Read Novel Full Chapter 1531: A Mentor’s Summons
Chapter 1531: A Mentor’s Summons
"Your Highness, we need a larger population, specifically races with an aptitude for combat and administration."
They say proximity breeds resemblance. Having followed Elara since childhood, Anubis’s foresight and capabilities had grown far beyond what they once were. He had become exactly what Dirtclaw had hoped for when he first sent them away—powerful and brimming with wisdom.
"We can only allow the kin provided by the Horde to multiply and develop naturally," he continued. "We have no right to enslave them."
The followers in this world had been harvested to the bone; ninety-nine percent of all sentient life was extinct. Elara’s grand ambitions—or even a simple desire for manual labor—were thwarted by a complete lack of manpower. Without laborers or thralls to shoulder the grueling work required in a territory’s infancy, getting the domain up and running was an impossible dream.
"The comprehensive survey and exploration of this land are still underway. Though we have existing settlements, resource gathering and management have yet to officially begin."
"The regional defensive fortifications remain completely intact. The First Legion is garrisoned there for the time being, so there shouldn’t be any unrest."
"The next step is drafting a blueprint for our future expansion. Every move from here on out must be carefully considered and steadily executed."
Elara didn’t answer him directly. Looking down over her domain, she murmured to herself, calculating how to truly breathe life into this territory and where to even begin. She had personally witnessed the rise and fall of an entire world, and while her experience was vast, it amounted to little more than theory without people to execute her will. She had never known the true cost of leadership until now. Standing in her own fiefdom, she finally understood why her mother, Lilith, had spent her days buried in endless statecraft, rarely leaving her chambers.
Her thoughts were shattered by a deafening draconic roar echoing from the horizon. The phantom silhouette of a colossal dragon flashed in the distance.
Before Elara or Anubis could react, Leonidas tore through the air, hovering right before them.
"Niece! Your mentor has arrived!" he boomed. "The old man is over at the Agaman Diocese repairing the realm-warding arrays."
He grinned. "He sent word that he wants to personally test your progress. Wants you to go see him immediately."
Leonidas didn’t give Elara a chance to reply. His projection dissolved into streaks of light, fading into nothingness. He was only there to deliver the message and had no time for idle chatter. Given his current status, he shouldn’t have had to run errands himself; he had hundreds of ways to transmit a message. But considering the deep ties between Elara and the Deputy Commander, he made the trip personally as a sign of respect.
"Mentor is here too?" Out on the balcony, Elara’s eyes lit up. In that fleeting moment, the insurmountable dead-end of her territory’s development seemed to crack, letting in a ray of dawn. Orion and the Stoneheart Horde had already granted her so much that she couldn’t bring herself to ask for more. But from her beloved mentor? Elara knew she could definitely wring out a few advantages.
"Anubis, come!" she ordered. "We ride for the Agaman Diocese to welcome my mentor!"The Titanion Realm, City of Blessings.
Deep within the royal palace of the Blood Elves, the broodmother Laito began to exhibit an incredibly high intellect after ravenously consuming a vast hoard of resources. Meticulously fed by the Elven King, Rommath, it had successfully shed its old husk, completing an evolution that massively expanded its size.
Now roughly three feet long, the broodmother Laito circled Rommath relentlessly, behaving like an overly affectionate pet. As it scurried around, it suddenly burrowed into the ground, occasionally popping its head up a short distance away to stare unblinkingly at Rommath with expectant eyes.
This wasn’t the first time it had displayed such peculiar behavior.
Rommath strode forward and crouched down, studying the broodmother he had poured his blood and sweat into raising. A flicker of doubt crossed his eyes.
"Hope, do you want to go play outside?"
The broodmother Laito nodded first, then shook its head.
In truth, thanks to the bonds of their pact, he could easily communicate with Rommath telepathically. But Laito knew full well that his current guise was that of a newly born broodmother. He couldn’t appear too mature, nor could he betray a hint of independent thought. He had to rely on this theatrical pantomime, gradually baiting Rommath into his trap step by step.
