Despite showing signs of being greater than normal humans, new Supernals could not utilize the full capacity of their divine bloodline. That's simply because their bodies are still mortal, which inhibits their bloodline from fully showcasing its power.
Forcing their mortal bodies to maximize the divine bloodline would only result in death.
Implosion of the body and soul.
An Awakened Supernal must achieve the rank of an Aspirant Supernal to fully manifest their divine bloodline. To do that, they would need to transform their blood vessels into Awakened Blood Vessels by developing the three layers of the blood vessels.
Namely: the Intima, Media, and Adventitia.
Intima is the deepest layer, and should also be the first one to be developed.
Mana ores are needed to develop each layer.
Upon developing the Intima, one would enter the early stage of the Awakened Supernal rank.
Anyone in this stage would possess enhanced regeneration.
Normal wounds wouldn't even leave a scar.
And considering their current situation right now, achieving this stage would greatly help.
Kai took another mana ore and closed his eyes again. Everything was written in Professor Hera's notes, so he knew what to do. Instead of allowing his Primordial Lock to devour the mana from the mana ore, he absorbed it using his body.
It was a success when he felt the warmth spreading across his hand.
Slowly, carefully, Kai guided it through his arm and then settled it into his heart.
Once all the mana from the mana ore was gathered there, his focus deepened as he began to merge it into the arteries first. He felt a sharp sting whenever he lost focus, but eventually, Kai was able to merge it.
His blood helped spread the mana across his body.
Kai felt an itchy sensation, like there was a colony of fire ants walking in his arteries.
It took a moment until the sensation faded.
And when it did, Kai opened his eyes and realized the mana ore was already exhausted.
"I can feel the change—but at this rate, I'd need much more than five mana ores," Kai clicked his tongue in displeasure. He stood up and walked out of the hideout, taking a seat under the tree's canopy.
He didn't know how much time had passed in absorbing that one mana ore.
But considering how fast it was for his Primordial Lock, he reckoned it hadn't been that long.
A few minutes at most.
Kai still has three more mana ores and thought it'd feel more comfortable being outside under the moon instead of being cramped inside. He resumed his meditation, devouring the rest of his mana ores greedily.
Once he was finished, he clenched his hands a couple of times.
"I've gotten stronger," He nodded, pleased with the progress. "Unlocking the second Divine Lock would exponentially boost a Supernal's strength, but until then, they practically halted in growth. I can use this to my advantage."
"Good thinking," A voice agreed with him.
Kai snapped his head to the side in shock.
A figure was sitting on a tree branch above him, and he didn't even sense her.
But his shock receded when he realized who it was.
"Coming to see your failing students?" Kai asked as he turned away. "That's cruel of you."
"Betrayal is a common theme in this rite. I've seen many before you fall like this," Professor Hera shrugged, finding the situation not surprising at all, especially considering Matilda's situation. "But most gave up when their team was reduced to a handful, and you don't."
"Is that a compliment?" Kai laughed mockingly.
A compliment like that felt like nothing when the situation was this dire.
"You can take it as you want, but I am curious," Professor Hera crossed her leg and leaned forward to look down at the fascinating Lesser Angel. "Not giving up after what happened is a survival instinct, but knowing that you'd lose in the end but keep going anyway… What can possibly be in your mind?"
"Isn't it obvious?" Kai looked up at her with a defiant gaze. "I'm not planning to lose."
Frankly, Professor Hera thought Kai would bring up his sister.
It's understandable that he would fight until the very end after what his sister endured.
But this answer surprises her.
He has no chance of winning.
That's his fate for not having at least two Divine Locks. For being a Lesser Angel.
"And how do you plan to do that?" She asked.
Kai didn't answer.
Not because he didn't want to answer, but because he also didn't know how to do that.
But he should find out how soon, or else he'd die.
"You asked me a question, now I get to ask a question," Kai paused for a second, recalling the battles he had encountered between Team Coeus and Team Hyperion. "Though Team Coeus' attack on our team made sense since we're close, how did they find out where Team Hyperion was that quickly?"
A few days after the slaughter, Team Coeus already confronted Team Hyperion.
Kai has already seen how long the river is. It would take days to reach the eastern side of Ixos, where Team Hyperion was. And certainly, even more time to pinpoint their base. But it didn't take long for Team Coeus to find them.
It was suspiciously too easy for them. Too convenient.
"Did their professor help?" Kai added demandingly. "It's the only explanation. Especially since their core members managed to obtain full gear in a few days."
