A sprawling sea of green spanned an infinite distance, filled with vibrant life aura completely unlike what one would expect from a Dead Star. In the midst of that everlasting field was an ancient temple-like building.
Damien didn't walk into the temple, rather, he moved around it and found the courtyard attached to its rear.
This was the place he was to go.
The courtyard was fenced off, but Damien could clearly feel the vast aura being emitted from the being within. He stood at the door in contemplation, unknowing of whether he should enter or not.
If the existence beyond the door was hostile, he'd be in serious trouble.
"What are you hesitating for? Since you are already here, enter."
That being's voice resounded once more.
Damien sighed and pushed the door open, entering the courtyard. He scanned its interior, appreciating the calm naturalistic aesthetic of the area before his eyes finally caught the owner of the voice.
"What…" she said with a small smile, "…do I look different from what you expected?"
Damien nodded on instinct before shaking his head profusely. "Ha…haha…what could your appearance possibly matter for?"
"Oh? So that wasn't a look of bewilderment on your face earlier?"
"I would never!"
"Hmm…"
The woman smiled and shook her head, dropping the matter. It wasn't surprising for him to react like he did, after all, everyone did the first time they met her!
Despite the fact that she was an extreme peak 4th class master, she looked no older than 12 or 13 years old!
"Don't mind my current state. It is but a consequence of using power beyond my abilities. My body will return to its normal state eventually." She stated.
"Anyway, if I'm not mistaken, you must be Damien Void, the most famous genius in the universe at the moment. For what reason have you come to see me?"
Damien's eyes sharpened. "What makes you say that?"
"There is no use pretending in front of me, boy. Spatial abilities are rare enough alone, but purple eyes that signify nobility are even rarer. You are more unique than you seem to realize."
Damien frowned. He didn't know how valid her reasoning was, but it was true that he couldn't hide his identity from her.
Well, it wasn't as if he was trying to hide in the first place, merely…
"I didn't know rumors about me had spread so far." He said with a sigh.
The woman chuckled. "More than that, you are practically a hero amongst the common soldiers."
"It's a bit annoying when you put it that way."
"Haha, how interesting."
The woman smiled. It was a surprise seeing this man appear before her like this, but it wasn't a bad thing at all. Rather, she was quite interested in his reason for coming.
A genius like him could go anywhere in the universe with his current reputation. By all measures, he should've been taking advantage of his status to climb the Dimensional Leaderboard.
But instead, he came to the battlefield?
If his reasoning was as she thought it was…
"Boy, my name is Priscilla Adelaire. I am one of the High Commanders of this army. If you have something to say to me, then say it now."
This time, it was Damien's turn to be shocked.
'Adelaire?!'
It wasn't strange for names to be repeated in a universe of this scale. There were probably millions of different Adelaires without any connection to each other. This Priscilla was likely a case like this, with no relation to Rose at all, but if it turned out to not be the case…
'Haha, if that happens, then my wife is destined for a free powerup.'
Damien shook off the nonsensical thought and replied to Priscilla's words. "Since you know who I am, then it makes things much simpler. I am here to fight, it's as easy as that. I want to be put in a position where I can endlessly clash with the Nox."
Priscilla's brow raised in curiosity. "And your reasoning?"
"Do I need any grand reason? I want to fight, kill, and become stronger. Isn't that the same motivation that every practitioner shares?"
Priscilla smiled.
"How interesting."
…she was extremely pleased that she noticed him before those other old ghosts could get their hands on him.
He met her expectations, and even exceeded them to an extent.
'To fight, kill, and grow stronger…indeed, this is the most simple yet most powerful motivation one could possess.'
Saying that every practitioner had this motivation wasn't a lie, but Damien downplayed it heavily.
Sure, every practitioner had the desire for strength, but not every practitioner was willing to devote themselves wholeheartedly to it.
Damien wasn't like these people. Priscilla could clearly see it in his eyes.
'He's willing to die for it.'
It was evident based on his current actions. For the sake of strength, he was willing to throw himself into war, even though he could just as well use the Dimensional Leaderboard to slowly and safely grow.
It was motivation to the extent of insanity.
Because for this type of person, death was merely a measure of their unworthiness.
They were indifferent in front of it, because if it happened, it was because they deserved it.
They simply weren't strong enough.
This type of motivation was the qualification of a genius, but also the reason that countless geniuses died before they could bloom into their strength.
Nevertheless, who was Priscilla to crush the ambitions of a rising star?
Rather, she wanted to push him forward and see how he could grow.
'After all, I'm considering him for the successor position of the Demon Sealing Pantheon. I should test his limits before making a decision…shouldn't I?'
Priscilla's lips spread into a small grin. "If you are intent on following this path, then I will not stop you. However, I do have a condition."
"I can put you at the forefront of every small scuffle and battle if that's what you wish, but you must travel with at least one companion at all times."
"And why is that?"
"Why, there are multiple reasons. Firstly, do you think I'll let a wild card like you into the field without at least an observer on you? Secondly, you need a method to stay connected to Heaven's Army. Geniuses like you tend to be lone wolves, so working with a squad will be difficult unless you have someone who can help you acclimate. Even setting these two reasons aside, there are many benefits to traveling with a companion."
"I will personally pick a companion that won't burden you. You can trust their skills."
Damien furrowed his brows in thought. He didn't know why Priscilla was being so direct about the fact that she didn't trust him and wanted to observe him, but he did appreciate her transparency.
'Also, not everything she's saying is wrong. It's true that without Zara's existence and mediation, my relationship with the Stargazer Squad probably wouldn't have improved in the slightest…'
He didn't like admitting that he was an edgy loner, but his past actions didn't let him run from the truth.
'I don't have any ulterior motives, so there's really no need to worry about an observer. As for techniques, I doubt anyone below the Demigod level will be able to properly understand them without an explanation from me, so there won't be any problems there either.'
Besides personal discomfort, there were no visible cons to having a capable companion.
"Haa…fine, I'll accept your terms. But I better get some special treatment or something for letting you attempt to steal my secrets." Damien sighed in defeat.
"My, my. If I remember correctly, you came from humble origins. It seems you got used to the "genius treatment" much faster than expected."
"Tch, who wouldn't? Everything becomes needlessly troublesome without it."
"Haha, fair enough." Priscilla conceded with a smile.
"Do not worry, you will receive treatment matching your strength. This is how Heaven's Army has always operated. However, your benefits will come later. First, let's talk about where you will be deployed…"
Priscilla trailed off with a mysterious smile as she summoned an array of holographic windows between her and Damien.
"Tell me, are you interested in seeing the edge of existence?"
