Muria had used Origin Energy to power up, but he hadn't directly increased his strength through it. The reason for his explosive growth in power was the heart of the Balor Flame Demon he had fused with.
However, this Balor heart was a foreign entity in this world—a "contraband item." While its fiery essence partially aligned with Muria's Hellspawn nature, under normal circumstances, the heart would have been impossible to fully integrate.
At that moment, Muria had used a small amount of Origin Energy to resolve these barriers. The sliver of Origin Energy prevented the Balor heart from being rejected by the world and eliminated the incompatibility between it and Muria's body.
This method was far more efficient than using Origin Energy to directly boost his strength. To enhance himself purely with Origin Energy would have been wasteful and, frankly, foolish.
...
"This power crystal is of no use to me anymore," Muria said, examining the black-and-red crystal in his hand. It had been a reward from the unassuming elderly man that Fernand had brought in to tutor him—a token of recognition for Muria's dedication to his studies.
In truth, Muria received one of these crystals every three months like clockwork. Before he had used Origin Energy to boost himself, he had greatly coveted these crystals.
But now, their allure had all but vanished. What was once a feast akin to a grand banquet now felt like a mere after-dinner mint—pleasant, but unnecessary.
"Well, even a mosquito's leg has meat," Muria muttered, tossing the crystal lightly in his hand. Then he opened his mouth and swallowed it whole, too lazy to absorb it slowly.
This time, however, after consuming the crystal, his body underwent no noticeable change. The growth it could provide had become negligible compared to the scale of Muria's current strength.
Outside Muria's modest wooden cabin, the sea of clouds churned as the elder, dressed in simple hemp robes, stood quietly watching. But slowly, his brow furrowed as he noticed something unusual—there was none of the usual energy fluctuations that accompanied Muria's absorption of the crystal.
...
"Tell me, what exactly happened the last time you took Arnold out? Why has he changed so drastically since then?"
A woman whose body was composed of swirling clouds approached the giant, who was seated cross-legged on a cliff, lost in thought. Her tone was sharp, almost interrogative.
"What are you talking about? What changes?" The giant played dumb, feigning ignorance in the face of her accusations.
"Don't bother denying it, A'Man. You're terrible at lying," the cloud woman replied coldly. "Not only has Arnold changed, but something about you is different too."
The mist beside the giant condensed into the form of a man with his hands clasped behind his back, his posture straight and commanding. He radiated an aura of mastery, and the clouds below churned like a stormy sea. This was no longer the same unremarkable old man he had appeared to be before—his sharpness was now on full display.
"Me? What's wrong with me?" The giant blinked, genuinely confused.
"Don't you find it odd that you've been sitting here brooding far more than usual?" the cloud woman interjected.
"So, tell us—what exactly happened that day when you took Arnold out?" The elder's sharp gaze locked onto the giant. Ever since they had returned, Arnold had given off an entirely different impression, as if he were no longer the same person.
"I… I didn't encounter anything. I just took him to a nearby city to have some fun," the giant hesitated before finally speaking.
"The nearest city? I've already investigated that place," the elder said, his voice stern. "It's now a dead city—completely lifeless, not even a single corpse remains."
The sea of clouds surrounding the cliff churned violently, like the ocean before a storm.
"What exactly are you plotting? Or rather, what is the new Arnold planning?" the elder asked, his voice heavy with suspicion.
"Uh…" The giant turned his head to look at the elder, stunned. He realized that the elder, too, had noticed Muria's immense strength but had misunderstood, believing the real Arnold had been replaced.
Having convinced himself of this "truth," the giant couldn't help but feel both amused and exasperated. "Lord Baker, you've got it all wrong. I can assure you that Arnold is still Arnold. No one could possibly impersonate him."
"And how can you be so certain? It sounds like you know something we don't," the cloud woman said, narrowing her eyes at the giant.
"A'Man, if you don't tell us the truth, I'll have no choice but to confront Arnold myself," the elder said, sighing deeply. Fernand had entrusted his most gifted child to him, and the elder felt obligated to ensure Arnold's safety.
