It took Miko and Tiamat roughly a hour to fly from the 2nd District to the 17th District.

When they entered the base all eyes were on Tiamat.

The gazes were that of awe and shock, because none of them had ever seen a more beautiful woman. But they all stayed their distance, because even an idiot could see the resemblance between her and Miko as well as Regis.

They might not know her but they knew that she wasn't someone they should approach that easily.

Miko felt the weird atmosphere Tiamat caused and laughed.

He then wrapped his arms around Tiamat's waist and drew her closer.

“This beautiful woman right here is Tiamat my future wife, so I hope you all treat her well.”

Tiamat didn't shake off Miko or frown at his declaration. She just stood there smiling.

“Oh!”

Miko's declaration caused an uproar.

Firstly, Tiamat was an higher being who's hailed as the oldest and the original. She gave birth to countless existence.

Secondly, she was the matriarch and progenitor of one of the most powerful bloodlines in the history of the world.

Thirdly and most importantly, Miko declared her as his woman. This meant that she was their boss’s woman which made her in charge of all of them.

“Hail the Boss Lady!”

The Exsul members all shouted in unison with a bow.

“Boss Lady, huh? I've been called a lot of things, but not that.”

Tiamat said with a laugh.

At this moment, Regis and Ishma appeared from their accessory forms.

“Your little love scene earlier almost made me barf.”

Said Ishma with a disgusted expression.

Tiamat who would normal go to war with her over such a statement ignored her and acted like she didn't exist.

This seemed to have pissed off Ishma more but she also chose to ignore Tiamat as they walked.

They continued walking until they stood in front of one of the virtual reality rooms.

“Are you going to train?”

Tiamat asked.

“Yeah. I promised to surpass you and protect you from everything bad in this world and to do that I'll need to get stronger at a faster rate.”

He entered the virtual reality room.

“To do that I need to kill all of your enemies, and what better way to do that than mastering the technique designed to kill those enemies.”

“You mean Deus Malum?”

Miko nodded.

“I've already completed the first two stages and now it's time for me to attempt the third.”

Miko operated a panel on the wall and room changed to a mountainous scenery.

He flew up and sat on the peak of a narrow mountain.

“Deus Malum? What's that and why does it sounds a bit a familiar?”

Asked Ishma.

“It's Miko's ultimate technique that will allow him to kill all the gods.”

Regis answered.

“Ultimate god killing technique?”

Ishma repeated slowly.

It was then a scene from the past flashed before her eyes.

It was before she was sealed. She had just been scolded by Ajax and Augustus for stealing Hermes’ winged sandals, which she almost died for if they hadn't came in the nick of time to save her. She eventually had to give Hermes back his sandal.

Augustus and Ajax were riding a giant skeleton dragon that was created by one of Augustus generals who specialized in necromancy.

“So have you finished creating that technique you've been yapping about all the time?”

Ajax asked while tightening the chains wrapped around Ishma.

“If it was that easy to complete it wouldn't be the ultimate technique now would it?”

Augustus answered while laying leisurely on the skeleton dragon’s spine.

“Ehh. So how far along are you?”

“Not even close. It's going to take a long time just create a flawless theory to execute it.”

“Oh, how long?”

Augustus turned his gaze away from Ajax and mumbled.

“About a couple thousand years.”

Even though he mumbled softly, Ajax still heard him clearly.

“Dafuq?! What kind of technique is that?! You’d have an easier time killing Zeus with a stick!”

“Hey, Deus Malum will be awesome. I swear it!”

“Deus Malum, what kind of stupid name is that?”

“It's not stupid. It signifies my ambition to become a dark existence that will devour the heavens!”

“Yeah, I get that. But shouldn't it be Malus instead of Malum? You know, the masculine version.”

“………”

Ajax sighed.

“Did Rias teach you anything expect fighting?”

“What does it matter?! Deus Malum sounds cooler!”

Augustus said with a slightly embarrassed expression.

“Whatever you say man. But I still think that technique is a waste of time.”

Ajax suddenly looked like he had a great idea.

“How about this? We get a country toppling beauty and leave her in the middle of the woods. After that we’ll hide not too far away so that we can keep watch. We’ll just need to wait a couple minutes until Zeus picks up her scent and then boom! We attack while he tries to rape her.”

“…..Are you we trying to kill a god or an animal?”

“You act like there's a difference with Zeus.”

The two burst out laughing.

The scene ended and Ishma came back to her senses.

She looked at Miko oddly but didn't mention that Deus Malum was Augustus’ technique. It was because she was afraid of Augustus even if he was a ghost possessing Miko.

“Now that I think about it, just how do you train that technique?”

Tiamat asked.

“By diving into my inner subconscious until the point I reach the realm of my soul.”

The three of them looked confused by Miko's explanation.

“Don't worry, it confused me for a while as well.”

He said after seeing their faces.

“To put it simply, I meditate until I enter a trance. Once I enter that trance it's like my soul is transferred somewhere else where I face myself all while circulating the magic in my body at an extremely fast rate.”

Miko said nothing more and sat in a meditative pose and closed his eyes.

The moment he closed his eyes his senses were cut off from the outside world and entered a deep trance.

His breathing slowed down to the point you would wonder if it stopped. This was the same for his heartbeat.

Meanwhile Miko's consciousness was drawn to a dark place that was void of any existences other than himself.

“Okay, let's get started.”

He took a deep breath and took a step forward.

*Swoosh!*

The moment he did, his scenery changed to a bright room.

He looked around and saw shadows seeping from the corners.

