After taking control of the Kure Clan, Kael said: "Prepare a room for me, I need to go into seclusion."
Erioh did not dare delay and immediately offered his own residence. As the clan leader, his estate might not have been the finest, but it was certainly the safest and most hidden.
Kael entered Erioh's residence, drove everyone out, and raised a defensive barrier. Though the lives of the Kure Clan were in his hands, what if some fool tried to disturb him? For safety, Kael chose caution. Once the barrier was set, he relaxed.
He sat cross-legged, activated Heavenly Demon Mana, and began assimilating the demon god he had recently devoured. For Kael, this demon god was an immense boon—greater even than the fox god he had consumed before. The Kure Clan's demon god had received their worship for over a thousand years, without interruption. That worship had granted it tremendous power. The fox god was nothing in comparison. Perhaps only a prodigy like Yato could rival it.
Now, such a demon god had been completely swallowed by Kael. His gain was immense.
During seclusion, Heavenly Demon Mana steadily transformed the demon god's power into his own. He easily crossed the gap from Third Rank Lower to Third Rank Upper. It caused him no difficulty—such was the benefit of devouring a complete god.
Unfortunately, Kael was already too strong. Even consuming the Kure Clan's demon god did not push him into a higher realm, only a minor breakthrough. Soon, he stabilized at Third Rank Upper, just a step away from the peak.
Feeling the surging mana within, Kael laughed. So fast—far too fast! Not long ago, he thought reaching this level would take three to five years. But thanks to the demon god, he skipped those years entirely. The Kure Clan's demon god was truly his lucky star. Without it, reaching this stage would have been far harder. A good man—no, a good god.
Meanwhile, Kael understood the ability the demon god had used to assassinate him. It was its innate divine power, mastered at birth. With it, the demon god could erase its presence, vanishing completely, undetectable by any means. That was why Kael had struggled to find it. But the flaw was that striking revealed its presence. Kael exploited that weakness, captured it, and devoured it.
By doing so, he inherited its memories and gained its divine ability. Now Kael could erase his own presence. After leaving seclusion, he tested it by wandering through Kure Clan Village—no one noticed him. The ability thrilled him.
In truth, his demonic arts contained methods for cultivating divine powers. Each art had special abilities that, once mastered, skyrocketed combat strength. But such powers required harsh conditions—only Fifth Rank cultivators could train them. Kael was still Third Rank. Yet by devouring the demon god, he had gained one. Though weaker than those recorded in demonic arts, even a lesser divine power was stronger than his spells. A cause for celebration.
Secretly observing the Kure Clan, Kael found their lives calm. Though he had slain their demon god, he had not massacred them. Aside from Raian, most were unharmed. Thus, they feared and revered him more than they hated him. That was why life remained peaceful. Had there been mass slaughter, the village would be in chaos, mourning everywhere.
Kael returned to Erioh's residence, pretending he had just emerged from seclusion, and summoned him. Erioh hurried over immediately.
"Greetings, Lord Demon God." Entering the room, he knelt in reverence.
"No need for formality," Kael waved, letting him rise. He cared little for ceremony.
"How long was I in seclusion?"
Erioh replied: "Half a month has passed."
Kael clicked his tongue. Time in cultivation was strange—half a month gone in a blink. If his rank were higher, one seclusion might last months or years. He realized he must control it, since he still lived in the human world, not a hidden realm.
Stretching, Kael said: "Bring me a charger."
Erioh nodded, and a servant brought one. Kael plugged in his phone. When it powered on, he saw many missed calls—from Saki, Marin, Mafuyu, even Mai. But most were from Lady Yukinoshita.
Seeing them, Kael understood.
He asked: "When does the Yukinoshita family's match against Shinomiya family begin?"
Erioh answered cautiously: "About a week from now."
Kael chuckled. No wonder Lady Yukinoshita had called so many times. The match was near.
He immediately called her back.
"Renjou-kun, where are you now?" Though her voice was calm as always, Kael heard a faint tremor in it.