The Devil Does Not Need to Be Defeated

Chapter 775: [????]

Demon King’s Pavilion.

All was calm now.

Shien and the others had emerged from the Conversion Pool and dressed themselves.

While dressing, Shien occasionally glanced at the Demon Lords. Don’t misunderstand, he wasn’t trying to sneak a peek. Although the scene he witnessed upon waking up would probably be etched in his memory forever, he was more worried about being beaten up. After all, he knew how terrifying women could be when they were unreasonable. In this situation, he felt that any logical arguments like, “It’s not my fault, you were the ones who jumped on me, and I haven’t even complained about you knocking me out and undressing me,” wouldn’t work. Therefore, while seemingly getting dressed, he was ready to teleport away at any moment.

However, the Demon Lords didn’t seem to be in a good mood. They didn’t blame or insult him, calling him a pervert or a beast, but seemed dejected, their heads lowered in silence since he woke up, even getting dressed without paying attention to him.

Honestly, Shien couldn’t imagine these Demon Lords looking so downcast. In his eyes, they were all strong and assertive individuals, none of them cowardly, even Millu, despite her childish innocence, could be terrifying when angered. Especially Sara and Shafney, the former the supreme being of the Demon Race, incredibly intelligent, the latter the most beautiful woman in the three realms, captivating countless beings, it was always others who felt dejected for not gaining their favor, and they themselves were always composed, even after being… ahem… “conquered” by him. They had never looked so downcast before.

This made Shien wonder.

“What’s wrong with you all?” he asked, “Did something unexpected happen, did you lose too much power?” This was the only possibility he could think of. If that were the case, then he would be responsible.

Unfortunately…

“It has nothing to do with you. Don’t overthink it,” Lid said. Not needing to dress, she simply shook off the water after getting out of the pool and waited quietly, the first to have the composure to answer Shien’s question.

“Then why are you all…?” Shien asked implicitly.

Lid remained silent.

The other Demon Lords also didn’t speak, clearly not wanting to discuss this topic.

“Fine, I won’t ask,” Shien said helplessly, frowning and dropping the matter. However, he had successfully broken the silence, slightly easing the heavy atmosphere.

The Demon Lords recovered somewhat and looked at him.

“What about you?” Airi asked first, “How do you feel?”

“Me?” Shien scratched his head, slightly puzzled, then said frankly, “I feel pretty good.”

He sensed his current state. He could clearly feel that his strength had increased considerably, his magic power reserves practically doubling. With his current magic power, he could probably maintain [Samsara of Heaven’s Decree] for thirty minutes. In other words, he could now exert Transcendent Level power for thirty minutes at his peak.

No.

If it was just ordinary Transcendent Level power, he could achieve it even without using [Samsara of Heaven’s Decree], simply with the Holy Sword’s enhancement.

His current level was one hundred, the limit of life attainable by all in this world. He had finally caught up to the top experts in terms of level, becoming a true Limit Level being.

Moreover…

“I can feel that I have complete control over the Holy Sword’s power now.”

Saying this, he extended a hand, and the Holy Sword by the poolside flew into his hand. The seals on the Holy Sword were broken, its power and sharpness no longer concealed. However, it now felt like an extension of his arm, its power flowing continuously into him just by holding it. This power was as immense as ever, but it no longer flowed uncontrollably. With a thought, Shien could stop the flow, suppressing the Holy Sword’s brilliant light and holy aura, making it look like an ordinary, albeit luxurious, sword, no longer constantly shining with unconcealable divine power. This way, he no longer needed to worry about it being recognized and didn’t need to seal it anymore. Since his identity was exposed, and he could control the Holy Sword’s power, there was no need for the seals. When he didn’t need it, it was just an ordinary-looking sword. But when he drew it, it could unleash astonishing power at any time. He felt that even without using [Samsara of Heaven’s Decree], which had side effects, he could fight against Transcendent Level beings like the Goddess of Life and the Goddess of Nature with just the Holy Sword.

