The revelation of Karyk's power and the unexpected transformation of the Goddess of Light left the Lord of Upper Realm in awe and contemplation.
The grandeur of the room was marred by the recent events, the aftermath of their battle painted across the walls and floors. The weight of their choices hung in the air as Karyk's newfound dominion over the Goddess settled in.
Karyk, now in control of an undead servant with immense power, turned his attention to the Lord of the Upper Realm.
The Lord's eyes were fixed on Karyk, a mix of intrigue, and perhaps a touch of uncertainty present in his gaze. The two beings stood there, each aware of the shifting dynamics between them.
"You've certainly surprised me, Karyk," the Lord finally spoke, his tone a mixture of acknowledgment and curiosity. "Your strength, your methods—they're unlike anything I've encountered before. Ruthless yet justified."
"Looks like your trip to the temple has been beneficial. So what did you find there?" he asked.
"I've learned that in this world, power isn't static. It can be reshaped, redirected, and even wielded in unconventional ways. But more than anything, it's the meaning of life that I had failed to grasp before," Karyk answered, taking his hands off the Goddess of Light whose eyes were lifeless now.
Even her Mark of Light had been corrupted and turned dark.
Usually it was impossible for a God to be corrupted like this, but Karyk did it right before his eyes so the Lord of Upper Realm didn't have any other choice but to believe it.
The Lord of Upper Realm nodded, his gaze never leaving Karyk. "True. And it seems you've gained such mastery over this power that you can command even the divine."
Karyk's eyes glinted with a deep resolve. "I don't seek dominion for the sake of power alone. I only have one purpose."
The Lord's curiosity deepened. "And what might that purpose be?"
Karyk paused for a brief moment before replying, "I just want peace. I just want to end all this bloodshed and return to my home... return to my family..."
"Your home and your family..." the Lord of Upper Realm went silent. Usually, he wouldn't have been so concerned about telling what had happened but with Karyk's recent change, he wanted to be really careful with his words.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Karyk frowned. He didn't know why but he found that man's gaze suspicious.
The Lord of Upper Realm sighed, his expression softening as he spoke. "I suppose I owe you an explanation. Your family... they're no more. Your world, it's been destroyed. And from what I know, all lives are lost with it. And even your other self... he has also been killed."
Karyk felt his breath catch in his chest, his mind struggling to comprehend the magnitude of what he had just heard. Even after going through so many lives... even after going through so many deaths... his love for his family had never faded!
Even though he now found out that the girl wasn't actually his blood sister and he wasn't born in that world, but for him, she was his family. For a brief moment, his emotions weren't under his control. It was as if the entire world had been plunged into the cold abyss.
Even the Lord of the Upper Realm felt the terrifying power. To make sure that Karyk didn't misunderstand, he clarified right away.
"Before you think that we did it, let me be clear. I have no hand in what happened. I had no reason to harm your family when I needed your help. And even if I wanted to, I couldn't have left this place to do anything."
"As for my Generals, you know they can't destroy the world that was under your domain. They aren't strong enough!"
The Lord of Upper Realm never needed to explain anything in his life. As he was so strong, no one even asked for an explanation from him. But this time, he felt that there was a need. If he needed Karyk's help, then he had to be honest.
Moreover, he had no reason to lie. It wasn't because he was scared of Karyk.
"Then who?" Karyk asked, wondering who was capable enough to harm his family but before the Lord could answer, he thought of something.
When he had killed the True God of Lightning, he didn't know where that guy came from. He was completely unaware of the existence of the Realm of Gods but after going through so many lives, he knew many things. He even knew the power structure of the Realm of Gods.
He knew their mentality and their mindset, along with their arrogance. If one of them was killed, it wasn't surprising if they sent someone to have revenge! It was similar to what happened to Ezekiel!
"The Realm of Gods?" He asked the man.
"Oh, you know about it too?" The Lord of Upper Realm asked with a surprised look on his face.
"I'm surprised that you know about them," he continued, "Not many mortals are aware of its existence. It is a realm beyond our own, inhabited by powerful beings who control immense powers."
"Did they do it?" Karyk asked, his tone getting grim.
The Lord of Upper Realm nodded solemnly. "Yes. The True God of Lightning you killed was a part of their hierarchy. Your actions would have provoked a response from them. But I don't think that was the reason. It felt more like a personal enmity with someone really powerful, especially targeting you."
The Lord of Upper Realm waved his hand, opening a spatial portal that connected to the place where nothing more than the rubble of Karyk's world was left.
"You can see with your own eyes..."
"... the devastation caused by the gods. It wasn't even a battle but a total massacre. It's clear that this was more than just a mere act of revenge."
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