The reason why everyone was shocked was because the Steps Of Despair weren't ordinary stairs. Climbing up these stairs was extremely difficult because the stairs had many magic formations drawn on them that affect the Soul. The Steps Of Despair bypassed any protection one had on their Soul and conjure extremely realistic illusions.

These illusions could at least turn you into an idiot if you don't know your limit and when to quit and in the most extreme cases, your Soul will be pulled out and become part of Steps Of Despair, making it stronger. And here was the naked pervert running up the stairs like it was nothing.

“Just who is that guy?!”

“How the fuck should I know!”

“He's about to reach the Grand Hall, let's wait until he comes out. Maybe there'll be information about him then.”

“Let's wait then.”

…

In about fifteen to twenty minutes of running at full speed, Nolan finally reached the top of the stairs and he now stood in front of the doors of a massive hall with a plaque written ‘Grand Hall’. The doors were open so Nolan simply entered.

Inside, the Grand Hall was extremely spacious, golden pillars with dragon carvings held up the place but except for that, there wasn't anything else. No treasures, no paintings, no staff, nothing, just a huge spacious empty hall.

“Hello? Is anybody here?” asked Nolan.

[Boy, what business brings you here?] spoke an elderly voice.

“I am a newly recruited disciple of the Demonic Sect. I was given this token and told that it would be activated here so that's why I'm here.” said Nolan as he raised the token he was holding.

The token flew out of Nolan's grasp and into the ceiling where an old man was floating in a lotus position. He didn't release any aura or pressure but Nolan could tell that the old man was very strong.

[Where did you get this token from?] asked the elder.

“I don't know that Lord's name. But you can ask Elder Lalabu, he's the one who brought me to that man. He looks half human and half ant, I don't know if you know him.”

[What?! Grand Elder Lalabu is back?! And he even took you to the Grand Supreme Elder who then gave you this token?!]

“I guess so.”

The elder nodded in understanding, grabbed the token and took a deep breath. His body began to inflate like a balloon and when he reached his limit, the elder breathed out red flames that engulfed the token, burning it. Well,.although it looked like the token was being burned, the token was actually devouring the red flames as the letters written on it glowed one by one and it changed from an ordinary token to a bright red one.

After it had devoured the elder’s flames, the token flew towards Nolan at extreme speed that Nolan couldn't follow its trajectory with his eyes. While flying towards him, it broke into two equal halves. One collided with Nolan's chest and the other collided with his forehead. Before he could even react, he was sent flying and crashed into the hall walls, shaking his internal organs.

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When Nolan stood up, the token had completely disappeared and before he could intensely examine himself, the elder fell to the floor and knelt.

[The High Elder Goik greets the Demonic Child.] said the elder while kneeling.

Before Nolan could ask what he was talking about, he was flooded with a massive amount of information that his brain was overloaded to a point of shutting down. He lost consciousness right then and there.

[Demonic Child! Demonic Child!] Elder Goik quickly rushed over to Nolan's side. He then sent a wisp of his energy to check Nolan's internal situation but everything was fine. He then placed his index finger on his forehead and sent a wisp of his Soul but something unexpected happened and he quickly retracted his finger but the damage had been dealt.

He coughed a mouthful of blood and his face became pale, his breathing hurried and his eyes were tinged with red.

[The Killing Scripture! I should have known better. He's super weak yet was given the status of a Demonic Child.]

…

By the time Nolan woke up, he was lying on a comfy bed naked. As soon as he woke up, he felt a flood of information pouring into his brain but wasn't about to lose consciousness again. He pressed his thumb on his forehead and forcefully stopped his brain from processing the information flooding his mind.

He looked around the room but there was no one. Beside him was a small bell with words ‘Ring Me’ when translated into a language he could understand. He then rung the bell and a few maid servants entered the room in a hurry.

“Greetings Demonic Child. We were especially ordered by the High Elder to take care of all your needs so please feel free to order us as you like.” said the head maid.

All the maid servants were extremely beautiful and had voluptuous bodies hidden under their uniforms.

“You'll follow through with ANY command I give you?” he asked.

“Yes.” nodded the head maid as she blushed.

Nolan was very tempted to order these gorgeous ladies to strip naked and join him in bed but that's not how he did things. When someone stronger than him is involved, Nolan doesn't take any chances, even in such favourable conditions. Plus, there were more serious issues that needed to be discussed.

“Tell me about my status as a Demonic Child but make it short as much as possible.” he said.

“As you wish.” answered the head maid as she explained Nolan's status in the sect as a Demonic Child.

First and foremost, his status was now above that of the Sect Leader. He could change the sect’s rules without consulting anyone, kill anyone out of the sect but with valid reasons. He could take ten resources from the sect vault, absolutely free, he could issue sect missions and give rewards, order anyone in the sect to do stuff for him. He was also allowed to own a star system where all the resources there were his for the taking.

All the sect's Meditation Arts, Scriptures and Skill Books were available to him without restriction, he could borrow any sect's treasure and there was no place he couldn't go to, even if it was a female elder's bathroom, he could enter unrestricted. The only thing he was required to do was take action whenever the sect needed him and everyone could escape in the face of danger except for him. When kidnapped, he isn't allowed to leak the sect's secret and should immediately kill himself in such a situation.

He is the face of the sect and everything he does represents the sect so he should be mindful of his image. And these benefits weren't exclusive to only one branch but all the Demonic Sects branches and headquarters. There were far more benefits than there were losses and hearing the head maid tell him all this, his heart couldn't help but jump in joy.

‘Who said one's talent should be hidden?! Who said that only those who grow step by step in the shadows reach their full potential?! Weaklings!’

After he obtained all the information about his status, the first place Nolan wanted to visit was the sect's vault because there was a treasure he needed and hoped it was there.

“Take me to the sect vault… but first, give me clothes to wear. I've been naked for far too long.”

“Yes, Demonic Child.”