Chapter 614 - I Appreciate A Prey's Final Struggle

Rumble, rumble, rumble...

The thick, pitch-black clouds trembled, and the drizzling black rain that seemed as though it would never end suddenly ceased. A vast magnetic field appeared to seize everything nearby, forcibly altering the natural surroundings in an instant. An overbearing will seemed to contend with the entire Rainy World.

Within the convoy, the fear of the unknown spread silently on the faces of every neo-human fighter. According to the detailed information left by prior generations, the revival of Black Rain Manor was supposed to be an opportunity of immense profit. As such, the White Tower leader had convened the neo-human righteous alliance for a lengthy meeting, analyzing everything thoroughly and formulating step-by-step plans. If they followed the plan to the letter, everyone believed they were bound to succeed!

Yet just after entering the Rainy World, before the plan had even begun, they had encountered utterly incomprehensible horrors. What were those statues of overwhelming power? Where had those forces that had split into two camps suddenly emerged from? And what was that terrifying silhouette of a bird that had swept across the sky?

None of this had been mentioned in the information left by previous generations. The neo-human righteous alliance's ambitious plan had been aborted before it began, leaving the various factions' powerhouses disheartened and uneasy.

However, they were considered fortunate. Underground dark forces such as White Skull and Duststorm had not even had the chance to become disheartened. They had been wiped out without a trace. In fact, the neo-human righteous alliance did not yet know this news. Sometimes, knowing less was itself a kind of happiness.

Clip-clop, clip-clop...

Two glossy black steeds plodded ahead, pulling a heavy carriage. The coach was draped in a black cloth, with gauzy half-transparent curtains hung in the windows and eerie runes carved along the body.

A cloaked figure in black drove the carriage, as emotionless as a machine. Silver Gun Soro and the White Tower leader looked out the windows with complicated expressions as the silhouette of Black Rain Manor slowly emerged in the distance.

The neo-human convoy had witnessed brutal slaughter and unending warfare all along their route. Only now did they realize that far more than the two factions they'd met had broken into the Rainy World of Black Rain Manor!

If they counted garments and abilities, there were at least five factions!

One faction consisted of tall, burly men in tight black combat attire, whose combat moves were terrifyingly lethal and demonically fierce. They were allied with the stone idols. Another faction was composed of humanoid beings in priestly robes, wielding eerie, horrifying abilities and aligned with the Moon God statue. A third faction resembled the legendary Blood Race, adorned like white-skinned nobles with fangs. They could transform into bats and manipulate blood energy. Yet another faction wore ancient shaman garb, their bodies tattooed with savage, ferocious totems. The final faction, much like the first, also possessed terrifying fighting techniques.

Each of these five factions was ferocious and formidable as they battled across every corner of the Rainy World. At times, several factions would gang up on one, while at others it was one-on-one or two-on-two.

Overall, those with combat suits marked with "Golem" and another group in black leather raincoats who used similar fighting techniques held the greatest advantage. Powerhouses were clearly everywhere in these two factions; even an ordinary foot soldier among them radiated an aura comparable to an A-class neo-human. If they were a bit stronger, they would match the level of the White Tower leader beyond A-class.

In other words, those two factions had hundreds, if not thousands, of members at the White Tower leader's level locked in furious combat. Most of the sieges in the Rainy World were aimed at these two factions. Yet even besieged, they could not be overwhelmed.

Support arriving from elsewhere would often reverse the tide with ease. Any outcome remained reversible until the final moment of defeat. The carriage encountered many accidents along the way, yet most fortunately, the convoy avoided catastrophe and instead arrived safely at Black Rain Manor.

There, there was a sort of platform. They were faced with a narrow road with sparse trees on both sides that led up to the manor's grey walls. The pointed buildings within stood tall in the rain with moss-covered bricks, giving off a gloomy air.

Members of the neo-human righteous alliance lifted their heads toward it, looking somewhat bewildered.

"We've arrived..."

They did not know what outcome this revival of Black Rain Manor would bring, yet since they had arrived, they had no choice but to press on. After a moment's silence, the entire group headed toward the manor.

Buzz...

Once they were close enough, they felt as if they had pierced through a thin membrane. Finally, they had entered the true domain of Black Rain Manor.

Boom... Crackle...

A burning smell overwhelmed them as a series of terrifying explosions roared in their ears. The ground shuddered rapidly again and again, tingling the soles of their feet. The entire manor seemed to have suffered a cataclysm as nearly half its buildings had collapsed.

Ruins, broken walls, raging flames, and ever-spreading cracks were everywhere.

"This... is this the real Black Rain Manor?!" Silver Gun Soro muttered.

The White Tower leader's eyes were hollow as he answered. "No, perhaps it was that terrifying bird atop the clouds earlier. It was flying toward the manor."

In that instant, he understood. The idea that strategy ranks first, composure second, and strength third within Black Rain Manor was merely a compelled stance born of their own weakness. Those supposedly irresistible manor rules and absolute underlying logic were all shackles for the weak! So long as one's strength was overwhelming, they could defecate atop Black Rain Manor and it still could not touch them!

"Let's go, let's get out of here first. It's far too dangerous!" A neo-human righteous alliance expert suggested. He spoke while retreating, clearly terrified by the manor's present state.

