Chapter 420: Five New Paragons

"Confer Humanity’s Paragon on Darian, Elara, Nessa, Seraphine, and Dain."

Cassian confirmed the command.

Human Sovereign allowed him to grant the title to five people. He had kept those appointments in reserve through the Outer Realm expedition, the conquest of the Black Banner, and even the war with Fivefold Heaven. He had managed those battles with the strength already at his disposal.

Now a hundred hostile nations would soon invade. With the Homeworld’s survival at stake, it was time to use them.

All five faces on the call went utterly still.

Cassian smiled.

"Stop looking as though you’ve seen a ghost. Get to work."

He ended the call.

——

Outside Hundredblossom Region, Divine Nation’s army stretched as far as the eye could see. It had surrounded the capital, and the troops were eager to advance. Neither side expected mercy in this war between races.

"Seraphine? What’s wrong?"

Lyra had noticed her cousin’s eyes widening. For a moment, Seraphine looked as though she could not remember how to speak.

"Something I need to deal with," she managed. "I’m going to find Darian."

She tried to sound calm. The tremor in her voice betrayed her.

"So mysterious," Lyra muttered, watching her leave.

The five recipients soon gathered together.

Even Darian, usually the loudest among them, wore a strange expression and said nothing.

"No wonder Cassian said you had to know," Nessa told him. "Your Golden Behemoths were already strong enough. With Humanity’s Paragon on top of that..."

She shook her head in disbelief.

"How does everything become something he can hand out in batches? Even this title!"

Nessa had always trusted him completely. This still left her struggling to take it in.

"When Cassian received it, the news shook a hundred Human Realms," Elara said. One hand pressed against her chest, as though that might steady her racing heart. "Now there are five of us. Who could have imagined that?"

Her expression grew more intent.

"And if he can grant us Humanity’s Paragon, his own racial title has to be higher."

"Higher?" Dain frowned. "What would that be?"

Seraphine drew a deep breath.

"Human Sovereign."

The words left all five silent. Even those who had already reached the same conclusion found it hard to breathe.

"Human Emperor is unique," Seraphine continued. "The one who holds it is in the Second Realm. Human Sovereign is the highest title anyone else can gain. And forget the Homeworld—Humanity hasn’t produced a new one in a thousand years."

She stopped abruptly.

"How did he... Wait. The one who killed the Lord of the Labyrinth. What if that wasn’t some Eternal being? What if it was Cassian?"

The others stared at her.

After what they had seen his Crystal Maidens do, was clearing thirty checkpoints really impossible?

Elara’s expression turned serious.

"He trusts us. Remember what he said. No seventh person hears about this."

The others nodded at once.

"That includes Maren," Nessa added, looking at Darian. "Don’t let her see where the increase came from."

"I won’t."

He understood. Maren and the others were utterly loyal to him, but their deepest allegiance belonged to his father. If Maren knew, Edran would know.

And if this possibility spread beyond their little group, powers throughout Humanity—and perhaps the other races as well—would begin looking at Cassian very closely.

That would bring him trouble, not help.

It took them a full ten minutes to settle themselves.

Then Darian’s voice rang out.

"The Golden Behemoths will lead. We take Hundredblossom Region in one attack."

"Count me in," Dain and Seraphine said together.

"And us," Elara added, with Nessa nodding beside her.

Cassian’s support had allowed each woman to recruit two dedicated combat Heroes, Martial or Extreme, and pay for their growth to Legendary Nine-Star. They could not match Lysette, but their strength was no worse than that of ordinary Mythics.

The five equipped their new titles.

Darian gave the order to attack.

A hundred and eighty Golden Behemoths entered Blood Boil. Radiance streamed around them until they looked cast from solid gold. The Souls and growth costs supplied during the preparations had brought every one of them to Legendary Nine-Star.

Seraphine opened the First Star of Seven-Star Release. Beside Dain, she charged through the entrance, both of them wielding strength far beyond an ordinary Mythic.

Watching Lords cried out.

"Have the Behemoths suddenly become stronger?"

"A hundred and eighty Nine-Stars... They’re fighting like a hundred and eighty ordinary Mythics at Two-Star or even Three-Star!"

"Look at Dain and Seraphine! She just killed a Level-110 Legendary Nine-Star Hero with one punch!"

"Did Cassian use Dragon’s Blessing? We’re deep inside another Court. Can a blessing reach this far?"

Their astonishment quickly turned to delight. Whatever the reason, that power was fighting on their side.

"Twinflow Palm!"

Maren struck the nearest Domain’s Barrier and smashed it apart. Then she glanced down at her hand, her expression complicated.

*Around thirty percent. Every attribute.*

Every unit in Darian’s Domain shared the increase. He had hidden the information explaining its source from her.

*A permanent increase. This isn’t Dragon’s Blessing. A Battle Name? A title? An office? Some Artifact?*

The change had come immediately after Darian’s call with Cassian. Its source was obvious, even if its nature was not.

*How much more are you still hiding, Cassian?*

She gave a faint, helpless smile. The invasion countdown had forced him to reveal another of his reserves.

The Golden Behemoths tore open a gap. Divine Nation’s other forces poured in behind them.

Even without Cassian’s private army, the Nation now possessed more than a hundred Legendary Nine-Star Heroes, all Martial fighters or specialists on Extreme paths. Its Legendary Nine-Star troops numbered twelve thousand, with over eighty percent belonging to Extreme or near-Extreme lines.

The fourteen Provinces conquered from the Black Banner had also opened tens of thousands of additional places for War Lords.

All that strength drove into the same entrance. In little more than ten minutes, the defenders there were close to collapse.

Another hour of fierce fighting secured Divine Nation’s foothold.

Then Lana gave a startled cry.

"Darian! You’ve lost a Golden Behemoth!"

She pointed toward one of the enormous golden bodies lying on the ground.

The defenders were more than ten Levels ahead. Under the concentrated fire of tens of thousands of Hundredblossom fighters, even Golden Behemoths could die.

Nor was that the only body.

"It’s fine."

Darian selected the fallen troops and paid the required reconstruction cost. With a small gesture, he confirmed it.

Seven or eight golden bodies dissolved into points of light.

The Lords watching him knew enough to recognize what they had seen. Surprise turned to open excitement.

"Resurrection?"

"A minor trick," Darian said calmly. "No need to make such a fuss."

Inside, he was delighted.

So this was why Cassian always looked so composed after doing something outrageous. Let everyone else gape while he acted as though it were perfectly ordinary.

It felt wonderful.

His cool expression lasted only a few seconds.

Nessa darted in front of him and waved a hand.

"Darian, are you trying to look and sound like Cassian?"

His expression froze.

"You little menace! Don’t run. Come back here and say that again!"