SSS Awakening: I Can Devour Gods to Evolve My Goddesses

Seven minutes remained on the countdown to wave twenty-nine.

Cassian had already placed the Spring Node Blueprint on the open ground east of the Oath Hall.

Veyra did not come over.

She stood behind the first line, rebuilding the rotation schedule instead.

”Wave twenty-nine. Don’t rush the clear.”

”Highbloods suppress the rear first.”

”Stormlance hold one rotation.”

”First two Legionnaire groups stay in thirty seconds longer.”

Sigrid listened, then glanced toward the Oath Hall.

”What is Cassian building?”

”Something he refused to build until he had ten million.”

Sigrid did not ask again.

That answer was enough.

Cassian unfolded the Blueprint.

The Legendary branch he had looked at so many times lit up again at the bottom.

[Spring Node Blueprint]

[Quality: Rare]

[Deep Evolution Branch: Fountain of Life]

[Quality: Legendary]

[Evolution Cost: Aether Crystal ×10,000,000]

There was no second price.

Exactly the ten million Seraphine had just lost to him.

”Build.”

[Aether Crystal: 11,338,466 → 1,338,466]

The Rare Blueprint broke apart in his hand into pale-green light.

The light did not rise.

It sank into the ground.

The next second, the hard earth east of the Oath Hall lowered in a wide circle.

A ring of white stone emerged first.

Then shallow gray steps.

At the center, pale-green springwater welled up from below.

One meter.

Three.

Until the pool spread to nearly ten meters across.

It was not deep.

But the instant the first pulse of Life Energy rolled outward, even the Aether Mist across Forgotten Shrine seemed to tug gently toward it.

Aurelia dropped straight down from above the Oath Hall.

She did not step inside the stone ring.

She only stood outside it.

”Life Energy.”

”Yeah.”

”Far denser than the Aether Mist.”

Cassian had already opened the panel.

[Fountain of Life]

[Quality: Legendary]

[Current Level: 1]

[Core Function: Continuously accumulates high-concentration Life Energy.]

[Greatly increases injury recovery and power-recovery efficiency for Heroes / Troops inside the Domain.]

[Life Reconstruction: May reconstruct a dead Hero or Troop with a formal Domain contract / belonging record.]

[Sufficient Life Energy is required before Life Reconstruction can be performed. Exact cost and reconstruction time depend on target Quality, Level, and death state.]

[Current Life Energy Reserve: Sufficient to perform one Life Reconstruction on a Level 5 Rare Eclipse Legionnaire if the corpse is intact; insufficient for full reconstruction of a Level 10 Epic unit.]

Cassian’s eyes stopped on the second-to-last line.

This was not ”maybe someday it can revive someone.”

The Building had only just been completed, and it already had a concrete, usable baseline for Life Reconstruction.

Level 5 Rare.

Intact corpse.

One time.

If the Legionnaire carried away during wave twenty-three had failed to survive, then at least the only possible result would no longer have been ”one fewer soldier.”

Aurelia had read it too.

”So this isn’t replacing my Life-Echo Brand.”

”It was never the same thing.”

”My Brand pulls someone back at the moment the fatal state happens.”

Aurelia looked at the spring.

”This works after death. It reconnects a record that has already been broken.”

”Yeah.”

She paused for one breath.

”What if I’m the one who dies?”

Cassian looked at the formal Hero Contract marker beside her name.

”As long as your belonging record still exists.”

”And there’s enough Life Energy.”

”You’re on the list.”

Aurelia did not thank him.

She only looked at the Fountain again.

”Then that ten million...”

”Really wasn’t just buying faster recovery.”

Cassian had not answered yet when two more outputs appeared on the panel.

[Daily Output: Life Essence ×1]

[Life Essence: Contains highly concentrated life-origin power. When consumed by a Lord, permanently improves aptitude and physical potential. When consumed by a Hero / Troop, can improve Quality without additional Battle Essence cost.]

[Daily Output: Life Water ×10]

[Life Water: After drinking, grants for 100 seconds the same Life Energy recovery effect as remaining within the Fountain of Life’s high-concentration recovery area.]

[Construction Completion Bonus: First-day output generated.]

A small transparent vial condensed above the center of the spring.

There was only one swallow of pale-green liquid inside.

