The infiltration of devils was not a small-scale surprise attack. It was a well-planned operation by Jaren Bone, the chief-strategist of the devil army. When Michael's team faced the squad of devils, all teams out there on missions to eliminate teleportation anchors faced calamity hardly leaving any survivors. Followed by that, the devils moved extremely fast to attack many different places in the rear of the Divine Sea Sect army. They aimed for key points in the fortifications where they could do maximum damage. Their attacks were lightning-fast and before the sect's army could react, they had managed to destroy the energy stations of a section of the defensive arrays. This in itself would not have been a problem as even without the array, the Hollow-Tiger Army was capable of defending a minor gap in the fortifications. But with impeccable timing, Jaren had used the star cannon to hit the place.

The power of that attack exceeded the expectations of the Divine Sea Sect's convoy. Due to having lost the array, all the power of the blast landed on the plane. The entire plane faced catastrophe with this single attack. A small section of the plane crumbled and turned to dust with an area of several ten thousand square kilometres vanishing forever. None of the living beings in the area survived including the division of Hollow Tiger army that was stationed there.

The shockwave from the attack caused a major earthquake in the entire plane. The civilian cities closest to the fortification were completely destroyed with the total number of casualties reaching in millions. The cities farther away were also hit with lesser intensity quakes. It was not a big problem for cultivators but many mortals lost their lives. A single attack had caused tens of millions of people to pay with their life. The entire plane was shifted off its place in the law ocean dislodging from the trail that joined it to Jupyter.

The military collapsed in the worst-hit regions and the devils' puppet army unleashed a terrible massacre on anyone that managed to survive.

The response from Aterna and Hollow-Tiger armies was swift as well. Soon, the dispatched soldiers from different regions arrived on the scene and managed to kill all invading devils puppets. The fortifications were rebuilt and in just 2 days, the new defence lines were completed. But this attack had completely woken up the complacent Hollow-Tiger Army. An entire division of the army was lost, a blow that they had not felt in many years. The initial shock soon turned into rage as the officers started to advocate a strike against the devils. With the power that devils had shown till now, it was estimated that there were two armies against them, one under Neon Blood and the other under Theo Black. As Neon was tied up at the trail, the officers of the Hollow-Tiger army felt that they could win and thus advocated aggressive actions. Krill Nash initially was not convinced but the information of enemy having used star cannon changed his mind. If the devils had mobilized the star cannon, their only option would be to attack and destroy the cannon. Else they would be completely out of energy and their fortifications would collapse sooner or later. Thus, the entire army began to prepare to head out and destroy the star cannon.

Michael regained his consciousness 2 days later. What welcomed him was an empty room. Opening his eyes, he first checked his condition. The injuries from the battle had healed and his energy had recovered to the peak. He could feel that he had crossed the threshold and become a rank-1 ascendant. After checking his condition, he went out of the temporary infirmary only to be greeted by a sight that left him dumbstruck. The camp was in ruins and people were working via makeshift tents. It looked like the enemy had bombed the base. Michael had a bad feeling as if something bad had happened. He immediately went over to a nearby officer and asked,

"Mam, what happened. I am Mark Strong from team #21. I remember that we were attacked by the devils' main army's squad in the last mission and I had lost my consciousness then."

"Oh, yes! You are one of the few who made it back alive. To be frank, your team was lucky that only one person died. The devils executed a covert operation two days ago and managed to damage and shut down our fortifications. Then, they used a weapon of mass-destruction to attack creating a lot of casualties among the military as well as the civilians. If you have recovered, please join us in saving the strugglers and injured civilians. We will reward you appropriate mission points for this."

"Yes, I will help. Also, is there any news from my comrades? Madeline or Mark Gregory?"

"You can take a look at the makeshift information office two tents to the left. Thanks a lot for helping us!"

Michael's heartbeat rose in nervousness and fear. How bad was the damage? He had no idea. He quickly made his way to the information office. There, he first inquired about the estimated damage. The answer sent his heart cold. He looked through the message left by Mark Gregory and Madeline, both had gone to help with the emergency relief teams. Slowly, his heart became numb. It was as if he went into a strange state where he was not registering things clearly. He travelled with the relief squad to the nearby cities.

The destruction and despair, the grieved and mournful howls of humans and other races, Michael took it all in. He went from one place to another, clearing debris, healing the severely injured, stabilizing the critical ones. The more he saw, the more his heart sank into despair.

What have I been doing all my life? Did I not struggle through torture and even came back in time to change this? Why is it still the same? Is it the fate of the plane to be destroyed? Is it fate that these innocent people have to die?

He saw many gory scenes. Somewhere, a two-year-old child was crying trying to wake her mother up. Alas, the mother was already dead. At another place, a young man howled in pain and grief. His cries carried the same pain Michael had felt many years ago when his family had been killed. The grief that rose from within him threatened to shatter him. His dao tree, built upon his confidence and nature, cracked. The reflex caused both his body and soul to be terribly injured. But Michael did not even notice this.

