Michael let out a quiet sigh.

"Here we go."

As he neared the Sun, the first thing he did was govern the spiritual energy in his body, gathering it around his eye sockets so he wouldn’t be blinded by the light.

After developing a cure for the felines, his control over the energy had improved to such an extent that he could maintain a faint protective veil over his eyes indefinitely.

Next came the tricky part.

Twelve graceful silhouettes descended toward the star, the intensity of the Sun crashing against them like a tidal wave, eager to melt them so thoroughly that not even bones would remain.

Coating themselves in spiritual energy was meant to negate the harm, though it was far harder to achieve in practice.

Michael felt it.

Sizzling heat seeped past every defense, slowly assaulting his physique. His muscles strained, tendons gradually weakening. His bones began to soften under the unbearable temperature.

The pain was excruciating.

Every pore felt the increasing pressure.

Whether it was simply the Sun’s overwhelming temperature or the influence of MSAP-8’s abilities, it was hard to tell.

Michael began to feel like his Spirit and Mind also seemed to be on the verge of falling apart.

Yet he had endured worse.

Micheal remained unwavering.

Not long ago, assuming his Demonic Form on Venus had pushed his body far beyond its limits, altering its very nature.

Compared to that, being slowly melted alive felt almost... Insignificant.

[Archwarlock activated.]

His technique responded to the pain, fueling him with greater power, which in turn was redirected to heal his injuries.

Although the initial use of the technique had not been meant for recovery, Michael was more than capable of twisting it to suit his own needs.

Naturally, the other Lords also deployed their techniques in order to better withstand the damage.

Their vision was solely locked on the star, its size only growing the closer they drew.

Sadly, they were not capable of paying attention to one another.

Losing focus for even a moment could mean succumbing to the heat.

Michael’s priority, along with every other Lord, was to adapt to the change in environment.

Humanity held the ability to adjust to extreme conditions, no matter what they might be.

Since the cultivators descending toward the Sun were Lords, their adaptability had naturally been enhanced to a significant degree.

Every blood vessel that burst was replaced by another, stronger one. Where their flawless skin was incinerated, a more resilient layer formed moments later.

It was a constant cycle of destruction and rebuilding, akin to being reborn again and again.

Each time stronger than before.

It was of utmost importance not to rush the process.

Otherwise, if they pushed deeper into the heat before properly preparing, it would spell their demise.

Finally, they reached the star, their bodies colliding with the hardened plasma.

The temperature was several times higher than any lava in existence.

Senses blurring, Michael fell to his knees, supporting himself with his forearms. His body adjusted to the devastating heat.

Second by second, time ticked on.

The pounding of his heart stabilized, and his vision cleared.

A popping sound came from his ears as they began to pick up the surroundings again.

The haze over his mind gradually lifted.

Withstanding the pressure, the pain lessened, turning to mild discomfort.

Understandably, being only Lords, neither Michael nor anyone else could casually brush off the effects of the environment. No matter how hard they tried, there would always be at least a subtle irritation that refused to fade.

Regardless, eventually, after enough time had passed, they succeeded in adjusting to the habitat.

Cracking his neck, Michael rose to his feet, his gaze dropping to observe his body.

Since normal clothes would have been destroyed by the Sun’s heat, everyone had been given robes infused with spiritual energy, specially designed to remain intact when coming into contact with the star.

If that hadn’t been the case, everyone would have been stripped naked.

"Such a shame that we would miss such an appetizing view." Devil remarked, jumping off Michael’s shoulder and shifting into his three-meter form.

Having a harder time adjusting, Devil’s body was constantly being destroyed and rebuilt in large chunks at a time, yet he did not seem bothered, welcoming the pain with a wide grin.

Shifting his gaze, Michael observed the other Lords.

Two stood out especially.

Nicole’s expression remained indifferent. If she was affected by the heat, she did not show it on her face.

Persephone was a close second. A ring of darkness had formed around her feet, radiating outward and negating the surface of the star beneath her.

The two women similarly studied their comrades, their gazes falling on Michael at the same time.

"..."

For a moment, they were taken aback by his eyes, which gleamed a crimson color with a faint golden hue. Standing tall, unbothered by the pain.

"Heh~" Persephone giggled softly, turning to Nicole.

"You have good eyes for men." She declared, refusing to elaborate.

Soon enough, the others were capable of standing without external help.

Elina and Eliza needed the longest time to adjust since they were Absolute Lords, unlike the rest.

Of course, anyone who still held doubt about Michael’s capabilities as just a Transcendent Lord was forced to swallow it, as he demonstrated superior adaptability and pain tolerance.

"Our arrival appears to be a success, with no casualties among us." Francesca proclaimed, the immense pressure forcing her to not use her usual overcomplicated language.

"Let’s move toward the kingdom."

Before heading to the star, they had discussed the most favorable drop point.

In the end, they agreed that landing outside the colossal kingdom’s domain was the smartest choice. If they had ventured directly into enemy territory while still adjusting to the temperature, they could have been wiped out by lingering foes without being able to retaliate.

In unison, they moved forward. In every direction they saw the endless expanse of the Sun and nothing more.

Reaching the territory of MSAP-8’s influence, they halted before golden, heavenly walls that spanned tens of kilometers into the sky.

Before the only visible gates, a single entity stood guard, ready to drive off any intruders.

The Lords were about to have their first clash.