Chapter281-Daniel's Composure
Daniel did not respond to Milla's question.
But Milla also didn't press further, because she had already felt it—whatever had just happened, she had clearly experienced it with every fiber of her being.
Even so, her face was still filled with a deep and overwhelming sense of relief, the kind one only feels after brushing past death.
She inhaled and exhaled deeply several times in a row, trying to calm her wildly beating heart. Only after stabilizing her emotions did she clutch her chest, steadying her breath, and finally ask in a slightly shaky voice.
"Lord Daniel... that attack just now... was it Aurelia...?"
Her words were fragmented, her voice trembled. Right now, Milla was having trouble stringing a coherent sentence together.
Daniel, however, remained perfectly calm. With a casual wave of his hand, he deactivated the Reflective Shield.
"Yes. Aurelia launched an assault just now."
Hearing that confirmation, Milla's expression changed instantly—shifting from apprehension to sharp seriousness.
And when she looked at Daniel again, her face reflected pure astonishment.
That was an attack from god!
No matter what kind of skill or technique Aurelia had used, the conclusion was the same—such an attack was more than enough to reduce the two of them into dust. Complete annihilation was the only possible outcome.
Yet reality was... Daniel had managed to withstand it.
With just a single skill!
He had blocked an attack from Aurelia.
How was that reasonable?!?
Even if he had used a God Rank Skill, this outcome was beyond comprehension. The defensive effect of that ability was way too powerful!
But Daniel's expression remained calm and composed, as though everything that had just occurred was entirely within his expectations. He looked up at the sky and said softly, his tone devoid of urgency:
"If I'm not mistaken, that should have been the trump card of the angel race."
Milla's face was... complicated, to say the least.
She honestly had no idea how to face Daniel anymore.
A man capable of withstanding an attack from god himself—if her leader Kate saw this, she would probably bow her head in deep respect, wouldn't she?
And yet, despite all that, Milla's face still bore an expression of disbelief. She looked at Daniel again, this time with more seriousness in her tone.
"Lord Daniel, I just want to confirm one more time. That attack just now—it was Aurelia's, right?"
"In other words, you just blocked an attack from god?"
"Yes."
Daniel nodded plainly, as if answering a mundane question like whether it had rained today.
But at that very moment, his back was already drenched in cold sweat.
This was the first time—since he had arrived in this world—that Daniel had truly felt the threat of death.
If not for the sheer number of God Rank Skills in his possession, he would very likely have died just now. No questions asked.
Even with so many trump cards at his disposal, the entire ordeal was still one of nine deaths, one life. A complete gamble.
It was a wake-up call.
Daniel reminded himself that from now on, he had to be more careful. More cautious. Far more prudent in every single step he took.
Just because he held many God Rank Skills didn't mean he could afford to underestimate his enemies.
And especially not god.
They must always be treated with the utmost seriousness.
This time, Aurelia had merely launched a single attack, and that alone had nearly exhausted all of Daniel's backup plans and hidden cards.
What if he were to face god directly?
Would Time Stream still work reliably? Could he still activate it before being destroyed?
That was the problem. When it came to confronting Aurelia, there were far too many uncertainties.
Daniel even had a creeping suspicion that if he ever faced god in a direct confrontation, he might not even have the chance to activate Time Stream.
So despite the fact that he had successfully withstood god's attack...
Daniel didn't feel even the slightest bit triumphant.
He wasn't proud of what he'd just survived—he was wary. Deeply, thoroughly wary.
Instead of celebrating, he began seriously calculating how he could quickly complete his Star Upgrade Quest.
Because only by leveling up, by increasing his base attributes across the board, would he be truly strong.
No matter how you looked at it, Daniel was still too weak.
But if one day—just one day—he became god himself, then a single attack from him could annihilate the entire Divine Realm.
There would be no need for all this strategy, no need to play games within the Divine Realm.
He would be the one rewriting the rules.
On the other side, Milla was staring at Daniel with admiration. His calm, composed demeanor only added to her awe.
"Lord Daniel, you're truly incredible. You just blocked an attack from god... and you're still so calm about it!"
"If it were me, I'd probably be so excited, I'd be shouting it from every mountaintop!"
"Honestly, I used to think the two of us taking on the Emperor of Angels was an impossible dream."
"But now that I've seen your true strength, I don't think it's so far-fetched anymore."
As she spoke, Milla casually opened a spatial portal with a flick of her hand.
Daniel followed closely behind, stepping through the portal with her.
On the other side, he was greeted by a vast, open area.
And in the very next moment—a silver ocean unfolded before his eyes.
But what surprised him most wasn't just the sea's silver color—it was the golden foam that crested on every wave!
The combination of silver and gold, glimmering and blending in brilliant harmony, made the entire landscape seem otherworldly. Dreamlike. Beautiful.
Almost instantly, Daniel understood where they were.
This place was called the Sea of Resurrection.
Within the silver sea, countless golden bubbles rose to the surface, one after another.
Inside each golden bubble, there was an angel.
Clearly, these were newly resurrected angels—just brought back to life.
Seeing this scene, Daniel's lips curled slightly into a soft, thoughtful smile.
"If we go directly after the Emperor of Angels, there's a good chance he'll go into hiding," he mused.
"Inside the Divine Realm, locating the Emperor is no easy task."
"However... I've come up with a new idea."
Milla instantly understood what he was implying.
Strike where it hurts. Force the enemy's hand.
This Sea of Resurrection—to the Angel of Gold and Silver race, it was more precious than life itself.
To destroy it would be to threaten their entire foundation.
So if Daniel stirred up chaos here... if he launched an assault on the Sea of Resurrection itself... then the Emperor of Angels would have no choice but to appear.
After all, if the Sea of Resurrection were to be destroyed, the entire Angel of Gold and Silver race could suffer irreversible losses.
They might even lose their tier as a race.
Elsewhere, in the void...
The Emperor of Angels stood silently.
But his face was now frozen in an expression of pure disbelief.
He had just witnessed something that defied every law, every belief he held to be true.
An attack—no, an execution—from Her Majesty Aurelia, Goddess of Gold & Silver... had been deflected.
By Daniel.
That man had seen it coming. Not only had he preemptively activated a countermeasure, it was as if he had known in advance that the divine strike was coming.
But that made no sense.
How?
How could Daniel have predicted an attack from god?
Even Milla, a devotee of the Luck Goddess, couldn't foresee god's will.
So how did Daniel do it?
And more importantly—he had not only survived the attack.
He had reflected it back.
This... this was insane.
In all his millennia of life, the Emperor of Angels had never seen such madness.
Never witnessed such a miracle.
As he stood stunned, a voice suddenly whispered into his ear:
"How is this possible...? How is he still alive?"
"He blocked god's attack with a single skill... This has to be a joke!!"
Chapter282-Sea of Resurrection
Divine Realm, Central Divine Temple—
Inside the temple, the atmosphere was heavy with dread. Every archangel present, including the Emperor of Angels, wore a grim, almost ashen expression.
None of them had anticipated it.
Not in their wildest calculations did they expect that Daniel would be capable of reflecting an attack from god.
An actual divine strike.
Everyone in this room understood perfectly well: a single blow from god was enough to completely obliterate even a Fake God. That kind of attack should've been unstoppable.
And yet... Daniel, who hadn't even reached the level of a god, had defied that assumption.
He had blocked it—and even redirected it!
The Archangels around the table fell into an eerie, unanimous silence.
Based on the intelligence they had gathered, Daniel wasn't just strong—he was terrifyingly versatile.
He possessed formidable spiritual attacks, potent spatial abilities, and advanced summoning techniques.
On top of all that, his raw attack power was frighteningly high.
Whichever angle they analyzed, Daniel's strength far surpassed what anyone at his current stage should be capable of.
And now, to their dismay, he had revealed yet another layer to his arsenal: god-defying defense.
