Four figures remained stuck in limbo between the Severed World and Grand Heavens Boundary.
They were moving, but not nearly fast enough to reach their destination any time soon.
This strange stage was not a problem, but a boon for the group.
Because right now, they were being transformed.
The bodies they inhabited overlapped with the bodies they possessed before entering the Severed World's restriction.
The strengths of both forms interlapped, while the weaknesses canceled each other out.
They were experiencing the true gains they made in the Severed World.
The effects were extremely pronounced on all of them.
For Ruyue and Elena, who gained great affinity with their Laws, being exposed to the complete laws of the true universe was a cathartic experience.
It was as if they could do anything they wanted as long as they willed it.
They were the controllers of their own fates, beings who couldn't be compared to the norm.
As for Rose, reality felt more tangible.
The so-called "fabric" of reality manifested itself more literally. She could feel its coarse threads wrapping around her body, and just barely, she felt like she could influence their behavior.
To seize control over reality itself, this was the nature of the path she chose.
Naturally, she felt the grandness of her ambition in this moment.
Yet, regardless of what they experienced, it couldn't match a tenth of what was happening to Damien.
The phenomenon was caused by a combination of many factors.
The Blessing of Foundation, his newfound comprehension of Universal Law, and much more coalesced into an almost orgasmic feeling of euphoria.
If it had to be described, Damien always felt too small for his body.
He felt like his mind and soul couldn't fill out the frame of the body he built, contained within a portion of its boundaries.
Now, he not only filled out his frame, he felt like he could act outside its influence.
It was simply impossible to truly put it into words.
Damien Void finally felt like Damien Void.
He finally felt like the Bearer of the Void Physique.
He finally felt like the heir of Void Palace.
The transformation happened in an infinitely long instant, and in the next, the four arrived back in their home universe.
The girls slowly opened their eyes and looked down at their hands, cherishing the feeling that was now passing.
And Damien…
Flash!
His body was covered in bright light that diminished in a single second. The aura completely withdrawn in his body flared out more powerfully than ever.
He leapt to the third revolution of extreme peak 4th class right then and there.
"Huh?!"
His eyes shot open as he exclaimed in astonishment.
He just came back to his senses, and something so nonsensical was already happening?
'…ah, on second thought…isn't it totally normal?'
The point of the nine revolutions was to define one's existence and build one's Legend.
It was an unofficial stage because it was completely outside the system's interference, a step every practitioner had to make on their own.
In reality, a nine revolutions master was still an extreme peak 4th class practitioner.
The power they were exerting wasn't part of a new stage, but an extension of the past one.
Therefore, there was no way to tell when one would rank up.
As long as one kept building their Legend and striving for the absolute peak of what they could do, one would eventually rank up naturally.
Yet, it usually took a great deal of time to stack up achievements that could make a significant impact on one's Legend.
It normally took several hundred or even thousands of years.
The current situation, however, was anything but normal.
Disregarding Damien's disgustingly infinite potential, the actions he was taking were always extreme due to the apocalyptic state of the universe that he saw.
And especially this time in the Severed World, not only did he subordinate a Demigod, he achieved the wholeness one could only desperately wish for before becoming a Supreme.
If he didn't move up at this point, the heavens were truly acting against him!
Damien closed his eyes and gathered his thoughts before reopening them.
Huu…
He let out a calm breath and finally took account of the surroundings.
They were not back on the floating continent where Orion's portal was located, but in a random portion of space in the Giant Domain.
"It's been a year, huh…"
"A year?!"
Damien muttered it to himself, but there was no way the girls wouldn't overhear.
He'd become used to massive time differences after all these years, so it didn't affect him much. He went straight into thinking about how to best use the remaining year of ceasefire.
However, the girls didn't have his experience!
None of them had been to such convoluted places where a single month equated to a year outside!
The surprise on their faces was mixed with a bit of horror at the realization. A year of time lost so easily couldn't be processed like it was normal.
Damien pulled them close comfortingly.
He spoke soft words into their ears to calm them down and help them accept the situation.
In truth, their bodies were not harmed nor did they experience any setbacks in consequence of the time dilation, but the mental impact of the fact itself was significant.
They were all powerful beings. It only took a bit of time to regain their senses.
The warmth of Damien's embrace helped a great deal too.
It would've been more fun if they had dramatic reactions to the news, but they were too old for that by now, weren't they?
'I keep forgetting that 10,000 is a normal age nowadays. Still, the earthen dream to have my life together by 40 doesn't go away easily.'
Damien smiled to himself as he let go of the girls.
"We're going back now?" Rose asked.
"Mm, it's been a long time. It's time to go home."
It was a bit much to start moving again so soon after finishing their last mission, but none of them had any complaints.
Besides, this coming trip could be considered something of a vacation.
Damien learned a lot about the universe from his seniors and personal research. He could be considered an expert on the topic.
But if it was his own origins, he still had an endless stream of unanswered questions.
It was time to go back to the Human Domain and solve some of those mysteries.
And perhaps…
'Ah, I'm feeling nostalgic.'
…perhaps it was time to revisit some old friends and demons.
The girls entered the Sanctuary using their engagement rings and entered Theavel to explore for a few days.
And Damien's body disappeared, traveling millions of kilometers in an instant.
He grinned to himself, the spatial layers brushing against his face like wind.
The freeing feeling of teleportation he missed so dearly was back, not just in the Severed World, but in reality.
He hadn't done anything yet, but it was clear as day in his mind.
Anything he wanted to do, he could achieve it.
The doubts that clouded his mind in the dream world, the convictions he built to destroy them…
Everything felt validated in this moment.