"Don't." The giant quickly spoke up, recalling the overwhelming power Muria had displayed.
"Then talk. What exactly happened to Arnold?" The cloud woman grew impatient, pressing for an answer.
"I can't say. I've already sworn to keep it a secret. I'm bound to silence," the giant said resolutely, shaking his head.
"Fine," the elder sighed. His body began to fade as he prepared to confront Muria directly.
"If you have questions, why not just ask me instead of pressuring him?" A clear, youthful voice rang out. The elder and the cloud woman turned abruptly to see a calm figure suddenly materialize behind them, as if by teleportation. Muria stood there, his expression serene as he gazed at them.
"It's true. He's not the same as before," the elder remarked, his eyes sharp as daggers, like twin cold stars.
"During our last trip out, A'Man and I encountered a ghost fiend that had undergone six awakenings. At first, I was counting on him to handle it. But he failed—miserably. The ghost fiend knocked him out cold, so I had no choice but to step in," Muria explained calmly.
"A'Man saw everything, so I asked him to keep it a secret after I dealt with the ghost fiend."
"Wait, you're saying a ghost fiend that A'Man couldn't handle was killed by you?" The cloud woman sounded incredulous, her tone almost mocking. "That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard."
"It's true," Muria replied matter-of-factly.
"How is that even possible?"
"What's so impossible about it? Judging by the pressure this kid is giving me now, a sixfold-awakened ghost fiend would be nothing to him," the elder said gravely. Of the three, his strength was the greatest, yet even he felt a prickling sensation on his skin in Muria's presence.
"What's your current level of power?" the elder asked, his tone serious.
"I don't know," Muria answered honestly. "But I'm sure I'm stronger than all three of you combined."
Hearing this, even the brash cloud woman was stunned. For a moment, she felt as if she were dreaming—otherwise, how could she have heard something so absurd?
"Seven awakenings?" the elder speculated, furrowing his brow.
"I'm not sure," Muria said, shaking his head. He wasn't certain of his current level of power after fusing with the Balor heart. The leap had been too vast, bypassing many intermediate steps.
The elder fell silent, interpreting Muria's uncertainty as an evasive answer. In his mind, no one could be unaware of their own level of awakening.
"Can you show us your true form?" the elder finally asked.
Muria nodded, curious himself to see how his new strength compared to the world's standards.
A blazing aura of fire enveloped Muria, completely obscuring his small, human form. When he stepped forward, the flames dissipated to reveal a towering figure—a demon god nearly 100 meters tall. His massive horns pierced the sky, and he radiated a suffocating aura of destruction.
Large, leathery wings extended from his back, and a thick, powerful tail swayed behind him. His left arm was wrapped in fiery chains, and in his right hand, he held a massive greatsword that dripped molten lava.
The elder, cloud woman, and the giant stood in stunned silence, their minds reeling. It wasn't just the visual impact of Muria's transformation but the sheer oppressive aura of a being on a higher existential plane.
"He wasn't this big last time," the giant muttered, attributing Muria's growth to devouring the ghost fiend.
"How can someone so young be this strong?" the cloud woman murmured, unable to process the reality before her.
"I see," the elder said, recovering his composure. He had seen much in his lifetime, but this display still left a deep impression.
"With strength like this, there's no point in us continuing to teach you. It would just be a waste of time."
...
In the royal palace of Gai, deep within a sealed, bronze-coated chamber, a faint, unsettling pulse emanated. It spread outward, stirring the palace and alarming its inhabitants.
"Hm?" Fernand, seated on his throne and discussing war preparations with his generals and ministers, felt the pulse immediately. A smile broke across his face.
"As expected of my most gifted child. To think he completed my task so quickly—and even managed to bring back those three as well. Looks like I can finally stop pretending."
With that, Fernand rose from his throne, dismissing his ministers with a wave of his hand. He hurried off, eager to welcome Arnold's
return.
______
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