Human heavenly monarchs wouldn’t take action so easily. When they did, it was either to face-off against great dark monarchs as with the Pointer Monarch and Progia, or to kill special targets as in the case of the Profundity Monarch.

The problem was that the humans also knew of the qualitative difference in the malicious intent’s reaction. They would surely make use of these two opportunities. The heavenly monarchs would be able to go all out, safe in the knowledge that great dark monarchs couldn’t stop them.

Experts at the heavenly monarch and great dark monarch realm were overwhelming forces in battle. Princes might be fine under such circumstances, but some of the grand dukes would be in danger. Those who were powerful in combat but weak in running away might fall in the new world.

Dukes were the pillars of each clan, and the grand dukes, even more so. Each loss could change the power balance of the entire family. Even powerful races like the demonkin and vampires would find it difficult to handle the loss of a grand duke. The weakest...