1,000 Years (8)

One's appearance could be changed but changing one's aura, was impossible. After all, to change one's aura would involve changing one's origin itself. Yet it seemed like Saber had somehow managed to do the impossible.

"I am, but I'm not... Anyway, I'll offer you a deal... As of now, you're useless to me, but you'll be much more important to me in the future once you face no limits in your cultivation...

Become my subordinate... Once you do, I can promise you strength much greater than you can imagine... I can promise you that your very existence will be evolved...!"

As for the reason behind Oblivion's desire to recruit Liam, it was all due to Liam's comprehension level in the sword path.

He, Liam, was someone who could be labeled as equal in terms of comprehension speed in the way of the sword, to even Saber and Oblivion...!

Throughout the creation inside his origin, Liam was most definitely the best. And as for the coincidence that Oblivion just so happened to meet such a being, it wasn't a coincidence at all.

The origin core was the cause. Any nonsensical talent that could be useful wouldn't be born unless they would surely cross paths with Oblivion...

Hence Dawn's re-awakening of memories at the time just before leading up to meeting Oblivion in that tournament oh so long ago, and also Liam in the genius competition right after.

"B-Become your... what?!" Liam was shocked once again. Become my subordinate... These words rang in his mind several times as his head bowed.

As a shadow covered his face, Oblivion watched on as Liam raised his head once again, this time though, there was a smiling face, and mockery filled in his eyes.

"You think that I, Liam Sacred, am someone who will kneel to others? Humph! Come, you want me to become your subordinate, well come and fight me...!"

Liam's angry voice resounded inside the room as with it, the black sword that was several meters long suddenly hummed as if angered along with Liam.

Hua!

With a flash of light, the black sword suddenly disappeared from everyone's eyes and instantly appeared once more, gripped by Liam's palm. At the same time, Oblivion nodded his head with a smirk as he also unsheathed his katana.

There was a moment of silence. The trio behind Oblivion merely took a few steps back, reaching the corner of the room where Orion then waved his hand, causing ripples in the space.

Though nothing changed, it seemed like an illusion, as if they were standing in a completely different space... At the same time, Liam dashed forward...

"I don't care who you are, today, you'll fall under my sword...!" Liam shouted. Oblivion, on the other hand, didn't move. He wanted to try something after becoming a Golden Immortal, but he didn't have an opponent.

Golden Immortals and Profound Immortals were much different.

Domains and Realms were two different things as even though a Domain would amplify a Profound Immortal's power, Realms were a little more special as they allowed a Golden Immortal to create a space that slowly grew unaffected by the rules of the world.

At a higher level, as a Prime Immortal, one would create a special world that was almost always able to make a Prime Immortal omnipotent to anyone below the Prime Immortal realm.

And, as for True Immortals, as one could see from Orion, he was able to create this Heavenly Mystic Domain, his domain which was unlike any other domain. Inside the Heavenly Mystic Domain, anything he desire, anything he wishes for, everything was but a thought away.

But, all of this didn't apply to someone, or thing much different than the usual workings of the norm and commonsense of others. Oblivion wasn't someone who went by the natural order of things.

{Realm of Blank Domain... Open}

Rushing toward Oblivion was Liam with a black sword in hand. Though the sword was several meters long, Liam, like the maestro he is when wielding the sword, manipulated it without any problem even with its size.

After a few steps, he had already reached within striking distance. With this much longer than a normal sword, Liam's sword intent shot through the roof and the limits of a Profound Immortal as he had already begun slashing toward Oblivion's neck.

Urgh!

For a moment, Liam felt like the weight of several thousand stars had pressed down onto his shoulders as his mind went blank. His thoughts suddenly froze and his brain short-circuited. The movements of his sword stopped.

Thud!

Losing control of his body, Liam fell to the ground. His eyes were wide open but there didn't seem to be any emotions in them. The normal lively feeling and aura of the eyes of a living being released were nowhere to be seen as if he had died...

Somewhere in a different space, Orion, Dawn, and Cecelia saw this with astounded expressions. The words spoken by Oblivion entered their mind and were processed. What took place after wasn't a change in the surroundings, nothing seemed any different. It was as if someone without the ability to open a domain or realm simply shouted the words...

Yet, the effect it had was the instant defeat of Liam. A defeat... No, it was more accurate to say that Liam was killed. In an instant, Liam was dead...!

"I thought he wanted to recruit Liam...?" Bewildered, Orion uttered. Next to him, Dawn and Cecelia were just as confused as Oblivion casually approached Liam's unmoving body.

Sitting next to Liam, Oblivion crossed his legs and closed his eyes. Assuming a meditative posture, Oblivion thought.

'With Pure-Heart's memories, it's as simple as eating to comprehend nothingness as it'll only be a matter of time but, once reaching the Pinnacle of the Golden Immortal realm, I'll need to undergo another annihilation process.'

Thinking this, Oblivion's thoughts stopped. All of his attention and his consciousness descended onto the staircase that led to infinity.

Unlike before, he couldn't simply take step by step but slowly his consciousness in the form of his humanoid form would get accustomed to the pressure that descends onto the body upon taking each step, and with that, the insights into oblivion and the ability to manipulate it will unravel by itself...

Using the memories of Pure-Heart's countless years of experience as a base, Oblivion's comprehension speed was much faster than before. In previous times, if it was like trying to find his way, now it was like slowly remembering his way.

At the same time, Orion waved his hand, exiting the mysterious space. Dawn walked up next to Oblivion before sitting on the ground, in a meditative position too.

Orion's body flickered as he went to who knows where whereas, Cecelia simply remained standing and staring at Oblivion's figure seemingly in a daze.

Like this, time passed. Several days became several years. One particular year, exactly seventeen years after entering deep meditation, Oblivion reopened his eyes. It wasn't due to reaching the pinnacle of the golden immortal realm but due to the person next to him.

Liam, who was previously dead in the minds of Orion, Cecelia, and Dawn, had finally gained consciousness, shocking Cecelia and pulling Dawn out of deep meditation in astonishment.

"W-What was that...? Just now, my mind... Urgh! Damn you!" Liam's mind was haywire as he struggled to regain a hold of what is and what was... Upon meeting Oblivion's unfeeling black orbs, Liam's anger skyrocketed.