Chapter 327: Humanity’s Paragon

[Phase Three of the Contest of Champions—Race Ascendancy—will begin in one month.]

[The Homeworld’s 826 Human Champions will represent their Realm.]

[Human Realms participating in Sector 666 include the Homeworld, Fivefold Heaven, the Ninefold Sanctum, Veilmist Reach, Caladris, Shatterstar Reach...]

[Race Ascendancy is a Legion contest. Battle format: Free Progression.]

[Racial and individual rewards will be determined by Humanity’s placement among the races and each participant’s contribution. Select to view rules.]

[All combat casualties during the Contest of Champions are real.]

"There really is a chance to open the Racial Gates ahead of time."

Cassian opened the reward rules and read down the list. One entry stopped him.

A Legendary title.

Humanity’s Paragon.

His eyes lit up.

"That makes First Champion look modest."

Better still, it could take effect alongside his Gold Battle Name, Godslayer.

DEVOUR had given him extraordinary personal advantages. It did not supply the constant army-wide attribute bonus of an A-grade War Talent. In that respect, his troops had started thirty to forty percent behind those of Lords like Darian.

Godslayer had made up the difference when fueled with premium Aether Crystals. If he added Humanity’s Paragon, his army’s inherent advantages could surpass even Darian’s.

Then he read the conditions, and his expression grew more serious.

He would have to distinguish himself among the Human Champions and lead Humanity into the top hundred races in this contest.

Humanity had a hundred and eight Realms. The Ninefold Sanctum, Caladris, Shatterstar Reach—many were far stronger than the Homeworld, with more talented Lords than he could count.

And this contest would extend far beyond War Realm 77. It would draw from the races of the universe. He might even meet Divine Dragons or Phoenixes: Lords born Mythic.

Free Progression allowed participants to clear stages alone or form groups. That was the freedom in its name. The race’s final performance would still depend on its combined strength. There was no clever shortcut around that.

"I could use more strength."

Cassian considered what he had.

A Peace Shell was terrifying, but its long cooldown made repeated use difficult. Against truly powerful enemies, its killing power was less decisive. Lethria was formidable too, yet one Mythic Faerie Dragon could not do everything.

At least the Domain was close to another advance. With thousands of Legendary Farmers working for him, Rank XVI should be possible within days. That would raise the troop Level limit again.

"And perhaps the Firstborn Gate will offer something useful. A Mythic Troop Sigil would be ideal."

Troop Sigils, Hero Sigils, Domain Advancement Writs—such items were among the most valuable Mythic goods, and among the rarest.

While he weighed his options, the Homeworld Channel filled with discussion.

[Weren’t there 837 Human Champions? Why does it say 826 now?]

Western Beacon immediately found someone to blame.

[Ask Cassian. We lost four Human Champions in the naval war alone, including Colonel Corbett. We’ve said it before: that man is a disaster for the Homeworld.]

Divine Province did not accept the accusation. Neither did anyone outside Western Beacon seem interested in supporting it.

Walter of Norman Province soon spoke.

[There’s little point arguing. Race Ascendancy is a concern for great Human Realms like Fivefold Heaven and Caladris. It’s far beyond our Homeworld.]

[Exactly. Whatever rank Humanity takes, it won’t make much difference to us.]

Others saw further ahead.

[It affects our place in the All-Races Rankings. Our Racial Fortune. Given enough time, it could even add new Buildings to every Human Lord’s Heart.]

That was true.

When a race accumulated enough Fortune, it could establish new standard Buildings in the Lord’s Heart. A Rare Griffin Aerie, for example, might become a permanent part of the Rank-XII Human template.

Any Human Lord who reached that Rank could then build one and recruit Griffins through it, paying the normal costs. They would no longer have to compete for a scarce Blueprint before they could develop that troop line.

At present, Rare troops remained valuable main forces even in the Sixth Realm. Their Building Blueprints commanded excellent prices.

The Divines, Angels, Demons, and Machines had already secured such advantages for their races. The Divines were even considering how to add the Epic Soulhunter to their standard Buildings.

As for the Eternals, stories claimed their Lords could unlock Mythic troop Buildings upon reaching a certain Rank.

Stories. Few Humans could verify them.

Race Ascendancy could shape the future of Humanity. Achieving such changes, however, took tens of thousands of years of accumulation. The Legion Contest’s immediate benefits to a Realm were far easier for ordinary Lords to appreciate.

Apart from the Crown Champions with a personal stake in it, most soon lost interest. The conversation returned to the Contest of the First Age.

Cassian finished checking the Domain’s recent development, then made an announcement of his own.

"Open Ghost One and the Clearjade Pool to everyone. The Tavern will serve as much food as you want. Essential duties aside, all Heroes and troops have the day off."

He covered the usual passage fees for those visiting the ship.

Cheers rose across the Domain. Months of campaigning had worn on him, and he had enjoyed far more opportunities to rest than his troops. They had earned a day to themselves.

After a moment’s thought, he contacted Nessa.

"Come over. I have something for you."

Ten minutes later, she left with five hundred Eclipse Chapterhouse Blueprints and a smile she could not suppress. She went straight through to Southreach, plainly eager to show her relatives what she had brought.

Cassian had charged her nothing.

Producing the full Blueprints had cost him five million Muster Fortune. He had paid it from the Hall’s accumulated reserves. He also spoke to Mira, opening Divine Province’s resource points to whatever building materials the Fenwicks needed.

His one requirement was simple: build all five hundred Chapterhouses within three days, then keep recruiting Eclipse troops around the clock, with the normal recruitment costs paid.

He wanted Muster Fortune, as much and as quickly as the branches could generate it. Before Race Ascendancy began, he hoped to bring Veyra’s Mistveil March from Greater Mastery to Lesser Perfection.

An A-grade training art at that stage could add hundreds of thousands of attribute points. That was a prize worth investing in.

A week passed quickly.

Then a flood of messages suddenly appeared in the Homeworld Channel.

[Windward Isle is open again! Finally!]

[Who kept sealing the whole island? Do Legendary scrolls cost them nothing?]

[I thought we’d never get out!]

[We paid all that Aether to gather coins, then spent months cut off from everyone. What kind of expedition was this?]

With Cassian no longer renewing the scrolls, the seals had expired. Many of the Lords trapped inside had learned almost nothing about the wider struggle. Recovering their communications felt like seeing daylight again.

[We should be glad we’re alive. Golden Lion and Gaul lost almost half their fighting strength.]

Gavin Roswell chose that moment to address them.

[Gavin Roswell: Lords of Windward Isle, this entire disaster was planned by Cassian. Divine Province even used the confusion to launch a Peace Strike on Blackmere.]

[Gavin Roswell: Western Beacon paid an immense price to drive them out. You may now hunt in peace.]

Gaul’s Governor, Lucien Marceau, was less interested in the speech than in his losses.

[Lucien Marceau: Our forces have suffered badly. We need to bring another group of Lords into Sunhaven.]

[Gavin Roswell: My apologies, Lord Marceau. Our agreement was for ten thousand Lords.]

[Lucien Marceau: We’ve lost a great many of them.]

[Gavin Roswell: Cassian is responsible for those losses. You are welcome to seek compensation from Divine Province.]

After months of disruption, Gavin wanted every hunting ground he could keep. Let more foreign Lords in to compete for the remaining coins? He had no intention of doing that.

Lucien could do nothing about Western Beacon’s refusal. Demanding money from Cassian would accomplish even less. He could only swallow the loss.

Cassian closed the Channel and opened his Lord’s Hall panel.

"Advance to Rank XVI. Complete immediately."