【 THE TERRIFIED DEMON LORD 】

—

Samael’s furious roar echoed across the heavens, carrying far into the distance.

As he looked upon the faint smile lingering on Eve’s face, the rage within his heart burned ever more fiercely, while his gaze grew increasingly dark and dangerous.

“You actually managed to return?”

Eve faintly smiled.

“Why shouldn’t I be able to return?”

Radiant light flowed across her body.

Realizing something, Samael suddenly cursed in fury.

“Leviathan, you worthless fool!”

However, as he gazed once more upon the beautiful and lofty Goddess of Life before him, the anger on his face abruptly vanished, replaced instead by a savage grin.

“Heh… good. Very good!”

“Now we can settle both our old grudges and our new ones together!”

The moment his words fell, Samael let out a furious roar as dark crimson radiance erupted from his body, which rapidly transformed into an immense shadow that blanketed the entire sky.

An evil, fallen, and violently destructive energy spread outward without cease, swiftly swallowing the stationary Evé whole…

That was the power of a simulated celestial domain.

“Oh no!”

On the ground below, Reinhardt’s eyes filled with anxiety as he watched Evé disappear beneath the crimson darkness.

Samael possessed immense divine power.

Even after leaving the Abyss and descending upon Seigües, where the seals still remained intact, his rank still ultimately that of a Higher Divine Power.

And that was not an existence a deity of Intermediate Divine Power could possibly contend against.

Forcing himself to endure the pain wracking his body, Reinhardt attempted to rise, only to be stopped by Meryer.

“Father… do not act recklessly. Her Grace the Goddess… will not lose!”

As he spoke, excitement unconsciously crept into his voice.

“Her Grace… is no longer the same goddess she once was.”

Seeing Meryer’s expression, one that clearly suggested he already knew something, Reinhardt froze slightly.

His heart trembled as he vaguely realized something, and a trace of shock flashed through his eyes.

Then, as though confirming Meryer’s words, dazzling golden light suddenly burst forth from within the dark crimson mist.

The earth split apart, and countless vines and branches erupted from the ground. In the blink of an eye, the entire battlefield transformed into a lush and flourishing forest.

Yet this was far from the end.

The vines continued to twist and gather together, eventually forming a colossal platform that rose from the earth itself, piercing through the crimson fog.

And atop that platform stood Evé.

Entirely unharmed.

Brilliant golden and emerald radiance bloomed behind her, forming a magnificent space filled with countless dreamlike particles of light drifting endlessly through the air.

That was the power of a domain.

At this moment, she too had unfolded her own domain, the Divine Domain of Life and Nature!

“A domain?! But she’s not…”

Reinhardt’s eyes widened, and the words “True Divine incarnation” nearly escaped his lips.

As he looked at Evé, enveloped in holy light and radiating boundless divine might, confusion flickered across his face.

He knew that the Evé before him was merely a Divine incarnation.

And typically, incarnations should not have been capable of deploying a domain as a god needed to be in their true body in order to manifest it.

Yet now, this incarnation had unmistakably unleashed one of her own!

Yggdrasill…

How exactly had she accomplished this?!

However, Reinhardt’s gaze soon shifted downward toward the massive platform beneath Eve’s feet.

Sensing the aura-concealing power contained within it, a sudden realization flashed through his mind…

Evé stood atop the platform.

Beside her, the Gate of Reversal had already disappeared.

Deep beneath the platform connected to the earth, however, the Gate of Reversal was radiating brilliant light.

Within the arch gate, a slender root extended inward, hidden among the vines composing the platform as it stretched all the way into the sky.

It was none other than the root of the World Tree located within the Realm of Mindel.

Radiance flowed from the root while holy light enveloped the platform.

Centered around Evé, vast power of divine laws transformed into a swirling vortex of gold and emerald energy, clashing directly against Samael’s dark crimson Domain of Wrath.

The powers of law intertwined and collided, giving rise to countless strange and wondrous phenomena across the sky.

Gigantic phantom faces filled with fury roared endlessly, while elsewhere flowers bloomed and withered, all things flourished, and the myriad manifestations of nature cycled without end…

Under the influence of those clashing laws, magical power boiled, divine power surged, and the entire battlefield transformed into a magnificent ocean where light and darkness intertwined, a spectacle both breathtaking and awe-inspiring.

