Silence lingered on the channel for a few moments before Orion’s soft giggle broke through.
“That’s quite a conundrum,” he mused, his laughter intensifying. “I won’t make promises I can’t keep, but let’s see how things turn out.”
“Okay,” Scott replied with a subtle nod. “It’s fine as long as you do your best.”
A nihilistic portal appeared beneath his feet, its swirling void yawning open. But Scott didn’t descend immediately.
“Leaving already?” came Orion’s probing, amused voice.
“Yes,” Scott replied. “There are some things I need to figure out. Leave a message on the party channel if it’s urgent.”
Before Orion could respond, Scott closed the channel, and his form soundlessly submerged into the endless abyss of the nihilistic zone.
----------------------------------------
“Nameless One… are you there?” Scott called out into the boundless void. His words echoed nowhere, swallowed by the all-consuming emptiness. His form, indistinct and abstract, seemed to meld with the very essence of the void—an incomprehensible existence ever present, yet never wholly defined.
No answer came, only silence.
Scott called again, louder this time. “Nameless One?”
Still, there was no reply. The void enveloped him, silent and unmoving.
Why won’t he answer? Scott wondered, a flicker of curiosity threading through his thoughts. I haven’t had the chance to properly review the changes since receiving the inheritance. This might be as good a time as any.
The thought barely completed before something shifted. Within the vast, lightless expanse, a form began to manifest—a hazy humanoid silhouette devoid of distinct features. It existed in the void as though it had always been there, an eternal presence finally seen.
This is my true form now, Scott thought, observing the abstract figure that he somehow recognized as himself.
Before receiving the inheritance, his consciousness had been scattered across the entirety of the nihilistic zone, indistinguishable from the void itself. He had lacked a form, a will to define himself. But now, not only did he possess the power to shape himself, it felt as though this form had always been his destiny.
Strange, Scott thought, turning his gaze to his ethereal limbs. I always thought this place devoured everything it consumed. But why do I feel so much emotion in this form?
He couldn’t answer, but his curiosity grew.
Scott raised his right hand experimentally. The vast nothingness stirred, ripples spreading outward as vibrations gyrated through the void. Slowly, sound began to take shape—a resonance that hummed with presence.
Then, shapes began to emerge. At first, they were vague and formless, but as Scott focused, hazy silhouettes—both gigantic and minute—revealed themselves within the black expanse.
Ignoring the indistinct figures, Scott moved toward one of the more substantial forms. Towering before him was the Harbinger of Rot, one of the calamities trapped within the void. Like the others suspended in this space, its essence, consciousness, and form were being stripped away piece by piece, consumed by the unfathomable laws of the zone.
Scott stretched out his hand, and the calamity’s form convulsed violently. Its massive structure crumbled in on itself, fragments of its essence drawn toward Scott’s hazy figure. Within moments, the Harbinger was no more—its existence devoured entirely.
As the last of its essence merged with him, Scott’s form grew more substantial, taking on a faintly corporeal edge.
Without hesitation, he moved to the next calamity and repeated the process. One by one, they were consumed, each feeding his ever-growing presence.
Finally, Scott reached the last of the calamities. He extended his hand once more, but this time, a voice boomed within the void, resonating with primordial power.
“The hunger you feel can never be satiated, but eat you must,” the voice intoned.
Scott paused, lowering his hand. The voice came again—several, and stronger than before, layered with overlapping tones.
“Eternal hunger. Eternal desire. Eternal servitude. Eternal lust. Eternal emptiness. Eternal longing…”
The voices melded into one, their combined presence rippling through the void.
“But why are you different?” it asked, curious yet accusatory.
Before Scott could respond, an incomprehensible figure materialized before him. Its form mirrored Scott’s—a hazy humanoid silhouette—but it pulsed with raw, primal yearning, an embodiment of unfulfilled desire.
Scott felt no fear, only curiosity.
The creature loomed closer, but Scott stretched his hand toward the final calamity. With a single motion, he consumed it, absorbing the last fragments of its existence.
At that moment, new shapes began to appear within the void—remnants of other beings who had fallen into the nihilistic zone. They emerged from the darkness, aimless and fragmented, drifting toward Scott.
What the… Who are these people? Scott wondered.
Some of the figures were familiar—former opponents he had defeated and banished. But the majority were strangers, beings whose existence he could not recall.
Wait a moment… A stray thought struck him. I’m not the only one with access to the nihilistic zone.
