Zatiel gazed at the swirling Abyss Aura, entering a state of meditation to restore his depleted spirit.
As the bodies around him transformed into the Abyss Aura, the consciousness of the Abyss receded. Zatiel remained silent, observing as the chaotic pressure gradually dissipated.
"Now, let us begin," Zatiel murmured.
He manipulated the array runes once more, dividing the Abyss Aura into two portions—one larger and one smaller.
"That should be sufficient for little EZ."
With the separation complete, Zatiel positioned himself in the center of the array, stopping one meter away from the largest orb of Abyss Aura. He assumed a meditative posture, ready to commence the next stage.
After a few moments, Zatiel resumed his manipulation of the Abyss Aura. The liquid substance transformed into threads, which infiltrated his body through his eyes, mouth, nose, and ears.
Allowing such a high concentration of Abyss Aura to enter the body of any life form below rank 1 would result in death at best, or a transformation into a mindless killing machine even inferior to a common Mane if they miraculously survived.
Fortunately, Zatiel possessed crucial knowledge—the second most important information he acquired. It concerned the transformation into the most powerful life form in existence, a process that had taken millions of years of research, even with the abilities of a Being of Laws. It was made possible through the aid of the beings he referred to as the "Greyish bastards."
This transformation was none other than becoming a Neo-Demon.
Neo-demons were an artificial race created to be the ultimate soldiers, possessing abilities far superior to demons and racial traits so powerful that even titans, who boasted one of the most formidable bloodlines in the universe, would envy.
Though Zatiel brimmed with excitement, he could not afford to be distracted. Manipulating the Abyss Aura within his body, even with the assistance of the array runes, proved immensely challenging and complex. Furthermore, he had to constantly endure the impact of the chaotic influence emanating from the aura.
As the Abyss Aura permeated his body, it concentrated primarily in his heart—the pivotal point in the formation of the Chaotic Core.
The Chaotic Core served as the fundamental source of power for all Neo-Demons. It facilitated the transformation of the bearer's body, granting access to a myriad of extraordinary abilities. Moreover, nurturing the Chaotic Core was essential for Neo-Demons to ascend through higher ranks and grow increasingly powerful.
Made up of thousands of minuscule runes crafted from pure Abyss Aura, the Chaotic Core's runes were so minute that Zatiel, in his current state, could not inscribe them himself.
Thankfully, his ever-useful companion, the A.I. chip, came into play.
"A.I. chip, initiate the construction of the Chaotic Core," Zatiel commanded, even as he endured excruciating pain that threatened to shatter his consciousness.
[Bip... initiating creation of the Chaotic Core...
Estimated time for completion is two and a half hours.
The Host must withstand the impact of the Abyss Aura within their consciousness at all times, or severe backlash and possible death may occur.]
"Two and a half hours? Child's play!" Zatiel's expression revealed his determination as he closed his eyes and suppressed any signs of pain, as though it did not exist.
With the passage of minutes, the Chaotic Core gradually took shape. The runes interconnected, emitting a mysterious glow.
Once the Core surpassed 50% completion, it began to spin. Through the arteries connected to the heart, it pumped Abyss Aura to the rest of Zatiel's body.
With each rotation, the Core infused more and more Abyss Aura into his body, nurturing and empowering it. Zatiel's form grew, and his hair took on an ash-colored hue.
As the Chaotic Core continued its rotations, Zatiel relaxed, the Core's ability to suppress the chaotic pressure coming into effect.
After the full two and a half hours had passed, the Chaotic Core reached its completion—a radiant sphere constantly rotating and emanating energy. Its sight was truly magnificent.
Standing up, Zatiel adjusted to his newfound power—a two-meter stature, a handsome visage, and a muscular build. He moved cautiously, acclimating himself to his increased might.
"A.I. Chip, display the state of my body," Zatiel commanded.
[Bip... scanning host...
Race: Neo-Demon
Strength: 4.7
Physique: 5.4
Speed: 4.2
Abyss Aura: 7.1]
"Excellent! I have only just entered the infant stage of a Neo-Demon, yet I am already remarkably powerful. And now, thanks to the Chaotic Core's ability to convert the body's energy into Abyss Aura, I can finally begin using my Abyssal Spells," Zatiel exclaimed with understandable excitement. Aside from his Abyss Aura, his physical attributes alone were impressive. Surpassing the threshold of 4 points, which no mortal could achieve, even with the most exceptional breathing techniques in the world, required a combination of arcane knowledge and body experimentation, akin to that of a body-refinement apprentice magus.
