“You said Duselduf eliminated the Demon Realm. How did he do it?”
Choi Kangjoong decided to check for himself.
Since Magrain’s main forces were wiped out, leaving it to Ku-eong was more than enough.
“Where should I go?”
The information Kai2 and the Stealth Predator gathered while moving through Magrain included the location of the former Demon Realm.
Heading west from Magrain, in the opposite direction of the Enterprise Union, it was there.
Choi Kangjoong opened a Gate near Ku-eong and moved.
After passing through several Gates, a devastated sea area appeared before him.
“This was the Demon Realm.”
Every dimension in the sea area was utterly destroyed.
Violent battle traces could also be seen.
Some dimensions were split in half and drifting around.
“That must have been the Capital Dimension.”
At the center of the sea area was the largest dimension.
A city along a river was reduced to mere remnants.
There were also what used to be fortresses around the city.
An army was stationed there.
“I don’t see any Demons. What’s their purpose?”
Choi Kangjoong spread Space Severance of the Source and observed the army.
Each fortress had about 1,000 soldiers.
As he approached a fortress, something interesting caught his eye.
It was a 10-meter-tall pole.
At its top, a Demon was tied.
With its limbs severed and tightly bound, it was awaiting death.
“Are they offering it as a sacrifice?”
While moving around, Choi Kangjoong sensed a certain wave.
It was spreading due to Demonic Energy and some unknown substance.
The soldiers entered the temple with weapons raised.
“That wave came from a Demon being born.”
The principle of the Demon Realm was nothing special.
Where Waste gathered, Demons were born.
It was similar to the birth of Spirits that occurred at a Spirit Tree.
A battle broke out.
The soldiers slaughtered the Demon with practiced ease.
Though a newborn Demon wasn’t weak, it was helpless.
Its horns were cut off, its arms fell, and its knees split, causing it to collapse.
That was the end.
A Demon that could have become the origin of a Demon Realm was captured pathetically and dragged away.
“The Demon Realm east of the Union must have been the same.”
Choi Kangjoong landed on the spot where the Demon had been born.
Layers of battle traces piled up.
“Is there no way to prevent a Demon’s birth?”
A Demon was born when the world’s Waste converged and developed consciousness.
But if he prevented that, like the illusion Lagan showed him, a monster incomparable to Demons would be born.
“Can’t I just eliminate the Waste itself?”
Choi Kangjoong thought about it, but it seemed there was no way.
Even Crystal, who had lived much longer and had vast knowledge, couldn’t eliminate Waste and only managed to create the Dimension System.
“I think I could just eat the Waste.”
Choi Kangjoong imagined gulping down Waste.
Since it wasn’t a physical substance, it didn’t seem likely to work.
But with Species Evolutions like Psionic Specialization, Source Evolution, and Mana Development, it might be possible.
[You have discovered a new Evolution Direction for your species.]
[1. Light Absorption: You can consume Light to use as Evolution Points and Source Energy. Evolution and defense-related abilities are strengthened.]
[Light Absorption possible, increased chance of Central Unit Evolution, Psionic Chitin Armor strengthened, Central Unit can undergo Luminization.]
[2. Energy Absorption: You can consume Energy to gain Nutrients and Evolution Points. Heat, Mana, Source Energy—all types of power will become Apocalid.]
[Energy Devouring Organ added, Energy Detection function strengthened, Enhanced Psionic strengthened, Energy-type Apocalid can be created.]
[3. Waste Absorption: You can consume Waste to discover various paths of evolution. Evolution and attack-related abilities are strengthened.]
[Waste Absorption possible, increased chance of Central Unit Evolution, Psionic Chitin Blade strengthened, Central Unit can undergo Waste-ification.]
“This actually works.”
Choi Kangjoong smiled and slowly examined the options.
These weren’t present in the Dimension War.
“Light Absorption must be the energy related to Crystal. If I choose this, I can get Evolution Points even while sitting still.”
He could install Central Units that absorb Light all over the Dimensional Sea and conveniently gather Evolution Points.
“But Light is the foundation of the Dimension System. If I absorb it, the people using the Dimension System will weaken.”
If he absorbed even the Light meant to supply the Dimension System, the overall level of the Awakened would drop.
That wasn’t the direction Choi Kangjoong wanted.
“Light Absorption is a pass. Energy Absorption lets me consume Energy. It can turn Heat, Mana, and even Source Energy into Apocalid? That means I can use them as Nutrients?”
Choi Kangjoong thought Energy Absorption seemed good too.
Like a power plant that boils water using heat from coal or nuclear power and spins turbines to generate electricity, he could create Apocalid from Heat alone.
“Waste Absorption is what I really want, though.”
The description of Waste Absorption was simple.
He could consume Waste and strengthen Apocalid’s evolution and attack abilities.
“But what are Luminization and Waste-ification?”
When Choi Kangjoong wondered, information flowed into his mind.
Luminization meant the Central Unit’s buff or defense abilities were strengthened.
Waste-ification was the opposite, strengthening skills or attack abilities like Apocalid World.
“Both are tempting.”
Choi Kangjoong deliberated repeatedly.
“Energy Absorption would let me get Nutrients anywhere in the Dimensional Sea.”
He could eat the Mana in the Dimensional Sea or find a Lava dimension and absorb Heat.
