Born in Blood

Chapter 408 Reputation

Liam's understanding of power had grown as time passed.

Enough to realize reputation was a branch of it.

After all, the only reason Liam had authority was because the acolytes revered who he was as a person, and what he'd do if they disobeyed.

It was his reputation, which came as a result of his power, that gave him such a high status.

Despite him not even being the strongest in the Temple.

But reputations, rumors, and fears could be inflated above and beyond the norm.

Propaganda was dangerous for this reason, since a lie could be masked as truth, and a truth could be made out as a lie.

If Liam's reputation managed to supersede his actual strength level, whose to say he wouldn't be allowed to participate within the Rank 5 Zone?

But first, he'd have to build that reputation.

And he'd have to start by claiming some ground.

Judging by how the Line worked, one side could actually claim the other's land, and or Battle Stations.

Sort of like a push-pull, ebb and flow kind of motion.

Though, the Imperialists didn't actually focus on this aspect of the war, since it didn't constitute victory.

The dagger did.

But the more land one had, the greater advantage they had in securing the dagger.

It gave them a head start in racing to the sky.

And as of now, the ones closest to the center line were the Couragists.

'That's where I build my reputation.'

Wasting no more time, Liam pulled the hood over his head and bolted towards the Couragist's huts.

The Rank 4 Zenith Zone was where he could express his prowess to its limits… but Liam wasn't barred from entering the Mortal side, either.

Liam pursed his lips momentarily, as all sorts of shockwaves caused his hood to flutter.

'Let's start from the beginning.'

Since it was behind their own line, Liam spotted a few Zeniths in those Mortal Battle Stations.

Probably for protection.

Liam gave the nearby Elders a transmission message of his plan.

Before they could respond, Liam had already run off like a bolt of lightning.

A moment later, Liam leapt up high and clutched onto a vulture, causing it to sway like a ship amidst heavy waves.

It was a Rank 3 Abomination, but there was already someone riding it.

Not anymore.

Liam pushed her off!

There was disbelief written on her face, but a moment later, she fell harmlessly into a mushroom-type Abomination.

As Liam flew deeper into the Mortal Zone, a storm of curses trailed after him.

The vulture didn't seem to care who rode on it, though.

Using the two reins below its neck, Liam pushed them forward.

Air hissed past his ears.

The pungent smell of blood entered through his nostrils.

A battle raged on below him, but Liam continued flying unhindered by any major attack, dodging the minor spells shot his way.

The Fearists watching him go deeper and deeper hectically screamed for him to come back.

Was the Abomination suicidal?!

It'd die back there!

The Abomination continued flying atop the vulture.

Before long, Liam was behind enemy lines!

The Couragists below were Rank 3, pointing at the vulture like hungry wolves spotting a chicken.

Liam's eyes narrowed with focus.

There was a time where a Rank 3 cultivator seemed like the zenith of the cultivation journey.

And now?

Fish in a barrel.

Liam dropped himself amidst a circular formation of large huts, landing with a light step.

This was an outpost. A major Battle Station with several Zeniths.

The hood still obscured most of Liam's face.

Hundreds of Rank 3 gauntlet-wearing, broad-shouldered, heavily built warriors surrounded him, including a few Rank 4.

Malicious, ear-to-ear grins were on their grim faces.

What kind of hero complex did this cloaked idiot have?

A painful beatdown was in ord—

Tongue-like tentacles burst from Liam's back in a wide spread, grabbing onto an unsuspecting Couragist before he could even think of reacting.

The scene that followed was absolutely terrifying.

The tentacles pulled the man in and wrapped around his limbs, then wrung him like a wet cloth.

KLRSH!

There was a soft squelching sound, followed by the gentle pouring of liquid on flat ground.

Instead of water, there was blood.

The man had died.

'That… happened easier than I thought it would,' Liam thought. 'Probably a Rank 3 body.'

The atmosphere changed.

Shock spread across the Imperialists' expressions.

Liam didn't wait for them to process everything.

Using Shadow Blink, Liam vanished, then reappeared in a tight cluster of unaware Couragists.

Loosening his grip on the Dusk Blades, Liam swung in a wide circular arc, ripping through several necks at once.

SHING!

Liam didn't stop.

He cleaved, cut, sliced, ripped through the crowds, all while being bombarded with explosions and physical attacks.

SHING!

BOOM!

WHOOSH!

SHHHH!

BRKH!

KRSH!

***

It took him 2 hours, 21 minutes, and 13 seconds to wipe away an entire Battle Station.

By the end of it, Liam looked like a wreck.

His cloak had turned almost entirely white due to him using it repeatedly.

It was on the edge of turning into tattered pieces, but the cloak seemed to be imbued with some sort of self-repairing property.

Two of Liam's arms were missing, pulled off in the heat of battle.

From his estimation, just 8% of his blood remained.

Shadow Blink saved his skin more than a few times in that brawl.

Whenever he was about to be overpowered, Liam used it, but the Couragists weren't weak at all.

Liam fought without using any of his major abilities, though. Just in case someone stronger was watching.

All that aside, thanks to his efforts, an entire battalion of Couragists were cleared.

'Time to get out of here,' Liam thought with heavy eyes.

***

Those fighting in the Mortal Zone slowly realized they weren't getting support, and the Fearists pushed them back.

Before long, the Fearists claimed that patch of land!

But as they saw the mutilated bodies littering its grounds, they took deep breaths.

They remembered the Abomination that flew atop the vulture.

The hooded figure.

With the cloak.

Was that what caused the carnage?

And so many of them?

Rumors were spread.

A legend was being born.