What was a Supreme?

It was easy to say that they were beings on the verge of Divinity. It was easy to say that they were the strongest existences that could maneuver freely under the universal law.

But what did that mean?

To answer such a question, one must first understand what it meant to enter the 9 revolutions at the extreme peak of 4th class.

If the 3rd class was a journey to familiarize oneself with the elements, and the 4th class was a journey to comprehend the Laws that lay above those elements, the 9 revolutions were the process of ingraining those Laws into oneself and forming one's Divinity.

After all, Divinity was something built, not something granted.

Cosmic Rebirth, the higher form of Universe Baptism, was the process of validating one's Divinity and gaining the approval of the universe.

Then..

Demigods were titled Demigods because there was a realm of Gods above their existence, but in all actuality, Demigods were already set in Godhood.

If one took the definition of the term literally..

Weren't extreme peak masters the true Demigods?

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

It was terrifying to see, even from the protection of the golden palace.

Arthur Bloodlock's attacks didn't have any true shape, nor did they take on the form of techniques in the slightest. To the outside observer, it was almost like he was wantonly throwing mana about like a common 1st class warrior.

However, this absolutely was not the case.

The golden palace's defenses shook endlessly as they withstood the mountainous impacts of those lackluster mana blasts. Vine-like bloody patterns crept across the palace walls, spreading their color far and wide.

Damien could feel it. Though he wasn't quite at that level yet, his perception could almost touch it.

Arthur Bloodlock's each and every attack contained complexly intertwined Law fluctuations, interwoven concepts that formed their own mysterious effects even without Arthur's direct prodding.

'Is this what it means to internalize Laws?' Damien wondered as he watched the assault.

Arthur was showing no signs of effort or exhaustion. He continued to attack the palace with world-shaking blows as if they were regular manaless punches, even making Damien fear if the defenses could hold up.

'That Nox Supreme wasn't like this. I think I finally understand why the Void Corridor plan went so smoothly.'

The Nox Supreme had been injured by the backlash of his own attack, an extremely lucky chance that was actually an inevitable fact if the golden palace's power was considered.

Watching the three-way collision that took place later truly made Damien underestimate the power of Supremes.

And more than anything, it made him severely underestimate the power of the Cloud Giant Leader, Galantis.

'Didn't I find myself a real cheat?' Damien realized with a smile.

A fallback, he'd found one.

It meant that regardless of how he took things from this point forward, he had a way out.

And if that was so..

"Old Bloodbitch, can you hear me?!" Damien yelled, projecting his voice through the palace formations.

Arthur's brown twitched slightly, but he didn't respond, continuing his assault on the palace.

Damien sighed in annoyance. "Hey, stupid fucker, you should know by now that you can't break through those walls. Why don't I give you an opportunity?"

Arthur's eyes darted over, a slight pause appearing in his movements.

"Haha, fine. If you want to be childish then just listen while you waste your time," Damien continued upon seeing his reaction.

"I will come out of the palace and fight you directly."

Those words managed to do what their predecessors couldn't.

Arthur stopped and backed away, glaring suspiciously at the palace.

"Speak."

Damien smirked. "I'll come out and fight you in single combat, but on one condition.."

"..lower your strength to match mine."

"You are truly an arrogant prick," Arthur growled coldly.

"Then are you rejecting my offer?" Damien asked.

"Hmph. How can you be sure I will follow your terms?" Arthur countered.

Damien shrugged lightly. "That's simple. We'll sign a Mana Oath."

Arthur furrowed his brows in thought.

While this situation seemed like something that'd give Damien a path forward, a chance to avoid total destruction..

That wasn't true at all.

Arthur grinned to himself.

Someone who hadn't entered the 9 revolutions would never understand what it truly meant to stand on the extreme peak of existence.

Even if his strength was lowered..

"I will accept your deal," Arthur said with a condescending smile on his face.

"Good!" Damien exclaimed, his eyes shining.

He immediately said his part of the oath, allowing Arthur to be perfectly clear about his sincerity before he left the palace.

And as if to mock him, Arthur followed dutifully.

Within an instant, a Mana Oath was formed between the two parties.

Arthur was to lower his strength to match Damien's level. If he ever increased his strength past that point while the battle was ongoing, he would be penalized by the universe.

And with that layer of protection in place, Damien no longer had any need to hide like a coward.

His body materialized in the starry sky. The golden palace vanished, returned to the Sanctuary.

"Boy, why did you do it?" Arthur asked coldly, finally seeing Damien face to face.

He'd only sensed it from the distance, that familiar mana fluctuations that resonated in the projection of Reavus' final moments.

By the time he attacked, Damien was already in the golden palace.

The valiant figure of this man, the calm and even slightly anticipatory expression on his face as he stood parallel to a Supreme..

It irked him greatly.

Damien glanced over nonchalantly, as if aware of exactly what to do to infuriate Arthur.

"Does something like that matter at this point?" He asked mockingly.

"You killed my son. Boy, if you do not give me an explanation, do not expect an easy death!"historical

The mocking sneer forming on Damien's face only became more pronounced.

If they were to fight at the same level..

Did anyone in the universe stand a chance against him?

"Old bitch, I killed your son because I didn't like the way he looked at me. Oh, also, I needed a new grindstone, and you seemed like the perfect candidate!"

"You dare?!"

"I do!"

Damien vanished, reappearing behind Arthur with his fist outstretched.

'Seven Stars Encircling The Moon'

Three Death Stars and three Life Stars surrounded a moon made of Spacetime.

VOOOOOOM!

A monstrous fluctuation burst from Damien's fist before the attack was even executed.

He pushed his fist out in a split second, slamming it towards Arthur's face as the volatile forces around his fist collided.

BOOOOOOOOOOOM!

The fabric of reality trembled, spacetime bent in on itself as an infinite cycle of samsara swallowed all life within the surrounding tens of thousands of kilometers.

Damien immediately teleported hundreds of meters away, not waiting to see the results of his attack.

Mirage appeared in his right and Freya joined it in his left. Damien's eyes swirled as the All-Seeing Eyes passively activated, and finally..

Breaths of pitch-black mana danced around his body.

Whoosh!

He jerked his head to the side rapidly, using the momentum to flick his body backwards and put force into his legs.

Bang!

Arthur's figure, which had just surfaced only a few inches away from Damien, was instantly assaulted by a mana-charged kick that blasted him back into space.

Damien immediately followed his path, brandishing Freya and firing a barrage of pure white bullets into Arthur's repelling body.

"Hmph!"

Arthur swept his hand through space, creating a bloody tide that crashed into the bullets and burst them.

He stabilized his body in the void and smirked.

"Boy, you truly have talent! It's a shame you must die here!"

He clapped his hands together, summoning his mana.

And before Damien could react, a towering manifestation had formed behind him.