Indeed, within Ilkaalt's experienced eyes, the level of strength Konrad currently displayed had far transcended the limitations of the Divine Rank and stepped into Minor God territory. Better, it wasn't the average Minor God level, but a force standing at the peak.
According to historical records, the Infernal and Celestial Founder at their peak possessed a battle-power equal to the average peak-stage Minor God. However, Ilkaalt didn't doubt that should any of them appear before Konrad, they couldn't raise any storm.
Was this the mortal man she was attempting to snatch? Were the previous events nothing more than pranks to amuse him, or did he experience an unimaginable fortuitous encounter within that Death Valley?
Unending questions swirled within Ilkaalt's mind, as she stared slack-jawed at the Konrad's smiling face. And if before she would have found it of empyrean attractiveness, now the only thing she wished to do was to run far, as far away as she possibly could!
Alas, as long as Konrad stood there, she couldn't move an inch!
In her entire life, her mother aside, who could suppress her so? And to say nothing of her, even Else, who stood within Konrad's embrace, couldn't believe her eyes. Although she'd expected startling growth, this had already gone far beyond all she could possibly conceive.
Better, this was only the third layer!
"The Blossoming Death Art is truly worthy of being ranked second."
What Else didn't know was that while throughout the Three Realms, Konrad was far from being the only Third Layer Blossoming Death Art cultivator, only he had crossed the hurdle of Death Conversion. Without it, his offensive abilities would be quite limited.
While still holding onto Else, Konrad vanished and reappeared before Ilkaalt.
"W-what do you want?"
She stammered in fright. And unable to shoulder Konrad's icy gaze, lowered her head. However, an irresistible force lifted her chin and compelled her to stare right into them.
"Didn't you want me to chase you? Here I am. What? Are you one of those petty teases with a big mouth, but nothing to show for it?"
Konrad asked in a calm, derisive tone.
"I…I have your companion and woman in custody. If anything happens to me, they won't survive either!"
Ilkaalt exclaimed, hoping to deter Konrad through Astarte and Qehreman. However…
"Do you really?"
"No, I do not."
…when put to the test by a simple inquiry, she was forced to reveal the truth! Her eyes widened in disbelief!
"Why…why did I?"
She stammered, unable to comprehend why she so effortlessly betrayed herself.
"I achieved Nether Wielding. All souls are linked to the nether element, yours is no exception. With your trivial early-stage Divine Ascension cultivation, I can do with you as I see fit."
Konrad candidly replied. Beneath the Minor God Rank, no soul could resist his compulsion.
"Astarte, come here."
Konrad ordered, and immediately, Astarte, who still wandered within the Blood Mountain Range vanished and reappeared by his side.
Seeing him, her eyes widened in pleasant surprise, and she bowed with misty eyes.
"Master? You're back?"
She asked with a bright smile.
"Indeed. From now on, no one can bully you."
Konrad replied while gently stroking her cheek. And hearing this, Astarte bowed with a radiant smile.
"Shedding sweat and blood for Master's sake is my glory!"
Ilkaalt no longer knew what to say.
"Now, now, what should we do with you? I could take you, but to be honest, my interest in you is minimal."
Konrad declared upon shifting his attention back onto Ilkaalt. As she heard this, her cheeks blushed in a mixture of shame and indignation.
"Don't let success get over your head. Although your strength is beyond what I can contend with, if you dare harm me, my mother won't spare you! It's been a long time since her cultivation transcended the Divine Rank.
Right now, throughout the Ancient Crystal World, no one can contend with her! You are no exception!"
Ilkaalt snapped, finding courage in her mother, the ant goddess, and her unfathomable strength.
However, her words failed to cause any ripple on Konrad's face.
"I have an interesting ability called Death Precognition. With it, I can see through all fate variations to find the immutable time and manner of someone's final death. Of course, that ability possesses some limitations, right now, I can't see beyond the Minor God Rank."
Konrad stated and turned toward Else.
"You don't have one."
That said, he shifted toward Astarte.
"Neither do you."
Afterward, he returned his attention to Ilkaalt.
"However, you perish in thirty-years. Or to be more accurate, Twenty-nine years, seventh months, and thirteen days. Not one more, not one less. Knowing that, why would I rush it?"
Konrad affirmed while raising Ilkaalt's chin with his right index and lowering his lips toward her ear.
"Do you want to know how?"
For some reason, Ilkaalt couldn't doubt Konrad's words as if in death-related matters, only truth escaped his lips. And the belief of that prophecy being immutable filled her with a new wave of fright.
But before she could speak further, emerald-colored light spread within the Blood Mountain Range's dark sky and illuminated it with a startling concentration of life essence. As it did, an aura of godly proportions descended to lock everything within the mountain range.
A pair of one-hundred meters long, emerald hands appeared and flew toward both Konrad and Ilkaalt!
"Finally."
Konrad whispered, and waved his hand, causing a wave of black fog to erupt, and morph into a hundred-meters long palm to slam into the descending emerald hands.
*BOOM*
In a collision of life and death essence, the two forces clashed and burst into black and green particles. The slender, hourglass figure of a woman appeared, but because of the massive life essence shrouding her, her face remained undiscernible.
Moreover, Konrad could see that this wasn't the true body, but an Avatar that tapped into a portion of its true strength.
And from the pressure the figure released, the true body should have already reached the limits of the Minor god level.
"A Demigod-Avatar, the main body should be on the verge of crossing its first cosmic tribulation."
Konrad appraised with a single look.
"Mother!!!"
Ilkaalt screamed, revealing that cloaked woman to be…the Ant Goddess!
