The shock of the situation was definitely long-lasting.
As the minutes passed, Iris' barrage of questions became fiercer and fiercer.
She was adamant in finding out just why the benefactor of their sect made such an unorthodox decision.
She couldn't ask Damien, because from his reaction, even he had no idea what was going on.
So she could only try her best to get a single word out of the stubborn Primal Sovereign who'd transformed himself into a man.
Contrary to her confusion, the situation was being explained in full to Damien through mental transmission.
The reason was simple.
It was a matter of the Void.
"The Void is an entity surpassing anything we, as primordial beings, can comprehend, despite our status. Therefore, it has always been a subject of controversy among our race."
"Some, like the youngling you met, crave it for themselves, some abhor it and deny its existence, while some others worship it as their ancestor."
"I am part of the last category. I have always sought the Void for myself, but not out of a place of desire, but one of faith. I wish to become closer to the Great Ancestor, and following you is the only path I've found to do so in my aeons of existence."
It was a reason not too complicated yet entirely justified.
Damien also chased the Void with everything he had. The reason he came to meet the 2nd Primal Sovereign in the first place; wasn't it the exact same?
The only difference was their motivation.
Damien entertained conversation with the beast to try and understand him better. The two of them practically forgot about Iris' presence as they went in-depth on what they knew about their common goal.
'I can't understand the emotional complexity of a being as old as the universe, so I can't understand the foundation of his faith. But…I can only feel sincerity from him.'
Damien considered himself quite good at judging people, and the 2nd Primal Sovereign gave him the feeling of a reliable ally.
'But because he's following the Void instead of me, he won't listen to orders absolutely. Is this something like gaining a Demigod protector…? Is there any use in that?'
The restrictions on Divinities in the lower universe, likely the rule it directed most of its energy towards, practically dispersed all the fighting power a Demigod could possess.
Unless they were battling someone of their same caliber or attacking the environment itself, their interference usually happened either from the back lines or through an Avatar.
'I won't attract trouble from a Demigod outside the bounds of what I can deal with myself unless I have another Demigod by my side. It's actually worse for me to keep him close right now.'
If he wanted to move freely, he needed to get rid of this new subordinate!
"I'm sure you understand my reasoning," Damien said through transmission, explaining his thoughts to the man.
"Help the universe first, and come to me when it's time to explore the Abyss. I don't think you want to abandon your wife's influence either, right?"
"Hmm…"
The Primal Sovereign took a moment to consider it with a frown.
"When are you planning to leave?" He asked.
"I have a fated battle of sorts in the near future. Once that's over, we'll set out immediately."
The Primal Sovereign's eyes narrowed, but he nodded in understanding.
"Very well, then we will do as such."
"Good, now you should probably deal with her before she kills us."
"Must I?"
"That's your descendant, after all."
"Haa…"
Damien smirked and turned away.
"I'll head out now. I have some people I want to see," he said out loud.
"Do you think you can leave so easily?!"
Iris' frustrated voice boomed in his ears.
Damien winced slightly and glanced at her with a wry expression.
"Figure that out with him. Don't worry, he's willing to talk now."
Iris turned her eyes to the Primal Sovereign, who nodded somewhat unwillingly.
"Your women are not in the Severed World right now. I will send you to them," he sighed.
Damien grinned.
"Then, I'll accept your help."
"You are a cruel man."
"Haha, I am who I am."
The Primal Sovereign shook his head and put his hand out, calling forth the mana of the world.
As Damien felt himself leaving the realm, he suddenly remembered something crucial.
"Ah, what's your name?"
It was difficult to just keep calling him 2nd Primal Sovereign, after all.
The Primal Sovereign who fell in love with a human, a unique existence among his kind.
Perhaps he was the only one who had something like a name.
His eyes widened.
"My name…?"
It was something he'd forgotten a long time ago. Back then, when she died, he died with her.
The name that carried the vestiges of their love, the name she gave him…
…was it finally time to revive its spark?
He looked up with a warm smile.
'Change is indeed inevitable.'
"You may call me Orion," he said.
"Orion…Luminus."
Damien's lips curved up.
"Alright then, Orion. I look forward to our next meeting."
"As do I."
Damien glanced at Iris with a smile and gave her a little wave goodbye, just in time for the spatial fluctuations to sweep him away.
What else happened in the dream world…
…well, for the first time in countless years, Orion Luminus was going to experience the nagging of a furious woman…
…and from the mouth of his own descendant, at that!
***
Damien was transported directly to the hidden dimension Rose and the rest were transferred when he first met the Pegasus.
'This guy….I guess he was serious about studying Universal Law.'
Just how many pocket dimensions did he develop into independent worlds in his research?
Damien was almost jealous of his body for holding such unique properties that even he couldn't replicate.
'And…'
Damien sent his awareness into the world, and it didn't take long to find the girls.
They weren't together, but all of them were working hard.
In fact, they were so absorbed in their training that they didn't even realize his presence!
'Haha, everyone's motivated, huh?' Damien thought to himself with a smile.
'Then…shall I also get to work?'
In his spiritual world was a stream of weak-looking mana, the same stream Orion showed him near the beginning of their conversation.
'The first step to the plan, "Fuck It, We Ball": becoming strong enough to confidently say, "Fuck it, we ball."'
He sat down and took a meditative posture, prodding the mana in his mind.
'The second I open it, I'm going to lose track of reality.' He thought to himself.
'I really hope I wake up in time.'
He smiled wryly and stopped wasting time.
His mana completely fused with the thread, turning it into a part of him.
And his mind almost shattered from the amount of information that rapidly attached itself to his memory.
Everything went black.
A small black dot formed in Damien's spiritual world.
It was the start of something massive, something never seen before, something indescribable.
Everyone submerged themselves in thoughts of improvement and left no room for anything else.
They tortured themselves, broke themselves, and put themselves back together, uncaring of the pain they went through in the process.
In this way, another week passed.
It had been almost a month since they entered the Severed World.
