'This is a unique circumstance. It can't be handled as if we're still fighting a war.'
The Marionette Lord had personally killed the Black Dragons' most powerful forces, ridding them of any hope of succeeding in their invasion.
Along with that, the revival of the Fate Clouds was proceeding extremely smoothly, and the golden canopy had almost returned to its previous beauty.
'It's funny since those two things are probably related.'
Damien didn't believe in coincidences, nor did he believe in unavoidable fate, however, a phenomenon like this was still within the bounds of reality.
It was a slight guiding force that provoked people to make decisions or partake in events that would promote their fate.
It was…almost like universal flow.
Nevertheless, if Fate brought the Nox Demigod to Beast Emperor Star, then there was absolutely something deeper going on than just a convenient circumstance where the Black Dragons lost their fighting power.
'Haa, in the end, I have to confront another person who can kill me with a single slap. When am I going to learn how to stay within my pay grade?'
Damien complained inwardly as he flashed away, leaving Ximen Wuhen with the Theavel Emperors to guard her.
He reappeared only a few meters from the obscuring mana cloud.
He walked through the air, space and time warping around him and offering him easy entry into the chaotic storm.
And within, he was able to see a terrible collision of forces so great in power that, if it wasn't for the mana storm, it likely would've torn half the planet to shreds.
'It's being controlled by that one.' Damien thought to himself as he glanced at the Golden Dragon in the corner of the area with his hands together in a strange formation.
Damien's question about the origin of the strange phenomenon was solved instantly, and he was able to focus on Hedrick's true power.
It was magisterial.
His spear was like a cannon with the piercing power of a tank round and the weight and recoil of a common pistol.
With his maneuverability and raw strength, when he added his Golden Dragon Aura into his attacks and controlled Fate to boost himself more than what Ximen Wuhen already provided, he was an unparalleled monster.
It almost made Damien wish he'd found a spear instead of twin swords when he was in the First Dungeon.
Nevertheless, his heroic display had to come to an end.
"Hedrick, fall back!" Damien yelled out, attracting the man's attention.
"What do you mean 'fall back?!'" Hedrick roared back.
"This isn't a matter related to Beast Emperor Star anymore! That person isn't the Black Dragon Supreme, Garvy, but a Nox Demigod possessing his body!"
"W-what?!"
Hedrick held his spear shaft horizontally as a punch crashed into it. Using the force, he allowed himself to be propelled backwards until he was out of close combat range.
He stood warily with his spear ready, but despite his and the other Golden Dragons' retreat, Lord Garvy didn't move.
"Finally decided to come meet me?" He said, throwing a glance at Damien.
"If you'd told me what was going on from the start, would things have been so difficult?" Damien quipped back.
"Ohoho, as expected of you, boy. I don't know how long it's been since someone questioned me."
"Congratulations, I guess, but if you could kindly stay as far away from me as possible, I'd appreciate it."
"Boy, do you know who I am?"
"What do you think?"
"As I thought, you are interesting!"
Lord Garvy once again appeared in front of Damien before he could react.
"This body is lacking in every department. It's a miracle that this man was even able to make it to the cusp of Divinity. Let us continue this conversation elsewhere."
Lord Garvy's eyes abruptly rolled back into his head as he fell from the sky limply.
Whoosh!
His dead body was snatched by a black shadow mid-fall, never to be seen again.
Meanwhile, Damien closed his eyes and entered the Sanctuary, separating himself from existence before anything drastic happened.
His consciousness materialized as an Avatar in his spiritual world.
When he arrived, a scene was already created; a damp cave with a large stone bed at its end.
On the bed lay an…individual of indiscernible gender.
Their face was largely feminine and a pair of breasts decorated their chest, however, the bottom half of their naked figure was more…manly.
"You're unpleasant," Damien spat as he conjured some clothing on their body.
"Why? Can you not appreciate the natural beauty of my body?"
"Unfortunately for you, I don't have a preference for dragons."
"Hmm, then you'd like it better this way…?"
The Marionette Lord's form changed, becoming the opposite of their previous appearance. Their upper body and head became masculine, but a cave now decorated the space between their thighs.
"How is it? I even made it wet for you." The Marionette Lord smirked.
"Is this how you get off or something?" Damien responded with a deadpan expression.
"You're no fun. Usually, men have the most entertaining reactions to tricks like this."
"I apologize for not being in the mood to entertain the enemy."
"How cruel!"
The Marionette Lord stood up with a smile, walking over to Damien with a sultry sway in their step.
"It doesn't have to be a combination, you know. If you want…I can take the form of anyone you wish."
An air of seduction filled Damien's spiritual world. He could feel his mind and body becoming hotter with every passing second.
However, he wasn't some easy target.
Void Mana rolled through his body and cleared the seductive effects in an instant. As for his mind, was it even possible for seduction to penetrate it?
While Damien was much calmer now, it was still true that coercive seduction used to be one of the things Damien abhorred most in the world.
"What's your goal here?" He asked coldly as he forcefully shattered the air filling his mind.
"Hm? Isn't that obvious?"
The Marionette Lord hopped up to him with a sunny grin on their face.
"Since you broke my toy, shouldn't you take his place?"
Damien frowned. "Do you think I'm someone easy to control?"
"Of course not!" The Marionette Lord answered instantly. "But…isn't that what makes it fun?"
"Tch. Try your hardest. Even if you're a Demigod, I don't believe you can overpower me with a sliver of consciousness."
"Hmm, that's a bet I like! Very well, since I'm a fair and benevolent Lord, I shall reward you if you are able to resist my control until the end."
Two pairs of eyes met. One was filled with cold determination, while the other was playful and carefree.
Somehow, Damien found himself confronting yet another Demigod. He almost wondered if he had some kind of attractive field around him that lured dangerous and crazy personalities towards him.
But there was no point complaining. Let alone waiting on the doorstep, the trouble had already barged into the house and made itself comfortable.
Therefore, there was only one path forward.
Damien needed to defeat this strange Demigod and get them out of his spiritual world as soon as possible.
It had been a very long time since the last time his mentality was tested.
So, despite the danger of the situation, excitement filled Damien's body.
Ah, the fate of a battle maniac.
No matter how much time passed, no matter how much they grew, they never truly changed, did they?