In other words, without any limitations, he also possessed Transcendent Level combat power!

Therefore, Shien was quite pleased.

The only problem was…

He discreetly opened his skill list. Besides the seven Heaven’s Decree skills and the two magic skills, there should be three more: [Supreme God’s Blessing], naturally; and his two Unique Skills, [Divine Grace] and [Fate and Logic]. But now, those two Unique Skills were gone, replaced by a single skill…

==========

[????]

• Unique Skill

• The culmination of the universe’s truths, a fusion of the three supreme concepts, currently unusable.

Looking at this so-called Unique Skill, Shien didn’t know how to feel.

[Divine Grace] and [Fate and Logic] had been incredibly helpful, and their sudden disappearance was unsettling. But then he remembered that he had thought these two Unique Skills would become less useful after he reached Limit Level. Having reached the limit of levels and learned most of the skills in this world, [Divine Grace] was no longer necessary. And [Fate and Logic] had reached its limit after creating the seven Heaven’s Decree skills, unable to further modify them.

Unless he learned a completely new skill system, its usefulness was also limited. But his combat system was already complete, and there was no need to learn other skills. Therefore, these two Unique Skills, instead of disappearing, had perhaps simply fulfilled their purpose.

But what was this mysterious new Unique Skill? Its description seemed impressive, but why was it unusable?

Shien felt a headache coming on, but he didn’t mention it. After all, strange things happening to him were the norm. This just felt like another cheat he had unlocked. It was nothing special.

So, he simply said,

“I feel like I can now take on all six of you at once.”

How arrogant.

As expected, the six Demon Lords reacted.

“Take on all six of us?” Sara glared at him.

“Are you sure?” Shafney asked with a smirk.

“I’ve lived for so long, and this is the first time I’ve heard such a thing,” Lid said, amused and slightly exasperated.

“Even the Goddess of Fate wouldn’t dare to say such things,” Kamina sneered.

“Do you want to fight?” Millu asked, confused.

“It seems your gains have made you blind,” Airi said impassively.

The six Demon Lords’ moods seemed to have improved.

Seeing this, Shien secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Although he was being arrogant, he wasn’t completely delusional. He didn’t think he could truly defeat all six of them at once. Perhaps after reaching Transcendence, but for now, against Demon Lords, he was still just a “thirty-minute man.” No, wait, thirty minutes was still quite impressive, not exactly a “quickie,” right? Of course, if it was the current him, within the thirty-minute time limit of [Samsara of Heaven’s Decree], fighting against Demon Lord-level beings shouldn’t be as difficult as before. He could probably fight them to a standstill, even gain a slight advantage.

“What about you?” Shien asked, looking at the Demon Lords, “Is the lost power really not affecting you?”

The Demon Lords exchanged glances.

“Don’t worry,” Sara said, “We haven’t lost anything.”

Although the process was difficult, in the end, they hadn’t lost any power. Even the initially anticipated minor loss was gone, their current state perfect, without any flaws. The gem had completely replenished their lost power, making them neither weaker nor stronger. This was better than they had expected.

The Demon Lords’ goals for this trip to the Demon King’s Pavilion were mostly achieved.

First, they successfully helped Shien reach Limit Level, the limit of life.

Second, they confirmed some of their guesses and learned more about Shien’s origins.

Third, they successfully saw the gem and even possibly awakened the Demon King’s consciousness.

However, she didn’t appear and talk to them.

Thinking of this, the Demon Lords couldn’t help but feel a pang of sadness.

But they had confirmed that the Demon King’s gem was indeed on Shien.

Their mother hadn’t completely left them, but was right here, by their side. Although she hadn’t been resurrected yet, still residing within this Hero, silently protecting him, perhaps there would be other opportunities in the future.

Thinking of this, the Demon Lords all looked at Shien.

“Why… why are you looking at me like that?”

Shien felt a chill down his spine. Were these women planning to settle the score with him? Should he run?

He seriously considered this.

