chapter 24: war begins now

Void walked up to the blood sea, with Linkir, the Aeron, quietly following behind him. "How do you feel?" Void asked with a grin.

Linkir lowered her head slightly, then answered, "Empty." She glanced up at the massive blood sea before them. Void looked down, noticing the lifeless gaze in his slave's eyes, and shook his head.

"You should be happy. Now you're free. No one can use them as your weakness anymore. Besides, I want a slave who's not bound to one home or family," Void spoke, looking at the tiny creature standing beside his leg.

"Master... why are you so cold, so detached from life?" Linkir asked, and for the first time, she looked up at Void's demon face. It was far larger than her own body, with his sleek, black, magma-like form adorned with long red-striped patterns. Despite his terrifying appearance, there was something strangely appealing about him.

Void chuckled. "I've told you before... I lost my parents—all because of my weakness," he said, pausing for a moment.

"Wasn't it your universe's will that killed them? Wasn't it the new universe, the game?" Linkir asked.

"Most creatures need something to blame for a tragedy. Let's say someone murdered your parents—you blame them. And when you finally kill them, what do you gain?" Void asked with a smile.

"Revenge, happiness, contentment, joy," Linkir replied with determination.

"I see... but no. After you kill the murderer, you will feel empty. You'll lose your will to live," Void said, waiting for her response.

"So... I shouldn't kill the murderer just to keep my will to live? What's the point of living then? I already died when my family did," Linkir said with slight dissatisfaction in her voice.

"Oh, I will kill them. And I'll torture them in the most gruesome way possible. But unlike you, my approach is different, Linkir. Your family was killed because you were too weak. If you or your family were stronger, no one would dare mess with you. And it's not just about strength—we have many strong beings, but they still get challenged. You need to be cruel... make them fear you," Void said calmly.

"Master... they can't fear you forever. Eventually, they'll get over it," Linkir said, snorting.

"Haha. Firstly, you don't understand how deep fear can run. Those who have experienced true trauma rarely recover, and some never do. Like you said, it isn't a permanent solution, but it's the most effective. But that only works if you get stronger. If I were in your shoes, my motive would be to get strong enough to ensure it never happens again. Then I'd make an example of the culprit, let the world know it was me, and disappear. Once you have that strength, they won't dare cross you again," Void said, smiling lightly. "Though the family is lost, life can still be fun... I've seen that with my demon eyes."

"Master, you're speaking from your Earth point of view. I'm amazed that your world is bound by laws... unlike here and other universes," Linkir added, agreeing with Void's words.

"Why do you think we obey them? It's because of the strength behind them. You're right—things are different here and in other universes, but the need for strength is universal. That's why I'd rather be a demon than a hero. Heroes are suffocating, trying to please people, hiding their darker sides, and controlled by principles that limit them and kill their potential. Remember this, Linkir," Void said, looking solemn.

"One: Never try to please anyone. Live your life how you want it. Two: Be strong enough to get what you want. Three: Never trust anyone," Void said, smiling.

"Master... I still have to please you, though," Linkir said, frowning.

"Oh, I know. Number one doesn't apply to you... how unlucky. That's because you're too weak," Void laughed out loud, clearly enjoying teasing his slave.

"Let's begin." Void smiled and started drawing runes. It took him an hour to complete the massive symbols, stretching about a kilometer in length and 500 meters in width. The portal activated, and the entire blood sea was sucked into it in seconds.

"Well, time to reshape this place." Void grinned, then grabbed Linkir and tossed her into the air. She soared thousands of kilometers high while Void released his aura, turning the area into a fiery hellscape. Magma flowed everywhere, burning everything within a 500,000 km radius. Void moved at the speed of light and kept increasing the rage but to linkir .. void was just at the same spot smiling.

Linkir watched the scene from above in shock. Void stood in one spot, smiling, while the range of devastation grew. She couldn't control her body as she free-fell in horror, but just before she hit the ground, Void caught her.

Void gently set her down, and soon after, the first demon appeared. Drawn by Void's aura, the demon approached and bowed. Within moments, millions of demons flocked to the area, all bowing before him. The portal closed shortly after.

Void observed the scene with a calm expression, but inwardly, he was thrilled. He finally had the power to survive in the multiverse. Though he was still a cannon fodder, he was now a stronger ant than most.

Void waved his hand, and multiple contracts appeared before the demons. Eagerly, they signed them, despite the bad deal—they wouldn't receive the full souls from their kills, just a tiny portion. But these demons, being Rank 0, were driven by instincts, not logic.

Today marked the day Void finally summoned demons from the Abyss, and now, he had his own army. Who wouldn't be excited?