Even the highest-ranking Archangels couldn't help but feel a chill creep down their spines.
One of them finally broke the silence. It was Vinicius, his voice solemn.
"If even this couldn't kill Daniel... then how exactly are we supposed to eliminate him?"
That question silenced the chamber once more.
The truth was harsh. They had already overestimated Daniel to the greatest extent they thought possible.
Even the Emperor of Angels himself had spared no caution—he had regarded Daniel as a Class S threat, assigning him a danger level usually reserved for the most ancient threats to their realm.
It was for that very reason he had even petitioned god for an intervention—using up precious divine resources in the process.
Yet despite all of that... even Goddess of Gold & Silver Aurelia herself had failed to eliminate Daniel.
A god had struck—and failed.
"Your Majesty..." another Archangel asked hesitantly, "have we truly run out of options? Should we intervene now to stop Daniel's plans?"
The Emperor of Angels slowly shook his head.
His expression had never been so serious.
If not even god could kill Daniel, what could they possibly do?
In fact, just moments ago, the Emperor had sensed something else even more disturbing—Daniel's summoned creatures had suddenly grown far more powerful.
It wasn't an illusion.
Daniel had evolved, right under their noses.
It was getting to the point where the Angel of Gold and Silver race could no longer contain him.
With nothing more than his own strength, Daniel had launched an all-out war against their entire species.
And the worst part was—he was winning.
More terrifying still, he was growing stronger as he fought!
Just as desperation was beginning to take root in the room, a calm voice interrupted the downward spiral of thoughts.
The Wise Angel spoke, his tone soft, but resolute.
"Perhaps... we are stuck in the wrong mode of thinking."
He turned to the Emperor with composed eyes.
"Your Majesty, what if we did something different? What if... we simply stopped trying to stop him? Let Daniel do whatever he wants."
This shocking suggestion made the Emperor frown instinctively.
But the Wise Angel continued without hesitation.
"Let us not forget why we are here—our mission has never been to kill Daniel. Our purpose is to purify this world, to prepare for the glorious return of Her Majesty Aurelia."
"And once Her Majesty descends in full... Daniel will become meaningless."
The words were like pebbles tossed into a still pond—breaking the mental paralysis of the others.
Suddenly, the Emperor of Angels realized it too.
They had been led astray. Without even noticing, they had been drawn into Daniel's tempo. Responding to his provocations. Reacting instead of acting.
Daniel was dangerous, yes. But he wasn't the mission.
He was a distraction.
Even if he had blocked a divine strike, what did that matter?
Once Goddess Aurelia fully returned, she could strike a million times in a second if she wished. Daniel would be nothing but ashes.
Ashes with no chance of revival.
The Archangels' eyes lit up as realization dawned on them.
"You're right," one of them agreed, "Wise Angel speaks the truth. There's no need to concern ourselves with Daniel right now."
"Exactly. When the time comes, and Apollo the Sun rises once more, all we have to do is awaken him. Then Daniel's resistance will be meaningless."
However...
At that exact moment, a twinge of unease gripped the Emperor of Angels.
A subtle, primal warning.
Something was wrong.
Something was very wrong.
He instinctively turned his awareness toward the place he had been monitoring closely...
—
Sea of Resurrection
Daniel stood calmly, hands folded behind his back, surveying the landscape.
Arrayed before him were ninety-nine fully-armed Primordial Core Weapons, each planted in a precise formation around the shimmering silver-gold sea.
Turning slightly, he spoke to Milla beside him.
"You'd better step back. This might get a little messy."
Milla nodded without hesitation and opened a spatial portal, vanishing to a safer location.
And then, in the span of a heartbeat—
The Primordial Core Weapons detonated.
At the exact moment of detonation, a beam of pure golden light descended from the heavens—right onto Daniel's position.
BOOM!
The massive explosion tore across the Sea of Resurrection like a divine storm. Light and sound collided in a blinding wave of destruction.
But when the smoke cleared...
Daniel was no longer where he had stood.
Instead, standing in the very center of the blast, was a figure surrounded by glowing, golden shields.
The Emperor of Angels.
He had appeared, materializing directly within the explosion's heart.
Thanks to his protective barrier, he was completely unharmed.
More importantly, the Angel of Gold and Silver race had long since been blessed by Aurelia herself, rendering them immune to the destructive power of the Primordial Core Weapons.
But then—another presence shimmered into view.
Daniel.
He stood tall, calm as ever, face-to-face with the crowned ruler of the angels.
Bathed in golden light, the two figures stared at each other in solemn silence.
This was it—their first true battle.
In the blink of an eye, the remaining Archangels also teleported to the battlefield.
With the Sea of Resurrection on the brink of destruction, they could no longer sit idle.
After all, the Sea of Resurrection wasn't just a sacred artifact—it was the backbone of their race's resurrection capability.
If it were to be destroyed, the entire Angel of Gold and Silver race would lose the ability to revive its warriors.
That kind of loss could not be tolerated.
It could mean the end of their species.
Not just a demotion in tier—but total extinction.
So even if they'd decided to ignore Daniel moments ago, they now had no choice but to act.
Daniel, meanwhile, had already activated Eye of Insight, scanning the being before him.
[Emperor of Angels, Neo]
Race: Angel of Gold and Silver
Level: 500
Tier: Demigod
Description: Sovereign of the Angel of Gold and Silver race. Oversees all angelic domains. A devout and unwavering follower of Goddess of Gold & Silver Aurelia.
Daniel narrowed his eyes.
There was no denying it—Neo was incredibly powerful.
Taking him down wouldn't be easy.
Golden shields floated protectively around Neo, just like those that had once protected Michael.
But these were clearly more potent.
Though the race's tier hadn't changed, the Angel of Gold and Silver race had not stagnated in the past 4000 years.
Under Aurelia's divine favor, they had grown. Evolved.
And now, they were ready to fight.
Chapter283-Dancer on the Blade's Edge
"Daniel, why do you insist on sabotaging our plans?"
"Four thousand years ago, it was because of you that our Angel of Gold and Silver race failed to ascend alongside Her Majesty Aurelia!"
"You have no idea what we are truly trying to accomplish. Everything we've done—it's all for the salvation of life in this world!"
"It was you! Your foolishness is the reason all beings in this world have suffered endless calamities!"
"Daniel, you are the true enemy of all races!"
The Emperor of Angels roared furiously, his voice thunderous with indignation. Yet on the other side, Daniel's face twisted into a strange, unreadable expression.
Because what he had just confirmed through his Eye of Insight shocked even him—the Emperor wasn't lying.
Everything he had just screamed... was actually the truth.
So what did that mean?
It meant that, in the Emperor's worldview, the only way to "redeem" all life was to purge it—to cleanse every living creature and turn them into obedient slaves of the Angel of Gold and Silver race.
As for those "ugly" races, in his eyes, they simply didn't deserve to exist.
The angels, as always, stood tall and proud, regarding themselves as superior. Never once did they consider the actual desires, struggles, or perspectives of the other races.
To Daniel, such an ideology was irredeemable.
He didn't need to say more.
Their paths, their beliefs, were fundamentally incompatible.
There was no common ground.
"Emperor of Angels," Daniel said flatly, his voice cutting through the tension like a blade, "save your high-minded rhetoric."
"The fate of the myriad races should be determined by themselves."
"What gives your Angel of Gold and Silver race the right to decide the life or death of other species?"
"This world belongs to all races, not just to you. And it certainly doesn't need your so-called salvation."
"Let's call it what it really is—invasion."
The moment the words left his lips, Daniel launched his attack.
In the blink of an eye, countless daggers materialized around the Emperor of Angels.
Concealed by the effects of the Mist, his Spirit of Skills had remained hidden—until now.
It was time to strike.
Sensing the incoming danger, the Emperor instantly raised his guard. Six wings unfolded from his back and wrapped around him like an unbreakable cocoon.
When fighting Daniel, one could never be too careful.
