The Tale of the Void Emperor

After twenty minutes, Lily and Huarin opened their eyes as they finally finished their enlightenment process.

Athan also stopped his experiments after that as Dreevindo, and other Orchos celestials told everyone to follow them in the sky.

After flying for ten thousand kilometers high in the sky and passing the blanket of white clouds, everyone saw a destructive sight in front of them.

*Crackle!!!*

The orchos celestials looked at all candidates and told them they would have to pass through this blanket of dark clouds crackling with black and golden flashes of lightning by using their newfound powers.

"This is not a test or anything because, with your current strength, you should be able to pass this zone before finally reaching our destination at the 2nd Lerento."

"Of course, you won't get away unscathed, but you won't die as well. After passing through this zone and a membrane, we will arrive at the 2nd Lerento. Once arriving there, you will see a giant shining silver ring which is a teleportation portal that will lead directly to our destination."

After saying that, all orchos celestials entered into the dark cloud zone and disappeared except for two. One of them was Dreevindo, and another was a two-meter tall gorilla with six-packs, four hands, and two heads.

"The two of us will stay here and make sure you all enter the zone in thirty minutes," said Blankrino, the two-headed gorilla Orchos Celestial, "better hurry up so as to not waste everyone's time."

Seeing the destructive zone, other candidates paused. But Athan, Lily, and Huarin continued and flew straight towards the zone of dark clouds, crackling with kilometers-long black and golden lightning.

Athan was excited because this was a power source to him. While flying, he turned to Dreevindo below him and spoke, "Hey, shorty! Why didn't you tell me that there was this place as well."

Dreevindo smiled wryly and shook his head, "forgot about it. Anyway, I don't think it will be much useful to you."

"This is more powerful than those chaotic powers of the highest level in Chaosverse, right?" Athan asked.

"If we don't count the super chaotic powers that can only be found in the nexus of Chaosverse, then yeah," Dreevindo said with a smile, "to go the nexus of Chaosverse, you all will have to reach Atomix-stage."

"Anyway, I never went to the nexus of Chaosverse, and since these bolts of lightning are more powerful than the Chaotic powers I experienced, I can use this powerful zone to refine and strengthen my physical body," Athan said with a small smile, "you will wait until im done, okay?"

"Cough…Athan. I will show you a better place so can we please head to our destination first? Everything is arranged there already. The audiences have arrived and are just waiting for you all players to appear there," Dreevindo said with a pleading expression.

"So that's why you didn't tell me about it?" Athan asked while raising his eyebrows, "all right then, I'll train until the last of them manage to pass this zone."

After saying that, Athan entered into the destructive zone.

However, Lily and Huarin paused and backed down instead of flying ahead.

"Hehe, then we will wait for 30 minutes before finally entering so Atha can at least do whatever he wants in that zone for 30 minutes," Lily said with a chuckle.

Dreevindo and Blankrin helplessly looked at each other but couldn't do anything about it.

"Alright, you all! Start moving. Actually, the early you reach the stadium, the better your treatment will be," Dreevindo said loudly towards other candidates.

Blankrino nodded his two ape-heads and thundered, "Dreevindo is right! Passing this zone fast and reaching the stadium early means that you are powerful, decisive, and not afraid of challenges. The first few would get better treatment, so hurry up!"

Hearing the words that made logical sense, all candidates were fired up and flew towards the zone of dark clouds without hesitation.

"You two should also go without wasting since you can," Blankrino said to Lily and Huarin.

Lily stuck her tongue out and said, "nope!"

However, she then turned to Huarin and spoke telepathically, "sister Huarin, can you wait here for 30 minutes? I need to go into that dark zone and use a function of Ark of Exordium inside that zone of dark clouds. If it works, then Athan can benefit from it."

"Fine. Go and help your beloved," said Huarin as she nodded with a gentle smile.

...

After Lily entered inside the zone, she soon found Athan and approached him.

Athan was standing amidst the most dangerous place in this zone as bolts of lightning brutally hit him.

However, Athan forcefully used the energies of those bolts of lightning to refine his body's cells as much as he could.

Athan sensed Lily and opened his eyes.

"You continue, Athan. I am just trying to use a function of Ark of Exordium to see if I can make this power into properly usable to get strong," Lily said with a grin before she disappeared and entered inside the ark space.

"Sister Lily, I am going out now," Mimi said with a grin inside the ark space and disappeared as she appeared beside Athan.

"Brother Athan! I am finally out," Mimi said with a cheerful smile.

Athan smiled and nodded, but suddenly, his face changed, "be careful."

A thick bolt of black lightning shot towards Mimi.

However, Mimi was not worried as the gemstone on her forehead shined a bit before a crimson crystalized barrier with honeycomb patterns surrounded Mimi and deflected the powerful lightning bolt.

"Hehe, it's okay, brother Athan. I am not too weak," Mimi said with a grin, "I was born as an Atomix-Evolution existence because of my bloodline and innate genealogy."

On the other hand, Dreevindo and Blankrino were startled as they sensed a presence that exuded a similar power level to them inside the dark clouds.. Moreover, this presence was very unfamiliar to them.