The vast energy surged endlessly like tidal waves and erupting volcanoes, yet it was firmly restrained within the boundaries of the golden-green domain, unable to leak outward in the slightest.

Only the terrifying fluctuations of power and the world-destroying pressure continued to spread outward, sweeping across everything…

When these two Mythical beings ranked at Higher Divine Power clash, the fluctuations and aura produced by the collision of laws and divine energy resemble blazing flames within darkness.

At this very moment, one powerful presence after another was drawn toward the earth-shaking confrontation of domains unfolding within the world of Seigües…

From the Heavenly Realm, the Abyss, and the Sea of Stars, countless gazes descended, each filled with shock and uncertainty.

Even in the eastern regions of the continent, several ancient presences paused slightly before casting over stunned divine senses.

A battle between beings of Higher Divine Power had erupted within the world of Seigües…

At that instant, every mythical existence arrived at the same realization.

One gaze after another turned solemnly toward the battle happening above the Maple Moon State.

And when many of those mythical beings saw the golden-green radiance, the solemnity in their eyes quickly transformed into astonishment.

→⟐←

Within the Netherworld.

Hela sat lazily upon her throne of white bones as always.

However, the moment she sensed the vast golden-green power of the celestial domain, the laziness surrounding her instantly vanished.

A trace of complexity flashed through her ruby-like eyes as she let out a faint sigh.

“So… you have already taken the first step ahead of me? It seems… I must work harder as well.”

Meanwhile, on the other side of the Netherworld, within the dark kingdom hidden beneath endless shadows…

The hunched figure of the Lord of Darkness and Shadows, Hodür, staggered slightly, his expression filled with disbelief.

“Higher Divine Power?! How is that possible?!”

→⟐←

Within the Abyss, upon the ever-intensifying battlefield between gods and demons on the first layer of Hell…

The God of War, Lóðurr, widened his eyes in shock.

“The Goddess of Life?”

Beside him, the Eternal Lord, Etriōu, slowly narrowed his eyes as his gaze deepened abruptly.

“The Goddess of… Life…”

His expression remained calm and unreadable.

Yet the gradually tightening of his fists revealed that his heart was far less composed than he appeared…

→⟐←

Within the distant Heavenly Realm.

The gaze of the Star Guardian, Rigdal, remained pure, serene, and tranquil.

Those star-like eyes seemed capable of perceiving both history and the future itself.

“Life and Nature…”

A faint glimmer flickered within his eyes as he released a long sigh.

Then he gently shook his head, took out an ancient tome, wrote something within it, and softly closed it once more…

“The Twilight… is approaching once again.”

→⟐←

One ancient and powerful gaze after another turned toward the world of Seigües.

Aside from the Evil Gods and Demon Lords whose attention could not leave the Abyss, nearly every mythical-rank existence within the universe of Seigües shifted their focus toward the battlefield above the Maple Moon State.

And at this very moment, at the center of the battlefield itself, the Demon Lord Samael was filled with utter shock.

“Higher Divine Power?! Impossible! How could you possibly have reached the rank of Higher Divine Power?!”

Brilliant radiance danced around Eve’s body, while her waist-length silver hair fluttered wildly in the wind.

Standing at the center of her domain, she appeared both beautiful and overwhelmingly powerful, like a supreme ruler standing above all creation.

A faint smile appeared upon her lips as light flashed within her hand, revealing a platinum divine sword adorned with black patterns.

“Nothing is impossible.”

She spoke calmly.

The moment her words fell, she swung the divine sword toward Samael.

Dazzling sword light erupted from the blade, infused with the power of the laws governing the domain itself.

Sensing the terrifying force of those laws and the overwhelming fluctuations of magical energy, Samael’s expression finally became completely grave.

Grinding his teeth, he let out a furious roar.

“Do not think that becoming a God of Higher Divine Power has made you invincible!”

As he spoke, Samael roared in fury and summoned his dark, razor-sharp demonic spear before thrusting it toward Evé…

In an instant, these two Gods of Higher Divine Power clashed in battle.

