Zegion entered next, quietly replacing Apito.
Instead of sitting on the couch, he deliberately chose a wooden chair placed slightly to the side. It was a small gesture—but one that spoke volumes. His exoskeleton was more durable than most mythical-grade armor, and yet he still worried about damaging the leather.
That level of restraint, despite possessing overwhelming power, was precisely what made Zegion terrifying.
At this point, there was no doubt left.
Zegion was the strongest being within the Labyrinth.
Even before his awakening, he had already stood on equal footing with Diablo. Among the Twelve Guardian Lords, there had always been a clear gap—and now, that gap had widened into something almost unfair.
From the battle records preserved within the Labyrinth's archives, I had reviewed everything. Including the moment Zegion had dismantled a certain traitorous infiltrator—calmly, efficiently, and while deliberately concealing his full strength.
A chilling level of composure.
Honestly… it was a blessing that this being stood on our side.
"Zegion," I said, my voice steady, authoritative. "You performed exceptionally. Had you not awakened when you did, the situation could have become far more complicated."
He inclined his head slightly.
"You honor me too highly, Atem-sama. Even the timing of my awakening aligned perfectly with your will."
…No. Absolutely not.
"I anticipated unrest," I replied evenly, "but not betrayal at that precise moment."
Zegion's mandibles curved faintly—his version of a smile.
"Then it was fortunate. I awakened because the battlefield required it."
That answer alone told me everything.
Zegion did not wait for orders when judgment was required.
I let the topic drop and continued.
"Regardless, you were decisive. For that, you have my gratitude."
"There is no need," he replied without hesitation. "Even had I failed, Atem-sama would have erased the threat with a single judgment."
A single judgment…
"…Perhaps," I said after a pause.
Zegion accepted that answer as confirmation.
The way he looked at me was not worship—but absolute trust.
The gaze of a blade that knew exactly who wielded it.
I moved the conversation forward.
"I heard you placed a restriction on the infiltrator before allowing them to retreat."
"Yes," Zegion answered calmly. "A curse, engraved directly into their core."
"…Explain."
"The curse activates automatically. I do not need to monitor it. If the target directs killing intent toward anyone bound to Eterna, their existence will collapse instantly."
No buildup.
No drama.
Just certainty.
A chill ran through me—not fear, but recognition.
This was not cruelty.
This was execution delayed by mercy.
I checked his status.
Assessment — Zegion
Name: Zegion
Existence Value: 34,988,856
Race:
Divine Insect
Greater Chaos Spirit: Water Spirit Insect
Blessing:
Atem's Blessing
Title:
Mist Lord
Magic:
‹Water Spirit Magic›
Skill:
Ultimate Skill — Illusion King Mephisto
Resistances:
Physical Attack Nullification
Abnormal Condition Nullification
Mental Attack Nullification
Natural Effects Nullification
Holy–Demonic Attack Resistance
…Nearly five million.
For a moment, even I went silent.
This placed Zegion among the highest-tier existences in the world—not merely in Eterna.
As expected, his race had fully ascended into the divine category. His affinity with water had reached an abnormal level, and according to Solarys, Sovereign of Wisdom, his control extended into spatial interference as well.
Zegion can condense atmospheric water to construct temporary physical bodies.
His exoskeleton—originally forged from magic steel—has evolved through adamantite into hihiirokane.
Structural perfection confirmed.
That explained his obsession with maintaining his exoskeleton.
It was not a limitation.
It was a choice.
He could abandon physical form at any time and become a complete spiritual existence. Yet he remained as he was—because this was the form I had given him.
And because this form was already perfect for close combat.
Conclusion: Zegion is the optimal synthesis of physical dominance and spiritual authority.
Solarys sounded… unusually proud.
Zegion's Ultimate Skill, Illusion King Mephisto, was nothing short of monstrous.
It included:
Thought Acceleration
Universal Perception
Demon Lord Haki
Water and Lightning Domination
Spacetime Manipulation
Multidimensional Barrier
All of Creation
Mental Control
World of Illusion
Yet none of those were what concerned me most.
"The curse you mentioned," I said. "That was not part of Mephisto, was it?"
"No," Zegion replied. "That was my own creation."
"…Name it."
"Dream's End."
A technique that combined Water and Lightning Domination, Mental Control, and World of Illusion into a single execution condition.
It did not restrict movement.
It did not dominate will.
It simply waited.
And the moment the target chose to kill—
—existence ended.
No escape.
No resistance.
Even spiritual entities were not exempt.
"…Impressive," I said at last. "Any threat neutralized without unnecessary bloodshed is ideal."
Zegion lowered his head slightly.
"Your words honor me. To be acknowledged by Atem-sama is… motivation enough."
So serious.
I had noticed this pattern before. Zegion, Geld, Souei—those who carried the heaviest burdens were always the least satisfied with their own growth.
But that was also what made them terrifying.
Zegion did not rely on raw power alone.
He eliminated weaknesses.
Refined judgment.
Expanded options.
With World of Illusion, he could reshape the battlefield itself. Against him, even the strongest enemies would find reality turning hostile.
I was certain of one thing.
Among my subordinates, no one was more suited to combat than Zegion.
Blade and wielder—perfectly aligned.
The title Mist Lord fit him well.
Unseen.
Unavoidable.
And lethal the moment you realized he was there.
I met his gaze.
"Continue as you are, Zegion. Eterna will rely on you."
He stood and bowed deeply.
"I exist to serve your judgment, Pharaoh."
As he left the room, I allowed myself a single thought.
If Zegion ever stood on the opposite side of the board—
And somewhere deep within, I felt Solarys hesitate for a fraction of a second.
…Of course.
That pause alone told me everything.
