Bloody Odyssey

Chapter 72: Devour.

In the outside world, the team stood frozen, watching the holographic feed with dim, hollow expressions. The silence in the room felt heavier than the battle itself. Mimi finally stepped toward one of the hovering bots, her voice sharp but tightly controlled.

"Why don't you help him? Isn't he your creator or something?"

Rage simmered beneath her words, but she held onto her rationality with iron composure. The bot simply hovered—silent, unresponsive. No beep. No flicker. Nothing. Dejected, Mimi turned away and rejoined the others. She said nothing more. None of them did. They just watched.

"Your cores are very different from others… its properties…"

Dax's hand was buried deep in Ryker's belly.

"Touch," he whispered.

In that moment a gut-wrenching wail burst from Ryker's entire being—raw, primal, echoing through the void.

"My core?" Ryker's eyes filled with deep terror.

In Ryker's gaze, Dax was no longer human. He was utter devil spawn. This man is crazy… he's devouring my divinity.

Ryker gritted his teeth. From the beginning I felt something off about this man. He looked back at the past—the moment he had thrown Dax's father from the sky. I sensed it from the start… the wrongness in our actions.

"Wait—wait. It wasn't me who put your father in that state, it was—"

Ryker's voice trembled. In that instant he was interrupted.

"It's Aron. I know." Dax pointed toward the headless corpse lying far in the distance. "She told me."

Beneath his breath, he whispered:

"Lv 1.5."

From the distant light, a twisting hallway of distorted black and white rearranged itself. The space folded and unfolded like living paper.

"Welcome," a demonic voice whispered through the halls.

Instantly, distorted monsters poured out from every corner—grotesque, shifting shapes that defied form. But before they could reach, a baleful aura burst from the mirror in the mysterious woman's hand, painting the distorted world red. Sensing the familiar aura, they all halted like mannequins frozen mid-step.

Dax looked back, smiling beautifully at the mysterious woman.

"Madeka."

Hearing her name from his lips, her face flushed deep red. He remembers my name.

How did she get here? She should be dead. I devoured her. He remembered his past life clearly.

I can't be at ease with this crazy lady here. With haste, Dax poured World Ki into the angel's core.

Instantly he was pulled into the world of Ryker's core—its gloss carrying the cold shine of the moon.

Dax began to flood the core with the same method he had used on Gali. With a violent burst, reverse World Ki poured from his body, corrupting Ryker's core from within.

Ryker felt imminent damnation. Naturally, beings like him and Gali were not bound to the laws of death. He refused to show any weakness—any form of weakness. My body is crumbling from within. But his heart couldn't take it. Growing desperate by the passing second.

As Dax corrupted the core with dark matter, he heard soft whispers from the depths of his soul.

Devour.

Devour.

The whisper continued. What is this voice? It carries Inerous's tone… but it's different.

Dax focused. He appeared in his sea of consciousness. The babies signifying his traits curled up into a strange golden dome. Beneath their outstretched hands floated a crimson stray figure—resembling the form he had taken when soaked in the blood of the world-devouring whale.

In its palm burst a glittering aura that formed the golden dome, protecting them. Its eyes were closed, body still.

Devour.

He heard the whisper once more—but this time he saw the baby's mouth move.

In that instant its eyes opened. Pupils just like Dax's… but from time to time they split into multiple numbers.

Devour!

Now the voice was loud and clear.

In a flash Dax was back in Ryker's core.

The divine shine of the angel's source revealed hundreds of cracks spiderwebbing across it.

His movement was immediate. He floated into a lotus position. Eyes shut.

"Dark Gathering," he whispered.

Dax's body began to drink crazily. Then it pulsed multiple times in a strange rhythm. A spiral formed—transforming into a black hole.

In the outside world the same happened. Cil lay laced gently on his palm. Around him the distorted entities were devoured crazily. They scattered in every direction like madmen fleeing a storm.

The woman called Madeka stood casually, hands on her waist. He is more terrifying than before. She savored the image of Dax holding the scythe, blood dripping from his fingers.

She touched her neck, fingers pulling down her soft, slippery features. She enjoyed the air of oppression covering this floor.

Understanding the true power of this world after inheriting Gali's memories, she realized how high Dax stood in it.

She smiled. I don't think he understands.

In the distance Dax covered his body once again in a silver glow—introducing balance to desolation.

Ryker stretched his only arm toward Dax. Tears dripped from his face.

"I have offended God."

His voice was filled with deep regret.

From a pure figure of malevolence, he began to see Dax as one of the gods. Unknown to him, Dax was assimilating with his divinity.

Dax's body burst radiant, releasing an aura of light comparable to Ryker's. He continued to grow with every passing moment.

Slowly Ryker began to crumble into fine white glitters. He was accepting it.

Dax's figure turned holy at the depth of his very being. One of the galaxy of cores inside him lit up—turning white.

+100 Divinity.

+1000 World Ki.

+100 Divinity.

Dax received a series of system notifications.

A soft, welcoming radiance burst from his being. His body glowed. He opened his eyes—blood-red eyes now carrying a gentle feel.

"Become my power."

Dax stretched his hand forward as if inviting.

Ryker looked up to the roof. Is this what you felt, Gali? In your last moments?

It's so peaceful. I saw a man—no, I saw a god—sitting before a powerful force like a cataclysmic messiah. Oh… they would have to see this with their eyes.

As he crumbled into Dax's outstretched palm, he remembered the Church, his god, his peers. In this moment he was truly abandoned. He hated it.

He hated the man before him—but he was giving his life away willingly. He cursed the stars. He cursed his creator.

"This is the end, Ryker. Your choices brought you to this path."

Ryker's head was the last part crumbling away. He looked at Dax one final time. His death imminent. He saw Dax's body imitate his divinity to perfection.

He was gone—devoured totally into Dax's being.

Dax stood to his feet, blade in hand. He staggered slightly.

Turning around, he was welcomed by the sight of all 100 floors of the Backrooms. They all bowed in reverence.

At the extreme edge, Kakarai knelt beside one of the deeper floors—pure reverence in his posture.

Dax's body was still radiant, flowing with divinity. Whispers passed between the floors like wind through cracks. Dax's eyes continued to wander.

Then 0 knelt before him, blocking his path.

"Congratulations on your ascension, Master."

0 knelt piously.

"My child… you have done well."

Dax smiled.

"Open your mouth."

Dax ordered with a gentle smile.

Without question, 0 obeyed.

The other floors watched intently. Dax held Cil's edge, cut his palm, and poured his blood into 0's mouth. In the same motion, he washed 0's face with his blood.

Zero's aura changed. On his big belly a massive injury was revealed—but it didn't last. It began to heal rapidly.

He looked at his palm, smiling—revealing sharp teeth.

"Master… you did something to me."

0 spoke in a knowing tone.

"You did well taking care of that guy."

Dax complimented Level 0. Zero's body trembled, brimming with new power.

In the corner, Level 99 shattered Kakarai's shoulder—unknowingly, out of jealousy. Kakarai didn't dare make a noise.