Chapter 376 - Meteor (Patreon)

Izabella sighed and relaxed a bit as she leaned back on the chair.

“He’s living his dream. Chained to bed, and mating all day long.”

“Oh?”

Arsène raised an eyebrow. He didn't know the exact plan of the Blood Church's design for Marvin. It didn't matter. He asked because of simple curiosity.

“Should I say as expected of royal blood? His seed is strong. I wouldn't be surprised if the guy already had a couple of brats with all the women he had been bedding before you bagged him.”

“...You are using him as a stud horse?”

Izabella said the Blood Church is undergoing an expansion. He thought it was recruiting people or the like, not making literal babies. But when Arsène thought about it, morality aside, it wasn't entirely illogical. Marvin's superb bloodline carried benefits and potential.

The MC being strong because of his papa, or grandpa, or some other dude somewhere above in the lineage tree, was a common trope in the xianxia novels.

Basically, the Blood Church was injecting itself into that lineage. It would take years and decades before it bore fruit, but not a bad plan, in the villain’s opinion. As a prisoner, the prince couldn't refuse either. An organization such as the Blood Church which has lasted for more than a thousand years definitely has ways to encourage pregnancy.

“And other things as well, eventually. You should know there’s a line outside his room, you know. Because of drugs and stuff, Marvin had been going for a couple of days nonstop.”

“Are there that many nuns desperate for babies in your church?” Arsène tried not to imagine it.

“Oh no, silly. Most just want to get some of his essence for their own benefit.”

“...Oh. So that’s how it is.”

It was basically the so-called dual cultivation. Arsène knew the technique existed in this world. Usually, it was a dude who slept with a woman with a special body to get a jump in cultivation. The reverse could also be true.

As a person with a high level of cultivation and a strong bloodline, the Level 4 was a tempting subject. The Blood Church might even put a fee or merit requirement to allow its disciples to ‘use’ the prince. But if that was the case, Arsène couldn't imagine Marvin would stay a Level 4 for long.

The Blood Church wasn't a sex cult but they had quite a… tolerant view on the subject of man and woman creating life.

“The ones willing to bear children are mostly the lesser members. They would get support and benefits from the higher-ups. Once they gave birth, they didn't even need to take care of the child. The church will do it. If they bore an exceptional offspring, the mother would be showered with power and status, changing their fate. It has happened before.”

“Wow… that’s some next-level stuff right there.” Arsène instinctively opened his mouth. “Are you… you know.”

“What? Me? No no. I will not debase myself with that lowlife. He might be a prince but he’s only good for churning out babies. I am perfectly capable of selecting a worthy personage for my first partner, thank you very much.”

Izabella soon realized she just divulged a very personal matter.

“A-at any rate, my wounds hurt so I’ll end the transmission here! Good day!” Izabella cut the feed of the magic item in a flustered hurry.

Arsène stayed still even after the magical video call ended for a while, digesting what he heard.

Then he thought about the little nephews and nieces Croix would have next year. If this got out, and it will, what would happen to the royal bloodline and its status? How many children would be eligible for a dragon egg in the future? What would this mean for the noble caste in the Latias Kingdom?

Arsène had no answer.

After a while, he took a cup of water and raised it.

“...Well, Prince Marvin, favored of the gods, congratulations, champ. Your dreams come true, just not the way you wish for it. No hard feelings, yeah?”

***

This should be far enough.

Viers swam the sea with the speed and agility of a fish. His water 5 affinity made manipulating water all around him, to propel him forward, child’s play. Humans were a species without gills but breathing wasn't an issue for him; he had mastered an Arte for underwater breathing long ago.

He had a strategy to force his opponent underwater so he could engage in a contest of who could hold his breath longer. However, because Viers was getting strong too quickly, his opponents usually didn't even warrant the hassle and got defeated the normal way.

Perhaps in the future, there will be an occasion for the strategy. Even for Pathseekers with affinity other than water there exist ways to survive underwater longer than humanly possible, even an Unreality Field could do it. The caveat was it would be more taxing for them compared to a true water Pathseeker like him and diluting their focus, which could determine victory and defeat.

For now, under the sea Viers went. He was far enough from the possible surveillance from the coast. Freed from watching eyes, Viers transformed into a more hydrodynamic form, the Devadom Orca. A black and white devil of the seas. Its purple eyes ever-radiated the aloofness of an apex predator.

A Rank 3 monster, far from the peak potential of the mighty adult alpha of the species, yet thinking of the deva-class monster as a mere monster was the reason for the demise of uncountable hunters. Furthermore, with a human intellect behind the powerful monster physique, the lethality of this monster was off the charts.

Viers chose this form instead of the dragon because the dragon was far too conspicuous. As an orca adept in wielding water and space, this form was more fitting for the reconnaissance job.

The water dragon and the Devadom Orca, combat-wise, these two were the mightiest forms in Viers’ transformation list. Which was stronger was hard to say since Viers couldn't just pit the two together in an underwater arena. Still, he believed the dragon was a bit stronger, spec wise.

