Haruo could understand their concern, but didn't really have enough time to prepare these young Arcanists.

They weren't like Armin, or Vale's disciple, who had been trained for years.

"Eight, if I'm generous… You need to work hard… The Divinity I forcefully injected in you all is special. You can do it."

"Y-yes, Sir!"

Just like that, the young Arcanists started working harder…

As night fell, Haruo returned to his altar.

It was a modest stone platform surrounded by floating crystals. He pressed his palm on it, checking the flow of energy across the barrier network he had created…

Everything was stable.

Still, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong.

He looked up at the dark sky…

"Everything's too quiet… Chaos Immortals, just what are you all waiting for?" Haruo muttered as he looked at the eastern part of the Shadow Domain where Chad, the Draconic Immortal, was meditating…

***

At the same time, far from the Shadow Domain, within a city that was currently controlled by the Chaos Immortals, another presence appeared…

A faint figure slipped through the space and appeared in the air above a ruined chapel.

Shadows twisted, then reformed into the shape of a man cloaked in black mist.

His eyes glowed faintly red as his form stabilized.

Vale had arrived, or rather, one of his Avatars.

His true body was still in the Shadow Realm, but through one of his Celestial Arts, the Avatar Creation, which was also at the Perfect Realm, he was able to have a few Avatars with him.

This one then used one of his Transformation Arts to change his appearance, and created it using the Fiend Essence…

Just like that, he became a Dark Arts Practitioner with a hint of Fiend Aura. They were known as failed Dark Arcanists since they had to use such extreme methods that could slightly transform their physique in order to get stronger.

This was the disguise he had created to investigate this place.

After all, since he would be doing this for some time, he had to create this persona that would be too suspicious…

A Dark Arts Practitioner like him would definitely not be suspected as an Immortal.

He looked down at his hand, flexing it slightly.

"Not bad… This body will do."

The Morph Spell had also concealed his true divinity perfectly. Even a Chaos Immortal would only sense the presence of a weak half-fiend practitioner.

Vale glanced toward the city below.

It was once known as Solmere, a trade hub famous for its airship docks. Now, the city's gates were lined with banners marked by the emblem used by the Chaos Immortals.

Dozens of Chaos Beasts and new Chaos Arts Practitioners patrolled the streets…

'They're spreading Chaos Arts? They're a lot more generous than I thought…' Vale mused as he started investigating…

Just three hours later, he confirmed that the humans here weren't being slaughtered or taken by force, but they were no longer free either.

Every resource, every artifact, every spirit stone mined was being seized.

"...So this is how they maintain their supplies…" Vale muttered quietly. "They don't destroy… They harvest."

As he moved, the normal guards barely looked at him. Dark Arts Practitioners like him were common among the Chaos forces, often used as scouts or errand runners.

Indeed, Vale learned that the Chaos Immortals were also using other Arcane Practitioners to maximize their control…

"They're preparing for something…" Vale mused as he continued to investigate the city.

He could see carts filled with artifacts, magic tools, enchanted metals, alchemy materials, and all of them were being loaded toward a large fortress in the center.

At this time, it was filled with Defensive Arrays, and he couldn't enter it.

Soon, he stopped near a group of merchants arguing with an Elementalist… However, the man was wearing the emblem of the Chaos Immortals already.

"Please! We already paid the offering…" one shouted.

The Elementalist shook his head.

"Then pay again. Lord Vharin has decreed that all stores must surrender half their remaining stock. Consider yourselves lucky to still be breathing."

The Elementalist pushed one of them to the ground.

Vale caught the man's arm before he fell.

"Careful," Vale said softly. "You'll only make them angrier."

The merchant stared at him with eyes wide with fear. "Y-you… you're one of them?"

Vale smiled faintly. "I'm not your enemy."

He released the man and turned away. He didn't come here to play hero, not yet. He needed to understand how deep the Chaos control ran.

After several minutes of walking through the market district, Vale finally reached the heart of the city, an enormous cathedral that was turned into a fortress.

Vale's gaze swept across its gates. It was heavily guarded…

He frowned slightly as he considered how to enter.

That's when it happened.

A wave of pressure rolled across the city. It was heavy, suffocating, and unmistakably Immortal.

Vale instantly looked up to the night sky. His Spirit Vision activated on reflex, and the mysterious mist surrounding the city seemed to part, revealing twelve figures descending from the clouds.

Each of them had chaotic energy that twisted the air itself. Their auras were unstable but powerful enough to crush any ordinary Immortal in range.

There was no need to doubt it... "...Twelve Chaos Immortals?" Vale muttered as he recognized them.

"All converging here… Looks like this fortress is more important than I thought."

He quickly moved away and also masked his presence since he felt that something was about to happen.

As expected, the twelve Immortals flew in formation toward the cathedral, landing on its upper balconies.

From his position, Vale could hear faint chants beginning to echo.

The entire city's Arcane Energy responded, and it was not a good sign.

'A ritual. Are they planning to summon something?'

Vale's expression hardened as he sensed a powerful aura...

"They're gathering Divinity. This is..."

As Vale thought that they would succeed, the air trembled again, but this time, it was different.

There was a purer energy that tore through the atmosphere, cutting across the Chaos Divinity protecting the cathedral...

Then, a rift appeared in the sky above the city.

It was followed by a voice aimed at the Chaos Immortals...

"Stop what you're doing..."

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