When Achilles arrived at this thought, the thought of his current actions of empowerment- of forging bonds that could never be broken between him and those he elevated…he could not help but wonder if all of this was by design.
The design of the power he wielded.
The power of the Adrastia Emperor King!
A being who could assimilate anything he touched, and now, true to the name of an Emperor King, that same power extended beyond himself.
It could elevate and empower those around him, creating a bond where one side would always look up to the other, as though those he empowered were destined to become his followers.
And so, the distinction of the Adrastia Emperor King was made clear.
His lineage had always promised terrifying abilities. Abilities that would only draw more and more beings to follow him.
Wherever he went in the future, there would be many who looked to him as nothing short of a King- because ridiculously, his own body was changing to be .
The aura he released.
His eyes literally shone gold and purple.
And even his mentality.
Hell, there was even a golden Crown Tattoo etched on his back!
This was what his lineage, growing ever more active in his body, whispered to him.
But Achilles still knew himself. He was not one to walk through this vast world as some self-important king who looked down on others.
What he cared for was Rose.
All he truly sought was to understand the Adrastia Emperor King Lineage, to uncover the truth behind why generations of his family had been hunted and killed.
The coming of the Ancient Ones would be but a backdrop to his quest for more assimilations!
Achilles knew that to survive the unknown, to stand against the powerful entities that would come for him, he had to grow stronger. And so, he would pursue the assimilations of Ancient Ones relentlessly.
Yes- amidst the shifting currents of power of his Lineage, there were relationships that would inevitably change, but there was one relationship that seemed incapable of alteration.
His relationship with Rose.
It remained the one constant in a world where everything else was bound to shift!
These were the thoughts of the Ninth Adrastia Emperor King as he granted a terrifying elevation of power to others.
Waves of power surged around Major David and Eloise as they stood at the cusp of transformation, their bodies already resonating with an astounding number of 81 Meridians as they were forging fantastical Physiologies they did not even know existed before.
Achilles, as the source of this induction, and perhaps due to the increasing activity of his Adrastia Emperor King Lineage, began to see fragments of knowledge unfurl before his eyes.
[The Ymirian Frost Giant Ethereal Physiology is being established within the Assimilation Subject Eloise Antoinette.]
[The Lava Titan Ethereal Physiology is being established within the Assimilation Subject David Onigawi.]
Above Eloise, waves of glacial cold gathered, coalescing into illusory stars that sparkled like frozen diamonds.
Above Major David, heat billowed and swirled, forming lava-like suns that burned with fierce intensity.
[The level of Existence Corruption of the subject, Eloise Antoinette, has reached a level where no further assimilation is recommended at this moment.]
[The level of Existence Corruption of the subject, David Onigawi, has reached a level where no further assimilation is recommended at this moment.]
They had started somewhat weaker, but now their progress of assimilation had halted at 70%, just before reaching the First Echelon of the Primordial Energy Source as their threshold for Existence Corruption was a bit weaker.
From mere Minor Meridian Transformation, they had ascended to become Major Ethereal Physiology Masters, and after Biological Nurturing IV, they would also be Apex Ethereal Physiology Masters!
Their faces were etched with disbelief as they glanced at one another and then at Achilles.
They truly did not know how to process what had just occurred.
And as they grappled with this newfound power, the Territorial Domain III stirred once more as Selene and Major Inu entered.
Their steps were quiet, their conversation hushed, but the moment they saw the scenes within…all words died on their lips.
What followed next was inevitable!
A few minutes passed, and the waves of surging Primordial Energy finally stilled.
Achilles barely felt the expenditure as not even a tenth of his seas of Primordial Energy had been drained, and they were already regenerating at an alarming rate.
But within the confines of the Territorial Domain III, the figures that stood before him told a stunning story.
Rose. Luna. Selene. Major Inu. Major David. Eloise.
All of them now stood as Advanced Humans of tremendous power.
Six figures, each possessing a solid star above them, marking them as Apex Ethereal Physiology Masters.
Above Selene, a silver, mirror-like star with wings unfurled and radiated a lustrous light.
Major Inu's world seemed to have shifted as above him, a dazzling solid white star spun gracefully, a radiant halo crowning its brilliance.
Six Apex Ethereal Physiology Masters.
It begged the question, just how many such beings existed in the entire Colony City of Neon?
Achilles' gaze swept over them, his expression unreadable as beside him, Rose stood powerfully.
Luna, ever the bridge between him and others stepped forward to speak, but Achilles raised his hand and stopped her.
His eyes turned to Major David, Eloise, Major Inu, and Selene.
And he spoke out with a silent, inherent authority.
"Not long ago," he began, "you four sought to recruit me to fight for your cause. Today…I have recruited you to fight for mine."
There was no need for pretense. No need to soften the truth.
They had come this far as there was no turning back now.
The four he addressed lifted their heads, complex emotions swirling in their eyes as he continued.
"This world is about to descend into chaos, with the Ancient Ones coming at an accelerated rate. And when they do, Advanced Humans like the ones I see now who dare to defy them will be slaughtered like cattle unless there are powerful Transcendents who can stand against them. Unless there are beings who have surpassed even Apex Ethereal Physiology."
His words echoed in the stillness as they were heavy!
His purple and gold pupils shone with the luminous flames of royalty as he seemed like an authoritative figure talking to his soldiers.
"I will fight them. And you…you will help share that burden. So that millions of lives are not lost in the days and months to come."
After he said this. he found himself pausing as if he had to make something clear.
"I am no saint, and I have no desire to be a hero. But I cannot sit idle while innocents die."
Memories flashed through his mind.
The countless families who had lost loved ones to Evolutius Beasts.
He did not speak of his father.
That was a different mystery that would be unraveled when he grew strong enough to uncover the truth.
"So, let us fight against the horrors that will come, and when you face the Ancient Ones…"
A chilling light glinted in his eyes as it sent a shiver down the spines of Major David, Eloise, Major Inu, and Selene!
"Preserve their bodies for me."
Preserve their bodies!
Such words left many things to the imagination as on this day, the Ninth Adrastia Emperor King began making grand moves.
And from his single move that took less than an hour…terrifying Advanced Humans of a different caliber were born in the Colony City of Neon!