Read Novel Full Chapter 1405: Breaking the Limits
Chapter 1405: Breaking the Limits
The Sixth Layer of the Abyss: The Foundry Citadel.
Because of the active volcanoes, the fortress was perpetually choked with the stench of sulfur, battered by relentless gusts of scalding wind. To the denizens of the Abyss, this hellish landscape was perfectly mundane. Even Delilah had grown accustomed to it, though every breath still felt like inhaling a mouthful of fire.
Yet, there was a strange clarity to be found in the burn. Once that internal fire subsided, it left behind a refreshing sense of purity. This was the essence of the Scourge Wardens’ power—the ability to internalize the fury of a natural disaster. Enduring the incineration was the only way to temper one’s body and ascend to a higher state of being.
If I want to follow where Orion is going, I have to become an Archlord, Delilah thought, her resolve hardening. I have the territory, and the faith of the masses is accumulating. What I lack now is raw talent and potential.
She sat cross-legged in one of the Citadel’s basalt palaces. Before her lay a heavy sack filled to the brim with Banshee Crystals.
She had scoured the territory with the aid of the Conquest Legion to gather this hoard. It looked like a fortune, yet Delilah wasn’t certain it would be enough. Even devouring this entire mountain of crystals might not bridge the chasm between her current state and the rank of Archlord.
If becoming a Lord was a hurdle, becoming an Archlord was a sheer cliff face. Talent was important, but the accumulation of deep, foundational power mattered more. Fortunately, with the backing of the Stoneheart Horde and Orion himself, she didn’t lack resources; she only lacked the innate spark to ignite them.
Delilah took a deep breath and reached into the sack, consuming the Banshee Crystals one by one.
With every crystal ingested, the mark of the God-touched upon her grew more potent. It rewired her bloodline, fortified her constitution, and forcibly expanded her body’s limits. She knew this was necessary. If she wanted to be Orion’s right hand in managing the Sixth Layer, she needed the strength to back it up. Without the rank of Archlord, she would never command true respect from the "esteemed patrons" within the Conquest Legion.
Currently, they played nice and helped her gather resources, but that was entirely out of fear and respect for Orion. If his shadow were removed, a mere Legend-rank succubus like her would hold zero authority over such monsters.
Strength. I need strength.
Driven by urgency, Delilah accelerated the absorption. Soon, the palace echoed with the spectral wailing of banshees and the beguiling, melodic chants of a succubus, twisting together into a haunting hymn of power.
In the distance, atop the Four-Directional Tower, Xalathar glanced toward Delilah’s palace, grumbling to himself.
"What is the Master’s little succubus up to now?" he muttered. "That screeching is deafening. She isn’t going to blow herself up, is she? I have strict orders to keep her alive. Should I go check?"
As the Abyssal Dragon weighed his options, Standard-bearer Vex roused himself from his own meditation and looked toward the source of the noise.
"She is training," Vex stated flatly. "In the Abyss, it is common knowledge that Succubi and Weeping Banshees can devour one another to increase their power. You all brought her enough cultivation resources to drown a city. She might just break through to Archlord in a single push."
Compared to Xalathar, Vex had a deeper understanding of Abyssal mechanics. He wasn’t just a native; he carried inherited memories that gave him insight the dragon lacked.
"Hey, buddy," Xalathar asked, eyeing the Standard-bearer. "Are you close to hitting Archlord yourself?"
Vex’s aura felt heavier, more terrifying than most Archlords Xalathar had encountered.
"Not even close," Vex replied, his tone humble. "I have exceptional conditions here, but I haven’t been following the Master long enough. My foundation is too thin. I am still a long way from true Archlord status."
When Vex had pledged his sword to Orion, he was little more than an Alpha-level grunt. Even now, if he stripped away the supernatural buff of the Conquest Legion’s war banner, he was roughly on par with Delilah.
"Heh. If I were you, I’d just sleep all day," Xalathar scoffed enviously. "With that war banner, you’re practically invincible anyway. Why bother training?"
"You don’t understand," Vex said, shaking his head. "Precisely because I am the Standard-bearer, I must possess absolute strength of my own. You’re too relaxed, Xalathar. Go patrol the territory."
Ironically, while Xalathar envied the banner, Vex envied the dragon. Who else in existence had the privilege of nesting near Orion’s heart, drinking his very lifeblood to boost their potential without limit? Only the Abyssal Dragon, Xalathar, enjoyed such favor.
"Patrol the territory?" Xalathar’s eyes lit up with malicious glee. "Now that is a good idea. Any filth that refuses to bow to the Stoneheart Horde should be scrubbed from our land."
With a cackle, he took flight.
Minor Hell, Ashenheart Domain.
Orion was roused from a deep slumber by the Deputy Commander. Awakening alongside him were Leonidas, Alexander, and the others.
"Nothing catastrophic," the Deputy Commander said, cutting straight to the chase before anyone could panic. "The secret technique exclusive to the Champions Alliance has been finalized. I wanted to share it with you all immediately."
"Exclusive secret technique?" Leonidas asked, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "Since when was this happening?"
"Do you remember the Rite of the Three Idols?" The Deputy Commander ignored the Spartan, looking directly at Orion.
Orion nodded, a sharp glint appearing in his eyes. The Rite of the Three Idols was a technique he had seized from the wicked Demigod Tusha. It was an unconventional, left-hand path to achieving Archlord status. The original version manifested three fiend serpents similar to a ’body of faith.’ Orion had turned it over to the team for analysis, and it seemed they had finally finished refining it.
"We aren’t calling it the Rite of the Three Idols anymore," the Deputy Commander said solemnly. "It is now the Platinum Tri-Drake Effigy."
He continued, "As you can see, this technique will serve as one of the foundational resources for the Platinum Authority. The credit for its discovery goes to you, Orion. Since the five of us are Demigods and contributed to the Emerald Dream Realm campaign, we all get a complimentary copy."
The Deputy Commander handed out four scrolls, one to each of the Demigods present.
"From this point forward, any other member who wants the Platinum Tri-Drake Effigy will have to exchange resources or internal merit points to get it."
Rules were rules. The technique was hard-won, and its refinement had cost the Commander and Deputy Commander significant energy.
"The Platinum Tri-Drake Effigy contains two hidden backdoors," the Deputy Commander added, his voice dropping lower. "One is designed to counter Archlords, and the other is for Demigods. These are fail-safes for controlling subordinates and preventing betrayal or external theft. When you pass this technique down to your own people, you can set your own specific countermeasures within it."
Silence fell over the room. Orion and the others focused their attention on the scrolls in their hands.
The core of the Platinum Tri-Drake Effigy wasn’t the "Platinum" title; it was the "Tri-Drake" aspect. Upon learning the secret technique, the user would condense a draconic idol—a construct similar to a body of faith—tailored to their own specific attributes.