Even if he didn't look overwhelmingly strong, this was the man who had survived a god's attack. That alone warranted maximum caution.
He understood the old saying well: Better safe than sorry.
In a flash, the daggers summoned by Mind Hunt slammed into the Emperor's shields.
A crisp, continuous clashing sound echoed in the air.
It had to be said—the Emperor of Angels was far stronger than Michael had been back in the day.
Daniel's current attacks couldn't even break through the first layer of his defenses.
But then again, the Emperor had over ten thousand defensive layers surrounding him!
Seeing that, Daniel's eyes widened in disbelief.
What the hell? Are all these angelic bastards secretly turtles? Why is their shell so damn thick?
I'm just a harmless little Level 100 awakener, and you're casting more shields than there are stars in the sky? Isn't that overkill?!
Meanwhile, the Emperor of Angels was just as stunned.
Wait a second...
Why are Daniel's attacks so weak?
They weren't just underwhelming—some of them barely even registered!
The nearby Archangels were beginning to notice it too.
None of them intervened. For now, they simply observed the duel in silence.
The battle was intense, the attack frequency absurdly high, but the actual damage being dealt? Virtually zero.
Every time the Emperor struck, Daniel would instantly dodge by using Flashback.
It was like trying to hit a mosquito with a cannon—but this mosquito could teleport!
How were they supposed to land a hit?
After experiencing god's terrifying assault, Daniel had learned his lesson.
He no longer took risks.
If he could dodge, he would dodge.
Only if he had absolutely no other choice would he even consider taking a hit head-on.
Seeing their Emperor's attacks fail repeatedly, the surrounding Archangels could no longer remain idle.
One after another, they unleashed their powers toward Daniel.
Among them, the Judgment Angel, who was in charge of punishment, acted decisively.
Chains of divine energy shot toward Daniel, seeking to bind him completely.
Seeing the ambush closing in, Daniel immediately activated Flashback again, vanishing from the spot and relocating to a safer place.
But just as he appeared at his new location—
A blade gleamed in the shadows.
The Wise Angel, who had remained silent all this time, moved at last.
He struck with surgical precision at Daniel's back, aiming for a fatal blow.
The truth was—he had long ago predicted where Daniel would appear.
He had been waiting.
And the moment Daniel showed up, he attacked—giving him no time to react.
Faced with an unavoidable strike, Daniel didn't hesitate.
He triggered the God Rank Skill: Time Stream, rewinding himself to the moment before he used Flashback—and chose a new location entirely.
But even that wasn't enough.
Before he could recover, he was entangled by another foe—an armored angel who struck without warning.
These Archangels were Level 500.
Their base stats were astronomical compared to Daniel's.
Despite the broken utility of Flashback, the Sea of Resurrection was still a finite space.
And within the Divine Realm, the Archangels had the ability to teleport at will.
After several quick jumps, Daniel was finally caught mid-transition.
The one who struck him?
Vinicius—his old rival.
This blow was devastating.
Daniel's health bar dropped by more than half from a single hit.
His face turned pale.
There was no sugarcoating it—fighting opponents 400 levels above you was a monumental challenge.
It wasn't just hard.
It was borderline impossible.
All the HP he had so painstakingly stacked up over time... gone in an instant.
I really need to level up... fast.
That was the only thought in Daniel's mind as he once again activated Flashback.
But this time, things had worsened.
Seven Archangels had surrounded him completely.
No matter where he teleported, they were right there, waiting.
There was now only one way out—he had to leave the Divine Realm.
But if he left, how would he defeat the Emperor of Angels?
He didn't want to retreat.
So once more, Daniel activated Time Stream, returning to the moment before Vinicius had struck him—and narrowly dodging the blow.
It was this tactic alone—this constant manipulation of time—that allowed him to barely stay alive.
Yet what shocked the Archangels was not his survival.
It was that Daniel was surviving at all.
Even within the Divine Realm, even against enemies hundreds of levels above him...
He kept dodging.
He kept escaping.
He kept dancing—on the blade's edge.
And they couldn't believe it.
No matter how many coordinated strikes they launched... Daniel always found a way out.
Chapter284-Demon Dragon Nidhogg
"Damn it! That despicable bastard is clearly toying with us!"
The expressions of the seven Archangels twisted with fury all at once.
They were the pinnacle of the Angel of Gold and Silver race—each one a supreme being in their own right. They carried with them the pride and dignity of their kind. Yet now, they were being toyed with, like dogs being led around on a leash. How could they not be enraged?
The seven Archangels exchanged glances. Without needing words, a decision had already been made.
They stopped in midair, gathering together, and simultaneously activated their group skill.
In that instant, the entire sky over the Divine Realm was consumed by radiant golden orbs. Each orb blazed with a scorching brilliance, like miniature suns hanging in the heavens. The immense energy pulsing from them made Daniel's expression tighten—he could feel something was wrong.
These orbs might not be huge, but the energy within them was terrifying.
"Let's see how you dodge this one, you damn human!"
As the furious voice fell, the golden orbs locked onto Daniel's position and shot downward, swarming from all directions like guided missiles.
Though not quite as overwhelming as Aurelia's divine strike, their speed was still so extreme that few beings in existence could react in time. If it had been anyone else caught in this storm of light, there would have been no chance to dodge.
Even the Emperor of Angels would have admitted that such an onslaught couldn't be avoided—it would have to be taken head-on.
But to their utter shock, Daniel dodged them.
He moved like a dancer on a blade's edge, slipping through the gaps between destruction with precision that bordered on the impossible. Each step he took skirted the boundary of death. Yet he remained unharmed.
"Damn it! That human bastard is clearly provoking us!"
"I can't take this anymore—I really can't!"
The Emperor of Angels and the seven Archangels wore expressions so twisted with rage they seemed nearly tangible. They were being mocked—openly, repeatedly, humiliatingly.
Daniel clearly possessed immense power, yet chose to respond with mockery rather than offense. He had no intention of counterattacking—only of toying with them.
Like a cat playing with a mouse, he led them into a dance of death without ever truly striking back.
This dizzying spectacle of survival went on for a full minute. But in that minute, Daniel remained untouched.
At last, the residual effects of the Primordial Core Weapon's blast faded.
Daniel didn't waste a moment.
"Milla, stop hiding and enjoying the show. It's your turn."
He transmitted the message through his unique mind power, summoning Milla to act.
Though only a minute had passed, for Daniel it had felt like an eternity. Within that compressed span of time, he had activated Time Stream countless times just to survive the omnidirectional assault.
Just as his call rang out, a Space Gate suddenly tore open in the sky above the Sea of Resurrection.
"I'm here, I'm here. With the Primordial Core Weapon being so ridiculously powerful, I didn't dare get close," Milla's voice came floating through.
"If I had been caught in that blast, who would've been left to help you?"
"Still... all you damn feathered freaks—it really has been a while si—"
She didn't get to finish her taunt.
The golden orbs of light were still active, and immediately honed in on her new position. The overwhelming bombardment left her speechless.
Fortunately, the light spheres seemed to be influenced by some strange force. When they reached Milla, they missed completely—each one swerving slightly, like a painter outlining her form with perfect precision but never touching her.
On the ground, blackened craters formed where the golden orbs landed, blasting the earth with pure energy.
Yet Milla stood there unscathed.
"Well now, what a grand welcome party. Thank you, you overgrown pigeons! I—!"
She was cut off again, this time by a sudden charge from the armored angels.
But instead of panic, Milla remained composed.
She casually snapped her fingers.
Behind the attacking armored angel, a pitch-black gate silently opened.
From the gate emerged a dreadful force—eight inky tendrils, writhing like vipers, shot out and wrapped themselves tightly around the angel, interrupting his skill and immobilizing him in mid-air.
And that wasn't the end.
As the armored angel struggled, the entity within the black gate began to emerge.
