Awakened: Evolving to Godhood

The odd man stared at Elliot, and after determining his power level, he said, "I am the Guardian of the twilight forest, Zerrik Cezzett, and this here is one of my many pets. As you have already met him, I believe there is no need for me to introduce him to you again, right? With the introduction out of the way, let me come straight to the point. I can't let you kill him, as he, along with three other Monster Lords, reinforce the barrier I set to seal the Black Calamity away. If you were to kill him, the barrier would weaken, and the black calamity will take that chance to break free. Once that happens, the entire world will face the threat of destruction, and you'll be the one responsible for it. Do you still want to proceed? Do you still want to kill it?"

Elliot's bright eye full of innocence landed on Zerrick, and the former vigorously shook his head, "I didn't know the consequences of my actions before, but now I know, and I won't think of killing it again."

He changed his attitude faster than a chameleon changing its color. Previously, he was going all out to butcher the blue-flame empyrean lion, thick killing intent enveloping his body and vivid in each of his actions. But now, he had detained all of his killing intent to the depth of his heart.

Zerrick was impressed with the young man, for he had great control over his emotions.

"I'm glad to hear that," Zerrick said.

He truly was good; the expression on his face said it all. Thankfully, Elliot had decided to settle peacefully. Otherwise, Zerrick would've gotten his hands bloody. And he didn't want that. He didn't want to kill a talented youth already on his way to becoming a sublime emperor.

"If there's any misunderstanding among the both of you, now's the to voice them out, clear them up, and makeup," Zerrick said, trying his best to play the peacemaker.

"No misunderstanding on my side," Elliot said.

"Me neither." The blue-flame empyrean lion purred while looking at his master.

"Good."

The moment the tense environment between them settled, three monstrous beings, each taller than the trees in their surroundings, closed upon them. Elliot saw that one of them was a slug, the other was a worm-like monster, and the last spot was a giant human fairy with wings spanning fifteen meters each. All of them ruled a kingdom of their own, and each of them was more or less at the same level as the blue-flame empyrean lion.

"They are?"

"The rest of my pets." Zerrick said, "And don't worry, they mean no harm."

The beast that arrived were relatively tolerant. And after knowing what transpired here, the little bit of apprehensiveness they had towards the foreign person dissipated. They laid down on the ground. The slug sat behind Zerrick, and he sat down on her, using her as a cushion.

"Can you tell me more about the black calamity?" Elliot was curious about the things that required the supervision of a sublime emperor and four beasts at the level of magic emperors. Just what was the black calamity? And why did he sense that even Zerrick, a sublime Emperor, feared it?!

<br/>"You don't know about it? I guess you're not from this world." Zerrick was right on the mark. Elliot indeed wasn't from the Ash Grey World.

"You are right. I'm originally not from this place but another world. I don't even know where this is. It's a bit embarrassing for me to confess, but I fell prey to the schemes of the spider queen, a demonic goddess who intends to destroy the Ash Grey World. I was on my way to kill her, but I fell into her trap and found myself here, right next to the blue-flame empyrean lion. And honestly, if it weren't for him initiating the battle, we wouldn't have fought each other, doing what the spider queen wanted us to do." Elliot clarified how he came to be here, and at the same time, mixed truth with lies and put all the blame on the spider queen's head.

Zerrick's eyebrows gathered, and the four pets started trembling. Who didn't know that their master's temper was good? But once someone provokes him and makes him or his people a part of their scheme, he explodes like a volcano and melts everything in his way! And that was the reaction he always made before exploding! It seems like he was on the verge of exploding.

"I see. We are not on Ash Grey World but a secret realm that floats around it. You can take this as a small invisible planet that orbits the Ash Grey World." After clarifying where they were to Elliot, he continued, "The spider queen, you know where she is, I assume. Later on, I will help you back to her hideout, let you smash her. And if you want, I will join in on the fun and help you swash her to death." His words were bone-chilling, but he said them in a voice that carried not the slightest of irritation. Instead, there was a bloody smile on his handsome face.

The four beasts could tell…

He was outraged!

"I will be quite grateful if you did that."

These words came straight out of Elliot's heart.

He was a soloist, but as a sublime emperor was willing to help him, he didn't turn his head away.

Zerrick would make things easier for him, and it didn't make sense to decline his service.

Since he wanted to serve him, Elliot wasn't foolish enough not to let him do that.

"Let me tell you about the black calamity. A very long time ago, the Ash Grey World had a different name and atmosphere. Unlike today, it wasn't the least bit gloomy. Touched by the gentle rays of light, the days then were bright. 

At the same time, countless stars and many bright moons used to decorate the sky at night. However, everything changed on that distant fateful day."