Vlad remained secluded in his runic laboratory for the next few weeks, working tirelessly. He only took brief monts of rest when his mind reached its limit, then quickly returned to his intricate experints. Resources were consud at an astounding rate. Despite the vast amount of rune materials he had acquired from Aola and her fifty elite angels, it wasn’t enough, and within two weeks, all of it had been used up.
Fortunately, the Xaos Kingdom had ample reserves. While most of these were designated for the kingdom’s factories, the top-tier treasures and materials were reserved exclusively for him. With a single command, soldiers would bring him the needed supplies, allowing him to dive back into his work.
After twenty-four days, Vlad finally erged from the runic laboratory. Dark circles hung beneath his eyes from exhaustion, and his energy levels were dangerously low, yet a wide smile stretched across his face.
The source of his satisfaction was the glowing runic lines now covering his body. His excitent grew as he extended his right hand, summoning demonic flas that blazed with such intensity that the air around him seed to freeze from the sheer destructive force.
After a few seconds, Vlad waved his hand, dispersing the flas, and the voice of the A.I. Chip echoed in his mind:
[Beep! Rank 3 Runic Set: Inferno Cot. Upon upgrading the runic set, all functions and abilities have been enhanced. The devil flas have reached Guardian Tier, and the jumping ability and explosive fall have been exponentially boosted. If used in conjunction with the full power of the Heart of Wrath, the set is capable of leveling a large town, reducing all vertical structures to ashes.]
"Good! This power should be enough to handle whatever we might face on the Monsoon Continent," Vlad murmured, his thrill palpable. The Inferno Cot Runic Set upgrade ant he had officially beco a Rank 3 Runic Master, and the timing couldn’t have been better.
The lingering unease he felt regarding the expedition to the Monsoon Continent still gnawed at him, but this significant improvent reassured him.
"This upgrade should suffice," Vlad thought. "After all, I’ve already defeated a god. What could the Monsoon Continent possibly throw at that I can’t handle?" His confidence wasn’t arrogance—it was an assessnt grounded in logic. He was indeed well-prepared.
After completing his work on the Runic Set, Vlad made his way to the Xaos Tower’s energy pool. His sharp gaze settled on the orb floating within, energy waves swirling around it, constantly isolating its imnse power.
"How are things progressing?" Vlad inquired, his curiosity piqued as he awaited an update on the analysis.
Overlord responded swiftly. "The analysis is progressing smoothly, Pri Master. I have successfully isolated the fragnt of Divine Force left behind by the god and am currently analyzing it. It appears the angels were close to completing the Divine Avatar. It would have taken only a little more soul force for it to be fully ford."
Vlad’s eyes widened at the revelation. He silently thanked his luck for stopping the angels when he did. Even if weakened, a Divine Avatar would have posed a significant threat.
Satisfied that the imdiate danger was neutralized, Vlad pressed forward. "How is our business relationship with the Turkin Kingdom?"
The expedition to the Monsoon Continent was a joint venture between the two kingdoms, and Vlad wanted an update on their collaboration. After he and the Golden Wave had helped the Turkin Kingdom fend off the demonic horde, King Viserin should be grateful and trustworthy—but one could never be too sure.
"Everything has gone smoothly, Pri Master," Overlord reported. "They have provided us with top-tier resources and seem very satisfied with the armor and weapons we’ve delivered." After a brief pause, Overlord continued, "They’ve also inford us that they are ready for the expedition, but if you need more ti, they are willing to delay."
Vlad was pleased to hear that Viserin had kept his word and was proving to be a reliable ally. However, he saw no need for further delay.
"I’m ready," Vlad said, shaking his head at the suggestion of postponent. "Inform them that we will reach the Turkin Kingdom soon."
"Understood, Pri Master," Overlord responded, imdiately executing the command.
Vlad then went to the alchemy laboratory, gently knocking on the door. A few monts later, Jormungandr appeared, the small yellow cat looking as exhausted as Vlad but with a satisfied smile.
"I’ve managed to purify three hundred bloodlines and forge a new weapon for myself," Jormungandr said proudly, gesturing toward the blood-red halo floating above his head.
Vlad’s eyes narrowed as he studied the halo, feeling the imnse power radiating from it. The blood halo appeared to be an amalgamation of dozens of bloodlines, and Vlad couldn’t help but wonder what kind of abilities it possessed.
Noticing the curiosity in Vlad’s eyes, Jormungandr rely smiled mischievously, offering no explanation. It was clear he wasn’t planning on revealing the full extent of his new power just yet.
Vlad chuckled, amused by the cat’s secrecy. He shrugged and then focused on his A.I. Chip, sending a ssage to his comrades.
---
Elsewhere, in one of the Xaos City arenas, Freya and Ouroboros were locked in a fierce sparring match, both of them using only their bare hands. Though they held back the full force of their energies, the power behind their strikes was still more than enough to shatter buildings or blast through tal pillars.
Not far from them, the rest of the Royal Guards—Mirena, Amara, Frank, Roman, and Clasius—were training as well, honing their mastery over their Runic Sets, bloodlines, and demonic souls.
The entire group had sensed the danger looming over the upcoming expedition. The fact that both Vlad and Jormungandr, with all their strength, asked for their help was a clear sign that this was no ordinary journey. They had been training relentlessly, sharpening their skills.
Finally, the signal arrived. Vlad’s voice echoed through their communicator gems:
"It’s ti."
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