Yet after a few steps back, he suddenly felt resistance in the air behind him. He whirled, striking and kicking, but could not destroy the air-wall at all.

The faces of the neo-human righteous alliance changed drastically.

It's over! We can't get out!

In truth, this special field was a spontaneous response by the manor to a powerful invasion. It could imprison enemies within and draw the Rainy World's powers together to besiege and slay them!

The core rule was that one may enter but never leave until every foe inside died. Some within the alliance grew fearful and agitated.

"Damn it, what on earth is going on?!"

"This is nothing like what you from White Tower told us!"

"You owe us an explanation!"

They even began questioning the White Tower leader outright, showing faint signs of infighting. Just as tension burned and violence seemed imminent...

Boom!!!

A colossal black worm burst out from beneath the manor. It stretched a full kilometer, its segmented, ringed body matte like alloy and studded with crystal minerals. Its four-petaled fanged lips gaped wide!

Whoosh...

A figure shot skyward from the crater and drove a fist straight into the worm's head! It was clean, brisk, and seemingly ordinary, yet half the worm's body exploded outright! It burst in mid-air, crushed by an unstoppable force, with no chance to resist.

Bone and metal fragments rained down. One segment fell and crashed, toppling a manor building in front of the neo-humans.

Rumble

...

Suddenly, another gigantic beast surged up from below. The manor ruptured open as the armored worm surged skyward. Its grim, armored head had barely emerged before a sudden fist smashed it back down!

Boom! Whoosh!

The black worm was forced back down the tunnel from which it had emerged. It might as well have been shoved all the way back to its mother's womb! Moreover, during its involuntary retreat, its body had been rapidly compressed. In the blink of an eye, it was barely a fifth of its former length. By the time it reached the end of the tunnel, it would probably be reduced to a sphere!

A grand voice echoed over the manor.

"Do you have any other cards? Use them all now, or there will be no chance. I appreciate the struggle of a prey at their final moment. That astounding will to live always erupts with unimaginable sparks. Of course, it's a pity that it's only a spark after all..."

The blurred figure that had been moving at high speed now hovered in midair. Cassius looked down from a hundred meters in the sky at the ruined manor, his black trench coat billowing like storm clouds. The howling wind sent his blond hair flying like a lion's mane.

Cassius had only just arrived and received an exceedingly "warm" welcome from the manor. All manner of techniques and hidden trump cards amassed over millennia from generations of Hellsings were now lying broken by Cassius's plain yet devastating fists and kicks.

No matter what he was confronted with, no matter how formidable or terrifying it was, he simply threw one punch or kick. No tactic of Black Rain Manor could stop Cassius's fists! Otherwise, what meaning would the Holy Fist realm hold?! The gap between those below and those within the Holy Fist realm was wider than that between man and dog.

Cassius arrived intent on enforcing tyranny and invincibility from the very beginning. In truth, he cared little for the so-called revival or the gathering of top factions. From beginning to end, Cassius acted strictly according to his own plan, methodical and fully in control.

For instance, his goal in coming was not merely to seize the manor during its revival. He had a true objective; something that would truly boost his own power!

This objective's inspiration came from his enemy, Xiadu. At the final moment of the fifth time-travel, Xiadu had tried to drag the Gate of Heaven down. However the Gate of Heaven held no interest for Cassius at his current stage. What he wanted was the real Black Rain Manor from the World of Calamity. Yes, Cassius intended to drag the manor's true body from the World of Calamity into the surface world!

He despised the manor's illusory image in the surface world. It was not the source, merely a projection of power. The manor's body in the World of Calamity was what truly mattered!

As for the incomplete Rune of Life on Cassius's hand? He had long pondered why, after absorbing the sacred spring of the Dark Hunter Organization during his time-travel and the source of Soul Power at the manor, the two together still failed to form a complete Rune of Life.

Cassius had realized the problem lay on the manor's side some time ago. The manor in the surface world was not its true body. Thus, the Rune of Life in the Baptism Chapel was equally incomplete. Only by pulling the manor's body from the World of Calamity could Cassius obtain a complete Rune of Life! At that point, the Rune of Life's full effect would manifest.

Thus, Cassius's vision towered above all others throughout the entire chaotic battle over the manor's revival. Whether neo-humans or the world's top forces, they only sought some benefit during the manor's revival. Cassius, however, meant to haul the manor's body from the World of Calamity into the surface world. The two ambitions were not even on the same plane.

Earlier, he had sent Golem Sect subordinates to drive metal pillars into every key node of the Anta Mountains, forming an immense ritual array. The pillars contained diluted Blood of the Spirit created with Cassius's Rune of Life, which could resonate with the rune fragments.

Now, the vast array still lacked one crucial focal point. That was the irradiated meteorite beneath the manor's Baptism Chapel which could serve as an anchor. The meteorite was suspected to be the manor's core.

Thus, Cassius had to reach the manor's core and activate the ritual he had laid out, enveloping the entire Rainy World. Then he would create a blood sacrifice by slaughtering all these top factions. He would bind the manor's body with ropes woven of fresh blood!

Such an enormous scheme could only be dreamed of once one's own strength had reached a certain level. Cassius lacked the ability back during the time-travel, even when he had forged the Heart of the Dominator Fist.

Only now, having fully entered the Holy Fist realm and advanced a considerable distance within it, did he possess the ambition to handle Black Rain Manor!