Chapter 400 Sacrifice [6]
Chapter 400 Sacrifice [6]
Within 10 years of the elves' arrival in the 3000 Beast Mountain Range, Alaric erected the Myriad Illusion Veil to protect them from outside forces and the ongoing war.
And due to his protection, the elven race was able to gain footing in the mountain range without being killed off by the beasts around them.
Over time, their population boomed and they experienced prosperity. Those who remembered the origin of their city became few and far between.
The final 10,000 years played out in front of Damien's eyes, but he was hardly paying attention. His mind was completely focused elsewhere.
Just now, due to Alaric manipulating the memories for Damien to safely digest, he was able to experience 100,000 years without actually experiencing 100,000 years.
Countless beings were born and died during that time. Landscape changed and became entirely different from what it once was. Even Alaric and the Nox Demigod changed immensely over such a vast period of time.
And within that atmosphere of change and chaos, only time and space remained constant, unchanging.
Damien's perception expanded. His mind became clear as a familiar yet unfamiliar essence flooded his senses.
'100,000 years passed in an instant. 100,000 years to some, but to me, a mere speck in the grand scheme of my life…'
His thoughts were incoherent and jumbled. He started many tangents without ever finishing them. But with every new insight he gained, his perception of that familiar essence became more and more complete.
He had learned too much in a short span of time. Alaric had taught him all the mysteries of the mountain range and secret realm that he had been dying to know.
Although he had many old questions that were left unanswered, and many new questions that sprouted from the information now held, he didn't concentrate on that right now.
He had plenty of time to figure it out after the current events ended.
Damien's mind was being rapidly encompassed by an ancient and desolate aura. It was the feeling that came with comprehending the essence of time.
And while it happened, his body also went through a myriad of changes.
His bones became denser and more flexible, his muscles were compacted, his internal organs were fortified dozens of times over.
His Mana Circuit wasn't left alone either. An extreme amount of pure essence flooded through them as the process of evolution continued. It was essence that even contained a trace of Divine Aura within it.
And due to it, his Mana Veins expanded and his Mana Heart became far more refined. The Ananta Matrix went through yet another evolution, even though it had only just evolved within the Trial World as well.
His body was being remolded into something entirely new. With the combination of Void Essence and Alaric's own Divine Essence, he was being perfected as if he was an art piece.
Waves of unbridled power emanated from his body. Even his level rose rapidly.
But he didn't even notice the change.
'Time…time…what an amazing concept.'
His understanding, when compared to something like space, was still minuscule, but he had received an opportunity that hardly anyone would ever be able to receive.
He already had immense talent in comprehension, and with the experience of 100,000 years, his comprehension of time increased at an extremely rapid rate.
Not to mention, he was able to gain insights while watching Alaric form the secret realm and put a time distortion on it.
The essence of time swirled around his body. When it met with the essence of space that constantly enveloped him, it seemed to dance and merge with it as if they were always one and the same.
'Right, on earth they would always say that space and time were one and the same. Although it's somewhat different with the introduction of mana, the scientific view of it still had some merit.'
Under Damien's control, the two essences mingled even closer. The formless essence around him began to churn, forming a separated space around Damien.
'With this…it should be possible.'
It was a sudden thought, but he acted on it instinctively.
Space and time flowed together to create a small stream around Damien's body. It flowed like water, but had the color of shimmering blue starlight.
'I can't do it yet with my current power and comprehension, but I can set a foundation so that I can easily accomplish it in the future.'
But a foundation to him wasn't the same as it was for others. If it wasn't for the fact that he was merged with the Primordial Undying Tree's trunk and within a separated space, the scenery around him would be total chaos.
The small stream in his hands caused a distortion of the surrounding kilometer of the area around him. Everything shattered, leaving only an empty void behind.
Within this void, chaotic flows of space and time ran rampant. But suddenly, it all came to a halt.
'I can't go any further. I have no control over this power yet, so even I could potentially be influenced by the chaotic space-time within this domain. Until I can isolate myself from its effects, I can't use it carelessly.' As he thought so, he slowly exited the trance he was in and sensed the state of his body.
'Haa…it seems like things are coming to an end.'
His evolution was almost finished. But the gifts provided by Alaric hadn't ended yet.
In that moment when he regained peace in both body and mind, his senses expanded and merged with those of the Primordial Undying Tree itself.
He could see it. Whether it was the 8 subrealms where the subjugated races were performing their rituals, the main realm where Hun Fang and Qing Tan were speaking to each other, or even the outside world where the elves were living their lives in peace.
He could see it all.
'What…the hell? Senior, I feel like you're helping me a bit too much.'
[Don't mind it. It has been a long time since I met a genius that I felt I could put my hopes in. Think of it as an investment.]
