Aterna.

The final battle erupted between both sides with great intensity. The devils this time had started a desperate attack, throwing their bodies at the fortifications without any care for their lives. This attack of the devils brought great pressure to the defending army. The Hollow-Tiger Army was on constant alert. The battle increased in intensity and the pressure kept on increasing.

Jaren and Theo were looking at the current status of the war in the commanding room of the treasure city of the devils. This time, apart from Theo, Jaren and Neon's phantom, there were another four people - two men and two women. All these four new people had a dangerous air around them. The devilish aura around them was enough to drown a million devils and their presence was even stronger than Theo and others. These were rank-8 devils who Theo had called after using all his connections and paying an incredibly steep price.

Looking at the situation, Jaren said, "The attack from the divinity of Samsara Sect has put us in a very bad position. While we may have an advantage in numbers, it is not enough to break the fortifications. Thus, we need to, first of all, bring the fortifications to the maximum capacity. This will need the sacrifice of all our fodder army as well as even the main army. Once the fortifications are completely stretched thin, we will make a piercing attack at four places simultaneously. This will create four passages of entry to the plane. As long as we have the passageway to enter, the upper-ascendants together with the elders can destroy the plane easily. The hollow-tiger army will not be able to save the plane. This is the only path to victory that I have deduced."

Theo said, "Very well! Since this is the endgame, we need to stake everything. Order the main army to attack irrespective of the casualties we take. Stretch the barriers thin. Also, elders, please prepare to attack the barrier."

"Don't worry Theo. The barrier is indeed quite tough, but after collecting enough energy and casting our most powerful arts, we can easily destroy a small section of it.", one of the elders replied.

"Many thanks, elders!"

"We still need to be careful of the Divine Sea Sect. We don't know their trump-card yet.", Jaren said.

"What trump cards can they have? Last time, they were about to be exterminated. The divinity from Samsara Sect making a move is definitely a coincidence. Thus, I don' think that they have a powerful trump-card.", Neon said.

"Still, we need to be careful.", Theo said. "Let's get some people to protect the elders when they make that attack. After all, at that time, they will be most vulnerable."

And so, the devils started their all-out attacks on the fortifications. The side of Divine Sea Sect was completely silent as they only endured. The battles continued for a long time. After the barrier was completely activated and the battles had reached the peak, the elders from the devils' side mobilized. They used their trump-cards to attack the barrier at once!

The might of the attack was truly catastrophic. The four points struck were destroyed completely opening a passage for the devils' invasion. At the same time, the impact's shockwave caused the terrain of the entire plane to shift completely destroying all the living organisms still outside the safety bunkers. It was a catastrophe that had completely destroyed the home that Michael knew. All the cities and marks of civilizations of countless races turned into dust.

As soon as the attacks happened, six auras of incredible might erupted at once and attacked the four elders from the devils' side. The battle instantly began as the rank-8 beings started unleashing their might. The elders of Divine Sea Sect were responsible for making sure that the plane was not destroyed. Even if the catastrophe had wiped out most of the living beings in Aterna, they were not that concerned. All they needed to do was to make sure that the cycle of laws in the plane's core and the plane-will remained safe. Thus, as soon as the attacks landed, they had broken through space and attacked to keep dangerous beings outside the fortifications.

The appearance of such powerful cultivators was completely outside the expectations of the rank-8 elders of the devils. Also, as they had used extremely taxing arts, they were in a weakened state. They were also outnumbered. This was a very dangerous state! If they were unlucky, the devils might end up losing four rank-8 beings in this battle.

This sudden change in the situation caused a lot of chaos in the devil army's ranks. The upper-ascendants who were supposed to lead the army to destroy the plane had to step into the battle to prevent the death of the elders. The elders from divine sea sect's side were completely unstoppable. Thus, a lot many of powerful cultivators from the devils' side were killed! High-level cultivators were extremely rare in any faction. Even in major battles and wars, they were rarely killed. Upper-ascendants were the true foundations of any sect or faction. The loss of many upper-ascendants was enough to anger all the devil divinities.

The battles between the armies erupted as well. But with the participation of rank-8 ascendants from the sect's side, the upper-ascendants from the army were able to participate in the battles. As a result, the hollow-tiger army, which was outnumbered managed to launch a brutal slaughter and kill many powerful devils.

While the collateral damage was huge, the hollow-tiger army had decisively won. The devils had to retreat and the battle was concluded.

Looking at the unrecognizable plane and feeling the pain and cries of the plane-will, Michael permanently marked the devils and the devil-ancestor as his enemies. As soon as the battles were completed, the fortification boundary was shrunk and the gaps were closed. After that, Michael along with the other natives went across the different battlefields collecting the corpses of the powerful entities. The corpses from the sect-army were given back to them while the corpses from the devils' army were used to carry out the ritual to heal the plane-will and the law-cycle of the plane.

