Samael remained unimpressed by the humans before him, barely acknowledging Ariel’s words. As a being of immense pride, he seldom looked others in the eye unless he deemed them worthy of respect—and from what he could sense, these humans fell far short of that standard. Their mana reserves were pitifully low, their stature unimpressive, and worst of all, their auras were weak.
Compared to angels, humans were mere specks. Even Adam, who stood slightly taller than Lilith, barely reached the chest of Jophiel—the shortest of the archangels.
“You must be the leader… and if Lady Ariel is correct, you are the strongest,” Lilith said, speaking directly to Samael for the first time.
The moment she saw him; she was drawn to him. Samael was, after all, the most beautiful archangel in Heaven. Wanting to impress him, she made a bold move, and to her delight, it worked.
“Impressive. How did you figure that out? I blended my aura perfectly with the others,” Samael responded, finally meeting her gaze.
“The way you carry yourself. Only a leader holds themselves with such confidence,” Lilith replied.
“Hmm… and here I thought humans were merely inferior versions of us. It seems your cognitive abilities are quite impressive,” Samael mused.
“Come now, Samael, if anything, your concealment was subpar,” Lilith teased.
To everyone’s surprise, Samael burst into laughter. It was rare for him to enjoy someone’s company so quickly—most either feared him or grovelled at his feet. As their conversation continued, Adam grew jealous. Frustrated, he willed one of the animals in the garden to make a loud sound, disrupting the moment.
Samael turned his attention to the noise source, his curiosity piqued. “What was that?”
From the trees emerged a magnificent beast—golden fur, a long mane, standing six feet tall with powerful muscles. Samael’s eyes gleamed with excitement. “What a beautiful creature!” he exclaimed, lunging forward to pet it.
The other archangels exchanged glances, stunned by his childlike enthusiasm.
“He’s acting like a child,” Jophiel muttered. Normally, the others would say something, but they ignored her.
She was used to their hot-cold attitude towards her at this point, so she kept quiet.
“It’s called a lion,” Adam explained. “It’s known as the king of the jungle.”
“You’ve named it? Humans are more impressive than I thought.” As Samael stroked the lion’s mane, he glanced back at Lilith. But as their eyes met, something shifted. His gaze deepened, and in an instant, a vision overwhelmed him.
“Father?!” he whispered in shock.
Lilith tilted her head. “Why is it that when you angels see us, you call us ‘Father’?”
Samael vanished without answering.
Ariel, watching the scene unfold, took her leave. “Lilith, Adam, I’ll see you later,” she said, flying away. The other archangels followed suit.
Lilith frowned. “Those angels are strange. Why do they keep calling me ‘Father’?”
“I suspect it’s because we resemble The Lord,” Adam answered.
“Really? Good to know.”
As she started to walk away, Adam’s voice stopped her in her tracks. “What was that with Samael?” He tried to mask his anger, but the tension in his voice was clear.
“Nothing… nothing is going on,” Lilith said, attempting to reassure him.
“Don’t lie to me dammit! Lilith, I saw the way you looked at him! You’ve never looked at me that way, and we’re supposed to be married,” Adam said, clenching his fists, his voice cracking with emotion.
Lilith, no longer able to contain her feelings, snapped. “Married?! Look at me, Adam! My body is covered in wounds because of those monsters, and the only one smart enough to help me is Samael! What kind of husband doesn’t protect his wife? I’ll tell you—the worst kind!” she sobbed.
“I tried to protect you, but I’m not strong enough… they hurt me…” Adam trails off as memories of his failed attempt flood into his mind.
“That’s why I need someone strong enough to protect me.” Lilith turned away, leaving Adam speechless.
In Heaven, Samael sat alone, trying to make sense of what he had seen. Ariel soon joined him.
“Why did I see Father in them?” he asked, gripping his head, his expression one of horror.
Ariel smirked. “Come on, brother. You already know the answer.”
“Why them? And not us? Why were they made in His image, while we—His perfect creations—were not?” Samael’s voice was laced with bitterness.
“Brother, don’t go down this road… Father’s ways are beyond us. He has a reason.”
Samael exhaled sharply. “I suppose His thoughts are above ours, so I could never understand.” Ariel’s words, though frustrating, restored some of his usual pride.
“Now, come. It’s time for your fight with Uriel. Are you ready?”
Samael scoffed. “Is that a joke? Of course, I am.”
