Chapter 262: Eighty Percent

Hatred flashed in Vespera’s eyes at Cassian’s name. She had not forgotten how close he had come to killing her.

"He stole the Mythic opportunity that should have been mine, Grandpa Mordane. If we find a Spatial Vortex leading to the First Homeworld Legion, can we wipe them out?"

Mordane frowned.

"Child, Lords can leave the Legion Contest whenever they wish, just as they could leave an individual match. Even if we destroy their Temple, we won’t be able to kill Cassian."

He continued patiently.

"The First Homeworld Legion has little more than a thousand Lords. Their Temple’s progress must be pitiful. Destroying it wouldn’t give us many resources. Don’t let anger distract you at a time like this. On the last day, we must concentrate on targets worth taking."

Vespera was far from satisfied. But Mordane was her guide, and his reasoning was sound.

To her disgust, she could only accept it.

"To think being weak would save him..."

——

Two days passed quickly.

[The Five Elements Temple has reached 80% completion. The eighth monster siege will begin in ten minutes. Prepare to defend.]

The higher the Temple rose, the slower its progress became. The First Homeworld Legion had already repelled seven monster waves. Now the eighth was coming.

The Crown Champions had grown numb to their own unbelievable pace.

The attackers kept growing stronger too. A few monsters above Level 100 had appeared in the seventh wave. The long, intense fighting was beginning to cost the Legion lives.

Their Temple now stood ten thousand meters tall, a mountain reaching into the clouds. Without the Five Elements Formation, their limited flying forces could never have defended so much sky.

But after they had beaten the seventh siege ten hours earlier, Maren had been pale and barely able to stand.

Cassian, meanwhile, was looking at his Lord’s Hall interface with a smile.

"I actually met the requirements for Rank XIV during the contest."

That was welcome news. Rank XIV would raise the Level limit for his Heroes and troops to seventy-five.

He paid the required resources and began the upgrade.

"Complete immediately."

Four hundred and eighty thousand Aether vanished.

[Your Lord’s Hall has advanced to Rank XIV. Domain area increased to 1,800,000 square meters. Building unlocked: Barrier.]

The ground rumbled as the Domain expanded. Nearby Lords looked over at the disturbance.

[Cassian is advancing to Rank XIV now?]

[Wonderful! His troops can reach Level 75. The Stormlance will be even stronger.]

[A pity he chose City. Its Barrier is far weaker than a Fortress’s. Otherwise, we’d have another powerful bastion.]

[Why did he choose that path? Doesn’t he intend to campaign beyond our territory?]

Cassian had no time for their discussion.

"Spend two hundred and eighty million Battle Essence. Raise Celia to Level 75."

"Nine hundred and sixty million. All twelve Stormlance to Level 75."

The expenditure continued. Aurelia, Liora, and Sylvara followed Celia to the new limit, along with his other high-star Legendary troops. By the time they had all reached Level 75, he had exhausted the Battle Essence he had accumulated.

The thousands of ordinary troops in his Dawnwing and Eclipse corps would have to wait.

"Build the Barrier. Complete immediately."

He paid the construction and completion costs. A City’s Barrier was weaker than a Fortress’s, but with the battles growing fiercer, every bit of protection helped.

[Barrier construction complete.]

Before he could begin upgrading it, another notice made his eyes widen.

[Evolution conditions met.]

[Your Barrier can fuse with Folded Sanctuary’s spatial power and evolve into a Void Shield. Defense will increase tenfold. Evolve?]

[Folded Sanctuary’s existing effects will remain unchanged. Activating the Void Shield will consume additional Aether.]

"Tenfold?"

He stared.

"That works too?"

Darian flew into the Domain and landed in front of him.

"What are you doing?"

He waved a hand before Cassian’s eyes. Cassian noticed him at last and smiled, changing the subject.

"The eighth siege is about to begin. Shouldn’t you be at the front?"

"How relaxing your life must be. Upgrading your Domain at a time like this."

Darian’s teasing expression faded.

"Seriously, the Temple keeps getting bigger, and the monsters keep getting stronger. Maren probably won’t be able to maintain the formation through the whole wave this time."

House Frost had prepared thoroughly before the contest, even arranging the enormous formation. Yet among all the possibilities they had considered, none involved a thousand Lords bringing a World Wonder to eighty percent completion.

Cassian was ready for this.

"Remember the reward I promised you two days ago?"

Darian’s eyes lit up.

"A reward? You have a treasure that strengthens formations?"

"No." Cassian shook his head. "But I have this."

Over the past two days, Cassian had bought eight Legendary Hero Souls through the Exchange, paying for them with Aether. Now he took them out and pressed them into Darian’s arms.

"If a Legendary One-Star Hero can’t keep the formation going, what about a Nine-Star?"

Darian stared.

"This... these..."

"Go on," Cassian reminded him. "The eighth siege is about to begin."

Darian took some time to recover. When he did, his expression was complicated.

"I was thinking that if you had no solution, I’d have to use my last card."

Cassian was speechless for a moment.

"You have another one?"

"Something." Darian scratched his head, a little embarrassed. "The price would be rather high."

This time, Cassian could only admire him.

"House Frost. Of course."

Darian soon returned to Maren.

The Hero, who had lived for thousands of years, stared as blankly as he had. Her Lord had gone away for a moment and returned with a whole handful of Legendary Hero Souls.

Even in the Third Realm, each one was precious. Since when did anyone measure them by the handful?

Half a minute passed before she recovered.

Using all of them on her seemed extravagant. Under the circumstances, however, there was no room for hesitation.

"Rest assured, Lord Darian. We’ll hold through the eighth wave."

Darian used all eight Legendary Hero Souls on Maren and paid the Battle Essence required for her advancement. Eight brilliant flashes of golden light rose from her body. She had advanced from Legendary One-Star to Nine-Star.

The eighth monster wave arrived on time.

It was much stronger than the seventh. Yet the Five Elements Formation expanded again, enclosing every Domain. The pressure on the Crown Champions fell sharply.

The cost was an enormous drain on Darian’s Aether.

Two hours later, cheers thundered around the Five Elements Temple.

[We held! I can hardly believe it!]

[Long live Cassian! Long live Darian!]

[Who could have imagined we’d reach eighty percent?]

[I wonder how our reduced Temple’s progress compares with a normal one.]

[However they calculate it, the top hundred is certain!]

Cassian smiled too.

Before the contest began, he had been confident of reaching the top hundred. He had never expected to reach this point.

A little under half the credit belonged to House Frost’s support.

Then Seven sent an urgent message.

"Alien figures at Spatial Vortex Three, two hundred and sixty-two kilometers southeast!"

"Spatial Vortex Three. Two hundred and sixty-two kilometers southeast..."

The report came three times in quick succession. Cassian’s gaze sharpened.

The final day had begun. Some of the Legions that considered themselves powerful were finally making their move.