Ten thinner vials of Life Water appeared beside it.

Cassian did not touch the Life Essence first.

”Bring me the Legionnaire who was carried off during wave twenty-three.”

Aurelia looked at him.

”Testing it on someone alive first?”

”I don’t have anyone dead to test it on.”

”Then I’ll pull the living one back first.”

The Legionnaire was brought to the outer ring by two of his companions.

He had not returned to the line once since wave twenty-three.

This was not a minor scrape.

Even after wave twenty-eight had ended, he could only sit half-supported.

The moment he tried to circulate Aether, his breathing destabilized and his condition immediately worsened.

Veyra looked over from behind the first line.

”He wasn’t going back in today.”

”I know.”

Cassian pointed at the white stone ring.

”Put him there.”

They did not place him in the water.

They laid him on the first step, as close to the spring as possible.

Life Energy gathered around him almost immediately.

It was nothing like the Aether Mist, which was faint enough to almost disappear from sight.

Pale-green light seeped slowly through the gaps in his heavy armor.

His tight, unstable breathing eased first.

Then the Aether he had been unable to circulate properly began flowing steadily through his body again.

Aurelia crouched beside him and watched for several breaths.

”Give him one Life Water too.”

Cassian took down one vial.

The Legionnaire drank it.

Less than two minutes later, he took his bracing hand off the ground.

First he sat upright.

Then, using his tower shield for support, he stood.

He was not fully recovered.

His legs were still weak.

His movements were slow.

But he was no longer the man who had been judged incapable of standing again today.

The system status changed.

[Eclipse Legionnaire | Level 5]

[Status: Severely Injured / Combat-Incapacitated → Recovering]

[Can now recover to full combat condition. Immediate return to the front is not recommended.]

Veyra had already walked over.

She did not ask whether he could fight.

She spoke immediately.

”You’re not going back to the line today.”

The Legionnaire tightened his grip on the tower shield.

”I can—”

”I know.”

Veyra cut him off.

”Being able to stand does not mean you should immediately take the next blade for someone else.”

The Legionnaire was silent for a breath.

”Understood.”

Cassian looked at Veyra.

”I didn’t rush him this time.”

”That’s why I didn’t yell at you.”

Veyra turned back toward the first line.

”Keep the Fountain.”

”Keep the people too.”

”Don’t get a revival Building and start thinking everyone can afford to die once.”

Cassian looked at the pale-green water.

”I spent ten million.”

”Because I don’t want to calculate losses that way.”

Veyra’s step paused for half a beat.

She did not turn around.

”That answer works.”

Wave twenty-nine had already crashed into the canyon line.

Cassian did not immediately go to the front.

Because at the same time, the first Shattered Marches Ranking announcement had already reached other Newcomer Regions.

Somewhere else in the Shattered Marches, inside another Newcomer Region that did not yet have a Regional Warden—or a system-approved official name—stood Gareth Halvern’s Domain.

Stoneward Keep.

The black-stone fortress had only just reached Rank III.

Gareth read the Shattered Marches Newcomer Region Ranking from top to bottom.

Twelve war-focused Lords stood around him.

A newly reordered Rank III list lay across the table.

”Stop the hundredth slot.”

One Lord frowned.

”We already have ninety-three Rank III Lords.”

”If we push a little, we can enter the Regional Boundary tomorrow.”

”That’s why we stop.”

Gareth pushed the Rank 1 reward into the middle of the table.

[Regional Warden Free Attribute +50]

[Region Fortune +5]

”The first Region knew nothing and still reached more than one and a half million.”

”We know the rules now.”

”Why should we enter with the same level of preparation they had?”

No one answered.

Gareth continued.

”Starting today.”

”Select one hundred war Lords.”

”No main Hero or Troop under Level 20 goes onto the final list.”

”Recovery potions, ranged firepower, backup shield lines—we prepare all of it together.”

”The hundredth Rank III slot...”

”Waits until I say it’s ready.”

He raised his eyes.

”This ranking is not about who enters second.”

”It’s about who leaves with the most Points.”

Farther east.

Inside the Black Banner Cohort’s temporary council hall, Varek Sorn had a newly compiled regional distribution map spread in front of him.

Nadia Serr, who handled intelligence, pressed the last black marker into place.

