The demihumans freed themselves from the cells, but the iron slave collars posed a problem to their escape. Not only could the collars not be removed by those wearing them, but they also required something sharp enough to cut through iron."How the hell did he do it with his bare hands?" Zara cried out in frustration as she failed to break Leaf's collar.Leaf sighed lightly. "We can't remove them by ourselves, or they might detonate. We need to find the armory.""Hmm."Zara and Leaf decided to venture to the surface on their own while the rest waited for them within the underground prison. The outside was warmer, and the halls were dimly lit by torches, casting flickering shadows that danced along the stone walls.Zara and Leaf stuck close to the shadows, prioritizing stealth. After all, this place was littered with human blessed, and one wrong move could result in their heads on spikes, or worse, being sold to a twisted wealthy family.Their footsteps were light, barely a whisper on
Zara and Leaf didn't waste much time. After dealing with the corpse, they hurriedly concealed it, wiping away most traces of blood to prevent the ground from reeking of death. The duo then silently left the armory, though not without Leaf arming herself with a short sword. They retraced their steps, moving faster this time. For reasons unknown, most of the guards had left their posts, leaving the rear of the auction house defenseless. Eventually, Zara and Leaf reached the corridor leading to the underground slave prison, but their luck ran out there. Two heavily armored guards stood by the unlocked shaft, much like the others they'd encountered, ordinary city level blessed. "Hey bro, is this supposed to be unlocked?" the first guard asked, scratching the back of his head. "Of course not, dumbass. A demihuman probably escaped," the second guard replied. "Oh, shouldn't we chase her then?" "It's fine. Her collar will self destruct the moment she leaves the auction house. For now
"ZARA!"Leaf's voice pierced the dim corridor, echoing off the ancient stone walls as she deflected the second flying sword with a desperate sweep of her arm. Her heart pounded in her chest as she caught Zara's limp body. The sheer momentum of the impact was more than Leaf could bear, and the force sent them both hurtling backward. They tumbled through the air, the world spinning around them in a blur of darkness and pain, until they barely managed to stop just inches before colliding with the jagged shaft of the ruined wall.Zara's body was a grotesque spectacle of wounds and blood, her flesh torn and mangled by the brutal assault. The body of a human Blessed was a fortress compared to the fragile forms of Emerald Glaze's denizens. Their flesh, hardened by divine blessings and protected by divine authorities, rendered demihumans like Zara mere playthings in battle. In the harsh reality of this world, a confrontation with a human was less a fight and more a hopeless struggle for sur
Leaf's fingers clenched around the torch, the flame casting wild shadows across the stone walls. With a sudden, fluid motion, she leaped once more, not directly at the guard, but toward the opposite wall. Her body twisted mid air, a blur of speed and grace, as she ricocheted off the stone surface. As she flashed past the guard, the torch struck, a vicious arc of light and heat slamming into his eyes.A scream erupted from the guard, raw and agonized, as the torch seared into his flesh. His body jerked violently, instinctively recoiling from the pain. The sword slipped from his grip, clattering to the floor with a hollow clang. Desperately, he tried to summon his power, to levitate the fallen blades. But his efforts were futile, the swords hovered briefly, then crashed back down as if mocking his helplessness.His hands shot up, shielding his face like a cornered boxer, fear and rage intertwining in his thoughts. "Damn it," he snarled, his mind racing. "She took my eyes... Does she k
Leaf descended into the underground prison, her movements soundless as shadows clung to her like a second skin. The air was thick, damp with the stench of decay. Her cat like eyes, glowed with an eerie luminescence, cut through the blackness, seeking the familiar forms of her clansmen. In the distance, faint torchlight flickered, casting grotesque shapes that seemed to writhe in the corner of her vision. She found them at last, huddled together like broken dolls. Their eyes, once vibrant with life, were dulled by the scars on their flesh. "Leaf, you’ve returned," a serpentine demihuman rasped, her voice barely more than a whisper, thick with exhaustion. Her scaled body trembled as she dragged herself closer to the bars, her eyes wide with a mixture of hope and dread. "Where is Zara?" Her words carried an edge of desperation, the name a fragile tether to her sanity. "She waits above," Leaf replied, her tone a cold whisper, as though the very air might betray them. "But we mu
The auction house groaned as if alive, trembling under the weight of a massive lifelike crimson dragon that erupted from Liam's sword. The dragon's scales shimmered with an ethereal glow, each one glinting like a ruby in the dim light. It roared, the sound resonating deep within the bones of all present, and coiled around Liam like a protective guardian, its fiery body crackling the air. Darkwood’s attack, once menacing and unstoppable, was obliterated by the dragon's sheer presence, the remnants of his dark energy dissipating like smoke in a gust of wind. The dragon's influence spread outwards, its fiery tendrils licking at the air, threatening to consume everything in its path. Yet, Liam remained in control. His intent was not to take lives, especially those of the helpless spectators. He wanted to make his point clear, he was not someone to be trifled with, and he would stand up for who he wants to, and look fucking cool while doing it. Darkwood leaped backward, his eyes n
