The Void

A few days passed after that.

Ravyn was now technically the strongest out of the three and the others congratulated her on her newfound strength.

Alongside that, their motivation to become stronger had also risen.

After maxing out their levels and raising them, I gave myself levels until I reached level 10,000. The skills I obtained from the Assassin were all given to Kiyomi since she quickly adapted to the abilities I've gifted her, but I think it was about time she got skills that she must learn herself, and she thinks that too.

But right now, I have to focus on my growth first. Luckily, I know who to ask.

Celestia is known not only as a Grand Mage, but also one of the strongest Warlocks in existence, and history since she is of elf origin, meaning she is long-lived.

I'm not exactly sure how old she is, but she's definitely old enough to be called an old hag.

"What did you just say about me!?" I heard Celestia shout from behind me.

"Nothing."

I forgot she could read my mind.

Currently, we were located in the middle of the ocean. Yeah, you heard that correctly, in the middle of an ocean. Below me, there was a literal void that is emitting suffocating energy.

[Mana: 943,031,519/1,060,000,000]

Hmph, despite getting a massive mana boost from Reaper's Life Energy, my mana is decreasing at an extremely fast rate. It was absorbing my mana as I hovered above it.

This is… quite the problem.

Some centuries ago, Celestia made a contract and obtained her Warlock powers from this very void, and today, I'll be doing the same.

Before she and I were teleported here with her Omni-Teleportation skill, she explained to me what was going to happen once I entered the void.

I'll be gifted two principles if I managed to pass the trial that the "Void Master" gives to me, which is basically what I desire most. These principles will be elements opposite to each other. For example, the opposite of creation would be destruction, so I would get these two principles.

I asked what principles Celestia got, but she never told me.

Anyway, after these principles, I'll be given one of the many limbs from a Nephalem called the Violet one.

…I don't really know who he is, but he is the source of a Warlock's power. I also heard that he has many arms. Like… almost billions of them.

I'll be given two limbs; each one replacing a part of my left and right arm. One from his angel side, which is his left, and another from his devil side, which is his right.

Nephalems are offsprings of a demon and an angel. I don't know who screwed who first, but I'm not gonna care and so are you. I heard this Nephalem lives in these very voids, but no one knows which.

Before I fall into the void, Celestia gave me a useful tip.

"You need to show some avarice."

"Greed?"

"The Void Master is strange and will not allow any form of compassion in the Void. There is a reason why good-hearted people aren't Warlocks. The Void Master only cares for those that desire power for a selfish cause."

"What was yours?"

"…I don't want to speak about it." She said, looking away.

"When you are done, he will not care for whatever actions you perform in this world. Have you got a selfish desire in store?" She asked me.

I nodded yes.

"Then descend."

I nodded again before dropping into the void.

…

…

…

It was… very dark.

I was floating around in what felt like water, but I didn't feel wet.

Hmm, I wonder, is water… wet?

Anyway, I noticed my mana was… a little messed up.

[Mana: 1/1,060,000,000]

I didn't seem to have any mana in me, but I managed to create an Afterimage of myself, so I definitely still had mana inside me.

The Void is a place of endless energy. I'm guessing because of that, it is messing with my mana by giving me endless energy and taking it away at the same time.

Interesting…

"You!"

A voice boomed, reverberating through the void. I felt the air tremble just by the voice itself.

"What is your desire?" It asked.

I looked around but there was no figure in sight. I'm guessing this is the Void Master.

"Are you the Void Master?" I asked.

"I am indeed the Void Master. The very being that resides in the Void, along with another."

"I see."

"Now, tell me. What do you desire the power of the Void for?"

…

"I desire your power, to become the strongest."

There was silence before a figure clad in clothes that looked like the night sky.

"That is the same wish many have asked from me, yet they all failed to become the strongest. All but one has desired to be omnipotent. I have granted them such power, making them 'the strongest of all.' Are you sure that is your desire?"

Huh? Does he grant the principles by how we word our desires? If that is the case, then it looks like I'll have to be a little specific with mine.

"I desire to be one feared by others. Even the strongest themselves. I only desire the power to overwhelm others, to have them kneel before me, to… have them fear me."

"Is that so? Then you wish to not become 'the strongest' but something else?"

"…y-yes."

"Then so be it. I will grant you the ability to manipulate energy from the void, and the Principle of Oppression. Now, I believe you know what comes next."

[Passive Skill Obtained: Void Magic, Principle of Oppression]

[Principle of Oppression: Oppress all matter and energy by drawing cruel power from the Void| Effects: Allows the host to control the Principle of Oppression]

[Class Unlocked: Warlock]

"I understand, I must possess one that counteracts this principle."

"Correct, and you will receive the Principle of Banishment."

[Passive Skill Obtained: Principle of Banishment]

[Principle of Banishment: Cast aside energy into the Void with its power; Effects: Allows the host to utilize the Principle of Banishment]

"How does it feel young one? To possess such power? The power to oppress and the power to banish."

"It feels…"

I chuckled a little. To tyrannize and evict power. Such power is literally at my hands.

"It's exciting," I said calmly.

"Good." He said. "Now then, receive this."

Out of nowhere, he pulled out a red hand and a blue hand. He would appear in front of me and placed them in my hands. They would then sink into my hands, absorbing the limbs.

[Skills Obtained: Angel's Crimson Hand(Lvl.1), Devil's Azure Palm(Lvl.1), Total Oppression(Lvl.1), Total Banishment(Lvl.1)]

[Notice: Angel's Crimson Hand has linked with the Principle of Oppression and Devil's Azure Palm has linked with the Principle of Banishment]

I stared at my hands and the left one shined red while the palm of my right hand dimmed blue.

Curious…

"With that, you have completed your contract. May you do your best with your newfound powers, and use it well."

"…I will."

And then, my vision went black.

…

…

…

I woke up floating in the middle of the ocean and I saw Celestia float above me.

Right, after someone contracts with a Void, that Void will close up and only appear after several years, decades, centuries have passed. There are other Voids located around the world, but those are pretty far away.

Anyway, I did it I guess.

"Did you do it?" Celestia asked as she lent a hand.

"Yeah. The Principle of Oppression and Banishment is what I got."

"Is that so? The power to crush any form of mana, regardless of how powerful and dense it is formed, and the power to cast energy aside. That is… very powerful, and a very dangerous combo."

Well, that is what I desired after all.

Now that I think of it, how did that not count towards the Sin of Greed? Maybe I have to do it unknowingly... that is how I received Wrath and Pride, I think.

"Since we have plenty of time, I want to see what your principles can do. Try it right here." Celestia said, pointing towards the ocean.

I closed my eyes and envisioned a miniature void next to me. When I opened my eyes, that same void I envisioned was hovering in front of me.

To create a void, one who possesses the ability must imagine one in front of them, or anywhere they wish as long as it is in their line of sight and range.

I began drawing out energy until I had a decent amount inside me, then I activated Angel's Crimson Hand, which caused my hand to become wrapped in dense red energy. When I activated Devil's Azure Palm, my palm glowed blue as the shape of a mouth appeared on my palm.

Alright...

I faced my left hand towards the ocean and shot energy towards it. The impact struck the ocean surface and caused a vortex to form, but then that vortex was quickly covered up. I did the same with my right palm and the water was being drawn towards my palm and into the mouth shape on my palm.

When I pulled away, the water didn't return to its normal place. So I can banish energy just using my palm.

"I suppose that is it. I just need to learn sorcery now so my attacks can take on a physical form, right?" I asked Celestia and she nodded.

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