It was a massive octopus-like creature, with blood-red eyes glowing like embers in the dark. Unlike the smooth skin of earthly cephalopods, its hide was dry and coarse like ancient tree bark.
[Imprisoner of the Abyss]
[Level: 498]
[Tier: Demigod]
[Description: A terrifying being from the abyss, it abhors all things related to light. It possesses extremely potent binding abilities.]
"What a lively scene! My dear friends, how could I miss out on such a celebration?"
Milla's voice was filled with excitement.
As her skill continued to activate, countless dark gates opened across the sky, each one linking to a different part of the world. Through them poured an army of prisoners—those whom Daniel had released earlier now flooded onto the battlefield, one after another.
And this sudden reinforcement was thanks to the Primordial Core Weapon.
Its devastating power had temporarily destroyed the space-restriction barrier around the Sea of Resurrection, giving Milla the opportunity to summon the portals unhindered.
The first to appear was none other than the Demon Dragon Nidhogg.
As the massive dragon soared through the portal, she immediately swept down toward Daniel's side and gave him a smile that was far too flirtatious for a creature of her size.
"My benefactor Daniel, if I'm not mistaken, that golden light that descended from the sky earlier—you were the one who blocked it, weren't you?"
"I recognize that attack. It's from god Aurelia, isn't it?"
"I saw her use that same technique three thousand years ago. It wiped out an entire continent... even a Fake God perished under it."
The moment her words fell, all eyes turned toward Daniel—every single prisoner now staring at him in awe.
They hadn't expected that this young human, who was only level 100, could block such a devastating divine attack.
The balance of the battlefield shifted once more.
Even the Emperor of Angels and the seven Archangels, the strongest warriors of the Angel of Gold and Silver race, hesitated. The battlefield had turned in Daniel's favor without a doubt.
To recklessly attack now would be suicidal.
Meanwhile, the Demon Dragon Nidhogg continued her shameless praise.
"Benefactor, you not only saved me, but you're powerful enough to withstand god-level attacks."
"With your strength, you've already won my respect."
"I wish to follow you, to kill all these hypocritical Angels of Gold and Silver!"
"Please, grant me the honor of pledging my loyalty to you!"
Chapter285-Recruiting Followers
Daniel never would've thought that before the final battle even began, he'd end up recruiting a new follower.
Yet in hindsight, Demon Dragon Nidhogg's actions were entirely understandable. After all, he had already provoked the wrath of the Angel of Gold and Silver race. One way or another, Nidhogg now stood on the opposite side of that divine faction. With no backing or patron to rely on, it was a smart move—perhaps the only move—for him to throw his lot in with Daniel.
In truth, Nidhogg had no other viable choice.
But this Demon Dragon's ambitions extended far beyond simply surviving. He wasn't content with playing a marginal role. That's precisely why he had chosen to make his oath of loyalty in full view of the crowd. It was an overt, public declaration—an attempt to be noticed.
Because only by doing so would he truly earn Daniel's recognition.
The decision was solidified the moment he witnessed Daniel with his own eyes resisting the attack of a god. That singular, awe-inspiring feat shook Nidhogg to his core. And in that shock, he saw a window of opportunity—perhaps, by aligning himself with Daniel, he could rise to greater heights.
Daniel was about to plunge into a massive conflict against the Angels of Gold and Silver.
For Nidhogg, this was his moment to shine.
And after he voiced his allegiance, the surrounding prisoners reacted with stunned disbelief.
"Wait... a divine attack?"
"That pure beam of golden light earlier... that was god's attack?"
"You're telling me Daniel actually blocked an attack from god?"
For a time, the crowd was thrown into chaos—prisoners whispering, murmuring, then shouting in mounting excitement.
One by one, more of the prisoners followed Nidhogg's example and stepped forward to pledge their loyalty to Daniel.
"My benefactor! The Angels of Gold and Silver destroyed my homeland, but you've given me back both freedom and life. Let me serve you!"
"That's right, benefactor! We're all weaklings with no status or background—that's why the Angels of Gold and Silver abused us. Please accept our loyalty and lead us to a better future!"
Voices flooded in, one after another.
The pledges of loyalty weren't made out of blind fanaticism—but rather cold, calculated thought.
Anyone who had managed to survive this long in such a cruel world could not possibly be a fool.
So instead of impulsively swearing allegiance, these prisoners had carefully assessed the situation—and what they saw was the immense power behind Daniel.
The entire dynamic of the battlefield shifted.
Just moments ago, the Angels of Gold and Silver had held the upper hand. But now, over a dozen beings of strength equivalent to the seven Archangels had stepped forward to stand at Daniel's side. They gathered around him like loyal guardians, declaring their unshakable support.
The scene was enough to make the Emperor of Angels' face turn ashen.
He never expected these wretched outcasts to unite.
Had it not been for their scattered, disorganized state back then, even the Angels of Gold and Silver would have had trouble subduing them.
Yet now—when it was already too late—they had finally come together.
And all of it... because of one man: Daniel.
The absurdity of the situation would've been laughable—if not for how terrifying it truly was.
The Emperor of Angels quickly realized the gravity of the moment. The current circumstances demanded one thing and one thing only: reinforcements.
He issued a sweeping command, summoning every angel above level 400 across the race. The Emperor knew that this battle could very well determine the fate of the entire Angel of Gold and Silver race.
If they won, they could endure. If they lost... extinction was a real possibility.
There was no longer any room for hesitation. He would fight with every ounce of strength they had left.
As the tension reached its peak, the atmosphere of the Divine Realm grew suffocating.
The realm, once bathed in pristine gold, began to swirl with chaotic energies of every hue.
Nidhogg's demonic miasma, the deep darkness of the abyss, the searing flames of the infernal demons...
At that moment, Daniel summoned all of his abyssal creatures to the battlefield.
The Sea of Resurrection quickly grew crowded.
Daniel's gaze locked onto the Emperor of Angels.
"Two choices stand before you," he said, his voice calm but commanding. "You can flee—but I will reduce everything here to ashes."
"Or... you can stay. And we'll settle this with war."
The Emperor gave no reply.
Instead, he silently raised his sacred sword and swept it horizontally.
"Kill!"
In the blink of an eye, the two sides collided in a full-scale battle.
And in mere seconds, the Angel race found themselves at a disadvantage.
It wasn't that the Archangels were weak—not at all.
But they were simply overwhelmed.
Their opponents were too numerous. And while the Archangels had superior combat power, fighting against so many foes of equal level was far from easy.
Each Archangel now faced at least a dozen enemies of comparable strength.
Worse yet, in the current state of the Sea of Resurrection, they couldn't be sure if death would still result in revival.
So they all adopted the same approach—self-preservation above all else.
Because of this, an ironic scene unfolded before the eyes of every combatant.
In the heart of the Divine Realm—on the very soil of the Angel of Gold and Silver's homeland—the Archangels found themselves running like dogs with tails between their legs.
The majestic image of holiness they usually carried was now shattered by the chaos and terror of the battlefield.
The seven Archangels were all entangled in brutal, desperate duels.
Nidhogg, in particular, fought with overwhelming fervor. Alone, the massive Demon Dragon had pinned down Vinicius, one of the strongest among the Archangels.
Although Nidhogg's raw power was still slightly beneath that of Vinicius, his gigantic size and nearly impenetrable defense closed the gap. Their clash was one of equals, the outcome uncertain.
Across the battlefield, every angel was locked in intense combat.
They weren't losing outright—but turning the tide now seemed almost impossible.
The scales of war had tilted in Daniel's favor.
...
With all the prisoners summoned, the final duel between Milla and the Emperor of Angels erupted.
Their powers were almost evenly matched, and for now, neither could gain the upper hand.
But the Emperor of Angels was seething.
He glared at Daniel with unfiltered hatred and bellowed furiously.
"Daniel! You think your petty tricks can destroy the Angel race? You're nothing but a joke!"
