---
Every few breaths, the crimson surface shifted slightly, as if some internal force pressed outward and then withdrew again. Not enough to crack the shell. Enough to remind him something living was still happening inside.
The Void Land itself watched with all the patient wrongness of a place that had seen too much and spoken none of it aloud.
Then the system moved again.
[Ding! SYSTEM Notification: Congratulations host for reaching chaos rank three.
Recent feeding has made it possible.
The hosts overall Battle Power increased.]
Sekhmet's eyes sharpened. He did not move, but his full attention turned inward at once.
[Chaos Energy increased by 5000.
Chaos Body increased by 5000.
Chaos Energy Purity increased by 1%.]
The force of that made him go still in a different way. He had expected gains.
Not those gains. Not that much. Not in ranking up.