The arena was alive with anticipation as Samael and Uriel faced each other.
“Are you ready to lose, Master?” Uriel taunted, taking his stance.
“I should be asking you that,” Samael countered, mirroring him.
“Begin!” Ariel declared.
The moment she finished speaking, the two clashed, trading blows at incredible speed. Neither held the advantage.
“Michael, who do you think will win?” Jophiel asked.
“Samael, of course. He’s unrivalled,” Azrael replied with a scowl.
“Hmm… I think Uriel might win,” Jophiel said thoughtfully.
“I second that. Samael is far too cocky to take Uriel seriously,” Michael added.
“Come now, Michael. Brother will never lose,” Ariel insisted.
Samael struck first, sending Uriel flying. “Is that all you’ve got—?” Before he could finish, Uriel’s fist was inches from his face. Samael barely dodged, but the punch cut his cheek, drawing blood.
Uriel launched a relentless barrage, forcing Samael into a defensive stance. Seizing an opening, Uriel threw a powerful cross, but Samael ducked, sweeping his leg. As Uriel fell, Samael landed a devastating kick to his gut, sending him flying again.
Uriel wiped blood from his mouth and charged even faster this time. Samael redirected his attack, but Uriel reversed the move, absorbing the energy and countering with an elbow strike to Samael’s jaw. The blow sent him to his knees. A brutal kick to the face followed by a strike to the sternum sent Samael crashing down. The archangels look in disbelief, for the first time in aeons, Samael had been bested.
Impossible! How am I on the ground? How did he reverse my technique? Hmm, it seems I underestimated him, his skills equal mine, and I can’t take him lightly. Samael wiped the blood from his chin, his grin sharpening. ‘You’re stronger than I thought. But don’t get cocky—I won’t be so careless again.’
He shifted his stance, his aura intensifying. The real fight was about to begin.
Uriel grinned. “Even that wasn’t enough? It seems I was foolish to hold back. Behold my true power!” His aura rose to match Samael’s.
He held back against me? Samael questioned, annoyed by the thought.
“Wait, Uriel held back in our fight? Damn, I gave all I got and we still drew,” Gabriel said disappointed in himself.
“So he is this strong, I never stood a chance,” Michael realized.
Samael’s initial annoyance turned to excitement. It wasn’t often he got to fight without restraint.
Samael lunged at Uriel. As Uriel attempted to counter with a jab, Samael abruptly changed direction and delivered a powerful kick to his head. Uriel managed to block with his other arm, but the sheer force of the strike shattered his forearm and sent him hurtling backwards.
Without pause, Samael pressed his assault, using [Acts: Fire of the Lord] to launch a massive fireball at Uriel. Uriel leapt to evade, but Samael cast the spell again, this time augmenting it with [Numbers: Multiplication and Amplification], exponentially increasing both the intensity and number of fireballs, creating an inescapable, omnidirectional barrage.
Uriel quickly activated [Genesis X Psalms: Absolute Protection of God], forming a divine shield to withstand the relentless assault. However, amid the bombardment, Samael exploited his blind spot, closing the distance in an instant. Enchanting his fist with [Divine Nullification], he punched straight through Uriel’s shield and struck him squarely in the face.
However, Uriel rolled with the blow, using its force to hurl him into the ground. Without hesitation, he lunged forward to continue the battle, their blows clashing in a relentless exchange. Samael parried Uriel’s furious barrage and retaliated with a devastating strike to create distance. Seizing the opening, he used [Exodus 1st Commandment: Light of Heaven], dropping a colossal beam of light on Uriel.
“Hmph, that was a good fight. I didn’t expect you to push me this far,” Samael said with a smirk. However, his confidence shattered the moment he was struck from behind.
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“You're still standing? That attack should have killed you!” he held the back of his head as his vision blurred.
“You walked right into my trap,” Uriel smirked. “My name means ‘Light and Fire of God.’ As such none of those attacks can hurt me.”
Samael’s smirk returned. “Oh? So, we’re playing the name game now? Fine, let me show you mine.”
He closes the distance and grabs Uriel’s arm. Uriel attempted to pull his arm back, but Samael’s grip tightened.
“Samael—‘Venom of God,’” he declared. Poisonous gas erupted, filling the arena. Uriel dropped to his knees, coughing violently.
“What’s wrong, Uriel? Giving up already?”
Uriel scoffed between gasps. “Like hell, I will.”
His soul ignited in flames, burning away the toxic air.