Seeing this, the confusion in Rommath’s eyes deepened. Suddenly, Laito dove back into the earth, re-emerging with a chunk of unrefined arcanite ore—stone meant for the palace’s foundation—clamped in its jaws. It obediently placed the stone into Rommath’s palm. Then, it turned and made a show of crawling toward the palace gates.
The intent couldn’t have been clearer. Laito was demonstrating his innate talent for finding treasure; he wanted to take Rommath outside on a "treasure hunt."
"Basic arcanite ore?" Rommath murmured. "I recall this material was used to lay the palace foundations. It should be buried incredibly deep."
He looked down in wonder. "Little one, how on earth did you dig this up? Could it be... you possess a natural affinity for unearthing treasure?"
Hearing Rommath’s deduction, the broodmother Laito nodded frantically. It pointed its fleshy tail directly toward the palace doors, blinking its eyes as it gazed up at the Elven King with a pitiful expression.
"You want to go outside? Have you sensed other treasures?"Yet, within the deepest, darkest ocean of the broodmother’s consciousness, a hysterical roar echoed.
Vile elf... pathetic insect... Elven King, my foot! You’re nothing but a cowardly, useless wretch!
To lead you by the nose, you imbecile, the great Insect King Laito sacrificed his own wisdom and dignity, writhing in the dirt like a literal bug!
Three days... Three whole days! I gave you the most obvious hints imaginable, and it took you until now to realize! Damn it all, you incurable half-wit! Dumb as a pig!
The broodmother Laito cursed Rommath’s sheer density ten thousand times over in his heart. Ultimately, the Elven King’s ignorance stemmed from the fact that this was his first time ever rearing the swarm; he had zero experience to draw upon. Had it been someone like Lilith, a true master of beast-taming, no amount of disguise would have saved Laito from being seen through at a single glance.
I’ve already shown him my immense talent for treasure-hunting. Now, all I have to do is dig up some random scrap metal during our ’hunt’ to placate this blasted elf, and I’ll have the perfect excuse to launch my search for the anchor bases!
The Swarm established three hidden foothold bases when descending upon this world. I just need to find out if one of them is hidden on this continent.
If I can just infiltrate a foothold and forcefully sabotage the convergence of the two realms, I can completely shatter the current balance. When the two worlds violently collide, it will be the dawn of infinite chaos!
Only when all the factions and powerhouses are dragged into a bloodbath will I be able to fish in troubled waters, seize the opportunity to rise, and tear the enemies who dared scheme against me to pieces!
Hahaha... Anyone who crosses the great Laito, be they foreign races or traitors within the Swarm, will die!
Hahaha...
Laito brimmed with absolute confidence. This assurance stemmed from his successful awakening and his inheritance of the ancient legacy left behind in the Awakening Void. Nesting under Rommath’s banner gave him a legitimate, flawless disguise, allowing him to gather his strength out in the open without drawing suspicion.
Believing he was hidden in the deepest of shadows, he remained utterly convinced that he would emerge as the ultimate victor in the cataclysm of the converging realms.
The Dreamlands, the Second Stratum.
Just as Orion had hoped, the strikes of the great hammer grew increasingly savage and lethal with every blow.
Under the apocalyptic bombardment, Orion’s phantom will was being forcibly forged, inch by inch, into his corporeal vessel.
It was a brutally agonizing process. Searing pain tore through every inch of his nerves, yet within that torment, he felt an unprecedented surge of ecstasy. The agony wracked both his flesh and his soul, the deafening echoes of the hammer resonating relentlessly through the depths of Orion’s consciousness.
"Divine crystal as the furnace, soul intent as the spark!" a voice thundered.
"To think a powerhouse of the demigod echelon would have a phantom will safeguarding their being!"
Enduring a torment beyond mortal comprehension, Orion managed to grit his teeth and weather the two-thousandth strike.
Exactly as before, the titan hoisted the sky-blotting warhammer high, ravenously devouring the surrounding laws of reality to build momentum for the decisive blow.
All the while, the titan glared fixedly at the Death-Soul vessel below. Its vast, starry eyes were filled with an unconcealable mixture of awe and wild jubilation.