Ezequiel's energy entered the tadpole and heard Dante's voice.
"Supreme, sorry to disturb you during a mission, but you need to return to the Magi World. Members of the Aeternum Empire's Imperial Family are requesting a meeting."
Dante explained everything to Ezequiel. The ones coming to the Daybreak Clan were part of Roku's branch, the young Soul Law Domain existence who led the Empire's army against the Dynasty when everybody thought the war between the two was imminent.
They initially hoped to get a meeting with Zatiel, but since the Daybreak Clan's Ancestor had been impossible to get in touch with for the last few years, they requested to speak with the second in command.
"They say they have important information about the next phase of the Divine Extermination War and have a proposal that could benefit both parties."
A thoughtful expression appeared on Ezequiel's face as he analyzed those words.
Technically, the Daybreak Clan was part of the Aeternum Empire, but after Zatiel's revealing his true nature, they had broken free of any form of subordination's status.
Not even the Imperial Family could command members of the Daybreak Clan. However, that did not mean Neo-Demons acted all high and mighty within the territories of the great organization.
If someone gave you respect, you should give it back, and if someone showed you animosity, you should kill him without hesitation. That is the Neo-Demon's way.
Most branches of the Imperial Family had adopted a wait-and-see approach with the Daybreak Clan, but Roku's division had done its best to get along with the Neo-Demons.
One example was the Aeternum Empire's Champion inside Gods' Tomb, Samuel, who displayed a friendly and helpful attitude to Numir and the rest.
"I will be there in less than a month."
"I will relay the message, Supreme."
The next second, the tadpole's energy vanished, and Ezequiel deposited it in his space ring.
"Saint Lord, you will be leaving?" The two old Atlanteans had reached Ezequiel's side and heard his conversation with the metallic tadpole.
They could not help but display a worried expression on their faces. Their names were Kiro and Kuri, and they were the strongest members of this world's native people.
Both were Rank 6 life forms, but they lacked an Inner Law Dimension, so their strength could not compare with Hollow Sun Domain Stage powerhouses.
Before Ezequiel's arrival, they could only engage in guerrilla warfare against the invaders from another world. They endured loss after loss, and their race's destiny seemed bleak.
However, everything changed when a young man bathed in white lightning appeared. He was like heaven's wrath, descending from the sky and killing every invader in his path.
At first, the Atlanteans were unsure whether to trust him since their experience with alien life forms was not a very good one, but the more they interacted with him, the greater their respect and admiration for this youth grew.
Not only did he lead the war effort against the Leviathan race, but he also granted Atlanteans all sorts of powerful Path Techniques, artifacts, and runes.
He even created a giant fortified city where those too weak to participate in the war could remain without fear.
All those legendary feats granted him the title of Saint Lord.
Ezequiel could see the worry in the old Atanteans' hearts. Without him, they would have no chance against an invader force from a Principal World like the Leviathan Race.
"I intended to stay here until the world was once again under your control and then fortify it against future invasion, but it seems that would not be possible as our enemy is harder to handle than I initially thought."
The old Atlanteans could only show a sad expression after hearing that. There was nothing they could do if Ezequiel chose to leave. After all, he owed them nothing.
"You don't need to worry. I will build a World Gate and teleport all those beneath Rank 4 to a Middle World under my kind's control. I will also leave the coordinates of the Magi World in the gate in case of an emergency."
The duo's expression changed from despair to happiness in an instant.
Before, the old Atlanteans would have been apprehensive about leaving their people's safety in the young man's hands, but by now, their trust in him was absolute.
Ezequiel's plan for the Atlanteans was simple. Those beneath Rank 4 would remain in a different world where they could train until becoming strong enough to be of use in the war effort.
The Soul Forging, Law Engraving, and Soul Law Domain existences would remain here, ensuring the territories they reconquered in the past decade are not lost.
He would do his best to grow strong enough so when he returns, he can finally decimate the Leviathans' headquarters and erase their presence from this world.
....
Back in the World Tree's Abode, Zatiel finally returned to his peak. Not only did he fully load his body, energy, and soul with power, but the All-Devouring Domain also refilled the bone daggers' energy pools.
Ancestral Root noticed the state of the Neo-Demon and began to speak.
"The Test of Strength is called Undefeatable Enemy. Since you are at the 1st Engraving Stage, you will face a Fiend Lord whose cultivation will start at the bottom of Rank 6. Every time you defeat him, I will reform him and release more of his cultivation. Is there any question?"
A peculiar light appeared in Zatiel's eyes after hearing the special characteristics of his opponent, and soon an idea formed in his mind.
"What are the parameters in which the Fiend Lord is considered defeated, and when you reform him, will you only fix the broken parts or reboot his entire existence?"
Ancestral Root did not know what Zatiel was after with those questions, but that did not matter.
"As long as the Fiend Lord is no longer capable of fighting, it is your win, and I will only fix the broken parts. The rest will remain the same, except for his cultivation that will grow stronger."
Zatiel smiled after hearing that and signaled Ancestral Root to start the test.
Ancestral Root waved his hand, teleporting Zatiel into the sky where a Rank 6 Demon Lord waited for him.
The Demon Lord's body was two million meters tall. He had giant horns and volcanic stones instead of skin.
The same force that affected the fiends in the Myriad Demonic Heavens invaded this Demon Lord's soul, but since this was a one-on-one battle, that did not make a difference. After all, demons were always known for their chaotic battle style.
A second after appearing in the sky, Zatiel saw the Demon Lord's eyes glow, and this one flashed toward him like a ferocious beast.
While the Demon Lord's power was at the bottom of Rank 6, Zatiel did not need to activate his Law Avatar to fight against him. However, instead of fighting back, the Neo-Demon limited himself to dodging the attacks while keeping eye contact.
They remained like that for more than an hour until finally, the Demon Lord stopped attacking.
He was a wild killing machine that lacked the wisdom to understand that he could not win this fight. Even if he knew that he could not harm him, he would still keep attacking.
The reason he stopped his wild barrage was that he lost sight of the Neo-Demon. Neither his eyes nor consciousness could perceive him.
Ancestral Root saw how Zatiel calmly walked toward the crazy Demon Lord's chest and put his hand above the zone where the heart lay.
Even after the Neo-Demon fired a blast of chaotic energy that destroyed his heart, the Demon Lord's confused expression did not change.
It was like he could not feel the giant gaping hole in his chest.
The Demon Lord's body trembled and lost all of its power after wild energies destroyed every vital organ in his chest.