“With Waste Absorption, I could destroy this place or the Demon Realm east of the Union and install an Apocalid that absorbs Waste to strengthen evolution abilities. But not getting Nutrients or Evolution Points is a bit of a problem. I can handle evolution on my own anyway.”
Choi Kangjoong thought about which choice would benefit Apocalid’s evolution and production.
“Energy side has more versatility. I can only create Energy-type Apocalid by choosing this. Waste Absorption overlaps a lot with what I can already do.”
A question popped into Choi Kangjoong’s mind.
If he chose Energy Absorption, could he also absorb Light and Waste?
Light and Waste were forms of Energy, but they were also mental waves, so it might or might not work.
“Let’s go with Energy Absorption. If it doesn’t work, I’ll find a way.”
[Apocalid evolves into Energy Absorption.]
[Energy Devouring Organ added.]
[Energy Detection function strengthened.]
[Enhanced Psionic strengthened.]
[Energy-type Apocalid can now be created.]
[Central Unit generates Energy Devouring Organ.]
Choi Kangjoong could sense a new organ forming in his own body.
“Let’s start with Mana.”
The Energy Devouring Organ activated.
Mana was drawn in, and his Nutrients increased.
It wasn’t much, but he felt like he could understand what it meant to be full just by breathing air.
“I can sense Waste too.”
He could now clearly detect the presence of Waste, which he had only vaguely perceived before.
It was strange—it existed in the same space, but it was invisible, and only its presence could be felt.
“Can I eat Waste too?”
Choi Kangjoong focused his will on the Waste and tried to draw it in.
It didn’t budge.
“It doesn’t work? Feels like it should.”
He focused harder.
After a while, the Waste began to stir.
Soon, a thin stream of Waste rose and was absorbed.
“It works!”
Choi Kangjoong sucked up the Waste greedily.
It was dense energy, so his Nutrients skyrocketed.
While he was engrossed in consuming Waste, soldiers approached without him noticing.
Because the Waste had been stirred up by Choi Kangjoong, they had been dispatched thinking a Demon would be born.
In that state, Choi Kangjoong unfolded Apocalid World.
The soldiers, facing the massive Hive Mind at close range, collapsed without even a death rattle.
Their bodies and energy became Nutrients and Evolution Points through Remote Digestion Function.
“I’ll make one Waste Absorption Apocalid and plant it here.”
Choi Kangjoong entered the Chamber of Evolution.
He summoned the body of a Central Command Giant to use as a base.
To absorb Waste, Psionic ability needed to be strong, and the individual with the best Psionic ability relative to its size class was the Central Command Giant.
“Strengthen the Energy Devouring Organ.”
He enlarged the Energy Devouring Organ, which was about the size of a brain, by a hundred times and placed it in the spacious abdomen.
“This should naturally strengthen the detection function too.”
[A new Giant Class has been born.]
[Would you like to name it?]
“Suction.”
[Apocalid Suction Giant has been saved.]
Choi Kangjoong produced a Suction Giant and supplied Nutrients to evolve it into a Central Unit.
When he brought it through a Gate, it automatically found the deepest Waste spot and settled.
That was the spot where the Demon had been born.
The Central Suction Giant began absorbing Waste.
It drew in a much larger amount, even stronger than Choi Kangjoong.
“Nutrients are rising like crazy.”
He had already gained enough Nutrients to produce one Giant.
Choi Kangjoong also deployed individuals to guard the Central Suction Giant.
“A Sky-eye Giant and a Fighter Giant should be enough.”
Most Dimension Monsters couldn’t even approach a Fighter Giant’s Chitin Cannon.
Even if they did, with the species evolution at Stage 8, they could easily tear apart most A-rank Monsters.
“The Waste isn’t thinning out. It keeps flowing in from other places.”
Choi Kangjoong also deployed Air Walkers and Air Scouts to form a tight perimeter and then headed to Magrain.
It was a complete mess.
Even though Apocalid were launching a full-scale invasion, the civil war hadn’t stopped.
“It’s almost over already.”
Massive Digestion Pools had formed throughout Magrain.
They were nutrient aggregates created by Walkers dumping all kinds of organic matter into them.
Hive Class Apocalid lowered Biotubes and sucked up the Digestion Pools.
The Nutrients they swallowed were then reborn as Apocalid.
“Stop. There’s something I want to try.”
At Choi Kangjoong’s will, the Apocalid attacking all of Magrain withdrew.
“If I swallow the Waste here, will the people of Magrain change too?”
Choi Kangjoong created ten Central Suction Giants and deployed them in Magrain.
He also attached a Battle Titan to each to protect them from the aggressive Magrain people.
It would be hard to see immediate effects.
It might take ten or twenty years.
But Choi Kangjoong was curious.
If this worked, maybe he could change Gratis and Demons too.
“Would using Root Magic speed things up?”
Choi Kangjoong grabbed one person and used Root Magic.
There was no major change.
That was because the Source—being human—hadn’t changed.
“If I drain the Waste, there might be a change.”
Choi Kangjoong decided to wait and returned home.
“How many Nutrients and Evolution Points did I get?”
[Evolution Points held: 12,987,630,943 points]
“12 billion!”
Finally, the number of Evolution Points had changed digits.