[Trantor - Helga ]


    [Proofreader - Lucky]


    Chapter 163


    "At some point, the restrictionspletely broke down. Perhaps it’s because you reached the fifth stage of Blood Rune: Blood Pact."


    "Of course. We’re connected, aren’t we? Didn’t I tell you I’d lift your restrictions?"


    Kane’s voice inspired confidence.


    Desdemona nodded unconsciously.


    "So, I’ve decided to follow you around from now on."


    "All these vampires, every single one of them?"


    "Just me alone."


    "Not bad. Too many people would only slow us down."


    A smile of joy appeared on Desdemona''s face.


    The thought of apanying her master made her heart race.


    "The rest cane out of the Shadow Isles and move to Rehinar. That ce will serve well as a strategic base."


    "Won’t the people of Rehinar feel uneasy about it?"


    "They might at first, but they’ll get used to it. After all, Blood Tigers also live there, and in time, it won’t matter."


    Kane’s proposal reflected a vampire''s dream.


    Everyone on the continent calls vampires monsters.


    Yet, their appearance is more human-like than any other race.


    Thebel of ''monster'' is simply because they feed on blood and are active only at night.


    Some nations recognize vampires as a distinct race, but many still regard them as abominations.


    The Fresia Empire is no exception.


    Still, living together would eventually ease their fears.


    "By the way, about your meals—if you drink the animal blood, does it weaken you?"


    "While it’s true that human blood strengthens vampires, it doesn’t matter for us. Your manapensates for our deficiencies."


    "Then we can obtain blood from animals moving forward."


    "Just hand over the bad naughty ones to us."


    "That’s an interesting idea."


    Wherever humans live, crime inevitably follows.


    From petty offenses to severe crimes, there’s a wide range.


    Those guilty of capital crimes could be handed over to the vampires.


    This would instill fear in people—crime would mean being fed to vampires.


    As a result, crime rates could drop dramatically.


    Any unintended consequences could be addressedter.


    For now, the n was to settle the vampires in Rehinar.


    "Proceed immediately."


    Desdemona returned to the vampires.


    At her words, bright smiles spread across their faces.


    They weren’t abandoning the Shadow Isles entirely.


    It would now serve as a military stronghold.


    Most importantly, they could finally live alongside humans.


    This was the dream they had always wished for.


    "Young Master, simply sending them off might cause trouble. Let’s stop by Rehinar briefly before we proceed."


    The next destination was the House of the Sun.


    After wiping out their elite forces, the n leader would likely act personally this time.


    "We do have the fastest means of travel at our disposal, don’t we?"


    Mikhail nced at Chrysalis.


    Whether flying or using spatial teleportation magic, speed was assured.


    There was no harm in a brief detour to Rehinar.


    "Let’s make a quick stop, then."


    Kane carefully left the Orchid Kingdom.


    With Caspian busy managing the field, Kane left with just a brief goodbye.


    * * *


    On the top of the Tower of the Sun


    Before a statue of the goddess, First Star knelt in prayer, his eyes closed in solemn meditation.


    When he opened his eyes, he leaned back in his chair.


    “Gestel is gone as well.”


    His gaze burned with an intense murderous intent.


    Gestel had been his most trusted subordinate.


    A loyal servant who had devoted himself solely to the House of the Sun.


    And now, he was in by Kane Rehinar’s hand.


    “Unforgivable.”


    It was time for First Star to act personally.


    “Is there anyone outside?”


    At his call, a priest who had been waiting nearby entered the chamber.


    “You summoned me, my lord.”


    “Activate the Tower of the Sun.”


    “Where shall I set the destination?”


    “The capital of the Fresia Empire. That’s where it will all begin.”


    “At once.”


    The priest’s face lit up with exhration.


    Atst, the House of the Sun’s true n was being set in motion.


    The n Behind the n


    The so-called drowning the continent in Oblivion energy?


    That was merely a trap.


    The true aim was this: to transform the entire Meyer Family City into a floating city.


    And the n had seeded.


    Using the energy gathered through the power of oblivion spreading across the continent, they had charged the mana core with immense power.


    Enough to sustain the floating city for over 300 years.


    Even the deaths caused by bing death fiends had funneled their energy into the mana core.


    Gestel’s death only added to that reservoir of power.


    All of it had been drawn into the mana core housed within the Tower of the Sun.


    “It would have been ideal to add the Poison Lord’s death as well, but this will suffice.”


    First Star moved toward the core of the tower.


    His destination was a chamber containing a mana core norger than a fist.


    His eyes were fixated on the glowing orb.


    “Atst, I will ascend to godhood.”


    As he extended his hand toward the core, its energy began to flow into him.


    A tremendous surge coursed through his fingers, spreading throughout his body.


    “Amazing! This power—it’s overflowing, even beyond what I imagined.”


    It felt as though he had returned to the prime of his life.


    His body visibly grew younger, his face and skin regressing to their state in his twenties.


    The mana emanating from him was entirely transformed.


    “It’s not enough! I must be the very Sun itself!”


    He continued to absorb the core’s energy without pause.


    His youthful appearance regressed further until he looked no older than a 13-year-old child.


    Suddenly, his eyes shone with a golden brilliance.


    Blinding Light burst through.


    Within his pupils, a radiant sun took form.


    The power he now wielded was unparalleled, far beyond anything he had known before.


    “Ha…hahaha!”


    Hisughter reverberated through the tower, shaking it to its foundation.


