian stepped out of Elara’s Gate and found mother and daughter waiting side by side.

"Cassian, you really are..."

Aveline stopped. For once, she could not find the right words.

She had expected nothing from the Agriculture Ranking and had scarcely followed it. Then, while she was attending to her duties, a notice had appeared.

[Your registered newcomers have achieved exceptional results. Newcomer Steward Authority increased to Tier IV.]

Tier IV. She had only reached Tier III two months earlier.

She immediately thought of the Ranking. Using her Observer Passage, she had come to Elara’s Region and learned that Riftward had not merely placed well.

It had won.

"I heard you were bringing Elara something," Aveline said, finally recovering enough to smile. "I came to have a look. But I should warn you, I really have no money left. You’ll have to put it on our account."

"Pay it back slowly. You won’t finish in this lifetime anyway."

After offering that comfort, Cassian looked around.

"Where’s Brogan?"

"Leading a hunting party," Elara said. "Why?"

Cassian brought out the Legendary Hero Soul.

"I hope this takes his Command over the Dwarf troops to Grade A."

Mother and daughter stared.

"A Legendary Hero Soul?"

Aveline recovered first. Then another thought struck her.

"All three of your summoned Heroes have reached Legendary?"

Cassian sighed inwardly. Another small part of his strength exposed. Another percent, perhaps.

That was why he had been reluctant to show these Souls to anyone. Who would trade one away while his own Heroes still needed it?

Fortunately, he trusted the two women. They knew what to keep to themselves without being told.

"I’ll leave the public explanations to you, Elara," he said with a smile.

She rolled her eyes.

"Three Legendary Heroes. No wonder you took the Gold Battle Name. So that’s the great secret you’ve been hiding."

Then she looked at the Soul again.

"That last twenty thousand Renown—did it all go on two Souls? One for Darian, and one for me?"

Her expression softened with gratitude.

Before long, Brogan returned. Once he understood what was happening, he could barely contain himself.

Cassian held out a hand.

The Dwarf King promptly lowered himself, bringing his shoulder beneath Cassian’s palm so he could give it an approving pat.

"Keep up the good work."

"Anything you need, Lord Cassian. Just say the word. Fire, boiling water—I’ll go through it all for you."

Cassian was pleased. Who said Dwarves didn’t know how to flatter someone?

Elara had heard enough.

"Brogan, am I invisible?"

"Lord, you’ll be one family sooner or later. What difference does it make which of you I serve?"

Strong, and he knew exactly what to say. A remarkable fellow.

Elara used the Soul on him. Light enveloped Brogan, then faded as his advancement to Legendary completed.

She opened his panel and cheered.

"Grade-A Command! Over both Hill Kings and Storm Guardians!"

"Excellent," Cassian said, satisfied.

Elara’s army made the investment worthwhile. Nessa’s and Tobias’s Heroes did not match their troops nearly as well. A Legendary Soul would do much less for those armies.

He had already shared some of the Rare and Epic Hero Souls from his recent haul. Most of his friends’ Heroes had now reached Epic. Chapter Captains were the exception, still limited by the Quality of the Eclipse Hall.

Aveline suddenly sighed.

"You’re willing to show us this much and bring out a Legendary Soul because you’re worried about what the Black Banner will do next."

"Yes," Cassian said. "One more Legendary Hero means a better chance of winning. Elara still isn’t quite as strong as Darian, but she’s getting close."

There was another benefit to helping his friends grow. If they shone a little brighter, they could draw some of the attention away from him.

After so many battles and Rankings, he had probably revealed nearly a tenth of his strength.

Far too much.

——

In Sector 663, an enormously fat Black Banner Lord worked at the controls of a great platform.

It was an Ascension Platform, a Building unlocked at Domain Rank XVIII, used to travel into upper Realms or descend into lower ones.