With the completion of the attributes that made up his identity, Ezra's ego now took those attributes to rebuild itself.
First things first, his name.
'I am Ezra Miller'. More importantly, 'I am no longer Kevin Reed'
The second announcement resounded, changing his existence fundamentally.
Since day one he'd been meshing both characters together, but like water and oil, they stood together yet apart.
Both were names he claimed for recognition, which caused the problem.
What was his formal identity?
Previously, he'd unconsciously held it to be Kevin Reed as it was the obvious choice.
But now he could see clearly, he realized that holding up Kevin Reed as his formal name had him living in the past.
It had him evaluating the present with the past.
Now, he acknowledged having lived as Kevin Reed, but more so, he acknowledged that he had 'lived' it.
Kevin Reed was no more, only Ezra Miller.
This declaration was the spark his soul needed.
Now, Kevin Reed's soul, which held all his past life memories were dissimilated and then assimilated into Ezra Miller's soul.
His souls had begun to truly integrate.
Ezra's ego had no awareness of this, but instead, had its work far easier with that single answer.
With the main identity now clarified, all other decisions were taken with it as a basis.
Kevin Reed wanted revenge, not Ezra Miller, so that was discarded.
Kevin Reed was the one betrayed by his liege and comrades, not Ezra Miller, that too was discarded.
Kevin Reed was born a peasant, Ezra Miller was born a prince, the son of an Emperor.
Kevin Reed held grudges against Vonnamor, not Ezra Miller.
Ezra Miller swore to protect his mother-Kevin Reed didn't have parents.
Kevin Reed was the one wanting to take advantage of the coming apocalypse as an agenda, not Ezra Miller, so those plans were dismantled.
Ezra Miller was the fourth prince, the one with Vassals.
Ezra was the master of Fredrick and Cabrera, not Kevin Reed.
Kevin Reed got stronger to destroy his enemies, Ezra Miller grew stronger to protect his loved ones.
Kevin Reed was the miserable, damaged and broken man left to die, not Ezra Miller.
Kevin Reed was the one roaming from battlefield to battlefield, not Ezra Miller.
Ezra was the one who led his troops against the beast tides, not Kevin.
Kevin hated demons because he'd seen their inflicted destruction, Ezra hated demons because they tried to kill him.
Kevin was the one taught assassin techniques, not Ezra.
Kevin was the one who discovered a Dark gold mana technique, not Ezra.
Ezra was the one who ransacked the royal treasury.
Ezra is the owner of the ancient space ring and everything within it.
Ezra is the head of Black Jaws, Kevin was the head of the 12th dungeon division.
Kevin was the one who'd lived through the Great calamity.
Each memory was categorically placed as the souls integrated.
The creation of a new identity didn't mean the last one was forgotten.
It was simply the realization of change.
Akin to the caterpillar turning butterfly, the time as a caterpillar was not forgotten, but nor was it used as the main processor for the present information.
As such, the corruption dissolved as its influence eroded, unable to handle the depth of Ezra's ego was rebuilding itself and was ultimately eradicated.
Unconscious, Ezra failed to realize he was being watched.
Staring at Ezra was a being with a solid body beyond the deep skies.
"To think it was possible" it said, at a frequency only it could hear, surprised nonetheless. "This planet produced a worthy individual"
And right in the nick of time as well.
"Well, worthy might be a bit far-fetched" it said, still looking at the boy. "But this'll have to do"
With its power drastically limited, it was a matter of days, weeks at most, for the inevitable to happen, and it had been preparing for it.
At the same time, it'd been monitoring the entity that held energy mirroring its own within itself.
"There might just be hope to avoid the coming calamity"
Now, a chance was given, and while it felt the vessel was far below satisfactory, it had not the leisure of choice.
Like so, dots of energy hanging around Orion's stratosphere began clumping.
The world's inhabitants felt the change, specifically masters and grandmasters, but could not pinpoint the cause.
Without anyone's knowledge, the clump of energy now refined to look like a cue ball, shot faster than a shooting star, evading all forms of detection, and landed right into the heart of the entity in question seamlessly and ceaselessly.
Ezra.
But his body felt no difference, and neither did anyone else.
No, there was someone who felt it.
"Hmm!"