The corpses should have ideally been the spoils of victory for the army but the sect had ordered for the defence of the plane. With the fatal injuries due to the battle, the plane could crumble at any time. Thus, all the corpses were used as the fuel for blood-sacrificing ritual. This was only an emergency treatment that stabilized and healed the plane. Proper treatment was something that was beyond the scope of the current resources available.

Even with the use of safety bunkers, quite a few mortals had died. The safety bunkers were only able to protect until one point. The unlucky bunkers had been hit by the stray attacks in the battle and had been destroyed. While the casualties were even less than the last time, they were still significant.

As the recovery process went on, the devils were also licking their wounds.

In the treasured city of devils, the commanding room was in silence. Seven people were sitting together but there was hardly any sound. Every one had sombre expressions on their faces.

"This doesn't make sense. Rank-8 cultivators are the most powerful forces of sects. Even the Divine Sea Sect shouldn't have six rank-8 cultivators so free. We also did not sense any powerful spatial fluctuations that might be caused by the teleportation of powerful cultivators. So how did they suddenly appear?", Jaren said.

"It seems that we have been truly unlucky this time. It is likely that this was the trump-card of the hollow-tiger army. They would have used it last time but the Samsara Sect acted first.", Neon said.

"It still doesn't make sense. Is the hollow-tiger army that powerful? Why are there 6 rank-8 cultivators? Even the strongest army of Divine Sea Sect only has one rank-8 cultivator. Is that not true?", Jaren said.

"Whatever may be the reason, it is for sure that we have lost. My side is taking too much pressure. I have been encircled a few times already. The casualties in the army are also too high. If I keep on delaying them, there is a chance that I will be surrounded and killed. Even rank-8 experts have made a move. If you still want to continue, I am sorry but I will have to withdraw.", Neon said.

"What are you saying?! Do you know how much we have invested in the project? You also know how important the might secret realm is. If the orthodox sects get to know about the details, this plane will definitely become their operating base. In that case, it is possible that even a divinity would be stationed there. Also, the matter is related to the devil ancestor. In this case, if we give up, won't everything that we have done till now be lost?", Jaren shouted emotionally.

"Then what do you propose? Should we all get ourselves killed in a suicidal attack?", Neon shouted similarly.

"Quiet!", Theo shouted. "Since I am the main commander of the operation, I will be making the final decision. It is true that we have lost. The chance to destroy the plane has been lost and the reinforcements from the Divine Sea Sect will arrive shortly. We don't have the power to keep going. Thus, we will be changing our objective. Now, the main objective is to kill Krill Nash and the high-level commanders of the hollow-tiger army."

At Theo's words, the hopeless eyes of Jaren and others shone with bright light.

Theo continued, "If we manage to completely kill the upper-level commanders of the hollow-tiger army, with the casualties that they have already taken, I am sure that the army will be disbanded. That is one of the top-10 armies of the Divine Sea Sect. This can be seen as a consolation prize for our efforts. It will also lighten the punishment we will be receiving. What I am about to reveal is my trump-card and I hope you all can keep this as a secret."

"During the last battle, I had marked Krill with my mystical tracking spell. It has created a faint connection between him and me. Thus, I can sense when he is surrounded by powerful auras. When they have their next military meeting, I will pull them into this.", Saying so, he brought out a rainbow coloured marble that enchantingly shone. Seeing this, everyone in the room understood.

"Very well, let's prepare the trap to thoroughly kill them."

The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

After the battle recovery exercise was completed, Michael joined the military meeting along with the convoy and other high-level commanders of the army. But just as the meeting was about to start, Michael suddenly felt as if the earth had been pulled from his feet. Before he could understand the phenomenon, he was already in a different place. This was a white world. There was nothing aside from the floor and the vacant space all around. Michael had no idea where he was or how he had been brought here. As he looked around, he found that everyone in the meeting room had been teleported here as well. His heartbeat sped up realizing the implications of this. His first thought was,

"Has a devil divinity made a move?"

Before anyone else could answer his question, a large-scale formation emerged from the ground and black energy chains shot up to stab everyone. Even rank-8 elders were not able to dodge! Michael immediately studied the black chain. The chain was made up of a kind of energy he had never seen before. Inside his body, the chain had turned into countless threads and had wrapped around his law-marks. He could feel that his law-marks had been completely sealed! His realm had been forcefully brought down to the demi-ascendant stage!

Michael tried to break the chains but it was impossible. The energy was incorporeal and Michael had no idea what he could use to oppose it. Before he could ask others, an elder said.

"A reality-marble and the hundred-qi-law-suppression formation? It is a very powerful setup."

