A faint and formless silhouette appeared behind Aeolus, so indistinct it had no clear shape. However, as it extended infinitely behind him, Aeolus fell into a trance. His already radiant golden eyes grew even brighter, dazzling with such brilliance that every demon charging toward him, upon meeting his gaze, involuntarily lowered their heads. It was as if those eyes carried a supreme authority, forcing them to bow down.
At the same time, Aeolus' body became enveloped in a hazy glow. Golden arcs of lightning danced across him, and an invisible wind spread from his form, gradually constructing a domain around him. Any demon that came within a certain range felt an intense burning, paralysis, and a sensation of being cut. They also felt a mental pressure, as if they were facing a demon lord.
This domain, which had multiple effects, was subtle at first. But as time passed, its range expanded, and its effects intensified. Soon, visible lightning and holy flames with purifying power surrounded Aeolus. Invisible blades sliced through demons, tearing their bodies apart. Weaker demons were shredded before they even got close, while stronger ones had their skin and muscles cut open, allowing the holy flames to burn their bones and organs from within.
As Aeolus' domain continued to spread, it affected more and more demons—thousands upon thousands, tens of thousands. Aeolus stood firm, like an immovable rock in the middle of a demonic tide, holding back the onslaught, while more and more demons fell before him.
This was only the external manifestation of Aeolus' breakthrough. The actual changes happening within him were even more astounding.
His body began to expand, and three pairs of magnificent dragon horns sprouted from his forehead. Radiant light spread from his back, forming ten shimmering wings that were gradually solidifying, becoming more tangible. When these wings appeared, any demon within 3,000 meters of him that was below Gold rank was engulfed in white holy fire, turning to ash with agonized screams. Even Gold-rank and Soul Will-level demons howled in pain, the closer they got to Aeolus, the greater the damage.
Despite the growing pile of demon ash at Aeolus' feet, demons continued to charge toward him relentlessly. They were caught in a berserk frenzy, where thoughts of retreat or fear did not cross their minds, no matter how many of their kind fell.
Aeolus, standing alone, holding back the demonic tide, caught the attention of several Legendary demons.
One such demon, a massive Balor wreathed in flame, wielding a sword of execution and a flaming whip, began walking toward Aeolus. Its every step left molten footprints on the charred ground, causing all nearby demons to scatter in terror.
Yet Aeolus seemed oblivious, fully immersed in the experience of breaking through to Legend. He could feel the seals his father had placed on him shattering under the pressure of his newly formed Legendary power. This time, the runes did not simply crack and heal as they had before. Instead, they dissolved entirely, vanishing for good, no longer able to restrain his true power.
As Aeolus broke free from his internal seals, the immense, towering silhouette behind him began to take shape. It was a majestic being, with ten wings and dragon horns, clad in armor, resembling an ancient god.
"A loathsome celestial aura... and a hybrid at that!" The Balor sneered, gripping its execution sword tightly as it marched toward Aeolus.
It could sense that Aeolus was in the midst of breaking through to Legend, but the demon was unfazed. It was clear that Aeolus was of mixed blood, and even if he succeeded in his breakthrough, it didn't think much of him. In its mind, Aeolus' head would make a fine addition to its collection.
"Out of my way!" the Balor roared, barging through Aeolus' domain with overwhelming force. The negative effects of the domain had no impact on the Balor, as its demonic flame shielded it from harm. Along its path, it crushed countless demons underfoot, finally stopping just under a hundred meters from Aeolus. The demon raised its execution sword and swung it toward Aeolus, a slash so powerful that it caused the air to explode with a sharp crack, leaving visible fissures in the space around the blade.
At the moment the Balor's sword was about to strike Aeolus, the towering silhouette behind him reached its peak. Just as the blade, wreathed in dark red flames, was about to hit, the silhouette exploded with radiant light, as if it were burning. Aeolus' body, which had seemed small in comparison, began to glow and dissolve into the light. As the execution sword descended toward the flames, a hand, covered in golden-white bone armor, reached out from the blaze and grabbed the sword.
In the stunned gaze of the Balor, an unimaginable force wrenched the sword from its grasp—a sword it had wielded since birth.
"..." The Balor's mouth hung open, spewing flames that could burn souls. It wasn't an attack, but a reaction to the shock of losing its weapon.
"Much lighter than I expected." A calm voice emerged from the light as Aeolus threw the sword back to the demon.
"Seraphim!" The Balor roared angrily upon reclaiming its weapon. Even demons had their pride.
But it was clear that the demon had overlooked something crucial. Despite Aeolus' overwhelming power, the demon was still consumed by the shame of having its weapon taken, rather than realizing the true danger it was in.
"I'll give you a chance. This is my first time wielding such immense power, and I need a battle to get used to it!" Aeolus said, the light fading to reveal him standing atop the pile of demon corpses. He now looked exactly like the god-like figure behind him—only this time, he was solid, real.
"You should feel honored. You will be my first opponent since breaking through to Legend!"
"Just a half-breed!" the Balor spat, glaring at Aeolus. It noticed that Aeolus differed from other Seraphim. The wings on his back shimmered with a metallic sheen, as if each feather could be plucked and used as a sword.
"Half-breed? Well, you're not wrong," Aeolus chuckled. A nearly 200-meter-long spear appeared in his hand. As he grasped it, massive golden lightning bolts, thick as serpents, coiled around his body.
A violent gust of wind radiated from Aeolus, forming a slaughterhouse around him. Every demon within miles was shredded into bone and blood, leaving a gruesome carpet of flesh. Holy fire quickly consumed the remains, transforming the battlefield into something akin to a demon's version of hell.
For the first time, the berserk demons, who had been mindlessly charging forward, halted. The sheer brutality of the scene—where demons of all ranks were annihilated without distinction—was too terrifying. The blood-soaked ground, now burning with holy fire, was a nightmare to the remaining demons.
Boom!
Without giving the Balor any more time to think, Aeolus whipped his spear, striking the demon lord in the chest. The force of the blow was so overwhelming that the Balor's body was torn in half, its blood splattering in all directions.
Unable to fully control his surging power, Aeolus' attack continued far beyond the Balor. The shockwave swept through countless demons, mowing them down like crops, and then sliced through a series of mountain ranges before finally vanishing on the horizon.
"Too weak!" Aeolus remarked, somewhat disappointed, as he glanced at the bisected Balor. Unfolding his ten wings, the pure white Seraphim flames behind him gradually turned crimson, surging toward the struggling Balor, who was trying to regenerate its shattered body.
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