The Empyreal Gem Master

The Priestess had a difficult expression as the battle fully unfolded before them.

She had communed with the Covenant of Faith- the trace amounts of it that she could commune with anyways, and she saw that even though it would be difficult, winning was possible!

And if they could take down these foreign humans and sacrifice them under the banner of the Covenant of Faith, she may just be able to get the last pieces of the puzzle and attain the state of a Ruler.

Faith was born in blood.

Through blood, she would attain the precipice of Faith and fully become a Ruler!

But now…

BOOM!

Terrifying glacial winds gushed down from above as an unruly Undead creature actually tried to defile her.

To the sides, Sir Jura and Sir Nala were being besieged by more Undead and Beasts, and to top it all off- a forest filled with dreadful vines arose to entangle the rest of her forces!

She saw that these reinforced vines were under the control of the young devil whose blood would be the most appetizing to offer.

Now, when she communed with the Covenant of Faith, the results were no longer so clear.

Such a result was not ideal for her. She was very pragmatic as when faced with it…she harrumphed and pulled on the dazzling Gem on her chest!

"These vile enemies are proving to be defiant under the eyes of the White Mistress. Retreat!"

…!

The idea of fighting to the death was never in her mind. She only fought when she could win.

BOOM!

A storm of white Flames erupted all around, the rising forest being burnt as the vines howled, while the Night Walker and others looked on in surprise as their enemies instantly pulled back.

What the hell?

To begin a battle so abruptly and retreat just as quickly?

They hadn't faced such enemies before as while observing such a scene, Alexander's eyes were cold as he uttered out.

"Chase."

…!

Threaten to kill them all and then run away that quickly?

Alexander wouldn't have it as, at this moment, his forces gave chase while delving deeper into the Sacred Mountain!

—

Away from what used to be Carthage.

Over three thousand miles away.

Where The Ascendant Stronghold of Galanis that Variant Beast Lord Atticus used to reign over used to be.

Currently, searing heat bathed the surroundings as all structures, castles, and walls were burning from the heat- some things even melting from the terrifying heat.

At this moment, Atticus held the body of his Beloved, his own body missing an arm as all around him, a lava-like hell unfolded.

His expression was dazed as he seemed to be at the foot of a massive crimson mountain that was releasing volcanic clouds, this whole land seared red as in front of him, an utterly oppressive entity floated and stared at them as if they were prey!

And what else could they be if not prey?

The creature that had killed his Beloved in seconds and now toyed with him had nine dazzling gems over its serpentine body, each one seeming covered by massive Gem Sockets that each shone with multiple rings of light.

A Tier 9 Emperor.

But the aura it emanated was far from the ones that Atticus had seen before on Ornis!

Far, far heavier.

It should not just be an Emperor.

Likely, it had reached that legendary Stage above Emperors!

With burning winged flames supporting its serpentine body in the air, it finally stopped playing around and opened its jaws- Concentrated flames shooting out as the last thing Atticus saw was a trace of gold in billowing crimson flames.

BOOM!

And then, everything was turned to ash.

"Puny things…"

The voice of the Flamewinged Serpent boomed out as around it, heavy tendrils of flames that carried an austere level of power roiling around it.

The Flames that could only belong to a Ruler.

A Ruler of Fire!

The Flamewing Serpent looked around this foreign area as the mountain behind him brimmed with volcanic light.

"Now…just where did I arrive? What other delicacies await me here…"

Its eyes radiated a devilish glint as it beckoned down below, tendrils of flames wrapping around the scorched figures of two Tier 8 Kings who were grilled well done at this moment, its jaws opening and swallowing them whole.

With a fierce light, the Flamewing Serpent began to patrol nearby areas.

Ephesus.

It had undergone changes that many had no idea about, and it had brought together entities of varying levels of power.

Some clusters of human populations were faced with freezing Temperatures or scorching Heat as millions perished on the first day.

Other clusters were lucky and had a large number of entities survive.

But it was just the beginning.

And amidst all this chaos, nobody knew who would come out on top!

At the top of the food chain, Tier 9 Gem Emperors could not be considered unshakable anymore.

Depending on one's luck, meeting the wrong entity at the wrong time would mean certain death.

The Skypeak Ascendant Stronghold of Galanis alone was now over three thousand miles away from what used to be the City of Anan, and even further away from Carthage.

A common world had a diameter of 6,000 to 9,000 miles.

Such a number…seemed to only be a fraction for Ephesus as there were even more vast landscapes where the other Human Lineages used to be!

Moderately, the world of Ephesus seemed to now be the size equivalent to that of ten worlds.

Moderately.

And the changes were not done as this truly only seemed like the beginning!

—

BOOM!

On a certain Sacred Mountain.

A woman followed by Knights in Golden Armors was being chased by Undead and Beasts- a young man and woman following close behind them as, at this moment, she was driven to desperation.

So she grit her teeth with a sense of madness as she stopped going up the mountain.

And she voiced out commandingly.

"Burrow in!"

…!

She made a decisive choice that she knew would be even more dangerous.

But what else could she do?!