Chapter 85: Uninvited Guests
Asher stared at her for some seconds, and opened his mouth: "Equip everything."
Juliana nodded, stretching her hand towards the equipment, which rose into the air, and moved towards her, wearing itself on her body, the crown sitting on her head. The artifacts resonated with a deep, primordial hum, seamlessly adjusting their divine plating and woven energy threads to perfectly fit her form.
A wave of energy burst out from her, spreading all over the huge sitting room, even drawing Kelly’s attention from the window. The spirit energy in the air grew so dense it felt like breathing underwater, a physical manifestation of absolute power rewriting the laws of the room.
Asher blinked, horrified by the pressure moving off from her. He had never worn complete Mythic-Tier gear; even when he fought the Priestess, he wasn’t in any good gear, but this was different. The sheer, suffocating aura radiating from Juliana felt less like a human Awakened and more like a descending demigod. He quickly checked her profile, stunned:
[Name: Juliana Asher Aetheldawn.]
[Rank: F-Rank.]
[Class: Attack Mage. Support Mage.]
[Physique: Time Body - Divine-Tier: [LOCKED]: [To Unlock: 206/50,000 Evolution stones].]
[Agility: 1,200,250.]
[Energy: 1,000,250.]
[Defense: 200,250.]
[Health Point: 300,250.]
[Physical Attack: 250.]
[Magical Attack: 500,250.]
’How can an F-Rank have such stats?!! If my guess is right, her physical attack should be her main stat mainly because there wasn’t any Buffs relating to it.’ He exhaled. The inflation of her magical attributes broke every known convention of progression. She was a glass cannon whose magical artillery could obliterate city blocks, yet her base physical strength remained that of a fragile mortal.
"So?! Can I come with you?!" Juliana asked again, still hadn’t given up. The intoxicating rush of millions of stat points surging through her restored meridians made her fearless.
Asher stared at her stats on the holographic screen, then turned it to Sara, who blinked, stunned. Even with her abilities, seeing numbers that large attached to the lowest possible rank was a mathematical anomaly.
"Sara agreed." Juliana said with a smile.
Asher relaxed in his seat, speechless. Juliana’s current strength could rival an SS-RANK; even if an SS-RANK put on armor, they wouldn’t be the same with her Mid Mythic-Tier. Besides, her other buffs—Cooldown rate, skill casting rate, hit rate, skill effects rate—they are all off the charts. In short, with this gear, Juliana is a walking time bomb, possessing the firepower of a legendary sovereign without the foundational rank to match.
"I feel so powerful, even more than my peak!" Juliana said with a smile, tracing the Bracers on her wrist.
"Alright, you and Sara can come with me, Kelly too." He said, his words stunning Juliana.
"All of us? Didn’t you say?"
"I changed my mind... There is something I want to tell you. The Ancient families are after us... With your knowledge, you should know how terrifying these four families are."
They were the apex predators of the Awakened world, ancient bloodlines that monopolized high-level dungeons, hoarded divine skill books, and crushed any rising anomalies that threatened their absolute rule, but...
"Ancient Families? When did we offend them?" Juliana asked in confusion, stunned.
"I also don’t know... Anyway, we already have the strength to defend ourselves, I don’t want us to hide around like cowards; if we do that, our progress will greatly be reduced... I say we take the bull by the horns."
Juliana listened to his words, and turned to Sara, narrating everything Asher just said. Sara wasn’t so surprised, he had already explained everything to her last night, so she simply nodded her head.
Although she wasn’t in any state to fight, or protect anyone, hiding around won’t favor them; they will simply be hunted down continuously. Facing the problems head-on is the right thing to do. Besides, Asher has equipment and money to back them up.
Their name was Aetheldawn. Asher picked the name because it symbolizes their new goal; which was to escape the darkness, and free themselves from the chains of their past... Hiding won’t help with anything. The name was deeply rooted in the linguistic concept of a noble dawn—a resurrection from the ashes. They were a newly forged clan built not on inherited privilege, but on the unwavering determination to rise again, stronger and completely unbound by the tragic histories that had once broken them.
"Alright then, it’s settled." Asher stood up, staring at the gear with a slight frown; there was no return.
The system will never make a mistake.
"Alright, we will wait for Tang, and the car dealership manager... In the afternoon..."
"EVERYONE IN THIS ESTATE!! COME OUT AND GREET ME!!!"
"....?!"
Asher frowned, turning his head to the door. He spread his energy around, sensing countless powerful energies all over the place, and more still arriving. He moved his gaze to the gear on Juliana, and facepalmed himself.
’I forgot this. Only my Devouring sword draws them over like flies gathering around shit. Juliana’s Armor’s energy must have drawn them over.’
A full set of active Mythic-Tier artifacts burned like a blinding lighthouse. He moved his hand to the side, revealing one of his eyes which turned blood-red, activating his shadow gaze.
’This is actually a good thing... If the Ancient families are after us, I should show them why Aetheldawn are part of the Ancient families... In the Awakened world, Strength is the law; even when there is an Awakened Association, once they know our strength, they won’t mess with us. Through fear, we can grow.’
If diplomacy was written in blood, he was ready to draft a masterpiece.
Juliana turned to Asher, seeing the smirk on his face; she couldn’t read his current thoughts, but the look tells her something interesting was about to happen.
"Juliana, come with me; Sara and Kelly, stay inside." Asher instructed.
"Alright." Juliana turned to Sara, and explained their current situation to her, while the double door opened wide, and two bodyguards rushed inside.
"Boss!! There are ten people outside!! They destroyed the gate asking to see you!!" The first guard yelled in terror, pointing at the door. The panic in his voice confirmed that whoever stood in the courtyard did not come to negotiate.
"Destroyed my gate? The gate of this house is worth millions; I hope they can afford the payment." Asher said, his gaze cold.
There is going to be blood, and he wasn’t scared of it.