'A.I. Chip, show me the result of the Heaven Swallowing rune.'
[Bip... Analyzing rune's effect.
Rune successfully intervenes with bloodline combustion of the Heavenly race individual, slowing down the speed at which it happens and absorbing part of the energy generated.
86% of the energy generated during the bloodline combustion of the Rank 1 Angel has been absorbed, granting the host a 0.03% advance in the process of creating the Elemental Bloodline Marrow.]
'The help I obtain from a Rank 1 Angel is too little. If I only use them, I will have to kill thousands, maybe even tens of thousands since the advance will be slower when I start transforming the marrow on my spine. I need to focus on hunting stronger members of the Heavenly race, otherwise, I will be too slow.'
Despite the rise in the Elemental Bloodline Marrow being so small, it was insignificant. Zatiel was very pleased with the Heaven Swallowing rune since it will improve the speed enormously at which his body transformation will advance.
Once he was done with assessing the effectiveness of the rune, Zatiel went to pick up the wings he had ripped off the Angel's back and stared at the army.
"Dante, who among those at Rank 1 who used fire-related spells achieved the greatest merits and whose action in the battlefield generated an effect beyond what was expected of him?"
Who Zatiel was looking wasn't the one who defeated the strongest opponent or displayed the greatest fighting power among those at Rank 1. Since if he used those search parameters, the winner will always be a Neo-Demon and it will not recognize those who can show great military might by working in teams, taking advantage of the enemies flaws or assist in battles of a higher level than their own.
Dante was still surprised by all the events happening just now, but he immediately focused when he heard Zatiel's words and after analyzing all the data of the battles and exploration made, he spoke.
"It is the Advanced Rank 1 Magus Jeriko, a man under Zitra's command. Although his fighting power is not impressive, he is very ingenious, always finding ways to help others during fights with stronger enemies and sometimes acting as bait to guide the enemies to an ambush," Dante stared at a young man at the back of the army with red hair.
Jeriko's appearance was quite normal and he could easily blend in a crowd. But by his posture and the look in his eyes, it was obvious that he was someone who has been forged on the battlefield.
After hearing Dante's analysis, Zatiel agreed. Although he would have preferred for a member of his clan to obtain the reward, it did not really matter since they could gain it later and he knows that objectivity and meritocracy are important for an army to become stronger and for its members to push forward and break their limits.
"You can come here and reclaim your reward."
Jeriko became very excited when he heard those words. But as a warrior that had experienced many life and death experiences, he had great control over his emotions and did not let them affect him. So he immediately moves forward until he was before Zatiel.
"Rank 1 Magus under Soul Forging existence Zitra, Jeriko greets army leader, Zatiel Daybreak," Jeriko performed a bow as he gave the usual salute of a Magi army soldier.
Although they were around the same age, Jeriko knew he could not compare with the man in front of him who was strong enough to kill everybody in the army by himself.
"Every action has an effect. Your performance during this first battle was great, so you deserve a reward. I can implant these wings on you, and they will work as a piece of upgradable magic equipment. This will grant you an increase in 35% in the power of your fire spells, outstanding flying abilities, and they can work like shields. If you advance to the next Rank, you will need to infuse magic items with fire properties in the wings if you want their effect to reach the standards of the next Rank. Are you satisfied with this reward?" Zatiel words were loud, allowing the entire army to hear him.
All the members of the army were impressed with the abilities of those wings and even more when they found out that they could be upgraded when he advanced to the next Rank.
This means that he will not have to change them once he reaches Rank 2. Unlike them who will need to obtain different magic equipment since their Rank 1 armors will no longer be enough to help them in battle because they cannot stop the might that a Rank 2 spell generates.
Although some of the members of the army were feeling envy, most of the Magi knew of the help that the man provided during the battles, so they saw fit for Jeriko to get the wings.
"Yes, I am very satisfied!" Jeriko also understood how useful those wings were so he immediately accepted.
"Ok. Then turn around, uncover your back, and deactivate your magic defenses," Zatiel activated his Eye of Life and Creation and filled both wings with golden fire, healing any sort of damage he had made when he ripped them off.
