Void Evolution System

That man's name was Richter Snow.

His history wasn't anything significant. He started as an ordinary person who wanted to become strong, and along the way, he developed a sort of obsession with "that which should not exist."

However, his view of that concept was different than most others who sought the same knowledge. Rather than the ethereal forces that qualified under the umbrella, he focused on existences.

His pursuit took him to the Nox first, and when he wasn't able to remain in the lower universe any longer, it led him further to beings he had no business being involved with.

That was why he never made contact with those beings. He knew he didn't stand a single chance against them. He couldn't abuse them, because they didn't have the same limitations that the Nox Race possessed.

He got his hands on materials related to them, genetic codes and organic samples, through black market dealings. And with those materials, he was able to conduct experiments for countless years.

As for why he hadn't been caught?

How many like him were there in the Heavenly World? This place was too massive for every psycho to be pursued, and since he hid his research extensively, nobody knew how close he was to completing it.

But the most important factor was his mobility. He constantly moved. He had been through all the northern regions, moving from base to base as he did experiments on a variety of peoples and beings.

The base in the Vanishing Dunes was his main base, so he spent a lot more time here than anyone else, but as long as he had the spatial mechanisms in this ruin under his control, he could return from everywhere.

He had confidence.

And with that confidence, he approached his next experiment.

'Asher Norn…to think such a specimen would be hidden in an insignificant clan like theirs.'

Asher Norn didn't have a great talent for comprehension, but he was born with a unique physique that could acclimate to any condition, which allowed him to make up for his lacking talent and grow at a speed rivaling geniuses.

"It took weeks, but I am finally certain. His body will perfectly adapt to the foreign genetic code and become something extraordinary."

Richter tested it with small samples and isolated experiments using pieces of Asher's DNA which he extracted, and since he had surety now, he was ready to act.

He approached the chained man with a smile on his face.

"This is the moment you become something grand."

Asher couldn't hear him. There were too many sedatives in his body for that to be possible.

And Richter wasn't going to fly up to where he was chained either.

He inserted the syringe in his hand into a nearby arm-like device.

It was one of three that rose up and injected different parts of Asher's body to prime him for the procedure.

"Next, I must remove his heart and replace it with the dark core before his body withers."

It was a precise process that had failed every time he'd tried thus far, but it was different now.

The past failures showed him the path to success.

Richter was on the ground surrounded by machines. He himself was within a machine that could control the rest like his own limbs. With that, he could properly operate on the subject without relying on processes he couldn't personally oversee.

Tens of robotic arms surrounded Asher as the procedure was brought to its proper start.

And as the only observer in the area, Damien frowned to himself.

'I should probably act now.'

He wanted to see what Richter was up to, so he waited. Unfortunately, the mad scientist was quite set in his ways and didn't reveal much on his own.

Plus, he'd digitized all his research so Damien couldn't easily access it unless he got his hands on one of those machines.

'I guess he learned from what happened in the lower universe.'

It was a bit annoying, but looking at how Asher was about to be cut apart, he didn't really have a choice but to act now.

Luckily, Damien was a unique individual. He didn't need to keep his targets alive or convince them if he wanted to extract information.

Especially now, after his ascension, Devour allowed him to take everything from his opponents, including the very core of their existence.

Basically, there was no longer a situation where he needed to keep the enemy alive.

He pried open the spatial door and stepped through, arriving in the space.

His presence went unnoticed at first because Richter was far too focused on the surgical procedure to focus on what was happening outside, but Damien wasn't planning to make a quiet entrance.

"Yo, wake up."

BOOM!

He slammed his foot into the ground. The physical force alone caused the earth to quake, causing a large portion of the machinery to malfunction and some to even break apart completely.

"Who?!"

Richter took off the headset he had on and looked around, his eyes quickly landing on Damien.

"Who are you?!"

Damien raised his brow.

'He does crazy shit, but he seems pretty rational in moments like these.'

He wasn't lashing out or immediately attacking. He saw an intruder who couldn't be estimated easily and took a cautious stance from the get-go, which was something Damien could appreciate.

"My identity doesn't really matter, does it? Bottom line is that I'm here to stop you, so shouldn't we start fighting?"

Damien grinned.

He wasn't going to entertain all the talking and stalling.

He had no interest in Richter. He only needed the man's memories!

BOOOOOM!

Damien let his mana pulse out. It rushed through the room, pushing Richter back and destroying all the machinery left in the vicinity.

"You..you…"

Richter stammered, his eyes wide as saucers.

He simply couldn't believe what was happening.

It happened too fast and too suddenly for him to even process it, but before he knew it, most of the facilities in this place had been broken into heaps of garbage.

"MY RESEARCH…!"

It wasn't gone. Because he digitized it, he didn't have to worry about losing it like that. However, the resources needed to build a facility like this cost far too much for him to easily get his progress back in a matter of years.

"You monster…you monster…!"

It seemed the insanity within Richter was being brought out by the previous series of events.

Damien patiently watched it happen.

He was going to kill Richter regardless, but he wanted to see what the man could do before he died.

He deserved at least that much of a chance, right?

Damien glanced over at the suspended man in the background as Richter continued to break down.

'He looks fine, but that stuff he was injected with earlier can't be good for him. For now, let's…'

Damien flicked his fingers indiscernibly and separated Asher from the current reality.

'That should be good.'

The target was safe, and Richter seemed right about ready to fight. So without further ado…

"I'LL KILL YOU!"

That enraged scream marked the start.

RUMBLE!

The ruin quaked.

BOOM!

The doors leading to the space shattered, and countless shadows appeared from beyond.

Damien grinned.

"Good, then. Let's fight."