[Blood of Tydrisa] was a Legacy-class item.
[Blood of Tydrisa]: Upgrades the [Tydrisa Bloodline].
Seeing the item, Kael let out a heavy sigh. If it had been for his Apollo legacy, he could have advanced to the next tier. What a waste.
So, what should he do with the [Blood of Tydrisa]?
Find someone to inherit it? It was an option, but not one Kael was keen on. Whoever took it would become Nymeria's direct rival for all future advancements, and succeeding as a solo legacy-holder was nearly impossible. Was he supposed to step in and help them every single time? He didn't have that kind of free time.
Besides, his knowledge of the Tydrisa Bloodline quest chain was spotty at best, pieced together from scattered bits of information he’d seen in his past life. He knew the outcomes of a few key quests, but nothing about their origins or the specific steps involved. Without the full picture, the legacy could become more of a burden than a blessing in future expansions.
Since that wasn't a viable path, he had to find another use for it. How could he maximize its value?
The answer came to him quickly.
To the Earth immigrants on Thaloria, this is as much as I can do for you. The rest is in your hands.
After looting the three chests, Kael handed the [Ant Queen Medallion] to Lila. "Because I chose to become the realm's guardian, the Ant Queen didn't drop any loot. Take this medallion. It'll be incredibly useful for at least the next six months."
Lila took the item, her eyes widening in delight as she read its function. She had seen several of the leader-class ants, and every single one was a monster in its own right.
The [Leafcutter Chieftain] was a healer.
The [Fire Ant Chieftain] was a spell-damage caster.
The [Stonejaw Ant Chieftain] was a tank.
The [Carrion Ant Chieftain] was a debuffer that shredded armor.
The [Acid-Spitter Ant Chieftain] was a ranged DPS.
The [Marauder Ant Chieftain] was an agile skirmisher...
Summoning any one of them would be a massive advantage. With this, her guild's progression in Dungeons, open-world content, and even low-difficulty Hidden Realms would be a cakewalk.
It only lasted an hour, but its cooldown was short. A new leader-class boss every single day. The thought of clearing a new map daily was thrilling.
Lila accepted the [Ant Queen Medallion], then leaned in and pressed a quick kiss to Kael's cheek before turning away, a faint blush creeping across her face.
Soon after, they left the Ant Queen's Chamber and headed for the exit. They passed numerous ants along the way, but now they were like village NPCs, ignoring Kael and Lila completely.
The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.
Outside the nest, a newly formed teleport nexus shimmered in the air. Tydrisa was gone. A few ants near the nexus spotted Kael and Lila and immediately charged, screeching aggressively.
Kael breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed the mobs outside the central chamber were still hostile. The Quarry was still a viable grinding spot.
After effortlessly dispatching the ants, Kael approached the nexus.
System: Please set your destination links. You may select a maximum of two teleport points.
Mythrosia Empire: Starlight Town
Thaloria Empire: Gemspire, Windmere, Omnisport, Highwind...
Kael made his choices without hesitation. "Starlight Town and Gemspire City."
System:Teleport nexus configured. Settings are locked for one month.
System: Your point of entry from the Thaloria Empire has been detected. Your current exit point is: Gemspire City.
With a flash of light, they left [Tydrisa’s Quarry] and reappeared in Gemspire.
"Huh? Why can't I see anything?" Lila asked, looking around at a blurry, indistinct wall. Then she realized it wasn't that she couldn't see—it was that her view was blocked.
By people.
They were completely surrounded by an absolute wall of players. A dense, seething sea of them.
"They're back! Dawnbreaker and Lila are back!" someone shouted. The crowd erupted, surging toward the teleport nexus. If it weren't for the lack of collision physics in the safe zone, Kael and Lila would have been trampled.
Kael quickly sent Lila a private message. "The Tavern. Go."
"Right!"
They pushed their way through the intangible mass of players and made for the tavern run by Draco. As they entered the same private room they had used before, they were met with a thunderous round of applause.
The room was packed with at least thirty or forty people. Draco, his face beaming with pride, rushed to greet them. Following close behind were several influential-looking people Kael didn't recognize.
"Welcome back to our conquering heroes!" Draco boomed.
The scene made Kael cringe slightly, but Lila was perfectly composed. For her, this was a small crowd.
Draco began the introductions. "Kael, Lila, this is Joel Blackwood, head of the Blackwood family here on Thaloria. And this is the patriarch of the Valois family... and the Beaumont family..."
Kael greeted each of them in turn. The Blackwood family was the second-largest power on Thaloria, second only to House Myrden. Their presence here meant his plan to unite the Earth immigrants on this planet was working.
Kael and Lila took their seats, and the room immediately launched into a discussion of strategies to deal with House Myrden.
***
Real World, Neovara. A seaside villa.
Nymeria and Eldric stood with their heads bowed. Seated before them was a stern, white-haired old man, who remained silent for a long moment after they finished their report.
"Nymeria, you need not blame yourself," the old man said finally, his voice calm. "With the resources at your disposal, you did the best you could."
Nymeria's head snapped up. "But Grandfather, I can't accept it! At the time, if I had just—"
The old man raised a hand, cutting her off. "What's past is past. Do not dwell on it. The loss of a single Hidden Realm is trivial. It is the chain reaction that follows which should concern us."
"Grandfather, are you really worried about those immigrants from Earth?" Nymeria scoffed. "If they were doing so well on their own planet, why would they even be here? They’re likely just convicts and outcasts. A united pile of trash is still just a heap of garbage."
The old man sighed, tapping his cane on the marble floor. "Your arrogance will be your undoing. I have taught you repeatedly: never underestimate your opponent. Your path has been too smooth, and it has made you blind. If you had bothered to foster a good relationship with the Blackwood family earlier, would I be sitting here worrying about a single Hidden Realm?"
Nymeria lowered her head again. "You are right, Grandfather. I will contact Joel at once."
The old man shook his head. "No. Approaching the Blackwoods now would be a weak move. The person you should be contacting is..."
When her grandfather spoke the name, Nymeria physically recoiled as if struck.
She jumped to her feet, her voice frantic. "No! Absolutely not!"