For a time, the two clashing domains that enveloped the space above Maple Moon shifted endlessly in color, like an oil painting being continuously repainted, with golden, green, and crimson radiance intertwining and erupting without cease.

One spectral image after another continuously manifested and vanished amidst the fierce battle between the two high-ranking deities.

Outside the two opposing domain, it was impossible to clearly discern the battle taking place within it. One could only vaguely make out a black figure and a slender silhouette standing atop a towering platform, separating and colliding repeatedly as they fought without pause.

Within the domain itself, however, Demon Lord Samael grew increasingly alarmed as the battle continued.

The longer he fought Evé, the more shockingly powerful he found the Goddess of Life to be, far beyond anything he had anticipated.

Though she had only recently advanced to the rank of Higher Divine Power as a faith-based deity, she was already capable of standing on equal footing with him, a veteran Demon Lord who had held the rank of Higher Divine Power for an untold number of years!

Although this was her home ground, and although he had left the Abyss, a veteran God of Higher Divine Power was still ultimately a veteran God of Higher Divine Power, absolutely not something a newly advanced faith-based deity should have been able to contend with.

And yet, not only was the Goddess of Life before him not at a disadvantage, she even appeared completely at ease.

How could this possibly be?!

Could she perhaps be an ancient god who had regained the rank of Higher Divine Power?!

Samael’s heart was filled with disbelief and absurdity.

Yet across from him, Evé only found the battle growing more exhilarating the longer it continued.

Advancing to Higher Divine Power brought far more than merely enhanced divine power and deeper control over laws.

It also represented a leap in the very level of existence itself.

And for Evé, as the World Tree, one of the most obvious changes was that she had already transcended the World Tree’s initial form and entered its intermediate form…

Thus, all of her abilities had been drastically strengthened, and even her resistance toward the power of the Abyss was no longer what it once had been.

Even though she had only just entered the rank of Higher Divine Power, the moment Evé saw Samael, she instinctively felt one thing…

She could actually defeat him!

Divine power surged violently as Evé freely unleashed the strength she had newly obtained.

Meanwhile, sensing the increasing number of mythical beings observing the battle, and realizing that he could not defeat his opponent, Samael finally emerged from his rage induced frenzy and began to feel the desire to retreat…

A flicker passed through his eyes as he looked toward the world outside his domain, the very world Evé had been protecting the entire time.

A trace of brutality flashed within his gaze.

Then, with an enraged roar, Samael forcefully endured one of Eve’s sword strikes, causing his aura to weaken instantly.

At that moment, he felt a violent surge of law power flood into his body, relentlessly destroying him from within. Even with his terrifying regenerative abilities, he found himself unable to recover…

That was the law of Absolute Severance!

Grinding his teeth and enduring the agony, Samael roared furiously and thrust forth the demonic spear in his hand. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

However, the target was not Evé.

It was the domain itself.

The sharp demonic spear pierced through the celestial domain, unleashing terrifying fallen divine power that shot directly toward the land below…

If it struck its target, the horrifying force would likely obliterate the entire Maple Moon State.

Eve’s expression shifted slightly as she immediately diverted part of her power to intercept the fallen divine energy.

And at that instant, a sharp glint flashed through Samael’s eyes. Without the slightest hesitation, he turned and leapt out of the battlefield.

“Eve! I shall remember this! Do not let me find an opportunity! One day, I will completely destroy everything you possess!”

He roared venomously before fleeing toward the southeast.

Eve let out a cold snort.

“Trying to run?”

Light flashed within her hand as a crimson streak shot outward, piercing directly into Samael’s back.

Moments of retreat were often the moments when flaws appeared most clearly…

If Samael had continued fighting, the outcome of the battle would still have remained uncertain.

In fact, if another Demon Lord had arrived, the balance of victory might even have shifted entirely on their side.

But at this moment, Samael had made the worst possible decision.

Possessing the Divine Artifact, Withering Heart, Evé had never feared an enemy attempting to escape.

As the crimson light entered his body, Samael’s figure abruptly stiffened.

Then, his aura began to weaken at a rate visible to the naked eye.

“A seal?!”

Samael’s expression changed drastically.

Then, gritting his teeth, he let out a furious roar and thrust his hand into his own chest, forcibly tearing out his heart.