Fortunately, the Demon Lords seemed to have given up on pursuing what happened in the Conversion Pool. They simply thought, (Since Mother chose to stay by his side, we must also protect him.) Shien was no longer just himself, but also represented their beloved and missed mother. If something happened to him, the gem would also be affected. Therefore, they couldn’t let him be harmed, even if it meant using the entire Demon Race’s power to protect him. Sara, Lid, and even Kamina all thought this. Shafney was no exception. As for Airi, her protectiveness towards Shien was already the strongest, and it only intensified now. The two people she loved most in this life were now within a single individual. Double the joy, double the sense of responsibility and determination, naturally maximizing her protectiveness.

So, Airi said,

“From now on, don’t leave my side.” Her tone was serious.

Shien blinked, dumbfounded.

But in his daze, he instinctively asked,

“Including bathing and sleeping?”

Asking this, he knew he had messed up.

As expected, a red vein throbbed on Airi’s forehead.

But just as Shien thought she was about to explode, she fell silent.

“Airi?” he asked tentatively.

Airi looked at him coldly, then sighed.

“Including,” she said, then spread her dragon wings and flew away.

The other Demon Lords also seemed lost in thought, then left one after another.

Only Shien remained, standing there.

“…What did she just say?” He was completely dumbfounded.

After a long while, he finally reacted, realizing that his good days had arrived.

Chapter 776: The Hero’s Path to Transcendence

Far in the sky, seven streaks of light flew towards Central City at incredible speed.

Shien, following behind the six Demon Lords, focused his attention inwards. He felt his body filled with strength, his magic power flowing more smoothly than ever, his mind exceptionally clear, as if he had been reborn.

“So this is Limit Level,” he murmured, savoring the feeling.

This wasn’t the first time he experienced leveling up. Each level brought a significant increase in strength. However, this time felt different. Before, even when reaching Legendary Level, he only felt his power increase, nothing else. But this time, reaching Limit Level, he felt his very life force enhanced, every cell in his body invigorated. This was a new sensation.

“It seems there’s a big difference between Limit Level and the levels below,” he thought. He wasn’t referring to the difference in power, but a fundamental difference in life itself, as if reaching Limit Level was like finally reaching full maturity after a period of growth and development.

He vaguely sensed a barrier, a barrier blocking all life, preventing them from going further.

Shien instantly understood.

“As long as I cross this barrier, I can surpass the limits of life and achieve Transcendence.”

This thought was affirmed by a voice.

“After all, Limit Level is the true limit, the unavoidable limit for all living beings. Once you surpass it, you achieve true transcendence, no longer bound by the limitations of ordinary life.”

The speaker was Shafney, who could read his mind. She had come to his side at some point, looking at him lost in thought.

“However, the limits of life are rules and laws within Logic, the world’s truth itself. As long as you’re alive, you can’t surpass that barrier.”

This wasn’t a matter of whether one could do it, but whether it was even possible. It was like a game with a level cap. How could one surpass the system’s design and exceed the maximum level? It was impossible.

And in Omnipotence, Logic was the game system. It dictated that apples fell downwards, that water flowed to lower ground, that fire burned, and that humans experienced life, aging, illness, and death. It was the very law and rule of the world. If Omnipotence were a game, then Logic was its system. Therefore, as long as one was a living being, they could only reach level one hundred. This was the world’s truth and its limitations. To surpass this limit, unless the game designer made changes, or a bug that could break the game appeared, it was impossible.

The Three Goddesses and the Six Demon Lords were naturally transcendent. The former were daughters of the game designer, practically administrators, and the latter were born from a bug, naturally able to break the game’s rules. Other transcendent beings, or those who touched upon Transcendence, were also related to these two.

“Only Heroes, summoned from another world, not belonging to this world, and on par with the Demon King and the Supreme God, can surpass that barrier and achieve Transcendence through their own efforts,” Shafney said, looking at Shien.

“Although few Heroes throughout history have successfully transcended, I believe you can do it.” She gave him the highest praise.

