Chapter 1396: Void Palace [1]

Two sets of amethyst eyes met in the most unexpected place.

Two people who coincidentally planned to return to their homeland at the same time gasped as they saw each other in the distance.

Damien's eyes were especially wide.

He knew this person, but this was a person he wasn't supposed to know.

She had been watching him for a very long time. She spent over a decade of her life trailing his adventures for reasons he still couldn't make sense of.

'That woman is...'

Someone he knew from his time outside reality.

'...Yiren Void.'

The younger sister he never knew he had.

According to what he could understand, Yiren was Dante's adopted daughter and was several decades younger than him.

However, with what he knew about Dante now, he couldn't quite make sense of her existence.

Regardless, she had those eyes, and she had pride in her position. She definitely wasn't someone suspicious, it was just her background that he couldn't confirm.

But Damien wasn't the only one surprised.

Yiren tried to hide it, but she was definitely feeling it more than he was.

After all, she would've never expected him here, not even in her wildest imaginations.

Damien had just recently ascended to the Heavenly World, which she knew would happen, but how did he manage to reach the Veritas Clan's exclusive teleportation array in a short period of time?

Not just that, he was now powerful to the extent that she couldn't sense his aura, and from the look in his eyes...

'...he knows who I am.'

How was that possible?

Yiren disappeared from the lower universe somewhere around the time Damien went to the Ancient Battlefield.

As for the old man she was traveling with, his life was ending soon. There was a conversation he very much wanted to have with a person he very much wanted to see, so he went to the Abyss to amble aimlessly until the time was right.

Logically speaking, unless he told Damien, there was no way for Damien to know.

But knowing him, he wouldn't tell Damien anything, insisting that it was better for a young genius to find their own way.

So what was this situation?

What were they supposed to do now?

They both knew they were recognized by the other party, and they both knew the point of connection that brought them together, but...

'We've never interacted, so I don't know how to approach her. This is a new experience for me.'

Damien was an older brother to several people at this point. He'd played the role and gained a family through his adventures, but this was different.

She was someone his father adopted. She was a family member he didn't know.

How did he breach conversation with her?

Damien took a deep breath and calmed himself down.

'Now isn't the time.'

Yiren was currently together with a couple of other women, evidently her friends.

Now wasn't the time for an awkward conversation between estranged siblings.

"It's nice to finally meet you in person," Damien sent through mental transmission.

"You as well," Yiren replied, her tone a little vague.

The two nodded at each other imperceptibly, but that was the extent of their interaction for now.

They weren't the only ones here, and while others obviously noticed their interaction, nobody else thought it was strange.

Their purple eyes signified their identities and how they knew each other. As for their relationship, the guesses they made could only ever remain guesses with how secretive Void Palace was, so they didn't bother entertaining them.

There was no need for any extraneous conversation.

Nobody present needed an explanation about how the teleportation array worked, so after a few more parting words with Yulia, Damien stepped forward and entered the formation along with Yiren's group.

The man operating the formation gave a few seconds' notice as he inputted the commands, and soon enough, space began to fluctuate.

"Huu..."

Damien took a deep breath as he felt reality fold around him.

His heart raced as he passed through the spatial corridor.

His thoughts were so focused on the destination that couldn't marvel at the sturdiness and security of the spatial corridor created through the array.

And within a second, the scenery changed.

They were in another room similar to the one they just left, however, none of the people who once surrounded them remained.

It was only their group and another teleportation array operator, who promptly bowed when he saw them.

"Welcome back, First Young Lady."

"Mm," Yiren replied dismissively.

She stepped out of the array and started making her way out of the room, her group following her politely.

But before she left completely, she turned around and glanced at Damien.

"Are you coming or not?"

"Me?" He responded in surprise.

Damien saw everything Yiren did while she was observing him in the lower universe. He was very clear on the fact that this sister of his didn't like him.

So why was she calling out to him like this?

"Haa..."

Yiren sighed, somewhat reading his expression. She could at least understand the crux of his thoughts.

"It doesn't matter what we think of each other. Since you're here, you're here."

She turned away, hiding the expression on her face.

"I know it might be a little awkward, but I'll take you to meet them."

"Meet who?"

Damien knew the answer, but he still wanted to hear it.

"Who else?" Yiren responded as she stepped away.

"Your family."

Those words.

Those were the words he wanted to hear all this time.

"Family, huh..."

Damien smiled.

"Good, then. Let's go meet them."

He stepped forward as well, following Yiren's group.

As he exited the teleportation room and gazed at the scenery outside, it finally set in.

He was here.

This was it.

The place he'd been longing for.

Void Palace.

***

Somewhere not very far yet not very near, a woman sat in her private quarters, mindlessly watching the scenery outside.

Some time had passed since she came here. She missed it, sure, but at the same time, she'd gotten used to the scenery she used to see every day.

The tall buildings, the bustling streets, and the technology, were now replaced with endless expanses of free land.

There were still tall buildings, but the architecture was more archaic than what she'd grown used to. There was still technology, but it was now based on mana rather than electricity.

'Who would've thought...?'

It was only a mere fifty or so years she spent in that place, yet, the memories of its wonders outstripped any memories she had of this place, her home.

And, most importantly, the people she held dear were missing.

The two people who had the highest position in her heart, neither of them were here.

'It's lonely.'

She wasn't alone, but she couldn't help feeling lonely at times like these. It was easy to ignore when the people around her tried their best to take her mind off of it, but what happened when she was left to her own devices?

She could only think about them.

Where were they?

What were they doing?

Were they safe?

She knew their personalities. It was hard for her to believe either of them was doing okay right now, but she had to force herself to believe it, because if she didn't, she would fall apart.

'When can we see each other again?'

Her husband.

The man she loved.

When could she see him again?

And...

Her son.

A boy with an unfortunate fate, yet a boy whose eyes always shined brighter than any star.

She hoped he was living his life well. She wished she could see him spread his wings and flourish, but fate didn't allow it.

And now, the boundary that separated them was too dense for her to even hope to see him soon.

Or at least, that was her thought.

Until the day that message came.

A message from her adopted daughter, the one who'd received all the love she couldn't give her son over these years.

"Damien Void" had arrived at Void Palace.