Samael’s grin twisted into something darker. For the first time in his adult life, he felt fear toward an opponent—and he relished it. Refusing to hold back, he closes the distance and their battle resumes. Each of Uriel’s strikes charred Samael’s flesh, while every blow Samael landed corroded Uriel’s skin. They fought fiercely until Samael started evading at the last second, narrowly dodging each of Uriel’s punches while countering with brutal precision.
Samael pressed his advantage, pummelling Uriel with his left fist while charging [Infinity Punch] in his right. When Uriel’s vision blurred from the lingering poison, Samael struck with full force. But in a shocking turn, Uriel deflected it.
What? I saw my victory with this punch! Samael’s mind reeled.
The brief moment of shock was all Uriel needed. He drove a devastating punch into Samael’s chest, blasting a hole through him and sending him crashing through the wall.
The arena fell silent. The archangels watched in disbelief as Samael, who had been dominating moments ago, now lay unconscious on the ground.
“I thought Uriel had a chance, but not after Samael went all out…” Michael muttered, eyes wide. “Is Uriel now the strongest archangel?”
“I can’t believe it… Big Brother lost? Impossible,” Ariel whispered.
“Samael! Get up!” Azrael roared.
“Don’t waste your breath. He’s out col—” Uriel’s words cut off as Samael stood, battered but unwavering.
“How are you even standing? That punch should have sent you straight to the medical bay!” Uriel demanded.
“I refuse to lose to you, weakling,” Samael growled.
Uriel laughed. “Bold words from someone with a gaping wound—Hold on, what?! How did you heal so fast?”
“I told you before,” Samael said, swaying slightly but still defiant.
Uriel narrowed his eyes. “Ah, the mixture of [Job] and [Numbers]... Impressive. But it doesn’t change the fact that you’re going to lose.”
“Hmph. Just because you can interfere with my foresight using [Acts: Manipulator] doesn’t mean anything.”
“So, you realized… I thought I was being slick. Knowing it won’t help you.” Uriel cracked his knuckles, taking his stance.
Samael’s energy shifted. “Then allow me to show you my true power. Ocular Seal—Release.”
His eyes darkened to a deep gold, a divine symbol forming within them—a perfect circle with a cross at its centre, intersected by two diagonal lines.
The archangels felt nostalgic like they had felt this energy before, they couldn’t quite place it.
Michael’s eyes widened in realization. That’s the same power he used against Azazel... but what exactly does it do?
Uriel smirked. “Changing your eye colour won’t—” His sentence ended abruptly as Samael effortlessly dodged his attacks.
“What?! I’m altering the future, but he’s still evading! Impossible!” Uriel unleashed a flurry of strikes, but Samael bobbed and weaved through them with ease.
“Damn you!!” Uriel roared, throwing an [Infinity Punch], only for Samael to counter with a precise palm strike to his chest. Uriel crashed to the ground, staring up in shock.
Metatron stepped into the arena, his gaze sharp. “Samael is taking this seriously now.”
Ariel frowned. “What do you mean, Lord Metatron?”
Instead of answering immediately, Metatron studied the archangels. “Tell me—what do you understand by omniscience?”
Azrael responded first. “It means seeing the past, present, and future.”
Metatron exhaled. “Not quite. True omniscience is more than sight. It’s knowing everything.”
The weight of his words settled over them.
Azrael’s voice was tight. “What does that have to do with Samael?”
Metatron’s expression darkened. “He has it.”
A stunned silence followed. The archangels exchanged uneasy glances—Metatron could not lie.
“That’s… impossible,” Jophiel breathed.
Michael’s jaw clenched. “If that’s true, it explains why [Acts: Manipulator] failed. Samael isn’t just predicting the future—he’s choosing it. Every battle, every move… he already knows the best outcome.” His voice dropped. “How do we fight that?”
Michael’s words send shivers down their spines.
“Uriel, is that all you’ve got?” Samael mocked.
Uriel clenched his fists. “I’m just getting started.”
He launched himself at Samael, faster than before, but Samael evaded each attack effortlessly. With a precise strike to the same spot, he dropped Uriel again.
“Victory is no longer a possibility for you,” Samael declared, his gaze piercing. “All that awaits you is utter defeat.”
No matter how fast I move, I can’t land a hit… I refuse to lose! Uriel forced himself to stand.
Samael moved first.
