The Glorious Evolution

Meanwhile, in the Shadow Dimension.

”Hound, Fang... we might have a problem.”

Rain sent them the recording that one of his spiritually controlled Daywalkers took near the supply lot... they investigated the routes for their next attack... instead, they found mercenaries emerging from the portals!

The Hound watched calmly until the Blazewarden appeared... his expression turned cold as he contacted their master without another word.

A few minutes later, Bishop Na’thir received the recordings and ordered them to postpone the attack while he checked the newcomers through his contacts in the mercenary market.

The answer left him displeased... Levi hired all the squads for one Boundless year.

Six months on Earth.

”Withdraw from Heliodor,” he instructed his three elites in an irked tone. ”The next attack is canceled.”

Fang fell silent... clearly not fond of how short-lived the excitement of the invasions was.

The Bishop had no intention of investing in a larger assault just to fight people Levi paid to take his place... his unaffiliated loyal elites were too valuable to risk against the hired force and Heliodor’s remaining defenders together.

”Return and prepare for when their contracts expire... Rain, keep your puppets watching and away from them... I want to know if Levi returns or hires anyone else.”

Na’thir wasn’t pleased about giving Levi more time either... but continuing an expensive campaign that failed to lure him out was hardly a better choice.

He already knew Levi had deep pockets, but he didn’t expect him to have so much that he could afford this battalion of mercenaries without affecting his development.

This made him understand that Levi simply couldn’t afford both for too long... hence, the six-month duration... either he prioritized his evolutionary path and the territories’ maintenance, or the protection of his region.

Although it wasn’t the main purpose of their invasions, he expected this reaction from Levi and accounted for it... which was the reason he wasn’t so bothered.

They fulfilled the secondary objective... slowing down Levi’s rapid improvement.

***

Over the next few Earth days, Heliodor’s defenders continued expecting another attack... but none came, to their relief.

The mercenaries escorted repair crews through the damaged districts and accompanied supplies to the settlements, allowing the agencies to rotate their exhausted squads.

Repair crews cleared roads and replaced temporary lights, and families began leaving the crowded shelters wherever their homes were safe enough to return to.

The fallen settlement’s survivors weren’t as fortunate... they would need somewhere to live long after repair crews restored the capital’s streets.

Still, for the first time since the invasion, the Council could work through its emergency requests without another disaster interrupting them.

”Neither Fang nor the other two have appeared...” Valemont told Levi during their next call. ”Ysara’s people are still investigating, but it seems your mercenaries have discouraged them.”

”I’m glad they’re helping.”

Levi frowned, knowing that the Bishop wouldn’t have stopped his elites unless he saw the strength of the mercenaries.

”But you should check for spies... the Bishop shouldn’t have had access to the mercenaries so fast unless he has eyes around you.”

”I have already put Ysara on it.”

High Chancellor Valemont nodded in agreement.

Although he had no clue that the entire global invasion was because of Levi’s conflict with the Bishop, he still found it a bit odd that no further attacks occurred when their region should have been much weaker on paper.

”Good... I will leave you be, Sir.”

Levi’s expression eased slightly, and he hung up. He understood that the High Chancellor wasn’t some idiot he could advise on how to run the region or protect it.

He was a well-established legend in their region, and a reliable one at that... with the mercenaries under his wing, Levi no longer feared for his home’s safety.

At least, not for the next six months.

Levi intended the mercenaries to give Heliodor time to recover... He wasn’t going to let protecting his home become a permanent expense that the same Bishop who kept threatening it controlled.

His attention returned to the saved recordings of the attack.

’Fang, Rain, and the Hound... we need to deal with them before these contracts expire.’ Levi frowned coldly.

He recognized that Bishop Na’thir didn’t pose much of a threat to his region outside of the CRS Platform... unless he was willing to go to war with his mercenaries against Levi’s mercenaries.

He wasn’t someone who would waste his resources this wantonly without a plan.

Hence, killing his three servants would be a massive blow to his unaffiliated ’missions’, which currently put pressure on him.

”I thought I could chill and evolve slowly to master my unlocked aspects... but clearly, they have to try me.”

Levi spoke coldly as he contacted his friends, asking them to gather at Jasmine’s territory.

He knew it was time to go on the offensive for once against Bishop Na’thir, and if he wanted to do so, he had to evolve to Warden rank with at least one Origin Seed.

...

”You’re planning to hunt all three?”

Arthur’s excitement faded somewhat when Levi finished explaining... he wanted those fuckers dead as much as his brother did, but the Hound’s involvement made it impossible to treat this as another raid.

After all, he was a Blazewarden... three ranks above Levi.

”We have one Boundless year to prepare ourselves...” Levi answered sternly. ”My goal is Warden rank with one seed, or two if I get lucky hunting for materials... as for you?”

”What do you need us to do?” Shia asked.

