In Damian’s peripheral vision, text appeared.
[Title: Chosen One]
[Luck: 10]
His breathing stopped, staring at the new information.
’A title? And a new stat?’
His mind raced, trying to process what he was seeing.
’The luck Lily mentioned... wasn’t illusory. It’s an actual stat?’
More questions flooded in.
’But what does it even do? How does luck work as a number?’
Then his thoughts shifted to the title itself.
’Chosen One.’
Elizabeth’s words echoed in his memory, quoting the hooded figure, calling him the chosen one of the old beggar.
’I don’t understand what this means, but–’
His face became grim, jaw clenching.
’–looking at the commotion it’s causing, this feels like a target painted on my back more than a blessing.’
The ancient voice resonated again, but this time directly in Damian’s mind rather than across the mountain.
"Damian Valcor Bloodworth."
Goosebumps exploded across his entire body.
The voice had changed completely, no longer the formal proclamation tone, but something almost... personal.
And it had used his full name, including the Bloodworth surname he’d barely begun to claim.
"If you believe that simply by traversing the path of devouring, you have chosen the greatest path to power, you are gravely mistaken."
The voice’s tone carried something that might have been warning or might have been advice.
"There exists a truth that all who chase power fail to comprehend until it is far too late to matter. No law stands greater than another. No path towers above the rest."
A pause, heavy with unspoken meaning.
"The Law of Devour is not superior to the elements, to space, to time, or to any of the countless paths that lead toward divinity."
The voice became quieter but somehow more intense.
"A law’s true strength is not determined by which one you walk, but by how deeply you understand its principles, how completely you embody its nature and how willing you are to pay the price it demands."
The voice began fading, becoming fainter with each word.
"It is up to you, and you alone, to bring forth the true power of whatever path you walk. Remember this, young Bloodworth, or the path you’ve chosen will consume you long before you master it."
Then silence fell across the mountain peak, absolute and complete.
The tribulation consciousness was gone, departed as quickly as it had arrived, leaving Damian standing alone in the aftermath.
’Who... Who was that really?’
His thoughts turned over the question.
’Was it truly just a tribulation consciousness? Or was there something else speaking through it at the end?’
He shook his head, exhaustion finally catching up to him.
’Forget it. I’m too tired to–’
Whoosh Thud
A figure crashed into him with enough force to drive the air from his lungs.
’Huh?’
Arms wrapped around him, squeezing tight, and Damian found himself being hugged so hard his ribs creaked.
Agatha was sobbing, her whole body shaking, tears soaking into his shirt.
Damian stood there, his arms hanging at his sides, not knowing what to do or say.
’Why is she... crying so much?’
Agatha’s broken mutterings continued against his chest, fragments of sentences escaping between sobs.
"I thought– I thought I lost– another one–"
Understanding crashed down on Damian.
’This triggered her trauma.’
His hands came up slowly and awkwardly, settling on her back.
’Watching me nearly die brought back every loss she’s suffered.’
He didn’t know what to say, didn’t have words that would help, so he just held her while she cried.
Then Agatha pulled back abruptly, her tear-streaked face showing something between terror and rage.
"Whatever path you’ve taken, abandon it!"
Her voice came out sharp and desperate.
"Even the heavens wanted to kill you for it! You’re talented enough to master any law you want! Why choose one that draws this kind of attention?!"
Her hands gripped his shoulders, shaking him slightly.
"Power has already claimed too many of my children! I can’t handle another loss! Even your mother is trapped in that hell portal, and I worry about her every single day wondering if she’s still alive!"
Her voice cracked completely.
"And now you’re walking a path that makes the universe itself try to destroy you! I can’t– I can’t watch another one die! I can’t–"
Whoosh
Lily appeared beside them, her hands gently pulling Agatha away from Damian.
"Mother, breathe... He’s alive. He survived. Look at him, he’s completely fine."
Her voice was calm and soothing, practiced at handling Agatha’s breakdowns.
"He passed the tribulation. He’s stronger now than before it started."
