Born in Blood



The reason why the two Elders didn't perform a sneak attack was because the Patriarch already noticed them.

They were silently killing the Elder Warriors, after all.

Liam watched with a curious and anticipating glimmer in his eyes.

It was like he couldn't wait for them to fight to the death.

Meanwhile, the giant gave the two Elders opposite him a deathly stare.

His aura alone had caused the Shadows and Disciples near the dome to scatter and retreat.

He probably would have killed them then and there, but the two Elders opposite him wouldn't allow it.

Even Liam realized he was a bit too close to the three Zeniths…

But he wouldn't miss that spectacle for anything.

Meanwhile, the Iron Giant – which was the Patriarch's moniker – growled in anger to keep his rage from exploding.

Liam noticed the man's hands twitch in fragile restraint.

"I heard the Unforgiven Shadow had died long ago," said Iron Giant. His tone was low and guttural but laced with held back wrath. "To think you were hiding right beneath our feet like the rats you are."

Elder Verium didn't respond, and neither did Jane. 

Masks hid their faces, which strengthened the Shadows wrapped around their bodies. They looked like jet-black silhouettes, devoid of features except what their form showed.

The former had a long spear in his hands.

Its shape was simple and narrow, 1.5 meters in length, while it glistened with a black sheen.

It had a sharp, arrow-like tip made from a jet-black metal paired with shadowy writings on its body.

Elder Jane had the same dagger Liam had been faced with during their first encounter.

Both were Rank 4 inscribed weapons!

Liam realized how difficult making items at that Rank really was.

After all, it was through the combined effort of two Zenith Elders, Jax and Aki, that a Zenith weapon could be made.

And they were at the lowest tier!

Liam pulled himself out of his thoughts and focused ahead.

Both parties remained a short distance away from each other.

They were sizing each other down.

Two Zeniths versus just one.

However, the Elders didn't attack first.

In fact, they were vigilant and cautious compared to the firm-faced Patriarch. 

Why?

Because the Iron Giant was in the liquid-stage, while they were in the gaseous-stage.

Although this didn't seem like a big deal, it very much was.

A substage advancement in one's core resulted in a dramatic increase in battle prowess and natural strength.

This was especially true for the Zenith Ranks, since it would take years upon years to just progress to another substage.

At the same time, the Temple of Shadow Elders had been in hiding for a very, very long time. 

They couldn't reap good enough resources to advance to higher levels, even though they were older and more experienced than the Iron Giant. 

However, it was still two against one. 

"You won't talk," Iron Giant shifted his gaze to the dead disciples of his Sect. 

Their bodies were utterly desecrated. 

Some had their throats slit.

Others were crushed by a giant hammer or were riddled with holes.

A few were burned alive.

Streams of blood and viscera formed rings around the plateau.

Iron Giant raised his head to the sky.

Heavy rain poured against the Isolation Barrier. 

When the Giant lowered his head, there was no emotion in his expression.

It was like he was empty.

Suddenly, a carnivorous, bestial look twisted face.

High amounts of 'Ora' rapidly surged around the Warrior's body, churning and hissing.

It was like his skin had become a magnet for world essence, slowly transforming it into pure metal.

The two Elders immediately readied their weapons and tensed, their auras spreading to—

Just then, the Iron Giant disappeared.

With an unreal amount of speed, the Giant had reappeared behind Elder Verium and swung once across his waist.

BOOOOOOM!

He was too fast, even for a Zenith.

Verium barely managed to use his spear hilt to block the blow, but a building-sized cone of force blew him away like a weightless ragdoll, making him crash into the Sect buildings.

To counter, Elder Jane swung across the Giant's arm, but was met with a ground-shattering punch to the abdomen.

She was sent flying in an opposite direction, but the Iron Giant didn't stop there. 

The Giant kicked the air below him. Another deafening boom echoed across the region, and the Patriarch was sent flying in the Elder's direction.

Liam's eyes widened.

Everything happened way too fast!

In the blink of an eye, several attacks were performed.

A dark feeling rose in Liam's chest.

…Were they going to lose?

Suddenly, a black streak shot from where Verium had been hurled a second earlier.

It was the Rank 4 spear!

With the speed of a bullet, the spear tore through the air with a screech, reaching the Iron Giant's back in an instant.

Then, a Shadow started to blur from the weapon, taking the form of a… human?

It was Elder Verium!

The Elder oozed out from the weapon, tightly gripped the spear, then stuck the Giant's back with it, all in one motion.

The spear managed to enter through the Giant's iron skin, but not far enough to pierce any vital organ. 

The Giant swung around together with his wild fists, but Verium was prepared then, countering with his weapon.

Elder Jane was back on her feet at that point, and she entered the fray as well.

Violent gusts of wind flew in every direction as more exchanges followed.

Everything was too fast for Liam to accurately follow.

It was like watching a fight between three flies in the middle of a zoo. Three very, very powerful flies.

By then, the Zeniths were lower to the ground, fighting near the eastern side of the Inner Ring.

From how the fight looked, it was as though titans were wreaking havoc throughout the world. Their attacks were on a scale Liam had never seen before.

Deafening noises created shockwaves that weakened even the Isolation Barrier.

Entire buildings and chunks of the plateau were being chipped off. 

Beams of concentrated azure liquid sprayed like lasers at the Giant Fist's body.

Colorful explosions sent heat waves that burnt the skins of Acolytes hundreds of meters away.

Cones of force boomed through the air.

Abruptly, massive amounts of azure liquid started to gather above the battlefield, shaping into something eight stories tall.

All of that water condensed and tightened, taking the form of a spear.