Influenced by the devil's core, the dark force worked its way toward Clifford's chest. Slowly, the bones started reforming, then muscles and flesh began growing around them as Clifford's heart took shape. About three hours later, the fatal damage was fully repaired. Soon, Clifford's heart started beating, gradually increasing its speed, bringing him back to life as his soul returned to his body.
Clifford's eyes snapped open, feeling the pain coming from his damaged shoulder, which hadn't completely healed due to the shortage of dark force. Sensing this shortage, Clifford fixed his gaze on the dead elder's body before standing up and moving toward it. Once he had completely devoured the elder, the elder's memories started playing in front of his eyes.
Randall had come to the academy to repay a favor, as he didn't want to stay there any longer. One day, Randall found the elders in contact with someone suspicious who immediately discovered his presence. Offering him the manual, Randall had no choice but to accept, as the expert was several realms higher than all of them.
Surprisingly the expert was somehow related to Clifford, sharing the same clan name as him. But as far as Clifford knew, he never had any relatives. Only he and his father shared the last name which was Devoe. None of the elders seemed to have a clear view of the hooded person's face and out of them all, only this elder seemed to know his name, making him suspect the man to be his father.
He didn't give it much thought since the deal only required them to interfere if the target's potential exceeded average, and his memories were tampered with. However, the target managed to kill himself, surprisingly doing their job for them.
"Yeah, do whatever you want." Hearing the elder's suggestion, Randall didn't react much as he was busy cultivating. Unbeknownst to them, Randall had successfully merged two of his three elements. But to lay the foundation of his world, Randall needed at least six elements to proceed. Being confined in this place didn't help him much, leaving him dissatisfied as his progress became stagnant.
His ambition led him to think about escaping, but knowing he couldn't take on the four elders, he buried these thoughts until the first elder disappeared, causing them to resurface. Knowing the enemy would return soon, Randall waited in anticipation, thinking about how to deal with the threat and leave this damned place.
He decided to let both parties suffer, then finish them off and leave, but surprisingly, the elders died on their own, leaving a wisp of fear in his mind. Fearing the other party would overpower him, he decided to work with his partner. However, the fact that the enemy couldn't get rid of the gate after hitting it for hours meant he was not stronger than Randall.
Bored of waiting and aware that someone must have killed the two elders protecting the upper floor, Randall decided to kill the one standing next to him and fight on his own, planning to escape if he couldn't win. Shattering the door and witnessing the enemy's figure, which he didn't recognize at all, Randall decided to kill him and end it as quickly as possible.
Once he had absorbed the memories, Clifford followed the blood trail leading to the upper floor. The mass of bodies scattered across the floor emitted a stench of blood that permeated the entire area, showcasing Randall's ruthlessness. Although Clifford acknowledged Randall's brutality, he viewed his later actions as cowardice, understanding that Randall didn't want anyone to know where he went. Pushing these thoughts aside, Clifford scooped up the bodies one by one to recharge his dark force. He didn't stop until his body turned crimson from the dark overload.
Hellbent on uncovering the truth, Clifford decided to resort to extreme measures, knowing it would cause a disaster. The amount of killing he had done since his awakening made him numb; he no longer felt anything from the death of others. He didn't care about casualties as long as it brought his power to a new level.
Fueled by determination, Clifford decided to blow up the power source, knowing that whoever met their demise in any way caused by him would have their souls absorbed by the core. Not only would this break his limits, but it would also advance his body transformation.
Descending, Clifford continued to devour everything in his path, resulting in his body becoming bloated and his speed slowing significantly. By the time he reached the source's room, his veins were bulging like cracks snaking through his skin, and his long silver hair had taken on a hue of red.
Pushing the door open, Clifford came to witness a massive orb of light that blinded him momentarily. The source resembled a small sun, suspended in mid-air without any visible support. Small letters and symbols were engraved on the floor, forming a circle around the orb. Unsure if he could blow it up normally, Clifford sat down to meditate, recharging his Qi supply to the top.
About an hour later, Clifford stood up and took his stance. Clenching his fist, he circulated all of the Qi in his dantian, preparing to strike his target. Putting all his weight into the blow, Clifford made his move, screaming in anticipation. The moment his fist made contact, ripples spread through the source as it became unstable due to the violent Qi rampaging inside it.
A shockwave emanated from within, sending Clifford flying back before he crashed against the wall outside the room. Then, the massive ball exploded, and the violent light spread quickly, burning and destroying everything in its path. The light continued spreading outside the academy, devouring everything in its way while slowly decreasing in intensity.