The Primal Hunter Chapter 1284 - A Queen’s Guards

Deep within an expansive morphic pool, the True Royal remained in a state of profound meditation. Surrounding her were seven massive eggs, partially submerged and pulsating with raw energy.

Standing just beyond the pool's periphery was a congregation of over a dozen gods from the Endless Empire. While a few were True Royals themselves, the assembly was predominantly comprised of Hive Queen goddesses of the Vespernat Lineage, all gathered to witness their leader undertake a ritual of immense significance.

Some True Royals betrayed their unease and skepticism through hushed murmurs. One finally ventured to speak, "Seven... that is surely excessive, is it not?"

"It exceeds anything I would dare to advise," Odonestra exhaled softly. If Vesperia succumbed to failure in this undertaking, she faced the risk of a catastrophic soul injury—a trauma requiring at least several decades to mend, even with the assistance of rare treasures provided by the Endless Empire to accelerate her recovery.

"Have faith in Her Majesty," a Godqueen of the Vespernat Lineage interjected, her arms folded across her chest. She displayed full confidence in her True Royal—or perhaps merely a desperate hope for Vesperia’s triumph, as the prestige of the True Royal directly bolstered the influence of the Vespernat Lineage.

What exactly was Vesperia pursuing? She was anchoring the foundation for assets that would serve her throughout her climb to godhood and transcend the limitations of the mortal realm.

Following her evolution to B-grade, Vesperia’s capacity to nurture her Queen’s Guard had grown substantially, allowing her to manifest yet another terrifying aspect of the True Royals.

Ectognamorph Hive Queens govern a hierarchy within their eusocial colonies, spanning from simple workers and drones to the Hive Queen herself. Positioned directly beneath the monarch are the Queen’s Guards, the loyal sentinels tasked with the absolute protection of the Hive Queen.

For numerous Lineages, these Queen’s Guards represent more formidable combatants than the Hive Queen herself, particularly when they operate in perfect coordination. While Vesperia possessed Queen’s Guards during her C-grade phase, they were limited; despite being her strongest creations, they were incomplete.

The primary flaw was their lack of true sentience. They were hauntingly close, yet they never quite breached the threshold of individual consciousness. Restricted by these narrow faculties, they relied entirely on power funneled directly from the Hive Queen, which curtailed their potential in both power and tactical diversity.

Upon reaching B-grade, this dynamic shifts entirely for True Royals. They unlock the potential to forge their genuine Queen’s Guards. These are not merely superior drones, but existences that are fundamentally transformed and remarkably authentic.

They emerge as truly sapient entities, harboring their own reflections and emotions—not unlike the Guardians summoned by high-tier individuals across the multiverse. While their existence remains inextricably bound to their Hive Queen, and their loyalty is not a concept they can even contemplate questioning, they offer a vast, expansive evolution beyond the drone state.

More importantly, because of their independent capacity for thought, they are no longer tethered to a direct stream of power from their Hive Queen. While she remains their source, they possess the agency to diversify their capabilities after awakening.

Frequently, they gravitate toward specialization. Some may evolve into peerless warriors focused on martial might, while others master the arcana to become potent mages. Some utilize conventional armaments, and, in extremely rare instances, Queen’s Guards have even integrated advanced technology into their own unique Paths.

Ultimately, the word is 'Paths.' Unlike other creations of a Hive Queen, her guards possess the capacity to forge their own trajectories—comprehending concepts, developing unique martial arts, and refining individual skills. There are even documented cases where Queen’s Guards displayed such extraordinary talent that they reached a bottleneck set only by the capacity of their True Royal creator, for they remain, in essence, her spawn.

These Queen’s Guards are forged in a singular ritual, destined to remain by their Hive Queen’s side for their entire duration, their fates intertwined in life and death. Should a Guard perish, the True Royal Hive Queen can regenerate them—though the cost is steep owing to the intricate complexity of their construction.

This ritual is a tradition passed down from the primordial generation of True Royals. The seven eggs utilized by Vesperia serve as vessels for her guards, expertly prepared by the Endless Empire for just such a moment. While Vesperia could have crafted the eggs alone given sufficient time, it was not strictly necessary. Even the morphic pool, while helpful for a smoother process, was largely a matter of utility.

