Chapter 196: Killing True Darth, Finding Moldon

.......

"I remember something you said a few years ago..."

A grating and croaky voice resounded from within a yawning gulf that extended for countless parsecs.

In the midst of this gulf, a rapidly withering head stared up at the aloof man standing atop his nose with a disposition that definitely belonged to a different world.

After getting a good look at the man with his decomposing eyeballs, True Darth muttered in a self-deprecating voice, "You know... I cared not for what you said during all the times you fought an uphill battle... But after so many bouts, I think I finally get the phrase, 'To achieve peace, a great suffering must first commence'."

"..."

Azmodeus turned his expressionless face down from the spinning moons as he wondered what it was that his loot bag had to say.

Upon acquiring his killer's attention, True Darth coughed out a dark black substance before murmuring, "To achieve peace... true peace... one must first suffer... you and me... everyone must suffer..."

The giant's gaze trailed off to a land, or rather, a truth that was so far away from his previous self, that it felt as if he had been aimlessly meandering through his long, long life.

However, in his final moments, he was taken out of his enlightenment by the man who cut his life short.

"You misunderstood the meaning behind my words..."

"???"

Azmodeus looked down at his bloodied and still regenerating body as he let out a breath containing many complexities before saying, "What I said was not meant to define the peace of everyone... It was meant to describe the suffering I will go through... for peace..."

True Darth seemed to understand something incomprehensible in that moment. He said, "I see... to suffer... to obtain 'peace'... you must walk a very lonely path..."

Even he himself had countless concubines and companions to keep him company on the solitary path of cultivation.

However, this man is living a lie... One riddled with holes—one that doesn't make any sense...

Why go through so much trouble...? For something so pointless...?

"...You will die alone... You know that, do you not?" He asked with a voice on the verge of fading away.

Azmodeus slightly nodded his head after gaining this new Physique, as it would definitely allow for easier travel when venturing into higher-level worlds.

In particular, it were the worlds where humans were no longer measured in feet or inches but in higher units of height.

Although he was nowhere near that level at this point, it was only a matter of time before he achieved such a level. And when that time undoubtedly arrived, Physique's like this one would be quite useful when it came to blending in with the environment.

Nevertheless, that was a topic for another time, as right now, the only thing he needed to be focused on was finding the next opponent with whom to further hone his skills.

FWIP!

His stalwart figure vanished from view as he shot in the direction of a certain location.

It was a location where, through the scanning of True Darth's memories, he could discern the approximate area where a Regional Lord on the verge of the Amethyst Rank resided.

True Darth was a good sparring partner... But I need something more... Someone who will be able to take my punches for many, many years...

Following this thought, he sped up his already unbelievably fast speed, zipping across the war torn land at a speed far faster than light.

There was nothing left in this area of the Sunsmite Empire, as the land was still regenerating and the organisms for countless parsecs had gone extinct. So it only made sense for him to find a new grinding spot, which was why he had his eyes set on finding the Regional Lord who went by the name of Moldon, the Poison Deity!

...

After a few years of travel, Azmodeus Crimson arrived at the place where the Poison Deity ruled. And it was upon touching base with the dark green grass covering the earth that he realized something peculiar.

"The land here... It's all poisoned." He bent down and picked up a handful of the dark green grass.

He watched it visibly melt in his hands, attempting to burn his skin with its acidity.

It seems like this Moldon lives up to his title as one who the people and other Regional Lord's call the 'Poison Deity'.

However, what I don't understand is why this powerful figure would poison his own territory... Wouldn't all the inhabitants here have died by now?

That is, unless...-

......