233 Path to Rank 4

An army of six thousand was moving through the Fornes continent. A third of the army was composed of white armored warriors whose eyes were devoid of any emotions and that moved as a single entity.

The white warriors formed squads with Neo-Demons and every single one of them was a Rank 2 life form. These squads were formed by Dante so he could use the drones as meat shields in case a Neo-Demon was in danger.

There were several Peak Rank 2 Neo-Demons and thanks to their heritage, Metallic Dragon bloodline, Rank 3 magic equipments, and Rank 3 runic sets, they were all capable of fighting Rank 3 Angels of Supremacy.

Dante was at the lead of the Daybreak Army. His mind was running thousands of different scenarios at the same time, one for each Sun Tadpole and drones he controlled.

He could respond to all the information each of them sent with the reaction speed of a Rank 3 life form, and modify his strategies in real-time. This was thanks to the peculiarities of his brain, the five Brain Golems by his side, and the fact that unlike his father, he focused on the discipline of Telepathy.

His power had already reached Peak Rank 2 and with the help of the Brain Golems, he had no problem fighting a Master Rank 3 Angelic Paragon.

No sound was coming from the army, this was due to the use of magic. This was something very common in an army but there was also the fact that there was complete silence in their surroundings as well.

This was due to all life forms, from the smallest insect to the largest magic creature, being dead. The Soul Forging existences had purged the path the army was going to take. They did it to prevent any form of biological surveillance recording their movements.

Zatiel remained on Ezequiel's shoulder as they advanced, with Kilo and Rax by his side. His wounds were mostly healed thanks to the continued use of his golden flames.

He focused on the army, specifically in the new Magi who were brought here for these next part of the invasion and were not part of the first group who entered this world. 

Among them was a Peak Rank 3 Magus who followed the body refinement path. As he flew with the others, the man frowned for a second as he detected a sort of scanning force.

He tracked the origin of that force and turned to look at a man that was sitting on the shoulder of a giant.

Zatiel did not bother to look at the man, but when Ezequiel detected his stare, his eyes that were like moons made of red lightning focused on him.

The Magus trembled when he saw those eyes. He had fought thousands of battles and was one step away from reaching Rank 4, but his instincts were telling him that he would not last more than ten seconds against that man.

He noticed that there was nothing wrong with him, so just focused on moving forward.

The A.I. Chip scanning abilities were too much for a Rank 3 life form to resist, especially when they were potentiated by Zatiel's Animus abilities. In the mind of the Neo-Demon, a piece of detailed information showed itself. 

"Bip... target scanned. Displaying information.

Name:???

Race: Magus ( Rank 3 body refinement path)

Strength: 326.5

Physique: 287.4

Speed: 189.2

Energy Pool: 430.7

Consciousness Solidification: 91%" 

'He is not bad. His Path Technique is decent enough. Modifications were made to his energy pool that allowed him to contain more energy than other people that follow the Magi Path could have.'

Normally the energy pool of a Rank 3 Magus reaches its peak at 400 points, and it is very difficult to make significant advances beyond that point before becoming a Soul Forging existence.

As for Consciousness Solidification, that is a fundamental step in strengthening your consciousness and awakening your True Soul.

It is done by saturating the consciousness with energy and tempering it with life force. Past 90% your soul is powerful enough to interact with the fundamental energy of the universe and start comprehending the laws.

Once you obtain a law comprehension at the 'Potential' level over any law, you can make the final step and become a Rank 4 life form.

Although 'Potential' is the first level of law comprehension, the amount of Rank 3 life forms that never touched it was uncountable.

A Neo-Demon has to go through this process but there is something else they need to as well that is related to their body if they want to reach the peak of Rank 3.

Zatiel analyzed the state of the army and was satisfied. Although they could be better, they could also be much worse.

After that, he ordered the chip to analyze him and Ezequiel.

"Bip... Scanning targets.