Yet, the observers watching her clearly believed she relied upon every advantage she could get.

"I do not doubt her aptitude, merely the wisdom of testing one's limits at such a moment," another True Royal sighed with a shake of her head. "Should she fail, I fear the psychological blow could stain her confidence and hinder her long-term development."

"She possesses the right to attempt it," Odonestra remarked neutrally, though, in truth, she harbored her own doubts regarding Vesperia’s chances of success.

There exists no absolute cap on the number of Queen’s Guards a True Royal can forge. More are always better, but the Hive Queen serves as a personal constraint on how many she can successfully birth.

This ritual is widely regarded as a barometer for the latent potential of a True Royal Hive Queen. While all are born with immense talent, there remains a distinct stratification of ability.

Generally, one's count of Queen’s Guards correlates to their potential. The vast majority create four; it is the universal standard for these supremely talented creatures. More than nine out of ten True Royals reach this number—or rather, stop at it, because they cannot go further.

By nature, True Royals are hubristic, often convinced they are more capable than reality dictates. Thus, many attempt to forge more than they are capable of supporting, only to fail, force a cessation of the ritual, and accept a more realistic outcome.

Most recognize when they have reached their limit early, aborting the procedure to minimize the backlash. Only those who aggressively push far beyond their potential face the most immediate and disastrous failures.

Paradoxically, the most perilous rituals are those undertaken by the truly exceptional talents.

While most create four, a select few achieve five. These individuals are hailed as elite True Royals, often rising to command their generation. Less than one in ten succeeds in creating more than four, and those reaching higher numbers are rare; figures surpassing five guards are statistically rarer than one in ten thousand.

Odonestra herself possesses six, each powerful enough to fell Godkings and Godqueens. Every leader of the True Royal Hive Queen goddesses commands six—save for four, the hidden powerhouses of the Endless Empire. This quartet, the Endless Empresses, stands as the primary deterrent against a Rigorian invasion.

These four each possess seven Queen’s Guards. Outside of them, only a handful in history have ever succeeded in creating seven, yet none of them successfully ascended to godhood. The transition to godhood is never guaranteed, and the path to ascension remains treacherous.

In those rare historical successes, the True Royals were trained from birth, often bolstered by unique Bloodlines or Transcendent skills that set them apart. Furthermore, they were typically older, having intentionally delayed their progression to ensure they reached B-grade in an optimal state.

Vesperia, however, is radically different. She is exceptionally young—not even a century old, even accounting for her time in Nevermore. Her foray to the World Wonder was a risk the Endless Empire leadership disapproved of, yet Vesperia has always seemed to be in a haste that defies their expectations.

They would have preferred she spend millennia reaching B-grade. Regrettably, as a True Royal herself, she is accountable to none, even among the most powerful gods of the Empire.

Her hurried evolutionary track and lack of traditional imperial upbringing fueled Odonestra's skepticism. Part of her secretly wished for Vesperia to fail early, to temper her ambition.

Simultaneously, however, a part of her yearned to see if Vesperia could defy the odds. As the divine who has spent the most time with the Vespernat True Royal, Odonestra knew that underestimating the girl was a fatal error. She had repeatedly shattered expectations, and her potential was a vital asset to the Endless Empire.

Suddenly, the ritual chamber stirred. An atmosphere of unease permeated the room as Vesperia, within the pool, frowned. Her energy surged, flickering in instability, as if her focus had been fractured by an external irritant.

Panic flared among the Vespernat gods, but they quickly quelled their anxiety, clinging to confidence. Odonestra scanned the ritual, relieved to find that, despite the momentary glitch, the process remained intact.

The next half-hour unfolded in silence, complex runic scripts unfurling across the seven human-sized eggs. These were no mundane magic formations; they were cursive, arcane patterns that wove and coiled in ways that defied physics.

Time marched on, and Vesperia showed no signs of fatigue. She remained motionless, eyes closed, her mind entirely consumed by the creation of her lifelong stewards.

Finally, the ritual entered its terminal phase. The eggs were saturated with runes and echoed with potent vital energy. Still, caution was warranted. Even if the external ritual succeeded, true success required the infusion of a Truesoul—a quality that many regarded as the hallmark of genuine life. Failure was still a looming possibility until the very last moment.

