Wrath acted without a shred of hesitation. His aura flared to its limit, causing the unnamed world's space to directly shatter.
This wasn't the level of shattering that Damien could reproduce with his abilities. This was a true destruction of space, a rift that wouldn't be healed for many years to come.
Albeus and the Drunken Old Immortal looked on seriously. Despite their wish for inaction, Wrath wasn't leaving them with a choice. They couldn't simply let him act as he pleased.
Two more massive auras erupted to counteract the first one. As the three Demigods found themselves in a standoff, the veil in the sky cleared, revealing them to the world.
The rampant aura coming from their bodies directly caused those in the sky to fall to the ground. The impact of such vast auras threw their energy into chaos.
And Damien was among these people. But having his strict control over his mana disrupted had a far more profound impact on him than anyone else.
Even Wrath was aware of this fact. It was why he acted in the first place, and it was the reason for the satisfied grin decorating his face at the moment.
"…oh shit."
It was the only comment Damien could make. In the next second, the mana circulating through his body began to rapidly expand!
The skies that had just recently cleared were filled with massive clouds again. The earth below was sundered, leaving Damien floating within an empty void of a few dozen kilometers. Even those in his surroundings were forced hundreds of kilometers away by the chaotic energy currents wrapping around his body.
World Energy raged, connecting Heaven and Earth in a massive cyclone. And in the center of this cyclone was none other than Damien himself.
It was finally happening.
The Universe Baptism he'd been suppressing for over half a year had descended upon his body at the most inopportune moment!
Universe Baptism.
It was an elusive concept that described the process of ranking up from 3rd class to 4th class. This qualitative change in a practitioner's body, mana, and legend would set them on the path to Godhood, separating them from the masses.
3rd class was the first step a practitioner took into the world, and 4th class was when they finally had the qualifications to call themselves strong!
But, the concept of a Universe Baptism was esoteric for a reason. Despite how many 4th class existences were born into the universe, it was unknown how many of them experienced the same baptism.
Some would undergo tribulations of heavenly thunder and lightning, some would find their bodies wreathed in the flames of hell, while others would undergo an entirely mental trial without any physical phenomenon involved.
A Universe Baptism represented the will of the universe itself. It was the universe's acknowledgement that one has gained the qualifications to stand proud and interact with its foundational laws. As such, it was impossible for it to be a simple process, despite its relative commonness.
However, these Baptisms always shared a single commonality. This was the barrier of World Energy that both protected the practitioner undergoing Baptism and bathed their body in Laws, the very barrier that was currently enveloping Damien.
As a barrier made up entirely of World Energy, it naturally wasn't simple. Even if one gazed at it from a distance, one would be able to borrow its aura to perceive the laws more clearly. Therefore, all practitioners wished to witness a Universe Baptism in person.
All eyes were on Damien. Even the momentum of those Demigods in the sky was overshadowed by the grand display of World Energy gathering around Damien.
Wrath retracted his aura, his eyes shining with obsession. 'Finally, finally, finally! Ahh, my dear seed, you've finally decided to bloom!'
He was ecstatic. How long had he been waiting for this moment? Due to clues he found within the Ancient Texts of his clan, he even volunteered to oversee this barren and desolate Sector of the universe, patiently laying in wait for tens of thousands of years until finally, this moment arrived in front of him!
The look in his eyes was terrifying. Even Albeus shrunk back slightly when he saw it. But now that the situation had taken such a drastic turn, he couldn't back down. He needed to protect Damien with everything he had, and perhaps this way he'd also be able to force Wrath into a desperate position!
The thoughts of those in the surroundings were incredibly mixed. Not only these Demigods in the sky, but also those 4th classes that were just recently fighting Damien were watching on with hardened expressions.
They had to take him seriously when he was still at the peak of 3rd class, so what would happen to them if he succeeded in his Baptism?
Rose and Ruyue watched on worriedly. Now that the battle had halted, they finally had the freedom to pay attention to Damien without putting their lives on the line.
And immediately after seeing his situation, they moved.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Two bodies rapidly left the crowd of 3rd class beings and arrived on the periphery of Damien's Baptism zone. Rose and Ruyue flared their killing intent, their weapons tightly clutched in their hands.
Their intent was clear. Even if they were weak, they'd protect him until their last breath. Not a single person would pass them until they were corpses in the ground.
Whoosh!
Another body soon joined them. A Valkyrie with an incomparably cold expression glared at the group of 4th classes, warning them not to get any funny ideas.
Aishia's awareness spread behind her, a complicated look surfacing on her face.
After she calmed down, she was able to grasp the situation far more easily. To say she was embarrassed about her reckless and self-sacrificing actions from earlier was an understatement.
And of this man who brought her out of that state and saved her from the brink of death, she didn't know how to feel. They didn't spend enough time together for her to have true feelings for him, and the time they spent together was done with an indomitable metaphorical wall between them.
If so, then…why did she feel so warm when she looked at him?
Aishia shook away her chaotic thoughts. For now, all she knew was that she would repay the life-saving grace Damien had shown her by protecting him in return. Although her reasoning was different from the other two women near her, she was just as prepared to lay down her life.
"All Cloud Plane forces, heed my command! Protect this area with your lives! If he succeeds in his Baptism, we are guaranteed to win this war!"
A booming voice sounded from the void. Space bent awkwardly before returning to its original position, but there now stood a sagely old man in the sky who wasn't there previously.
He didn't even have to shatter space to shuttle through it. Whenever he wished to move, space would accommodate him. This man was none other than Tian Yang.
Upon receiving his command, many hesitated. It was natural for them to do so when asked to sacrifice their lives for someone they didn't know.
However, Tian Yang was a Cloud Plane denizen himself. He perfectly grasped their personalities. "I will not speak of rewards here because you are all aware that you will be awarded! However, know this! That man who is currently undergoing Heavenly Tribulation…is Heaven's Wrath himself!"
BOOOM!
Dozens of massive lightning bolts fell from the sky around Damien, bathing him in their essence as if to back Tian Yang's statement.
When the Cloud Plane forces saw this, they erupted with fervor.
Heaven's Wrath?
The mysterious existence who razed a large portion of the Central Plains in an instant…he was a 3rd class who was just experiencing his Universe Baptism?!
This was simply too mind-boggling! Just how was it possible for someone to possess such strength?!
But in reality, that didn't matter at all. Since it was Tian Yang himself who spoke, nobody questioned whether he was lying or not.
To think that such an exalted figure was standing among them this whole time, and to think they were given the opportunity to protect this figure during his most critical moment! If they survived through this, it was equal to having Heaven's Wrath himself owe them a favor!
The Cloud Plane forces present roared into action, surrounding the crater in which Damien was undergoing Baptism.
As for the forces of Niflheim and Asgard, they still weren't sure of what to do.
If the mysterious figure was allowed to complete his Baptism, there was a high chance that their organizations would be defeated. Yet, moving against him was almost guaranteed death.
Within this chaotic atmosphere, the World Energy Barrier around Damien finally finished taking shape.
It expanded rapidly, encompassing an area 100 kilometers in diameter around him. And finally, the world fell silent.
Damien's Universe Baptism was starting.