Levi pointed at Jojo, Shia, and Nurah and didn’t hesitate to give out his order.

”Reach Solarbound.”

”...”

The cruelty of his condition stunned even Arthur and Jasmine.

”Whoever joins the operation against the elites needs to be at least Solarbound,” Levi continued. ”Except for Jasmine... she can handle herself with her Limited Dominion if things go south.”

Although the girls weren’t too pleased with his condition, as they knew how challenging it was going to be to break through to Solarbound rank, they couldn’t really complain.

They fought against Fang’s and Rain’s clones in the Faction event... just their Warden-ranked clones were enough to absolutely ruin them.

Don’t even mention daring to face them at the Solarbound Evolution Stage... people believed they went through perfect evolutions, since their strength was too high even compared to those at the same rank and stage.

That’s why Levi said Solarbound rank was the minimum... after all, getting a Dominion didn’t mean they had what it took to defeat either of these monsters.

”What about me?” Arthur pointed at himself.

”You’re out of the operation.”

”What?!”

”Your Seed still needs to finish converting... then you have to go through reconstruction before you can evolve to Solarbound.” Levi’s tone left little room for negotiation. ”Until Elder tells us you’re ready, you’re not joining the hunt.”

”Then I’ll come as a Warden! You’re planning to fight them at that rank yourself!”

Arthur couldn’t accept Levi’s decision to exclude him before they even started preparing... especially when Levi intended to go after the same bastards who kept trying to kill him.

He accepted the Origin Seed because he wanted to stand beside his brother... now, waiting for it became the very reason Levi would leave him behind.

”I have my own preparations to make before I can fight them,” Levi replied. ”Your evolution has to wait for Elder... arguing with me won’t change that.”

Arthur wanted to demand that he wait as well, but the words never left his mouth... he knew what keeping those three alive meant for everyone back home.

Levi gave him a moment before addressing the others.

”You’ll return to the Raids without me. Nurah, you’re in command... contact Rayan and test him for the replacement spot. If he isn’t good enough, find someone who is.”

Levi spoke in his captain’s voice, giving each order without inviting a discussion... hundreds of people died back home, and he had no patience left for complaints about how difficult their preparations would be.

”Arthur, follow Elder’s instructions and use the waiting period to improve your techniques and judgment. The conversion doesn’t stop you from training.”

Arthur abandoned the argument he prepared... he knew that tone. His brother already explained his decision, and repeating his objections would accomplish nothing.

The girls understood as well... Levi wasn’t discussing some distant goal they could pursue whenever they felt ready. Enemies attacked their home, their families fought for their lives, and the people responsible were still out there.

He spent a million credits to buy them this year of preparation to help defend their region without becoming a liability... he already did enough.

”All of you said you wanted to fight alongside me and keep up...” Levi continued sternly. ”Then prove it in the Raids. Earn your resources, prepare your evolutions, and learn to handle dangerous situations without waiting for me to fix them.”

They grew accustomed to making plans with Levi’s strength in mind... even when something went wrong, they could trust him to intervene.

Without him, they would have to judge their own limits and take responsibility for every decision, instead of leaning on him like a crutch.

”As for the Great Campaign...” Levi added indifferently. ”Whether you reach Solarbound by then or not, leave it to me.”

Levi prepared to reach Warden rank and take on the Hound... a Tier 6 monster.

A bunch of Tier 4 nightcrawlers could hardly threaten him anymore, even if he entered the tournament alone.

No wonder Levi’s growth alarmed Bishop Na’thir.

Levi grew far faster than anyone anticipated.

Heliodor’s upper echelons still pinned their hopes on him to lead them to victory in the Great Campaign... yet the tournament they were so concerned about no longer posed a real challenge in Levi’s mind.

Thinking about his progress brought his instructor’s words back to him.

”Whether you get signed or not... just know that I’m proud of you.”

Seraphis told him that before Levi even became a Daywalker... back when getting a chance to stand beside the other candidates meant everything to him.

Now, his instructor lay frozen in a medical pod while Levi achieved things neither of them imagined back then.

Levi smiled faintly as he recalled Seraphis’ voice... he could almost hear the scolding his instructor would give him if he learned about half the risks he took.

He wanted to tell him anyway... about his evolutions, his victories, even the trouble he kept getting himself into.

Let Seraphis lecture him for an entire day if he wanted... Levi would gladly sit through it just to hear him speak again, as he was one of the few Daywalkers he genuinely respected.

But killing the Hound wouldn’t give him that chance.

He needed to go through a spiritual trial during a Dominion battle and reclaim the Pride Fruit containing what remained of Seraphis’ soul.

’A little longer, Instructor... I won’t leave you like this.’

His faint smile turned icy cold as his thoughts returned to the Hound... the dangers of that trial still weighed on him, but he steeled his heart.

He made a promise, and Levi intended to see it through.