The Old Saintess finally broke the silence, her voice low but firm. "With this... the Black Lotus Guild has crossed a threshold no other force in this world can ignore."
Razel nodded stiffly, his jaw tightening. "Youâre right. Even the Seven Overlord Forcesâthose who once looked down on us, those who called us assassins lurking in shadowsâthey are nothing compared to what we are now."
His eyes gleamed with ambition, sharp and dangerous. "Our strength now... it rivals the Four God Nation themselves."
Old Saintess looked at him, her gaze heavy with both warning and pride. "For countless centuries, the balance of this world has rested on those four empires. The Phoenix God Nation, the Dragon God Nation, the Tiger God Nation, and the Turtle God Nationâtogether, they stood as the Four God Nation. But there was a time, long ago, when the truth was different."
She paused, her voice growing softer, almost reverent. "It was once the Five God Nation. The fifth was the Devil God Nation... until it was destroyed, its legacy buried."
Razelâs aura surged unconsciously, the ground trembling beneath his feet. His voice was low, but it carried the weight of destiny. "And now, with Maxâs inheritance... with the evolution of our bloodline, we truly has the power to form the fifth god nation called our Black Dragon Nation. Bringing Four God Nation to its original name Five God Nation."
Old Saintess closed her eyes, exhaling slowly. She could still see Max as a boy in the Lower Domainâradiant, stubborn, unyielding. Now, he stood at the center of a storm that could reshape the entire Middle Domain.
She opened her eyes again, filled with conviction. "Yes... Max has given us the key. The Black Lotus Guild will no longer hide. We will take part in the war against the demons at the front battlefield."
Razel nodded. Evolving every single bloodlines of every members of the Black Lotus Guild truly increased their strength to a very high level. And now it was their duty that they fought the war against the demons with their full force.
The runes on the Inheritance Tower dimmed, the violent tremors easing into silence. Then, with a low rumble, the great doors parted.
A wave of oppressive aura burst forth. Black flames laced with crimson infernal energy spilled into the sky, staining the very heavens.
Max stepped out.
He didnât walkâhe rose. His figure ascended into the air above the tower, his crimson hair blazing in the glow of chaotic fire, his wings unfolding with terrifying majesty. He hovered there, overlooking the entire hidden city like a sovereign returned to his throne.
At that very moment, every member of the Black Lotus Guild froze. From the lowest initiate to the highest elder, their bloodlines roared in response to his presence.
It was not subtle. It was overwhelming.
Each of them could feel itâan invisible chain of blood binding their hearts to Max. Their veins burned with recognition, their souls trembling with submission. They knew instinctively: he was no longer just their inheritor. He was their master.
Elder Owen fell to his knees, clutching his chest as his bloodline flared. "This connection... itâs absolute!" he gasped. His body quivered, not with pain, but with awe.
Another assassin staggered, his mask slipping from his face. His voice was shaken as he shouted, "Even the thoughtâjust the thoughtâof resisting him brings agony to my veins!"
Around the city, countless members bowed instinctively. Their minds could not form rebellion. Their hearts could not shape betrayal. The very idea of disloyalty twisted their bloodlines into torment. It wasnât fear. It wasnât obedience. It was something far deeper.
It was loyalty beyond choice.
Their veins had become extensions of Maxâs will. Their loyalty was etched into their very existence.
The Old Saintessâs eyes glistened as she whispered, "Now I understand... even a whisper of rebellion would tear them apart from within. This isnât loyalty taught or sworn. This is loyalty carved into the essence of their blood."
Razelâs aura surged uncontrollably as his bloodline bent beneath Maxâs presence. His fists trembled, his lips curling into a bitter smile. "Heâs become more than a leader," Razel muttered, staring up at Maxâs form in the sky. "He is the Black Lotus Guild itself."
---
From Maxâs perspectiveâ
The sensation was unlike anything he had ever known.
When he stepped out of the tower, he felt it immediatelyâan ocean of connections flooding into his soul. Threads of blood, millions of them, weaving into him like streams converging into a river.
Each member of the Black Lotus Guild was linked to him now. He could feel their heartbeats, their breaths, their emotions. Rage, relief, fear, ambitionâit all pulsed faintly inside him. He could even sense the exact moment any of them dared to consider betrayal, for the bloodline itself would crush that thought into agony.
He clenched his fist, and thousands of bloodlines quivered at once. The sheer control was absolute, undeniable.
âSo this... this is what it means to command a bloodline.â
It wasnât just powerâit was dominion. He could silence the entire Guild with a thought, or drive them to war with a single word. The loyalty they bore wasnât theirs anymore. It was his. He had burned it into their essence.
For the first time, Max understood the phrase Guild Master in its truest sense.
A faint smile touched his lips as he looked down upon them. "I feel all of you," he murmured softly to himself, his voice carrying on the wind. "Your blood, your hearts, your lives... Theyâre mine now."
The city erupted in a thunderous roar as every Guild member dropped to one knee, shouting in unison:
"ALL HAIL THE GUILD MASTER!"
Their voices shook the hidden city to its core.
Maxâs crimson eyes glowed brighter. For the first time, the Black Lotus Guild was not just his ally.
They were his army.
"I will give you your first command from me. Listen well." Max said his voice reaching each and every single member of the Black Lotus Guild.