Seraphiel looked at Apollo and the group from the Sacred Light Empire, his gaze deep and hidden, yet faintly glimmering with excitement.

He concealed his small movements, seeming to make his move towards the altar.

Lucifer and the group from the sacred light empire didn't know what was going on or have any idea, as they seemed to have been completely lost in the mysterious power of the sacred altar.

The sacred aura radiating from the altar washed over them like a gentle tide, filling their minds with warmth and clarity. Insights surged endlessly, their understanding of light deepening at an astonishing rate.

To them, it felt as if they had returned to the very origin of their bloodline. As if they were standing before something divine.

Something absolute.

Without realising it, their guards dropped.

Their will softened. And deep within their minds, a subtle transformation began.

Faith.

Reverence.

Submission.

They did not understand what they were feeling.

But they were slowly… becoming believers of something unknown.

Apollo, a moment later, noticed this; the sacred aura didn't seem to affect him, maybe because of his strength or for some other reason, but he could see the subtle changes in Lucifer and others.

They seemed to have lost their mind and will and were about to become some slave.

"Wake up."

His voice rang, mixed with his profound understanding of rules, which quickly seemed to jolt their minds and awaken them from their lost minds.

"What?" Lucifer and others were instantly awakened by hearing Apollo's voice and understanding what just happened; they felt a chill run down their spine.

Cold sweat ran down their backs.

They had almost… Lost themselves completely.

Apollo didn't look at them again. His gaze was already fixed on Seraphiel.

Calm.

Cold.

"So," Apollo said, his voice steady, "are you going to show your true intentions now?"

Seraphiel stood near the altar, his expression unchanged.

There was no anger.

No surprise.

As if everything had gone exactly as expected.

Then—

He smiled.

A low chuckle escaped his lips, gradually turning into laughter.

"Haha… I suppose since you were brave enough to come here, I should at least let you understand one thing."

His eyes gleamed with a strange, almost fanatical light.

"You are actually lucky because you are going to become part of the great one." Seraphiel laughed, and immediately the altar trembled.

A deep, ancient vibration spread through the entire temple. And from the ancient walls mysterious runes started to appear, along with the numerous statues that started to release mysterious energy to form a runic formation covering the entire temple.

The runic formation instantly seemed to create a barrier sealing the entire land, trapping everyone within the temple.

The altar erupted. A terrifying aura of light and darkness surged out, far more intense than before. It no longer felt gentle or enlightening.

It felt devouring.

The harmonious energy they had sensed earlier now revealed its true nature—it was not balance for coexistence but instead a force designed to absorb everything equally.

"Ahhh—!"

Some of the weaker warriors cried out as they felt something being pulled from their bodies.

Not just energy—

But essence.

Their vitality, their divine energy, even fragments of their soul… All began to flow uncontrollably toward the altar.

Their bodies trembled violently as they struggled to resist.

Lucifer gritted his teeth, golden light erupting around him as he tried to hold his ground.

"Damn it… it's absorbing us!"

All of them were terrified, as their strength was slowly drained away. Yet, they could do nothing—the overwhelming aura from the altar bound them in place, rendering them completely immobile.

But there was naturally an anomaly, which was none other than Apollo, who was still calm. And although he also seemed affected by the altar's suction, it wasn't beyond his control.

"Hmm, is that it? Then you disappoint me." Apollo said, looking at Seraphiel as his terrifying aura burst out, shaking the entire temple.

Seraphiel's expression finally changed.

Just slightly. But it was enough. He had not expected this.

Even in front of the sacred altar, Apollo was still able to release such overwhelming power.

"You…" Seraphiel's eyes narrowed, the fanatic glow within them growing deeper. "You truly are something unusual."

The altar behind him pulsed again, as if responding to his will.

"Do you think this is everything?" He continued, his voice turning colder. "This altar… is not merely absorbing power."

His six wings spread wide—black and gold light erupting simultaneously.

"It is a door."

The moment he said that, the altar trembled violently.

The fusion of light and darkness intensified to an extreme degree, forming a massive vortex above it. The surrounding statues began to glow, their eyes lighting up as if awakening from an ancient slumber.

A presence—

Something vast…

Something ancient… Seemed to stir within the altar.

Apollo's expression changed as he sensed a very terrifying aura that seemed to awaken.

"You should feel honoured, as you are going to become nourishment for the awakening of the great one." Seraphiel laughed with fanatical expression.

The altar seemed to finally crack open, and heaven and earth seemed to tremble, and slowly something walked out of it.

A towering being revealed itself from within the altar.

Three heads.

Six arms.

And behind it, twelve wings—each one a fusion of radiant gold and endless darkness, spreading like the embodiment of balance twisted into something absolute.

Its mere existence caused space to ripple.

The runic formation surrounding the temple flared brighter, as if responding to its awakening.

"Welcome… Great one," Seraphiel said, dropping to one knee, his voice filled with reverence and fanatic devotion.

The being said nothing at first. Its three pairs of eyes slowly opened.

Each gaze carried a different aura—one filled with pure light. One with absolute darkness. And the last… something beyond both. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

It didn't look at Seraphiel; instead, all three pairs of eyes focused on Apollo.

Apollo also looked towards the great one with shock, as he could see its true form, which others cannot see.

His deeper understanding of rules of the universe made it possible, but what he saw was terrifying because he saw a single finger at the core of the altar which seemed to be the source of everything here, whether it was the formation that covered the temple or the terrifying three-headed monster.