"We are immortal! We are eternal! Everything you've done—all of it—is in vain!"
Chapter286-Turning Point
The furious roar of the Emperor of Angels received no answer.
Frustrated, he turned his gaze back toward Milla.
"Milla, why are you helping Daniel? You're no longer the devotee of the Luck Goddess. Why are you fighting so desperately?"
But Milla merely offered him a faint smile.
"By your logic, aren't you also no longer a devotee of Aurelia? Then why are you still so loyal to her?"
The Emperor of Angels was about to respond when, suddenly, he sensed a disturbance near one of the armored angels—danger was closing in fast.
"Watch out!"
But his warning came too late.
The armored angel had already sensed the threat and reacted immediately, leaping backward to evade.
However, Milla's taunting voice rang out right beside him:
"Why is it that you angels are always so distracted in battle?"
Even as she said it, her palm pressed lightly against the Emperor of Angels' outermost shield.
And just like that, the shield—so sacred and supposedly impenetrable—shattered like a mirror into countless pieces.
Daniel, clearly waiting for this exact moment, launched his long-prepared move: Mind Hunt.
In the blink of an eye, thirty-two spectral daggers materialized and plunged into the body of the Emperor of Angels.
[Mental Contamination...]
"There is no such thing as true immortality in this world," Daniel's voice rang cold and sharp. "Not even for the Emperor of Angels."
"Damn you!"
The Emperor of Angels bellowed, and an overwhelming surge of divine energy erupted from his form.
In an instant, Daniel was blasted backward by the sheer force.
At the same time, the Emperor's shield was restored to its pristine state, glittering once more with divine protection.
But rather than frustration, a smile appeared on Daniel's face.
[Emperor of Angels]
[Sanity Value -0.5%]
...
The Emperor of Angels immediately sensed that something was wrong.
Just as Michael had once warned, Daniel indeed possessed a unique status effect—one that even gods couldn't remove.
The Emperor of Angels summoned every bit of his power in an attempt to halt the contamination spreading through his spirit. He poured in his energy, invoking every known form of resistance.
But even with all his efforts, he could only slow the corruption, not stop it.
"Your Majesty, are you alright?!"
A few nearby angels noticed something wrong, but they were locked in combat and couldn't afford to break away to assist.
"I'm fine. Focus on your own battles," the Emperor said grimly.
But even as he spoke, Milla's figure reappeared behind him like a ghost.
This time, remembering his earlier mistake, the Emperor didn't dare let her touch him. He vanished in a blur of divine speed, relocating to another part of the battlefield.
The Sea of Resurrection still had numerous high-ranking angelic warriors stationed around it. In his eyes, Daniel wouldn't dare use the Primordial Core Weapon—its wide-area destruction would harm allies and enemies alike.
However, just as the Emperor left the Sea of Resurrection...
A prompt appeared before his eyes:
[Confirm: Destroy Sea of Resurrection?]
He froze.
Why would such a prompt be triggered now?
To destroy the Sea of Resurrection should require his authorization as the Emperor of Angels... so why was he being prompted?
Unless...
Realization dawned.
His face twisted in horror.
Daniel—he didn't just shapeshift to resemble others... he could even replicate their access privileges!
That ability—how could it possibly exist?!
Without hesitation, the Emperor of Angels teleported back to the Sea of Resurrection.
He didn't waste time confronting enemies. Instead, he raced to the central control node of the divine structure.
And there, he found something that made his breath catch in his throat:
Standing before him was a being who looked exactly like him—not just in appearance, but even in spiritual resonance.
No hesitation.
The Emperor raised his command:
"Cancel Destruction Order!"
But just as the command echoed out, Milla appeared—again, without a sound—right behind him.
With a single tap, she shattered his shield yet again.
At that exact moment, Daniel—synchronized like a seasoned partner—summoned Mind Hunt once more, the spectral daggers launching toward the Emperor.
The Emperor of Angels nearly went mad with frustration.
He was being pinned down from every direction. He couldn't flee, couldn't retaliate, couldn't even issue orders effectively.
Either he suffered another humiliating sneak attack... or the Sea of Resurrection would be destroyed.
What kind of choice was that?!
In that moment, he truly regretted not executing all those prisoners earlier. If he had, none of this would be happening.
For the Angel of Gold and Silver race, the Sea of Resurrection wasn't just a battlefield—it was everything.
As long as it remained intact, the prisoners could eventually be worn down, broken, and destroyed.
But if Daniel succeeded in destroying it... everything would be lost.
His eyes flashed with deadly resolve.
Without another word, the Emperor of Angels teleported to the nearest armored angel.
Using his overwhelming divine power, he freed the warrior from danger in an instant.
But at the same time...
Milla's hand shattered his shield once more.
Daniel's daggers struck again, spreading the mental contamination further.
Yet this time, the Emperor of Angels didn't flee.
Nor did he knock Daniel away.
Instead, with a sudden burst of rage, he turned on the prisoners chasing the armored angel—and instantly obliterated them, reducing them to chunks of meat.
For the first time, real casualties appeared on the battlefield.
Several prisoners lost their lives, their bodies torn apart in a flash.
But the cost was steep.
[Sanity Value -8.0%]
That one decision had pushed the Emperor of Angels' mental stability to a dangerously low threshold.
Still, with those prisoners slain, the Emperor regained a sliver of control.
He struck Daniel again, blasting him back once more and reactivating his protective shield.
It was a brutal move—but it had value.
The ferocity of the Emperor's counterattack intimidated a sizable portion of the prisoners. Many paused, hesitated. The fear in their eyes was real.
Sensing the wavering morale, the Emperor unleashed a new wave of mind power across the Divine Realm:
"You worthless prisoners! Are you really going to die here for the sake of one lowly human?"
"I'm giving you a chance—right here, right now—to redeem yourselves."
"If you're willing to leave the Divine Realm immediately, the Angel of Gold and Silver race will show mercy."
"The exit gates have been opened. You are free to leave—now!"
Chapter287-Unconditional Resurrection?
It had to be said—
The Emperor of Angels' tactic was surprisingly effective.
The moment his words echoed across the battlefield, the intensity of the fighting dropped significantly. After all, most of the prisoners had spent years, decades, even centuries imprisoned—and none had chosen suicide. That alone showed how much they cherished their lives.
And now, with a supposed offer of mercy on the table, the once-chaotic battlefield gradually quieted.
Because deep down... no one truly wanted to die.
Meanwhile, the battle between Milla and the Emperor of Angels raged on, fiercer than ever.
At her current level, Milla was almost equal in power to the Emperor of Angels. Even though the Emperor had grown extremely cautious, Milla still managed to shatter his shield from time to time. And each time that barrier was breached, Daniel's Mind Hunt followed without delay, trying to chip away at the Emperor's sanity.
Still, despite the coordinated assault, the battle was clearly heading toward a war of attrition.
The Emperor's strength was undeniable. Taking him down solely through mental contamination wasn't something that could be done in an instant—it would take time.
Meanwhile, Milla had subtly shifted her focus.
She no longer tried to damage or kill the Emperor of Angels. Her entire strategy had shifted toward breaking his shield. To her, every successful shatter was a small victory, a step closer to wearing him down.
This forced the Emperor into a defensive posture—he became hesitant, unsure whether to attack or protect himself. That stifling, passive approach clearly frustrated him, and eventually he erupted with rage.
"We of the angelic race are destined to be eternal! Do you pathetic worms truly believe you can destroy us?!"
"Leave the Divine Realm now. This is your final warning! If you don't leave, all of you will face the final judgment!"
As his divine will surged outward, more angels began to emerge from the Sea of Resurrection.
These angels had previously been slain, but because of the Sea of Resurrection, they were quickly brought back to life—again and again.
Witnessing this, many of the prisoners on the battlefield began to waver.
How were they supposed to win a battle where their enemies could endlessly resurrect?
What was the point of continuing such a fight?
