Void Evolution System

Flashes of light so fast they hardly registered as flashes.

Pain. Endless pain that continued to get worse without any signs of stopping.

Was this the end of a True God?

It seemed even their lives were finite, despite all the work they did to achieve eternity.

Damien watched the memories of Patrick Holmes, the member of the pantheon of 12 Gods who'd been slain by Void Palace's 3rd Sword, Yusuf Mooncrest, in intrigue.

Yusuf's movements were wild and ferocious. He had the composure of a swordsman but the heart of a barbarian, and with that combination, he was able to completely overpower Patrick.

The God didn't have a single chance to fight back.

Such an overwhelming defeat caused Damien to question how the Divine Order managed to maintain its position at the top of the world, but he got his own answer through the same memories.

'It's mainly due to the Foreign Races.'

Because of them, the order was tied to the Straea Clan, and with their help, nobody could ever take down the order.

Plus, the order had several hidden armies filled with troops like the homunculi Damien met previously that could wipe the floor with most normal influences.

Of course, whether or not Void Palace was included in that list was up for debate, but the main point was that the majority of the Divine Order's status was not deserved, but given to them for free.

Damien practically learned everything he could possibly know about them through Patrick's corpse. Whether it be their current plans, future plans, or past atrocities, Damien could pick between various points of Patrick's life and view them all.

At this point, the Divine Order had already faced true defeat. Only, they didn't know it yet.

At the current moment, with months steadily flying by after the five-year period of activity, the order was actively withdrawing its troops from the borders, focusing on internal defense instead.

"I guess it worked."

Damien sighed to himself. It was one of relief, not worry.

He was still somewhat concerned that the order would act impulsively and strike back now, which was the worst possible move for both parties, but it seemed they'd held themselves back.

"Or rather, they've been held back."

More than likely, the Straea Clan pressured them to withdraw and hide for a while.

'As for why…'

Damien's eyes hardened.

'I need to speak to mother.'

He was keeping it down.

He wanted to hear from her before choosing how to react.

But he was calmer than expected.

When he found Claire and sat her down, she was originally curious about what he could possibly need her for.

The two of them made sure to spend a sufficient amount of time together, and using most of her spare time, Claire was helping with the army matters, however, for Damien to come out of nowhere like this…

"Mom, please tell me. What is happening to my father?"

Her heart skipped a beat.

"Y-your father, you say?"

Damien nodded with serious eyes.

Claire could see from his expression that he wasn't playing around. More than that, she could see that he already knew something about the situation.

This wasn't a question that came out of nowhere.

It was merely Damien's wish to confirm the truth with those he trusted.

Claire sighed.

"I knew I was going to have to tell you at some point, but I didn't think it'd come so soon."

She wanted Damien to live in peace for at least a small while, but he had no thoughts of doing so.

That wasn't the way Damien did things.

Rest only came after work was finished. Until Damien cleared away everything that prevented him from resting, he wouldn't even think about it.

Claire didn't know what to do.

Her son really took after his father.

"Haa…"

She sighed again.

Since it had come to this, there was nothing left to hide.

The truth had to come out.

"Your father, in the eyes of the public, disappeared several millions of years ago. As you know, the amount of time is skewed because of the time we spent in the lower universe, however…"

She struggled to speak through it, but she endured for the sake of her son.

"When your father was forced back into the Heavenly World to protect Earth and Grand Heavens Boundary, it was all due to the schemes of his enemies."

"Since the moment I returned, I have been unable to meet him."

"I do not know where he is, nor do I know how he is, but there is one thing that's become clear after years of investigation."

Damien's breaths were short as he listened for the main point.

This was the part he knew.

"The Celestial Prison. That's what they call it."

It was a cage made specifically to hold Dante Void.

And it was hidden somewhere within the Straea Clan's reach.

"Your father has been trapped for at least a million years, unable to escape. And we…no matter how much we search, we cannot find the location of that prison."

It was the sad reality of Void Palace.

The reason for their fall was orchestrated from the beginning. Dante didn't disappear, but was forced to stay away from his people, trapped in the middle of nowhere.

Damien's reaction was surprisingly mild.

"Is it just the Straea Clan?"

He wasn't unaffected. When he saw the memories pertaining to Dante, he also felt a myriad of emotions bubbling up from the depths of his soul, however, he pushed them down and replaced them with calmness.

Emotion wouldn't get him anywhere. Dante wouldn't be saved because he was angry.

He needed to keep his head on right so he could properly bring his father to safety.

So he asked the question.

And Claire gave him the answer he was looking for.

"No. It is highly likely that the Celestial Prison is located in a Dimensional Crack somewhere, hidden deep in the territory of the Foreign Races."

Damien nodded.

"Alright."

He wanted to talk to his mother more, but this was the most important thing for now.

Since he had a moment of freedom after pushing back the Divine Order and the Straea Clan, Damien could finally take a moment away from the palace.

"Mom, can I leave the palace to you and Aunt Serena?"

"You…what are you planning to do?"

"Don't worry. I'm not going to do anything dangerous. It's just…"

Damien glanced into the horizon.

"...there's a place I need to visit."

Claire didn't want to let him leave, but with his decision made, nothing could stop him.

She could only nod, suppressing her worry like every mother who had to watch her child leave the nest.

"We will make sure the palace thrives in your absence. You just need to focus on staying safe."

"I will, mom. Don't worry."

He was lying.

Damien had received news recently that perfectly aligned with his current goals.

It was news of a Dimensional Crack that opened in the Southern Region.

Since the Foreign Races had sent him an invitation, why would he reject it?

He wanted to see what the people who kidnapped his father, tried to destroy his home, and plotted against him for his entire life were really like.

And more importantly, he wanted to see if they could withstand the weight of his emotions.