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Haru slowly rose to his feet as the black flames around him calmed into a quiet, steady burn. His body felt lighter, sharper, overwhelming power pooling quietly in him. He let out a small laugh.
"So I needed to be at death's door to evolve? What a joke."
The Voice of the World immediately responded.
[Attempting Acquisition of Natural Elements Resistance: Acquisition successful]
[Attempting Acquisition of Abnormal Conditions Resistance: Acquisition successful]
[Extra Skill: Magic Sense has evolved to Universal Sense]
[Pain Resistance has evolved to Pain Nullification]
[Fear Resistance has evolved to Fear Nullification]
[Poison Resistance has evolved to Poison Nullification]
[Paralysis Resistance has evolved to Paralysis Nullification]
[Spiritual Attack Resistance has evolved to Spiritual Attack Nullification]
[Physical Attack Resistance has evolved to Physical Attack Nullification]
[Thermal Fluctuation Resistance has evolved to Thermal Fluctuation Nullification]
More notifications poured in one after another, and Haru couldn't stop smiling.
What kind of broken is this? Am I the final boss now or something? he thought, borderline laughing in disbelief.
Across the battlefield, Esprit had regained her breath and turned toward Carrera. Her voice shook.
"Juaneā¦ what is this overwhelming strength coming from him?"
Carrera's expression had finally lost its earlier amusement.
"I don't know," she admitted. "But this isn't good. He's evolving yet this evolution isn't normal. The Underworld cannot afford another Primordial-level power."
Esprit's eyes widened in absolute disbelief. "Primordial-level? Through evolution alone? Is that even possible?" She shook her head violently. "No. No, that's impossible."
"Don't be an idiot," Carrera snapped, staring at Haru with an expression that looked foreign on her face, genuine disturbance. "You can see it happening right in front of you. A balance that has existed for over twenty thousand yearsā¦ being broken by a demon who spawned less than five years ago."
She gave a breathless, disbelieving laugh.
"What joke is this?"
Haru blinked as another notification resounded.
[Error!]
He frowned. "Huh? Error? What error is this now?"
The Voice responded immediately:
[Error! Error! Error! Error! Error! Error! Error!]
Suddenly a spike of agony ripped through Haru's skull. He clutched his head with both hands, dropping to one knee as a raw scream tore from his throat.
"AāaaAAHHHā!"
His mind reeled.
I'mā¦ I'm feeling pain!?
Pain!? How!? I have Pain Nullification!
Esprit flinched backward. "Juane, what's happening to him!?"
Carrera didn't move, watching with an unreadable stare. "I don't know," she said softly, "but I'm getting a very bad feeling about this."
The air trembled.
Then the Voice returned:
[Attempting birth of Error]
[Deferred Birth of the 8th Primordial Demon has successfully been completed]
Haru's headache vanished instantly, but that was the last thing on his mind as he froze.
"Huh!?"
The world seemed to hold its breath.
At that exact moment, a sensation pulsed through every Primordial in existence.
Starting with the closest. Carrera.
Her eyes widened as her breath hitched. She grabbed at her chest, feeling something anchor itself deep within her very existence. A new connection. A foreign bond layered forcefully atop the ancient ones she was born with.
She slowly turned her head toward Haru.
His eyes met hers.
They stared at each other, silent, both confused, both equally shocked by the resonance pulling faintly between them a link that should not exist.
Esprit looked between them rapidly. "Am Iā¦ missing something here?" She took a hesitant step forward. "Juane, are you okay?"
Carrera didn't answer her.
Haru didn't either.
They simply kept staring
---
Elsewhere in the Underworld, six figures froze at the exact same moment.
Diablo.
Ultima.
Testarossa.
Misery.
Rain.
Guy Crimson.
A single shock ran through all of them.
In unison, they muttered:
"ā¦What was that?"
---
Cardinal World ā Guy Crimson's Castle
Inside the frozen throne room of the North, Guy looked toward Rain and Misery. Both wore the same expression. Confusion mixed with disbelief.
"You two felt it as well?" Guy asked.
Misery nodded immediately. "Yes. Guy-samaā¦ is that even possible?"
Rain frowned deeply. "It shouldn't be."
On the couch, Dino blinked up at them lazily, scratching his head with a wingtip.
"Eh? What's got all of you acting weird?"
Guy ignored him for a moment, still processing the sensation that had rippled through his very core.
Rain rubbed her temples. "I'm confused."
Now Dino sat upright. "Come on, don't leave me in the dark here."
Guy finally looked at him.
A long stare.
A sigh.
"It seems," Guy said dryly, "I have a new little sibling."
Dino's jaw dropped so hard it almost hit the floor.
"Huh!? Guy, did you hit your head!? What are you even talking about!?"
Misery clicked her tongue. "Why are you even here, Dino? You only ever show up to freeload."
Rain nodded. "That's true. Guy-sama, we should kick him out."
Dino stared at the two with deadpan exasperation, hands raised in surrender.
"All I did was ask a question. How does that get me kicked out?"
Misery replied immediately, "You're not getting kicked out because of a question. You 're getting kicked out because you are a freeloader."
"That's not even fair! And besides, we are getting out of topic here. This is a serious matter, right? Focus!"
Rain shrugged. "The serious matter here is still you leaving."
"Come onā¦" Dino slumped back into the couch.
Guy finally snapped.
"Enough. All of you. Quiet. I'm thinking."
Misery and Rain instantly straightened up like soldiers.
Dino slowly sank deeper into the Frozen couch.
"So it is serious then?"
Guy leaned back in his ice throne. "Of course it's serious. An eighth Primordial Demon was just born. What do you think?"
Dino stared blankly for a few seconds, then shook his head.
"Butā¦ how? Veldanava-sama created seven Angels and seven Demons. One for each color. They were supposed to be in balance. Having an eighth Primordial Demon completely breaks that balance."
"I KNOW," Guy snapped, biting his thumbnail. "That's why I'm thinking so hard. I felt the balance would break 3 years ago, but I thought it'd take much longer than this."
Dino leaned forward. "So what now? What are you going to do, Guy?"
Guy exhaled heavily. "I'll have to go to the Underworld and investigate."
Misery stepped forward instantly. "Guy-sama, you don't need to go personally. I will investigate."
Rain lifted her hand enthusiastically. "I'll go too!"
Guy looked at the two of them for a moment.
Then nodded.
"ā¦Fine. You both may go."
"Yes, Guy-sama," they answered together, bowing before hurrying off to prepare.
Silence filled the throne room once more.
Guy rested his chin on his palm, lounging back in the frozen seat with a contemplative stare.
"Now thenā¦ little brother," he muttered.
"What kind of Demon are you?"