Ascension of the Nephilim

Calaminus wondered why he was the deciding factor for the attack.

"What can I do?"

"Your ability. You can stop time, right? Wasn't that what helped Martha escape?"

"I see! That's right! We use his Time-Stop to ambush them!" Aron exclaimed.

"No. That sounds too easy." Branze shook his head.

"If anything, Destiny will already have a plan to counter it," Mezal added.

"Exactly. And I only stopped the time of the small spot surrounding the Cardinal and that Wyvern Commander. But I can only do it if I'm within five meters from them. That's how Martha could move while they couldn't. Martha used her incredible speed that surpasses an average Commander to shoot and flee. So what's your plan? Come on, Kyros. You're smarter than this! You know as well as I do that Destiny would have prepared something to counter it from now on. They will be guarded and will do whatever it takes to stop me from using that ability. With Destiny, that hand we just revealed can't be our ace anymore."

"So you can only activate it within a very small area. And you can only cast it on a place a few meters from where that Time Core is, correct?" Mezal confirmed.

"Exactly. And I hope that you are not forgetting, I only used to be a God. Right now, I'm just a Time Core. It's a very powerful Time Core, but it's still Time Core like the Elemental Cores you have. I got lucky and stopped time for one and a half seconds, allowing Martha to shoot and flee. But I can only do that ability once in the middle of a battle."

"So it's not as easy to use. And since Destiny is guarded, we can't expect to use that and kill Commanders." Aron realized.

"That's not what I mean." Kyros smiled.

"Eh? Then what do you mean?"

"The enemy thinks that we will attack them immediately. Destiny will think that we can figure out that they can resurrect the fallen Commanders and will immediately attack to stop it. That's the logical thing to do. But we abandon the ripe opportunity of attacking now. Instead, we will train!"

"Train?" Branze frowned.

"Yes. Training is the best thing we can do. Think about it. We have the Library of the Nephilim, which provides amazing information about cultivation. These books could even surpass the basic and foundational knowledge to cultivate Force and Magic energy! And, we have my father and mother. Father's eccentric research, Uncle Aron who has such a disgusting path in Combat that he can easily learn the theories my father explains. Grandfather can do a little of both what father and uncle can do. And it's not just the Library of the Nephilim that we have! Haven't you noticed? The Temple has changed!" Dyne pointed at the area of the Library of the Nephilim at the back of the Temple, and there was a larger area that opened up.

"The deaths of those Commanders, their Champions, Captains and foot soldiers have gained us enough points that nearly made the Temple's level increased. And as you guys kept killing these shades, it all added to the Temple's points. I have also used a great portion of the two Commanders to level me up a few times and enhance the Dark Core. I used that to capture or kill a great number of shadows through [Skotos Eis Phos]. And that finally made the Temple reach the next level and allowed access to the Library of Light. Those two alone can increase our strength and knowledge by several folds as we would be able to solidify our cultivation!"

"But we don't have..."

"Time!" Several voices chorused, and everyone looked at Calaminus again.

"Exactly!" 

"You don't want me to stop time. You want me to increase the time within a specific area?" Calaminus understood.

"Yes! In this place, where we are outside of time, you can easily do it, right? After all, how could you stop time? Even if it's in a very small place, it shouldn't have been possible in the previous world we've been or in the Planesworld!"

"You're right about that. So you want me to use it and make the Temple recharge my mana constantly? It'll be costly. It would even be a miracle if I could give us an entire day!"

Kyros closed his eyes and brought out the Temple Core.

Calaminus turned around and saw it. It had changed after the level-up.

"I can program the Temple to constantly provide you with energy and use your Time magic to be distributed in the Hallowed Grounds of the Temple!" Kyros explained as he took the Time Core and brought it to the Temple Core.