Shien also knew that since he could sense this barrier, surpassing it shouldn’t be impossible. Other Limit Level beings probably couldn’t even sense it. Only by seeing the obstacle could one overcome it.

Limit Level beings other than Heroes were like this, unable to see the wall they could cross, only wandering in place. Only special existences like the Half-Demon and the Greater Spirit of Death could bypass this wall through special methods and glimpse the world beyond. Unfortunately, they only bypassed it, not truly crossing it. Therefore, although they could see the world beyond, it was only temporary, and the wall still existed, hindering them.

Shien thought for a moment, then turned to Shafney.

“Then how can I transcend?” he asked the most fundamental question. He had reached Limit Level and had the potential to transcend. Naturally, he had to find a way. Then, he would truly reach the Demon Lords’ level, and his Holy Sword would also transcend, no longer limited by the power shown in his status, but revealing its true form. At that time, he would truly fear no one.

However…

“Don’t ask me, I don’t know,” Shafney said, “And don’t ask others either, they won’t know either.”

“This…” Shien was stunned. A transcendent being not knowing how to transcend? Was she joking?

“I’m not joking,” Shafney chuckled, as if seeing through his thoughts, “Haven’t I said it many times? Only Heroes can normally transcend.”

Hearing this, Shien understood.

“You’re saying that you were all born transcendent and don’t know the normal method, right?”

His understanding was correct.

“Not to mention transcending from Limit Level, we’ve never even experienced the normal leveling up process of living beings,” Shafney shook her head, “Those incomplete transcendent beings are the same, all relying on their innate characteristics or external forces to achieve Transcendent Level power. Even if you ask them, they can’t answer this question.”

Only those Heroes who had successfully transcended could answer this question.

However…

“As far as I know, there’s no fixed method for Heroes to transcend,” Shafney said to Shien.

“Like Mitra, he entered the Inner Sanctum after reaching Limit Level and, through the enlightenment he gained there, achieved Transcendence in one go. Other Limit Level beings, even if they enter the Inner Sanctum, can’t transcend.”

The gains within the Inner Sanctum varied. Some directly increased their level, some gained special skills, and some simply increased their magic power. Therefore, even entering the Inner Sanctum didn’t guarantee Transcendence. Moreover, Shien had already entered once and couldn’t enter again.

“Other Limit Level Heroes in history also entered the Inner Sanctum, hoping to transcend through enlightenment, but only Mitra succeeded. The enlightenment gained by other Heroes wasn’t enough,” Shafney continued.

“Some Heroes transcended without doing anything, simply through training.”

“Some even transcended while fighting on the battlefield, surpassing their limits without even realizing it.”

“Therefore, no one knows how Heroes transcend.”

In short, there was no known or replicable method for transcending.

“I believe that each Hero’s path to Transcendence is different. The experiences of those before you might not apply to you,” Shafney chuckled, “If you want to transcend, you’ll probably have to find your own unique path.”

“My own unique path… huh?” Shien pondered.

Then, the other Demon Lords, also seemingly lost in thought, gathered around him.

“Don’t worry,” Sara said reassuringly, “Your potential is extraordinary, even surpassing Mitra’s. If it’s you, you’ll definitely transcend.”

“Indeed,” Lid nodded, “Perhaps after some more training, you’ll find the method.”

“Of course, Transcendence isn’t easily achieved,” Kamina said, pouring cold water on their hopes, “For tens of thousands of years, countless Heroes have appeared in this world, but only a handful have successfully transcended.”

“Mm!” Millu nodded seriously, “Many Heroes are very weak!”

Such an assessment would make many Heroes throughout history cry.

Then, Airi also spoke.

“You’ve just reached Limit Level, it’s too early to think about Transcendence,” she said directly, “I don’t think you need to worry about this. When the time is right, the blessing on you will guide you and bring you the opportunity to transcend.”

After all, it was a blessing from the Supreme God, practically the world’s protection, and it would definitely guide Shien towards Transcendence. His path would be smoother than that of past Heroes, only needing some time and opportunity.

“Alright,” Shien could only agree.