On his throne of fire twinkling his fingers, the demon lord bopped his head.
The feeling was unmistakable.
For the first time in eons, he set up the mirror portal to see his apostle, and fast.
Crea's face appeared on the other side soon after, looking gloomy as she held her breath in front of the demon lord's gaze.
It was an expression she'd never seen.
"Rugu zartu lugun! Dunum ardduum!" (The barrier has been taken down. Begin the descent immediately!)
And he spoke in a tone she'd never heard.
Crea asked not how he knew this, nor could she, as the demon lord cut off the portal right after.
Instead, she moved with haste to commence her lord's order.
If he called her with such urgency, missing such crucial timing would be her end as an apostle and even a demon worshipper.
She dare not dilly dally.
Time slipped and clocks ticked as each force made moves to ensure their aim.
The head warden stood strong even in front of two powerful foes, fending off attacks.
The unfamiliar movements of the martial artist were most annoying to fend off, but the head warden wouldn't do his reputation justice if he couldn't push past his limits.
The squad leaders had all woken up. But they could only watch as the head warden battled, for they were in no condition for battle, lest a few.
Valentine was among the few.
For those few, the head warden specifically told them not to interrupt.
It was HIS fight.
Besides, they'd mostly slow him down anyway.
Instead, they got their wish when the third inmate escaped his cell.
Now they worked together to fend off the new assassin on the scene.
The battle had the walls broken and the floors dented, but those could always be repaired.
Having advanced to squad leader status, though still the weakest, her intermittent lightning sparks worked as a direct counter to the assassin utilizing darkness as a weapon.
Things continued like that suddenly.
"AH!"
A loud cry rang out.
Ezra squirmed with his eyes wide open as he felt his insides forcefully adjust.
As his souls integrated, his body-which was now that of a half demon-fought against it.
Demons were also called masses of negativity, corruption was a part of their being.
With the corruption now gone, the body was forced to adapt, else it died.
Thereby bringing about the current situation.
From his eyes tears of blood fell while his claws intermittently popped up and receded.
Black blood ran down his mouth as Ezra now lay on his side.
Then his body began emanating his elements.
His body would have the ground freeze, then it lit up with fire, followed by large lightning crackles.
His blood rose to the air and fell as the fumes of darkness followed.
It was happening so fast and emitting such pressure it commanded everyone's attention.
No one dared go close though. For it looked to them like Ezra's body had grown volatile after a forced advancement.
Meaning all the energy within him was going to burst.
In other words, he'd become a bomb.
With the pressure being emitted, it was no doubt that the ensuing explosion would kill everyone in the surroundings.
This had the inmates panicking.
They'd only gained their freedom, losing their lives was not an option.
But the head warden refused to budge.
"Have you gone senile?!" The demon worshipper questioned. "We'll all die if we stay"
"Exactly" the head warden spoke. "I'll choose that over letting you out of here anytime"
"Ah"
The demon worshipper realized. He was talking to not just anybody, he was talking to the warden.
It would be weirder if the Great-master who dedicated his life to guarding a prison was sane.
But that only had them panic even more.
The old fart was trying to bury everyone here, they had to escape now!
But their combined efforts bore no fruit.
The head warden was no rookie to be run over by people whose skills grew stale in a cell.
The assassin attacking the squad leaders took to his feet, he'd rather save himself over settling petty grudges.
Gone, the squad leaders looked in the direction of the Ezra emanating elements and then at the head warden.
Like the inmates, the basics were to save themselves. Yet, they didn't want to leave their leader either.
Just then…
"Go!"
The head warden's voice boomed.
"But-
"Go! Take the others and go now!"
He left no room for argument, they could only take a glimpse of him one last time before holding up their comrades and heading to the first floor.
Moreover, there was no telling what the escaped assassin would do on his way out, so they had to hurry.
Halfway to the second floor, they were knocked off their feet with a loud boom, falling to the ground, while some landed on those wounded.
As squad leaders, they scampered to their feet, Valentine among them.
But she was mesmerized at the sight in front of her.
Suspended in the air was a sphere radiating elements of fire, ice, lightning, blood, and darkness.
They were changing so fast, the colours blended.
It was beautiful.
So much so, Valentine forgot herself.