What is my purpose? What is it that I wanted? I wanted to protect it! Protect my home, is it too much to ask for?

I REFUSE TO ACCEPT THIS!

Terrifying rage emerged in his heart. It was the rage for his weakness, for his inability to save his people, against the devils who caused a catastrophe for his home.

Why am I still hesitating? So what if I cripple my dao? What use is potential if one can't protect one's home?

A decade ago, when Michael had started infusing his willpower into his psychic power, he had the same thoughts for his dao power as well. His willpower was already at an unimaginable realm. As long as he could tap into it, he would have gained tremendous strength. The psychic path had many methods which infused willpower into psychic power like Will Manifestation that he had obtained in the Wisdom Emperor's legacy. Thus, he was able to make very fast progress and in only 5 years, his psychic power had become extremely powerful. But Michael did not have a dao legacy. As dao was related to one's nature and was manifested in his conscient, it should technically be possible to strengthen it with willpower as well. But Michael did not know the correct method to do so. Thus, he had been trying to figure out the method on his own. But there was another option that could give him the strength instantly. Brute-force.

It might be impossible for others but Michael's unfathomable will-strength could definitely forcibly infuse itself in his dao power. But Michael had a feeling that his dao would be crippled if he truly did this. Thus, he had never considered it. But now, in his anger, he was ready to do so, if it meant that he could kill a few devils.

He forcibly infused his willpower in his dao tree. The dao-tree in this clone's conscient was much weaker than Michael's original body. Still, the forceful inclusion of willpower caused countless cracks to emerge on the tree. It should have collapsed but it did not. Michael was using his willpower to hold it together!

So that's how it is. When I do the same for the main body, it should not be difficult.

By sacrificing the dao path for this clone, Michael understood the profundity of his dao. The price to pay was also very steep. With his recovery attribute, he would indeed be able to recover this dao-tree but it would take a long long time. Mark Strong would not be able to progress in the dao path for a long time.

Its also good this way. Even if I had to sacrifice the dao path forever for this clone, it would not have mattered. I am even prepared to die this time!

The operation against the devils began quickly. The hollow-tiger army set out full force. The six hollow-tigers were moved as well. The entire army went out of the fortifications with murderous aura soaring to the heavens.

Michael as Mark Strong followed the army as well. The battlefield was an open place and the army did not stop anyone that wanted to fight.

Michael had contacted Madeline before joining the fight and to his surprise, she had been about to join the expedition as well. Michael found it odd that she did not try to stop him.

It seems that she trusts that I will be able to survive.

Michael was not really confident in surviving but it looked like Madeline was more confident in him than himself. He soon joined with Madeline as the army left the fortifications to attack the devils for the first time in the war.

Michael and Madeline were following behind the army. The law ocean seemed to shudder as the army from Divine Sea Sect let out a combined roar. Krill Nash could be seen leading the army at the very front. Soon, the army started deploying their battle formations as soldiers resonated their cultivation base with each other. Huge giants made out of energy appeared in the law ocean as it churned and a tsunami of chaotic laws emerged. The powerful giants got on top of the six hollow-tigers with lances in their hands as they rode the legendary ferocious beasts towards the main camp.

Michael was awed by the scene from myths playing in-front of him. As the six giants rode the hollow-tigers, they became the vanguard and rushed towards the camp of devils. The devils were quick to react and soon, another shot of star cannon came hurling down towards the giants. It was the first time Michael saw an attack at the peak-ascendant realm. The power of the attack was enough to shatter a world. The giant that was in the lead lept from the tiger as a shield emerged from the void in his hand. The giant slammed into the incoming attack as if with a roar that churned Michael's blood. The impact caused the laws in the vicinity to shatter and return to the void. That place seemed to become devoid of all laws in that instant, turning into a true vacuum. This was a sign of strength in the realm of divinities, although the scale was fairly small.

The giant was thrown back as it slammed into its mount and was pushed back thousands of kilometres. But the other giants kept advancing as if nothing had changed. Another shot from the cannon roared and two giants came forward this time to block the attack. Followed by that, the cannon seemed to have gone into cool-down but different long-range attacks started emerging from the defence lines of the devils. Even a stray attack of such power could kill Michael in here. But he charged forward fearlessly with the remaining army and native experts towards the devils' camp. Soon, large shields emerged from the devils' side. It was the first time devils were using shields in this war.

Alas, the shields were without a proper foundation and collapsed from the attacks of the giants in a short while. The view hidden from them emerged for the first time, the camp of devils. Millions of devils howled towards the attackers with their weapons raised. Several formation incarnations could be seen in the distance. Even further back, one could see an altar floating in the ocean carrying a mighty cannon. Beyond the altar was a majestic city that gave off an overbearing aura.

Krill's voice echoed across the army, "CHARGE!"

Then, the army from the sect invaded the devils' camp followed by other independent experts like Michael, Madeline and others.

This is the fight that I prepared for day and night after my rebirth. This is the calamity of my home and I shall face it head-on!

Michael, along with Madeline rushed into a million devils.