RISE OF EROS

The angels' gamble had been costly. While Samanuel managed to regain his senses and avoid corruption, saving three of his companions, unfortunately, the other five were not so fortunate.

While the divinity of the deceased god they attempted to absorb is pure and uncorrupted, very different from that of the fallen god, his power was strong, and that tested them.

It tested their selfishness and arrogance, which unfortunately led to five of them being unable to put aside their weaknesses. Now, the five angels were corrupted and had fallen from grace.

It wasn't that they had died or committed a dishonorable act, as they all did the same, but their disgrace is understood in the fact that they lost their good character, justice, and good behavior.

Unlike the abyssals created by the fallen god's corruption, these angels underwent different changes. First of all, their characteristic white wings were now as dark as night. Their hair also turned black, their eyes turned red, and while they didn't undergo any major physical changes except for those mentioned above, it was their aura and thoughts that changed the most.

These fallen angels now thought only of themselves. Of how to gain more power, how to become rulers, how to be superior, regardless of the cost, and that's just their thoughts. Their aura now exuded an oppressive chaos and death.

It wasn't like the beast that Crhono and the others couldn't eliminate, but more similar to the abysmals who once followed the fallen god. Ironically, their auras were clear; that is, they hadn't been lost in chaotic thoughts, but they were biased to that point.

In essence, they were different from the abyssals and the beast, but they were no better than them. What's even more tragic is that they gained powers superior to what they had before, so not only did they turn to the dark side, but they also became stronger.

Samanuel noticed this from the moment he saw them. He could only put on a bitter expression, for his selfishness had created these five power-hungry but clear-minded monsters. In some ways, they are more dangerous than Purgatory and the Beast.

First of all, they are more powerful than any of the members of Purgatory, current or past, so that alone was a threat. Second, they possess rationality, so unlike the Beast, they can plan their moves.

Intoxicated by their newfound powers, the five fallen angels set their sights on the body of the deceased god before them. It may not be the energy they want, but it is still a source of energy.

It's ironic that the body of a pure god was born to corrupt beings, but that only goes to show that taking what isn't yours is not good. That's why stealing someone's divinity is forbidden, even among the gods.

Now, Samanuel and his three companions stood before five fallen angels who coveted the body of the god they tried to assimilate. The tension grew palpable, and a battle was inevitable.

Samanuel and the other angels knew their five companions no longer existed and would do anything to get what they wanted, and now they wanted the body of the deceased god in front of them.

Although pained at having to face those they once considered their brothers and sisters, their family, they couldn't allow them to succeed. Without warning and without saying a word, the fallen angels attacked.

Black and white beams of power flew from both sides. It was a battle between light and darkness, between good and evil. Unfortunately, good wasn't at an advantage. Although they also gained some power from the failed ritual, the fallen angels outnumbered them, and their benefits were greater.

It's always easier to gain power in the darkness. This is because it's easier to do the wrong thing, and in addition, Samanuel and the other three angels had doubts and regrets. They, too, had participated in the ritual. Their egos and greed were no different from those of the fallen, except that they were able to resist in the end, but it caused them injuries.

Samanuel is far more powerful than the fallen angels, but dodging the fate of his companions comes at a price. Now, their strengths are similar due to the injuries suffered by Samanuel and his companions, so numbers are significant, and they were not on their side. Despite this, they did not give up.

They had to protect the body of the deceased god. They had already done so much damage to the world with this failure; they could not make things worse. With this thought, Samanuel unleashed all his strength and began to suppress the enemies.

The blows exchanged were like natural disasters, and if it weren't for the barrier erected before the ritual, this entire place would have been destroyed long ago, wiping out all life around it.

Unfortunately, the barrier protecting everything also hid them, so no one had even realized this epic battle was taking place, meaning Samanuel and the others would have no reinforcements.

Thanks to Samanuel's burst of power reaching its limit, he and his allies began to gain the advantage. He moved like a god of war, throwing punches and kicks. His wings, full of delicate feathers, moved like murderous blades, and the fallen angels began to feel that this battle could not be won.

Despite their increased powers, they were still far behind Samanuel. This didn't mean the advantage was overwhelming, so Samanuel and his allies were also accumulating injuries, and added to their existing ones, anything could happen.

The balance was broken when one of the fallen angels managed to land a powerful blow on one of Samanuel's allied angels, but at the same time, he left an opening for Samanuel to seriously injure two of them.

It might seem that the damage was even for both sides, but that wasn't true. The five fallen angels were cooperating, but their egos and greed were individual, so they didn't care about each other.

Seeing their numbers reduced, they didn't continue fighting but instead began looking for escape opportunities. Samanuel couldn't stop them, as he wasn't completely unharmed, so the three fallen angels fled.

They abandoned the two wounded and escaped. Samanuel and his companions, seeing the unconscious bodies of their former comrades, felt pain, but they understood what they had to do.

Samanuel chose to bear that burden since all this had happened because of him, so he took their lives. "I'm sorry about this, brothers," Samanuel said repentantly, not only to the dead angels but also to his three remaining companions.

No one said anything because while the idea for the ritual was Samanuel's, that doesn't mean the burden was his alone. They had also agreed to carry it out, so they also had responsibility.

After a few minutes of silence, one of the angels asked, "What will we do now?" The question made everyone fall silent again, for they didn't know what they should do. The right thing would be to tell Crhono and the other demigods of their mistakes, but they didn't want to be labeled traitors.

They knew that if what they had done became known, they would be branded as heretics and perhaps eliminated. After weighing the consequences, Samanuel said, "We won't say anything." The other three looked at him in surprise, but they quickly understood Samanuel's thoughts and agreed.

Although they had avoided corruption, they couldn't change the fact that they weren't as upright as they once were. Now, they were a little greedy and selfish, so they decided to remain silent, unconcerned about the evil they had unleashed upon the world.

Obviously, this couldn't be hidden from the other angels. First of all, they were few in number, and everyone knew the plans of Samanuel and the other leaders, so they had to tell them, but even so, they would make sure not to tell the world.

This decision would cause harm to the world, but the angels felt no guilt. When they sacrificed themselves for the world, no one praised them, so they wouldn't allow themselves to be condemned now that they had caused harm.

Now, there were three hidden dangers in the world. There was Purgatory, which, despite its weakening, remained a threat. The beast born from the fusion of the former leaders of Purgatory and the fragments of the fallen god was still at large.

Now, the fallen angels were joining the mix, but only the angels knew of this threat, and their decision would wreak havoc in the future. Meanwhile, Crhono and the others returned to Cannes.

It wasn't necessary, but they still wanted to inform everyone about what had happened in the forest when they faced the beast and devised plans to counter it if it reappeared. Andrew, who listened to everything without saying a word, was increasingly concerned about the threats that were emerging.

He was clear about his responsibility, but he was too weak to face it. This made him feel powerless, but Fluffy reassured him. Honestly, the beast and Purgatory were worrying, but it wasn't the worst-case scenario, as the fallen god hadn't revived.

After the meeting between the demigods and Andrew, everyone set out to fulfill their duties, and then Andrew made a decision. He had to resume his journey to Comers; he needed to expand.

Being a multiracial place, Comers offered something very few places did, and Andrew believed it was the best place to strengthen himself. He had abandoned his restrictions and was now in search of beautiful women of different races to strengthen himself.