Many talented True Royals have seen their eggs fail to coalesce—some yielding only hollow egos, others plagued by unstable souls, and some simply resulting in stillborn vessels.

The tension in the chamber was suffocating as the energy began to wane. Nobody dared to breathe.

Vesperia’s eyes opened. She scanned the onlookers, nodding briefly to signal her stability, and waded through the viscous fluid toward the first egg.

She pressed her palm against the surface, issuing the command to awaken. With a wet, tearing crack, the egg bloomed like a night-opening flower. Within stood a female form, bearing an uncanny resemblance to Vesperia.

Breathless silence gripped the room as the newborn guard opened her eyes. Their gazes locked, and then the firstborn spoke, "Your Majesty."

A wave of relief swept through the assembly. Success was confirmed. Vesperia, remarkably composed, moved to the second egg and repeated the process. Before long, a second identical figure emerged, bowing low in greeting.

"Your Majesty."

One by one, the ritual continued. The third, fourth, and fifth guards emerged to join the ranks. Even for five successful births, those present would have celebrated, but Vesperia maintained her calm demeanor, moving toward the sixth.

When the sixth successfully hatched, Odonestra flashed a wide, genuine smile. Vesperia had exceeded all projections, but the air remained thick with curiosity regarding the seventh.

With deliberate, careful movements, Vesperia positioned herself before the final egg. Under the gaze of her sisters and her newly awakened guards, she infused her energy and commanded the final birth.

The shell tore open, revealing the last body. After a heart-stopping second of silence, the seventh guard’s eyes flickered, focused on Vesperia, and she bowed.

"Your Majesty."

Odonestra scanned them immediately, confirming their perfect health and robust power. They were magnificent.

Gradually, the guards absorbed their shattered shells, the organic material morphing into loose robes that would eventually adapt to their chosen appearances. Vesperia looked upon them with a smile of pride, then turned to the assembled gods, thanking them for their presence while subtly indicating a need for privacy to bond with her new retinue.

By the time the guards finished absorbing their vessels, only Odonestra remained. The guards greeted one another with polite deference, their innate recognition of their nature and purpose already fully formed. Yet there was a flicker of individuality in their movements—exactly as had been hoped.

While the hive always held precedence, a spark of personality only served to strengthen them.

As Vesperia stood surrounded by her seven guards, they appeared as a set of identical siblings. It was a terrifying strategic asset; her guards could mirror her aura perfectly and shift to match her appearance, acting as flawless decoys to ensure her safety.

Giving them a moment, Vesperia stepped from the pool and approached Odonestra. The True Royal bowed her head, meeting her gaze.

"I concede defeat. I was foolish to question your limits," Odonestra admitted with a smile, then added, "Though, I must ask... you seemed to waver halfway through. What transpired?"

Vesperia looked back at her guards and let out a soft sigh. "A moment of doubt crept in, and my focus faltered."

"Oh? Doubt about what?"

"I regret that I did not attempt eight," Vesperia confessed, leaving Odonestra stunned for several heartbeats.

"Do not mistake my sentiment; I cannot say for certain I would have succeeded, but the burden of seven felt... manageable," Vesperia explained. "I know the scaling of difficulty is exponential, but I would have liked to test the threshold. Not that I harbor regrets for this result."

Odonestra stared at her for a long moment before erupting into a soft chuckle. The Vespernat True Royal possessed all the arrogance characteristic of her kind, perhaps even more.

"I cannot truly fault you, but ensure your new guards are nurtured well," Odonestra suggested.

"Fear not," Vesperia replied. "They are my Queen’s Guard. I am certain they will prove exceptional."

They lingered for a moment longer until the guards were fully prepared. As a synchronized unit, they approached Vesperia in a perfect line, bowing their heads. The firstborn stepped forward to address her.

"Your Majesty, on behalf of us all, I extend our gratitude for the gift of life. While it may seem like mere sentiment, we wish to reaffirm our absolute devotion and swear an oath of eternal allegiance." The Guard spoke with a command of language that betrayed a high level of nascent intelligence.

"I accept your oath and await your potential with great anticipation," Vesperia smiled. "I shall not force your Paths. Take the time you require to discover your own talents and shape the beings you wish to become. Follow me."