chapter 19: the chosen

---

"Quiet," Void said abruptly, standing up immediately. His smile vanished, replaced by an unfeeling expression. Linkir was taken aback by the sudden shift, her confusion palpable as she stopped backing away and locked eyes with Void. Although Void emitted no visible aura, Linkir felt an intense chill emanating from him, as if a mountain of corpses and rivers of blood stood before her.

"Better... sit down," Void instructed, gesturing to the ground and taking a seat himself.

"On the... ground?" Linkir stuttered, her bewilderment evident as she slowly complied. Void's demeanor intrigued him; he noted how Linkir embodied the phrase "scared as a cat."

"Now, what are you doing here? Who are you?" Void inquired, his voice carrying a hint of curiosity.

Linkir, somewhat relieved by the question, took a deep breath. Although Void was human now and her race typically distrusted humans, his presence felt more akin to that of a beast. She examined the human before her: dark and handsome, with an aesthetic reminiscent of her own kind.

Linkir clenched her fists. At least this human wasn't aggressive or intent on capturing her. After all, she was a saint.

"I... I am Linkir, the only daughter of the chief of the Side Haule village. I am also a Chosen," she managed to say, her words punctuated by nervous stuttering.

Void regarded her with a mixture of amusement and confusion. As a demon, he comprehended their language, but the concept of a "village" and "Chosen" puzzled him. From afar, the village appeared vast, perhaps as large as a small country or even larger. Void wasn't familiar with this world, making the term "Chosen" particularly perplexing.

"What is that?" Void asked with genuine interest.

"You... you don't know what a Chosen is?" Linkir's shock was evident.

"Yeah... I'm not from this world," Void replied, his smile widening.

"Huh? What do you mean, 'Not from this world'? Which world?" Linkir stood up abruptly, her confusion morphing into alarm.

"Relax. It's like this," Void began, recounting his journey from being a demon. He chose to share this with Linkir for several reasons. First, there was no immediate reason to conceal his origins; the clash of multiverses was imminent, but he held that back for now. Second, unlike most demons in the Abyss who wouldn't entertain such conversations, Void found himself strangely inclined to share his story. Third, since Linkir was already dead, there was little harm in revealing his background.

As Void spoke, Linkir listened with rapt attention, her world expanding with each revelation. The concepts of technology, phones, demons, and the Abyss were alien to her. Her sheltered life had limited her exposure to such grand ideas, but Void's story sparked a longing for exploration within her.

"According to what you said, you're a demon. Should you even be telling me this?" Linkir asked, her concern now palpable.

Void's amusement grew. "I'm not that stupid. Besides, you're dead," he chuckled, making Linkir feel as if she were in the presence of a predatory beast.

"Hey, you can't do anything. I'm a Chosen, remember? That means—" Linkir began to protest, but her voice trailed off as she anticipated Void's reaction.

Void's grin widened. "So, if I kill you, your God will chase me. Didn't you hear what I said about demons?" He slowly approached Linkir, his presence overwhelming. Linkir wanted to flee, but an oppressive aura kept her rooted in place, making her feel as if she were in the presence of an archmage—a rare and formidable entity in her world.

"I... I'm sorry. I don't want to die," Linkir pleaded softly.

"Relax, girl. After all, I'm not a demon," Void said with a grin, though his eyes betrayed a hint of menace.

"System, if I create a contract with her, will her God sense it?"

(No, host.)

"Interesting," Void murmured, contemplating the implications.

"System, if I give her my blood, will the God be able to sense her location?"

(No, but he will know or feel that his Chosen is dead.)

"Great," Void said, his excitement evident. Having Linkir by his side would act as a sort of GPS for the gods. He planned to use her as a means to shield his presence, allowing him to operate more freely.

"System, will she survive? Also, if she becomes another being, will she still be part of this world?"

(Chances of survival are 0.01%. Host, she is part of this world. Even if she becomes an Aeron, her origin remains tied to this world.)

Void's grin widened. "At least it's not zero," he laughed, eager to see the outcome. Whether she survived or not, he was prepared to take drastic actions. If she perished, he would destroy her village and flee, using the ensuing chaos to his advantage. The God of Light would send weak subordinates to investigate, whom Void would use to gain experience. By the time the God realized Void's presence, he would be a formidable force, ready to summon Rank 1 demons. The gods, though Rank 2, wouldn't easily descend to the mortal realm, especially if Void avoided destroying their churches.

"I do hope you survive," Void said with a mockingly sympathetic tone. He opened Linkir's mouth with his hand and bit his own, letting a drop of blood flow out. The temperature around them increased, making Linkir feel as though she were being scorched.

Void observed with interest as the blood came into contact with Linkir. The heat intensified, causing her agony. Her body convulsed as if she had swallowed molten lava, every cell seemingly ablaze. Despite the pain, she felt a surge of power, growing stronger by the moment.

Linkir's fur and clothes burned away, leaving her exposed. Void's gaze remained impassive as he noted her physical transformation. Her body, though still developing, exhibited remarkable potential. Her heartbeat thundered, and her skin turned an unsettling red, cracked in places.

Her fur reappeared, softer yet sharper, her claws extended into deadly talons, and a long, spiked tail sprouted. Her eyes shifted from green to a fierce red.

Void examined his creation with a mix of satisfaction and anticipation. The 0.01% survival rate and her transformation proved worthwhile.

Linkir, now more powerful and transitioned directly into the mage realm, looked at her new form with confusion and anger. "Who am I? What have you done to me?" She demanded, attacking Void with her claws.

Void did not dodge. A metallic clang echoed as their clash rang out. Smiling, he observed her transformation with a mix of curiosity and approval. When Linkir's attack failed to reach him, Void slapped her, knocking her unconscious.

Meanwhile, in the God realm:

A colossal figure, standing 8 meters tall, sat on a throne of light. The deity's humanoid form exuded an aura of immense power. Angels with two wings knelt below, and two peak Rank 1 angels flanked the deity, their presence signaling their status as false gods.

The deity, resting his chin on his hands, listened to the prayers of his subordinates when he suddenly felt a disturbance.

"Who dares to do this?" the deity's voice boomed as he opened his eyes. His aura, at the peak of Rank 2, radiated through the realm, causing all the angels to kneel in reverence, their lives hanging by a thread.

*******************************†*******************************†

This is a short chapter about 1,000+

The original is 1,700 words but after writing it .. my friend Alayot helped in editing it and now it feels more refined and great. If you like it comment and now I will make it longer so when edited it will at least be up to 1500 chapters. Thank you Alayot .. big shout out to you. Bloodt8 thanks so much for the power stones., thank you ultraman and the reading diety. Your help is much appreciated and thanks for those who helped in increasing the book's collection.