"Are you afraid of him?" Linkir asked with a chuckle as Sword Demon slowly turned, tossing his gourd aside.
"Let's test out this new body," Sword Demon said, shifting into his Aeron form. In an instant, a 100-meter-tall demon loomed over them, and he changed the subject.
Linkir smiled lightly as the dragon roared, growling at the sight of its master morphing into a strange beast.
"It's me," Sword Demon said, pulling out another wine gourd. Though it appeared tiny in his colossal hand, the dragon eagerly dashed toward it.
Sword Demon snatched it away, pouring the wine into his mouth. He kept drinking for several minutes, and Linkir noticed that the gourd's internal space was far larger than it appeared.
"How did you do it?" Linkir asked curiously.
"You want to learn?" Sword Demon's towering figure cast a shadow over Linkir and several meters around.
"No. I prefer pure destruction. All these tricks mean nothing to me," Linkir said indifferently.
"Heh... I'll prove you wrong. Follow me," Sword Demon said, grabbing the dragon as it tried to sneak toward the gourd again. He started moving forward, sensing a few Rank 2 beings up ahead.
Heaven, a part of the divine plane, is where the angelic clans reside. Nearly every multiverse has its own Heaven—this is how planes function.
The distinction between a plane and a realm is significant. A realm is an independent space, consisting of layers of elements, laws, rules, and concepts, growing according to its principle. A plane, however, exists within a multiverse, serving as the birthplace of a particular race, empowering them when they are within it. It connects to all worlds, planets, and realms of that universe.
The Heaven that all beings know—often called Paradise—isn't where the gods dwell, but rather the home of a race filled with divine brilliance: the angels.
In the heart of this Heaven, the Seraphim—angels with the purest bloodline—reside. Angels like Gabriel and Michael, embodying the element, law, and even concept of light, thrive here. Light is the easiest element to master within this plane.
A giant structure stands at Heaven's center, a castle more vast than a city. The angels, in their glory, roam around. Two-winged, four-winged, and six-winged angels are common, their rank signified by their wings:
Sixteen wings: Rank 6
In the heart of the grand city-like structure lay a massive being, an angelic powerhouse.
"You're saying...?" the being paused, eyeing the small angel at his feet.
"Yes. We were reborn through a strange power. I used to be human," the small angel admitted.
"I see. You may go—you'll get the divinity you desire," the being replied as the small angel bowed and left.
"Do you believe him?" a voice from the darkness questioned.
"I'm unsure. From what he described, this power could only belong to a being that controls a law. Perhaps a Rank 4... or... no, it can't be," the large angel muttered, shaking his head.
"Can't be what?" the dark voice pressed.
"A universe... acting on its own will," the larger angel said, clearly shocked.
"And why does that matter?" the voice from the shadows asked.
"It would mean a higher being, possibly a Rank 6, one who controls a concept, is involved," the angel said, his voice rumbling.
"Let's hope it isn't," the voice in the darkness said.
"Indeed," the larger angel replied.
"A clone of yours has a message to deliver. I'll leave now," the dark voice said, vanishing. The tense atmosphere dissipated as it left.
A knock echoed. The large angel looked toward the door and called, "Enter."
A figure appeared—Archangel Michael's clone, frowning.
"What do you have to report?" the larger angel asked.
"The Abyss... it's awakening," Michael's clone said, causing the larger angel's eyes to narrow in fear.
"What did you say?" the larger angel demanded.
"You heard me," Michael's clone replied, locking eyes with his main body. "Your greatest fear is happening." With that, he turned and left.
Shortly after, the voice from the darkness returned. "What's wrong?" it asked, noting the angel's quiet demeanor.
"Bad news... the Abyss... is back," the larger angel said, leaving the dark voice frozen in shock.
Silence reigned as they both tried to process the information.
"I'll inform them," the voice from the shadows said, vanishing again.
"The Abyss," the large angel muttered coldly.
Outside, the small angel who had reported earlier smirked, his side profile flickering as he disappeared.
Elsewhere in the Universe...
On a world engulfed in flames, a dog-like figure stood. This was Luke.
"This... this...!" Luke's face twisted in anger as he stared at the new rankings.
"How is this possible? How could he grow stronger this fast?" he muttered, his aura flaring and destroying nearby fire beings.
"I'll surpass you all," Luke grunted, turning away in fury.
Two beings floated—a male and a female.
"Sister, the rankings are shifting rapidly. We need to intensify our efforts," Leo said with a slight smile.
"...Hmph... Fine. He's really something," Doria replied in annoyance.
"Let's go. I found a portal to a ruin. Maybe we can grow stronger," Leo said, leading the way as Doria followed reluctantly.
In the endless void, beings the size of universes gathered, all watching one figure from afar—none other than a Quasi Rank 6 being, the first to break through to this level.
"Hahaha... impressive," the being said, clenching his fist.
The remaining Rank 5 demons looked on excitedly, eager to see what he had become.
The being's laughter subsided as he turned to his peers, muttering, "The gap is large... too large."
In a few steps, he reached the others. The difference in size was immediately apparent, but what struck them even more was his aura—it was completely gone, as if he no longer existed.
"I... I felt something," one Rank 5 demon said.
"Yes... my memories blurred... I can't even remember his name anymore," another demon added, as the others looked at each other in shock. This was a qualitative change.
"So... what level has your rule evolved into?" a brave female demon asked cautiously.
The Quasi Rank 6 demon let out a faint chuckle. "Concept."
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Thank you Desolate _33 for the Golden ticket
Thank you Zahramiik for the Golden ticket
Thank you Eldomi28 for the Golden ticket
Thank you Ablabuis for the Golden ticket
Shout out to everyone for the powerstones.