"Yes, their professor provided a little bit of help." Professor Hera confirmed.
"Then why didn't you help us?! If we knew that Team Coeus was coming, we could've at least put up a fight instead of being slaughtered like pigs!"
"I know it might sound unfair, but I'm not the kind to break rules. Other professors cheated to have their students win, but I don't want to cheat."
"Liar."
Kai scorned at her, knowing that she was only saying this as an excuse.
"Hmm?" Professor Hera frowned at his response.
"Don't talk to me about heeding the rules. If you're really that kind of person, then you would not give me your notes."
Bree was escorted by the established Supernals for her transgression of helping him, helping the Lesser Angel. Doing so disrupts the class-system of the academy. The rule mandated that no leeway was given to the Lesser Angel.
And Kai doubts that the professors were not bound by that rule.
So, Professor Hera is lying if her excuse was that she's the kind of person who heeded the rules.
"You want something from me." Kai's eyes narrowed.
Professor Hera had given him her notes so that he could survive this rite. And then now, when he managed to survive the onslaught from Team Coeus and even took down a few, she'd come looking.
It became apparent that he was her target for some reason.
"What do you want from me?" His voice turned cold.
"Sharp," She rested her chin on her palm, studying him attentively like a hawk. "And yes, I do want something. But now isn't the time." A pause as she looked to the side, prompting Kai to do the same. "Since we're here, though—two hundred yards north, there's a pond. In it, there is a chest. It'll help you with your current situation.
"I'll come visit again later. For now, goodbye." She floated skyward and left.
Kai stared in the direction where she went with a deep frown.
And when he made sure that she left, he made his way to where she said the chest was. It took him only a moment to find the pond. He took a long stick nearby and poked it, expecting a crocodile to be inside.
Fortunately, there wasn't. And the pond was shallow, too.
Kai probed the pond with his feet until he felt something hard.
He took it out of the pond, and as Professor Hera said, it was a chest. Bigger than the others.
Inside, he found five intricate weapons made entirely of black steel. He took one, a scimitar that's quite heavy to handle properly. He stood up and tested it out, making a few slashes, and realized it was also enchanted with mana.
It must be a grade 1 enchanted weapon.
Enchanted weapons are far superior to normal weapons.
A sword, no matter how strong, can never cut through thick concrete.
But an enchanted sword can.
"If I had this before, that guy would not only lose his hand, but also his head," Kai nodded inwardly, praising the scimitar that was a bit over the length of half his body. "This is an upgrade from my small knife."
Kai took back the chest and brought it inside.
Early in the morning, he told the others what he found, and they were unsurprisingly excited.
"Damn," Dorian looked at the black fingerguards on his hand that were elongated around the tips, curving like deadly demon claws. "If only we had had these weapons days ago, we might already have taken down Team Coeus' mine."
"At least we have adequate weapons now," Abigail smiled at an obsidian staff.
She could feel her mana was riled up by holding the staff alone.
"What do you say we raid them again tonight, Kai?" Dorian asked, visibly excited.
"No, that's too risky," Kai shook his head. "We've hit them twice already, so they'll be ready the next time. We even saw a couple of scouts roaming near us. They're searching for us. We go east instead. Check on the other teams and find the Awakened Monster.
"If we find it first, then all we need to do is wait for them to come to us."
…
Meanwhile, Team Coeus' base.
Unlike Team Crius who made its base on where they started this rite, Team Coeus adopted a mobile base. Instead of fixing on one place, they are always on the move. Tents, equipment, and fire made it easy for them to roam around in search of the other teams.
Inside one of the tents, Matilda sat while watching passing strangers.
Last night, she was being briefed by Wolf on what to do.
Layra, the leader of Team Hyperion, is being a pain in the ass, and Lion wanted to take her out as soon as possible. She was tasked to flank a few members of Team Hyperion who were hunting for food in the far east.
But at that moment, they were interrupted by two students.
One of them has his hand severed, while the other was pale from extreme fear.
"Team Crius is still not giving up. They ambushed us!" One of them exclaimed.
"How many?" Wolf asked sternly. "And who is it?"
"I don't know… But I saw one of them," the student gulped harshly, cold sweat sliding down the side of his face as he recalled how that person devoured his friend in darkness. "It's the Lesser Angel! He's strong! He even devoured Rampard!"
Hearing this, Wolf turned to look at Matilda.
"Kai…" Matilda muttered grimly.