Scott jolted upright as the system window manifested. At that moment, the mass within his chest flared, intermingling with eldritch tendrils. Blood streamed from his eyes, and a sound like shattering glass exploded from his right eye. The furniture around him began to tremble, the vibrations intensifying by the second.

Violent tremors soon shook the entire room, dislodging artworks and sculptures, sending books and tomes tumbling from shelves. The chaos crescendoed, lasting for a full minute before abruptly ceasing.

Scott collapsed to the ground, chest heaving, as cracks appeared on the mask of the eldritch spawn. Darkness, trapped within, bellowed wildly, seeping out as a concentrated mist that hovered above his incapacitated form. The mass in Scott’s chest surged toward the darkness, which welcomed it, the abyssal and nihilistic energies merging above his trembling body.

With a furious explosion, the mask shattered, its fragments disintegrating everything within a hundred meters to dust, yet the furniture and other items magically recovered. Viva’s chaotic skies darkened, stricken by unimaginable darkness, and a gigantic yellow sign flashed across the sky for a brief second before normalcy returned.

Scott writhed on the ground, the combined energies forcing themselves into his body through his ears, nose, and mouth. The process took less than a minute, and then his trembling ceased.

He lay motionless, without a hint of breath or warmth in his darkened body. A faint throbbing echo filled the room, and Scott let out a muffled gasp as he eerily sat upright.

An error has been detected!

The system message flashed red before him, but Scott's vacant eyes seemed to stare into an incomprehensible abyss. The darkness writhing on his skin slowly receded, converging around his chest, neck, and upper arms. It coalesced into a series of ominous tattoos that marked his upper arms, lower neck, and chest.

You have utilized the remaining dormant dragon pill in your body!

Scott's eyes widened; his gaze fixed on an unseen point in the distance. A golden radiance enveloped him, shimmering like sunlight on water. His entire body sparkled, ethereal, like a deity descending from the heavens. As the light intensified, his curly brown hair darkened, each strand transforming into an inky black cascade.

His physique shifted dramatically. Muscles rippled beneath his skin; their newfound strength apparent in every fiber. They seemed to pulse with life, as if they were sentient, reveling in their enhanced vitality. Scott's breath hitched, a subtle gasp escaping his lips as the transformation took hold. He clenched his fists, feeling the surge of power course through him, every movement a testament to his newfound might.

You have received two new side quests! You have unlocked a new Skill! Skill: Void Bank – Level ???

Champion Interface Basic Stats

Name: Scott Dorsey. Level: 50 Experience Points: 3000/5100 – New! Void Limits: Infinite.

Race:

* Unknown!

Class: Voidweaver.

Party Members:

* Slim the Grim.

* Orion Audeus.

* Fi-Fi.

* Zara [Party Leader].

Title:

* Chaos Caller.

* Voidwaker.

* Minion 01.

Rank:

* 20.

Energy Sources:

* Nihilistic Zone.

* Abyssal Void.

Abnormal State: None. Blessings: Illusionary Mirror.

Achievements:

* You completed the 31,456th performance in the theatre!

* Survivor of the Nihilistic Zone.

Sponsor: None!

Physical Stats Strength: 60 [+10] – New! Agility: 61 [+10] – New! Endurance: 60 [+10] – New! Dexterity: 60 [+10] – New! Toughness: 60 [+10] – New!

Skills Carpentry (Level 1). Running (Level 2). Survival (Level 6) Madness (Level ???) Hastur’s Gaze (Level 4) Hastur's Whisper (Level 2) Mental Manipulation (Level 5) Void Manipulation (Level ???) – New! Party Communication (Level 1) – Party Dependent Skill. Basic Eldritch casting (Level 2) Hammer Mastery (Level 3) Combat (Level 4) Fishing (Level 1). Void Bank (Level ???) – New!

Hastur's Vessel

There’s a 55% chance your body will be possessed by Hastur the Unspeakable.

Temporary possession inactive!

