"Are you destined to be the Strongest because you’re the Valkyrie, or are you the Valkyrie because you’re destined to be the Strongest?" asked Axel in an emotionless tone.

Sophia’s furious shouts stopped; her hands trembled. As if a knot had been tied in her heart just by those words, and she could not do anything.

Axel shook his head and turned around. He swiftly flew through the air. Not bothering with her anymore.

Sophia’s hands automatically slid down; she felt like she somewhat understood what Osiris was trying to convey by those words, but at the same time, she did not understand them.

A wave of mixed, complicated feelings washed through her heart. She could not understand why she was so agitated by the words of the unknown demon.

After a minute of silence, just like how metal dust becomes stable once more when the magnet is at a sufficient distance away. She also gradually calmed down. A cold and emotionless look appeared on her face once more.

Giving one last glance in the distance, looking at Osiris’s back, she also turned around and left.

As Axel, in the guise of Osiris, landed right in front of the Ghost Armies camp, he saw countless powerful undead race members standing there, and even 4th-phase existences were there. There was a look of acknowledgment in all of their eyes when they looked into Axel’s eyes.

But there were also countless human seekers from the Minor Kingdoms. A wave of jeering cheers rolled through their sections, as if they were welcoming a war hero.

His name, as Osiris, was chanted on their lips endlessly; it was strange, actually, as a Demon, he only inspired fear and terror in the hearts of all humans. Yet, this time, he was being welcomed by Humans as a champion of sorts.

Even the hateful Ghost race members treated him with respect.

In their eyes, in that instant, for the helpless humans of the Minor Kingdoms, as Osiris...

He was the Hope disguised as Despair.

But strangely, Axel did not find it in himself to care much. Sophia’s pained face still lingered in his mind. As he walked ahead, the crowd gave way to him.

A similar scene could be seen unfolding within the Unified Armies’ camps. Sophia, as the Valkyrie, with the sheer power she displayed, received innumerable congratulations and cheers from all the human seekers. But she ignored it all expressionlessly.

Just like Axel, she didn’t find it in herself to enjoy any of that Glory.

Eventually, Axel reached a certain spot within that camp.

Standing in front of a two-story-tall, dull-looking building made out of black wood, he walked inside. Within it, there was a teleportation circle. There was a peak 4th-phase Lich stationed there; by Axel’s command, the Lich activated the circle.

When Axel stepped on it wordlessly, he disappeared in a flash.

Then appeared on the other side of the Black barrier, in the capital of Ravenspire, one of the few teleportation circles authorized by Zeledin Ulpranak, through which certain authorized personnel could go in and out of the Black barrier whenever they wanted.

Axel was naturally such an individual. His appearance had changed; his hood covered his entire figure, and the mask on his face had become dull and gray, showing only his eyes if anyone inspected it closely.

He started walking in a certain direction as if he already knew his way around the capital city of Ravenspire.

After reaching in front of a certain two-story tall building, he pushed open the door, walking inside without much fanfare.

It was a bar, but there was only the bartender. It was mostly empty, so Axel took a seat at the main table. Waiting for a drink.

The bartender was a tall and muscular man, though he was dressed well, as a bartender should be. His presence as a natural battle-hardened veteran could not be hidden. The man also wore a mask, similar to Axel’s own.

Neither of the two spoke, while the muscular bartender started preparing a rich drink to the best of his efforts. Once he was done, he placed it gracefully in front of Axel.

Axel’s mask slowly opened a gap in his mouth; beneath it, he could be seen still in his demon state as he drank the cold liquid from the glass cup. A mix of spicy and bitter taste filled his tongue.

He smiled and spoke for the first time, "Not bad, Gareth. Maybe you should be a bartender. You would be an expert in no time."

Gareth said with a heavy sigh, "Maybe I should. One day, if everything goes right that is..."

"Yeah, maybe... maybe one day...definitely," nodded Axel on a somber note. There was also a hint of ruthless determination hiding in that whisper.

With one gulp, he finished the ice-cold drink and started to walk towards the second floor of the building. He said with a sigh, "I’ll help you advance, Gareth. Let’s go....today you will finally become a proper Demon."

After a few minutes, on the 2nd floor, Gareth sat in a lotus position with his upper body bare. But the mask artifact on his face remained. Opposite him sat Axel, and he sensed his surroundings one more time out of caution.

Though Axel had isolated the entire building with multiple powerful rune artifacts, and he further covered the 2nd floor with even more barriers, his demonic energy filled every nook and cranny to make sure that no one was spying on him at that moment.

With a mental command from Axel, five vials filled with viscous dark red demonic blood appeared in front of Gareth. Axel explained, "Drink all of it, then you must let loose of your mental barriers. I will possess you temporarily to stimulate the demon bloodline to the extreme."

Axel paused for a moment and added, "But the real advancement will have to be done by you and you alone. Don’t try to advance your phase and stage; just focus on purifying the bloodline. Turn the Seed of Obsession within you into a trace of the true demon bloodline."

Gareth’s face was aloof, but then he smiled, "What a day, my student of the past is now lecturing me on things I already know."