Seven thousand years - That was how long Aeris slept inside the realm of nothingness.
From the moment he woke up, the Supreme Sovereign counted every second. It was the only way he could keep his focus and avoid having his consciousness devoured by the Void.
An ordinary person would have broken by now. They would have lost their very being to the eternal nothingness.
Alas, Aeris was no ordinary person.
"I refuse to witter out inside this place."
He held onto his memory and every piece of who he was.
"I don't care how many how centuries pass... I will escape this boring place.
And then, another thousand year passed.
"I can move my body just a bit now."
Aeris folded his legs and joined his hands.
"When that traitorous bitch stabbed me with Muramasa, she damaged my Ether Core. I couldn't repair it as this place keeps draining my Ether."
Ether stands for Ethereal Energy. It is the purest form of life energy present all over the universe. By concentrating and focusing, one can forge an Ether Core inside their body for storing, and converting Ethereal energy.
Aeris' remaining Ethereal energy was sucked away by the Void. However, he couldn't sense even the faintest trace which was weird.
"What if... "
Energy couldn't be destroyed. That law was true remained solemn even across the many different worlds.
The three main worlds - Central, Demonic, and Divine Worlds each has their own universal energy.
"If I couldn't sense Ethereal energy in the Void, it's safe to say that it must have been converted into a different universal energy. That just means a different universal energy exists here. But what kind? Demonic? Divine?"
Areis was determined to crack the truth of the void. He resumed his meditation.
This time, Ten Millennias went by.
Still no progress.
He shook his head.
"No. If it was Demonic or Holy power, I would have sensed it since those universal energies do not require a core."
This was something else entirely... But what exactly?
"Whatever it is... I have all of eternity to crack it."
He continued to meditate.
After what felt like an eternity... Aeris reached a new level of unstanding the Void.
"I've been thinking about this the wrong way. The Void has its own rules, and logic. Yet I kept trying to force my universe's rules here."
But the Void proved otherwise.
"I had this feeling when I first arrived here, but, what if... The Void was more than a just a space or dimension? What if it has a will of it's own? What if... The Void was alive?"
Whirrrrrrr!
A loud ringing tore through his head. The pain was unbearable. But there was no sound in the Void. So he couldn't scream.
His head felt like it would burst.
The pain only grew, and grew for another millennia.
But Aeris endured. Or rather, he stopped noticing the pain. It became a part of him.
Then he heard a voice.
A deep, slow, ancient voice.
[You are a resilient one.]
It echoed all around. It wasn't sound. It was thought.
The Void was speaking.
"Are you the ego of the Void?"
[I am what's left of the blackness that existed before creation.]
[I am the gentle darkness.]
[I have devoured devils, beasts, and gods. They all succumbed to me. And yet… a human resists.]
[Tell me. What drives you to defy my blackness?]
Aeris answered with one word.
"Power."
[Do you think those who came before you didn't seek power?]
"I don't care about the fate of weaklings. They lost their will and vanished. They deserved it."
The voice paused.
Then it spoke again.
[You are correct.]
[So tell me, what do you plan to do with this power? Revenge?]
[Revenge?]
"No." Aeris replied firmly.
During his first few millenias in the Void, all he could think about was getting his revenge. However, he soon recalled his true vision - Conquest.
"Revenge is only the tip of the iceberg. I want fame, treasure, power, and riches. I want to become the greatest Conqueror in all three realms—and beyond!"
Silence followed.
Then...
[Hahahahaha.]
Laughter echoed from the darkness.
[In all the cycles of eternity I've witnessed… You are the first to amuse me.]
[Rejoice, human. I have decided—you will become my apostle. You will inherit the power of the Void. You will become the Voidborn.]
Aeris smirked. His patience had paid off.
But then his smirk faded.
"Nothing is ever free. Not even from a cosmic being like you. What's the catch?"
[You think a few cycles of eternity are enough to understand me? Don't flatter yourself.]
[You have only unlocked the first layer of my truth.]
Aeris understood.
The Void had levels. The blackness he drifted in was only the beginning.
"You still haven't answered my question."
[Be at ease. I ask for nothing but entertainment. Keep me amused, and you will have power greater than the gods.]
Aeris grinned.
"Then I accept."
[Very well…]
Aeris couldn't see it, but he felt the Void smile.
[But know this—your body cannot contain the Vanah of the Void. Not yet, at least. You will receive a fraction of my Vanah. Use it to bring the Void upon your enemies.]
"Vanah?"
[The system will explain, guide, and teach you. However, it is up to you how you shape it. Just make sure you keep me entertained.]
"Whatever. Just do your part and leave the rest to me."
[From this moment forth, you shall be known as the Voidborn.]
A crack appeared in front of Aeris. It shone so brightly he had to cover his eyes.
[Remember, I will be watching.]
The brightness expanded until it completely enveloped him.
---
Elsewhere, in a cave-like area, a tear in space opened. It revealed a blackness purer and darker than the cave itself.
Aeris leapt out of the blackness as the rift closed behind him.
"Finally…"
After an eternity in the endless Abyss, Aeris Azazael had returned.
"What's this?"
A small crimson sphere floated in front of him. Aeris reached for it.
The moment his fingertips touched it, the sphere expanded, taking the shape of a holographic screen.
[You Have Awakened The Void System!]
[Your body, stats, and skills are being arranged and registered to the system, Please Hold...]
[Congratulations, You are the First Human to Posses the powers of a Primordial. You have received 100 Akashic Points. You can use Akashic Points to purchase items from the Void Store.]
[You have received the title: "The First Voidborn". ]
[Use the Command: "Status" to view your status screen and registered abilities.]
'So this was what the Ego of the Void meant when he said the system will guide me?' Aeris smirked. 'Things are about to get interesting real fast.'
"Status!"