Ritual

Zatiel gathered all the bandits in the center of the camp, even bringing in the lookouts who were thrown outside. Though most of them were severely injured and some were missing limbs, miraculously, every single one of them was still alive.

Using his sword, Zatiel cut his arm and collected his blood in a jar. Despite losing a significant amount of blood, Zatiel's Physique of nearly 3 points allowed him to endure the weakness and fatigue. He then sat down to rest and regain his optimal condition.

As Zatiel sat, he sensed someone approaching. It was Ezequiel, the boy with a missing hand and eye. Though his body had healed enough to move, he still appeared cautious.

"I should not try to understand a monster like him, at least not yet," Ezequiel thought, deciding to keep his thoughts to himself.

"You are strong enough to walk already, good," Zatiel remarked as Ezequiel neared.

Ezequiel was a little startled, but he quickly composed himself, knowing that he couldn't hide anything from his new master.

"You're probably wondering why I didn't kill them," Zatiel said, as if reading Ezequiel's thoughts.

Ezequiel simply nodded, accepting that he couldn't keep his curiosity hidden.

"They have a purpose, and you will soon find out what it is," Zatiel stated, his gaze briefly turning cold as he glanced at the bandits.

"Anyways, you are my subordinate now, so I have a few questions for you. First, let's introduce ourselves. I am Zatiel. What is your name?" Zatiel asked, his tone casual.

"Ezequiel," the boy replied.

"The second question: since we are leaving this place soon, do you have a loved one you need to find or someone you need to ensure is safe?" Zatiel inquired.

"No," Ezequiel answered. He was a bit surprised by the question, but he responded without much thought. After all, with his previous identity as a slave, he knew that caring for someone only put them in danger.

"Alright, that's all," Zatiel said casually.

Ezequiel was taken aback. Having a subordinate with a mysterious past was not something most people would do.

"Master, I..." Ezequiel began, but Zatiel raised his hand, silencing him.

"I don't care about your past. Since the moment you decided to become my subordinate, your life started anew. The only thing I need from you is your loyalty. As long as I have it, I will always be there to help you. But you need to remember something..." Zatiel paused, his gaze fixed on Ezequiel's eye, emanating coldness and savagery.

The feeling was suffocating, as if Ezequiel were drowning in mercury. He felt as though he stood before not a man, but a nightmarish entity that could devour him at any moment. If not for his immense will, he would have blacked out. Nevertheless, he couldn't stop himself from kneeling.

"Never betray me. If you even think of doing so, I will know. And when that happens, you will never experience the sweet release of death," Zatiel warned.

After Zatiel finished speaking, the pressure vanished as if it had never existed.

Ezequiel's state was understandable. Just as a normal person would feel in front of a tiger, even if the animal didn't attack, the pressure it generated would terrify them. Although Zatiel was no longer the powerful being he once was, the memories of his years of slaughter remained.

Ezequiel slowly stood up, looking at Zatiel. When his breathing returned to normal, he kneeled on one knee.

"I have chosen to follow you, and I will never regret the decisions I've made in my life," Ezequiel declared, determination radiating from his eye.

While words of eternal loyalty were often hollow, Zatiel could see that Ezequiel spoke with absolute resolution, pouring his soul into his words.

"Hahaha, I didn't make a mistake with you! Since Ezequiel is a bit long, I will call you little EZ," Zatiel chuckled, a hint of warmth appearing in his eyes.

'This feeling isn't bad at all,' Zatiel thought. In his second life as an Abyss Lord, he had millions of underlings, but every one of those demons would have stabbed him in the back given the chance if it meant gaining profit. Having someone who offered true loyalty and friendship was a feeling he hadn't experienced in a very long time.

Although Ezequiel couldn't help but feel awkward about the childish nickname, a small smile formed on his face.

After hours of rest, Zatiel finally reached his peak condition and was ready to begin the ritual.

"Alright, little EZ. What I am about to do is very complex and incredibly dangerous for normal people. I need you to back out 1000 meters and, under no circumstances, come closer until I call for you," Zatiel instructed, his expression serious.

Ezequiel understood the importance and delicacy of the situation. He didn't dare misbehave and cause an accident, so he immediately moved away.