The oppressive atmosphere of the Mystic Brilliance Auction House grew denser, every breath seemingly laced with tension. Darkwood’s eyes burned with a fierce determination, his gaze never leaving Liam. The arrival of additional county level blessed created an even more oppressive shift in the air, as if the very fabric of reality trembled under their combined presence. Liam stood his ground, the remnants of the shattered blackwood tree at his feet. His crimson aura roared and crackled around him like a living flame, pulsing with the raw power of suppression.From the shadows, figures began to emerge, thirteen in total, each one cloaked in an oppressive aura. Their eyes gleamed with a malevolent intent, and the unique blessings they possessed radiated with an ominous energy. The auction house groaned under their combined pressure, as though it struggled to contain the impending chaos.Darkwood’s voice cut through the tension like a blade. "You’ll regret ever crossing us," he spat, hi
Liam faces his opponents, his crimson aura blazing like an inferno in the darkened hall. His grip tightens around the hilt of his sword, every muscle coiled and ready. A female figure stepped forward from the shadows, clad in flowing robes that seem to ripple with their own sinister wind. unleashes a torrent of dark water that pulses with a malevolent energy. The water slithers across the floor, its touch freezing and corrosive, designed to sap the strength of anyone ensnared within it. "Divine authority, Selene Darkwater". Liam’s eyes narrow. The water rushes towards him, a writhing mass of dark energy. He leaps into the air, his sword slashing through the water with a sharp, crackling sound. The air around him shimmers with heat, evaporating the dark surge before it can reach him. He lands lightly, a smirk playing on his lips as he confronts his attacker. Selene’s eyes flash with irritation. She vanishes into a pulp of dark water, reappearing behind Liam with a blinding
The female almighty floated with a calmness that belied the storm of emotions within her. Her annoyed scowl deepened, yet her heart betrayed her composed exterior, its rhythm accelerating against her will. The audacity of this battle was incomprehensible an almighty pushed to this extent by a mere county level blessed? If word of this ever reached the outside world, the sheer absurdity of it would shatter their perception of reality. Liam’s battered body lay amidst a pile of rubble, his arms entirely obliterated by her instinctive aura blast. His blood clung to the steel debris, sizzling as though the metal itself had absorbed the heat of his agony. His organs were ruptured, his chest rising and falling in an unnatural rhythm, yet the fire of resistance seemed extinguished at least, that’s what she thought. The female almighty’s gaze flicked toward the City Lord’s manor, her expression cooling slightly. Thankfully, the City Lord had not intervened, choosing instead to send
"Still not taking me seriously?" Liam said with a smirk. In a split second, he vanished from where he stood, the wind creating a sonic boom where he last stood as he instantaneously broke the sound barrier. The female almighty wasn't too surprised. She had seen him fight the county-level blessed and knew he had a bizarre blessing that made it seem like he had multiple authorities at once. They typically involved a strong pressuring aura, super regeneration, super strength, super durability, super senses, and the one he's using right now, super speed. Liam flinched when he realized that the female almighty was still able to trace his movements, even while he was moving as fast as he possibly could. "She's a tad bit faster than I am, but no matter." Liam backhanded his blade and struck from behind, but the female almighty wouldn't make the same mistake of letting his sword touch her body again. She vanished and appeared above him, with a piece of a broken pillar in her hand,
It looked like a tiny crimson gem, glowing with a faint but powerful energy. Each delicate swirl released a thin stream of hegemon aura, which wound its way through Liam's body like a snake, creeping along hidden channels that looked like veins made of pure energy. Liam had a feeling something strange was going on the moment he swallowed the hegemon gem. He’d only swallowed it because Hybris had kept annoying him to no end, and he wanted her to feel the same way. He should have known something was wrong the moment she stopped mentioning it. But he never expected it would somehow end up lodged in his lower abdomen. Worse, it had become his dantian, whatever that was. He barely knew what a dantian was, but from what Hybris had muttered between insults, it was something reserved for high-level blessed, those who could fly, wield powerful state-level divine authorities, and crush anyone beneath them. Now, somehow, it was his turn to play in that league. Crimson aura surged in
