Chapter 350: Human Sovereign

The uproar seemed strong enough to lift the Hall’s vaulted roof.

"How is that possible?"

"Lady Ardent cleared twenty-six!"

"That checkpoint alone was worth a billion points. Almost as much as twenty-three through twenty-five combined!"

The Human Champions shouted over one another, red-faced and scarcely coherent. Then the obvious explanation struck them.

Cassian must have cleared twenty-six as well.

"No wonder he looked so unconcerned," Lucan murmured. "He knew."

Color rose in Ilyse’s face, then drained away. She remembered arriving above this Domain with her grand retinue, remembered declaring before everyone that she intended to bring Cassian under her authority.

Now she wanted somewhere to hide.

Cassian had become the center of the Hall, just as she had been a moment earlier. Lords who knew what had happened hurried over for a glimpse of Humanity’s leading Champion. Even Lords from the great Realms joined the crowd.

No one paid Ilyse any attention. The few glances that reached her carried a meaning she found even harder to bear.

"Cassian..." she said through clenched teeth. "You’re far stronger than you’ve shown us. What else are you hiding?"

Below, Nessa suddenly stared at him.

"I know!"

Cassian’s gaze sharpened. She had already guessed the truth once. Had she worked it out again?

Nessa swallowed.

"All these days, you’ve been trying to clear the twenty-seventh checkpoint. Haven’t you?"

He looked at her in silence.

Did she have to make such a spectacle of it?

The Lords around them drew sharp breaths. Challenging twenty-seven alone! Yet when they considered Cassian’s repeated entries into the Labyrinth, the explanation seemed to fit.

He must have more strength hidden away.

Nessa had one idea where it might come from. She had seen his Blood Chalice before. If he had advanced it to Mythic and gained several Mythic fighters, his success would make sense.

Darian laughed and thumped Cassian in the chest.

"You could have told us! We spent all that time worrying over nothing."

Cassian was tempted to hit him back. Instead, he spread his hands.

Tell them everything? If he told them too much, they might never recover from the shock.

First place appeared.

[1st — Cassian Vale, Homeworld Realm. All attributes +8,000. Bound Legendary Hero Soul ×8. Bound Legendary Troop Soul ×110. Title awarded: Humanity’s Paragon.]

Another roar filled the Hall.

"Eight thousand to every attribute? Eight thousand?"

Gavin’s eyes were red with envy.

"A hundred and ten Legendary Troop Souls! That’s almost fourteen Nine-Star troops!"

Every gaze on Cassian burned with longing. His rewards were close to twice Ilyse’s, and that was before counting Humanity’s Paragon.

A dense column of golden light descended straight into him.

Cassian drew a sharp breath. His Physique strengthened, his Spirit expanded, and Aether swelled within him. Even with the attributes he already possessed, adding eight thousand to each left him feeling full to bursting.

"That feels damned good."

The gain was equal to thirty-two Supreme Attribute Books.

And the greatest reward had yet to arrive.

[You have obtained the title Humanity’s Paragon.]

[Your individual contribution in Race Ascendancy reached 18%, exceeding the 10% threshold. Humanity’s Paragon advances to Human Sovereign. Racial Fortune consumed: 3.]

Human Sovereign?

His heart began to pound. He glanced quickly around, but no one showed any unusual reaction. Relief followed the excitement.

Only he had received that notice.

As with the Five Elements Temple, an exceptional contribution had unlocked a further reward.

[Human Sovereign]

[While equipped:]

[1. All attributes of every unit in your Domain +40%.]

[2. You may confer Humanity’s Paragon on five recipients.]

[3. Unlock the Human racial administration interface. Authority is limited.]

Cassian could hardly contain himself.

The trillion points had gone to the race instead of his personal score. This title was worth far more than a trillion points.

Forty percent to every attribute throughout his Domain. Five Paragon titles he could grant to others. And authority over Humanity itself—something he had only heard of in stories.

Racial titles and government offices belonged to separate systems. Even so, Human Sovereign sounded far greater than a governorship, a national throne, or even rule over an entire Realm.

Remembering the middle finger he had raised a little earlier, Cassian felt a twinge of embarrassment. He raised a thumb toward the sky instead.

As far as he was concerned, he and the Realm were reconciled.

He equipped the title and eagerly opened the racial interface.

[Race: Human]

[Racial Fortune: 88,320]

[Racial Will: Unawakened]

[All-Races Ranking: 5,711]

[Population...]

Information filled his vision.

"Last time, Humanity was five thousand eight hundred and twenty-fifth. Less than ten years, and we’ve risen to five thousand seven hundred and eleventh."

That was Humanity’s standing in the wider universe. The fifty-eighth place announced today belonged to this contest.

His attention returned to Racial Fortune.

"Three points were enough to make me a Human Sovereign. If I could use all of that whenever I wanted..."

Who could stand against him?

He tried the interface for a while before discovering the limit. He could read its information. He could not change it, and he could not spend Humanity’s Fortune for his own benefit.

"Cassian? What’s wrong?"

Nessa waved a hand before his face, pulling him out of the interface. He laughed and gave her soft cheek a fond pinch.

"I’m in a good mood. Everyone, come to my Domain tonight. We’re celebrating."

Divine Province’s Champions cheered.

He turned to the Governors of the other twelve Crown Provinces, who had come over after hearing the news.

"You too. All of you."

They had been looking at him with something close to awe. The gap between them was already enormous and growing wider. A local Warden would have struggled to joke freely with a Governor; they now understood the feeling very well.

Cassian’s familiar warmth put them at ease. They exchanged glances, then smiled.

"With Humanity’s leading Champion at our side, what do we have to fear?" Alwin said. "Let the whole Homeworld come against us!"

Lana hesitated.

"Cassian, there’s something you may not know. The coalition attacking Divine Province..."

There was no longer any reason to keep it from him. She told him the scale of the Western Beacon, Black Banner, and Jade Court invasion: ten War Marshals from older sectors, some with Extreme troops.

Before Cassian could answer, Nessa spoke.

"Mira and the others will hold. They’ll keep Divine Province safe until we can return."

"Exactly," Darian said. "And even if they’ve lost it, we’ll take it back. Cassian is first among Humanity now."

Elara’s voice was cold.

"Once we’ve recovered Divine Province, we organize the counterattack. Straight into the Black Banner’s homeland."

"Good." Seraphine gave a hard smile. "They bully anyone they think is weak and swallow anything from those they fear. Western Beacon has dropped Peace Shells on their homeland, and they still endure it. This time, we’ll make them afraid to come back."

Every checkpoint Domain in the Labyrinth had been a Boss encounter. Champions who had known when to stop had emerged much stronger. Divine Province’s Lords, who had passed stage twenty, had particular reason for confidence.

Cassian opened his mouth.

Days ago, he had noticed them hesitating, looking as though they wanted to tell him something. He had wondered about it then.

So this was what they had been worrying about.