As I stepped into the Void, I was greeted with the familiar view. It was the same nothingness I had witnessed when I died before—a darkness that seemed to stretch endlessly. However, this time, I found myself enclosed in a shimmering, magical field that propelled me forward at incredible speed through this abyss.
As I observed my surroundings, the system's message regarding the duration of my journey appeared before me: '4 YEARS!!!' I couldn't help but exclaim, my voice filled with a mix of shock and frustration. Four years felt like an eternity, especially considering that, by my calculations, there were only nine years remaining before the plot was set to begin. If I spent four years just traveling, I might not return in time to influence the unfolding events.
My thoughts spiraled into a frantic whirlwind of contingency plans and desperate considerations. Just as I was about to voice my concerns, another message from the system pierced through my turmoil.
[HOST, PLEASE BE ADVISED: TIME PASSES DIFFERENTLY IN THE DESTINATION WORLD DUE TO THE DISPARITY IN TIMELINES. FOR EVERY ONE YEAR EXPERIENCED BY THE HOST, ONLY HALF A YEAR WILL ELAPSE IN THE DxD WORLD.]
Relief cascaded over me like a refreshing waterfall in the midst of a scorching desert. The revelation that the passage of time in this void operated differently, with one year here equating to only half a year in the DxD world, was a comforting realization. It meant I could use this time more effectively than I initially feared.
Yet, a lingering question had haunted me since I first entered this enigmatic void: the nature of the energy that surrounded me. Was it indeed the void energy that I had speculated?
'System,' I began, directing my query into the ether. 'Is this energy that envelops us truly the void energy?'
The system's response came swiftly, confirming my hypothesis.
[YES, HOST, IT'S THE VOID ENERGY THAT IS PRESENT AROUND YOU.]
With this confirmation, I decided to put my theory to the test. Seated within the energy-infused force field, I initiated my cultivation of the Void Devouring Arts. As I delved into the techniques, I observed minute cracks forming on the surface of the force field. Through these rifts, the dense and potent void energy of the True Void began to surge, flowing into me.
It was a remarkable sensation. The quality of this void energy surpassed anything I had encountered in my world. It was as if I had tapped into a reservoir of pure, untamed power. The energy coursed through me, filling every fiber of my being with its essence.
I had already formed my core, but my plan was not to attempt a breakthrough. Instead, I wanted to create additional energy-revolving cores to significantly increase my power output. As I concentrated on forming these cores, the energy swirled within me. After a lengthy process, I successfully created eight cores, connecting them to my twelve principal meridians.
Next, it was time to compress these cores. I poured void energy into them, allowing them to expand and then compressing them repeatedly until they became as dense as solid energy, spinning at a high rate and remaining stable. This process took quite some time, but eventually, all nine cores were dense and at their peak form. Now, with nine cores inside me, my physical existence couldn't be erased as long as I had at least one core remaining.
As I was about to conclude my session, I suddenly remembered that I had failed to manifest my Martial Soul the last time. The system had mentioned something about insufficient energy. Now that I had nine cores, I should be able to output a significant amount of energy. I began concentrating on my soul, trying to feel its power and understand it. Then, a message appeared.
[CONGRATULATIONS, HOST! MARTIAL SOUL MANIFESTATION HAS BEEN COMPLETED SUCCESSFULLY]
[MARTIAL SOUL AWAKENED : THE EMPEROR]
[CONGRATULATIONS!! HOST FOR MANIFESTING MARTIAL SOUL FOR THE FIRST TIME]
[ACHIVEMENT UNLOCKED: SOUL WARRIOR]
[SOUL STRENGHT : A- GRADE -----> A GRADE]
[4000 POINTS AWARDED]
"Haaaah...! Finally, I activated my Martial Soul," I exclaimed with relief. Now, I could peacefully cultivate and strive to break through to Nascent Soul. As I began to meditate, I quickly entered a trance-like state due to the absolute quietness of the void.
An unknown amount of time passed, and when I emerged from my trance, I received some notifications:
[CORE FORMATION -----> QUASI-NASCENT SOUL]
[HOST'S UNDERSTANDING OF THE VOID HAS DEEPENED...]
[PROMOTION: VOID MASTER ----> HALF-STEP VOID GRANDMASTER]
[1000 POINTS AWARDED]
'Well, it's natural that as I climb higher, the gap between the levels only increases. I need to be patient in my cultivation,' I mused, observing my progress.
I couldn't help but wonder about the time remaining, so I inquired, 'System, how much time is left?"