The shadows quickly covered the entire floor and rose like water.

Outside, Miko's body was covered by an ominous black aura. Ghastly wails could be heard coming from his body.

Ishma who was drawn to it stretched out her hand to grasp it.

“Stop!”

Tiamat tried to stop her but it was too late.

“What the hell?!”

The moment Ishma touched the black aura a shadow appeared on her hand. The shadow quickly covered Ishma arm with a serpentine movement.

Ishma didn't know why but the moment the shadow covered her arm it felt like it disappeared.

Not only that, but fear started brewing in her heart. A deep and terrifying fear that went straight to her bones.

It felt like death was gripping her heart.

“Ahhhhh!

She released a dreaded scream.

“Let go! Let go! Let go!”

She started to frantically pull her arm, but the shadow gripped it tightly and refused to budge.

“Hold on!”

Tiamat swung her hand and an arc of golden light severed the shadow from Ishma's arm.

Ishma fell on her butt.

However Ishma didn't seem to realize that she was free because she curled up into a ball and held her knees while shivering.

“P-Please Mommy. Please don't lock me in the cage, it's cold in there. Please, Ishma will be good.”

She mumbled while crying.

“Ishma, get a hold off yourself!”

Regis ran up to her side and started shaking her, but it didn't work.

“Save me, Big Brother!”

*Pah!*

Regis suddenly slapped Ishma.

“Get a hold of yourself.”

Regis said sternly as she stared Ishma in the eyes.

“I-I'm fine.”

She said as her ashen skin regained its rosy color.

She looked at the dark aura surrounding Miko and shivered.

At this time, Miko's body was being devoured by the shadows, but he showed no reaction to them.

“Ive already completed the first stage, so this is nothing.”

He took another step and the shadows all faded away.

This time a purple fog appeared in front of him.

The fog slowly approach him, and envelop his entire body.

Outside, a chaotic blue aura appeared above the dark aura covering Miko's body.

After feeling the effects of the dark aura, Ishma stayed clear of the blue aura and was even instinctively afraid of it.

Miko stepped out of the fog with much difficult. He was breathing heavily and had a pale face.

“The 2nd stage was forcibly completed so it was hard to push through with my own strength.”

He mumbled.

“Now then, let's try the third stage.”

Miko took another deep breath and stepped forward.

This time his scenery changed again. But this time it caught Miko by surprise.

“Are you stupid or something?”

Miko looked in front of him and saw Augustus standing in front of him with a frown.

“You know for sure that you're not ready to attempt the third stage.”

“I won't know unless I try.”

Miko said with an irritated tone.

“You're being impatient. I understand you want strength but using this method will have severe repercussions.”

“I still want to try.”

Augustus suddenly smirk.

“Is this because of Tia? You really want to hurry up and steal my wife away from me don't you?”

“…….”

Augustus approached Miko.

“What qualifications do you have to think you can steal my wife?”

“I don't need qualifications. I want her so I'll take her.”

Miko stood stubbornly and showed that he no intention of backing down.

“Hahaha!”

Augustus suddenly burst out laughing.

“You and I both know that fighting over Tia is stupidest thing we could ever do.”

He said while patting Miko's shoulders.

“Well, try it if you want.”

A white light appeared around Augustus. The white light then transferred to Miko through Augustus’ hand on his shoulder.

“This is to keep you satisfied for a while so you don't attempt this suicidal action again after you fail.”

Before Miko could ask what he meant, Augustus disappeared, and Miko returned to the previous scenery.

“….Lets continue.”

He took a deep breath again a took a step forward.

Outside, the black and blue auras started mixing together around Miko as if trying create something new.

And then-

*Boom!*

The moment Miko took that step dozens of chains pierced his body all at once and then pulled it in countless different directions until it burst.

“Guah?!”

Miko's body shot off the mountain peak as blood sprayed out of his mouth like a hose.

“Miko?!”

Tiamat moved and caught his falling body in her arms.

Miko's eyes, nose, ears, and mouth were bleeding but surprisingly he was still conscious.

“….I failed huh?”

He muttered.

Tiamat laid his body on the ground with delicacy.

After a while Miko sat up and put his hand on his chest.

“I fucked up. Most of my organs are seriously damaged. It's pretty incredible that I'm alive to be honest.”

‘Well, I prepared for this to happen.’

He thought as he placed his hand on his chest.

“Hm?”

That's when he realized something different.

“My Qi leveled up to King rank? I'm a Qigong King now?”

Miko's Qi was far stronger than it was before. Not only that, he could feel a great increase in the physical strength he possessed.

“….So this was what he meant.”

He calmed his mind and activated his Qi to heal his wounds.

It was while he was healing his wounds that Miko discovered two more startling difference with his body.

First was the color of the Qi he was using was gold. Not the normal black or white, but gold.

This meant that he was using Heavenly Qi to heal his body. In other words Miko was now able to use Heavenly Qi along with Demonic and Ruler’s Qi.

By logic this should've been impossible since Qi users shouldn't be able to use Qi types opposite the one they were born with.

‘….Then again I was born with dual Qi types. So maybe that had something to do with it?’

He thought to himself.

Another difference was the rate his wounds were equaling. They were at least three times faster than before. Not only that, but he could tell that his body was increasing in durability as it healed. It felt like he body was becoming steel.

‘August did all this? How is he able to affect my body to such an extent?’

Miko thought to him.

Whatever it is, Miko can now say that Augustus wasn't wrong when he said that these boosts he earned will satisfy his urge for strength.