He electrocuted his wrist and a good part of his lower arm without hesitation, tearing through the traces of power the Maelstrom released naturally. The call of the Void was stronger than before, and doubts began to creep into his mind as he lost control of Deryadus’ Arm for a moment. Still, he calmed slightly when the alien power was obliterated by pristine-white lightning currents.

No, they hadn’t disappeared. The traces were still there… just weaker and… inactive?

David released another barrage of pristine lightning currents at his arm, weakening the traces further. However, they didn’t disintegrate. Not even [Radiant Expulsion], which had evolved from [Purify], seemed to work. David had created the Skill solely to cleanse the traces of the Void from its victims.

Zachariah didn’t like it, but sending waves of [Origin Lightning] into the Regressor’s body before cleansing him with [Radiant Expulsion] had worked wonders to remove the infection of the Void.

It was even more efficient when it came to cleansing wastelands. Though not as effective as the Maelstrom, which devoured the nothingness instantaneously, it worked nonetheless. Slow, consuming a tremendous amount of pure Blood—but it worked. Not this time.

David grimaced but followed the trail left behind by the Maelstrom instead. In the worst case, he would destroy Deryadus’ Arm from within—precisely carving out the parts infected by the inactive Void using [Primeval Pulse]. The Ancient Relic could be healed just like any other part of his body, though it required more energy, time, and additional resources to do so.

Focus!

There was no time to think about what to do next, as the Maelstrom moved further than intended. Deryadus’ Arm was never supposed to pull it into his upper arm—let alone come in contact with the Sacred Beast Core—yet it did.

A pained hiss echoed in his head—only to be swallowed whole a moment later. His connection to Electra was severed, and the call of the Void ceased. Traces of the Void surged out of the Maelstrom, but they no longer latched onto Deryadus’ Arm. They surged toward the Beast Core and infiltrated Electra’s territory, threatening to swallow the Sacred Beast.

David closed his eyes and entered his mind space without a second thought. Their initial plan had been different, but they could still fight the Void together—even if it was within the Sacred Beast Core.

But just as he was about to enter the Beast Core’s space, ready to join Electra in the mental battle against the Void, David noticed that he couldn’t. He… was barred from the Beast Core.

What?! How could you block me out?! he shouted inwardly, but nobody heard him.

For the first time in what felt like eons, David was alone in his body. The Mythical Electra was no longer connected to him. Was that temporary or permanent? It was hard to tell, as his perception of the Ancient Relic faltered whenever he focused on it.

[Lifeweaver’s Bond] was terminated, and the effect of [Herald’s Blessing] wore off. However, [Bloodlife Echo] was still active and connected to the Sacred Beast Core. Looking at the flashing Class Skill Rune, though, David couldn’t say that it reassured him.

More than two dozen pure Blood droplets had already been drained from the Echo. The Beast Core, Serpent Fang, and Scalemore were still full, but whatever was happening in the Core was draining an enormous amount of energy.

Since [Bloodlife Echo] is still active, Electra has to be alive. David calmed his wildly beating heart, glimpsing at the black lightning currents cracking across the Class Skill Rune’s surface. The symbol was still there and, taking a glimpse at the engraving on Deryadus’ Arm, the lightning currents riveting around the tattoo had yet to fade either.

David cast and overclocked [Herald’s Blessing] and [Lifeweaver’s Bond] and applied both to [Bloodlife Echo]’s Rune in his mind space. That had to be enough to determine Electra’s condition—and hopefully provide some support.

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He took a deep breath a moment later and released a surge of pure Blood, carrying pristine-white lightning currents and his raging will, toward the Maelstrom. The call of the Void might no longer bother him, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t do anything. Quite the contrary—David saw an opportunity in the Maelstrom’s hasty action.

Stall as much time as you can! David shouted inwardly, hoping Electra could hear him as his will bombarded the Maelstrom.

[Origin Lightning] surged toward the threads of the Void connecting the Maelstrom to the Sacred Beast Core, severing them temporarily. It may have lasted no more than a moment, but that was enough to initiate a counterattack.

Since the Void within the Maelstrom could infiltrate his Beast Core, David might as well have returned the favor. He roared at the top of his lungs, unaware of the blood pouring from his nose and eyes, as he forced a path into the Maelstrom.

The mind space shifted, and eternal darkness surged forward. It sloshed past him, never truly touching David, as it consumed everything around him. It was cold and uncomfortable, yet he could feel neither a breeze nor… anything at all. Being surrounded by eternal darkness, which resembled the all-consuming black of the Void Barrier, was anything but pleasant. Yet, oddly enough, David could still see something in the darkness. He could make out everything there was.

Which wasn’t a lot. There was darkness wherever he looked—and a young girl lying on the ground. No, not a woman. It was a child who couldn’t have been a day older than six.

She was thin, had long, auburn hair, and offered him a gentle smile. He remembered the girl. It had been more than a decade—he was only five at the time—but David clearly remembered her. He couldn’t recall her name, but he remembered the girl, her smile, and how he liked being with her. It had been a nice time. Pleasant. Enjoyable even.

Playing with her in kindergarten had been great. Being with her made it easier to talk to others. To play. To… be a child.

But that was taken from him. Everything had been taken away.

He was young, still a child, but his parents hadn’t cared. At the age of five, the last remnants of a child’s happiness were stripped from him, and he came to understand what his parents had planned for him—for his future.

They separated him from the girl and… he never truly found out what happened. She was no longer there when his parents found him playing in the sandbox with her. The day after she disappeared was still imprinted on his mind, just like the looks the teachers and other children gave him.

David grimaced in a failed attempt to suppress the memories and stepped forward. The child turned to him, bright eyes shimmering with happiness as their gazes met. She looked like a docile puppy in need of attention—like someone who could never truly harm another.

A crescent blade of [Lightning Rend] whipped through the air, beheading her. The sight was grotesque as her head rolled from her small body, but David could only scoff as the child disintegrated, a devious grimace replacing the formerly adorable, harmless smile.

“I am not that fragile,” he growled, turning around.

[True Sight] revealed Void traces as they emerged from the disintegrating body. He lost sight of them once they seeped into the eternal darkness, but it wasn’t long before more frames began to form. David ignored them for the moment and compared the Void traces he had seen with the amount that should have remained within the Maelstrom. There were fewer than expected.

Most must have left the Maelstrom to devour the Beast Core, he concluded, just as people from his memories emerged from the frames. And with the appearance of those familiar faces came memories—memories he would have preferred to keep buried.

Every person forming in the dark space was linked to a memory, and each of those memories had an effect on him. It was hard to perceive at first, but as time slowed to a crawl, David managed to glimpse it. The memories were weighing on his defenses, trying to tear them down.

Even worse, it worked.

His Mind and Soul were stronger than ever, yet the Void still managed to wear him down, to erode his strength slowly but steadily. However, the success came at a price—a steep one.

As the Void tore into his defenses, ripping through [Mind Palace], [Soul Domain], and [Indomitable Will], traces of its power were consumed. It was a minuscule amount, barely noticeable, but every change—every death of the familiar shadows of his past—cost the Void something.

He hesitated at first, trying to find a way to rip the Void apart and claim the Maelstrom effortlessly. But he stopped being gentle once it became clear what was happening. He released [Origin Lightning], highly condensed and conjured with Origin Essence, while [Herald’s Blessing] amplified it. There was no time to waste—if he hesitated, the Void would consume him before he could devour the Maelstrom.