Damien told Malak he wanted to have a talk with the Prismatic Sun Holy Master, but it ended up as a small exchange of words, as that was all that could take place before her avatar dispersed.
It couldn't be helped. With the way she was fighting, it was already surprising that she was able to stay present in the current situation for so long.
Pandora's body definitely sustained damage due to her overstaying, but luckily it wasn't too bad.
Once she left, Pandora directly collapsed, and Damien caught her, casting [Heal] immediately to solve her injuries.
'Prismatic Sun Holy Master…what an unfathomable person.' Damien thought to himself as he healed Pandora.
They'd only spoken a few words of greeting at most, with the Holy Master telling him she looked forward to his presence after the Grand Assembly, referring to the so-called ceremony, but there was something about her gaze…
'It was almost like she knew me.'
It was the kind of gaze that made one shudder. The Prismatic Sun Holy Master was like the physical manifestation of the concept known as "the unknown."
Nevertheless, with her gone, it could be said that the situation truly came to a close.
'And I can't avoid this ceremony nonsense. I'll have to meet the Holy Master in person if I want to talk to her about the more important topics.'
Damien heaved Pandora over his shoulder, allowing her to rest for a bit as he carried her back to the surface.
As for Malak and his group…
It was best to say they died, for their existence wouldn't be seen in the Real Plane again for a very long time.
This Nox attack, while short, opened Damien's world to a variety of new possibilities.
And more than anything else, it placed a sense of urgency in the hearts of all those present.
The Grand Assembly was sure to change in the coming days.
***
It wasn't suspenseful once Hassan's influence died down.
Experts flooded Holy Light Star once its anomaly was understood and aided their pupils in eliminating the threats that were too hard for them to handle.
Meanwhile, the rest of the Nox Worshippers were essentially funneled and caged so they could become practice dummies for the geniuses, providing them with real combat experience and giving them the chance to face the power of the Nox head first.
While those who needed this training took the opportunity, people like Su Ren, most of the Holy Land geniuses, and the Human Domain group made their way out of the secret realm instead.
They didn't need this opportunity and allowed their weaker counterparts to utilize it in full while they rested their bodies and digested their gains from the mystic realm.
At this time, with everything settling down, Luciel made an important announcement.
The universal conference that was set to take place around a week later would be moved up. In three days, the Grand Assembly would begin moving towards its originally intended purpose.
In the wake of this, the forces that had yet to arrive at Luxurion made haste, and one by one, they touched down on its grounds.
Blood Asura Holy Land finally made its appearance, with Immortal Blood Asura bringing some of his strongest elders as well as a few of his sons with him in an incredibly powerful lineup.
Following their group were the Golden Dragon Clan, Supreme Soul Palace, Blacksmith Association, Heaven's Army Officials, and many more.
The largest players in the universe finally gathered in full, and while the experts among them took the three days before the conference to network and form alliances, the geniuses had other plans.
For those who didn't have Damien or Su Ren's power level, the Holy Light Star was an eye-opening experience that taught them the insignificance of their existence.
They were motivated to train even harder, and Luxurion's training facilities became extremely crowded, with the arenas being the most visited place.
Among these geniuses was Atticus. After his altercation with Damien at the beginning of the convention, he hadn't been himself. He cruised by in Holy Light Star and only made some minor achievements, laying low in the background for the rest of the time.
And now that he was back, he was finally able to start getting back on his feet again, following Damien's advice to get rid of the stubborn insecurity within him.
It was in this environment that Damien brought Pandora out of the mystic realm.
He had made sure to cover her exposed skin with some nondescript robes he had laying around in the Sanctuary to protect her dignity, and without spending too much time on her, he dropped her off with the Prismatic Sun Holy Land group and left them to their own devices.
Damien mindlessly wandered the halls as he submerged himself in thought.
This time, his concerns weren't so grand and far-reaching.
'Blood Asura Holy Land…'
Their arrival time was suspicious on its own, but Damien remembered what he'd heard from Elena during their brief reunion in the secret realm.
She had been targeted by several beings who tried to kill her, following a bounty set on her and Damien's heads.
This wasn't too surprising considering how Damien had been moving, but the fact of the matter was that these forces had a method to circumvent the realm laws.
With his new knowledge of Hassan and Holy Light Star, Damien would be brainless if he didn't become suspicious about Immortal Blood Asura.
'His son succumbed to Nox's temptation quite easily, and he seems like the type of guy to do anything for power. I wouldn't be surprised if he has some connection to them.' He thought solemnly.
'I need to be even more careful until the assembly ends. I can't allow any opportunities to that man.'
Damien sighed. The universe was riddled with too many internal scourges. If this was their definition of unity, was victory ever a possibility?
'I should start making my own plans. The Sanctuary's army needs to be grown with intention, and I can use Malak to study the Nox and finally get a true understanding of how they function.'
The opportunity to dissect a Nox was impossible to come across due to their nature of turning into ink when they died.
Now that Damien had a live subject in his control, there was no way he'd waste the chance.
'No, I shouldn't think about it like that. That's a High Commander, after all. If I treat him properly, I'll gain an invaluable asset on the battlefield.'
Damien smiled wryly as he thought about just how unorthodox the forces under him were, but he shrugged it off.
What was the problem with it?
In all honesty, he actually liked this hodgepodge group filled with talents from all walks of life far better than an organization like Heaven's Army.
"Hm?"
Damien suddenly looked up, broken out of his thoughts.
Before he realized it, his aimless wandering had led him to Elena's room.
With a small smile on his face, he knocked on the door.
And at that very moment…
Thump!
Something in his heart spiked.
Beyond that door…
He could sense their presence.
The presence of not one woman, but three.
