Wizard: Starting With the Knights Breathing Method Chapter 2775: 568: Edmund’s True Form, the Twenty-Four Supreme Seats!

"How can we possibly slay the Earth Demon Lord without Level 11 power?" The words of the Shadow Demon Queen reduced the gathered demons to a heavy silence.

It was an undeniable truth; the Earth Demon Lord had already reached the Level 10 Peak. Even titans like the Succubus Queen of the 660th layer or the Fallen Star Lord could, at best, defeat him—killing him was out of the question. This reality was exactly why the Earth Demon Lord possessed such arrogance when challenging Edmund to a duel. With his superior realm and status as the Arcane Terminator, defeat seemed impossible.

"Withdraw for the time being. We must await reinforcements from the Water Demon Lord," a voice commanded. "The upcoming maneuvers may require Level 11 strength. This has evolved beyond a mere blood battle; it is now reminiscent of the cataclysmic events at the conclusion of the Ancient and Antiquity epochs... the final confrontation."

The fall of the Earth Demon Lord cast a dark pall over the demonic host, leaving them hesitant to make any sudden moves. The next ten millennia might signal the conclusion of this thirty-million-year Near Ancient epoch. Despite this crushing defeat, the demons remained convinced that the Abyss would endure, just as it had for billions of years.

...

Inside the Dark Temple.

The stars hung high above as the ancients sat in hushed contemplation. Being well-connected, they were already aware that Edmund had slain the Earth Demon Lord. In fact, they were the ones who had exploited the situation to spread rumors of Edmund’s potential demise.

When compared to the formidable Abyss Demons, the Amethyst Saint was the only member of the Ancient Elder Council capable of matching the Earth Demon Lord. The End Dragon Bird was merely at the Level 10 Late Stage, while the others lingered at the Middle or Early stages of Level 10.

If Edmund was capable of killing the Earth Demon Lord and survived, he possessed the power to single-handedly crush the Council of Ten Thousand Clans. If that were the case, how could this council even proceed?

It was no wonder the Nora Council had paid little heed to the Council of Ten Thousand Clans until now; Edmund likely never viewed them as worthy adversaries.

Am I actually the clown in this scenario?

While the previous Master of the Dusk Palace had made some ancients nervous, the current Edmund was truly terrifying.

Several strategists were already plotting their retreats, hoping to scatter like the disciples of the journey to the west. However, because Edmund's status remained unconfirmed, they stayed their hand, torn by lingering hesitation.

In a quiet corner, the Dark Sun Sovereign felt his spirit sink.

"Is this my defeat?"

He whispered to himself, feeling a sense of dejection. Long ago, Edmund had placed a wager with him through the Black Sun, and it appeared this lengthy bet was nearing its conclusion.

The Amethyst Saint frowned, his voice cold as he spoke: "I am aware of your thoughts. However, remember that once you boarded the great vessel of the Council of Ten Thousand Clans, there was no turning back. Do you honestly believe the Nora Council will grant you mercy during their autumn reckoning if you desert now?"

His warning, however, carried little weight for figures like the Void Emperor or the End Dragon Bird, who were not Plane Sovereigns.

As a Level 10 entity, if I vanish into some forgotten corner of the universe and never resurface, Edmund surely won't be able to find a needle in such a vast haystack, right?

The Void Emperor had already decided to depart. He planned to find a way to shatter the bonds of the Covenant Sword, lead his people far beyond the Pan-Plane, and vanish into a life of seclusion.

The End Dragon Bird felt even more bitter.

He hadn't even consumed many dragons, yet he was nearly turned into a sacrificial lamb for the Council of Ten Thousand Clans. If the Fire Sovereign hadn't intervened last time, he might have already been transformed into "roast chicken" by the heat of Edmund's sun.

In an instant, a sense of impending doom gripped everyone within the Council of Ten Thousand Clans. This massive coalition, which had stood in opposition to Nora for two thousand years, was now on the brink of total collapse.

...

Upon the Ancient Dragon Continent.

Figures moved with purpose across the landscape, sanitizing the battlefield and disposing of demonic remains. As a silver flying shuttle touched down, the crowd offered their salutes.

"The Hall Master has returned."

Levi offered a warm smile and addressed them: "I am deeply moved to see everyone holding their positions during such a brutal conflict on the Ancient Dragon Continent. As a result, everyone's war merit rewards will receive a 5% bonus over the standard rate."

"Incredible!"

"Our thanks to the Hall Master!"

Upon returning to the Dusk Holy Temple, Levi's smile grew even wider after reviewing the Green Bird Knight’s report. He couldn't help but exclaim, "Excellent work!"

Despite the ferocity and danger of the war, the casualty rate among the battle groups on the Ancient Dragon Continent was less than ten percent. Mortal losses were almost non-existent, as they had all been evacuated to the 49 Star Castles before the fighting began.

Though the final data wasn't out, Levi suspected other wizard organizations had suffered far worse losses.

From what he gathered, the Burning School of Thought had seen two sky cities from the Nine Cities Alliance brought down by demons. It wasn't a total wipeout, but it was close enough to effectively erase two premier wizard groups from existence. Incidentally, one of those was Norn City, Simon's ancestral home.

The other Schools of Thought were similarly battered, with hundreds of wizard organizations vanishing entirely during the conflict.

Among the alien races, dozens of newly discovered continents were completely purged.

Naturally, given Nora’s current population, the proportional casualty rate of this war was actually an improvement over the previous two Great Wars.

The Ancient Dragon Continent's success was due to more than just the protection of Level 10 powerhouses like the Guardian Four Dragons; the contributions of the Mechanical School and Bright Sun’s divine displays were pivotal.

For instance, the elite Fish Demons would have caused catastrophic damage in the later stages of the battle had they not been eradicated early on.

Furthermore, every supernova stationed on the Ancient Dragon Continent had survived.

The only major setback was the Fire Dragon Knight, who had been severely wounded. His aggressive nature had led him to challenge two Level 8 Early Stage demons despite only having a Level 7 Peak body. This resulted in demonic Qi contaminating his system, and he was currently undergoing a process of purification and healing.