"My Abyss Aura currently possesses the power of a rank 3 apprentice magi's Spirit force. This is just the beginning—a testament to the worthiness of the race I dedicated so much energy to create. Now that my transformation is complete, it is time to attend to that little kid."
Zatiel took a deep breath, letting out a resounding shout.
"LITTLE EZ, COME HERE!" Zatiel couldn't help but chuckle at his own childlike enthusiasm.
"Well, what's the point of being strong if you can't enjoy yourself when you're in a good mood," he thought to himself.
While Zatiel ruminated, Ezequiel arrived at the array runes. The first thing that caught his attention was a black orb of liquid that emanated a terrifying aura.
However, as Ezequiel set eyes upon Zatiel, he was taken aback. Merely six hours had passed since their last encounter, and yet Zatiel had undergone a tremendous transformation. Moreover, Ezequiel sensed a much greater power emanating from his master.
"Master, what happened to you?" Ezequiel couldn't help but inquire.
"You will find out soon enough. Little EZ, what I am about to bestow upon you is a path to true power in the universe—a means to shatter the shackles that bind you. But I must warn you, this process is extremely perilous. Should your will falter at any moment, only death awaits you."
Ezequiel didn't respond immediately, but his remaining eye glimmered with resolve—a determination to face any challenge and embark on the path of true power.
"A fine seed indeed. This kid should have no trouble enduring this," Zatiel thought, pride swelling within him as he observed Ezequiel.
"Take a seat and maintain your focus at all times. Remember to concentrate unwaveringly. I will begin now," Zatiel declared, proceeding to manipulate the Abyss Aura.
Although the amount of Abyss Aura used for Ezequiel was smaller than what Zatiel had utilized, the initial power of the Chaotic Core had to be sufficient for the transformation into a Neo-Demon. However, it couldn't be too potent, as it would overwhelm and potentially kill the bearer if they lacked the strength to sustain such a massive influx of energy.
Thus, the weaker the individual, the smaller the initial Chaotic Core. In Ezequiel's case, he required a lesser amount, but Zatiel intended to allocate a portion of the Aura to regenerate his own hand and eye.
The Abyss Aura infiltrated Ezequiel's body, causing searing pain and subjecting him to the chaotic pressure that threatened to drive him mad.
Yet, one of the reasons Zatiel had chosen Ezequiel was due to his indomitable will—a trait that helped him maintain composure and press onward.
Zatiel wasted no time, constantly monitoring the Abyss Aura and constructing a Chaotic Core within Ezequiel's heart using the rune array and the A.I. chip.
If one were able to observe the runes comprising Ezequiel's Chaotic Core, they would notice slight differences compared to Zatiel's. This stemmed from Zatiel's Primordialis-Core, designed to be the origin of every other Chaotic Core, rendering Zatiel the ancestor of all future Neo-Demons.
On the other hand, Ezequiel's Core was a Genus-Core, tailored for his descendants. The disparity in abilities between the two Cores was nearly negligible, given Ezequiel's direct lineage.
However, when Ezequiel had children, they would be born as Neo-Demons with Genus-Cores within their hearts, and their potential would depend on the strength of their parents.
Most importantly, the Primordialis-Core instilled an inherent desire in all Neo-Demons to serve Zatiel.
Ezequiel's transformation took approximately an hour, and when it was complete, his body had undergone a complete metamorphosis. Standing at nearly 1.5 meters, he possessed white hair and a physique honed to maximize his speed.
"Well done. How do you feel?" Zatiel inquired.
"I feel powerful!" Ezequiel couldn't contain his excitement as he sensed the immense strength coursing through his body.
"It's natural to feel that way. However, remember, little EZ..." Zatiel's expression turned serious, and Ezequiel paid close attention. "...we are still too weak, and there are millions of individuals who could kill us. Never divulge anything related to the Chaotic Core." As Zatiel uttered the final words, he used his Primordialis-Core to enforce them as an unbreakable order that Ezequiel could not disobey.
Though constraining Ezequiel didn't sit well with Zatiel, particularly given the boy's unwavering loyalty, the knowledge of the Chaotic Core and the Neo-Demons was of such importance that revealing their true nature would spell doom if it fell into the wrong hands.
Ezequiel felt an odd sensation upon hearing the command, as if it had become ingrained in his heart, ensuring that he would never speak of the Core to anyone. Even without the command, he would not have divulged the information consciously. After all, despite his young age, his years as an assassin had taught him that possessing wealth without power amounted to nothing but folly.
Observing the determination in Ezequiel's eyes, Zatiel nodded approvingly.
"Well, it's time to leave this place. But before we go, it's time for some payback," Zatiel declared, his gaze fixed on a certain magical beast.