"And then there's Ice Empress, Justeaze, Seitenshi, Darkness…"
Among the otherworlder subordinates, Justeaze was the most suitable for awakening.
Her abilities were unique.
Even before becoming a True Demon Lord, she possessed the power to purify souls.
Once awakened, this ability would undoubtedly advance further, bringing new benefits to Damien.
Moreover, Justeaze had refined so many souls, earning her significant merit.
"Giving her this awakening opportunity shouldn't raise any objections."
Damien made his decision without delay and summoned Justeaze to prepare for her awakening ceremony.
"Lord Damien?"
The silver-haired woman descended slowly from the void, bowing respectfully to Damien. "Am I to awaken here?"
"Yes."
Damien ignored Suphia and Albis, who were watching nearby. "Begin. I'll personally oversee your awakening."
He had always intended to make an example of them.
Letting them witness the annihilation of the Falmuth knights and Justeaze's awakening was all to better bring them into his fold later.
[Individual 'Justeaze Lizrich von Einzbern' begins the Harvest Festival]
As vast amounts of soul energy were sacrificed by Justeaze, her awakening ceremony commenced.
[Unique Skill Purifier begins challenge]
[Challenge failed]
[Unique Skill Purifier integrates with Unique Skill Heaven's Decree, begins challenge]
[Challenge successful, acquired Ultimate Skill Lord of Hope Sariel (Seven Virtues)]
[Exclusive Skill All The World's Evil begins challenge]
[Challenge failed]
[Retrying challenge]
[Challenge failed]
[…]
Unlike the awakenings of previous subordinates, Justeaze's process after acquiring her first Ultimate Skill spiraled into what seemed like a glitchy loop.
Time after time, from initial feedback on each failure to hundreds of unified data points later.
A thousand times, ten thousand times, a million times.
Finally, after countless challenges, the exclusive skill All The World's Evil completed its evolution.
[Challenge successful]
[Acquired Ultimate Skill Lord of Greed Mammon (Seven Deadly Sins)]
Boom!!
With the ultimate challenge succeeded, a comprehensive enhancement followed, from race to magicules.
Pairs of wings unfurled from behind the silver-haired girl.
Surprisingly, Justeaze's angelic wings weren't simply black or white but were distinctly divided by her body.
The six wings on her left radiated a platinum holy glow.
The six on her right were pitch-black, as if from an endless abyss, ready to devour all the world's light.
[Justeaze Lizrich von Einzbern]
[Race: Fallen Angel → Supreme Angel (Twelve Wings)]
[Magicules: 16,000,000 EP (Calamity Domain)]
[General Skills: Ancient Magic, Konosuba Magic, Pokémon Magic, etc.]
[Ultimate Skills: Lord of Hope Sariel (Seven Virtues), Lord of Greed Mammon (Seven Deadly Sins)]
[Special Skills: Magicule Solidification, Eternal Shield, Command Seals, Rings of Divinity, Supreme Heaven (a liberation ability akin to Dragon God Transformation or Divine Transformation)]
…
Honestly, Damien had anticipated Justeaze's strength post-awakening would be impressive.
But he hadn't expected her potential to reach such heights.
Even the original Rimuru from the novel, upon awakening with two Ultimate Skills, had magicules roughly ten times their pre-awakened state... around 4,000,000.
Yet Justeaze's awakening vaulted past the 1,000,000 and 10,000,000 thresholds, straight into the Calamity Domain.
"Is it because of her constant soul purification?"
"Indeed."
Violet explained, "Though Justeaze didn't absorb those souls, the act of purification itself brought her immense benefits."
This was why Justeaze could becoming the strongest under Damien's command, aside from the Dragon God.
Moreover, Justeaze acquired two incredibly powerful Ultimate Skills.
As mentioned before, having vast magicules without a matching Ultimate Skill would leave one like the Storm Dragon, beaten by his two sisters.
Justeaze's awakening granted her both raw power and mechanics.
[Lord of Hope Sariel]
[Governs the source of life and the cycle of reincarnation, wielding immense power to manipulate, transform, and dominate souls.]
[Lord of Greed Mammon]
[Can absorb others' magicules and minds, dominating their desires, with strength scaling to the intensity of those desires.]
By rights, these two Ultimate Skills should belong to Granbell and Yuuki.
But the issue was, at this point, neither had completed their ultimate challenges.
So, no one could blame Justeaze.
Who could fault her for being a step ahead?
"Simultaneously wielding the Seven Virtues and Seven Deadly Sins."
She was the third subordinate Damien had encountered with such potential after Rimuru.
Additionally, Justeaze's race was particularly intriguing.
"Light and darkness, good and evil, a Supreme Angel mastering both…"
This description perfectly suited Justeaze's character.
She was the Holy Maiden of Winter, an eternal spirit born from the hopes of countless magus.
Her beautiful appearance, ethereal demeanor, and otherworldly voice.
Without exaggeration, Justeaze embodied all the world's beauty, a priceless gift from the gods to humanity.
Yet, this same Justeaze had been sacrificed for the descent of the Holy Grail.
Later, corrupted by This World's Evil, she languished in torment for centuries until Damien saved her from her suffering.
"How does it feel, Justeaze?"
"For the first time, I realize I can perceive the world from such a perspective."
Extreme good and extreme evil... two opposing forces.
Yet in Justeaze's hands, they didn't spiral into chaos or rampage but behaved like obedient children, bending to her will.
However, Justeaze wouldn't openly share details about her Ultimate Skills.
Instead, she communicated them to Damien through the encrypted Corridor of Souls.
"My Lord of Hope allows for even better soul purification."
Justeaze shared her understanding of the skill. "The power of reincarnation is neither life nor death but the cycle between them."
Of course, the Lord of Hope's power wasn't limited to support.
***
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