Abilities [High-Tier]

* Void Manipulation: Control and traverse through nihilistic dimensions, creating portals and shadowy pathways.

* Eldritch Summoning: Call forth otherworldly creatures to fight alongside you, drawing power from ancient and chaotic energies.

* Energy Drain: Absorb the life force and energy from surroundings, weakening enemies and empowering yourself.

* Reality Warp: Manipulate reality to create illusions, distort space, and alter the battlefield to your advantage.

* Stealth Mastery: Utilize shadows and void energies to become nearly invisible, striking from hidden positions with devastating force.

* Void Infusion: Enhance your physical and magical attacks with dark, void-infused power, increasing their potency and adding debilitating effects.

* Imprint of Madness: All physical stats will rise by fifteen points. Odds of landing a critical strike increases by 32% when Imprint of Madness is activated. All physical stats will drop by 7 if mental state is overridden with madness. Limit: None!

* Mind Control: Odds of manipulating beings without mental resistance increases by 30%. Mind Control’s effectiveness increases by 30% when combined with Imprint of Madness.

* Mental Resistance: You’re immune to all mental attacks from beings below sainthood.

* Fusion: Empowered by a dragon’s mythical knowledge, you will be able to combine two or more synergistic abilities to create brand new abilities. Depending on the synergy between energy sources, it’s also possible to combine them. Warning! Fusion of energy sources could have unprecedented consequences.

* Tongue of All: You will understand every language, written and spoken, native or foreign to your world!

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

Quests

Main Quest: Make it to the end of the labyrinth – Ongoing! Side Quest: Return to Thisos’s Labyrinth – Not Started! Side Quest: Announce yourself at the Point of no Return – Not Started!

Scott blinked, and a hint of clarity returned to his vision. The number of shattered worlds in his right pupil had increased considerably, and his left eye permanently bore the yellow sign, surrounded by darkness instead of whites.

Your connection with the Nihilistic zone has been acknowledged!

Scott winced as a wave of energy suddenly overwhelmed him. What surprised him was the knowledge of its source.

“The titans have started being devoured,” he muttered, mechanically pushing himself to his feet.

A blackened spot appeared beneath him, and he silently sank into the void. The sensation was not of warmth or the embrace of nature; it was an all-encompassing emptiness, infinite and formless, tangible yet elusive.

Another spot materialized within the room, and Scott emerged from the nihilistic abyss. He raised his head, focusing on his bed. There, the lesser god candidate of slaughter sat casually, her limpid eyes fixed on Scott’s naked form.

Their gazes locked for several breaths, neither speaking nor looking away. Scott finally shifted his attention to a pair of fresh clothes beside the mysterious champion.

“Endeavor not to cause any further distress in the sanctuary,” she said, her gaze unwavering.

Scott motioned toward the bed, and a shadowy pathway opened beneath the clothes, pulling them into the void. In an instant, the average-looking garments covered his form.

The mysterious candidate stood and approached Scott slowly, stopping a few feet away. Her voice echoed, “You want to spar?”

A lesser god candidate has challenged you to a spar! Do you wish to accept the invitation? Yes! No!

Scott’s eyes remained fixed on the lesser god candidate, deliberately ignoring the system’s notification.

“Do you wish to spar?” she repeated, her demeanor and tone unchanged. Silence met her inquiry once again.

The lesser god candidate nodded slowly, her gaze shifting away from Scott. Stepping forward, her voice resonated in his ears once more, “I’ll be looking forward to the day you cross the point of no return.”

Scott instinctively turned toward the champion. This time, however, he wasn’t facing a human female. A being enshrouded in a sinister aura stood before him, the physical manifestation of slaughter.

The yellow sign flickered incessantly, and the cracks in Scott’s eyes stirred, as if challenging the ominous presence. Scott’s form vanished, replaced by an unfathomable void filled with contrasting presences. Millions of burning stars shimmered in one section, while the vast emptiness of the other echoed a haunting silence.

The world shifted once more, and Scott and the lesser god candidate returned to their humanoid forms. “I sincerely look forward to that day. I’ll not be entertaining you any further,” she said, turning to leave.

