Chapter 609: What a Fucking Welcome.

"The Vallow’s love for a welcomed guest is matched only by our hatred of an uninvited one..." Severin said coldly, baring his scarlet-capped fangs at the four powerhouses.

"Especially you two..."

Severin directed his icy gaze toward Bragh and Odrum, knowing exactly why their Houses had sent them.

Unsworn Kin.

Blood relatives who had never joined the CRS Platform or the Nocturnal Ring... sacrificing their right to inherit their Houses’ seats and thrones in the Boundless Expanse so they could handle matters their registered forces couldn’t openly touch within contested territories.

They still belonged to their Lineage on their own planets, but here or in the Expanse? Their Houses would deny sending them, and neither one carried a banner proving otherwise.

These Unsworn Kin either volunteered for this unsung role or had it forced upon them by parents who knew their children’s odds of becoming heirs were slim.

At least... they would receive the family’s indirect support for their growth since they could only be useful to the Lineage if their strength actually mattered.

Naturally, they were PR-trained to perfection.

"What do you mean? I have long since forsaken my Angry Kin," Bragh replied, his lips curling slightly in amusement. "There was too much anger... too many charged emotions for my peace."

Even Odrum sneered at Severin’s accusation.

"Please... go ahead and try to hold them responsible... I would love nothing more than to see my lineage squirm under public opinion."

Realizing that nothing of value would come out of accusing them since the court would never be on his side without proper evidence, Severin’s expression turned murderous.

"Then I trust they won’t complain once you leave in a coffin."

Severin’s ominous reply made Odrum’s solitary eye narrow... but before either answered, a green light flashed across their faces.

The Elder Witch’s fingers paused over her loom as she felt the Tree’s spiritual energy shift... her attention left Severin just as its coiling branches buckled inward, breaking apart in bursts of green fire!

Everyone’s eyes narrowed as the flames consumed the trunk from within.

Then its enormous mouths opened together, releasing one final screech before the entire manifestation collapsed into a raging aetheric spiritual inferno that spread across hundreds of meters.

From within the inferno, a human silhouette took shape.

The Elder Witch watched the flames part around a young man, his head lowered as the dark-purple ends of his black hair stirred in the heat.

Across the clearing, Severin sent Nurah the dimensional message they had agreed upon.

’He’s emerging.’

’He is ready, Lord Severin,’ She replied. ’Please hold them off until he can act.’

The Elder Witch felt his living soul through the fading manifestation, her eyes showing a tint of reverence as she glanced at his right palm.

’He survived...’

After many, many months of waiting, the Soulleech Maw’s summoner finally stood before her...

Ever since Levi first exposed the creature in the faction event, the Black Loom had stationed a witch on Heliodor, waiting for him to return before making a move.

The Elder Witch had read her reports... the preparations were complete, his whereabouts on Heliodor would be monitored, and capturing him should have been straightforward.

Except... the prick never came back.

And now... he was finally within reach!

With no hesitation, the Elder Witch unleashed her spiritual aura to the limit, making it devour more of her rivals’ territory as it raced toward Levi!

"Not a chance."

Bragh scoffed as he did the same, blocking her spiritual aura from advancing any further.

He feared that a single touch would let the Witch take possession of Levi’s soul, and neither of them could afford to let that happen!

Rumble!

Odrum backed him up, suppressing the Elder Witch’s aura at once... meanwhile, the Headless Gallows couldn’t care less about Levi’s well-being.

His mission wasn’t to capture him alive, but to end his life, right here, right now!

Whoosh!

The Headless Gallows lowered his Dead Night Lance and charged, his cavalry forming a narrow wedge behind him as black Death Energy coated every lancehead!

Rumble! Rumble!...

Their hooves struck together... ahead of them, roots beneath the torn soil shriveled, surrendering the last of their life force before the riders even reached them!

From his iron cage, Gallows watched the three clashing auras... then aimed his lance at their intersection.

He concentrated his spiritual pressure through its tip, drawing the cavalry’s charge behind it until the black lancehead vanished inside a needle of condensed Death Energy!

BOOOOM!

The Elder Witch’s soul threads snapped across its path... Bragh’s scarlet pressure split a moment later, followed by a violent crack through Odrum’s crushing aura!!

Gallows’s caged face remained deathly still as the breach opened... resembling a lich’s severed head, with parchment-thin gray skin, a lipless mouth baring clenched teeth, and black flame burning within hollow eye sockets.

Before the three regained control, he drove through with his cavalry, his Dead Night Lance aimed straight at Levi’s silhouette!

Severin’s crimson eyes sharpened as he followed the lance’s trajectory, realizing that Gallows meant to kill Levi!

Yet, he wasn’t as surprised as the others; he had already been warned of the possibility and prepared an instant counter.

Velvet Coffin Arts: Royal Coffin!

He snapped his hands shut, and the Gargoyle’s blood-filled wings emptied between Gallows and Levi.

The blood formed an enormous scarlet coffin with snarling gargoyles carved into its corners, their batlike wings framing the lid like clasps!

Bang!!

The giant coffin engulfed Gallows and his entire cavalry mid-charge... its lid clamped shut over their heads as their lances struck the inner wall, making the scarlet surface bulge outward while the thunder of trapped hooves shook the enormous casket!

The noise sent chills down the spines of the troops in the distance.

Yet... Severin wasn’t given the time to celebrate as he felt the Death Energy consuming the vitality within his blood!

He immediately fed more into the coffin, replacing its rotting layers while thick vessels wrapped around the lance’s shaft like chains.

Inside his cage, Gallows watched them tighten with a deadpan expression.

The coffin had checked his charge, but his lance kept boring through its inner wall... each fresh layer bought Severin another fraction of a second before blackening and breaking apart!

’Damn it... did it have to be him!’

Severin cursed, not fond of fighting against a Death Knight from the Lower Corrupted Realms.

Severin had never learned why Gallows had come to the Chained Universe or spent centuries working as a mercenary, but he knew why others avoided and feared him.

His powers were linked to Death Energy, and it was highly advisable for anything alive to avoid it at all costs!

As this struggle was ongoing, Levi drew a sharp breath the moment his body fully crossed the dimensional bridge... his awareness settled back into his body at last.

Through his spiritual vision, he sensed the five monstrous auras colliding around him... and a lance oozing with Death Energy attempting to kill him once and for all.

’What a fucking welcome...’

His expression remained stern, but he wasn’t surprised... the Titan had already informed him of the situation outside through the wisp accompanying him!

With Arthur passing along Nurah’s reports, Levi knew about the gathered factions and their intentions weeks before emerging.

He had also sent his instructions back through the same connection, leaving Nurah to arrange Severin’s cooperation and strike a deal.

The Vallow’s intervention was part of that plan.

Levi knew he couldn’t expect him to defeat four Tier 8 monsters... all he needed was enough time to make his next move!

But then... before he could shift his weight, a sudden agonizing pull seized his spirit!

Kreeee!! Kreeee!!!

Levi’s knees bent as unfamiliar cries pierced his mind... the forest’s sounds drowned beneath thousands of overlapping ghostly cries, while the Soulleech Maw convulsed against his palm... suffering alongside him.

He recognized what was happening immediately... the punishment for borrowing an Ancestral Dominion had begun!

Yet, Levi had already prepared for this in his exit plan before entering the spiritual trial.

He knew that borrowing the Ancestral Dominion meant paying for it once he emerged!

Before the punishment could overwhelm him, a gray spiritual light flashed above his head... taking the shape of a giant faceless Genie, with countless moving souls filling its translucent body.

"A Spiritual Genie?!"