The Temple has a Dimensional Space ability, a massive Holy Barrier, and the power of Hallowed Grounds. What if we add you to the energy powering it up? The Hallowed Grounds ability allows me to access the Temple Core, and the truth is, I can add whatever energy to it. But right now, there are no practical uses for that. But what if it's you? The Temple Core will use your power to empower the entire Temple and speed up time. The Temple takes care of distribution and may even amplify your powers."

Kyros placed it on top of the Temple Core. As Kyros willed it, the Time Core was drawn closer and absorbed inside the Temple Core.

"Test it. Increase time inside the Temple by five hundred percent, and let's see how far we can go."

Calaminus's figure disappeared as he returned to the Time Core.

Immediately, he used his powers, and Kyros made the Temple draw out the power of time.

A faint, purple glow was appearing outside of the usual bright yellow light of the Temple.

"Time?" Martha was familiar with the changes.

Everyone began to look around at the Temple.

Kyros saw it and counted the seconds that passed.

1

2

As two second's passed, a very satisfied smile emerged outside of Kyros.

3

4

5

A full five second's passed, and the light disappeared with Calaminus's figure emerging out once more.

"Success! It worked! Time has truly sped up inside!" Kyros shouted in joy.

"Son?" Branze asked immediately.

"That experiment tested many things. I wanted to know if the Temple could increase the speed of time inside the Temple. And it did. You didn't notice it, but five seconds passed in here, but only one passed outside!"

"The cost?" Mezal asked.

"Calaminus, what would be the most efficient speed for you to use?"

"How much energy does the Temple have? If we used the previous one is to five, how long can we keep it up?" Calaminus returned a question. 

"Considering the amount of energy the Temple has from our killings and the yet-to-be-absorbed shadows I captured and brought in the Nephilim Storage Space, we can probably maintain that form for about two weeks!" Kyros revealed.

Everyone was stunned. Two weeks was a long time! And if they were left alone, they could buy two and a half months!

"Of course, we can't expect our enemies to wait for two weeks. They would probably attack us. So with that as a measurement, I need you to plot the best means to use your powers. If you increase the speed, will the cost go up?"

"... I thought it would. But in this place, no. So if I want a one-is to ten ratio, I just need to double the energy I used."

"Good! That will do! We can train!"

"But Lord Kyros! Destiny is probably acting now!" Scarlet exclaimed.

"She's right, Lord Kyros. This will only buy us hours at most!"

"Wrong." Kyros smiled.

"Don't forget what I immediately set out to accomplish and even went so far as to abandon you guys! I went for the source of the darkness of the land! When I was moving and discovered that this was the same place where Gojirrah and Reptilia lived, I sought out the source of darkness and did my best to destroy it. The darkness began to die out, and I sensed that Fate was rejoicing. This land was prepared by Destiny to be his. His eyes were all over this place. But not now. And even if he tried, we have the Temple. Destiny cannot see things within the Temple!" Kyros revealed.

One of the first traps that Destiny sprung on Kyros was to send an orc vampire who served the Blood Calamity. The orc boasted powerful soul attacks that were also a very rare skill. But Kyros had [Greater Soul Resistance], and Destiny didn't know about it.

"What about Mechiel?" Scarlet asked.

"The Blood Calamity." Gregory corrected while giving Scarlet a glare.

"Er, right! The blood Calamity."

"She can't do anything. Even if she were a god, she wouldn't be able to communicate with her main body. Not in this strange world we are in." Kyros assured everyone.

"Then shall we start?" Branze asked.

"No. Not here. We need to move."

"Are we going back to the portal?"

"That's the logical presumption that Destiny would follow. No. We head to the grounds of Reptilia and Gojirrah's kingdom. Alpha Draconi."

"The underground cave region! Of course! Even if the kingdom fell, that place would still exist!" Reptilia realized the plan. The kingdom she served in had a massive mountain region behind it.

"Yes. We go there and position ourselves there. But aside from that, we also need to fake an attack. So we head there first, but Faye, Stellya, Martha, and Gojirrah. I have a mission for you!"