Agatha’s breathing gradually slowed, her grip on Damian’s shoulders loosening.
Lily kept speaking quietly, words Damian couldn’t quite make out, until finally Agatha stepped back completely.
But she kept checking Damian’s body for injuries.
"Lily, about the Chosen One title..."
Damian’s tired voice cut through the moment.
"What does it actually mean? Do you have any information about it in your bloodline memories?"
Lily’s expression became thoughtful, her eyes distant as she accessed her knowledge.
"The title section itself represents anything recognized by the universe directly."
Her head shook slightly.
"But I don’t have concrete information about what being a Chosen One specifically entails. That knowledge was either lost from my inherited memories, or it never existed in the first place."
Suddenly, Agatha’s head snapped to the side, her eyes tracking something in the distance.
"We need to leave." Her voice came out tight, controlled. "The commotion caused was too much. I can sense people moving towards this direction."
Damian looked in the direction she’d been staring, then spoke.
"Grandma, can you please drop me off at the Northern Military Training Center? It’s been many days since I left... and people might start asking questions."
Agatha’s mouth opened, her face shifting through several expressions at once.
She looked like she wanted to say something, to argue, to drag him somewhere else entirely.
But in the end, she just sighed.
"I understand. Lily, let’s go!"
Lily transformed back into her dragon form, obsidian scales gleaming even in the dim light.
Damian and Agatha climbed onto her back, settling into position for the flight.
Before Lily could launch, Damian turned to look at the place where the statue of Desiderius Bloodworth had crumbled to dust.
’Grandpa... Just like Father, I’ll come see you from time to time. Wait for me.’
Whoosh
Lily launched into the air, her wings beating hard, carrying them away from Mount Aeon.
Damian didn’t look back, his eyes fixed forward, his mind already moving to what came next.
What he failed to realize was the scope of what had just happened.
The moment that bell had rung three times across the cosmos, top seers and oracles throughout the entire universe had sensed it.
And every single one of them knew, with absolute certainty granted by their connection to fate itself, that another Chosen One of this era had been born.
****
[Giant Territory - A Minor World]
A figure stood with his back to the gathering, fifty meters tall, dwarfing even the other giants present.
Behind him, fourteen giants knelt, each one forty meters tall, each one a genius of their own tribe.
They waited in silence, heads bowed, not daring to speak until acknowledged.
Finally, the massive figure spoke, his voice soft despite his size.
"Why are all of you here?"
One of the female giants raised her head slightly.
"The High Chief has sent word, Great Leader." Her voice carried respect that bordered on worship. "Another Chosen One has appeared in the universe."
"So what?"
The leader’s whisper carried dismissal, as if Chosen Ones were beneath his notice.
The female giant’s voice became more cautious.
"It seems to be a human from ’that’ world."
Silence crashed down like a physical thing.
Then the leader turned around slowly, and the fourteen geniuses immediately pressed their foreheads to the ground.
"Relay my message to all the chiefs across every tribe."
He took a step forward, and the ground shook from the impact.
"Tell them that I, Khra’gath, will personally join the war against ’that’ world." His voice dropped even lower. "And tell them to find this new Chosen One if possible. I want to know everything about them."
****
[Unknown Location]
A figure stood alone in darkness, wearing a hooded robe, hands clasped behind their back, staring at nothing.
Then their head tilted upward, as if sensing something distant.
"So it really was him."
The voice that emerged from beneath the hood carried layers, multiple tones speaking simultaneously in perfect harmony.
"The beggar’s Chosen One has finally appeared in the open for all to see."
A pause, heavy with contemplation.
"Interesting. After all this time, after all the preparations, after all the moves and countermoves across eras..."
One hand emerged from beneath the robe.
"The game enters its final stage! The pieces are set, the players revealed and the board spans the entire universe."
The hand clenched into a fist.
"Let’s see if this last piece can truly change what’s already been written. Is the beggar’s faith justified, or does fate prove absolute?"
The figure turned, the robe swirling, and began walking into deeper darkness.
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