That single strike told Damien a lot of things.
Mostly about the Dark God's strength.
Without a doubt, that man was too strong for Damien to face, but that didn't mean anything to him.
He stepped off the surface of the True Void World and into the cosmos beyond.
He swam through space and time, covering great distances with ease as he approached the Dark God.
It only took him a few minutes to reach the black hole.
[You have come.]
That voice rumbled through space. Damien's eyes narrowed as he felt the fluctuations contained within. They were familiar, but at the same time, incredibly different.
[Did you think yourself ready to come here?]
"Not in the slightest," Damien responded honestly.
The voice was still touching his soul, making him feel more than just uncomfortable. Still, Damien didn't show fear in front of this enemy.
He couldn't see the Dark God. He couldn't see anything beyond the massive cluster of energy that was disguising itself as a black hole.
That energy, and the voice projected through it, was the impression Damien had of the Dark God.
It was all dark, malevolent, and filled with violence. There was a feeling as if this being represented all of the hostility that existed in the world.
But more than that, Damien didn't feel anything.
'I know he's strong.'
It would be stupid to think otherwise. This was a man who could disperse an attack as strong as that explosion with ease that Damien could never replicate.
And he was familiar. There was never anyone else who felt this familiar.
'Existence, and…something more.'
As Damien looked into that darkness, he realized that he and this being were treading the same path.
Just, their progress was at two exceedingly different levels.
[Why have you come?]
The Dark God spoke again, continuing what he was saying before.
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "64ce79d606107d003c23ea27", id: "pf-5140-1"})'But it's strange.'
Why did it seem like he didn't want them to meet right now? The Dark God…shouldn't he have been reveling in the chance to kill the anomaly that was blocking him from complete victory?
His emotions were unreadable, but Damien felt like the Dark God was completely different from his subjects.
'...and I don't know if that's a compliment.'
"You ask me why I'm here as if I have the answer. I just got curious, so I came."
[And you believed I would entertain you?]
"I did."
The fact that they had gotten this far was already enough proof.
The Dark God couldn't converse with people. Anyone who came as close as Damien would've been disintegrated already, while those who stood far enough to survive would die if they heard his voice directly.
Damien had Existence just as the Dark God did. He was able to meld into the aura that killed others and protect himself against the voice.
For the first time in a long time, there was someone the Dark God could talk to.
However, he was an enemy.
[You are a confident anomaly. None have ever dared to test my patience like this.]
"Have any ever dared to kill all of your followers?"
[Many. None of them still live.]
Arrogance.
It was a word that could be used to describe a lot of Damien's enemies, but none of them had it like the Dark God.
This was a man beyond Damien's scope of understanding. He was someone who'd traveled countless cosmos and conquered them, reigning over a number of beings that was simply uncountable.
That was why he was called the Dark God in a world where "Godhood" was no more than a milestone every practitioner aimed to reach.
He was the closest thing this world had to a true God.
[Are you curious?]
Damien already said he was, but he decided not to point that out.
[You are a fledgling, aiming to become like me. However, are you aware of anything? Will you be able to do it? And if you do…can you reach "that" step?]
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "64cc9e79c7059f003e4ad4b0", id: "pf-5109-1"})The Dark God swarmed him with questions that he wasn't expecting to receive.
'What is he talking about?'
He was asking as if he didn't expect Damien to answer.
No, he was talking like Damien reaching his level or surpassing him was simply a pipe dream.
[Damien Void. You think I cannot know you.]
The darkness in the black hole swirled, expanding and contracting like the beating of a heart.
The Dark God's voice became louder, booming in Damien's ears.
[Your life is clear to me. As is your ambition. You have come here because you believe I will not kill you, and you are not wrong. However, do not mistake my actions for pity or weakness.]
VOOOOOOM!
Damien gritted his teeth and raised his arms in front of his face, splitting the wave of energy that flowed towards him.
[Did you believe you would gain something from me? Or were you wondering about what I am like as a person? Regardless, you are not worthy.]
It was strange.
The Dark God was definitely threatening, but it was as he said.
'Why don't I feel threatened?'
Damien knew it was stupid to come here. He knew that his enemy wouldn't entertain him or give him anything helpful.
But he was still drawn here. It was as if he had to come. Otherwise, he would infinitely regret it.
'Am I learning anything?'
Damien felt more nothingness from the Dark God than anyone else. He wasn't learning. It was more like his mind was losing function the longer they spoke.
[You killed them all.]
Damien's attention was drawn back to the Dark God. This was the first time he'd acknowledged what Damien had done to the True Void World.
[Are you trying to conquer my territory?]
Damien frowned.
"I am."
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "663633fa8ebf7442f0652b33", id: "pf-8817-1"})He was honest, since there was no point acting oblivious at a time like this.
[Is that why you are confident?]
Damien didn't say a word, but his answer was obvious.
Yes.
The reason he was confident enough to come face this being directly was because he had been able to accomplish so much in recent times.
He'd been able to escape when he needed to escape, and he was able to kill when he needed to kill. Damien found that Existence responded to him better if he just acted as he pleased without requiring justification, so that was what he did.
The cosmos rumbled. It was like…the Dark God was laughing?
[It seems you are yet to understand anything.]
Damien raised his brow in confusion.
[You have come for validation, have you not? You wish to see how your power can compare to mine.]
The black hole shifted with the Dark God's emotions.
[Very well. I will show you the levels you will not be allowed to reach.]
There was no sound, no great explosion of energy.
There was nothing. No phenomenon, no change, no difference.
But something did change, and something was different.
It was just that…
'...in that instant, he made something "exist"'
Damien didn't know what had been made, nor did he know where it was, but something had just been etched into Existence by the enemy. Even Damien would have to work hard to learn what to actually was.
And as if that wasn't bad enough…
'...he's not anywhere near done yet.'
Nothing was changing. There were no differences.
But Damien…Damien could feel it.
The Dark God was still doing "something."
He was messing with forces far, far beyond Damien's control.
