75 Divine Lords

Out my shadow came a devilishly handsome man. He was back and he didn't seem weaker in the slightest.

"Seems like the herd is slimming." He said with a chuckle to me

My stare became cold, and I pierced my gaze into his existence trying to determine what he was.

"I'd suggest you don't look into this otherwise you'll be just like him." He said in maniacal laughter as his grin faded away

"I killed you once, I will do it again," I uttered in a cold tone, as I gripped the fading shadow and smashed it to pieces.

"A mortal I once was, the god that I am, and the devil within me. I am now no longer mortal." I said in an even emotionless tone.

"I must be above heaven's path," I said as I went back into my meditations.

Strangely Drrak chose not to say anything though he realized I was acting strangely. At this point, I had a little less than a month to be at the ruins. I focused on my inner physique although I had already mastered both my inner and outer physiques. The next step would to unite them and complete my physique then finally job transition.

Transitioning requires the energy, foundation, and an elemental zone to all succeed. With my conversion to shadow force, I have my elemental control to transition. If I wanted to I could use it to become a transitioning knight right now.

But ever since I received wood true essence from the azure great tree, I decided to master the five elements! I want to build a sturdy foundation for that mastery first. All that will have to wait, I already have a plan for my transition. I just need to wait for Lewis, and the other players to set my stage...

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In the upper desert area of Dread, Lewis was seated waiting for someone. He would fiddle around with some papers occasionally. Then he would hunt for food, but he did so in a robotic manner.

He didn't have a bit of humanity left to him, just a cold emotionless machine doing Lucas' bidding. After waiting a while two men appeared at many times the speed of sound. They had oppressive auras and stood a little above level 40. They were both fairly old grey bearded elders with a vitality that was on the decline.

"Elders, I have information that is extremely worthwhile," Lewis said as he bowed his head in subservience.

"It'd better be safe, we don't want that fiasco from years ago." The elder to the left said in disdain.

"Elder Shu, I regret that matter from before but this will make up for it," Lewis said in determination, then he handed them copies of the papers.

They looked at the papers in disdain until they read a few pages. Their eyes popped out of place and they even looked at Lewis with dread.

"How did you know this?" Elder Shu said as he reached for his rapier.

Lewis' eyes turned into black swirling vortexes, as a powerful conscient descended. The intent stabbed into their minds threatening to devour them.

"Gentlemen, let's be calm and rational with our choices," Lewis said in an amused tone.

"Who are you? You definitely aren't Lewis." Elder Shu said in dread of Lewis

"Who I am doesn't matter, you want to destroy the restrictions. I am offering you a chance for much more than destroying them." Lewis said in a calm even tone.

"No thanks, we have no need of your ideas." Elder Shu said as he stabbed out with his rapier.

"Fine, then I won't be nice," Lewis said, as he reached for his sword. Distilled in the sword was shadow sword intent in its greatest state. He swung the sword, and the surroundings were disrupted. A wave of energy and wind cut apart all of their resistance.

"What the hell is this sword intent?!?!?!" Elder Shu said as he guarded with rapier against the energy wave.

Lewis left quickly, disappearing into the desert. He had already completed Lucas' instructions and was going to his death.

"Damn it." Elder Shu said as he looked around for Lewis figure. But the desert storm, combined with Lewis' use of blood essence he was able to get away.

Elder Shu gripped the papers in his hand and got the other Elder to leave. They would need to report this incident to the higher powers to have them prepare. Elder Shu shuttered at what kind of existence was controlling Lewis. It was far more powerful than anything he could ever imagine.

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Back in the sewers, I was running some further experiments and finished training my ladybugs. I also put some restrictions on my stomach, normally restrictions shouldn't be cast on inorganic objects. But I crafted a spellcircle to hold the restrictions on my stomach lowering the dissonance.

"hmm....controlling them directly is much harder than I expected," I said in introspection, I had sealed my shadow sword intent into Lewis before he left.

But Lewis' body couldn't handle the intent for long as it depleted after it was sealed. After Lewis escaped, he went off to a city killing hundreds before being put down. I had removed all traces of my bedevilment on his soul, he would be sent to purgatory unsure of why for all of eternity.

I had figured out an interesting use for the cursed tattoo. If I channel my blood energy through it, I could produce some curse fire. It was painful for me, but it would hurt even more for my enemy. So I cleaned out my lab, and made some curse fire, burning down the Silent Sword guild.

"Ashes to ashes, dust to dust, everything eventually fades away," I said filled with melancholy I felt a strange sensation watching it burn.

I activated Illusory Body again, taking my disguise and leaving the sewers quietly. I exited the city quickly and went back onto the road to the ruins. I looked at the map I had copied in my journal and followed the path. I ran for a few hours continuously, and then I would air walk the rest.

As I approached city limits for the capital, I removed my disguise and entered like a normal citizen. At the center castle of the capital, I saw a few of the upper-level figures from Rain. The city was bustling with people and had a massive wall around it. Inside all the architecture was centered around the castle.

Causing this kind of circular dome with a wall around it, and a massive magical force field around it. The city was built with defense in mind, because of the issue with the Dread Empire. There were numerous remnant fey beasts lying in prowl, and they reproduce faster than they can be killed off.

So the city has to defend against attacks extremely often, I looked back at the crowd of Rain warriors. A few grand knights I could remember, and some of their knight and knight apprentice disciples. They were in a group awaiting direction from upper-level Dread figures.

This was Dread territory, so if they wanted to get to the ruin. They would require the Dread Empire's approval, which this time was to bring them along and share the spoils. For this exploration Dread, Vermillion, and Rain all worked together. There was some tension between Vermillion and Rain considering the similar ancestry.

The founder of Vermillion Country was an exiled prince of Rain. He was exiled because he tried to take the throne by weakening the kingdom. He had divulged the secret location of the crown prince's location to the Kirin nobles. He had been a waste as a prince, unable to truly become a skilled knight.

He ventured to new lands and defeated the natives, and absorbed the power of a vermillion bird. Then he became a figure on the level of an Ancestor King, becoming one of the few Legendary knights to ever exist, with a few steps into the demigod realm. Warriors between Legendary and Demigod realms were called Divine Lords.

A supposed realm that requires one to become level 97 and gain divinity. With divinity, one can become level 100 then transcend levels and become a demigod. What was truly stunning was, the fact that he developed Divinity without the support of a god!

Only prophets have the chance to develop divinity and step into the Divine. Yet he succeeded and became a stunning leader of his era. There are also beast legends that are said to have become a sort of pagan god.

But those are just speculations I had read in a textbook dated to before the era of three continents. So they needed to be taken with a grain of salt. I looked at the waiting crowd and saw teacher Elton who smiled at me. I went to his side and greeted him kindly.

"Teacher," I said as I bowed in respect

"No need for formality, the Dread king should come out with his majesty soon." Teacher Elton said as he intently looked at the castle doors.