With increased speed, Orca-Viers traversed further into the open ocean.

Influenced by underwater movies, like the classic Little Mermaid to the modern Aquaman, Viers looked forward to seeing breathtaking sights, but the tidal wave had left a vast amount of destruction in its wake. A shame, but Viers searched for the fallen meteorite undaunted.

The sea’s ambient mana was chaotic, because of the meteor no doubt. This resulted in abnormal currents, poor visibility, and all sorts of things. The native monsters were all agitated, easily provoked. However, Viers’ presence made the lesser monsters stay away, knowing their place in the food chain. In these parts of the sea, none should be able to challenge him.

But the situation was not normal so Viers kept his senses sharp. He’d lost his soul sense because of the transformation but his inborn echolocation, magic-enhanced vision, primal instinct, and spatial sensing sufficiently filled the hole it left behind.

Following the trails of destruction, Viers eventually found the stone from the heavens.

In a crater at the deep seabed, there was a cracked rock the size of a building. Many smaller fragments of the rock had broken off during or after the fall, scattered all over the place.

The crater was not desolate. On the contrary, it was as if every fish and its grandmother was drawn into the place. From the most humble of krill to the monster shark, all participated in the mad festival.

A feeding frenzy of thousands and thousands.

There was something in the meteor that caused this. Even Viers felt his monster instinct tugged by it. From the cracked exterior of celestial rock, Viers saw different colored luminescent gray materials reminiscent of shiny minerals.

That gray thing was slowly changing the color of the water around it, like a sugar cube placed into water. Viers was no space scientist so he didn't know what was what but as a monster who had a natural sense towards anything good to grow himself, he wanted nothing more than to soak in the energy that the fallen meteor released.

His hunger spiked, and lo, so many prey in front of him.

As for the party currently unfolding down there, he wasn't late to the party but he clearly wasn't the first batch to arrive.

Viers threw his hat into the ring after a period of observation. It was a tall order to suppress his monster instincts but he’d done it. He sought out the strongest contenders, the greatest threats.

There were a few Rank 4 monsters right now. Undoubtedly more will come and he wasn't discounting Rank 5s paying a visit. However, those things usually reside further in the depths. The Rank 4s got a wide berth from the weaker monsters. Although, it didn't stop them to put even Rank 3s into their mouths every so often.

A Mosasaur-looking thing, an Anomalocaris look-alike, one mean horned otter, and a lightning-clad catfish.

Viers wasn't looking forward to tango with any of them. In a what if scenario, if all other monsters here swarmed them together, even they would be eaten. Even an elephant could be felled if enough ants attack it. Still, unless controlled, the small fish wouldn't do that.

Those Rank 4s carved a territory for themselves near the meteorite with sufficient distance from other Rank 4. They might think it wasn't the time to be fighting yet.

Viers bolted forward like a torpedo launched from a nuclear submarine straight at the Oceanic Super Bowl.

His entrance invited hostile reactions from those not of his camp, which meant everyone, even from the few other whales. Viers swam with the momentum and haughtiness of a massive container truck with a care-nothing driver.

Small sardines went splat. Tunas became roadkills. Even a monster the size of the Great White Shark struck dead. The full-powered charge of Orca-Viers was no joke. All the other Rank 3s were unable to react on time.

Then the otter stood before him. This monstrosity was bigger than him, bigger than the Blue Whale. The otter was about to swat down the upstart little whale that reached above his status with its giant paw.

Viers winked out.

Viers reappeared behind the otter.

Orca-Viers used Blink.

A skill straight from the Anti-Mage, only, his range was greater and his cooldown was faster. Unlike in the game, there was no limit on how good he could make his ability after all. You either could do it or could not.

Viers could.

Even though the meteorite was right in front of him, Viers didn't slow down in the slightest. Assuming the rock was sturdy, Viers would have used up all of his life’s luck if the crash sent him to the ICU and not straight to heaven.

Naturally, Viers didn't plan on committing suicide or losing his orca form. Under the watchful gaze of hundreds of thousands of marine animals, Viers teleported again.

This time, they didn't see him reappear.

Viers was inside the meteor’s hollow pocket, something he sensed with the orca's spatial sense.

The power inside the brilliant crystal cavern that seemed to consist entirely of diamonds, was incomparable from the outside. The place was glowing with enough light for normal eyes, blinding even. What those dumb fishes fought on was only the scrap that leaked from the meteorite’s core. The residues and dregs.

As a being of higher intellect, Viers was aiming for the dragon’s share.

Viers assumed human form in this waterless place and walked. He was marveling at the integrity of the cavern that still holds after planetfall but only for a short while, for the grandest of prizes of this meteorite was within arm’s reach.

In the center of the crystal hollow, there was a massive pillar that reached the ceiling from the floor, close to a hundred meters. At the middle of the hourglass-shaped pillar, was a rainbow crystal the size of his thumb.

“Such a small thing.”

The power inside that thing was humongous. Viers didn't dare to touch it lightly.

If I feed this thing to Boram, will he jump to Level 5?