Chapter 1352: New Beginning [8]

"...an Ascender?"

Damien immediately questioned the term.

"Right. You must've just arrived from the lower world. There is no other explanation for your disproportionate naivety."

"Lower world? What's that?"

"Hahahaha!"

The woman laughed.

"You don't need to play dumb. The existence of the lower world is common knowledge here. It's not like there's been a shortage of Ascenders over the past few million years."

"I see...but, what's so important about Ascenders?"

Damien knew there was no point in keeping a facade at this point. No matter what he said, she wouldn't believe him. She trusted herself to the level of delusion, but since she was spot on, it couldn't really be called delusion, could it?

He had to know what the treatment of people who ascended was, and how they were perceived. Because if it was beneficial to him, admitting it was natural.

However...

"What's important, huh? Well, that depends on who you ask."

The woman furrowed her brows a bit as if recalling an unpleasant memory.

"Ascenders are definitely talented. To achieve Divinity in the backwater environment of a lower world is extremely impressive. The question is how they respond when they realize how much more there is for them to do once they've ascended."

"Just as they are talented, they tend to be extremely arrogant. That arrogance usually leads to them dying without accomplishing much or becoming part of the masses after getting their egos crushed, but those that do make it past all the primary struggles shine more than anyone else."

"It's not like there's a set perception of Ascenders, since none of them are from the same influence or have the same values, but for the most part, it's both positive and negative."

"There will be people trying to recruit them by any means, and people who try to eliminate them before they become a threat. The problem is that most of those who endure this treatment end up going to the lawless region and becoming evil practitioners out of spite or desire for survival, so the general public's perception does lean towards the negative side."

As expected, Damien had to keep himself hidden for now.

"They sound like a troublesome bunch."

"That, they are. Though, you don't seem the same as them?"

"Of course not. If I was an Ascender, wouldn't I have to be a Divinity?"

"Are you not one?"

"Can't you see for yourself?"

"I can, and that's why you should stop trying to uselessly hide it."

Damien smiled wryly. This woman was not easy to deal with at all.

"Let's move on to something else. Isn't it better to talk about why you called me here?"

The captain shrugged noncommittally.

"Frankly, I was just curious. I've never met an Ascender worth befriending, at least not to more than a superficial level, but you have a different aura around you."

"What can I say? I've always been told I'm charming."

"Ha!"

The captain laughed inadvertently at the insanity of his statement.

"You know anyone else who said that in front of me would've been killed already, right?"

Damien smiled back without a worry in mind.

"If you already know everything, then do you still think you have what it takes to kill me?"

The woman's eyes narrowed.

"Bold."

"I'd prefer if you called me honest."

The captain shook her head helplessly.

"I guess I expected too much. None of you could ever be normal."

Damien shrugged.

"Normal people don't become Divinities."

"I guess that's true..."

She glanced at him again, as if telling him to just spit out all his secrets, but his wall was too sturdy and she didn't have enough interest to bother bringing it down.

"Here, take this."

She threw a thumb-sized token, which Damien caught without much effort.

"That has some basic world information on it, so you don't have to go around so cluelessly. It also contains some stuff about Divinity, so study it well."

"We're currently on our way to Asteron, which is an important trade region in the area. Confront the map in the token and figure out the rest yourself."

Damien's eyes widened in surprise.

"I'm sure you didn't do this just to hear me thank you?"

"Of course not. Everything in this world comes at a price, but..."

She smiled confidently.

"...I trust my eyes. If there's really something magical about you, making you indebted to me here is worth more than just losing a little face for helping you."

Damien nodded. Many experts had this kind of practice, where they would help geniuses for the sake of cashing in favors when those geniuses became experts themselves.

These gambles usually ended in nothing, since most geniuses died early, but the select few that succeeded would give them far more rewards than their original favor deserved.

"You don't have to go back to the cell. I've arranged a room for you, so just follow the staff and they'll accommodate you from now on. We'll reach our destination in another week, so be sure to prepare yourself before then. Your usual excuse won't work next time."

Damien nodded and gave a slight bow.

"I get it. Look forward to the favor I'll do you in the future, and make sure you aren't too surprised when you see how fast I grow."

The woman rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, yeah. By the way, my name is Yulia Veritas. Remember it well."

"No problem. Then, I'll be on my way."

Damien gave another bow and walked out of the room, meeting the staff outside who guided him as Yulia promised they would.

Left alone, she lit her cigar and rolled her eyes.

"Kids these days..."

Damien really had no manners, and his arrogance was through the roof whether he wanted to admit it or not.

She didn't know if he was worthy of his arrogance yet, but if he was...

'The returns really will be worth looking forward to.'

She grabbed a communication device out of the air and made a call, which was answered almost instantly.

"Is there anything to report, miss?" A voice said from the other side.

"Put my brother on the phone," she said, her attitude not changing one bit.

The other side was silent for a moment, but another voice came through without too much delay.

"Sister? What are you doing now? Didn't I already say you need to come back to the clan soon?"

"I know you brat, I'm on the way," she replied grumpily.

"But more importantly, you would never guess who I just met."

"Someone who caught your eye? Does that kind of person even exist in this world anymore?"

"Tch. You should watch that tone of yours. How are you supposed to be a Clan Head with all that snarkiness hidden in your bones?"

"After all, I learned from the best."

"I see, so you've forgotten what my fists feel like."

"Ha...hahaha...anyway, sister, you were saying?"

"Mm, there's an interesting kid on my ship right now."

"Talented? Should I try to draw him into the clan?"

"That's funny. If you tried, you'd probably die, though?"

The man on the other side of the communication's eyes widened in surprise.

Those were words he never expected to hear.

"There aren't many people capable of something like that..."

"Yeah, but they are. The purple-eyed clan."

The man's wide eyes widened even further. His eyelids practically retreated into his skull as they popped out of their sockets.

"You mean...!"

"Right, if I'm not mistaken..."

"...that kid is a young Void."

The man's heart skipped a beat.

"A young male Void, huh..."

"I understand. You don't have to worry about it."

Yulia smiled.

"As expected of my brother. Do well this time and you'll probably be able to cement yourself in that position you worked so hard to claim."

The identity of "Void" wasn't something simple at all, nor was it something many could possess.

For a new one to appear now...

Yulia sighed.

'Chaos is going to ensue again.'