Jeriko did not hesitate, and immediately followed Zatiel's order before waiting for the procedure to start.
Once both wings were healed, Zatiel made them float by his side and he took some rune inscription tools from his ring and started to work on both of Jeriko's scapula.
The runes were not very complicated, so Zatiel finished them rapidly, and then he made both wings touch the runes, before sending his energy into them.
"Heavenly Polymorph!"
The runes activated immediately, and Jeriko started to feel great pain on his back. His bones started to break, and generated spikes that penetrated these wings, filling them with his blood vessels and connecting them to his nervous system.
Although it was very painful, the process was also very fast. So very soon, the wings fused completely with Jeriko.
Jeriko was amazed by how he felt like the wings were an extremity just like an arm or a leg and not something external attached to his body, and although they were a little stiff, he was sure that with practice he could control them with ease.
"Thank you very much!" Jeriko made another bow as he was very happy with the wings since they had increased his battle power to the one of a Master Rank 1 Magus.
Zatiel just nodded and as he saw the desire in the rest of the Magi army a meaningful light appeared in his eyes.
"Once we have completed the magic tower and the Soul Forging existences of the Magi World reach this place, you will be free to explore this world. During that period, you can bring me a member of the Heavenly race alive and I will implant their wings in you."
When the army heard this they all become excited, and they were already making plans and forming groups for future hunting.
"Finish reading the mind of those Angels," Zatiel instructed Dante, before closing his eyes and focusing on recovering his lost energy.
Dante knew that he had made a mistake before, so once he heard Zatiel's command, he did not hesitate and started to work.
Although he still frowned sometimes, he was able to maintain his composure. It also was of help that although they were cruel as well, these Angels had not reached the level of depravity that the first angel had.
Once he finished scanning the memory of the last Angel, and after organizing the information he just obtained, he spoke to Zatiel through the Chaotic-Core.
"After analyzing all the information in the minds of the captives, I have made several findings. This world's name was Juxis, but once it was dominated and altered by the Heavenly race, it was designated as Beta Heavenly, due to it being a Middle World. The ruling organizations are three Dukedoms, each one with a Duke and ten generals, all Angelic Paragons at Rank 4. There is no king in this world since that is a title that only an Archangel can possess.
"We are currently in the Fornes continent, in its periphery to be more exact and the entire continent is under the ruling of the Sphinx Dukedom. Our presence has already been noticed by them, but they have no clue about our whereabouts since a message has been sent to every Heavenly race member to look for us.
"I have also created a map that contains all the zones and territories on the continent. By your request, I have marked all the cities that have a high population and also the best possible terrains to create the magic tower."
Zatiel analyzed all the information, and once he understood everything, he waved his hand and made a dark golden fire appear that covered him, Dante, the three Brain Golems, and the captives, hiding them from the rest of the army.
When the rest saw this, although they were a little surprised at first, they all understood that in every army there are things confidential.
After making sure that no one could see them, Zatiel looked at Dante.
"Initiate the implantation of the parasitic tadpole."
Zatiel's face was expressionless as he gave the order, but Dante was different and after a moment his eyes became cold and resolute.
He signals the Brain Golems and the helmets covering their heads opened up, showing a huge brain.
It did not take long for golden tadpoles to begin to come out from the Brain Golems, but these were different from the ones the army had implanted in their hand. They had eight sharp legs and a tail that had a mouth with sharpened teeth in the end.
These tadpoles were similar to the ones the Mind Ruler race uses to infest their victims and transform them.
Once they appeared, the tadpoles immediately went to the unconscious prisoners and began to climb their bodies until they reached their noses.
Then they entered through a nostril, and advanced until they reached their brain, where they made their eight legs pierce in specific locations and sent their tail to penetrate the core.
Zatiel was looking at Dante as he made those tadpoles parasite the brains of these people and seeing that he was able to do the task without hesitation, he remained quiet but there was an approval in his eyes.
War is not a place for mercy, and no matter what his feelings for those Archons were, they are the enemy and since they can't harm a member of the Heavenly race due to the alteration made in their souls, their only remaining use is as disposable spies.