The memory came to him sharply—his former companion, the one who had banished him here. Her faction, Nameless, had ties to the Nihilistic zone too.
The voice returned, more insistent this time. “Will you allow beings to trample on your authority?”
Scott glanced at the towering figure but refrained from speaking. Is there a way to stop others from using the nihilistic zone?
As the thought crossed his mind, lights began to manifest within the void. They didn’t illuminate the darkness but shimmered like ripples across its surface, each a portal to another place.
Intrigued, Scott approached the nearest light. As he drew closer, the ripple resolved into an image—a gathering of hooded figures deep within a thick forest. They sat around a raging fire, their hands clutching crude mugs of drink as they spoke in hushed tones.
What the hell is this? Scott thought, his gaze fixed on the projection. Instinctively, he reached out, his fingers brushing its surface. The ripple reacted immediately, collapsing into shimmering particles that spiraled into his form, merging with his essence.
This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.
Did I just cut him off? Scott wondered, a realization dawning. Stretching out his hand once more, he watched as the particles reformed, recreating the ripple as if he’d never touched it.
So… these are all the people with access to the nihilistic zone, Scott mused, his mind racing. And I can restrict access to whomever I wish.
He approached other ripples, peering into their shimmering depths. Within them, he observed a variety of creatures—some familiar, most unfamiliar. Each ripple reflected beings spread across different timelines, all oblivious to his presence. Scott tested his newfound authority, revoking and restoring their access with impunity. None of them reacted; none of them even noticed.
Should I look for that crazy elf? he pondered, the thought lingering briefly before a voice reverberated through the void.
“You do not belong in this dimension,” the voice declared, its tone unwavering and absolute.
Scott turned his gaze back to the towering being, refusing to respond.
“Your existence will be noticed the moment you emerge,” the voice continued, its cadence ominous. “We… we… we are empty but yet fulfilled. You are filled with…” It faltered, the words trailing into silence as the massive figure abruptly vanished.
Scott’s attention shifted downward, drawn to a radiant light rising from the abyss. Why does that look familiar?
He willed his form forward, gliding toward the light. But before he could reach it, the voice returned, its tone more resolute.
“You can’t come here yet. You’re still imperfect. It’s not time for you to return. Become the god you’re meant to be, then come join us.”
An unseen force seized Scott, hurling him backward to his original position. He braced himself, but no effort of will allowed him to approach the light again. It hovered in the distance, teasingly close yet eternally unreachable.
Become the god I’m meant to be… Scott repeated, the words echoing in his mind. What the hell is that supposed to mean?
Though no answers came, the light’s familiarity gnawed at him. Scott tore his gaze away, refocusing on the countless ripples that dotted the void. What would happen if I used the ripples as exits?
The question intrigued him. Driven by curiosity, Scott approached the nearest ripple. But as he drew near, his form shuddered violently. Memories—vast, unfamiliar, and innumerable—flooded his mind in a chaotic torrent. Memories originating from the devoured essence of the calamities. They coalesced into one overwhelming surge, filling his consciousness to bursting.
Within the void, a mirror-like display erupted from nothingness, exuding an oppressive, blinding light. Chaos erupted as remnants of shattered entities within the nihilistic zone imploded, collapsing into nothingness. Chaotic energies spilled forth from the mirror, consuming the space with destructive force.
“You are not permitted to have those memories!” an all-mighty voice thundered from the mirror. “I’ll be taking them!”
Scott, paralyzed, unable to move or speak, watched as the chaos intensified. The vibrations of the voice were so overwhelming that the words blurred together, their meaning barely decipherable.
A divine hand, impossibly large and resplendent in regal glory, extended from the cascading light of the mirror. Its approach was inexorable, and Scott’s form began to tremble violently in response.
Not this again… Scott thought bitterly. How many times will these bastards keep bullying me?
The trembling intensified as the divine hand closed in. Illusionary spectra of light began pouring from Scott’s form, drawn toward the outstretched fingers as if summoned by their might. And with it—gaps in Scott’s newfound memories began to appear.
The nihilistic zone itself buckled under the chaos. Ripples of light vanished one by one, as though fleeing in terror of being noticed.
No. Scott’s thoughts hardened into resolve. I won’t allow this. Not here. Not now. Not ever again.
He willed his arms forward, but his body refused to respond. The divine hand loomed closer, the radiant spectra escaping him growing brighter and more lustrous.