[HOST, 2 YEARS LEFT UNTIL WE REACH THE DESTINATION]
I let out a sigh. 'Still, 2 years left, it's really quite boring. Wait, I know how to spend this time!' With that thought, I immediately opened the shop and purchased some books:
[A.I AND YOU: A BOOK BY SKYNET (ALTERNATE TIMELINES)]
[DIGITAL HEARTS: LOVE BEYOND THE CODE - LEXI]
[101 WAYS TO WIN AN ANDROID GIRL'S HEART (ORIGINAL)]
There were even more books on the topic, and I thought, 'Well, it's time to read.' I embarked on my reading journey. These books had numerous volumes, up to 20 in total, with each volume containing a staggering 10,000 pages. Fortunately, they were all digital books, which made it manageable. I couldn't help but wonder if these books were designed for advanced beings, given their volume and content.
Nonetheless, it didn't matter; I had two years, and my soul's strength was more than sufficient to complete them all if I binge-read.
And so, my reading marathon began. As I delved deeper into these books, my perspective on life, death, and the classification of the living underwent a profound transformation.
The philosophical aspects of these topics started to merge into something more intricate than mere black-and-white concepts. As the lines between these concepts blurred, the flow of time became insignificant.
But suddenly, a 'Ding' sound interrupted my profound contemplation, bringing me back to the present moment.
[TIME LEFT TO REACH THE DESTINATION IS 1 HOUR]
[CONGRATULATIONS! HOST. YOU HAVE ENTERED ADULTHOOD THIS YEAR]
[ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED: COMING OF AGE]
[ACTIVATING FULL FEATURES OF BODY...]
[REINFORCING BONES...COMPLETE]
[CALIBRATING MUSCLES....COMPLETE]
[INCREASING THE MANA DENSITY...COMPLETE]
[TOTAL PHYSIQUE HAS BEEN ENHANCED]
[SOUL IS SUCCESSFULLY EVOLVED TO A HIGHER STATE]
With each message, a profound transformation surged through me. It was as though I had shed an old skin and emerged anew. My body was enhanced to its peak, with reinforced bones and finely-tuned muscles. The density of mana within me had increased, enhancing my magical potential. Every aspect of my being had been elevated to a higher state.
The moment was not only marked by physical changes but also by a more profound shift in my existence.
[ACTIVATING SEX DRIVE...COMPLETE]
[OVERWHELMING HARMONES DETECTED...]
[WARNING! TEMPORARILY ENTERING EXCITED STATE]
As I read the message about my sex drive getting activated, a rush of hormones flooded my system, causing my body temperature to rise. At that moment, I couldn't help but curse my luck, as this intense arousal hit me at the most inconvenient time.
"Damn it, I'm HORNY at the wrong time," I thought, frustration and desire warring within me.
[HOST, IT IS STRONGLY ADVISED TO MEDITATE UNTIL THE EXCITED STATE WEARS OFF], the system advised.
Taking the system's counsel, I reluctantly began to meditate. It wasn't easy, considering the circumstances, but after a while, I managed to regain my composure. My mind cleared, and my body's excitement began to wane.
[HOST, YOUR BODY STATUS IS NORMAL CURRENTLY], the system informed me when I finally opened my eyes.
I let out a deep sigh of relief. However, before I could dwell on the strange occurrence, the system spoke up again.
[HOST, IN ORDER TO CELEBRATE YOUR MILESTONE OF REACHING ADULTHOOD, A GIFT HAS BEEN PREPARED FOR YOU.]
[MYSTERY GIFT]
Curiosity piqued, I eagerly pressed
[UNBOXING THE MYSTERY GIFT...YOU HAVE RECEIVED]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[SUMMONING CRYSTAL(DIABLOS WORLD) ]
- It has the ability to summon entities from the world of Diablos.
- It is recommended to summon individuals whose mindset aligned with the user's goals, despite the summoned beings' inherent loyalty.
- Summoned beings acknowledged the user as their master, but this did not erase their emotions or feelings.
-The summoner retained the power to choose the timeline from which to summon these beings.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The crystal's possibilities were both alluring and formidable. It presented me with the opportunity to gather allies from Diablos, who could potentially aid me in my quest.
'And I exactly know who should I summon, HEHEHE' A wide grin spread across me as my thoughts drifted towards a certain someone. But before I could use the crystal, another message interrupted me.
[YOU HAVE ARRIVED AT THE DESTINATION, HOST]
[EXITING THE VOID...]
[VOID EXITED SUCCESSFULLY]
[GOOD LUCK, HOST!]