Joining the Devil Slayers as well

After setting the rules for the newly conquered world, Ezequiel sent fifty of his Angels to enforce them and maintain order. These Angels would serve as absolute rulers in the fishmen society, governing with an iron fist and relying on indoctrination to solidify their control and spread his faith.

However, despite the successful conquest, Ezequiel found himself somewhat disappointed. The Faith Points generated by a Low-World like this were insignificant, barely a drop in the ocean of what he needed. Even if he developed the world to its full potential, the Faith Points it could offer were minuscule compared to what a single Angel at the Nascent Soul Realm or above could generate. The way Faith Points multiplied with realm advancements made it clear that even sending one Angel to conquer such a world was almost not worth the effort.

'I suppose the best strategy moving forward would be to secure a low-level contract with a species and use them on every planet I conquer. This way, I would at least receive the full amount of Faith Points,' Ezequiel pondered, his mind already calculating the most efficient approach.

But at the moment, Ezequiel had no real use for the fishmen or any of the other species he planned to conquer in the near future. They were mere pawns, not worth the effort to keep alive if they couldn't contribute significantly to his grand plan.

'It seems the best course of action is to wipe them out,' he thought, his decision cold and calculated. 'Keeping them alive would only create complications when I need to upgrade the main planet to a Mid-Level world. I'd either have to kill them later or relocate them.'

The only exception Ezequiel might consider would be humans. They were, after all, members of the same species he once belonged to, even if he was now regarded as a god.

In theory, Ezequiel could now conquer as many Low-Worlds as he wished. The Void-Anchor blueprint he possessed allowed access to any planet within the galaxy, meaning he had at least ten thousand Low-Worlds within reach, perhaps even a hundred thousand depending on the galaxy's size. But Ezequiel had no need for so many weak planets. He only required about twenty-five to fuse with his main planet, thereby elevating its world level.

Conquering the remaining planets would take about fifty days at his current pace of one planet every two days. The only true limiting factor was the number of Faith Points required. He estimated that it would take about a thousand drops of Faith Liquid to transform the planet into the "Divine Angelic Realm."

If Ezequiel relied solely on his Angels to gather this amount, it would take over ten years. But he had another plan. Now that he understood the divinity he would eventually attain, he could easily join the Demon Slaying Bureau, posing as a god with a high-level species.

Ezequiel speculated that in the future, he would be able to wield all elements except those tied to Faith. With this knowledge, he could choose one element to publicly display. He had already decided on the Divinity of Light, which aligned perfectly with his Angels' primary Law. Additionally, it countered the Laws most commonly associated with devils—those related to Darkness and Destruction.

* * * * *

The day after Ezequiel had conquered the fishmen planet, his Angels had already moved on to the next world. This one was inhabited by Treerats, another species that held little value in his grand scheme.

While the Angels were busy conquering the new world, Ezequiel spent his time on the training field, honing his skills. As they were wrapping up their session, Ezequiel approached Johann. The elf had always been overseeing their training because of Anna's presence.

"Johann, could we talk in your office later?" Ezequiel asked, his tone casual but carrying a hint of urgency.

Johann, slightly puzzled by the request, agreed. "Of course, Ezequiel."

Later, inside Johann's office, the two sat across from each other. Ezequiel hadn't been in this room since they had discussed Marie joining the Devil Slayer Bureau.

"So, what did you want to talk about?" Johann asked, his curiosity piqued.

"I also have a high-level species, just like Marie," Ezequiel revealed, watching Johann closely for his reaction.

Johann's eyes widened in shock. This was not something he had expected. "Why didn't you mention this earlier? You understand that it's hard to believe you now," he said, suspicion creeping into his voice. It crossed Johann's mind that Ezequiel might just be after the Faith Liquid they provided annually.

"Oh, the main reason I didn't join earlier was that I wasn't ready to bind myself to any organization. But I've changed my mind because I urgently need about a thousand drops of Faith Liquid. I have no choice but to join you now," Ezequiel explained, mixing truth with a bit of deception. "It's not that I didn't want to fight devils; I just didn't want to commit to a faction before I had a better understanding of the entire situation."

Ezequiel's explanation was partially true. He did need the Faith Liquid, but the real reason he hadn't joined earlier was that he was unsure of which divinity he would acquire.

"You understand that you'll need to prove you've contracted a high-level species, right?" Johann pressed, his skepticism not entirely dispelled.

"Of course. I figured the best way to do that is to activate my cultivation technique. Would that suffice?" Ezequiel suggested. Since only high-level species and above had access to cultivation techniques, this would serve as proof while concealing the true grade of his species.

Johann considered the proposal and nodded. "That should work."

Ezequiel then began circulating his technique, careful to only use ten percent of the power of the Scripture of Existence and Reality, aware that it was likely far more potent than a normal cultivation technique.

As Johann observed how Ezequiel compressed and absorbed the Divine Energy in the air, he quickly signaled for him to stop. "That will be enough. We can sign the contract now, and I can provide you with the Faith Liquid immediately. The terms will be the same as Marie's, but you can choose whether or not to attend the management lessons."

"That would be perfect," Ezequiel replied, eager to avoid the classes and to obtain the Faith Liquid he desperately needed.

"By the way, may I ask what species you've contracted?" Johann inquired, his expression shifting to one Ezequiel couldn't quite read.

"Sure. I was lucky enough to contract the Sunlight Flowers. They're particularly useful in fighting demons due to their high affinity with the Light Element," Ezequiel answered, having chosen this species because of its strength and its high affinity with Light. The Sunlight Flowers, a rare sentient plant species resembling sunflowers brought to life, were an ideal cover.

Johann's expression returned to normal, and he smiled faintly. "It seems you're just as fortunate as your sister."

With the matter settled, they signed the binding contract. Afterward, Ezequiel excused himself and left Johann's office, heading home. Despite the day's training being rigorous, he found it enjoyable—especially the part where he got to spar with Eric. There was something deeply satisfying about it.

After Ezequiel left, Johann remained seated, deep in thought. He stared at the closed door, as if he could still see Ezequiel's retreating figure.

'What secrets are you hiding, Ezequiel?' Johann wondered, his mind racing. 'Not only is your cultivation technique on the level of a very strong Peak species, but the attributes of your Divine Energy were completely different from the Light Element.'