Against The True Gods

Though this was the case, he still wanted to do a few things first.

Caine exhaled slowly, his breath curling into frost as he closed his eyes. The beasts continued to take shape around him, their towering forms cloaked in the swirling mists of this void-like battlefield. He ignored them for the moment, turning his attention inward.

Within his Bond Space, the progenitor beast eggs trembled, pulsing with an ancient rhythm. Then, in a burst of light, they transformed into stars. They bloomed effortlessly, their radiance brightening the vast expanse. Around each primary star, thirteen smaller stars formed, just like the heavenly elements of his Elemental Stars.

A single beast progenitor star, surrounded by thirteen branching progenitor stars.

In a mere instant, these stars reached the True Will stage. They interlinked with one another, forming a second constellation that gleamed brilliantly in the sky of Caine's Bond Space. The two constellations—Elemental and Beast—bridged, creating a seamless tapestry of celestial power, all under the dominion of his main star.

Originally, Caine had intended for each progenitor egg to hatch a beast progenitor, forging powerful bonds with them. But with the path of necromancy he now followed, a new and ambitious idea had taken root in his mind.

He couldn't implement it now, but in time, if he succeeded, this temporary setback—if it could even be called that—would be worth it.

For now, the transformation of these eggs into stars completed the constellations supporting his main star.

The Elemental and Beast stars harmonized, their energies blending seamlessly. They grew together, expanding until, finally, they settled into a state of docile subservience.

Caine's eyes snapped open. 'Now that this has been taken care of, let's deal with this.'

WHOOOSH!

The thought barely finished forming when a massive claw swiped at his face, its surface etched with burning red runes that radiated waves of searing heat. Caine's gaze followed the claw's path, tracing it back to a colossal red-scaled dragon whose eyes glimmered with boundless killing intent.

Behind him, a fire phoenix spread its blazing wings, readying a beam of concentrated flames that pulsed with the very essence of life and death.

Above, a grand black serpent descended, its venom-laden fangs poised to strike. The air crackled with chaotic elemental qi as more mythical beasts converged on him, each one launching devastating attacks.

He watched it all unfold, his time affinity stretching each second into minutes. The attacks were inevitable, unstoppable—at least, if he relied solely on his body. His other abilities could save him; he could deflect, evade, or counter. But that wasn't the point.

He wouldn't break his own promise.

Where was the fun in taking the easy way out?

His journey had been defined by hardship, not for the sake of suffering, but because the hard path often revealed his flaws, his weaknesses.

In this case, the difficulty lay in his ignorance.

He knew next to nothing about the countless bloodlines flowing through his veins. He had acquired them in the Blood Sea, his blood mutated and fused with the essence of countless beasts. Yet, like his Gifts, he had neglected them—not out of carelessness, but perhaps, in this instance, it was carelessness.

The idea of acquiring bloodlines hadn't been his own. It had been Zao's, his uncle. Caine didn't blame him; Zao always acted with his best interests in mind. If his uncle had insisted on obtaining these bloodlines, there had to be a spark of potential, a path worth exploring.

But then again why did he always need to innovate, to create something new? Some things were fine as they were. Perhaps his heresy lay not in possessing these bloodlines, but in failing to embrace them fully.

After all, who else could claim to possess the bloodlines of all beast progenitors, coexisting without conflict in a single body? Most humans couldn't bear the strain of even a single beast bloodline without their bodies tearing apart.

Yet, despite the power within him, it still wasn't enough. The bloodlines were already woven into the very fabric of his Blood Qi, part of his essence. But what more could he do with them?

Caine allowed these thoughts to swirl in his mind, undisturbed by the imminent threat of death.

'The advantage of bloodlines lies in their potential as reservoirs of power, kernels of raw strength I can draw upon. For a human like me, beast bloodlines are even more valuable, offering racial abilities and traits I'd otherwise lack.'

He had demonstrated this before, summoning scales to armor his body or transforming his nails into claws capable of rending steel. But he rarely used these abilities. Why summon scales when a qi shield was more efficient?

Why use claws when he wielded a spear with deadly precision? His human instincts, his habits, always overruled the need for these traits.

'And maybe that's the problem.'

Thanks to Elura's interference, his bloodlines had fused further, giving rise to a Chimeric Bloodline—a blend of all progenitor essences, Elura's influence, and his own. This bloodline held untapped potential, a sleeping giant he had set aside.

But now, clarity struck him, and a smile curled his lips. Innovation was inevitable, after all.

WHOOOSH!

His Blood Qi trembled, vibrating with anticipation. Around him, the illusory forms of three thousand and eight hundred beast progenitors emerged, each manifestation shimmering with power. They hovered for a breathless moment before shattering into countless runes.

The runes swirled around him, a storm of symbols and energy. His Blood Qi surged again, and behind him, a colossal avatar materialized—a featureless entity of pure white, its form draped in an aura of ominous power. Thirty-six feathered wings unfurled, black, white, and silver, their tips glowing with latent energy.

This was Caine's Chimera Bloodline.

The runes converged on the avatar, embedding themselves into its structure. It grew larger, wings multiplying as eyes, eerily similar to the World Will Eyes, appeared across its body. Power flooded the avatar, a torrent drawn from the depths of each progenitor bloodline. It consumed the energy, devouring without end.

WHOOOSH!

The avatar vanished, reappearing in his Bond Space. It floated above his dragon-coiled star, wings outstretched. Slowly, it settled, connecting with the star, falling seamlessly under Caine's absolute control.

RUMBLE!

A deep, resonant sound echoed through his Bond Space.