"AHHHHHHHHH!"
Damien's agonizing roars rang out even through the frozen battlefield around him. The process of change his body was undergoing suddenly became far fiercer.
Against his will, the Void Essence clouds in his body began circulating through it, fusing into his Mana Circuits.
And although he was usually unaffected by the harmful side of Void Essence, the same couldn't be said about his current situation. As Void Essence attempted to penetrate his Mana Circuit, Damien was subjected to endless waves of scorching pain, as if he was being burned alive by the fire that created the universe.
It had to be known, Damien's mana circuit wasn't simply a circuit inside his body. There was an ethereal component as well that didn't exist in the Real Plane. This ethereal circuit was like a backup and supplementary circuit.
When his physical circuit didn't work, it took over. And when his physical circuit worked fine, it'd assist and double the efficiency of any work it was doing.
This circuit was untouchable. It was the pinnacle of Damien's technical knowledge and the Ananta Matrix's ability to evolve.
Yet, this circuit was currently infected with Void Essence, turning into what looked like a diagram of complexly intertwined roots projected over his body.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!"
His terrifying screams had no end. Compared to his paralyzed state from before, his current situation was far more vulnerable. And when it came to pain, this was the most he'd ever felt in his entire life.
Damien was only lucky for Tian Yang, no, the Void Old Immortal's presence. Because of him, Wrath didn't have the confidence to move, and Odin had been put in his place and was scared witless. Even Albeus and the Drunken Old Immortal left their positions, moving to aid their lessers against the four Demigods from both Niflheim and Asgard.
This left Damien unthreatened by those terrifying existences in the sky. As for the 4th classes, they didn't have time to even think about Damien under the combined barrage of the allied 4th classes and Avalon.
But none of this mattered to Damien. How could he stay conscious about the outside situation?
Void Essence finally managed to penetrate his Mana Circuits. Immediately upon contact with his free-flowing mana, it reacted and spread like a virus.
It was like watching a river turn black with squid ink. The iridescent blue and purple colors of Damien's mana were wiped completely, replaced by a black deeper than the abyss.
Damien felt his mana reserves plummet immediately. It felt like if he checked his status at the moment, the Mana Capacity section would have a glaring "0" written in it.
"NO! I WON'T ALLOW THIS TO HAPPEN!"
His words came out as a bellow only he could hear. In this situation, he didn't even have time to despair before collecting his thoughts.
The burning will he forged through the countless trials before this moment was being tested in the harshest conditions. Even though the process itself was incredibly strange, it was still a product of his Baptism.
The second he realized the emergency situation with his mana reserves, Damien acted. He didn't waste time trying to think up a plan. This time, he had to trust his natural instincts and comprehensive power.
And the first thing he instinctually did…was circulate his mana.
Whether or not it could be called mana anymore was still in question, but regardless, Damien circulated the essence polluting his Mana Circuits as fiercely as he could.
One revolution…two revolutions…five revolutions…
The process repeated on loop. Every time a revolution was completed, it became far easier for him to move the Essence. At the same time, the leak in his mana reserve was slowly being patched up as well.
VOOM!
A wave of power spread from Damien's body, incorporating into the revolving World Essence whirlpool around him. The process that Damien instinctively tried to activate was starting.
Ba-dum!
Damien's Mana Heart thumped powerfully. With every thump, the mana in his body, rather than returning to its previous state, turned an even darker shade of black.
'This is…!'
Now that the immediate danger was gone, he had the time to at least assess the situation.
As he watched how the Void Essence corrupted his mana, Damien suddenly realized something.
'This is Devour?!'
Right, the Devour skill was activated and devouring his mana on its own. But that wasn't the only thing. Mixed with the Void Essence was a hidden and almost unnoticeable trace of World Essence that was guiding it.
'What is it…?'
Before Damien could question again, another wave of power spread from his body. His Mana Circuits began physically changing.
The Ananta Matrix was made to adapt. This was its first and main function. It was made and constantly improved so that it would never break, someday becoming entirely invincible and perpetual.
Even in a situation like this one, even when facing the ferocity of Void Essence, this quality shone through.
After all, the damage he was undergoing was a byproduct of the Void Essence's invasion. When it came to the situation itself, things were actually simple. As long as his Ananta Matrix could contain Void Essence, all other problems would naturally solve themselves.
This was the card Damien relied on. If it wasn't for this evolving ability, perhaps he truly would've been crippled by the sudden change in his body.
Damiens Mana Heart thumped wildly. His Mana Circuits continued to morph, becoming sturdier and thicker, expanding their channels to hold more mana. At the same time, they seemed to take on a mysterious property that allowed it to house Void Essence without a problem.
Naturally, this change was caused by fusing with Void Essence and mirroring its properties. Small bits of World Essence were fused into the Circuits as well.
His current Ananta Matrix had gone through a significant change. After the World Energy Baptism and Void Essence Baptism it received, it could hardly even be called the same circuit anymore.
When the process finally completed, everything fell into a lull.
The World Energy whirlpool halted, the battle beyond its reach freezing in time. Only Damien was moving in the static world.
But this moment was like the calm before the storm. Before Damien could even admire the mystical scene that made him feel more powerful than Divinities, he felt a feeling like millions of ants crawling through his skin.
When he looked down, he noticed his body turning black. His extremities were already encased in the unbreakable obsidian-like substance. His torso was rapidly enveloped even as he watched it happen.
Damien couldn't stop the process no matter how he pushed his mana. He couldn't even move his body now that he was petrified from the neck down.
He could feel it clearly. As the obsidian-like substance crawled up his face and into his orifices, he felt like he was being drowned and suffocated.
It was at this moment that panic finally set in.
But it was already too late.
Damien's body was frozen in the obsidian substance like a statue, frozen in time along with everything else.
***
While the change Damien underwent took a long time to explain, the actual time it took was extremely short. From the first scream that jolted the battlefield around him, not even 5 minutes had passed. This drastic turn of events left people flabbergasted.
Rose, Ruyue, Aishia, and even Lynn looked towards the black statue in which Damien was encased with worry. It was only natural that they wouldn't be able to understand what was happening.
As for the Demigods, even they were in the dark. The Void Physique was an existence that surpassed even them. The only reason for its lack of power was Damien's lack of power.
But there were a few who roughly understood what was happening. Among them, Wrath and Tian Yang.