While concealing my growing suspicion that Solarys, Sovereign of Wisdom had begun developing a rather… creative streak, I waited for the next interviewee.
The door opened.
It was Adalmann.
"Atem-sama," he declared at once, dropping to one knee, "to be granted an audience such as this—my gratitude transcends language itself!"
…This was beyond serious.
I raised one hand.
"That is enough. Sit."
The command was calm, absolute. Adalmann immediately complied, settling onto the couch with stiff reverence. Allowing him to continue would have cost us an hour at least, and this was not a ceremony—it was an assessment.
"Tell me," I said evenly. "How do you feel after awakening?"
"Magnificent!" Adalmann replied at once. "It is as though holy radiance fills every fragment of my being. I have never felt so complete!"
He was not exaggerating.
There was a faint glow to him—subtle, but unmistakable. Curious, I turned my perception inward and reviewed his status.
Assessment — Adalmann
Name: Adalmann
Existence Value: 18,977,333
Race:
Dead Spirit
Fair Chaos Spirit: Light Spirit Skeleton
Blessing:
Atem's Blessing
Title:
Gehenna Lord
Magic:
‹Necromancy› ‹Holy Magic›
Skill:
Ultimate Gift — Necronomicon
Resistances:
Physical Attack Nullification
Mental Attack Nullification
Abnormal Condition Nullification
Natural Effects Nullification
Holy–Demonic Attack Resistance
"…As I suspected."
A dead spirit—yet aligned with light.
The irony was almost poetic.
Adalmann, perhaps more than anyone else among my subordinates, looked like a demon lord straight out of a nightmare. And yet his attribute was holy. In his case, however, it mattered little. With the Extra Skill Holy–Demonic Reversal, he could invert his alignment freely.
The greater concern lay elsewhere.
His existence value had reached the threshold of an awakened demon lord.
And then there was the Skill.
"…Necronomicon," I repeated.
The name alone carried weight.
Within my mind, Solarys answered calmly.
I granted it.
Of course you did.
Adalmann's hollow eyes burned with devotion.
"To receive such scripture from you, Atem-sama… Necronomicon is the crystallization of supreme wisdom. It has become the very core of my power!"
I allowed him to continue.
The Ultimate Gift 'Necronomicon' included:
Thought Acceleration
Universal Perception
Demon Lord Haki
Chant Cancellation
Analyze and Assess
All of Creation
Mental Crush
Holy–Demonic Reversal
Domination of the Dead
In short—absurd.
Necromancy and holy magic, both cast without chanting. Total dominion over the dead, reinforced protection, and flawless control.
Adalmann's undead legions had transformed from mere soldiers into an army governed by law and scripture.
He explained it all with genuine joy.
I let him.
If power brought him fulfillment without corruption, there was no reason to interfere.
Solarys spoke again, with unmistakable pride.
For reference: Necronomicon belongs to the same system as the 'Grimoire' I granted to Gadra. I removed incompatible knowledge and restructured the remainder to suit Adalmann perfectly.
…You really have been busy.
Still, I could not deny the result.
Adalmann and Gadra were alike in one key aspect: researchers. Magic scholars obsessed with discovery. To them, these Skills were not weapons—they were libraries.
And libraries, when handled properly, advanced civilization.
Their abilities complemented one another perfectly.
The interview with Adalmann concluded smoothly.
After that, Albert and Wenti were brought in.
Both were visibly tense.
"Atem-sama… we are unworthy of standing before you," Albert said stiffly.
"Until we have achieved more, we do not deserve this honor," Wenti added.
…What, exactly, did they think I was?
Still, it was necessary to evaluate them.
Albert was Adalmann's sworn knight.
Wenti was his bonded dragon.
Their existences were anchored to Adalmann's soul. If he fell, they would vanish with him. But as long as he endured, they were—effectively—immortal.
Which meant, in practice, they had inherited power equivalent to Ultimate Gifts.
Solarys sounded pleased.
I worked very hard.
Yes. I can tell.
Assessment — Albert
Name: Albert
Existence Value: 14,682,639
(+ Spirit Sword: approx. 1,600,000)
Race:
Dead Spirit
Fair Chaos Spirit: Flame Spirit Man
Blessing:
Atem's Blessing
Title:
Gehenna Paladin
Skill:
Ultimate Gift — Immortal
Resistances:
Physical Attack Nullification
Mental Attack Nullification
Abnormal Condition Nullification
Natural Effects Nullification
Holy–Demonic Attack Resistance
Assessment — Wenti
Name: Wenti
Existence Value:13,984,142
Race:
Gehenna Dragon
Blessing:
Atem's Blessing
Title:
Hell Dragon King
Magic:
‹Dark Magic› ‹Necromancy›
Skill:
Ultimate Gift — Eternal
Resistances:
Physical Attack Nullification
Mental Attack Nullification
Abnormal Condition Nullification
Natural Effects Nullification
Holy–Demonic Attack Resistance
Both had undergone remarkable evolution.
Their Ultimate Gifts differed in name, but their foundations were identical:
Thought Acceleration
Complete Regeneration
Slavery Immortality
Their souls were bound to Adalmann. As long as he persisted, so would they.
And Adalmann himself… was immortal.
In other words—
They were a cheat.
A perfectly closed system of undying entities, anchored by scripture and faith.
Albert, in particular, still had room to grow. His mythical-grade spirit sword had not yet reached its full potential. As his existence value rose, so would the weapon's performance. Given his skill as a swordsman, that future was not far off.
I watched as Adalmann, Albert, and Wenti departed together.
A holy necromancer.
An immortal knight.
A hell dragon bound by scripture.
Eterna truly had become a land where contradictions no longer mattered.
Only loyalty, judgment, and power remained.
And beneath the Pharaoh's gaze, even death itself had learned obedience.