On the other side of the battlefield, Nidhogg sensed the shift in atmosphere and roared furiously.
"Don't let that bastard deceive you!"
"These winged freaks—what they really want is to bring the Goddess of Gold & Silver, Aurelia, down into this world!"
"Think about it! What will happen to this world if god actually descends?!"
"All that talk about letting you go, forgiving your sins—what a joke! When god arrives, we're all dead meat!"
"So stop hesitating! Fight with everything you've got! It's not just these angels who can resurrect—Daniel, our benefactor, can bring us back too!"
Right as Nidhogg shouted these words, Daniel used his skill—Mass Resurrection.
In the blink of an eye, all of the fallen allied units sprang back to life.
Daniel's voice wasn't loud, but it rang clear in every prisoner's heart:
"After this battle ends, I will resurrect every friend who fights for me."
"And I guarantee... you won't pay any price."
"I swear this in my name—before the great god of infinity, His Grace Crossbridge!"
Daniel wasn't lying.
So long as he completed the Star Upgrade Quest and reached level 200, he would gain the ability to resurrect beings up to level 500—without any side effects.
And with that firm promise, the battlefield transformed once again.
Where morale among the prisoners had previously been plummeting, now it surged like a wildfire.
"Did you hear that?! Our benefactor said it himself—why the hell are we still hesitating?!"
"Kill them! Kill every last one of these stuck-up angels! I've had it with their holier-than-thou attitude!"
"Screw it! I'll fight to the bitter end!"
"If our benefactor says he won't let us down, then I'll give him everything I've got!"
...
It had to be said—Nidhogg was truly wise.
Without his timely intervention, the battle might not have turned around so easily.
Thanks to his reminder, the prisoners realized something important.
None of them were fools—they understood all too well what would happen if they simply ran away.
If no one could stop the Angel of Gold and Silver race now, then the goddess Aurelia would descend into this world.
And when that happened, they would all be annihilated—no second chances.
Not only that—if they ran now, they wouldn't just offend the angels... they'd also offend Daniel.
And offending someone like Daniel?
That was a death sentence in itself.
In the end, the prisoners had no choice. Their only real hope of survival was to stand with Daniel and fight.
Running away? That was the real path to doom.
Damn it! They almost got tricked by the Emperor of Angels!
Now that they had snapped out of it, the way they looked at the Emperor was filled with seething rage.
And in return, they attacked the angels with renewed ferocity—faster, more ruthless, and more efficient.
Daniel had already promised to resurrect them without consequence.
So the prisoners had no reason to hold back.
Many of them unleashed the full extent of their power—some even burned their own life force to fight with everything they had.
The stronger one was, the more they feared death.
But when a strong warrior chose to burn their own life to unleash their final strength, the resulting power spike was terrifying.
Now, many of the prisoners were doing just that—risking their lives for one goal:
To get Daniel's attention.
If they could earn the favor of someone like him, then even death would be worth it. After all... they could be revived.
And so, under the leadership of Demon Dragon Nidhogg, a new suicide squad of elite prisoners formed—rushing recklessly into the fiercest parts of the battlefield.
In an instant, the battlefield became more brutal than ever—several times more intense than just moments before.
On the other side, the Emperor of Angels watched in horror as the tides of battle turned further against him.
His expression grew darker than ever.
He never imagined Daniel would dare to make such a promise.
Under normal circumstances, reviving high-level beings required extremely rare and expensive materials.
The Sea of Resurrection was only able to perpetually revive members of the Angel of Gold and Silver race because it had been personally forged by Aurelia, the Goddess of Gold & Silver.
It was a divine artifact—only something made by a god could produce such an insane effect.
And even then...
It wasn't truly "free."
Each resurrection subtly lowered the revived angel's potential cap—a hidden but undeniable cost.
And yet, Daniel?
Daniel had the audacity to claim he could revive people with no side effects.
And he even swore by a god!
Was this lunatic completely insane?!
Chapter288-Gaining the Advantage
The Sea of Resurrection—
At this very moment, the battle had reached its most brutal point yet.
Despite being one of the most powerful upper-tier races, the Angel of Gold and Silver clan was beginning to buckle under the relentless pressure of Daniel's overwhelming swarm tactics.
Meanwhile, Daniel himself wasn't idle. He remained fully focused on what he'd been trying to do all along—stealing the access privileges of the Sea of Resurrection.
[Confirm: Destroy Sea of Resurrection?]
The moment the prompt appeared, the Emperor of Angels reappeared at the Sea of Resurrection's core, immediately choosing to cancel the action.
But even that moment of distraction cost him dearly—his sanity value dropped by another 1%.
Unbeknownst to him, his sanity had now fallen to 30%.
At that threshold, his cognitive abilities were officially compromised. Reality would start to blur, decisions would become slower, and paranoia would begin to set in.
Yet even understanding all of this, the Emperor of Angels had no way out. He was completely caught in Daniel's web—dragged around by the nose, unable to escape.
And the prisoners? They knew exactly what Daniel was trying to accomplish.
So they pushed forward at all costs, doing everything they could to create more breathing room for their benefactor to act.
In the midst of this escalating chaos, several prisoners began teetering on the edge of madness themselves.
They attacked without any regard for their own safety—no defense, no hesitation. Just unrelenting, suicidal aggression.
And this terrifying combat style paid off.
In a flash, three Archangels were slain and forced back into the Sea of Resurrection.
The battlefield became drenched in blood.
Eyes red, bodies broken, limbs scattered. The air was thick with the stench of war.
With the fall of those three Archangels, the balance tipped even further in Daniel's favor.
The prisoners who had been locked in combat with the slain angels now turned their attention to the Emperor of Angels, racing toward him to assist Daniel.
Under this new wave of pressure, the Emperor's defenses began to unravel.
Milla naturally didn't let this opportunity go to waste. She shattered his divine shield once again.
As expected, Daniel followed up with another Mind Hunt, adding yet more spiritual corruption to the Emperor's already weakened soul.
Even the mighty Emperor of Angels now found himself locked in a struggle for survival.
The prisoners joining the fight didn't care about dying. Their attacks were suicidal, all-out assaults with no concern for retaliation.
They were determined to drag the Emperor down with them if need be.
As a result, the Emperor began to accumulate serious injuries—along with multiple debilitating status effects. His strength was waning, and his composure began to crack.
How had it come to this?
He was the Emperor! The sovereign of this Divine Realm! How had he become the one being hunted, cornered, and toyed with?
Humiliation, fury, and disbelief twisted together in his mind.
Yet in his current state, he had no ability to strike back. All he could do was defend.
Under these circumstances, it was clear the Emperor was nearing his limit.
Milla, seeing the tide had turned, stepped back from the frontline and began preparing a finishing move.
She didn't need to fight anymore. The prisoners were doing more than enough to keep the Emperor occupied.
"Emperor of Angels, are you ready?" she called sweetly, her voice ringing out like silver bells. "The big one's coming!"
As she spoke, something began to materialize in her palm.
A gold coin, glowing with shimmering multicolored light.
It looked ordinary at a glance, but Daniel recognized it instantly.
It was a Lucky Gold Coin—a divine token representing the Luck Goddess herself.
The moment the Emperor of Angels laid eyes on it, his senses screamed in warning.
At his level of power, his combat instincts were razor-sharp.
He instantly sensed the coin's terrifying aura. Without a doubt, this was Milla's ultimate move.
If he took it head-on without preparation, he could easily lose most of his health—or worse.
Gritting his teeth, the Emperor reached into his dimensional inventory and pulled out a golden scroll.
[Divine Guardian]
The moment the scroll activated, golden light poured forth in waves of divine energy.
BANG!
Daniel and the nearby suicide-prisoners were instantly blasted backward by the holy force.
The power of the scroll was absolutely staggering.
The Emperor of Angels, not wasting a second, raised his sacred sword and swung it straight toward Milla's coin—fully prepared for a massive explosion.