Name: Zatiel Daybreak

Race: Neo Demon (Rank 3, Daybreak bloodline)/ Animus (Rank 2)

Strength: 278.3

Physique: 402.9

Speed: 289.1

Abyss Aura: 313.4

Sun Force: 320.6

Consciousness Solidification: 2%

Name: Ezequiel

Race: Neo-Demon (Rank 3, Primordial bloodline)

Strength: 502.9

Physique: 409.1

Speed: 301.5

Abyss Aura: 310.4

Consciousness Solidification: 1%

Note: The body of the target is withstanding modifications at an atomic level. His cells are transforming in an energy reservoir not inferior to his consciousness. There will reach a point where body and energy will become one."

Zatiel was impressed when he saw the statistics of Ezequiel. His bloodline did not focus on body refinement, but the alteration on his skeleton and nurture of Abyss Aura, allowed him to have a body stronger than the one of a Peak Rank 3 Magus who followed the body refinement path.

But the physical power of the Supreme Neo-Demon was shocking even for someone with a Law bloodline that focused on the body.

His body was so resilient and durable, that his physique was better than the one of Zatiel, even though the latter had regeneration abilities granted by the Law of Life in his bloodline. 

The number that the A.I. Chip shows do not follow a linear increase but an exponential one, and Ezequiel's "strength" was easily five times greater than the one of Zatiel. That power would only grow once body and energy become one and he takes a step further in the fusing of the three great powers an individual has.

Law bloodlines are very difficult to categorize since the advantages they grant are not always focused on the individual. Some bloodlines focused on the creation of drones, and even if they do not make the individual stronger, even Zatiel will perish if he fought an army with hundreds of Rank 3 life forms.

There is also the fact that every race thought their Law bloodlines are better than the rest and would never accept a classification that put them beneath others. 

For those reasons, the ranking of bloodlines stopped at the Emperor level.

'Sooner or later I will have to do it since the number of Law bloodlines that will belong to the Neo-Demon race will be high.'

The army advanced very fast but even with their speed it would take several hours to reach their destination, so Zatiel took advantage of the time.

"A.I. Chip, prepare a ranking based on the battle power the bloodlines grant to the user and also the potential of advance in the Ranks."

"Bip... Performing the task. Using knowledge of the host second life.

First Order Law Bloodline: Universe Shatterer Bloodline. 

The highest level increase in battle power possible is granted to the possessor. 

Allows one to be unrivaled before any enemy in the same Rank and level regardless of their bloodline or equipment. 

By following solely the bloodline guide, one can reach Rank 9.

Bloodlines of this order: Primordial bloodline

Second Order Law Bloodline: Absolute Empyrean Bloodline. 

Grants an increase in battle power, in the same Rank and level, only inferior to holders of a Universal Shatterer Bloodline. 

Can defeat an enemy an entire Rank above them with a King bloodline.

By following solely the bloodline guide, one can reach Peak Rank 8.

Bloodlines of this order: Daybreak bloodline, Archangel bloodline, Dawn Titan bloodline, Pure Incarnation Dragon bloodline, World Swallowing Eternal Leviathan bloodline...

Third Order Law Bloodline: Law Trampler Bloodline. 

Grants an increase in battle power that allows them to jump a Rank in a battle against a King bloodline holder, as long they are at the Master level and their enemy at the Novice. 

By following solely the bloodline guide, one can reach Peak Rank 7

Bloodlines of this order: Holy Eye bloodline, Underworld Flaw Crow bloodline, Ancient Phoenix bloodline, Ancient Dragon bloodline...

Fourth Order Law Bloodline: Law Seeker Bloodline. 

Grants an increase in battle power that allows them to jump a Rank in a battle against a Rank 4 bloodline holder, as long they are at the Master level and their enemy at the Novice. 

By following solely the bloodline guide, one can reach Rank 7

Bloodlines of this order: Sacred Eye bloodline, Infinity Snake bloodline, Seed of Evil bloodline, Void Dragon bloodline,...

Note: The estimates of battle power increase do not count fights between Rank 3 and Rank 4 life forms as well as fights between Rank 6 and Rank 7 life forms."