“Who do you think you are!” Scott’s voice thundered suddenly, erupting through the void.
His form fractured—deep, web-like fissures ripping through his silhouette. A sharp crack resounded as the silhouette shattered, exploding into a new form.
Scott hovered in the abyss, his transformed figure a radiant beacon of fire and gold. His hair, once a reflection of the abyss, now swirled with countless shimmering stars, each representing a fragment of the infinite void.
His eyes, once inscrutable, now radiated godly might. Blackened flames, sigils of the Mad Throne, the marks of Hastur, and the tendrils of the nihilistic zone—all gave way, leaving behind an entity unlike any other.
His eyes pulsed with an unnatural brilliance, their metallic hues of silver and grey alive with swirling chaos. Concentric rings rippled outward from his pupils, etched with alien glyphs that whispered of forbidden knowledge and incomprehensible power. Golden sigils flickered erratically within the depths of his gaze, casting an eerie glow that ensnared any who dared look too long. His eyes reflected both the madness of existence and the nihility of the void, unified in perfect madness.
The regal hand halted its advance, its divine radiance faltering. “A demi-god? This is impossible!” The speaker’s shock rippled through the abyss.
In an instant, more mirrors began manifesting around Scott, each larger and more imposing than the last. Their energies surged, suffocating and unrelenting.
Scott glared at them defiantly, his gaze brimming with raw malevolence. His eyes, now radiant with chaotic might, seemed to pierce through the oppressive power emanating from the mirrors.
Then, from the mirrors, even more colossal fists emerged, their presence exuding an overwhelming pressure that sealed Scott’s movements once again.
“Your existence will not be tolerated!” The voices thundered in unison, their tone unified and absolute.
The hands moved as one, racing toward Scott with a singular goal: to eradicate his existence.
But before they could strike, a massive ray of light erupted from the depths of the abyss. It surged forth with blinding brilliance, halting the hands in their tracks.
From the radiant light, a figure emerged—clad in flowing silver robes, their hair a cascading nebula that cradled countless stars. The figure’s very presence seemed to ripple with omnipotence, a force beyond comprehension.
Standing resolutely between Scott and the divine hands, the figure spoke, its voice calm yet laced with undeniable authority.
“I will only say this once. If you touch him, I will undo the seal.”
The tension within the void surged, as if the very fabric of reality quivered at the weight of the threat.
“Do you seek war?!” one of the voices from the mirrors bellowed in response.
“War?” the figure repeated softly, though its words reverberated with unparalleled might. “Sure,” it declared without hesitation. “If that’s what you want, we will oblige. But understand this—once the seal is undone, there is no going back.”
The figure’s voice grew colder, heavier with finality. “I’ll leave the rest to you.”
The void fell silent.
The divine hands hesitated, their overwhelming power diminishing as they slowly began retreating. One by one, they returned to the mirrors from which they had emerged. The voices, too, faded into nothingness.
The shackles binding Scott’s form unraveled, dissolving into the ether. He felt control return to his newly transformed body, his immense power no longer constrained.
As the last of the hands disappeared, Scott turned his attention to the solitary figure who had intervened.
“Who are you?” he called out, his voice steady but curious.
The figure made no reply. Instead, they vanished before his very eyes, fading into the void like an illusion—gone as if they had never existed.
Scott lowered his gaze, his attention shifting to the clusters of light still emerging from the depths of the abyss. Who the hell was that? Was that the Nameless One?
He clenched his hands experimentally, observing his form. A demi-god… did I really become one? he wondered. But why do I feel no different?
His gaze turned toward the drifting remnants of those cast into the nihilistic zone, their forms suspended and broken. Each time I solve a mystery, even more reveal themselves. At this rate, there’s no telling what else lies ahead as I climb the tower…
Resolving himself, Scott issued a silent command, his form shooting out of the nihilistic zone. He materialized moments later in one of the many territories White had bequeathed to him.
Congratulations! You have accomplished a monumental feat by shedding a part of your mortal roots! You are on the verge of attaining demi-godhood! The path to Godhood will reveal itself at the appropriate time! The Tower of Champions acknowledges your historic feat! The Administrator sincerely congratulates you on your partial advancement! Warning! To ascend to demi-godhood, you must reach Level 100 while maxing out all physical traits! Note! You have numerous Exp points waiting to be claimed. Please return to any timeline of your choosing to claim them!