Although demons possess innate strength, their ability to reproduce is extremely low.
No matter how superior their average attributes are compared to humankind, they are still insufficient to make up for the vast numerical gap between species.
And humanoid magic creatures like goblins, despite their astonishing reproductive abilities, almost entirely lack wisdom and their average capabilities fall far short of humankind.
Thus, even though goblins can rapidly multiply, in the absence of an Arcane Surge, they struggle to become a true menace to civilization.
Humankind, on the other hand, has achieved a unique balance to some extent.
They are born weak and their wisdom is not fully developed, yet both magic power and intelligence can be consistently enhanced through training and learning.
On this foundation, humankind possesses a fairly decent capacity for reproduction.
Despite having many shortcomings, even angels, such high-level demons, do not view humankind as a species without a future.
The evidence is that, in the brief moments of angelic protection, humankind has rapidly developed vast city-states based on their potential, and their flourishing civilization has already revealed the embryonic form of a kingdom.
But what if there existed a demon who possessed both powerful innate magic power and a reproductive capability akin to humankind... what would happen?
The answer is simple.
Humankind would be replaced.
When such a strong and efficient species begins to emerge centered around humankind's largest city-state, when this city-state completely becomes a realm of half angels, under the guidance of divine wisdom, they will begin to explore broader worlds. Not even the great demons, which cause kings unease, can stop the pure white tide at the scale of a kingdom.
This expansive tide will cause other areas to fall under angelic protection too, not only other refugee humans but also demons and even other intelligent species will receive the blessing from Heaven—a companion with pure white single wings.
And when the bloodlines of those species can't suppress the angel blood, their features will gradually disappear until they are completely replaced by half angels.
Until finally, an earthly Heaven will be established.
It is an honor for all of them to become the cornerstone of this great future.
In the Angel City, this way of thinking has gradually become a consensus, whether human or angel, waiting either expectantly or silently for the wheels of history to roll forward.
However, the existence of the Hero, like thunder breaking through the long night, opened new paths.
—Humankind defeated the great demon.
The destiny that seemed insurmountable has been completely shattered in the hands of the Hero.
This news has completely shocked the angels and those under protection, like a flash blooming in the dark, not only guiding them but also piercing the eyes of all, awakening them from confusion.
It turns out that without angelic protection, humankind can still forge a future.
It turns out that even against beings as great as the Four-winged King, humankind can become stronger than them.
When the news from the distant East reached Angel City, it had already distorted and become unrecognizable during transmission.
The people in the city didn't really understand what kind of person the Hero was, nor what price she paid to defeat the Magic Phoenix of the twisted world, but it didn't stop their minds from changing.
[Ancient Hero's divine statue (70+ may provide certain benefits to the Hero)]
The belief in the Ancient Hero quietly becomes popular in the city.
Humankind no longer only offers prayers to angels and the Four-wing King, but starts to believe in their own power and offer prayers to the Hero who is said to have defeated the great demon.
And not just in earthly city-states, but even in Angel City, people begin to reevaluate the King's decision:
As long as they continue observing humankind, their future is bound to create miracles beyond imagination...
With this expectation, even among angels, there begin to appear those who recognize the Hero's holiness, and the statue of that maiden is allowed to be worshipped in the corner of the cathedral.
But amidst these intense shifts in thought, the King's policy never wavers.
They continue to consume a vast amount of magic power, firmly promoting the birth of half angels, even already planning to distribute the newborn half angels into the city-states.
"O King, please contemplate deeply—we should not use our precious strength to cut off humankind's future."
Finally, a great angel friendly to humans stood out, offering sincere advice to the Four-winged King, full of concern. Get full chapters from novel⁂fire.net
But the King did not alter their decision.
Their will is as rigid as a holy law, seeming to have set the future on a predetermined path long ago.
Both angels and humans have many supporting the continuation of the plan.
"That so-called Hero only brings strength through slaughter, pain, and despair, causing ruin, that is definitely not the stance we are anticipating."
"The King is not severing humankind's future but is leading them to true perfection—a world without original sin, without pain, an earthly Heaven that only embodies goodness."
With the passage of time, the presence of contradiction grows and oppositional views become sharper.
There are those who believe the King's decision is correct, humans hoping to gain half-angel companions; those encouraged by the potential of their species, human believers of the Ancient Hero.
Those angels who regard the King's decision as wrong, wishing to observe humankind; those who repudiate it as an incorrect path, denouncing the Ancient Hero as heresy.
Opposing views evolve into debates, debates transform into insults, insults escalate into conflicts...
The clash of ideas is so irreconcilable, the fervor of belief clashing greater than hatred of mortal enemies.