The champion took a step forward, and she vanished from the room. This time, however, Scott’s eyes glistened with a mysterious light.

“It was vague, but I could see her movement for a second,” he muttered, a smile curving his lips.

At that moment, a knock echoed through the room. Scott narrowed his gaze, focusing on the wooden door. Could that be Tondan? he wondered.

The knock sounded again, and Scott stepped forward. Another knock followed instantly, escalating to a series of bangs. Scott halted. Instead, he approached a vacant seat. Although he didn’t know Tondan all that well, he could tell he wasn’t the discourteous type. If he had to guess who was behind the door, it was probably an incensed lizard he had no intention of meeting.

“Can anybody hear me?” Scott called out on the party channel.

You are attempting to contact champions in other sanctuaries! A connection will be established!

Oh? Was I cut off from the others? Scott pondered silently.

A connection has been established!

Scott heard a familiar voice fill his mind, brimming with passion. “That’s why I believe she would make a great teammate. Trust me on this,” Slim urged.

“Yeah, sure,” Zara said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “I’m sure that’s the only reason you want her to join us.”

Scott's brows furrowed. He could piece together the topic of their discussion from the snippets he caught, but curiosity about Slim's recommendation gnawed at him. Instead of revealing his presence, he continued to listen.

“Fi-Fi believes the right course of action is to decide by vote,” Fi-Fi declared.

“That’s what I’ve been saying,” Slim agreed. “I’m sure as hell Scott would want her to join us too.”

Scott’s eyebrows shot up, but he remained silent.

“I kind of agree,” Zara muttered. “Unlike you, however, I’m sure he’d only want her around because she’s useful.”

“How many times do I have to explain myself? It’s not like that. Sure, I admire her, and I think she’s nice and all, but that’s a whole other conversation,” Slim explained.

“And who is this person you guys are talking about?” Scott broke his silence.

“Buddy, where have you been? We’ve been calling out to you for the past week,” Slim said.

Scott’s brows creased. “What do you mean, the past week? Hasn’t it only been two days?”

Silence followed Scott’s words. A moment later, Orion spoke up, “You’re no longer in Thisos’ Sanctuary, right?”

“Yeah. I’m in Viva now, affiliated with the god of slaughter. I’ll fill you guys in on the details later, but what do you mean it has been a week already?” Scott pressed further.

For him, it hadn’t even been a day since he left Thisos’s sanctuary, but his sense of time had been skewed ever since his initial return from the nihilistic zone.

“A week has passed since our last meeting,” Fi-Fi interjected. “All members of the other party are refusing to leave their sanctuaries, and Fi-Fi and others are now wanted.”

Orion chuckled softly, chiming in, “That’s a rough summary. The ladies from Claw are out, but that’s not the most pressing matter. Each one of us now has a bounty on our heads. Several lesser gods will reward anyone who can stop us; you especially, from reaching the point of no return,” Orion explained.

“Who is the person you talked about earlier?” Scott asked without pause.

Orion burst into laughter. “I told you all, didn’t I?” he managed between laughs. “There’s no way he would care about something like that.”

“Ember is currently in the same sanctuary as Slim, and she has expressed interest in joining us,” Zara said, her voice cutting through Orion’s laughter.

“Oh,” Scott muttered softly, his eyes flickering with a brief but unmistakable glimmer of hope. “I have no objections if it’s her.” He quickly shifted gears, his tone becoming more serious. “We can discuss that later. There are some things you guys should know about first.”

Without further ado, Scott launched into a detailed account of the newfound information he had uncovered about the point of no return and the potential hidden path in Thisos’s labyrinth. The severity of his words hung in the air, and for a long moment, the channel was enveloped in silence, broken only by Orion’s sporadic giggles echoing through the stillness.

Slim finally broke the silence with a deep, weary sigh. “I’ve grown tired of how much I hate this place,” he admitted. “It’s just too…” He paused, letting out another sigh, the sound heavy with resignation.