Void Evolution System

The secret realm expedition wasn't too crazy of an event.

Well, depending on who one talked to.

Perhaps the Veritas Clan would have plenty of stories to tell. The Kyushu Federation also had a lot of new things to discover from the samples they collected in the uncharted territory.

The Vega Clan spent the secret realm this time relatively the same as every other time, and Damien…well, Damien wasn't one to overhype his achievements.

He definitely did a lot. He killed a God, albeit by cheating a bit, and he discovered a hidden piece he never expected to find.

However, this was just one step of many.

Since it was ending, he needed to collect himself and get ready for what came next.

Though, he first needed to wait for the secret realm to actually open. From the day he first sensed the fluctuations in space, it took roughly two weeks for the secret realm to actually decide on closing and send them out.

Afterwards, there was naturally a huge show.

The Straea Clan raged. Not a single person from the tens of those they sent into the realm returned, whether it was those who entered legally or illegally.

And who were they going to blame?

Naturally, it was the Veritas Clan.

Who else could they drag into this mess?

They'd lost two Gods and several Demigods in a plan to destroy the Veritas group, but the Veritas Clan members came back only missing a single Elder:

If they weren't infuriated, they were stupid. No, either way, they were stupid, since they were placed in the same position they expected their enemies to be in at this very moment.

Nevertheless, what could they do but make a scene?

They had no just cause to blame Veritas, and even if they did, it'd only reveal the fact that they attacked first, that too using underhanded means.

The Straea Clan couldn't be the one injured by this incident, especially now that they'd already taken hits, therefore, after a few back and forths with the Veritas Clan group where quite the harsh words were spit from both sides, they had to gnash their teeth and retreat.

Damien watched from the side with a smile on his face. It was great seeing Straea struggle.

And once the commotion died down, after the Grand Elders had some brief conversation with the Vega Clan group, they returned to their spirit ship, headed straight to the Veritas Estate.

'Regardless, it was a good trip.' Damien thought, looking out of one of the spirit ship's windows.

He improved unexpectedly, he got to take action against his enemies, though the level was negligible in the grand scheme, and he was able to find talents worth raising.

Overall, he gained a lot more than he ever thought he would from a simple protection mission.

The time had come for his relationship with the Veritas Clan to change.

It would no longer be one of client and mercenary, one of leader and subordinate,

They would now be on equal terms.

Two sides of a negotiation between giants.

***

Everyone went their separate ways when the spirit ship landed.

Damien gave his goodbyes to the elders he got close to and the rest as a show of respect before leaving for the main estate.

It was a place where only high-ranking Veritas clansmen were usually allowed, but for this instance, Damien was given special permission.

He was currently sitting in a relatively simplistic study room. Its design was minimalistic using mainly wood as its building material, and aside from a few bookshelves and paintings against the wall, a desk, and a few couches for guests, there wasn't much to note.

"It's good to finally meet you."

"Ah, yeah, you too."

A polite greeting and an awkward reply,

Damien glanced over at the man who had just spoken.

He was one of two other people in this room.

'Julian Veritas.'

The Patriarch of the Veritas Clan.

Damien's eyes turned to the second person, narrowing as if to ask "What the fuck is this?"

Yulia smiled and shrugged, telling him outright to just deal with it.

'Haa, this…'

Damien sighed inwardly. He was expecting to meet Yulia today, but seeing Julian was a completely different matter.

After all, no matter what he did or what happened in his mercenary days, he didn't see a wink of this man's visage.

But now that his time with them was coming to an end, the Patriarch had called him for a meeting.

They exchanged several words after their greeting, mostly covering minor things and engaging in small talk.

Damien had to report about the happenings of the Forbidden Secret Realm as well, since he was the one most involved in it all.

He told a simplified story about how he killed the Straea Demigods and led the Gods into the uncharted territory, where they died to the ecosystem itself.

He, of course, skimmed over his involvement in the boundary stele breaking and their deaths, along with his little trip to the ravine, but those were just insignificant matters.

His ability still needed to be hidden. He had to appear strong, but not uncontrollably strong. He couldn't let Veritas view him as a threat.

Nevertheless, after tens of minutes of conversation, the topic finally arrived where Damien wanted it to.

"As promised by my sister, we, the Veritas Clan, will actively support Void Palace in its future endeavors," Julian said.

"Then, I'll graciously accept your aid."

Damien smiled as he shook Julian's hand.

The terms weren't so simple. When they first made the agreement, Damien made sure they couldn't half-ass their assistance in any way.

Whether it be military or financial support, Veritas would provide it as long as it was within reasonable bounds.

They were not becoming subordinates, but it wasn't wrong to say this was the moment Veritas truly became a sister sect with Void Palace.

From this point forth, they would be two peas in a pod, two influences who stood together in victory and defeat.

Negotiations continued from there and didn't stop until a day had passed and both sides reached a satisfying conclusion.

With their business finished and the details sorted out, Damien once again shook Julian's hand before leaving alongside Yulia.

"Do you plan to return immediately?" Yulia asked, glancing at him in intrigue.

What was his next step?

He could very well head to Vega territory and gather even more supporters, but how much time had passed?

Back then, Yulia gave Void Palace a decade before it collapsed.

Though her judgement wasn't completely accurate, over half that time already passed since then. Damien couldn't delay any longer.

"Yeah. It's time for me to see it."

His words were said without much hesitation.

He looked out at the horizon.

His disguise melted away, revealing the amethyst-purple eyes and chiseled features he'd kept hidden for the past six or so years.

"I'd like to see how great my birthright really is."

Yulia smiled.

Damien was great fun to be acquainted with. He didn't seem to realize himself, but even when he tried to hide his true worth, he shined like the brightest of diamonds.

He had accomplished a lot of unexpected feats in the time they knew each other. She never told him outright, of course, but he really did perform feats above what even those eternally blessed by heaven could pull off.

So she'd been waiting for this moment.

"I'll prepare the portal," she said.

She could sense it. She'd been sensing it from the start, and when Julian finally met Damien, he sensed it as well.

The moment Damien Void returned to Void Palace, the landscape of the Heavenly World would change.

And both of them were absolutely sure they wouldn't regret the decisions they made here today.