He braced himself, gritting his teeth, waiting for the storm of divine energy that was sure to erupt.
But what happened next... caught him completely off guard.
His blade met the coin—
—and sliced straight through it, cutting it in half effortlessly.
The Emperor stood frozen.
What...?
How could this be?
The ultimate skill, the final trump card of Milla, had been... broken? Just like that?
Before he could even process it, he caught a glimpse of what lay inside the split coin.
A brown solid core.
It looked suspiciously like...
Chocolate.
"Surprised?" Milla giggled. "Old friend, wasn't that quite the gift?"
"I just wanted to offer you a piece of chocolate. Was that reaction really necessary?"
The Emperor's face darkened so quickly it was like watching nightfall.
He had been tricked.
He had used one of his most precious golden scrolls—an item capable of blocking three god-level attacks—just to destroy a piece of chocolate?
In that moment, for the first time in his entire life, the Emperor of Angels felt the sting of public shame.
He'd been made a fool of.
Humiliated.
Toyed with.
Tricked like a child with a fake coin.
His eyes turned bloodshot.
With a furious scream, he launched a reckless attack on Milla, throwing all concern for defense to the wind.
He didn't even bother to deflect Daniel's attacks anymore. His entire mind, every cell of his body, screamed with only one desire—
Kill Milla.
But Milla had clearly anticipated this reaction.
She vanished with a flicker of movement, dodging the frenzied onslaught with ease.
She didn't meet the Emperor head-on.
Instead, she danced just out of reach, keeping him close but never close enough—like someone walking a rabid dog on an invisible leash.
Seconds later, the golden scroll's Divine Guardian effect wore off.
Daniel and the other attackers resumed their assault.
The Emperor's heart clenched painfully.
That scroll—Divine Guardian—had been a gift from Goddess Aurelia herself.
It could block three attacks at the level of a god.
Its value was immeasurable—even more so than most god-rank skills.
That was why he had always been so reluctant to use it.
Anything granted directly by a god had to be priceless.
But now?
He had burned it. On a chocolate prank.
He'd used a divine treasure... for a piece of candy.
The Emperor of Angels was on the verge of losing his mind.
But just as rage overtook him once more, the reality of the situation crashed back down on him—
Milla, the prisoners, Daniel...
He couldn't withstand their attacks anymore.
The tide had truly turned.
Chapter289-Emperor of Angels, Death
At this very moment,
The Emperor of Angels was steeped in a heavy, gnawing self-reproach. Deep down, he could not help but berate himself, wondering why he had been so reckless.
Why... why had he just lost control like that?
For as long as he could remember, the Emperor of Angels had prided himself on his composure. He was the kind of ruler who never allowed emotions to dictate his actions, the kind who could keep a calm mind even in the most turbulent of storms. It was precisely because of this iron-clad self-control that Her Majesty, the Goddess of Gold & Silver Aurelia, had chosen him to be the sovereign ruler of the angelic race.
So why now? Why, in that single, critical moment, had he acted with such rashness?
The truth was far more insidious than a simple lapse in judgment.
It was the creeping, invisible corrosion of mental contamination.
As his sanity value—his "san"—slipped lower and lower, even the mighty Emperor of Angels could not remain untouched. His willpower was colossal, yes, but no mind was truly impervious to corruption. In him, the effects did not manifest in obvious madness or wild hallucinations—not yet. Instead, the change lurked beneath the surface, a subtle distortion of thought that would flare when provoked by certain circumstances.
And just now, that moment of dangerous impulsiveness... had been nothing less than the influence of Mind Hunt.
But one moment of recklessness had a price.
After that burst of aggression, the Emperor's sanity value had plummeted by fifty percent.
That figure was not trivial—it was the point of no return. From this instant onward, he would begin an irreversible descent into mental disarray.
Already, the world before his eyes was no longer the same.
"Damn it... why... why are there two Millas attacking me at once?"
"Why is my shield failing? No... no, it hasn't failed—wait, what's going on?"
Wise Angel?Wasn't he dead? Then why... why was he suddenly here, helping me?
His perception of reality was beginning to fracture. Truth and illusion intertwined.
He realized what was happening, and his face darkened to a shade as grim as the depths of the abyss. He understood—if this mental chaos continued to spiral, his own end would be inevitable.
In the distance, another Archangel fell. A prisoner traded life for life, taking the angel down in a desperate mutual strike.
More and more powerful combatants were joining the hunt for the Emperor of Angels. The noose around him was tightening.
The battle's outcome was no longer hidden in fog; it was starting to take shape.
With his mind slipping further into chaos, the Emperor's once-perfect, all-encompassing, gapless defense finally sprouted a flaw.
The predators pounced.
The prisoners struck from every direction at once. Demon Dragon Nidhogg, eyes gleaming with feral bloodlust, seized the perfect opening—its colossal jaws crashed down, shattering the Emperor's shield in one bone-rattling crunch.
And as the golden shield burst into shards of light, every other assailant struck. Daniel, Milla, the prisoners—every powerful combatant unleashed their most vicious, lethal skills.
The few Archangels who remained could only watch in horror, their eyes nearly bursting from their sockets. They wanted to rush to their Emperor's side, but their own lives hung by a thread. None of them could afford to break away.
Above the chaos, Daniel had already withdrawn from the melee.
He now hovered high in the air, robes drifting in the currents of divine wind.
His gaze fell on the surrounded Emperor of Angels. His lips curved upward—not in joy, but in a thin, razor-sharp smile of cold mockery.
"Emperor of Angels," he said, voice calm but carrying to every corner of the battlefield, "it seems you have no path of escape left."
"Today... your fate is sealed. You will fall here."
The taunt struck deep.
The Emperor's roar shook the air, raw with rage.
"Damn you, Daniel! I will never forgive you!"
"The glorious Goddess of Gold & Silver Aurelia—Her Majesty will avenge me! She will descend and crush you where you stand!"
"You have no idea... no comprehension of the true power a god wields!"
"You will pay for your actions, Daniel—you will burn beneath the wrath of the divine!"
But even as he shouted, his mind teetered further into ruin. His sanity value had now fallen to eighty percent gone—he was almost completely lost to the madness.
Still, his faith in the Goddess of Gold & Silver remained utterly unshaken.
On the other side, Daniel merely let out a quiet, disdainful laugh.
"I welcome the day," he replied, "when Goddess Aurelia comes seeking vengeance upon me."
The Emperor's fury ignited into something almost animal. His voice cracked, growing more desperate and unhinged.
"You may kill me, but you will lose, Daniel!"
"It won't be long before the sun—Apollo—rises. Tell me, when that happens, who among you can stand against the sun's burning light?"
"Her Majesty, the great Goddess of Gold & Silver Aurelia, will descend upon this world in all her majesty!"
"And you... you—ah!!"
The last words broke into a scream of agony.
His mind was too chaotic to maintain defense against so many simultaneous attacks. From behind, Milla's blade swept clean and merciless, severing both his wings in one stroke.
Golden blood—thick, radiant, almost molten—spilled down his back.
On any other day, even if such a wound could not be healed instantly, the Emperor would have locked down the injury in a heartbeat. Among the mighty, blood was more precious than gold; every drop was a treasure.
But the madness now claimed his mind. He could no longer think clearly, much less act.
By this stage, all seven of the Archangels who had stood with him were dead.
The Angel of Gold & Silver's supreme defenders were gone. He alone still clung to life—barely.
He roared, he cursed, he spat venom into the air... but Daniel did not so much as glance at him.
Watching the Emperor's sanity value sink to ninety-nine point nine percent, Daniel knew the end had come.
"Enough," he said, his voice cutting through the battlefield's din. "It's time to finish this."
With those words, Daniel struck again, sending another wave of Mind Hunt surging toward the Emperor's already shattered psyche.
The prisoners, seeing their chance, also unleashed their deadliest blows at that exact moment.
