Void Evolution System

This was what it meant to truly wield Existence, but it wasn't something that could be done with Existence alone.

The Dark God was able to affect the world while ignoring space and time. He was able to implement concepts into reality as if they've always existed, which was absolutely absurd.

The memories of all beings in contact with those concepts would be altered at an existence level, and the world itself would be rewritten to reflect the changes he made.

History itself would change. The way people remembered things would change.

For instance, if the Dark God wanted to alter things so that the Straea Clan still existed, then he could absolutely make that a possibility.

Why was Damien unable to do these things…?

It wasn't because he didn't have all six concepts of Existence yet. It was a level above that.

What Damien realized in that moment was the gap between them.

Because the Dark God was wielding Existence and Nonexistence fluently, changing all things as if they were nothing more than concepts to him.

Damien's eyes narrowed.

'I'm powerless.'

No matter how close he was to the Dark God, he couldn't do anything against this.

If a being like that wanted to wipe him from existence, would his family even remember him when he was gone?

It was a terrifying prospect, and exactly what the Dark God wanted to show him.

[Damien Void…]

His voice rumbled outward, as if cementing all the changes that were made.

[Do you pride yourself in the slaughter of the Nobles?]

It seemed like a genuine question that the Dark God wanted answers to.

If Damien had to answer honestly…

"No, not really, but it makes life a lot easier, doesn't it?"

The Dark God wouldn't be able to push forces into the Heavenly World anymore. Damien had bought himself time to rid the world of corruption and Foreign Territories before he eventually had to confront his main enemy.

Time was the most valuable commodity in existence, and Damien didn't feel anything like pride for earning more of it.

It was just what he had to do.

[That is good.]

The black hole waved, as if the Dark God nodded his head.

[If you are to become my enemy, then you cannot die to something like pride.]

"What…?"

Damien raised an eyebrow.

'Become…his enemy?'

As in, he wasn't qualified to be one yet, right?

[Do not be disappointed.]

The Dark God continued, patronizing Damien.

[If you cannot recognize basic facts, then you truly have no right to call yourself my enemy.]

Damien's frown deepened.

[Those Nobles you killed, that time you believe you have earned…]

VOOOOOOOOOOM!

The Dark God released his mana, making sure Damien could feel the full extent of what he was facing.

[...they were never real.]

Those were the words that started armageddon.

In truth, no words were necessary for the Dark God to understand Damien.

He could read people's Existences, just like Damien. His ability was actually far stronger since he could look past the common Existence and see what "could not exist" as well.

Damien and managed to get this far because his true strength was always hidden. His trump cards were always in places the enemy could never see.

But the Dark God…

[I can see it all.]

[Your family, your Sanctuary, your energy, and…that force.]

He refused to say its name, but it was clear that he knew very well what it was.

[Damien Void, you are a threat that I cannot tolerate.]

His tone suddenly seemed far darker.

[If you are allowed to grow, then perhaps another version of "him" will be born.]

The energy raging in the surroundings began to coagulate, merging into several individual pieces.

[If you would have stayed in your own territory, perhaps I would have continued as always. Perhaps I would have waited another million years before waging war against this world.]

[Damien Void, I enjoy watching the suffering and tribulations of those who oppose me. I enjoy watching them fight to their greatest potential and still be defeated by my forces. I am not someone who loves mindless conquering.]

It was a bad feeling.

Whatever the Dark God's words were leading up to…

[However, I cannot take risks against a being with your growth potential.]

The black hole boomed. Suddenly, it possessed a suction force unlike any other black hole, capable of swallowing all of existence if it had the chance.

The "energy" in the surroundings, Damien had been able to feel it from the start, but he couldn't see it.

As of now, it had begun to form into shapes he could perceive. The shapes of…

'...people.'

Damien realized.

'...they were never real.'

That was what the Dark God meant.

It started with tens of figures. They became tens of thousands and then became millions. Those millions expanded until every last piece of the pitch-black starry sky was covered in them.

'4 Grand Dukes…'

Grand Duke Famas, Grand Duke Maveth, Grand Duke Klaus, and Grand Duke Lance.

They were familiar faces. Faces of people who had died.

'Another…'

Grand Duke Famas, Grand Duke Maveth, Grand Duke Klaus, and Grand Duke Lance.

There were eight of them now. Two of each.

And then there were sixteen.

Under those sixteen Grand Dukes, tens of thousands of Dukes, hundreds of thousands of Counts, millions of Viscounts, and too many Barons to count.

In a single instant, an army of Divinities had been formed in the Sacred Abyss.

[I shall give you five years.]

The Dark God's voice was like an omen of disaster.

As Damien heard it, it sent shivers down his spine, striking genuine fear in his heart.

He wasn't afraid for his own life. Instead…

[In five years, I will come. Either you raise your territory and fight back, or…]

Nothing more needed to be said.

Against a force like this, unless Damien was able to perform a miracle on a similar scale…

'...the True Void Universe is finished.'

Damien's eyes slightly widened. His gaze was pulled a into the swirling black hole.

It's darkness parted, giving way to a pair of eyes that Damien felt like he both could and couldn't see.

As his eyes locked with them, he heard that voice again. This time, clearly in his ears.

"I look forward to your efforts."

Damien opened his mouth, wanting to say something, anything at all, but…

He could not.

He did not have the chance.

There was no fluctuation in space. There was no shift in the dimension.

However, Damien could feel it as his environment suddenly replaced itself with another.

'I'm…back in the Heavenly World.'

He didn't know where he was, but the atmosphere was filled with mana, not malakh.

Damien didn't even take the time to search his surroundings.

His body instinctively released an Existence barrier, and he collapsed against the tree behind him.

Nothing else mattered right now.

Where he was, what he was doing, all of that could be put aside.

Right now, Damien just needed to sit down.

That interaction…

It wasn't just about the power the Dark God displayed, nor was it just about the time limit that being had given him.

Everything about that meeting, from what happened to what didn't, from what was sensed to what wasn't, from what "existed" to what "didn't."

Damien needed to take a moment to register it all.