Damien nodded. 'I won't be so impolite as to refuse a gift that I desire so much. Instead, I will earnestly promise to live up to your expectations.'
Information, it was the thing he was lacking most. Yet, Alaric had provided him with just that.
'Qing Tan…Hun Fang…so it was like that.'
He wasn't mad about their betrayal. Even an idiot could understand their circumstances if he was allowed to witness their conversations. He only felt pity for the sibling duo in his heart.
'Never mind that. Senior, don't you think you have more important things to do than to be helping me?'
From the looks of it, the Nox Demigod was infinitely close to breaking out of his seal. Instead of putting a stop to that chaos, why was the senior focusing on him?
[No need. His breaking out of the seal isn't something I can prevent any longer. I've known this day was coming for thousands of years. What is more important is saving as many people as I can before he manages to do so. And you are my hope for that.]
Damien felt a searing pain on the back of his hand. There, a light green seal was being etched into his skin.
[With this seal, the elves out there will regard your words as law. Most likely, they'll subordinate themselves to you. I wish for you to take them into that space you created when you first entered this realm. Please take care of them in my stead.]
'Senior, what are you…?'
[Allow me to finish. I can at most buy you 30 minutes before battle breaks out with him. In that 30 minutes, you must save as many people as possible. Remember, do not be even a second late. Evacuate everyone to your Sanctuary before 30 minutes pass.]
'This…'
Damien's eyes hardened. He understood the implications of the senior's words. A battle between Demigods…it had the potential to destroy the entire Cloud Plane within a few hours.
'The Senior is trying to contain the battle within the Myriad Illusion Veil, but that means everyone here will inevitably die. The Sanctuary is a completely separated world from the Real Plane, so it is the only place that won't be affected by the battle.'
A heavy burden of responsibility had just been placed on his shoulders. Within 30 minutes, he has to save not only the elven race, but all those he could within the mountain range.
'With the distance I'll have to cover, even saving the clans of those I've allied with in the secret realm will take longer than 30 minutes. It seems I have to get a bit creative.'
Damien wasn't a saint nor a hero. In normal cases, he would be completely content with only taking the people he cared for and escaping the coming calamity.
But this time, he had no intention of denying the responsibility he was given, regardless of how burdening it might be.
Because the senior who had given him such a responsibility had borne and was continuing to bear a burden that was far greater than anything he could fathom.
Within 10 years of the elves' arrival in the 3000 Beast Mountain Range, Alaric erected the Myriad Illusion Veil to protect them from outside forces and the ongoing war.
And due to his protection, the elven race was able to gain footing in the mountain range without being killed off by the beasts around them.
Over time, their population boomed and they experienced prosperity. Those who remembered the origin of their city became few and far between.
The final 10,000 years played out in front of Damien's eyes, but he was hardly paying attention. His mind was completely focused elsewhere.
Just now, due to Alaric manipulating the memories for Damien to safely digest, he was able to experience 100,000 years without actually experiencing 100,000 years.
Countless beings were born and died during that time. Landscape changed and became entirely different from what it once was. Even Alaric and the Nox Demigod changed immensely over such a vast period of time.
And within that atmosphere of change and chaos, only time and space remained constant, unchanging.
Damien's perception expanded. His mind became clear as a familiar yet unfamiliar essence flooded his senses.
'100,000 years passed in an instant. 100,000 years to some, but to me, a mere speck in the grand scheme of my life…'
His thoughts were incoherent and jumbled. He started many tangents without ever finishing them. But with every new insight he gained, his perception of that familiar essence became more and more complete.
He had learned too much in a short span of time. Alaric had taught him all the mysteries of the mountain range and secret realm that he had been dying to know.
Although he had many old questions that were left unanswered, and many new questions that sprouted from the information now held, he didn't concentrate on that right now.
He had plenty of time to figure it out after the current events ended.
Damien's mind was being rapidly encompassed by an ancient and desolate aura. It was the feeling that came with comprehending the essence of time.
And while it happened, his body also went through a myriad of changes.
His bones became denser and more flexible, his muscles were compacted, his internal organs were fortified dozens of times over.
His Mana Circuit wasn't left alone either. An extreme amount of pure essence flooded through them as the process of evolution continued. It was essence that even contained a trace of Divine Aura within it.
And due to it, his Mana Veins expanded and his Mana Heart became far more refined. The Ananta Matrix went through yet another evolution, even though it had only just evolved within the Trial World as well.
His body was being remolded into something entirely new. With the combination of Void Essence and Alaric's own Divine Essence, he was being perfected as if he was an art piece.
Waves of unbridled power emanated from his body. Even his level rose rapidly.
But he didn't even notice the change.
