The group of angels had just finished with the monstrous crabs. Their eyes were cold and merciless as they watched the last of the monsters writhe in pain. The glowing orb in the hands of their leader drained the beast’s last bits of life, ripping its soul away.
Suddenly, a frown crossed the angels’ faces as they detected something approaching in the distance.
The branches of the trees rustled, and the leaves shifted. None of the angels appeared alarmed, as their senses had already gauged the newcomer’s strength.
Moments later, a young man stumbled into view, his body covered in dirt, his face a mask of pure fear and panic. When his gaze met the group of angels, his initial reaction was shock and horror, but that quickly shifted to disbelief and joy.
"You... you are angels!" he exclaimed, his expression lighting up with hope and reverence. His entire demeanor changed as if he had just found salvation. He collapsed to the ground as though all his burdens had suddenly been lifted.
The angels exchanged glances, a flash of disdain and disgust flickering in their eyes, though they quickly masked it. Even though their mission wasn’t to rally human forces, they knew how to manipulate human emotions and how to act in their presence.
The angels turned to the young woman holding the orb, silently asking for direction. If it had been up to them, they would have simply killed the human and moved on. But the orb demanded souls, and this one was just another to harvest.
The young woman, Aola, studied the kneeling man. Her eyes glowed with a sharp, probing light as she examined him for any hint of deception. Her energy flared briefly, ready to strike if anything seemed off. However, nothing about the young man seemed out of the ordinary. He was just a wandering Level 6 Warrior with no special bloodline or constitution.
Satisfied, Aola softened her expression and stepped forward with a serene smile. "Yes, young man, we are indeed angels of God. My name is Aola. My forces and I have been sent to this world to free your soul from the suffering of this apocalypse and deliver you to Heaven."
The man’s face lit up further, his expression becoming pure and unrestrained bliss. It was as though he could hardly believe his good fortune. "Will this really be over?" he asked, his voice trembling with emotion.
Aola’s smile widened, though internally, she was filled with contempt. The ease with which this human surrendered his will disgusted her. She was still amazed at the weakness of these mortals, their willingness to relinquish their lives so easily.
Of course, she had never faced their hardships, never known the desperation of surviving the apocalypse. For the people living in this ravaged world, the promise of paradise—of eternal peace and safety—was irresistible. The choice between a life of fear and destruction and the hope of Heaven was no real choice at all.
None of this mattered to Aola. Her only concern was her mission. She moved closer to the young man, her expression one of benevolence. "Tell me, from where do you come? We must find others who wish to experience the glory of God and send their souls to Heaven."
The young man’s face fell, his voice heavy with sorrow. "I was part of a small town to the south, but... we were overrun by demons. All of them perished."
Grief and loss filled his voice, but Aola’s only reaction was one of disappointment. There would be no more easy prey, no other towns to harvest.
"I see," she said, her tone still sweet but now tinged with indifference. "Everything will be fine now."
Aola held the glowing orb in front of her, its sinister power ready to be unleashed. "Look here, and allow your soul to free itself from its mortal chains. Do not resist, and soon you will experience eternal bliss."
The young man gazed at the orb, his eyes filled with hope and longing as if he were finally seeing the salvation he had dreamed of for so long. Aola anticipated this reaction, the same she had seen countless times before. But what she did not expect was what happened next.
The man, whom she regarded as little more than a pitiful ant, suddenly exploded into motion. In a blur of speed far beyond what she thought possible for someone of his level, he lunged forward, his right hand reaching out—and in an instant, he grabbed hold of the orb!
Aola’s eyes widened in shock, too slow to react, as the man she had dismissed as a mere mortal now had her weapon in his grasp.
Before the angel could react, the young man’s power surged in a violent eruption. The frail, fearful facade he had worn shattered instantly, replaced by an overwhelming energy. A mantle of red lightning crackled across his body, the raw force of his energy pool and physical might revealing themselves. The air around him hummed with power, the runes hidden beneath the dirt and mud on his skin glowing fiercely.
With blinding speed, he dashed forward, his free hand seizing Aola’s body before she could even begin to defend herself. The soul-harvesting orb remained in his grip, rendered useless by his crushing hold. In a single, fluid motion, he launched himself and the angel high into the air, dozens of meters above the ground, flames and lightning trailing in his wake.
The rest of the angels below were frozen in shock, their minds racing to comprehend the sudden and violent shift in events. This human, whom they had dismissed as a mere insect, had turned out to be far more than they anticipated.
Realizing the danger, the angels finally snapped out of their stupor. They began to mobilize, wings unfurling as they prepared to take to the sky and pursue their captive leader. But before they could make a move, a massive burst of fire and lightning illuminated the sky.
Suddenly, a gargantuan serpent head materialized from the sky, wreathed in flames and crackling with lightning. Its power was so immense, so primal, that it seemed as though it could level a mountain with ease.