"So does that mean I wasn't as useful as I thought, Ketsumei?"
Rina had an almost tearful expression. She wanted to be the most useful inside the dungeon, so she couldn't help feeling that way. Karyu, who was watching, simply couldn't believe that this was the same person who had defeated her like that.
"Calm down, Rina, you didn't let me finish. This syringe doesn't have its full potential with other races like humans, but it still has eighty percent of its potential."
"Does that mean I was very, very useful?"
"Yes, without a doubt, very useful."
Enrico placed his hand on her head affectionately, which made her blush and smile. Yumeha and Aoi behind them were jealous, trying to look around to see if there was something they could give to Enrico as well.
"You can take the syringe, Ketsumei, it's all yours."
"Thank you."
Behind them Takeshi, Raizen, Aina, and Karyu felt a bit of envy, because that would certainly turn Enrico into a seventh circle if his words were true.
"Let's see, Emperor, could you come closer?"
"Of course, what is it, son-in-law?"
Raizen didn't know what that syringe was, so he didn't feel the same as the others. Enrico raised his hand toward him with the syringe.
"I want you to use it somewhere far from the world."
"Why?"
The surprise in everyone's eyes was simply priceless. Without a doubt, they couldn't believe what they were seeing. Who in their right mind would hand over such an item like that? Enrico rolled his eyes when he saw that reaction; it seemed they hadn't understood what he wanted to do.
'Don't look at me like that. The more tenth circles we have, the better chance we'll have of surviving the malignant gods.'
[But you? This is very useful—]
'System, this is the smartest thing to do. Besides, trust me, I'll evolve very quickly.'
Of course Enrico had plans on how to become stronger. If he didn't, he would have thought for a few seconds about keeping that syringe, but that would be better for him in the present than in the future.
'None of the ninth circles will become tenth before the war begins, so I have to help them.'
Currently, Enrico had one ally at the tenth circle, which was the current new vampire king. He hadn't added the current strongest yet because they weren't allies, but in the future they would be, so he would have two tenth circles who would be very useful against the malignant gods.
'With Renzou I'll have three, and besides that they'll have even more reasons to stay with me. Tell me, System, do you think this decision is stupid?'
[…No, the worst part is that it makes complete sense.]
Renzou received the news of what the syringe was capable of doing from his children. Upon realizing how important it was, he looked at Enrico with conviction. Before, there was no way he would betray him, and now it was quite possible that he would sacrifice his life to keep his son-in-law alive.
"Thank you, Enrico. I will repay this favor in the future."
"And of course I will use that favor… just one more thing, if there's some left over, you can leave it for me."
"Hahaha, of course."
Renzou began to fly and immediately left the world. The power that would awaken was far too great for him to remain there, so to avoid hurting anyone it was better to awaken the tenth circle in space.
"You are very clever, young Enrico. Now all of Tsuyokuni will sacrifice their lives for you."
Hearing Sayaka's voice, he turned, but she placed her hand on his head and turned him toward the Akirama family. All of them had expressions of admiration for him, because just like his father, they wanted to recover the power of ancient Tsuyokuni—especially Rina, who was emotional, and Yumeha, who trembled with excitement because she was certain of something.
'He definitely has plans to evolve, that's why he gave the syringe to my father. I can't wait to see what plans he has for the future.'
Sayaka had a smile on her face as she looked at Lara, her daughter, who began congratulating Rina for now having someone in the family reach the level that so many from other territories desire. Upon hearing the family, Rina went to hug her Ketsumei; without a doubt, she had chosen right.
"Thank you, my dear Ketsumei."
"You are a strange human."
Lisa approached with Karyu behind her. Both were also surprised, but it made sense for him to do that if it made his allies stronger. Squeezing his hand with a bit of discomfort, she stepped a little closer.
"If you want, I can give you more of my blood."
"Really, Ketsumei, her blood—"
"That's not possible, because that syringe is special, made specifically for Nartheis, and it will disintegrate when it runs out or if you try to put more blood in it after you've already used some. Taking your blood without it has no effect."
That syringe was so special that it could extract all the potential from Lisa's blood, made specifically to achieve that effect. Yumeha, with some doubts, remembered something.
"Doesn't that mean the vampires would really like that blood? And that it would be better than ours? And maybe even yours? What if they betray you? Master, we have to make plans…"
Enrico snorted in an amused way, making everyone confused, because what she said made sense, and it really did make sense for them to think that way given its effect.
"That's not possible, because they would become weaker if they drank that blood."
"Why, Master?"
"Because their bodies reject the blood of divinities; it's like eating rotten food."
Leaving everyone surprised once again, he directed his gaze upward, seeing a bright blue light illuminating that entire dark place. The dungeon had been completed, so it was becoming part of that world, but that light was coming earlier.
"Look, Rina, Yumeha, your father is evolving."
Everyone looked up as everything around them trembled nonstop. No, it wasn't just that place—the entire world was shaking, and the two tenth circles, even though they were currently in a different dimension, felt it. The four first Kings became a little worried, but upon sensing something familiar and realizing it was Renzou's magic, they all thought the same thing.
'Damn it, that bastard really managed to reach it first.'
"Lord Enrico, if I have divine blood, does that mean I'm a descendant of a god?"
"Yes, you are a descendant of Apollo."
While Lisa and Karyu were surprised, two people who knew about Enrico's fire cancer immediately turned toward Lisa, making her uncomfortable under their gaze. Rina and Yumeha immediately jumped toward her to learn everything about her family.
'The master said Apollo can heal him, so…'
'We have to find him, even if we have to force him to do it.'
As they asked questions at the same time, they were also thinking about how to make Apollo heal Enrico, and for that they needed to become stronger than a god.
'I hope there's some left of the syringe. I could have refused, but I want it.'
[I can already feel the regret coming.]
Meanwhile, Enrico continued waiting for Renzou to return. He wasn't asking Lisa questions because it wouldn't be of any use, since she didn't know.
'Come on, Renzou, I believe you won't need much.'