An insult that spread like a curse...
Until it reached the ears of another Upper Demon, one currently locked in a brutal battle against one of the Great Ones.
Crimson had remained silent until now.
A long silence endured while he clashed against the Great One of Krat.
The Great One seemed pleased watching the demons struggle and edge closer toward death, for exterminating them was the very mission he had come for.
He sought to erase the creatures that the First Author might one day wield against them.
Yet he could not rejoice completely.
Because the Upper First was still standing.
No... more than merely standing.
He was matching him evenly despite the Great One of Krat unleashing seventeen World-breaking abilities against him—eighteen if the gray Fog Domain itself was included.
’He’s still keeping up with me even after being stripped of his Red World and bombarded by countless World-breaking abilities...’
The two exchanged blows at terrifying speed, their clash of Auras completely overshadowing the other battle.
The fight had reached a deadlock.
The Great One of Krat could not finish the Upper First.
Every time he believed he had gained the advantage, Crimson would retaliate immediately, preventing any fatal damage from being dealt.
His weapons in particular were overwhelmingly troublesome.
And the Blood Armor was monstrously difficult to overcome.
To any skilled observer, the battle appeared destined to continue forever in perfect balance...
Yet none of them could see the hidden truth.
Not even the Great One of Krat himself had realized it.
In less than a second...
The flow of air around them changed.
Space itself trembled.
Crimson’s expression darkened further, yet he said nothing.
He looked furious.
No... he was boiling with rage.
Because he had clearly seen what had happened moments ago.
And he had heard every single word Gael uttered.
Something seemed to snap inside him.
The Upper First’s body erupted with an immense crimson Aura whose pressure far surpassed even the King’s Presence he had displayed earlier.
The sheer volume of power exploding from him froze the Great One of Krat in place, shock written plainly across his face.
The crimson color spread wildly around them.
Crimson’s Red World expanded at terrifying speed, instantly overwhelming the Fog Domain and seizing absolute control.
Crimson’s eyes trembled with fury.
The pressure radiating from him drew every gaze upon the battlefield after everyone sensed that insane power from afar.
"Impossible... he was holding back?"
The Great One of Krat finally realized the horrifying truth.
And through the harshest possible lesson, he understood exactly what stood before him.
The strongest existence within the Material World.
Crimson extended his spear, pointing it directly at the Great One of Krat while glaring at him with terrifyingly sharp eyes whose pressure alone distorted the air.
Unlike the Great One of Krat, who possessed the luxury of fighting without restraint...
Crimson was targeted by nearly every living being inside the Labyrinth of Doors.
Even if he defeated the Great One, his battle would not end there.
He knew many more would come after him afterward.
That was why he had restrained himself throughout the fight, preserving strength for the moment the others descended upon him.
Yet even while holding back...
He had still fought the Great One evenly all this time.
But now...
"I have restrained myself enough."
"Enough to let insignificant vermin insult my king before my very eyes."
"You mock him despite not even being capable of defeating me."
"This is my sin."
"My sin for allowing you insects to bark as you pleased in my presence."
"I will correct that mistake."
"I WILL CORRECT IT BY TEARING YOU APART PIECE BY PIECE, YOU FILTHY BASTARDS!!!"
Crimson unleashed a monstrous roar.
His Aura exploded outward and wrapped around him in a deafening crimson radiance, causing his power to ascend to an entirely different level.
"Absolute Hell Demon Form."
Crimson revealed a completely different form.
At first, the Great One of Krat could not understand what he was seeing.
But he quickly realized his opponent had fused multiple World-breaking abilities simultaneously.
Perhaps four.
Perhaps five.
It was a monstrous technique.
Something similar to Nameless’ King’s Domain.
A bizarre form that granted Crimson overwhelming power, allowing him to instantly win the clash between worlds and force his Red World into total dominance.
Crimson had always been famous for his defense.
For possessing the greatest defensive ability in existence.
But the moment he unleashed Absolute Hell Demon Form...
His offensive power rose to the same terrifying level as his defense.
And the very properties of the Red World transformed entirely.
"Disappear into oblivion, filthy slave."
The monstrous power of the Red World gathered around Crimson’s Kingslayer Spear.
Then the Upper First unleashed a catastrophic strike that erased everything in its path.
The Great One of Krat unleashed every ability he possessed in an attempt to resist.
Yet the Red World swallowed everything he released.
It did not even slow down.
The attack reached him regardless...
And annihilated him before the eyes of everyone watching from afar.
The Great One of Krat vanished from existence.
Nothing remained of him after suffering a horrifying attack unlike anything anyone had ever witnessed before.
The moment he dealt with the Great One...
Crimson immediately turned around, his bloodshot eyes radiating madness as he unleashed a savage roar that echoed throughout the entire labyrinth world.
"GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEL!!!!!"
That howl deafened ears.
And instilled terror even into the cruelest hearts.
Even Zahara the golem stopped mid-beating while pummeling Agares to death and raised his head in fear ..
Only for the Kingslayer Spear to pierce through his body from afar after Crimson hurled it at near-light speed.
The Kingslayer Spear tore through the golem’s body, causing Zahara to scream in agony like a wounded bird suffering unbearable torment.
The spear carried his body away entirely, impaling him into the distant wall of the labyrinth on the opposite side of the battlefield.
The moment Zahara was removed from the fight...
Crimson pierced through Gael’s mutated flesh at terrifying speed, crimson Aura still exploding wildly around him.
He found Gael’s true body instantly.
Grabbing him without hesitation, Crimson dragged him across the ground and began smashing him mercilessly with his bare fists after throwing away his spear.
Gael found himself completely at the mercy of the Upper First—
Who had descended into absolute rage and madness.