Liam catapulted forward, his aura blazing like an inferno, rippling through the air as it distorted the very space around him. The earth beneath him shattered, sending chunks of debris spiraling into the sky as his feet dug into the ground. His target, the female almighty was ever ethereal, her calm demeanor unshaken by the fury of Liam’s assault, She floated there like a statue of indifference. His fist shot forward, colliding with her face in a thundering crash. The sound reverberated through the air, but it was Liam who felt the backlash. His fist erupted into a grotesque mix of blood and bone fragments, the pain searing through his body like molten iron. Yet, she didn’t so much as flinch. Liam staggered back, blood dripping from his mangled hand, but retreat wasn't on his mind. He planted his feet firmly on the ground, his chest heaving as he funneled every ounce of energy into his aura. His wounds closed almost as soon as they had opened, flesh stitching itself back to
The state level almighty effortlessly floated down from the private room, her presence commanding the entire space as she hovered mid air, defying gravity with a grace that left the lower level blessed in awe. It was as if the very air around her bowed in deference, parting softly as she descended, her every movement exuding a power that was both ethereal and terrifyingly real. Her form was immaculate, not just in its physical beauty, but in the aura of invincibility that surrounded her, possibly a radiant force field that seemed to push against the fabric of reality itself. She was more than just a blessed, she was a living embodiment of the divine might that all others below her could only dream of possessing.Though her true age was hidden behind an ever ageless face, every line and curve of her features sculpted by powers far beyond mortal comprehension, her rank granted her the ability to manipulate her appearance to a certain degree, allowing for sustained youth.Her skin, sm
"Where is that dumbass going?" one of the county level blessed spat out, his voice filled with frustration as he watched Darkwood abandon them without a second thought. But that brief moment of distraction cost him dearly. Before he could even process the situation, a flash of crimson light split the air, and his body was cleaved cleanly in half by Liam’s sword. The two halves of his body slid apart with a sickening thud, blood splattering across the cracked floor.Liam landed heavily on the ground, the impact sending dust and debris flying around him. His crimson eyes locked onto Darkwood, who was dashing on he's black tree roots, he was heading towards a private room at the far end of the auctiom House. Darkwood’s figure was a blur, but Liam’s gaze was steady, cold, and calculating. The remnants of the blood that had splashed onto his face only added to the chilling sight."Hey, Hybris," Liam muttered under his breath, his voice barely above a whisper. "The only competition is ma
Liam faces his opponents, his crimson aura blazing like an inferno in the darkened hall. His grip tightens around the hilt of his sword, every muscle coiled and ready. A female figure stepped forward from the shadows, clad in flowing robes that seem to ripple with their own sinister wind. unleashes a torrent of dark water that pulses with a malevolent energy. The water slithers across the floor, its touch freezing and corrosive, designed to sap the strength of anyone ensnared within it. "Divine authority, Selene Darkwater". Liam’s eyes narrow. The water rushes towards him, a writhing mass of dark energy. He leaps into the air, his sword slashing through the water with a sharp, crackling sound. The air around him shimmers with heat, evaporating the dark surge before it can reach him. He lands lightly, a smirk playing on his lips as he confronts his attacker. Selene’s eyes flash with irritation. She vanishes into a pulp of dark water, reappearing behind Liam with a blinding
The oppressive atmosphere of the Mystic Brilliance Auction House grew denser, every breath seemingly laced with tension. Darkwood’s eyes burned with a fierce determination, his gaze never leaving Liam. The arrival of additional county level blessed created an even more oppressive shift in the air, as if the very fabric of reality trembled under their combined presence. Liam stood his ground, the remnants of the shattered blackwood tree at his feet. His crimson aura roared and crackled around him like a living flame, pulsing with the raw power of suppression.From the shadows, figures began to emerge, thirteen in total, each one cloaked in an oppressive aura. Their eyes gleamed with a malevolent intent, and the unique blessings they possessed radiated with an ominous energy. The auction house groaned under their combined pressure, as though it struggled to contain the impending chaos.Darkwood’s voice cut through the tension like a blade. "You’ll regret ever crossing us," he spat, hi
The auction house groaned as if alive, trembling under the weight of a massive lifelike crimson dragon that erupted from Liam's sword. The dragon's scales shimmered with an ethereal glow, each one glinting like a ruby in the dim light. It roared, the sound resonating deep within the bones of all present, and coiled around Liam like a protective guardian, its fiery body crackling the air. Darkwood’s attack, once menacing and unstoppable, was obliterated by the dragon's sheer presence, the remnants of his dark energy dissipating like smoke in a gust of wind. The dragon's influence spread outwards, its fiery tendrils licking at the air, threatening to consume everything in its path. Yet, Liam remained in control. His intent was not to take lives, especially those of the helpless spectators. He wanted to make his point clear, he was not someone to be trifled with, and he would stand up for who he wants to, and look fucking cool while doing it. Darkwood leaped backward, his eyes n