Two years of constant battle.
That's what Damien would've liked to call it, but it was more like two years of running around looking for people to kill, with a few interludes of actually killing them.
Though, that was just in his perception.
In two years, Damien slaughtered hundreds of Demigods. With the current numbers dwindling, that wasn't just "a few interludes," was it?
As he gained prominence on the battlefield and learned more about what happened in the time he was gone, he moved in accordance to his will and took out several great threats that the allied forces were wary of.
'They gave me so many titles because of that. God Killer, Divine Reaper…basically, they call me any and all things to say they're scared without actually saying they're scared.'
Their fear was granted. It was impossible for Damien to hide his league from their eyes, so the fact that he was a lower existence that could slaughter Demigods had spread far and wide.
His existence defied the basic rule that all of these Demigods enjoyed: the fact that they were qualitatively better than any lower existence.
That very fact was why most of them decided to stay in the lower universe. Since it was no longer absolute fact, how could they not be worried?
However, Damien simply didn't care.
Their feelings had nothing to do with his goal.
'Plus, those guys who are actually scared right now are cowards who don't matter.'
They weren't like Iris, who refused ascension due to personal trauma, or Alucard, who did so because he wanted to foster the next generation.
They were just cowards who were unwilling to be at the bottom of the barrel again.
'Which is even stupider. Demigods will be Demigods no matter where they are. Do they think everyone in the Heavenly World is born a Divinity, or are they just that insecure about their talent?'
Damien shrugged it off. It wasn't his problem, anyway. He always planned to ascend, though, nowadays he realized he'd have to set it off for later than he originally plotted.
'Doesn't matter anyway. Even if I go back to the lower universe, I have a way to get to the Heavenly World.'
He almost forgot about it because of how subtle the memory became with time, but once his rise to Divinity got closer, it popped back into his mind.
The Celestial Realm on Death Emperor Star.
That was the place where he first met his father, and back then, the entire realm was granted to him as his territory.
The fact that his father could leave a hologram there meant that realm had some kind of connection to the Heavenly World.
As long as he could use it properly, he was confident in finding his way there even if the path of ascension was closed off to him.
'But that's a matter for another time.'
The Ancient Battlefield's progression wasn't completely unrelated to him. Of those Demigods who died, there were several he knew or knew of.
Such as the 12 Zodiacs of Hidden Death Valley.
'I heard half of them died, and the rest only survived due to luck.'
Aside from them, someone he hadn't met in person but had ties to also passed.
The so-called Plant Goddess of Eden.
'They say her lover, a demon named Arturo, sacrificed himself for her survival, but she couldn't accept it and combusted her soul to get vengeance on those that caused their tragic fate.'
It was a true shame.
'And the worst part…they couldn't even touch the main enemy.'
Something not publicized, but inferred by Damien.
For two Demigods to die in such a tragic way, two as strong as them, there was only one reason he could think of.
'They were manipulated by the Karmic Emperor.'
He was paying serious attention to that issue for precisely this reason.
'He must've gotten much stronger to do something like that. I need to hurry.'
Frankly, Damien hadn't made much progress.
He'd gained a lot more power, but power was relatively irrelevant at this point.
'I need to find the path to Destruction. That's the key.'
He was searching for it through slaughter and destruction.
It was a bit stupid, but funnily enough, there was no better method.
'I guess I just have to keep going until I find it.'
Damien sighed.
At least he was having fun.
The Demonic Providences of the Nox Race were each unique. Even the ones that held similarities had different conditions of use. Damien was having fun experiencing them all as he fought, so he didn't mind the amount of effort he had to expend.
'Maybe I should– hm?'
It wasn't the first time Damien sensed something interesting on the horizon and it wouldn't be the last.
Without hesitation, he moved towards it.
Battle was ongoing.
Naturally, it was his place to interfere!
***
There were two people fighting against six. Their disparage was severe, much worse than when Damien and Iris fought earlier.
After all, these two were not supreme geniuses.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
Explosions went wild through the environment. The battle was already coming to an end, but the outcome wasn't favorable in the slightest.
Two Demigods on the enemy side had been killed, bringing their total number down to four, but the two on the allied side were at the end of their rope as well.
There was too much going on around them.
They were caught unprepared by this massive group. They were fated to die from the start.
But they refused.
The man of the two furrowed his brows.
'This cannot go on. Even if I die, she must survive.'
If there was a silver lining, it was their distribution. The two of them had their backs facing a mountain. They weren't surrounded, but facing four from the same side.
That left a path for escape.
BANG!
"ARGH!"
The man groaned in pain as his side was run through with a spear.
He stood in front of his woman nonetheless, disallowing any attacks from reaching her.
"GO!" He roared.
"No! I will not leave you here!" She yelled back, flaring her mana to return to battle.
However, he was more stubborn than her.
Despite how reserved he usually was, in times like this, his stubbornness couldn't be outdone.
He turned his back to the enemy.
"Ran, I will not let you die here."
"Di…"
Ran muttered, tears forming in her eyes.
But it was too late. He was already smiling so warmly.
BOOOOOOOM!
His mana roared.
With a massive burst of Divine Energy, he attacked her with a gentle force, throwing her several thousand kilometers away before she could complain.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
At the same time, tens of attacks landed on his back, tearing through his flesh and bones.
"Khhh…!"
He gritted his teeth and turned back to them.
"I know you're eager, but now is not the time. Instead of chasing her, how about staying here with me?"
"DI, NO!"
Ran yelled out from the distance. She was already rushing back with all her power, but could she get there within the second?
The answer was a flat "no."
Di made sure of it.
Before his enemies could realize his movements and retreat, he took the same action as many heroes had before him.
He exploded his mana.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOM!
"DI…!"
Ran screamed out as she was thrown back by the shockwaves.
The enemies were wrapped in his energy and incinerated into nothingness.
And a figure arrived above them with a frown on his face.
'Dammit. I'm too late…'
Damien sighed to himself.
He couldn't stop Di from dying, but he came in time to deal with the aftermath.
'Another friend has left this world…'
'I promise. I will never let your sacrifice go in vain.'
