'Status.'
[Status]
[Damien Void]
????
Male - Age 37
Level 399 - [Voidbringer] - [Celestial]
Experience value: 750,000/380,000
Title(s): [•••••••, Apostle of the Void, Evolver, Heaven's Wrath, Supreme Genius]
Affinities: Spacetime, Samsara, ????, ?????
Physique: Void Physique
Magic Power: 1000000
STR: 100000
AGI: 100000
DEF: 100000
INT: 100000
DEX: 100000
Skills: [Dimensional Magic Level Max], [Transcendent Regeneration Level Max], [Void Art Level 7], [Devour Level 9], [Dragon Transformation], [Demon Transformation], [Awareness], [Celestial Authority], [Reality Shift Level 5], [Sea God's Descendent], [Void], [Spacetime Intent], [Samsara Intent], [Void Breathing Level 2]
Trait(s): [All-Seeing Eyes Level 8], [Dragon's Breath], [Ananta Matrix], [Storm], [Void Essence], [Void Flames], [Heal], [Azure], [Law Controller]
The holographic screen appeared in the air.
"Hmm…"
Damien's reaction wasn't what he expected. He was feeling multiple conflicting emotions that couldn't outshine each other.
The first thing he saw was his age, which was a frowning matter.
'I'm getting older too fast.'
He didn't mind it, but seeing it spelled out for him did make him realize how long it had been.
It was uncomfortable how fast it passed. It barely felt like a decade, let alone two. But, his age was also a marker of his growth, so he viewed it warmly.
Second came his experience value, which made him want to laugh.
Was it a way to show his progress through the 9 revolutions, or was the system just bugging again? Either way, it was hilarious to see such an illustrious entity show something so strange.
His stats were also a laughing matter. From 10,000 to 100,000; the cap had changed but the fact that the system simply leveled all his values and forgot about them remained the same as always.
'I guess it just gave up. Well, it's for the better, anyway.'
He wouldn't want to torment this overworked system with the strangeness of his body, after all!
Nevertheless, he only glanced over the unreasonable numbers.
[Apostle of the Void] was interesting, especially since it replaced his previous [Bearer of the Void Physique] title. The reason for this change was obvious considering his recent progression in his comprehension of the entity, but once again, the system's affirmation of it was surprising.
'Does it know or does it not? Maybe it's function is more intuitive?'
If it could sense his ever-growing connection with the Void, yet it couldn't quantitatively define it.
The system became more mysterious.
Such a thing felt impossible for an entity without sentience of its own.
'What and where is it really? I want to know more than ever, but adding this one to the pile of unanswered truths I've been looking for is too much right now. I'll save it for later.'
The additional slot in his "Affinities" section was obviously Universal Law, which the system seemingly couldn't put a name on.
'Is the extra question mark a way to define it? The third affinity is something it knows but doesn't show because I haven't realized it yet. I guess this situation is the opposite.'
The feeling of one-upping the system was truly great. It contributed even more to his amusement.
The only sections left were his skills and traits.
The [Azure] trait caught his attention, but he set it aside. It was a gift from the Azure Dragon, and he was well aware that it would only show its purpose when the time was right.
'Aside from that, Dimensional Magic being maxed out is surprising…I guess I'm on the cusp of reaching the next level? Reality Shift went up because of the stuff I've been doing with time and universal forces, while the levels of Void Art and Void Breathing rose with the creation of Supernova, Elemental Wargod, and Absolute Mastery. But…'
Devour reached level 9 after he devoured those World Cores.
Devour's skill growth was never stable or linear. Damien could never tell when the skill would decide to reach the next level.
Usually, it was just a matter of the skill leveling up, but this time was different.
This time, he reached a point that was one step away from the maximum level.
'What will happen when it gets maxed out?' Damien wondered with great intrigue.
This skill was the very first source of his strength and was still the source of a majority of it.
It went through a change back when he first reached the Divine Realm that allowed him to view the memories of those he devoured.
What would the next evolution be?
'I can't even imagine it.'
He already received the physical traits and he already received memories, which were the essence of one's identity.
What else could he possibly take from his enemies?
'Sadly, this isn't one I can control. I can only wait for it to happen.'
He sighed and shrugged in acceptance before closing his status window.
'As expected, it's interesting, but it feels disconnected from me.'
He couldn't help feeling a bit melancholy at his gradual separation from the system, but it was also a matter of joy.
Didn't that mean he was becoming too strong to read?
He stood in the distorted space silently.
'There's nothing left to do.'
He almost didn't want to leave.
He tried to ignore it, but every day felt like a countdown to No Return Pass. He couldn't get rid of the uncomfortable feeling in his chest.
But, all things had to progress. No matter what feelings he held, he couldn't offset reality quite yet.
Damien spread his awareness, using the universe itself as a medium to transmit his senses leagues farther than his natural capabilities allowed.
He controlled its waves and made it follow the spatial distortion until it reached his body again.
Throughout the entire space, there were several traps set. These hidden mechanisms and restrictions had been perfected in the previous 5 year period, and after this final check, Damien was certain they wouldn't malfunction.
Huu…
He exhaled a small breath and forced himself out of his wallowing state.
It was time to start moving. For real this time.
***
Damien's mission started that very day.
He and his women boarded a starship provided by the Heavenly Clan and set off to their first destination.
Since he chose to prioritize the Divine Realm and Hephaestus, his first two destinations were natural.
At the moment, he was set on a path for Luxurion.
It was subtle, but the universe's attention was on him.
After everything that happened in the past few days, Damien's image became one of an "underdog."
He made an impossible declaration, but all possibility seemed to favor him. In a time like this when the people needed heroes more than ever, his name came to the forefront.
This attention remained in the shadows. None who rooted for him approached him as if they had a mutual agreement, and none who antagonized him did so either because they knew they would be forced into the light.
Therefore, Damien reached Luxurion and touched down without even realizing the kind of significance he now held.
Luciel met him upon entry and led him out of the Sky Castle, into the starry sky that surrounded it.
There, just a few hundred meters away, a plot of land roughly the size of a small city was present.
"This is new," Damien commented.
"Of course. We had to make space just for this," Luciel responded matter-of-factly.
Damien chuckled a bit as they landed on flat ground.
"If you're going to such extents, I guess I should deliver as well."
"That's all we can hope for."
The duo looked across the land with different thoughts in their minds.
While Luciel was naturally concerned for this young talent, Damien's focus was centered.
'It's my first time testing this in reality. Let's see how it goes.'