The instant his strike landed, Uriel crumpled to his knees, gasping. It felt as if he had been struck from every direction at once.
A stunned silence followed.
Michael found his voice first. “What… just happened?”
Metatron let out a low chuckle. “How ruthless.”
Michael turned to him. “Teacher, do you know?”
Metatron’s gaze remained fixed on Samael. “He used [Genesis] to create futures where each strike landed perfectly—Uriel experienced them all at once.”
Ariel swallowed hard. “That speed… he’s targeting pressure points with absolute precision.”
Uriel smirked through his pain. “I’ve figured it out. And I’ve learned how to use these eyes of yours.”
Samael’s expression remained cold. “That’s… probable.”
“Of course, you knew. Enough talk—it’s time to end this.”
Uriel released his ocular seal, activating his omniscience.
“How is he doing this?” Jophiel asked, stunned.
“The only way to use Samael’s grace is to be Samael. As such Uriel adapted to use his abilities.” Michael answered grimly.
“That is...unheard of. Does that mean they’re equals?” Jophiel pressed.
“In power and skill, yes,” Michael admitted. “But in experience? Not even close.”
Uriel, now able to match Samael’s movements, fought on equal footing. He forged weapons using [Genesis], enhancing them with [Numbers], increasing their potency and numbers, and unleashing them upon Samael.
Samael countered with [Genesis X Jobs X Numbers: Cascading Absolute Shields], effortlessly deflecting the barrage.
Uriel, refusing to relent, infused his weapons with [Romans: Almighty Bomb], causing them to explode on impact. Smoke engulfed Samael’s position, but he emerged unscathed, absorbing the energy with [Chronicles: Divine Absorption] and he deflected the excess energy.
Uriel attempted to mimic Samael’s technique but collapsed in agony, his soul and spirit overwhelmed by the pain.
He had reached his limit.
As he attempts to stand, he clutches his head as pain surges through his skull.
“You feel it, don’t you?” Samael said his tone calm as he walked toward him. “The agony in your brain, screaming in protest. You were a fool to challenge me with powers I’ve mastered my entire life.”
Uriel gritted his teeth, forcing himself to stand. “I will not lose!”
Samael sighed. “I don’t want to win on a technicality. I’ll defeat you fair and square.” He stretched out his hand, healing Uriel’s injuries.
Uriel exhaled sharply. “Thank you, master—but you lose.” He pushed off the ground and unleashed a [Infinity Jab] straight into Samael’s chest. The moment his fist connected, Uriel felt an indescribable joy—deep down, he had never truly believed he could defeat his master, but now he was about to.
But it was wishful thinking.
When he opened his eyes, he was no longer in battle. He laid in the medical bay and Jophiel was reading a book beside him.
“What… happened?” he muttered.
Jophiel glanced up. “Oh, you’re finally awake. Lost some memory, huh? Interesting… Didn’t think you got hit that hard. Anyway, to answer your question—Samael beat you.”
“What? No… I landed a clean hit on him.”
“You did,” she admitted. “But when you struck, he absorbed the attack and countered—hit you in the sternum and knocked you out cold. It was brutal.”
“But… I saw myself winning.”
Jophiel shrugged. “I don’t know. Ask Samael.” She closed her book and walked out of the room.
As she moved through the hallways, she crossed paths with Michael.
“Is he awake yet?” he asked.
“Yeah, but he’s confused and can’t remember what happened.”
Michael exhaled sharply. “As expected, he thought omniscience came without a price. That amount of knowledge would fry anyone’s mind.”
“But Samael healed him—”
“He did, but Uriel pushed his abilities beyond their limit. That’s why his mind is scrambled.”
Jophiel frowned. “Why fight so hard against an unwinnable opponent? It seems foolish.”
Michael’s expression darkened. “Shut up.” His voice was sharp, filled with anger. “I don’t expect someone like you to understand.”
Jophiel recoiled as Michael continued, his words laced with disdain.
“Fighting when there’s no hope is the mark of a true Archangel. Something you will never be. If, after aeons, you still don’t understand that… you should quit before you die.”
He walked away, leaving Jophiel frozen in place. The weight of his words crushed her, and she collapsed to the ground, sobbing.
Then the realization hit her.
If Michael thinks that… then they all do.
The Archangels had treated her differently ever since Samael nearly died protecting her.
“Damn it,” she muttered, wiping her tears. “I have to train. Harder than ever.”
