Against The True Gods

Caine felt the difference immediately.

There was no explosion, no ripple of qi—nothing. And yet, everything felt different.

The kernels of endless power within each progenitor bloodline had been forcefully drawn and fused into his own, creating a new baseline—the sum of all three thousand and eight hundred kernels. But this time, Caine wasn't wielding another race's bloodline. This was a human bloodline—one of his own creation, a bloodline that harmonized perfectly with the intricate workings of his Bond Space.

A Human Bloodline born from the greatest Beast Progenitor Bloodlines in existence, forged by a spirit human, the pinnacle of human potential—it was flawless.

The changes to his body were seamless and instantaneous. His form shuddered briefly, rippling a dozen times before settling into a tranquil, unnerving stillness.

The world continued to crawl at an unbelievably slow pace around Caine.

He pondered the revelation. 'Who would've thought these beast bloodlines were actually disturbing the balance of my body? But in the end, it makes sense. Beasts are beasts. Their essence is too different from ours to be compatible.'

'I suppose the only reason I didn't explode wasn't my bone or flesh structure—it was most likely my racial traits. The fact that us Velios are born with bonds must have helped. In a sense, we Velios probably share more with beasts than we realize. Perhaps our roots are intertwined with theirs.'

WHOOOSH!

A pair of dark grey wings unfurled from his back, radiant and immense, stretching hundreds of meters. Each feather shimmered with silver runes, etched like ancient secrets, emanating waves of formidable strength.

Caine's blood transformed, turning silver threaded with hints of gold. It surged through his veins with unstoppable force, an unending river of power. The avatar within his Bond Space settled above his star, folding its wings as it sat cross-legged, its presence a silent guardian.

His abilities fused effortlessly into this new bloodline. His crown, his bones, his flesh, his rings, his stars, his elements—all were woven into a seamless, harmonious whole. It was as if every breakthrough had led to this moment, each step culminating in a tapestry spun by Caine's will.

A dragon's breath of fire consumed no stamina. A phoenix's rebirth required no reserves. Now, Caine stood on that same threshold. Most of his abilities would become effortless, automatic—as natural as drawing breath, as instinctive as a passing thought.

But this was just the beginning.

As he processed these changes, his mind surged with countless ideas and possibilities.

The current grade of his bloodline, by conventional standards, was mortal. Yet, it held a potency that rivaled Immeasurable bloodlines. Caine didn't care about such classifications. The fact that his bloodline remained mortal opened a thousand doors.

Like his summons, he couldn't implement his grand plans now. But in the future…

He exhaled a slow breath, the changes settling deep within his core. Time resumed its flow.

BOOOOOM!

A barrage of attacks crashed down on the spot where he'd stood, tearing through the air with cataclysmic force. But they struck nothing. With a single flap of his new wings, Caine had vanished, reappearing far from the swarm of mythic beasts.

He glanced back at the wings, their immense span folding behind him. "Quite cumbersome to use," he muttered. He closed his eyes briefly, and the wings dissolved into silver runes that sank into his back.

He smiled with satisfaction. "Alright. I doubt this trial can offer me much more."

Extending his hand toward the horde of beasts, he narrowed his eyes. "But you'll still be useful."

A gleam flashed from the crown on his head. His voice dropped to a whisper. "…[Nameless Call]…"

BIM!

A surge of resistance snapped through the air. Caine's frown deepened. 'Oh? The Progenitor intents within their blood are resisting my call?'

He chuckled darkly. 'Futile.'

His True Will surged, an overwhelming force that shredded their defiance. He spoke again, his voice a command of inevitability.

"[Nameless Call.]"

The beasts roared in fury and anguish, struggling against the inevitable. Their forms disintegrated into ash, the remnants coalescing into fleshy eggs that sank into the depths of Caine's Bond Space.

'With these beasts, the avatars, and the geniuses I've slain, my backlog of summons should last until I can execute my plan.'

Elura's voice chimed in, a note of amusement tinged with exasperation. 'They'll last you forever—they're immortal, remember?'

Caine shook his head. 'I know. But that's not the point. I meant their quantity. By now, I should have tens of thousands of summons. For now, that's enough to handle whatever threats come my way. But it won't always be. Things escalate quickly.'

He paused, his silver eyes glinting. 'It's been mere weeks, and I've gone from having just Soran to commanding a full-fledged horde.'

Elura's tone softened. 'With the environment of your Bond Space—if we can even still call it that—they'll grow rapidly. Your Beast Progenitor stars will accelerate the growth of your beast summons. The same goes for your humanoid summons under the elemental stars.'

'We don't have to rush. With the summons you have, the resources at your disposal, and my guidance, we can craft an elite force. Focusing on quantity will dilute quality.'

The black fog surrounding Caine began to thin, fading back into a serene white luster.

He shook his head again. 'You're missing the bigger picture. Quality will never be an issue. Soran has already proven that my summons will always possess the highest talent. And as I grow stronger, you will too, making it easier to manage them.'

'The real problem lies elsewhere. My tribulations. The scale of my future battles.'

A fiendish light flared in his eyes. 'What I have now is just the beginning—a first step on a long, unforgiving road.'

'It won't be enough. And because balance must always be maintained, my tribulations will only become more brutal.'

He exhaled slowly, a sense of resolve anchoring him. 'I wouldn't be surprised if I needed a tribulation just to break past the Blood Realm.'

The air around him quivered, as if acknowledging his words.

RUMBLE!