A campfire cookout was in full swing. The smell of delectable purified beast meat wafted through the air, and the sound of conversation accompanied it.
Tyler, Ash, and Synth took their time to enjoy the barbecue of their own creation. If not today, then when would they ever get another chance? Even if they wanted to rest, Damien wouldn't allow them.
When it was time for battle, he was a hellish drill instructor that pushed his students until they dropped.
Nevertheless, Damien didn't join his "students" in their celebratory atmosphere. He sat many meters away contemplating what took place within the World Core Space.
'Saint Emperor…is he the father of the Saint King?'
If so, he was surely a Demigod.
'But if he's so powerful, why did he spare me?'
By all rational logic, the Saint Emperor had no reason to keep Damien alive. Even if he didn't know him, the fact that the young genius could interact with the World Core should've been enough to provoke him into killing Damien for safety's sake.
But instead, he decided to let him grow?
'He reacted to something within me…what was it?'
He thought back over the Saint Emperor's words. From beginning to end, he'd only spoken in vague riddles, but there must've been something in there that Damien could grasp onto.
A light appeared in his mind as he thought.
'Didn't he say he'd wait for my blood to mature…? And before that, he reacted after I used the Demon Dragon Form…'
At first, Damien instantly believed that the Saint Emperor was convinced by his Void Mana, but this didn't seem to be the case. While it was impossible for the Demigod to miss the strangeness of Damien's mana, because he wasn't using Void Essence himself, the actual scent of the Void was difficult to distinguish.
If so, then the only other viable connection was his Demon Bloodline.
The Demon Bloodline, in reality, had nothing to do with Demons. It was a bloodline that appeared after Damien devoured the dark material that the Demons in the Trial World were using as their source of power.
'And that dark material came from a Nox Demigod.'
It wasn't like swallowing Nox Mana or essence as he'd done until this point. Something about the spark of Divinity that lay latent within those pieces of dark material gave them a special property that Damien had yet to see replicated.
And because of their source, it wasn't hard for Damien to make the connection.
'My Demon Bloodline has been latent ever since I received it. It only activates when I call upon it, and otherwise makes no moves, unlike the fiery dragon bloodline that seems to rage every time I enter battle.'
But the fact that he'd never sensed anything strange didn't mean that nothing strange existed.
'I should keep better watch over it in the future. If it truly does try to corrupt me…I have to take action immediately.'
Damien didn't plan to throw an important card like his Demon Bloodline away so easily. Aside from that, he had faith that his control over the Void would heighten to a point where any internal resistance would become impossible in the future.
'On that note, I should spend more time comprehending the Void than thinking idly. The incident with the World Core has helped me confirm enough suspicions, but it isn't something I can affect in my current state.'
No matter how much knowledge he had, he couldn't make use of it without power.
With that in mind, Damien closed his eyes and focused inward, latching onto his connection with the Void Physique and slowly sinking into comprehension.
The party of his squad members continued deep into the night. By the time Damien woke up from his comprehensive state, the three young geniuses were passed out around the fire in various comedic poses.
'Sheesh, it's like this is their first time having fun.' Damien thought wryly as he walked over.
On the way, he noticed Zara sitting off in the distance.
He furrowed his brows in thought.
Zara had been especially quiet ever since they left Death Emperor Star. Considering her excitement before they left, it was extremely worrying for Damien, who saw her as a younger sibling.
'Is she that anxious?' He wondered. It wasn't hard for him to figure out where her mood switch came from.
To Zara, this expedition meant more than just stopping the Nox. This was a quest that heavily impacted her identity.
'Zara's bloodline is related to the Nox somehow, this much we know. But I don't know if we can find out anything substantial from Calypto…'
Damien wanted to help, but he didn't know how to. This problem was something Zara had to overcome on her own.
'Haa…how annoying.'
If it was up to him, he'd storm the world until he found the answers she wanted. Sadly, he didn't have the ability nor the tactlessness to do so.
He could only watch over her from afar and make sure she didn't succumb to negativity.
'Even if we can't find answers here, I'll take you across the entire universe and beyond until you get what you want. I swear on my life.'
Damien made a silent vow as he turned away from her.
He moved thereafter towards the campfire, kicking the three geniuses awake so they could move on.
It was time for them to raid the Lotus Continent, the continent nearest to their current Jade Continent.
And perhaps there, they'd have some more luck finding something substantial.
***
A universe collapsed.
"Haa…haa…haa…"
A man's bloody figure dashed through the blackness. The sound of his breaths was the only thing keeping him sane.
'I have to…escape!'
His thoughts sped as he raced away from the collapsing universe. The blackness around him hindered his every step and skewed his sense of direction. Even though he was born in this same blackness, it never accepted him as its own.
'I have to tell someone…I have to run…this is…madness!'
"Haa…haa…haa…"
He ran for what seemed like ages. His mana collapsed multiple times, and his body didn't want to listen to his command. But every time he felt like giving up, he remembered the atrocities he'd witnessed prior.
The strength to keep moving came instantly when he did so.
He could never return to that place.
'Do they not realize it? No, the ones who realized have already left. I'm…the only one remaining.'
He felt suffocated.
"Haa…haa…haa…"
In the distance, a fragment of light beckoned towards him.
His skin immediately tingled with anticipation.
'Finally…finally! How many years has it been?'
He increased his speed and rushed towards the light.
And at the same time, he felt a plethora of auras lock onto his position.
'No…!'
"ASTAROTH!"
A booming voice traveled through the blackness and rang in his ears. Just the sound alone made him bleed.
But he ignored this pain as if it didn't exist.
It didn't matter if they caught up to him.
He'd already arrived at his destination.
The fragment of light was just in front of him.
Through its blinding rays, he could hazily see an atmosphere unlike his current one.
An atmosphere where the blackness didn't reign.
He rushed through the crack, and in the next instant, he disappeared.
The only thing remaining in his place…was a picture of galaxies and stars as far as the eye could see.