After Michael explained what had happened, Uriel only laughed. “Then I’ll train harder… and next time, I’ll win.”
The other Archangels, including Samael, congratulated Uriel on his battle—everyone except Jophiel. Not that they cared. Like Michael, they saw her as a burden.
Determined, Jophiel threw herself into relentless training. She remembered what it took to become an Archangel and pushed herself beyond those limits. When the others trained, she trained harder. When they rested, she kept going. Aeons passed, and she never stopped.
One day, as she pushed herself to the brink, a familiar voice echoed through the training chamber.
“Of course, it’s you,” she said without turning. “None of my so-called siblings showed up. Figures. They still think I don’t belong.”
Darriel, her loyal underling, sighed. “Master, you’ve been training non-stop for aeons. You need to rest.”
“I’ll rest when I’m strong enough for them to acknowledge me.”
A familiar voice replied, “You should ask for help. That’s why we’re a team.”
Dariel looked in shock, “Master Uriel.” He stood at attention.
“At ease,” Uriel commanded.
“Oh, now you show up?” she scoffed. “I’ve been gone for aeons—did you forget about me?”
Uriel chuckled. “I thought you needed space. I know how it feels… to be unwanted.”
“Ah, yes. Samael. What a terrible master you have.”
Uriel shook his head. “Not exactly. Think about it. If Michael hadn’t said what he did, would you have trained this hard? No. Because criticism makes us stronger.”
Jophiel hated to admit it, but he was right.
“…Fine. I guess you have a point.”
Uriel smiled. “Then let me help you. I swear, no one will ever look down on you again.”
“Hmph. I’ll take you up on that offer.”
“We have to be quick though we are picking the next angel generals soon.”
After training for aeons, Uriel and Jophiel cleaned up themselves and came for ‘The Trial’.
Uriel and Jophiel entered the grand hall, where the Archangels and angel generals awaited them. Seated above, the high-ranking angels watched in silence, anticipating the commencement of The Trial.
“Finally decided to grace us with your presence?” Samael asked, visibly irritated.
“It took some effort to get Lady Jophiel out of the training room,” Uriel replied with an awkward grin.
Azrael scoffed. “We should replace her with someone more competent.”
Jophiel flexed her aura. The surge of power sent shockwaves through the hall. Every Archangel, except Samael and Uriel, looked on in shock.
Samael chuckled. “Impressive… but you still have room for improvement.”
Jophiel scoffed. “Of course, you’d say that.”
Her words caught Samael off guard.
Before he could respond, she continued.
“No matter what we do, it’s never enough for you. To you, we’re all inferior, aren’t we?”
Michael sighed. “Jophiel, let it go.”
“Yes,” Samael said without hesitation. “You are inferior to me.”
A heavy silence fell over the room. The Archangels glared at him. Jophiel’s eyes filled with tears.
“Really, master?” Uriel growled, stepping forward. “Why would you say that?”
The gathered generals murmured among themselves.
Samael remained unfazed. “Sit down, boy. Let me finish.” His tone was firm.
“You’re inferior because you focus only on your strengths, never your weaknesses. If I relied only on strength, a faster opponent could defeat me. If I relied only on speed, someone stronger would crush me.
“To be the strongest, you must train for everything—not just your strengths. That is what separates me from you. And that goes for all of you—Archangels and generals alike.”
The anger in the room faded. Samael’s words struck deep.
Ariel exhaled. “How can we ever stay mad at you, brother?”
Jophiel wiped her eyes. “Hmph. Nice save, I guess.”
Gabriel smirked. “Would’ve been hilarious if he didn’t say anything else.”
Jophiel rolled her eyes and took her seat.
Michael cleared his throat. “Can we start the trial now?”
Remembering the sight of Samael in pain and his bone-chilling screams of agony, Azrael scowled. “Why is that failure still here? She belongs with her servant.”
Uriel clenched his fists. “Stop insulting her.” His aura flared in frustration.
Azrael laughed. “What, do you think fighting Samael makes you stronger than me? Come on, replacement—let’s dance.”
Uriel stepped forward, eyes blazing. “Why you—”
<
Both Archangels reluctantly backed down, to the generals’ surprise.
Samael turned his attention to the candidates.
“Step forward.”
Fourteen angels obeyed.
“These are the warriors who will undergo ‘The Trial’.” Samael’s gaze was sharp.
“Take your positions.”
The candidates moved into place.
Samael raised his hand.
“…Begin.”