Vlad and Jormungandr had been thoroughly engrossed in their work on the first floor of the Xaos Tower, unaware of the steady flow of people reaching the Silent Wind Military Base. They were eager to finish as, while it would still be a long time before the tower was terminated and could hold a clone of the A.I. Chip, completing the first floor’s magic inscription would immensely increase the speed at which the energy pool charged.
That amount of energy was very useful, allowing the Runemaster and Alchemy Master to create various formations and a myriad of magic weapons. Only once they finished did they notice how the fortress was packed with people, many of whom were new faces.
Vlad showed a radiant smile as he saw the massive number of refugees that the soldiers had rescued. He used his communicator gem to contact Chief Counselor Aloz and learned that the current population was over thirteen thousand!
While Silent Wind Military Base was designed to hold ten thousand troops, many hangars and facilities could be transformed into houses, so holding up to twenty-five thousand people would not be a problem.
After informing him about the civilians rescued, Chief Counselor Aloz reported that the soldiers had captured over fifty new criminals, making a coldness appear in Vlad’s smile. When it came to treating civilians and refugees, the Xaos Kingdom’s behavior was better than any country before the apocalypse.
However, when it came to death row criminals, the Xaos Kingdom was literally a gate to Hell, as those criminals would have their souls marked and handed to devils.
Although it was tempting to pick some of those criminals and hand them over to the Legendary devil in exchange for bloodlines right away, Vlad chose against it since they no longer had the materials needed to brew more Devil’s Bane Elixir.
The soldiers that had marched across Inkmetal City had collected massive amounts of resources during their rescue efforts, but Jormungandr lacked the most important one: High Champion Abyssal blood.
Vlad had taken blood from the Level 14 Abyssal, but he was careful not to take too much as he did not want to risk the creation of Molten Demonblood Essence. For the time being, they would not be able to cleanse more devil bloodlines.
"I currently have 21 Mortal Tier Bloodlines and 5 Champion Tier Bloodlines. They are enough to generate a powerful elite attack force." A meaningful light appeared in Vlad’s eyes as the gears of his mind began to concoct a new plan.
Not wasting time, Vlad focused on his communicator gem and sent a command to certain people. "Meet me in the Xaos Tower!"
Vlad knew he did not need to hear their response as those people would never neglect their duty. As he waited for them, he exited the first floor of the Xaos Tower and saw how the civilians were already building the second floor.
The hard work and commitment displayed by those people resulted from carefully implemented government programs and the astute use of rewards and incentives to enhance their devotion to the cause.
Vlad’s eyes soon focused on the vibrant young woman carrying the heaviest pieces of metal, seemingly the core of the workforce. A kind smile appeared on the young man’s face as he gazed at Freya, but then a flash of surprise appeared as he felt something odd and narrowed his eyes.
The power of the A.I. Chip flooded from Vlad’s soul, reaching into Freya’s body and beginning to analyze her.
[Beep! Scanning target.
Target scanned successfully
Energy Pool (Force): 5.1
Energy Pool (Totem): 12.7]
Vlad was shocked to see the massive boost in the young woman’s stats. She had pushed her Warrior Level to 6, becoming a Champion in the Level System, and her totem strength system had evolved even higher, granting her the physical might and energy pool of a High Champion with a Guardian Tier Bloodline!
Although Freya had been working day and night helping the civilians with the Xaos Tower project, she did not neglect her training. However, Vlad knew that the reason for her rise in power was that she had rested, as moments of relaxation were needed for warriors, or they would snap just like a bowstring.
Seeing the improvement in Freya filled Vlad’s heart with thrill, making him even more confident in the success of his next endeavor. He did not distract the young woman and allowed her to carry on with her work as he turned his eyes to the distance and saw seven people walking toward him.
The moment the civilians saw those people, they immediately bowed and showed great reverence, especially those who had been recently rescued by the soldiers. Six of those people were none other than Vlad’s Inner Circle, canonized as the Royal Guard after the rise of the Xaos Empire.
Clasius, Amara, Frank, Mirena, Cazan, and Roman played an extremely important role during the rescue operation. They did not lead the soldier squads, as that was a job left to experienced military officers, but they were the ones who took care of the strongest demons and monsters, showing physical might and spellcaster abilities that left the rest of the troops filled with awe and admiration.
The group’s strength and imposing might had generated strong faith in the soldiers, to the point that they started to believe that as long as the Royal Guard stood with them during a battle, they would come out victorious. The boost in morale in the soldiers was very important in war, as it would allow them to unleash power beyond their limit and could allow a group of Mortal Tier soldiers to take down a demon Champion.
The seventh member of the group was not a Royal Guard but Brigadier General Mitchel. The young man might not have the imposing and overwhelming power of the Royal Guard members. Still, he had gained the respect of the soldiers thanks to his wits and wisdom, showing military and strategic skills and insights that surpassed those with decades of military training.
Vlad was happy to see the civilians and soldiers’ reaction to the group, as it meant they had done a very good job and were respected and loved by the people of the Xaos Kingdom. The moment the seven arrived before him, they immediately performed a deep bow but remained silent as they did not want to make a ruckus.
Vlad simply nodded and signaled them to rise. He then used the Tower Key to guide the group to the underground level before closing the stairs.
Once they were all together and outside of prying eyes, Vlad showed a radiant smile and performed a deep nod to the group, showing just how happy he was with their growth. "It is good to see all of you again after these couple of months. I am happy to feel the immense growth in your powers."
Those words brought wide smiles to the Royal Guards’ faces. If there was one thing that mattered more than anything to this group, it was the opinion of the man in front of them. Vlad was the one who showed them a path beyond their limits and engraved weapons into their flesh that could allow them to kill Champions among the demonkind.
Clasius, Amara, Frank, Mirena, Cazan, and Roman had come to see the young man in front of them as a messianic figure, believing from the bottom of their souls that as long as they had him, Terra would not only survive the apocalypse but would rise to a realm of power and advancement that people could not even imagine.
Brigadier General Mitchel’s reaction was not much different from the rest of the Royal Guard. He still remembered the first time he saw the young man and the small yellow cat appear. Back then, they were strange and powerful figures who had helped General Anglius against a small horde, but now they were the powerhouses with near-divine efficiency.
Vlad only smiled as he saw the group’s smiles and showed a radiant expression before uttering words that he was sure would excite all of them. "I called you here because I have excellent news. I have managed to secure bloodlines, which I will now implant in your bodies!"
The announcement hung in the air, and the initial shock quickly transformed into exhilaration. Cazan’s eyes blazed with a fierce determination, Roman’s lips curled into a triumphant smile, and Clasius’ muscular frame seemed to swell with newfound energy. Mirena’s eyes sparkled with excitement, Frank’s calm demeanor cracked with a rare smile, and Amara’s usually stoic face showed a glimmer of anticipation.
Brigadier General Mitchel felt a thrill run through him. The idea of being bestowed with such power, which could elevate them to even greater heights, was exhilarating. He thought back to the countless battles and the near-death experiences and knew just how important strength was.