The Marionette Lord's attack was a 20-stage process. The first 10 illusions were each targeting a different weakness in one's identity, while the remaining 10 were more of a combined assault that became more intrinsic with every step, digging deeper into one's psyche to disrupt them.
However, while Damien steadily made his way through one illusion after another, there was something he didn't know.
It was incredibly rare to see the last 10 illusions in the sequence. When the illusions were performed with the Marionette Lord's full strength, even weaker Demigods would fall by the 10th stage.
This time, it was proper to say that the Marionette Lord's presence was largely influenced by Fate.
It wasn't easy to steal a body before a seed had sprouted within. On a power like puppeteering, the universal restrictions were many.
Perhaps they didn't need to be followed as strictly in the Abyss, but when they wanted to attack someone within Grand Heavens Boundary, not only did a seed need to be sprouted, the target needed to submit.
As such, to take Lord Garvy's body urgently, the Marionette Lord had to sacrifice a considerable amount, leaving them with a relatively weak sliver of consciousness remaining by the time they entered Damien's spiritual world.
Damien's mental fortitude was a known strength of his. The Marionette Lord's improved challenges might've been an even better challenge for him, but Fate understood better than anyone.
The universal flow had been pointing toward a certain event for not just months, but years on years.
Currently, Damien's need for a challenge wasn't as strong as his need to attend the Grand Assembly, which required Beast Emperor Star's matters to be concluded.
As he destroyed the final of 20 illusions, he found himself back in his spiritual world, the Marionette Lord splayed out before him.
"You're an entertaining human! More than any of the others I've seen!" They immediately jumped up and said upon his return.
"And you're the second most annoying Nox Demigod I've met. I guess we aren't on the same level," Damien quipped back.
"Why did you come here, anyway? Was Arthur's body that important to you?"
"Hm?" The Marionette Lord's brow raises curiously.
"How could it not be?"
They flashed forward, their face only centimeters from Damien's. He could feel their poisonous breath against his cheek as they stared into his eyes.
"The Bloodlock Clan is one of your universe's most influential Holy Lands. If I can take control of the Immortal Blood Asura who leads it, wouldn't you be in trouble?"
Damien shivered, feeling the odd incongruity from the Marionette Lord's expression.
"Isn't it only right I wish for compensation? And if that old Saint bastard wants you, shouldn't your value be about equal?"
The Marionette Lord's expression was playful, but their aura was anything but. It was eerie, cold, and looked down upon all beings as playthings to be used and replaced.
"But there was something else too…I don't know! I just suddenly felt like seeing you for myself, so I came!"
The darkness behind their words disappeared like it never existed.
And there it was.
'They were really brought here by Fate. Just what is the connection between Fate and universal flow?'
As Damien saw it, the connection between Arthur Bloodlock and the Marionette Lord was formed by the universal flow, however, the connection between the Marionette Lord and himself was formed by Fate.
Damien urgently wanted to understand the connection between these two esoteric and formless forces that supported the universe so he could unearth the truths of universal flow, but he had no connections to Fate.
The concept simply eluded him, even when Astoria allowed him to search her memory for clues.
Nevertheless, the matters of Fate could always be handled later.
Damien currently needed to find a way to get this crazy Demigod out of his head before he was forced to personally experience why they were termed the most insane Nox Demigod of them all.
He threw a glance at them, watching them casually eat from a bunch of grapes they'd materialized through spiritual intent.
'They clearly won't leave on their own. I might as well see if they'll answer questions or not.'
"Didn't you say you'd give me a reward if I passed your trial? Where is that?" He asked, introducing conversation.
The Marionette Lord looked up. For a second, Damien got chills from their gaze.
Yet, just like before, that feeling disappeared instantaneously.
'Scary.'
"Reward? Did I say something like that? Hmm…how about you become my subordinate? I'll offer you plenty of rewards then," the Marionette Lord said.
"Funny. I'll pass on any 'reward' that involves switching sides or betraying my homeland. How does that sound?"
"Boring."
"If it's boring then leave."
"No thanks! It's even more boring outside!"
"Then my reward?"
"Why should I give you one? Who even said I'd reward you?"
"Wow, I never expected a great Nox Demigod to go back on their promise. It's almost embarrassing to view you guys as enemies."
"That kind of thing won't faze me, boy. I don't care about all that Nox-Human nonsense."
Damien furrowed his brows and frowned. He originally breached the subject of a reward so he could ease into some more leading questions, but he was even getting tripped up at this step.
'Is it even worth it…?' He wondered. He could definitely get information elsewhere if he tried hard enough. Time and effort would allow the Nox memory fragments in his mind to connect and form a more cohesive picture as well.
He could imagine the frustration he'd encounter if he tried to question this irregular being, and he didn't want to deal with it at all.
"Fine, instead of a reward, give me one favor," he finally said.
"Favor?" The Marionette Lord echoed.
"Right, a favor. At any time, allow me to request one favor from you," Damien repeated seriously.
The Marionette Lord gazed at him, never breaking their eyes from his own.
Damien felt like his soul was being scoured, like countless incorporeal hands were feeling over his body.
But he didn't bend. A favor from a Demigod, especially a Nox one, was worth far more than any material reward ever could be.
The Marionette Lord's lips parted into an amused sneer.
"Do you think you're worthy of my favor?" They said mockingly.
Damien grinned as well. "Do you think I'm not?"
The Marionette Lord's eyes widened slightly. Suddenly, they began to laugh.
"Pfft…hahaha! Hahahahaha!"
"I like you! I really, really like you! Fine, I will accept one favor from you as long as it doesn't hurt me too much," they stated confidently, their eyes sparkling.
Damien smiled back, but he truly didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Having the interest of a character like the Marionette Lord wasn't necessarily a good thing.
However, it was good that he'd received this word.
"The word of a Demigod cannot be broken," he said.
"Whoever taught you that must've been a con artist, but you don't have to worry. You being alive is more entertaining for me, and I'm sure your favor will be even more fun! I'm looking forward to it."
The response wasn't strange on paper, but people who could go to any lengths for their own entertainment were some of the most terrifying in existence.
Nevertheless, with that out of the way…
"When are you leaving? I have things to do."
…Damien desperately wanted this crazy person OUT of his spiritual world!
The source of this c𝐨ntent is fre𝒆w(e)bn(o)vel