Sebastian's spirit gradually took on the form and appearance of his true form, manifesting in this mystical space.
He wandered through this deep, dark region, where there was no sense of front or back, left or right, or up or down. Directions became meaningless. After an indeterminate and immeasurable amount of time, Sebastian finally sensed a distinct and powerful movement within the darkness. Looking upward instinctively, he saw a pair of massive crimson eyes suspended high above in the darkness, observing and studying Sebastian's intrusion into this realm.
"A... Lord of Hell? Hmm, that presence... Could it be Zarathos?" a deep, ancient voice resonated through the darkness. "No, it does not feel quite like Zarathos. It seems that the once glorious elemental demon has now become a stepping stone and tool for those who came after him and surpassed him... So tell me, young Lord of Hell, who are you truly?"
"I am just a small figure, not worth any particular mention or attention," Sebastian replied carefully, deciding not to reveal his true identity. "I merely sensed some powerful black magic fluctuations in this location, so I came to investigate and learn more about them. I wonder very much who you are? Are you perhaps a black magician sealed away here by some ancient enemy?"
Sebastian had long suspected that these eyes belonged to Chthon, the Elder God himself, but he chose not to reveal that he possessed this knowledge.
Instead, he asked his question as if he did not know the answer. Chthon paused for a long moment, seeming to consider his response carefully, then spoke again with evident satisfaction.
"I am not a mere dark mage or sorcerer. I am a demon god, an actual source of dark magic itself. Although you are a Hell Lord, I can perceive that you have not yet entered Hell to claim and control your own territory and domain. You also possess a small amount of magical power within you, making you also a source of magic in your own way. I believe you understand the significance and importance of being a true source of magic."
"A source of magic?" Sebastian replied thoughtfully. "My magical power was only a small and accidental acquisition, gained through fortunate circumstance. But I have certainly benefited immensely from it. I can sense its uniqueness and inherent power quite clearly. But I remain curious—why would you, possessing dark magic power as a source yourself, be sealed here? And whoever sealed you away must be extraordinarily powerful indeed?"
Sensing that Sebastian might retreat in fear and abandon this encounter, Chthon spoke quickly to reassure him. "That is not entirely accurate. I was simply sealed here while I was seriously injured and in a deep sleep state. The person who sealed me away was not particularly powerful at all—probably only comparable to you in terms of overall strength. So there is truly no need for you to be so nervous or fearful about this situation."
Sebastian considered this carefully and responded, "I came here simply to experience the sights and wonders of other worlds and dimensions. A cosmic treasure of some kind granted me access to this realm, so I do not wish to get into any unnecessary trouble or complications. Since arriving in this world, I have not encountered many traces of active magic, yet I have stumbled upon you—a source of dark magic, sealed away in this location. This discovery is quite beyond my expectations and comprehension. I apologize, but I believe I should be taking my leave now."
Sebastian finished his words and immediately made a deliberate gesture to begin departing from this place.
However, seeing Sebastian's departure, Chthon certainly could not allow him to leave so easily. Although he had already manipulated Wanda extensively, his manipulations were not yet fully developed or mature. It was unclear when they would reach true completion and fruition—perhaps even hundreds or thousands of years from now. Chthon did not wish to wait any longer for his plans to mature.
He knew the God-Eater was not dead and could return to confront him at any time. If that happened while he remained trapped between the Prime and Chaos dimensions, he would be completely vulnerable and defenseless—like a prepared dish waiting on the table for the God-Eater to consume him.
So if there was a genuine chance of escape and freedom, Chthon would undoubtedly seize it immediately without any hesitation whatsoever. Moreover, Sebastian presented himself as a fortunate and talented young Hell Lord mage, and Chthon was confident in his ability to persuade and manipulate him into doing his bidding.
"Young wizard, do not be so anxious to depart so quickly," Chthon called out, his voice carrying unmistakable power and ancient authority. "Perhaps you have some interest in the authority and control of the Dark Arts themselves?"
Upon hearing this, Sebastian's mind immediately thought that he had successfully taken the bait. Then, with a look of fear mixed with expectation carefully arranged on his face, he turned back toward Chthon and responded. "What did you say? Are you speaking about the authority of the Dark Arts?"
"That is precisely correct," Chthon confirmed, seeming pleased by Sebastian's apparent interest. "In fact, magical authority seems to be divided into many different types and categories, but in reality there is no true difference at the fundamental root level.
In other words, even if a trace of white magic authority and a trace of black magic authority seem to be opposite to each other on the surface, they actually share the same fundamental root at their core and can be combined together to form a single strand of unified authority possessing both the properties of white magic and black magic simultaneously.
So I am curious—would you perhaps be interested in the authority of black magic? If you truly are interested, then maybe I can share some of it with you. Of course, there is a price for this gift. You would have to find a way to help me escape from this sealed location."
Hearing this proposition, Sebastian's face immediately revealed an expression of greed and desire, as if he was eager to immediately agree. But before he could fully respond, Sebastian's eyes swirled thoughtfully. With a greedy but measured expression, he spoke to Chthon in a tone that was both flattering and carefully tentative. "I can sense another kind of power residing within you alongside the dark magic. Could you please tell me more about it? It would truly satisfy my curious mind immensely."
Chthon could easily discern from Sebastian's expression and body language that this young Hell Lord, this human mage, was indeed coveting a portion of his power for himself. Chthon's predecessor would have taught such a lowly human a severe and painful lesson for daring to covet the power of an Elder God—perhaps even killed him outright. But for Chthon now, in his current trapped and diminished state, even a small sacrifice of power in exchange for escape and freedom was undoubtedly a fair trade and worthwhile exchange. As long as he could escape from this prison, he could plunder and absorb all manner of power and authority on Earth, and even in the main dimension beyond. He would have no problem in claiming as much power as he desired and needed.
Moreover, authority and power were not always better when accumulated in greater quantities. Anyone who believed they could become a jack of all trades and a master of all by accumulating multiple different powers would ultimately become a third-rate or fourth-rate figure—hardly worthy of mention or concern. Clearly, in Chthon's view, Sebastian was shortsighted and lacking in true understanding. But with that pragmatic thought in mind, Chthon decided to proceed anyway.
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