He went on to explain, "Everyone, we are currently in a realm that is different from the law ocean. It is like the demi-plane of a divinity. But it is not exactly the demi-plane of a divinity. This is a world that has been made by a treasure called reality-marble. Reality marbles are prehistoric treasures whose method of creation has been lost. Maybe the methods exist in other more powerful realms but in the law ocean, they are very uncommon. It is like the demi-plane of a divinity but weaker. Thus, we will be facing suppression but the enemy will not. This already reduces our strength. Then there is also the hundred-qi-law-suppression formation. This is an esoteric formation from the qi-path. Qi-path is a counter to the law path and can only be cultivated in secret realms where the laws are weakened to a great extent. This formation requires the life qi for hundred powerful qi cultivators who are as strong as upper-ascendants. Thus, it can seal the law-marks of anyone below rank-5. For upper-ascendants, the sealing effect is a lot weaker but it is still significant combined with the suppression from the marble."

"Is there any way to break this reality marble? Or any way to break the formation?"

"The reality-marble is very strong but one must know that it is ultimately only a treasure below divinity stage. Thus, it is limited in time. We have many powerful cultivators here. We can expect a similarly powerful force from the enemy as well. Thus, this reality marble will not last a long time. We just need to make sure that we endure for that long. Then, we will no longer be suppressed."

Just then, with a flash of light, the experts from the devils' side appeared in the reality-marble as well. They were much more numerous than Michael's side. Michael could see Theo Black, Jaren Bone and even Neon Blood in the lead. There were some rank-8 ascendants as well. Just the auras of the devils' forces were enough to overwhelm Michael's side.

Looking at the scene before him, Theo suddenly laughed, "Hah hah!".

"So this is the reason why so many old fogies from the Divine Sea Sect suddenly appeared here. You are basically nannies to these young masters and mistresses. Very good! This time, I will kill all of you and earn great merit!"

"Oh, with just your strength? Even if you have prepared so much, can you even win? Let's see how the devils have trained their juniors!"

Soon the battle erupted. The devils had the numerical advantage while the forces of the sect had stronger combatants. Also, the devils were working on a clock while the sect's forces only had to endure. But, the elders from the sect were carrying the baggage of divine children while the devils attacked without any care. Thus, the two sides ended in a stalemate.

Michael had already escaped with Viridian. The battles were simply too dangerous for someone of his strength. As the elders were not interested in protecting him, he had to take care of himself. Thankfully, he was not targetted by powerful devils and thus, he had managed to stay alive.

The battle was intense. The devils were specifically targeting the people from the army. The divine children were all guarded by powerful rank-8 ascendants. Also, it was an unsaid rule that divine children were not to be touched. After all, what was currently happening was a war between two factions. But if one killed a divine child, they would end up with the personal enmity with a divinity. No one here was capable of shouldering that! Thus, the attacks towards their camp were mostly feints. The army camp, on the other hand, had to bear the full brunt of the attack. This was a difference in status. While the strength, as well as the contributions of the army commanders, was higher than the divine children, in the battle, they were not protected.

As a few of the commanders died, Krill's expression became very ugly. He telepathically sent a message to Viridian,

"Viridian! You need to act now. Use the world-treasure and form the psychic world. I will throw Jaren in. You just need to hold for a while! I will burn my law marks to cull the numbers of the devils!"

"Commander! What are you saying? Burning the law-marks will burn your foundation forever. You have the greatest talent out of all of us! You have a chance to reach the divine! I will stop Jaren anyhow. Don't do this!"

"Idiot girl." Krill had an ugly smile on his face. He said, "don't worry about me. The army is our foundation. If I lose my comrades, what good is the world?"

As Michael was fleeing, Viridian's voice sounded in his mind.

"Michael, we have to hold Jaren for a while. I will be creating a psychic world. We will both try to hold him back."

Michael did not hesitate and said, "Okay".

After all, he had already signed up for this. Everyone had to do their part. Thus, Michael immediately went towards Viridian. He saw Viridian bring out a pagoda and send her psychic energy into it. Soon, Michael found himself in a different world. He had a feeling that his body had become incredibly heavy. His body and soul were being rejected by this world. This was not the first time he had entered this world. He brought out psychic energy and covered himself with it. The rejection vanished and he stabilized himself.

Viridian was a powerful psychic in the peak-grandmaster realm. She had already decided on the direction of her psychic world - manifestation. She was innately talented in moulding psychic energy. Her personal law was illusory-reality. Thus, the world of manifestation suited her best. But she could not create a world on her own yet. Thus, she had used a psychic path world-treasure - the pagoda, to create this world. World-treasures were treasures that embodied the concept of law-cycle and world formation. Only world-masters could create world-treasures for their path.