Black Banner had already maintained its own member roster before entering the Newcomer Realm.

After the Shattered Marches Channel opened, members in different Regions first reported their Region numbers against that existing roster.

Nadia then cross-checked each report through Black Banner’s internal Faction Registry.

The map in front of them was not a complete distribution.

It only showed the first batch of identities and Region numbers they had fully cross-checked and confirmed.

”Among the Shattered Marches Newcomer Regions we can confirm so far...”

”Black Banner members are present in forty-seven Regions.”

”In eleven of them, we have an absolute numbers advantage.”

Varek did not look at the number forty-seven.

He tapped the top of the ranking instead.

”The first Region.”

”Cassian Vale’s Region.”

Nadia nodded.

”They finished too early.”

”Their total is only a little over one and a half million right now.”

”Once later Regions enter with the rules already known, two million should not be difficult.”

Varek smiled.

”Then don’t aim for only first.”

Nadia looked up.

”You mean?”

”Top ten.”

Varek pushed ten black markers together.

”Delay Regional Boundary in every Region we can control.”

”War Lords share preparation plans.”

”Anyone who gets a high-grade recovery Building first, anyone who completes stable ranged firepower first—report it.”

”The first Region already paid the cost of revealing the rules for everyone.”

”We have no reason to protect their lead for them.”

This was not a few anonymous taunts in a Regional Channel.

An entire faction with a numerical advantage was already reallocating resources around the ranking.

In the Vayne family’s Newcomer Steward room, Aveline Vayne received the Shattered Marches announcement forwarded by Elara.

She did not look at Cassian’s name first.

She looked at the Region distribution.

Only then did she push an outside intelligence report to Elara.

”In the Newcomer Regions to the southeast...”

”Black Banner numbers are higher than we estimated.”

Elara had only recently finished Regional Boundary Defense.

Brogan Stonecrown’s heavy hammer was still leaning against the wall behind her.

She finished reading the report.

”So?”

”So I’m leaving you an exit.”

Aveline opened the Vayne family inventory.

One silver-gray token had already been locked separately.

[Domain Relocation Writ]

[Status: External Family Inventory / Newcomer transfer currently unavailable]

”When the first legal transfer window opens...”

”This goes to you first.”

Elara looked at the Writ.

”You want me to move?”

”I want you to have the option to move.”

Aveline’s answer was calm.

”Your Dwarf King and your current Domain are not things you abandon casually.”

”I’m not going to tell you to throw away what you’ve already secured just because there are more enemies outside than we expected.”

She paused.

”But after you know how many people are around you...”

”If you still refuse to prepare an exit...”

”That isn’t resolve.”

”That’s laziness.”

Elara watched the Writ for several seconds.

”Keep it locked.”

”If I ever need it, I’ll decide myself.”

Aveline nodded.

”That decision was always supposed to be yours.”

Riftwind Canyon.

Veyra dragged wave twenty-nine out longer than the previous waves.

Not because the line could not win.

Because she deliberately let every rotation use the full recovery available to it.

Fountain of Life had already proven that it was not the same thing as Aether Mist.

Aether Mist made the whole Domain recover faster.

The Fountain changed how quickly someone could get back on their feet after a serious injury—and whether there was any way back after death.

Cassian returned to the spring.

The seriously injured Legionnaire had already been sent away to continue resting.

Nine of the ten Life Waters remained.

The single Life Essence still hovered above the center of the pool.

Pale green.

One swallow.

Veyra’s voice came from the front line.

”You’re not saving it for a Hero?”

Cassian picked up the vial.

”Lords can use it.”

”So?”

”So I’ll see what it does to me first.”

Veyra looked at him across the formation.

”That sounds like you.”

Cassian pulled the stopper free.

And drank it.

Cold first.

Then, the next second, that coolness sank into his chest and exploded outward.

Arms.

Shoulders and back.

Spine.

Even the muscles that had long since adapted to the weight of Wraithplate felt as if they were being stretched open and rebuilt.

Cassian’s breathing stopped for one instant.

It did not hurt.

What changed was stranger than pain.

Limits inside his body that had long felt fixed suddenly began to loosen.

[Life Essence absorbed.]

[Aptitude / Physical Potential under reassessment...]

Cassian lowered his gaze to his Attribute panel.

The first few numbers...

began to refresh.