BLOOD MUTANT SYSTEM.-Chapter 434: CH: AUTHORITY REVOKED.

"All of a Sudden..."

The Blood Prince smiled faintly upon seeing his sister—and a familiar Granian face—before his body finally gave in.

He collapsed.

Painful tremors rippled through his weakened, feeble form as his already frail body deteriorated further. Blood spilled from his nose and mouth, splattering against the ground beneath him. But what followed was far worse than the pain, something he had never expected to experience in his life as a Blood Mutant.

’What’s happening...?’

*DING*

[!! WARNING !!]

[YOU HAVE LOST YOUR BLOOD ACOLYTES.]

[YOU NO LONGER POSSESS THE AUTHORITY TO COMMAND, CONTROL, OR SHARE YOUR STRENGTH WITH THEM.]

Ace’s vision swam.

The moment the system notification finished displaying, his body went completely limp, collapsing flat against the ground.

"Ace!"

His sister rushed to his side; the cauldron still clutched tightly in her hands. Without hesitation, she dipped her fingers into the thick crimson liquid and guided the blood into her brother’s mouth just before he slipped into unconsciousness once more.

"C... Cherry..." he muttered weakly, barely able to keep his eyes open.

"Where are... Jim and Anya...?"

*****

[Planet Edenia]

[The Ethisian Blood Mutants]

The raging sun blazed mercilessly overhead, bathing the land in scorching heat. Hot gusts of wind swept across the open terrain as sweat trickled down the bodies of the four humans. The Ethisians fared no better, doing their best to shield themselves from the sun’s relentless rays.

Silence fell.

The Ethisian humans stood still, lost in thought as they mulled over Enor’s words, along with what Jim had added earlier. The possibility of the Granians returning to Earth was no longer a distant fear; it was a looming certainty. One too dangerous to ignore.

If they continued turning a blind eye, the consequences could be far worse than what they were already facing.

And so, the man and woman began to reconsider their stance in the war.

Was it truly fair to deny the Ethisians—and their fellow humans—a chance at normal lives simply because they wanted to stay out of the conflict? Was it right to refuse involvement when the very survival of their species was at stake?

"I can’t stand here and wait any longer," Enor finally said, impatience evident in his voice. "As we speak, my people have begun gaining the upper hand against the Granians. We possess technology that allows us to move anywhere in Akrina at will."

He paused, his expression darkening.

"But I can’t guarantee it’ll remain our advantage. Granians are notorious for stealing powerful concepts from other species and twisting them for their own use. If we don’t strike now, I don’t know what’ll become of us."

His gaze hardened as he looked at the humans.

"So I’ll ask one last time. Are you with us... or not?"

That was enough. Less than a minute passed before the humans reached a decision.

"Since the Council has already broken the promise they made," the man finally said, stepping toward Jim and Anya, "I see no reason for us to uphold ours. It would be...selfish... to sit back when we have the power to aid in this fight and stop the Granians from returning to Earth again." He hesitated. "I’d hate for humanity to learn about what we’re—"

"We already know," Anya interrupted calmly. "All of Earth does. The Granians weren’t exactly discreet. They made their presence very clear."

The woman nodded slowly.

"Then we can’t allow them to interact with our species again," she said. "Who knows what humanity might become if they get their hands on alien technology?"

The Ethisians brushed off her words far too easily—but the four humans understood exactly what she meant.

Humans had always had a tendency to adapt. To exploit opportunity—even when it threatened their own destruction.

The Gifted Serums were proof of that. A genetic-altering fluid, created with nothing but human technology, used to give them a chance against the Granians during the invasion.

If they could accomplish that alone...What would they do with access to advanced alien technology?

’They already have beast crystals... and Granian prisoners,’ Jim thought grimly, recalling what he had seen with his own eyes. ’It’s only a matter of time before they extract information—and weaponize it. If that happens, human technology will advance far faster than it ever should. And then... who knows what’ll become of us?’

"Thank you," Enor said, extending his hand for a handshake.

It went ignored.

The male Ethisian Blood Mutant stared intently at Jim and Anya, his eyes glowing faintly as his expression twisted into a frown.

"You were turned," he said slowly. "But not by the Granians. They didn’t directly infuse Blood Mutant DNA into you." He narrowed his eyes. "Someone else did."

"I sense it too," his wife added. "And it’s dark. Extremely dark. I’m surprised the two of you can still move, think, and act independently. How are you still in control?"

Jim and Anya exchanged confused looks.

They knew Ace had turned them. They knew the kind of power he possessed. But dark? Were they referring to the strange energy Ace had begun to exhibit...or something else entirely?

"Dark?" Jim asked. "What do you mean?"

"And why wouldn’t we have free will just because we were turned?" Anya added.

"No," the man replied.

He snapped his fingers.

The two Blood Beasts that had captured the humans and Ethisians earlier immediately stepped forward, standing rigid like obedient soldiers. Their eyes were empty, their bodies unmoving—awaiting command.

"That," he said coldly, "is what a turned creature looks like. They can’t act beyond their orders. They can’t think. They can’t reason. They exist solely to carry out my will, or the will of the one who turned them—nothing more."

His gaze returned to Jim and Anya.

"You shouldn’t even be capable of holding this conversation. Especially not when the one who turned you possesses power so immense that even we can sense it radiating from you."

’He’s not even here... and his presence is still acknowledged,’ Jim thought bitterly.

’Damn you, Ace.’

"And if we can sense it," the man continued, "then so can the one who turned you. If we don’t remove it, he’ll be able to track your location, and that makes you both a liability." His voice dropped. "We can’t afford that."

Two blood-red daggers materialized in the air beside him.

"We must get rid of it."