'Time…time…what an amazing concept.'
His understanding, when compared to something like space, was still minuscule, but he had received an opportunity that hardly anyone would ever be able to receive.
He already had immense talent in comprehension, and with the experience of 100,000 years, his comprehension of time increased at an extremely rapid rate.
Not to mention, he was able to gain insights while watching Alaric form the secret realm and put a time distortion on it.
The essence of time swirled around his body. When it met with the essence of space that constantly enveloped him, it seemed to dance and merge with it as if they were always one and the same.
'Right, on earth they would always say that space and time were one and the same. Although it's somewhat different with the introduction of mana, the scientific view of it still had some merit.'
Under Damien's control, the two essences mingled even closer. The formless essence around him began to churn, forming a separated space around Damien.
'With this…it should be possible.'
It was a sudden thought, but he acted on it instinctively.
Space and time flowed together to create a small stream around Damien's body. It flowed like water, but had the color of shimmering blue starlight.
'I can't do it yet with my current power and comprehension, but I can set a foundation so that I can easily accomplish it in the future.'
But a foundation to him wasn't the same as it was for others. If it wasn't for the fact that he was merged with the Primordial Undying Tree's trunk and within a separated space, the scenery around him would be total chaos.
The small stream in his hands caused a distortion of the surrounding kilometer of the area around him. Everything shattered, leaving only an empty void behind.
Within this void, chaotic flows of space and time ran rampant. But suddenly, it all came to a halt.
'I can't go any further. I have no control over this power yet, so even I could potentially be influenced by the chaotic space-time within this domain. Until I can isolate myself from its effects, I can't use it carelessly.' As he thought so, he slowly exited the trance he was in and sensed the state of his body.
'Haa…it seems like things are coming to an end.'
His evolution was almost finished. But the gifts provided by Alaric hadn't ended yet.
In that moment when he regained peace in both body and mind, his senses expanded and merged with those of the Primordial Undying Tree itself.
He could see it. Whether it was the 8 subrealms where the subjugated races were performing their rituals, the main realm where Hun Fang and Qing Tan were speaking to each other, or even the outside world where the elves were living their lives in peace.
He could see it all.
'What…the hell? Senior, I feel like you're helping me a bit too much.'
[Don't mind it. It has been a long time since I met a genius that I felt I could put my hopes in. Think of it as an investment.]
Damien nodded. 'I won't be so impolite as to refuse a gift that I desire so much. Instead, I will earnestly promise to live up to your expectations.'
Information, it was the thing he was lacking most. Yet, Alaric had provided him with just that.
'Qing Tan…Hun Fang…so it was like that.'
He wasn't mad about their betrayal. Even an idiot could understand their circumstances if he was allowed to witness their conversations. He only felt pity for the sibling duo in his heart.
'Never mind that. Senior, don't you think you have more important things to do than to be helping me?'
From the looks of it, the Nox Demigod was infinitely close to breaking out of his seal. Instead of putting a stop to that chaos, why was the senior focusing on him?
[No need. His breaking out of the seal isn't something I can prevent any longer. I've known this day was coming for thousands of years. What is more important is saving as many people as I can before he manages to do so. And you are my hope for that.]
Damien felt a searing pain on the back of his hand. There, a light green seal was being etched into his skin.
[With this seal, the elves out there will regard your words as law. Most likely, they'll subordinate themselves to you. I wish for you to take them into that space you created when you first entered this realm. Please take care of them in my stead.]
'Senior, what are you…?'
[Allow me to finish. I can at most buy you 30 minutes before battle breaks out with him. In that 30 minutes, you must save as many people as possible. Remember, do not be even a second late. Evacuate everyone to your Sanctuary before 30 minutes pass.]
'This…'
Damien's eyes hardened. He understood the implications of the senior's words. A battle between Demigods…it had the potential to destroy the entire Cloud Plane within a few hours.
'The Senior is trying to contain the battle within the Myriad Illusion Veil, but that means everyone here will inevitably die. The Sanctuary is a completely separated world from the Real Plane, so it is the only place that won't be affected by the battle.'
A heavy burden of responsibility had just been placed on his shoulders. Within 30 minutes, he has to save not only the elven race, but all those he could within the mountain range.
'With the distance I'll have to cover, even saving the clans of those I've allied with in the secret realm will take longer than 30 minutes. It seems I have to get a bit creative.'
Damien wasn't a saint nor a hero. In normal cases, he would be completely content with only taking the people he cared for and escaping the coming calamity.
But this time, he had no intention of denying the responsibility he was given, regardless of how burdening it might be.
Because the senior who had given him such a responsibility had borne and was continuing to bear a burden that was far greater than anything he could fathom.
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