Today they would carve their names into history. Today they would take vengeance on the Emperor of Angels himself.
So what if he was of an Upper Race?
Under Daniel's leadership, they could still bring him down!
On the Myriad Races Continent
Because Daniel had taken the fight directly to the Divine Realm, the Myriad Races Continent remained... relatively calm, even with the millennial Apocalypse descending upon them.
Countless awakeners poured their energy into cultivating, sharpening their power for what lay ahead.
And then—
A message appeared before their eyes.
[The Emperor of the Myriad Races, Daniel, has slain: Upper Race—Emperor of the Angel of Gold & Silver!]
For a long, breathless moment, almost every living being on the continent froze. Then, one by one, they lifted their gazes to the distant heavens, toward the place where the Divine Realm hung, invisible yet ever-present.
They could not see what had happened. But they could imagine it—high above, tens of thousands of miles into the sky, a battle so ferocious it defied mortal comprehension.
The great Lord Daniel—had he truly, with nothing but his own power, stormed the Divine Realm, penetrated the very heart of the Angel of Gold & Silver's territory, and slain their Emperor?
Was this real? Could such a thing even be possible?
Daniel... was he truly that strong?
They had always known he was formidable, but somehow, every time, he exceeded even their wildest expectations.
Human Emperor Odin lifted his eyes to the skies, expression grave. He did not know the details of what had transpired in the Divine Realm, but in his heart, he was certain: up there, a battle of unprecedented scale had taken place.
Even if one set aside every other sign, there was the flash—just moments ago—of pure, blinding gold that had streaked across the heavens. The sheer pressure of that divine light had made every living thing on the continent shudder to its core.
That aura... that level of majesty... it was not of this world.
From that alone, one could imagine how terrible, how earth-shaking the Divine Realm's war had truly been.
Chapter290-Emperor of Angels, Death
At this very moment,
The Emperor of Angels was overcome with remorse, overwhelmed by a deep sense of regret.
Why had he acted so recklessly just now?
He, who had always prided himself on his composure and rationality—why had he suddenly lost control?
The Emperor of Angels had always seen himself as the epitome of calmness. Without that quality, the esteemed Goddess of Gold & Silver Aurelia would never have chosen him to be the sovereign of the angelic race.
So why? Why had he lost control just now?
In truth, all of this stemmed from the influence of mental corruption.
As his sanity value (san) dropped, even someone as powerful as the Emperor of Angels was not immune to its effects. It was just that, due to his overwhelming strength, the impact hadn't been immediately noticeable.
But in critical moments, the influence became more and more pronounced.
For example, that reckless outburst earlier—it was a direct result of being affected by Daniel's Mind Hunt.
And following that impulsive mistake, the Emperor of Angels' sanity had plummeted by another 50%!
That meant, from this point onward, he was entering a stage of irreversible cognitive breakdown.
Now, in his eyes, the world was no longer the same.
"Damn it, why are there two Millas attacking me?"
"Why is my shield failing? No—wait, my shield isn't broken, but..."
Wise Angel? Wasn't he already dead? Why is he helping me now?
The Emperor of Angels' mind was unraveling into chaos.
He quickly realized something was very wrong, and his face darkened to an extreme degree.
If things continued at this rate, he might not escape death.
In the distance, another Archangel fell—exchanged in a one-for-one trade by a prisoner sacrificing their life.
More and more powerful entities were joining the siege against the Emperor of Angels.
And the outcome of this battle was becoming increasingly clear.
Once his mind descended into chaos, the Emperor of Angels' flawless and impenetrable defense finally began to reveal gaps.
So many prisoners struck simultaneously, and Demon Dragon Nidhogg seized a perfect opportunity—biting down fiercely and shattering the Emperor's divine shield in a single, devastating blow.
The moment the shield was broken, not only did Daniel launch an attack, but Milla and the countless other prisoners followed suit, unleashing their most destructive skills.
The remaining Archangels, witnessing this scene, were enraged beyond belief—but they were already struggling to survive themselves and could do nothing to aid the Emperor.
At this very moment, Daniel had already withdrawn from the melee, floating high above in the sky.
He looked down at the Emperor of Angels, who was surrounded and besieged on all sides. The corners of his lips curled into a faint, cold smile.
"Emperor of Angels," he said mockingly, "it seems there is no escape for you now."
"Today is the day you fall."
Hearing Daniel's voice, laced with derision, the Emperor of Angels let out a furious roar.
"You damned bastard, Daniel! I will never forgive you!"
"The great Goddess of Gold & Silver, Her Excellency Aurelia, will avenge me. She will kill you."
"You cannot begin to comprehend how powerful a true god is!"
"You will pay for your actions with your life, punished by the wrath of god!"
By now, the Emperor of Angels could barely distinguish illusion from reality—his sanity had dropped to a catastrophic 80%.
And yet, despite everything, his faith in the Goddess of Gold & Silver remained unshaken.
On the other side, Daniel merely sneered at these desperate cries.
"I look forward to the day Aurelia descends to avenge you," he said flatly.
This insolent response drove the Emperor of Angels to the brink of madness.
"Even if you kill me," he shrieked hysterically, "Daniel, you're doomed to lose!"
"It won't be long before the sun—Apollo—rises. When that happens, none of you will stand a chance!"
"The great Aurelia will descend upon this world!"
"And you—aaarrgh!!"
The Emperor of Angels let out a blood-curdling scream before he could finish his sentence.
His mind was too fractured to respond to the multidirectional attacks.
This scream came as Milla easily severed both of his wings.
Golden blood oozed from his back, thick and viscous.
Under normal circumstances, a wound of this magnitude would not be fatal for the Emperor of Angels. Even if he couldn't heal immediately, he would have sealed the injury at once.
After all, to any powerful being, the more potent the blood, the more precious it was.
But now, with his consciousness shattered, the Emperor of Angels was incapable of responding.
And at this point, all seven remaining Archangels had been slain.
The strongest defenders of the Angel of Gold and Silver race had been reduced to one—the Emperor of Angels, barely clinging to life.
He roared in rage, spewing curses in all directions.
But Daniel no longer bothered to listen.
Watching the Emperor's sanity drop to 99.9%, Daniel knew—the end had come.
"It's time to finish this."
With those words, Daniel activated Mind Hunt once again.
And all around, the prisoners launched their final, coordinated assault.
Today, they would make history. Today, they would take vengeance upon the Emperor of Angels!
So what if he was a high-tier race?
Under Daniel's command, they could still bring him down!
...
On the Continent of Myriad Races—
Due to Daniel's initiative in launching an assault on the Divine Realm, even after the descent of the millennia-old Apocalypse, relative peace still lingered across the continent.
Countless awakeners were desperately working to grow stronger, striving to elevate their power.
And at that moment, a notification appeared before them.
[Emperor of All Races—Daniel—has successfully slain: High-tier Race Sovereign — Emperor of the Angel of Gold and Silver!]
Upon seeing this notification, nearly every inhabitant of the Myriad Races Continent froze in place.
One by one, they lifted their heads to look up at the Divine Realm high above.
Though they couldn't see anything with their mortal eyes, their minds painted a vivid picture—a brutal, apocalyptic battle being waged tens of thousands of meters above.
His Royal Highness, the mighty Daniel, had entered the Divine Realm on his own, and in the very heart of the Angel of Gold & Silver's territory—he had slain their emperor!
Wait—was this real?
Was Daniel truly that powerful?
Everyone had always known Daniel was formidable, but why did he always exceed their expectations?
The Human Emperor Odin slowly raised his gaze toward the heavens.
He didn't know exactly what had taken place in the Divine Realm, but he was certain—an unprecedented battle had occurred.
If nothing else, the flash of pure golden light moments earlier had shaken the entire continent to its core.
That aura of supreme divinity—it didn't belong to this world at all.
Which only made it clearer how devastating the battle above had truly been.