After taking a sip of the cocktail, the old man burped—releasing a puff of black smoke.
"Impressive," Yu Zhou muttered. That was the only word he could think of.
If he burps black smoke… what would it be if he farted?
Downing his drink, Yu Zhou leaned forward and asked bluntly,
"Old man, who are you?"
He'd always been the straightforward type—no need to circle around things.
The old man chuckled as he scooped another spoonful of soup.
"Young man, I can see great potential in you. Your dark power burns brightly. How about becoming one of my kin?"
"Kin?" Yu Zhou's eyes narrowed slightly.
Only one being in existence could speak of dark kin in such a tone.
The King of Darkness—the one who ruled over the dark lineage in the ancient past.
Yu Zhou smirked. "Old man, from your bones you look more like someone suffering from osteoporosis. Lacking sunlight and vitamin B, aren't you? Want me to get you some calcium tablets?"
"Vitamin… B? Calcium tablets? What's that?" the old man blinked, confused.
"They're supplements," Yu Zhou explained patiently. "Calcium helps your bones. Vitamin B helps your body absorb it, and sunlight produces Vitamin B naturally. Simple as that."
The old man stared at him in silence, as though wondering how the conversation had turned into a health lecture.
"…Why am I even discussing this with you?" he muttered under his breath.
Then, returning to the previous topic, he said, "You should think carefully, young man. Join my kin. When I fall into slumber again, you'll command all darkness in my place. Together, we'll blanket this world in eternal night."
"So, it really is you," Yu Zhou said calmly, meeting his sunken eyes. "You're the King of Darkness."
The old man smiled faintly. "It's been millions of years since I last awoke. I didn't expect anyone to still remember me."
"Since you know who I am," he continued, "why refuse to become my follower?"
"Not interested," Yu Zhou replied flatly.
The old man shrugged. "Suit yourself. Everyone has their own path."
Yu Zhou blinked. "Wait… that's it? You're not going to threaten me? Force me into submission or something?"
The old man looked at him like he was insane. "Why would I? You're a dark giant yourself. Not my enemy."
Yu Zhou was speechless. This King of Darkness… was strangely laid-back.
"Well then," Yu Zhou said, "why are you leading the darkness to invade the current civilization?"
The old man's expression darkened.
"Because such prosperous civilizations have no place on this planet. The world must be covered in darkness."
In truth, the era of darkness existed far before the ancient civilization. The so-called "gods" worshipped by ancient people were merely reflections—distorted legends born from the shadow of the King of Darkness himself.
Of course, he didn't mention one of his main grievances: that people in later civilizations used boy's urine in rituals to worship him.
That insult alone was enough to make him want to destroy them all.
Yu Zhou sighed. "So, there's no way to stop the invasion?"
"No."
"Strange… as one of the dark giants yourself, why do you care so much for these insects' civilization?" the old man asked curiously.
"I don't," Yu Zhou said with a shrug. "Just asking."
The old man stared at him, speechless again.
"Anyway," Yu Zhou continued, "I actually came here for something else. I need to know—how can I strengthen my dark power? Or… how can I bring back a giant who's been scattered into light or dark particles?"
The King of Darkness raised his brows. "If you become one of my kin, I could share some of my power with you."
"As for reviving a giant…" He paused, shaking his head. "I've never seen one like you before. In all the eons I've existed, there has never been another of your kind."
"But from what you said, these giants are made of light or dark particles… meaning there are giants of light, and giants of darkness?"
He rubbed his chin in thought.
Yu Zhou cut him off. "Don't bother. As far as I know, I'm the only one left. Just tell me—is there any way to gain more power without joining your clan?"
The old man smiled slyly. "How about this, young man—we make a wager. You and I shall fight. If you win, I'll grant you, my power. If I win, you'll join my kin."
Yu Zhou fell silent for a moment. What exactly did this ancient being want from him?
Was it because he was the only dark giant on Earth?
Or because his strength intrigued the King of Darkness?
Either way, the old man's power was unmistakably immense—perhaps far beyond his own.
After all, this was the ruler of the primeval darkness itself.
"…Fine," Yu Zhou said finally. "I accept."
He needed more strength—fast.
Only with greater power could he hope to save Camearra in the future.
"Let's move somewhere farther," Yu Zhou said. "No point wrecking the camp."
The old man smirked. "Interesting young man."
With hands clasped behind his back, he followed Yu Zhou across the wasteland.
——
The barren plain stretched endlessly under the dark sky.
With a wave of his hand, the old man dispersed the roaming dark beasts nearby, leaving the area silent and empty.
"Old man, here I come!"
Yu Zhou shouted and threw a punch straight at the old man's face.
BAM!
The King of Darkness flew backward, slammed into the ground, and lay motionless.
"...Huh?"
Three giant question marks practically appeared above Yu Zhou's head.
Did he just… knock out the King of Darkness with one punch?
Was this guy fake?
But just as Yu Zhou frowned, the old man slowly got up, rubbing his cheek where a black imprint had formed.
"Young man," he grumbled, glaring, "you really don't play fair!"