As soon as Michael entered, he cast his strongest psychic manifestation art - will manifestation. This was the strongest technique that he had received from the Wisdom Emperor's psychic legacy. After studying this art, he had created the method to fuse his willpower with his psychic energy. Thus, he had a very high understanding of it. Adding on the amplification from the world and his powerful psychic energy, he turned into the giant that he had envisioned a long time ago. Earlier, he could only call out the phantom of the giant but now, he could truly become a corporeal giant. While it was not possible to replicate without Viridian's manifestation world, Michael still felt extremely proud of this art of his. With all his modifications, it was already much more advanced than the legacy's original art.

As soon as Michael took the giant form, Viridian also went through a transformation, turning into a huge dragon. Michael and Viridian prepared themselves and soon, Jaren was pushed into the world with a flash of light. Michael and Viridian both attacked at once. Jaren was a world-realm psychic, thus the first thing he did was manifest his psychic-world. It was the world of shadows! As soon as his world emerged, the two worlds overlapped. As both Michael and Viridian attacked him, he turned into shadows and melted away. Before both of them could find him, massive shadow thorns emerged from the ground impaling both of them.

Michael roared as he clenched his muscles. The shadow-thorns shattered and he punched the ground with all his power.

BOOM!

Both the shadow and manifestation world trembled from the power of this punch. This was raw-power without any tricks and against Jaren, who skillfully manifested shadows with his psychic power, it was a perfect counter. The power of shadows scattered and he was exposed. As soon as he emerged, Viridian breathed out a pillar of flames onto him. Before the flames could reach him, a dome of shadow emerged forming a barrier protecting him from flames. At the same time, Michael swiped his palm attacking Jaren again.

Jaren made a gesture and a huge shadow arm emerged from above him clashing with Michael's giant arm.

BOOM!

Another shockwave emerged disrupting the world around them. The shadow arm shattered scattering and melting away. The reflex caused both Michael and Jaren to step back a few steps. Just then, Viridian dived down, transforming into a sword! The peerless sword attacked Jaren who retaliated with a shadow sword of his own. The sword lights emerging from the clash gave out shrilling sounds as wounds opened on Michael's giant body. This was a mythical battle that truly showed the power of world-realm! It was a power that could change the laws of reality.

During the battle, a few powerful devils had tried to intrude and support Jaren. But all of them had to escape miserably after being wounded. This was the true power of a world. If someone without any psychic attainment stepped into a psychic world, they would have to bear the rejection of the world with their own strength. This could already make one invincible in the same realm. Additionally, the amplification to one's power was also extremely high. Thus, world-masters were qualified to challenge those of higher realms.

The battle between Jaren and Viridian was filled with countless transformations and extremely fine control painting a masterpiece. Michael, on the other hand, was like a crude spot drawn by a child on that masterpiece. Due to insufficient control, he was not able to react to all of Jaren's attacks. Had he not teamed up with Viridian, he would have been beaten one-sidedly. His power was indeed comparable to Viridian and Jaren but due to lack of skills, he mostly acted as a meatshield for Viridian.

The battle in the reality-marble went on for a while. Krill had to burn his law-marks in the end to save his comrades. As he slaughtered a few of the devils, the reality marble vanished and everyone found themselves back in the main camp of the army. One might even believe that everything in that white room was a dream if not for them carrying the injuries that they had received. As Viridian removed her world, both Michael and Viridian fell unconscious immediately. Jaren had managed to overpower both of them!

"Seems like the last battle is over. I don't think that the devils have any more trump-cards. This attack was clearly the last try to do as much damage as possible.", a commander from the army said.

Krill calmed his cultivation before finally saying, "It is time we give these bastards a surprise. Let's use the apostle."

Everyone agreed immediately.

The treasure city of devils was currently fleeing through the law ocean. The losses this time were very high. And there was not much to show for it. Jaren, Neon and Theo were in a heavy mood. Even the rank-8 elders were not speaking.

The reason for the silence was not the defeat in Aterna but the news that the Divine Sea Sect formed an alliance with the BloodFiend Sect. As a result, the army of the BloodFiend Sect had attacked several bases of devils around the plane Aterna. And all those bases had fallen. This was a large-scale movement of one of the strongest sect in the law ocean! They had cleared the entire region of the influence of devils!

"Jaren, Neon, I am sorry for your losses in this operation. Don't worry, I will sell off my reality-marble to fulfil my end of the deal. Both of you will not make a loss.", Theo said.

"Don't worry about paying us. You can take your -------- what it that!??"

A huge golden incarnation had appeared in front of the city! Surprisingly, the face of this golden figure was the same as Mubal Kafka from Aterna!

"This aura... how can this be!? This is the power of a divinity! This is an apostle!", one of the elders screamed.

Before the city could switch on their defence barriers, the golden figure slapped the city!

A cosmic explosion occurred completely obliterating the law-ocean around the area leaving behind a vast expanse of nothingness. The laws in the ocean, the city forged by a divinity, the remaining devils, everything turned into dust.