    Gestel’s death, though a loss, had turned out to be a stroke of fortune for him.


    Originally, he had nned to use the Poison Lord as the energy source.


    Instead, Gestel’s power had been transferred into the mana core.


    This unexpected twist allowed First Star to attain divine strength.


    But he wasn’t done.


    He lifted the fist-sized core and drove it into his own body.


    “Ughhhh!”


    Despite the excruciating pain, he pressed on.


    Flesh and bone tore apart, but he did not falter.


    “I am a god! No god would yield to something so trivial!”


    Atst, he embedded the core into his chest, just to the right of his heart.


    With that, he became one with the Tower of the Sun, able tomand it at will.


    “Kehehe…”


    First Starughed eerily, aughter born of pure tion.


    “Ahahaha!”


    Simultaneously, the Tower of the Sun began to rise into the sky.


    And it wasn’t just the tower.


    The entire House of the Sun was uprooted from the ground and ascended into the heavens.


    Priests of the House of the Sun emerged, cheering in unison.


    “This is the power of First Star!”


    “Bow before him!”


    The divine authority of the Sword of divine Punishment surrounded the House of the Sun like a radiant shield.


    “All the people of the continent will kneel beneath the feet of our family”


    “Hurrah!”


    They gazed down at thends below, speaking with scorn.


    “Primitive humans. Had they followed us, they could have be servants of the divine.”


    To serve the divine was to be an apostle.


    In other words, a proxy.


    First Star had once been a proxy of the Celestial Realm, but now he had ascended to godhood himself.


    “No one can deny it.”


    “How could mere humans everprehend the mind of a god?”


    The priests chattered on, deluded into believing they too had been elevated.


    Servants who had once performed menial tasks now imagined themselves as divine beings, merely because First Star had be a ‘god’.


    Rehinar was developing at an astonishing pace, with new buildings sprouting up seemingly overnight.


    The poption had grown significantly, with bustling activity everywhere.


    The ck Crow exchange yed a pivotal role in Rehinar’s growth.


    They had established an official auction house and variousmercial facilities.


    One standout was the jewelry store.


    While the territory only had one such store, it was a massive building capable of amodating countless customers.


    “Hehe, this will be my crowning achievement,” said Gillip Tegelo, who had constructed the empire’srgest jewelry store near the main gates of the Rehinar estate.


    This development drew wealthy noblewomen from across the continent to Rehinar.


    Transportation yed a significant role in this influx.


    “Another group of guests has just arrived from the port,” remarked Hano, the second inmand of the ck Crow exchange, with an exasperated tone.


    “What do you think of my strategy?” Gillip asked smugly. “Creating a waterway from Phec straight to Rehinar, where they can then ride carriages directly to KaraShi Jewelry store?”


    “When ites to the smell of money, no one canpete with you, brother,” Hano said, half in jest.


    Gillip shook his head modestly.


    “There’s someone else.”


    “Oh, you mean Duke Kane?”


    “No one has a better nose for money than him.”


    “Well, you’ve been on the losing end with him a few times, haven’t you?”


    “Tch, don’t remind me,” Gillip grumbled.


    Hano quickly changed the subject.


    “The carriages just keeping. The transportation costs alone must be staggering.”


    “All of it goes into Rehinar’s operating budget.”


    “Who would believe this was the same Rehinar that was falling into ruin?”


    “He’s truly remarkable. Though, it’s partly thanks to a talent like me,” Gillip added, puffing himself up.


    At that moment, a massive shadow fell over Rehinar, enveloping thend in darkness.


    From the shadow, something descended.


    “It’s been a while,” said a familiar voice.


    “Y-Young Duke Kane!”


    Gillip’s loud voice drew the attention of the nobles entering the jewelry store.


    Their gazes locked on Kane.


    “So that’s the designer of KaraShi…”


    “Wow, his appearance is just as refined and elegant as his jewelry designs.”


    “They say a designer’s personality is reflected in their work—guess it’s true.”


    The nobles poured out praises, as if admiring a masterpiece.


    Noticing their more intense reaction than usual, Kane asked Gillip.


    “What’s with these people?”


    “Your Karashi collection has taken the continent by storm, Young Duke.”


    “The continent’s in chaos right now, though.”


    “Well, thanks to the Crown Prince''s quick response, the Fresia Empire hasn’t been overrun by Death Fiends. And unlike before, Rehinars is now a well-known safe haven.”


    “This ce is certainly secure.”


    It made sense why the nobles were obsessed with jewelry.


    The designs Kane had introduced were those he’d created during his time as Ray, and they were released ahead of their time. Far ahead of anypetitors, these designs captured the nobles'' attention, making them desperate to get their hands on Karashi pieces.


    “Have you returned for good now?”


    “Perfect timing. You’ll be in charge of guiding some new residents of Rehinars.”


    “Who…?”


    “Vampires.”


    “W-what!?”


    Gillip nearly jumped out of his skin. Even he found vampires terrifying.


    “They won’t harm anyone.”


    “B-but vampires aren’t supposed to walk around in broad daylight…”


    “That just means these ones are special. You understand, don’t you?”


    “O-of course.”


    Gillip swallowed hard, his nervousness clear.


    As he began to prepare to guide the vampires, Yoshua, the ta cult leader, suddenly rushed over, with a group of blood priests in tow.


    Seeing them, Kane’s eyes sparkled with inspiration.


    “Ah, of course. I also have just the task for them.”


    [Trantor - Helga ]


    [Proofreader - Lucky]