Once Ezequiel was at a safe distance, Zatiel picked up the jar and started inscribing strange symbols on the ground using his blood. Oddly enough, though each movement was precise, Zatiel never looked directly at the symbols.

'I have to be careful. If I gaze upon these Abyss runes directly with my weakened soul, blacking out would be the best-case scenario.'

Runes were the language of the laws, a means of harnessing the energy of the universe. They were symbols that, when arranged correctly and activated with the appropriate material, could produce unimaginable effects. However, they were incredibly complex and had countless variations. Understanding and activating high-level runes before being powerful enough was a dream for most.

Inscribing a rune on a weapon, such as a sword, could make it sharper or imbue it with the ability to produce flames, provided it had an energy source. But the true potential of runes lay in embedding them within a person's body, granting them incredible abilities.

High-level rune knowledge was difficult to obtain, and those who possessed it were usually powerful groups that guarded their secrets closely.

What Zatiel was creating was a set of runes that would allow him to communicate with and make a direct sacrifice to the Abyss.

This was one of the two most important pieces of information within his first set of memories.

To make the runes work, two core elements were essential: the right materials for the rune and an energy source to activate them.

For this particular rune, Zatiel needed blood tainted with Abyss Aura. Although he was no longer a demon, his True Soul would always carry the Abyss Aura from his second life.

The challenging part was the energy source. Fortunately, the Abyss was a plane that accepted any chaotic and evil souls upon death, providing a surplus of energy. The bandits easily fulfilled the role of an energy source. Zatiel only had to activate the secondary runes that would induce a chaotic state of mind in the life forms within the array, prompting the bandits to kill each other. This would attract the attention of the Abyss itself, leading it to claim the souls of the fallen bandits upon activation. While the sub-array would drain his energy, Zatiel's current Spirit Force would be sufficient to activate it.

Without wasting time, Zatiel activated the sub-array runes. His face turned pale, and he almost fainted from the extreme depletion of Spirit Force.

A portion of the runes began to glow red, enveloping the bandits. They awakened, their eyes completely red. Without hesitation, they started attacking each other, wildly striking anything in their sight. It became a scene of bloodshed and madness, with no regard for anything. They dismembered each other ruthlessly, using their hands, feet, and even teeth when necessary.

After a couple of minutes, almost every single bandit lay dead. Even the captain, with half of his face gone, was on the brink of death.

As the last bandit took their final breath, the remaining runes began to activate, and an immense pressure descended upon the camp. It was so chaotic that even standing near it could turn one into a crazed killing machine unless their willpower was strong enough. Zatiel himself struggled to maintain composure.

"So, He finally arrives," Zatiel thought solemnly.

The entity to whom Zatiel sacrificed the souls of the bandits was not a demon. Making deals with demons was one of the most foolish things one could do, as receiving even a tenth of the promised worth would be a miracle. More often than not, the demon would kill you and take everything for themselves.

Instead, Zatiel was communicating with the consciousness of the Abyss itself.

Every plane or world possessed its own consciousness, which developed gradually over time. While most plane consciousnesses remained basic, some became incredibly complex, even achieving self-awareness and considering themselves individuals.

Although the consciousness of the Abyss was immense due to the plane's chaotic nature, it remained relatively basic. This made it the perfect trading partner. Only someone with Zatiel's knowledge could communicate with the Abyss consciousness before becoming strong enough.

As the Abyss consciousness claimed the souls of the bandits, Zatiel began using the runes to convey his desires. While the souls of a hundred mortals were insignificant to the Abyss, which wouldn't offer anything of true value, Zatiel required something the Abyss could spare. He needed the highest-quality Abyss Aura, drawn from the deepest depths of the Abyss.

The bodies of the bandits dissolved, forming a black liquid that coalesced in the center of the array. When all the bodies were gone, a one-meter-wide orb remained. It was so dark that it seemed to consume all light, and everything in its vicinity began to decay, including the ground. Abyss Aura was the source of energy for demons but poisonous to all other life forms.

Zatiel couldn't contain his excitement as he witnessed the concentration of the Abyss Aura in liquid form.

"Finally! The time has come for the most powerful life form to be born!"