Since Ezequiel had joined the Devil Slayer Bureau, another 46 days had passed. During this time, Ezequiel had efficiently conquered and annihilated the populations of 23 more planets, bringing the total number of Low-Level Worlds under his control to 25—not counting his main world.
However, two of these worlds were exceptions: one housed the fishmen, and the other held a massive energy-gathering array. Because of this, Ezequiel would need to conquer two additional worlds to meet his goals.
'I hope nothing goes wrong in these final days before the fusion,' Ezequiel thought, his anticipation building. He was on the brink of upgrading his main planet to the Divine Angelic Realm, and he could hardly contain his excitement.
Ezequiel's confidence was at its peak. The number of Angels in the Sea Expansion Realm had doubled, now totaling 2,600. This surge in numbers was due to his use of the formation that condensed spiritual energy to a density comparable to that of a Mid-World within a small radius.
Just a few minutes earlier, Ezequiel had opened another portal to a new planet using a Void-Anchor. His legion of Angels was poised to enter and wipe out everything on the other side.
Ezequiel watched the proceedings through Thanatos' eyes, though with little interest. He had seen this routine over 20 times by now, and the repetition was slowly starting to bore him.
'What's this? Giant beetles? How original,' he thought, unimpressed. The inhabitants of this world were massive beetles, nearly a meter in height—a significant size for a beetle, though not much of a challenge for humans or Angels. If you knew the average size of a beetle you would surely be impressed. In fact, Ezequiel, was well aware of the average size of a beetle which meant that he could easily appreciate their size difference.
These beetles still walked on six legs, with their front limbs forming claw-like hands with four fingers. Their reflective green armor was grotesque, and their undersides were a deep black.
The Angels, without a word, launched their attack on every beetle in sight. Their efficiency in killing had improved with practice over the past few months, and their teamwork was now flawless.
Within minutes, they had slaughtered every beetle within a 30-kilometer radius and had taken control of the city near the portal.
Interestingly, the beetles lived in cities, constructing homes from leaves, mud, and dirt. However, the special secretion they produced made the material surprisingly sturdy. Despite their insectoid nature, their high intelligence allowed them to live in communities like all Low-Level species do—something that might seem unusual to the humans of Earth.
As the slaughter continued, Ezequiel noticed something that startled him, causing him to momentarily halt the Angels' advance. A red beetle stood out starkly among the green ones, drawing his immediate attention.
* * * * *
Giovanni knew his life was over the moment he saw those monsters effortlessly slaughtering the Acidic Beetles in front of him as if they were bugs. No pun intended.
'Damn it, I knew I should've never come to this stupid training planet. Damn those family traditions, and damn the elders,' he cursed inwardly, regret flooding his mind.
Giovanni was only on this planet because the elders of his family insisted that each offspring undergo training in a Low-World. This experience was supposed to make them more mature and seasoned, but in this moment, it was only bringing him closer to death.
'Do I, a member of the great Giovanna family that rules a large part of the Dunng World, really have to die on this pathetic training planet? There's no way out of this, is there?'
The family elders were strict with their rules. The only things Giovanni was allowed to have were a decent weapon and the combat techniques he had previously learned. No life-saving talismans, no teleportation items—just him and his wits for 20 long years, during which he was expected to build his own business.
'Just three more years. Three more years and I would've been out of this hellhole with its unbearably low concentration of spiritual energy. But no, of course, something like this had to happen with my shitty luck,' Giovanni thought bitterly.
Giovanni Giovanna was a talented individual. He had high hopes of reaching the Golden Core Formation upon returning to the main world, but now those dreams seemed shattered.
'Looking at the way these guys are slaughtering everyone in cold blood, they probably won't care about my background. The only thing I can do now is make sure they regret this,' Giovanni resolved.
With a solemn expression (for a beetle), he retrieved a metal card from his space ring—a rare item he was allowed to keep. The card was inscribed with intricate runic lines and symbols.
Holding the card to his head, Giovanni activated it. It began to glow softly before crumbling to ashes in his hand. Giovanni had just used his only long-distance communication slip.
* * * * *
'This is bad, really bad,' Ezequiel muttered to himself as he watched the white light fade from the metal card.
"Kill him now, and then retreat immediately," Ezequiel ordered the Angel of Death and all the Archangels. Though confused by the sudden command, they didn't dare disobey their Lord.
Understanding how much his Lord values this task through their mental connection, Thanatos personally ensured the red beetle was eliminated with all his might. The beetle had cast a barrier around itself that was more resilient than expected, but Thanatos, using his full strength, shattered it with ease.
'Surprisingly, he grasped about 10% of Explosion Intent. Impressive for his level.'
Though 10% might not sound like much, the Sea Expansion Realm's limit was 20%, a threshold that only someone as talented as an Angel could reach. Giovanni's achievement was notable.
As soon as Giovanni fell, the Angels rushed back to the still-open portal at full speed, ignoring the remaining beetles around them. They had to retreat quickly.
Ezequiel also recalled every Angel from the other planets and had them guard the portal. He would've closed it immediately if possible, but the rules required it to remain open for a full day.
Meanwhile, Ezequiel initiated the fusion process of 24 of his 25 worlds. This would provide enough energy to transform the goblin-dominated world into the Angelic Divine Realm.
As the world origin from the other planets flowed toward him through the Void-Anchor, Ezequiel channeled vast amounts of Faith Energy into the planet's core. This energy was essential for completing the transformation.
Fortunately, Ezequiel had the blueprint in his mind, allowing the system to handle the complex process of wielding the Faith Energy. Without this, the task would've been far beyond his current consciousness power.
As Ezequiel worked frantically to upgrade his world, a formation deep within a mountain on the beetle planet began to glow with purple light.
Moments later, a massive red beetle appeared. It resembled Giovanni, but its aura was far more violent, almost explosive. The very air around it felt as though it could detonate if one got too close.
This evolution of the Acidic Beetle was known as the Explosive Beetle, and it was clear why. As it emerged, a thunderous voice echoed across the entire world, filled with rage and sorrow. Its power was immense, far beyond what this world level could contain.
"WHO DARES TO KILL MY, GIORNO GIOVANNA'S, SON?"