By signing with Void, the demons wouldn't be suppressed by the world's will anymore. After building the portal, a trace of the Abyss' will entered this world, freeing Void and the demons from suppression.

"Let's plan a bit, shall we? Where should I start my first attack? Tell me about your world," Void grinned. His 25-meter-tall body towered over the demons, who barely reached 5 meters. A deep sense of awe and fear filled the demons as they gazed at him.

One thing about demons... they adore strength.

**At the Former Battlefield**

Ariya woke up with a splitting headache. As she tried to sit up, severe pain shot through her body, forcing her to grit her teeth. Despite being a Rank 1 existence with incredible healing abilities, her wounds were inflicted with elemental power. The wind element kept slicing deeper into her injuries, while the power element drained her energy and tore at her muscles.

"Miss..." a distant voice called out, and Ariya turned her head to see her soldiers approaching. The paladins had finally arrived.

Seeing their commander so gravely injured left them gasping in shock, but they quickly rushed to her side, helping her to her feet.

"How are you, Miss?"

"Are you okay?"

"Commander, who dared do this?"

"Was it the rebels?"

"They dare defy the God of Light?"

The soldiers' clamor was silenced when Ariya raised a hand.

"It was the rebels. We need to report to the Church immediately. I have crucial information," she said quickly, her voice urgent. She didn't dare reveal too much to her soldiers. Who knew how many spies had infiltrated the Church? As she spoke, a few soldiers' eyes flashed with cold intent, but they quickly masked it. Still, their fleeting expressions didn't escape Ariya's Rank 1 perception. She couldn't pinpoint who, but it terrified her.

"The Church has been deeply compromised," Ariya thought, a chill running down her spine.

Suddenly, a tremendous sound echoed through the skies—*boom... boom... crack... crack...*

The noise, like the shattering of glass, reverberated across the entire middle-level world, causing hearts to skip a beat. All the important officials of the gods at the mortal realm received the same ominous message:

**"Our world has been invaded... prepare for war."**

Ariya had no doubt about the truth of this declaration. Despair crept over her. Not only had she just been attacked by rebels, and discovered spies within the Church, but now, their entire world was under invasion. Her world spanned hundreds of thousands of light-years, and even a Rank 1 existence would take centuries, maybe millennia, to traverse it. Moreover, some forbidden zones housed Rank 2 beings. To invade such a world meant that the invaders were either equally powerful or stronger. Either way, it was bad news.

"What should we do, Miss?" asked one of the great archmages among the paladins.

"Take me to the Church—*now*," Ariya commanded, her voice firm. The paladins nodded and moved swiftly.

---

**In the Universe**

The vast emptiness of space was filled with creatures of countless races, gathered in preparation for battle. Those below Rank 1 waited on nearby planets, while the more powerful beings hovered in the vacuum, their auras unleashed without restraint. Rank 1 existences stood at the front, Rank 2 behind them, and Rank 3 farthest back, allowing the lower ranks to enter the fray first.

In the distance, hazy figures loomed, each radiating the same power as a universe itself. These beings, Rank 4 existences, flickered in and out of reality. The universe they inhabited was large enough to accommodate them because it had begun its path toward becoming a multi-universe, also known as a middle-level universe.

This universe already had multiple embryonic realms—developing universes that, once they devoured enough worlds, would provide the origin necessary to complete their promotion to a multi-universe.

"What type of world do you think we're invading?" one of the hazy figures asked casually. These beings had surpassed the limits of what most lifeforms could imagine, existing in a dimension far removed from ordinary perception. They could destroy the very essence of life, erasing creatures from existence, past, present, and future.

"Well, I hope it's not too weak. A small universe will suffice," another hazy figure chuckled.

"Too cautious," scoffed a third figure, his bloodlust palpable. "I'd prefer to fight a universe like ours, one on the brink of evolving into a multi-universe."

"We'll find out soon enough," the first figure said, and the conversation fell into silence.

---

**The Battle Begins**

Suddenly, the Rank 1 beings watched in awe as space was slowly sliced open layer by layer. The first layer... then the second... until it stopped at the third.

*Vrom... brom... vrom...*

A massive portal opened before them, forcing the nearby creatures to step back in reverence. A Rank 2 existence smiled as the gateway stabilized and motioned to the Rank 3 existences for confirmation.

"Attack!" the Rank 2 commanded, and the Rank 1 beings surged forward in waves, pouring through the portal.

The war between an evolving universe and a middle-level world had begun.

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Another chapter done , thanks for the support guys. Big shout out to foxy tail.. random name 123454, ultraman and mystic potato.