NOVEL NEXT Chapter285-Recruiting Followers
Daniel never would've thought that before the final battle even began, he'd end up recruiting a new follower.
Yet in hindsight, Demon Dragon Nidhogg's actions were entirely understandable. After all, he had already provoked the wrath of the Angel of Gold and Silver race. One way or another, Nidhogg now stood on the opposite side of that divine faction. With no backing or patron to rely on, it was a smart move—perhaps the only move—for him to throw his lot in with Daniel.
In truth, Nidhogg had no other viable choice.
But this Demon Dragon's ambitions extended far beyond simply surviving. He wasn't content with playing a marginal role. That's precisely why he had chosen to make his oath of loyalty in full view of the crowd. It was an overt, public declaration—an attempt to be noticed.
Because only by doing so would he truly earn Daniel's recognition.
The decision was solidified the moment he witnessed Daniel with his own eyes resisting the attack of a god. That singular, awe-inspiring feat shook Nidhogg to his core. And in that shock, he saw a window of opportunity—perhaps, by aligning himself with Daniel, he could rise to greater heights.
Daniel was about to plunge into a massive conflict against the Angels of Gold and Silver.
For Nidhogg, this was his moment to shine.
And after he voiced his allegiance, the surrounding prisoners reacted with stunned disbelief.
"Wait… a divine attack?"
"That pure beam of golden light earlier… that was god's attack?"
"You're telling me Daniel actually blocked an attack from god?"
For a time, the crowd was thrown into chaos—prisoners whispering, murmuring, then shouting in mounting excitement.
One by one, more of the prisoners followed Nidhogg's example and stepped forward to pledge their loyalty to Daniel.
"My benefactor! The Angels of Gold and Silver destroyed my homeland, but you've given me back both freedom and life. Let me serve you!"
"That's right, benefactor! We're all weaklings with no status or background—that's why the Angels of Gold and Silver abused us. Please accept our loyalty and lead us to a better future!"
Voices flooded in, one after another.
The pledges of loyalty weren't made out of blind fanaticism—but rather cold, calculated thought.
Anyone who had managed to survive this long in such a cruel world could not possibly be a fool.
So instead of impulsively swearing allegiance, these prisoners had carefully assessed the situation—and what they saw was the immense power behind Daniel.
The entire dynamic of the battlefield shifted.
Just moments ago, the Angels of Gold and Silver had held the upper hand. But now, over a dozen beings of strength equivalent to the seven Archangels had stepped forward to stand at Daniel's side. They gathered around him like loyal guardians, declaring their unshakable support.
The scene was enough to make the Emperor of Angels' face turn ashen.
He never expected these wretched outcasts to unite.
Had it not been for their scattered, disorganized state back then, even the Angels of Gold and Silver would have had trouble subduing them.
Yet now—when it was already too late—they had finally come together.
And all of it… because of one man: Daniel.
The absurdity of the situation would've been laughable—if not for how terrifying it truly was.
The Emperor of Angels quickly realized the gravity of the moment. The current circumstances demanded one thing and one thing only: reinforcements.
He issued a sweeping command, summoning every angel above level 400 across the race. The Emperor knew that this battle could very well determine the fate of the entire Angel of Gold and Silver race.
If they won, they could endure. If they lost… extinction was a real possibility.
There was no longer any room for hesitation. He would fight with every ounce of strength they had left.
As the tension reached its peak, the atmosphere of the Divine Realm grew suffocating.
The realm, once bathed in pristine gold, began to swirl with chaotic energies of every hue.
Nidhogg's demonic miasma, the deep darkness of the abyss, the searing flames of the infernal demons…
At that moment, Daniel summoned all of his abyssal creatures to the battlefield.
The Sea of Resurrection quickly grew crowded.
Daniel's gaze locked onto the Emperor of Angels.
"Two choices stand before you," he said, his voice calm but commanding. "You can flee—but I will reduce everything here to ashes."
"Or… you can stay. And we'll settle this with war."
The Emperor gave no reply.
Instead, he silently raised his sacred sword and swept it horizontally.
"Kill!"
In the blink of an eye, the two sides collided in a full-scale battle.
And in mere seconds, the Angel race found themselves at a disadvantage.
It wasn't that the Archangels were weak—not at all.
But they were simply overwhelmed.
Their opponents were too numerous. And while the Archangels had superior combat power, fighting against so many foes of equal level was far from easy.
Each Archangel now faced at least a dozen enemies of comparable strength.
Worse yet, in the current state of the Sea of Resurrection, they couldn't be sure if death would still result in revival.
So they all adopted the same approach—self-preservation above all else.
Because of this, an ironic scene unfolded before the eyes of every combatant.
In the heart of the Divine Realm—on the very soil of the Angel of Gold and Silver's homeland—the Archangels found themselves running like dogs with tails between their legs.
The majestic image of holiness they usually carried was now shattered by the chaos and terror of the battlefield.
The seven Archangels were all entangled in brutal, desperate duels.
Nidhogg, in particular, fought with overwhelming fervor. Alone, the massive Demon Dragon had pinned down Vinicius, one of the strongest among the Archangels.
Although Nidhogg's raw power was still slightly beneath that of Vinicius, his gigantic size and nearly impenetrable defense closed the gap. Their clash was one of equals, the outcome uncertain.
Across the battlefield, every angel was locked in intense combat.
They weren't losing outright—but turning the tide now seemed almost impossible.
The scales of war had tilted in Daniel's favor.
…
With all the prisoners summoned, the final duel between Milla and the Emperor of Angels erupted.
Their powers were almost evenly matched, and for now, neither could gain the upper hand.
But the Emperor of Angels was seething.
He glared at Daniel with unfiltered hatred and bellowed furiously.
"Daniel! You think your petty tricks can destroy the Angel race? You're nothing but a joke!"
"We are immortal! We are eternal! Everything you've done—all of it—is in vain!"