"Eliza, Elina." Michael greeted the two Absolute Lords with a respectful nod.

Having previously fought against them, he had experienced their superb teamwork firsthand.

There was no doubt in his mind that, should they fight once more, the outcome would be largely the same, with him being overwhelmed despite recently reaching the Transcendent Lord stage.

Only with the help of his Demonic Form could he hope to beat them, though he intended to stay away from the transformation unless he found a way to control it or until he was pushed to the brink.

"Michael, I didn’t expect to see you here!" Elina visibly beamed, her eyes sparkling in delight. She clearly remembered that until recently he had been a Radiant Lord. Seeing him one stage higher than before, she was astonished by his fast cultivation speed. 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

"When we work together, we are capable of beating Monarchs." Eliza exclaimed after returning the nod. "Given that we don’t have many options, we are going to participate."

Eliza’s demeanor remained composed, though a faint smile gently tugged at her features, momentarily softening her usually icy persona.

However, their happiness upon seeing Michael was short-lived.

An offended voice belonging to a woman echoed.

"We made exceptions for Absolute Lords... but you are bringing a mere Transcendent? Are we meant to take offense at how lightly you are taking this whole ordeal?!" Rosalie bellowed.

She was an honorable member of the Bloody Rose and bore the aura of a Supreme Lord.

As tradition dictated, her hair had been dyed crimson, mirroring the fiery locks of their faction’s leader, Queen Esmeralda, one of the Cursed Children.

Every woman in the Bloody Rose followed this ritual, changing their natural hair color to match their queen. Alongside this striking visual mark, their collective disdain for men was another defining trait, setting the faction apart from the rest.

"A Transcendent Lord would only hold us back!" Rosalie continued, her tone growing fiercer. "Not to mention he is a man on top of that! Bringing him poses the problem of him betraying us for his own gain!"

"Rosalie is simply worried for your safety, young man. Don’t take it to heart." Theodore exclaimed. He was the Supreme Lord of the Heavenly Pact.

When the man lowered his head, the surroundings seemed to brighten. His bald, perfectly round head served like a perfect mirror.

Rosalie frowned, throwing a glance at the one acting directly under the Emperor.

Francesca, the Lord who had brought the news to Michael during the faction wars.

It appeared that she had hidden her real cultivation when she met him, for now she radiated a presence befitting a Supreme Lord.

Francesca proceeded to adjust the golden monocle over her right eye before speaking in her composed and difficult-to-understand tongue.

"Most Honorable Lord Michael, your prowess in command is, without question, most commendable. Still, as the dreadful shadows of ominous Titans edge ever closer, I cannot help but marvel, perhaps with a tremor of doubt, at the audacity with which you seem to clutch at burdens far greater than any mortal frame should bear."

Devil smiled in amusement, witnessing the discussion. Leaning closer, he whispered in Michael’s ear.

"What the fuck is she talking about?"

Picking up on Devil’s murmur, Rosalie didn’t hesitate to harden her stance.

"It means weaklings like you are not needed!"

Devil’s brow twitched.

Jumping off Michael’s shoulder, he took a step forward, his body shifting and growing severely in height.

In a heartbeat, he climbed to three meters, looming over every other Lord effortlessly. His threatening presence of a Supreme Rank soul weapon erupted, and along with his size, it put everyone on edge.

Towering over Rosalie, Devil tilted his head to the side, his black pupil observing her with unknown intentions.

"Woman, do you still dare cast insults against me?"

Until now, the Lords had assumed that the machsot residing on Michael’s shoulder was just an extension of his technique and had given it little thought.

Yet, Devil’s true size, combined with his presence, forced them to realize the danger they were truly facing.

It seemed as though they were poised to strike until a cold and unwavering voice cleaved through the building tension.

"Enough."

At a moment’s notice, every Lord halted, their gazes shifting towards Nicole.

Her expression remained unbothered by every gaze she received.

There was no need to amplify her pressure.

No need to display her strength.

Everybody halted their breathing, hearts pounding in their chests, threatening to erupt.

She had spoken.

It didn’t matter that they were of the same realm.

Nicole surpassed all others in every conceivable measure.

"Michael has slain a Monarch. I testified to that." She spoke in a calm tone.

Her eyes slowly scanned the Supreme Lords present.

"I have also fought against him. He was a much tougher opponent than all of you."

She paused momentarily, slowly letting her words sink into the Lords’ hearts.

Nicole’s words were akin to law.

Especially to Rosalie.

Just like her leader, Nicole was also one of the Cursed Children.

Rosalie would never dream of going against her.

It wasn’t just fear, but also respect. Pure admiration for her capabilities and what they strove to become in the distant future.

Nobody dared to utter a word.

Except...

"Let’s save our hostility for the aliens."

Michael, nonchalant as ever, had his eyes studying the hot-blooded soul weapon.

"Tch."

Obeying the order of his owner, Devil settled back on Michael’s shoulder.

Thankfully, fallout had been prevented.

While they awaited the arrival of the rest of the Lords, the gathered personnel held a briefing.

The stronger an existence grew, the more it diverged from the norms of its race, becoming increasingly unique.

That transformation first became evident when an alien ascended to the Monarch tier, and its effects grew ever more pronounced upon reaching the Titan tier.

While the Emperor, Kings, and Queens focused on the mightiest aliens, the Lords were left to handle the rest.

Naturally, each of them sought any chance to ascend, and they were determined to slay these adversaries aiming to reach the next realm.

Given their unique nature, the Iskra Titan they were set to face had already been bestowed a nickname...

MSAP-8.