Hearing those words, Mary's eyes lit up with excitement. "Please take me there, Grandma! I want to see the legendary deity. I've heard so many stories about him back in the village!" she said eagerly, her voice brimming with wonder.
The tales of the Dark Emperor had always fascinated her, and the thought of witnessing him in person filled her with awe—completely unaware of how truly dangerous it was.
Her grandmother looked at her for a moment, a soft chuckle escaping her lips.
But her expression quickly turned serious. "Come, take my hand. We'll go and observe. But remember, do not speak rudely once we arrive," she warned, her gaze firm and unwavering.
Mary nodded right away with a bright smile.
Seeing her granddaughter's eager but obedient response, the woman gently took her hand.
In the next moment, the two rose into the sky. Mary wasn't surprised by the flight; she had often soared through the clouds with her grandmother.
But this time, the air felt heavier, laced with tension and distant echoes of devastation.
Without another word, they flew higher and higher, cutting through the winds with purpose, heading straight toward the Obsidian Grave Continent, where a battle capable of shaking the heavens was already unfolding.
Back on the Obsidian Grave Continent, the black, fog-shrouded figure loomed ominously, his presence vast and suffocating.
His form, an ever-shifting mass of shadow, radiated an ancient, unfathomable pressure.
The young man knelt beneath him, trembling, fear etched across his face as despair settled deep within his eyes.
"I'm doomed… truly doomed," he whispered, his voice filled with regret. "I never thought I'd offend a being of this level…"
Swallowing hard, he looked up, his pride already shattered.
"Senior, please… forgive me. It was a misunderstanding. I wasn't thinking clearly before. I accept your offer. I'll become your disciple!"
He pleaded desperately, his body slowly disintegrating as the death energy gnawed at his flesh.
His elemental core had begun to fracture, and the qi within it leaked uncontrollably, devoured the moment it touched the black death energy in the air.
Yet despite his frantic cries, the black, fog-shrouded figure remained still, unmoved, as if the young man's suffering was beneath acknowledgment.
"Senior, please… forgive me! I was wrong! I'll become your disciple. I'll follow your every command!" he begged, voice trembling, body shaking.
Every ounce of pride he once held had already crumbled; survival was all that remained.
But no answer came.
As the silence dragged on, despair took root.
His skin cracked, his muscles withered, and his essence faded at a terrifying pace.
Tears welled in his eyes as his life flashed before him—scenes of endless suffering.
He remembered the pain his father inflicted, the coldness in his mother's gaze, and the contempt of the fiancée who once claimed to love him.
He had been ignored, ridiculed, hated.
He had fought so hard, endured so much.
He finally exacted revenge on those who wronged him, and just when he thought he'd found an opportunity to rise above it all, this so-called chance became the cruelest misfortune of all.
His gaze lifted toward the looming figure, filled with unwillingness and burning resentment.
He hated this fate, hated this weakness. He wanted to fight back, but he couldn't. Not anymore.
The shadowy figure's eyes narrowed.
A familiar emotion stirred from the boy's glare—raw hatred, helpless rage, the desire to rise yet being shackled by fate.
"Hmph…"
For a moment, the figure saw his own past reflected in those desperate eyes.
Dreams crushed. Hope devoured by destiny.
A cold sneer formed across his face.
In silent fury, his purple eyes gleamed.
He intensified the devouring—not just draining the boy's luck, but tearing into his soul, ripping apart his memories, absorbing every scrap of experience that could be of use.
The air twisted with a thick, inky blackness, smoke swirling like a living malice, corrupting everything it touched.
The young man's life force was gone, his body limp, but his expression remained—dry, cracked lips and wide, glassy eyes filled with refusal.
Even in death, he hadn't accepted it.
The figure scoffed.
"You know nothing of suffering," he said coldly. "I'll remember you… You've become one of my pawns, and your luck is remarkably vast. Be grateful—at the very least, you serve a purpose."
Just as he turned to continue the devouring, a presence stirred on the edge of his awareness.
His body tensed, instincts screaming.
His voice cut through the smoke, sharp and commanding.
"Who's there?" he growled. "Reveal yourself. What are you hiding for?"
After those words, a young girl appeared. Her beauty was breathtaking. Blonde hair flowed down her back, long lashes framed her calm eyes.
Her red dress shimmered, flames trailing behind her as she blinked slowly and met his gaze.
What the black figure didn't notice was that deep within, the young girl was gripped by nervous shock, utterly confused as to how he had located her.
"How did he do that? What's going on?" Ella muttered, her voice tight with disbelief.
"System, what the hell is happening? How did he know I was watching? Aren't projections supposed to be undetectable?"
She clenched her fists, struggling to understand how her presence had been discovered so effortlessly.
DING!
[System Calculation Failed.]
[Due to current limitations, the system is unable to calculate or access the requested data.
Please upgrade the system and enhance the host's strength to prevent further anomalies and avoid confusion.]
Hearing the system, Ella's anger surged. She couldn't even interfere, not when she lacked the full picture.
Frustration churned inside her, a storm of helplessness and irritation. At this point, she felt utterly useless.
Her gaze hardened as she stared at the black figure. Her voice was cold, her eyes void of emotion, filled with hostility.
"How did you discover me?"
Dark energy drifted around the man like a living mist, his expression calm and mocking.
He chuckled, looking at her with utter disdain.
"Foolish girl. Even in this weakened state, where nearly every law suppresses me, I still surpass the peak of all your ancestors combined. Did you truly believe my suppressed power would blind me to your presence? You're not even here in person, just projecting yourself like a clueless child."
His words cut deep, laced with ridicule. Ella's fists clenched.
She was furious, but part of her understood what that implied.
If he could detect her despite everything, it meant his strength was beyond anything she had imagined.
This man is beyond terrifying. The system can't even calculate his true realm. What do I do?
Thoughts raced through her mind. She wasn't being reckless. She had never encountered someone of this level before.
He might even have a way to trap her projection, and that was not a risk she was willing to take.
She quickly decided to retreat, but just as she prepared to do so, the system's voice rang sharply in her mind.
DING!
[Your twin sister Olivia has successfully made Tia, your shared disciple, kneel in acknowledgment.]
[You have obtained a new artifact:]
→ Artifact Name: Earrings of the Silent God
→ Grade: Mythic
→ Type: Earrings
→ Effect:
[Forged from the crystallized breath of a Fallen True God and bound with void-thread silk, these earrings enshroud the wearer in a divine silence.
All divine sense attempting to peer into the wearer's presence will be severed.
Even higher gods will find their perception muted and distorted.]
Note: [Effectiveness scales with the user's soul power.]
Result: [Renders the wearer a ghost beneath the heavens, completely undetectable.]
DING!
[Kneeling Points Gained:] +1,000 +500 +100 +50
[Total kneeling points have been automatically added to your system.]
Seeing the fruitful rewards granted by the system, Ella's eyes lit up with delight and relief.
Her heart swelled with affection for Olivia, moved by her impeccable timing and support.
"I love you, Vivi. I'll definitely pamper you even more from now on."