"Haa…haa…haa…"
Heavy breathing filled the air, but only from one side.
"You…haa…how are you fine?!"
Bai Yumo's exclamation was incredibly valid.
They'd fought for over an hour, and the final result…?
Currently, Damien sat happily at the small table he'd summoned earlier, which, by the way, was completely unharmed by their battle, and sipped his spirit liquor without a care in the world.
Meanwhile, Bai Yumo was laid out on the ground, unable to move a muscle from how sore he was, and unable to even catch his breath because he'd used every ounce of mana contained in his body.
There were several bruises covering his body, and his face was swelled up like a pufferfish, but, well, this didn't need to be mentioned for the sake of his pride.
"So what'd you think? Is this difference good enough?" Damien teased.
"Good enough? You really did get arrogant over the years. It's a shame I can't punch your face in."
"Haha, you'll always have a chance in the future if you keep training hard."
"Don't just lie. You know as well as I do that's never happening."
"Hahahaha!"
Damien laughed heartily and shrugged.
"I mean, it's always good to dream, right?"
"Tch, bastard."
Despite their banter, they were all smiles. It was a good battle, if that was even enough to describe it.
Whatever it was, this battle allowed Bai Yumo to reach the answers he'd been seeking with confidence.
"I guess it's about time for me to go," he sighed, straining himself to stand up.
"Already? I think you could use some more rest," Damien replied.
"Alright, stop rubbing it in already. I really have to go, or else news of my visit will spread. We can't have that yet, can we?"
"I guess you've finally started using your head. Should I send you back, or are you leaving on your own?"
"Ha! Send me back? You mean you'll teleport me into some random part of the Abyss again? I think I'll pass on that."
"Hey, I was just offering."
Bai Yumo shook his head wryly.
"Those grunts outside shouldn't move for another two days unless someone overwrites my control. Make good use of your free time."
"Mm, thanks for the gift. It almost makes me regret not preparing anything for you."
"Shut up, bastard. The day you give me a gift is the day I realize you've been possessed by someone's ghost."
"Hahaha, I'm not that bad, am I?"
"Do you really want an answer?"
"No. Get out of here."
"Fair enough."
Bai Yumo glanced out into the sky.
From now on, he would be moving a lot more seriously.
No, his plan of action could be considered insane.
He smiled to himself as he flew into the air to take his leave.
"Next time you see me, maybe I'll be the one you have to call Saint Emperor."
Damien smiled.
'I'm glad you've finally made up your mind.'
"Choose a better title. That one is a little lame, don't you think?"
"I agree. Only a dumbass would name himself something like that."
"Hahahaha!"
Amidst Damien's raucous laughter, Bai Yumo's figure disappeared into the horizon.
Their meeting was short, but it was more than fruitful.
'A curse…'
Damien brushed over the topic when Bai Yumo brought it up, but it was a much bigger deal than he made it out to be.
Damien figured it out not long ago. Other than personal training and hobbies, Damien had spent most of his time piecing together the memories he devoured from the Nox.
Through them, he managed to come to several conclusions, one of which was the identity of that curse.
'Though I'm not limited by its effects, even I cannot say anything out loud, lest it detect me.'
He couldn't speak of it, nor could he mention it at all, so it was hard to call it useful information, but it did confirm something.
The Nox didn't have to be the enemy.
As a denizen of the universe, it was normal to generalize the Nox and view them as targets for elimination and nothing more, but Damien never did so.
Because, honestly speaking, besides those Demigods at the top, the rest were just tools.
When did they ever act on free will?
They were sad souls plagued by their vices and incapable of free thought.
When Damien came to know of the "curse," this mindset became stronger.
Even if they had a choice, some of them might not change, but he didn't believe in making that assumption before giving them the freedom to choose.
Bai Yumo was enough of an example.
And somewhere in the universe, there was another Nox being who could barely be regarded as one anymore. He was slowly being molded into someone with free will by the woman who gave him a chance.
Damien didn't expect to save the entire Nox race.
All their Demigods had to be exterminated, at least that much was certain.
But what if Bai Yumo became their leader?
If he was able to usurp the thrones that hadn't changed hands in so long and take control of those worthy of salvation, if he could create a divide in the Nox, the war situation would improve immensely.
And more than anything…
'When "that" time finally arrives, I'll have another card in my hands.'
It wasn't like he could read the future, but as he learned more, the order of events naturally became clear to him.
There were things he didn't want to see yet couldn't prevent, and there were things he would prevent even if it cost him everything.
No matter what it was, the future was a complex web filled with "ifs," "ands," and "buts," that never allowed it trustworthy consistency.
'For another two years, my time will be stalled.'
He was more than halfway through his punishment, but it felt like he had stopped moving,
He was disconnected from the timeline, an existence that could be felt but never seen.
When the time came for him to return…
'Haha, who am I kidding? It'll be a long time before I can do that.'
He shook his head and wiped that thought from his mind.
Whatever happened would happen. For now, he just needed to grow faithfully until he reached the point he wanted to see.
'I'm already in my eighth revolution, yet my Divinity is still too vague. Bai Yumo said I've grown too much, but I don't think this is enough at all.'
The fusion of laws he'd been attempting since he finalized his Elemental comprehension was still unsuccessful to this day.
Until he was able to enact that impossible combination, he would not be able to reach Divinity no matter how far he climbed.
'But…in another sense, that isn't a bad thing.'
If Damien reached the peak of what he could achieve as a lower existence, yet was refused the right to ascension, what would happen?
He already knew the answer.
'I'll become a human who can kill Gods.'
His blood boiled just thinking about it.
'But that's a story for the future. Right now, I have a two-day vacation I want to enjoy to my heart's content.'
He summoned a variety of herbs from thin air. It wasn't hard to gather materials when he was the owner of a miniature universe of over 300,000 worlds.
'Should I try that technique this time?'
No. 101: Abyssal Nectar.
He got the inspiration for this one from Bai Yumo's visit.
'I have a good feeling this time…'
Maybe, just maybe, this would be the one to give him what he desired.
