Vlad and Jormungandr sat on the cold ground of the underground level of the Xaos Tower, taking deep breaths as they allowed themselves a brief moment of relaxation. Assimilation of pieces of the God’s soul into Overlord had been an extremely taxing task, both mentally and physically. Even if the duo had bodies that neared those of Guardians and constitutions that were far more powerful than normal people, they still needed to rest.
The room still buzzed with residual energy, but Overlord remained silent, his focus directed toward the myriad tasks ahead. Although Dimitry and Jerom’s souls had been integrated into his core, much experimentation and research remained before the A.I. Chip Clone could unlock and harness the divine abilities the two had wielded in life—abilities that had raised the Azarin Empire to the level of a superpower capable of challenging the Xaos Kingdom.
It was only four hours later that Vlad and Jormungandr stirred again, their rest cut short by the many responsibilities awaiting them. Rising to their feet, they quickly returned to the present, their minds focused and sharp.
"Overlord, send in the death row prisoners," Vlad commanded, his voice cold and ruthless as he glanced at the small yellow cat. Jormungandr nodded to the young man and went to his alchemy laboratory.
"As you wish, Prime Master," Overlord responded, his tone equally indifferent as he connected to the dungeon guards.
Within moments, the guards arrived through the secret passage leading to the Xaos Tower’s underground level. They moved with purpose, their eyes unwavering in their duty as they brought in fifty prisoners, all shackled and heavily drugged to ensure compliance.
These guards had long accepted that the criminals brought to the tower would never return, disappearing into the darkness of the kingdom’s experiments. To the soldiers of the Xaos Kingdom, Vlad had transcended mortality, becoming something akin to a deity after his victory over a god. There was no doubt or hesitation in their obedience.
Vlad thanked the dungeon guards for their swift work and sent them off to prepare the next group. His attention then shifted to the line of prisoners before him, their minds dulled by the drugs coursing through their veins.
These criminals were not from the Xaos Kingdom, which had become a beacon of opportunity and safety under Vlad’s rule. Public safety had reached unprecedented levels with Overlord’s oversight, making crime within the kingdom rare. Of course, there were always those whose cruelty and dangerous tendencies could not be stamped out, but they were isolated so they could no longer cause harm.
The prisoners that stood before Vlad had been captured during the war with the Azarin Empire. These men and women were guilty of heinous crimes—acts so unforgivable that even in times of war, they could not be overlooked. Many had committed atrocities against innocents, war crimes, and vile acts fueled by twisted ideologies. They were the type who hanged children for having "tainted blood."
There was no hesitation or mercy in Vlad’s cold eyes as he activated the runic formations around the room, marking each of the criminals’ souls for Hell. Once their souls were prepared, Vlad contacted the Legendary Devil to claim her offering. It didn’t take long for the entity’s overwhelming soul force to reach the Xaos Tower’s underground level.
Flames enveloped the group, and their cries of anguish were quickly silenced as their souls and bodies vanished, sent to a hellish domain where they would pay for their atrocities until their souls either faded or mutated.
Glass orbs, glowing with crimson light, materialized where their bodies had been. Each contained the essence of bloodlines far more powerful than those of the Mortal Tier.
Vlad’s expression remained neutral, though a small smile tugged at the corner of his lips as he collected the orbs. After leaving them in Jormungandr’s alchemy laboratory for purification and enhancement, he sent the order for more prisoners to be brought in. There was still much work to be done.
For the next week, Vlad continued the grim process, branding criminals and sending them to the Legendary Devil in Hell in exchange for Devil Champion Bloodlines. Each day, several batches of murderers, torturers, and fanatics reached the tower.
Vlad’s determination never wavered as he repeated the cycle, ensuring that those who had forsaken humanity and committed unspeakable acts had a final purpose: to serve as currency for bloodlines that would enhance the strength of the Xaos Kingdom’s soldiers.
By the time the process was complete, Vlad had amassed five hundred and forty-two new bloodlines. Each bloodline was ready to be implanted into soldiers, but that could not happen yet since they were all marked with the Legendary Devil’s spirit mark.
The bloodlines first needed to be purified and cleansed of the spiritual mark, and that’s where Jormungandr came in. While Vlad had been handling the prisoners and acquiring the bloodlines, the small yellow cat had been purifying them, but the process took time.
Although Vlad had finished his mission, Jormungandr had only purified about a fifth of the bloodlines, and another complication occurred.
"I’ll be able to purify a hundred more bloodlines before I run out of materials," Jormungandr said. His skills as an alchemy master were superb, but he needed specific components for the elixirs that would cleanse the devil bloodlines. No matter how skilled a craftsman was, they couldn’t make a door without wood.
"I understand," Vlad nodded to the small yellow cat before glancing at the energy pool in the center of the underground level. "Overlord, when will the next batch of resources arrive in the city?"
The forces of the Xaos Kingdom were constantly expanding, harvesting the resources of the lands they controlled and bringing most of them to Xaos City. The factories used these resources to produce potions, weapons, and artifacts.
"The Golden Wave is already on its way to the city, Prime Master, bringing with it a large supply of resources," Overlord responded promptly before adding, "However, Prime Master, there is a potential threat we need to discuss."