Within the grotesque, still-pulsating Demon Lord heart, crimson light flickered endlessly.

Dark red blood scattered through the air as Samael’s aura weakened even further.

Yet soon afterward, it began to recover once more.

With his other hand, Samael tore open space itself and hurled his still-beating heart into the void. Then his entire body ignited in dark crimson flames as he fled toward the southeast at even greater speed…

A trace of surprise flashed across Eve’s expression.

“How ruthless.”

After briefly sensing the situation, she realized that Samael had thrown the Withering Heart, together with his own heart, into the void.

Frowning slightly, Evé hesitated for a brief moment between retrieving the Withering Heart and continuing the pursuit of her opponent.

In the end, she let out a soft sigh and chose to open the void first, pulling the Withering Heart back.

Alas, too many mythical beings had been watching this battle.

If this True Divine Artifact was not recovered in time, it might be lost forever.

The time window was only a few seconds long.

Yet even so, it was enough for Samael to escape far away.

Having lost his heart and with his aura growing increasingly weak, the Second Demon Lord finally caught sight of a dimensional gate located in the southern region of the Holy Maniya Empire.

A trace of relief flashed through his eyes.

Without hesitation, he leapt forward and plunged into the gate.

→⟐←

Within the Abyss, on the fallen world, Wasteland of Desolation.

At a dimensional gate guarded by a seemingly endless number of demons, a flash of light erupted as Samael’s battered figure stumbled out.

Several Abyssal myths stationed nearby were startled at the sight.

Looking at the severely wounded Demon Lord, their expressions became complicated.

“Lord Samael… Your Excellency, what happened to you?”

However, Samael paid them no mind as he immediately gathered his remaining strength and flew toward another distant, spinning spatial gate.

That gate led to the Realm of Hell.

The Goddess of Life possessed the artifact known as the Gate of Reversal.

Therefore, only by returning to Hell would he truly be safe.

The Abyssal myths were left completely bewildered.

Before they could make sense of the situation, another powerful aura surged out from the dimensional gate.

It was Evé.

“A true god?!”

The Abyssal myths nearly bristled on instinct.

They raised their weapons, preparing to attack in unison.

But the moment they sensed the terrifying pressure emanating from her, their expressions changed dramatically.

“Higher Divine Power!”

In an instant, they lost all courage, scattering in all directions without hesitation.

Evé glanced at them deeply, memorizing their auras, before continuing her pursuit of Samael.

At this moment, Samael was already nearly at the edge of the gate to Hell.

“I am safe!”

His spirits lifted.

However, before his joy could fully surface, a thick vine suddenly coiled around his body.

He stumbled, and in that instant, a strange crimson light shot toward him once again.

This time, it penetrated directly into his head.

Samael’s expression changed drastically, and his already weakened aura plummeted further.

The next moment, a golden triumphal arch gate suddenly appeared, and Eve’s figure stood directly in his path.

“You should not have tried to flee so easily.”

“You had already lost the moment you chose to run.”

She spoke with a faint smile.

In the next instant, under Samael’s terrified gaze, Evé manifested divine chains that bound him tightly, preparing to throw him into the Gate of Reversal.

At that very moment, the dimensional gate leading to Hell suddenly lit up, and two powerful, illusory figures emerged from within.

It was Demon Lord Mammon and Demon Lord Belial.

The moment they appeared, they locked eyes with Evé as she was in the process of forcing Samael into the Gate of Reversal.

Seeing them, Eve’s heart gave a slight jolt, and she raised an eyebrow lightly.

Seeing the two new Demon Lords, Samael’s spirits surged as he cried out desperately, like a drowning man grasping at straws.

“Mammon! Belial! Save me!”

The two Demon Lords froze slightly.

They looked at the Second Demon Lord, bound like a tightly wrapped bundle, then at Evé, whose gaze was deep and unfathomable.

Their expressions changed.

Without hesitation and in perfect unison, they dispersed their forms and retreated immediately back into Hell.

They even shut the Hell Gate behind them.

Samael: “…”

“Y-You bastards!”

Amidst Samael’s grief-stricken roar, he was forcefully pushed into the Gate of Reversal by Evé.

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