Necrogod's fists tightened. If Damon could absorb that thing… Then his transformation would truly be complete.

But if someone interfered now…

Necrogod glanced nervously at the powerful heirs surrounding them and judging from the hunger in their eyes…

That possibility was becoming more likely with every passing second.

The colossal golden vortex continued descending from the fractured sky, its slow rotation swallowing the light of the trial world itself. Vast rivers of memory spiraled inside it. The pressure pouring from it was so immense that even the powerful heirs gathered around Damon instinctively took a step back.

"What is that?"

"The thing is definitely more powerful than a golden memory storm!"

Necrogod felt his throat tighten. He could feel it too now. This storm was different from the others. The earlier ones were fragments, scattered echoes drifting through the trial world. But this vortex looked like it was the heart of it all.

And it was descending directly toward Damon.

The golden vortex grew larger and larger until it dominated the entire sky above them. Even the air began to distort under its weight.

The beastkin with the golden horns let out a low whistle. "Well… that's convenient."

Necrogod's eyes widened. "Wait!" But it was already too late.

The horned beastkin shot upward like a blazing comet, golden flames erupting around his body as he rushed straight toward the descending vortex. Several others reacted just as quickly. Figures flashed across the sky, an elf riding a surge of emerald wind, a winged vampire streaking upward like a crimson arrow, and a young woman surrounded by floating crystal blades.

Everyone had realized the same thing. This colossal memory storm was probably the final test of this trial world and if Damon absorbed that colossal storm, the opportunity would vanish. Even if the damn thing was descending towards him, this was not something simple he could just absorb in a second. It was going to take a while.

So they moved first. One by one many disappeared into the colossal storm, with the storm showing no signs of change whatsoever.

At the same time, many turned their attention towards Damon. A beastkin warrior cracked his neck, golden sparks jumping between his claws. Another figure stepped forward, a woman wrapped in pale blue lightning. Their gazes shifted toward the crimson cocoon.

Inside it, Damon remained perfectly still, golden strands continuing to pour into his body from the colossal storm above.

The first attack came from the beastkin warrior. He lunged forward with explosive speed, claws tearing through the air as golden lightning surged around him.

Necrogod reacted instantly. "Over my dead body!" He slammed both hands into the ground. The earth exploded.

Hundreds of skeletal warriors burst from the soil, their empty eye sockets blazing with green necrotic flames. Towering bone giants rose among them, massive ribcages creaking as they formed a living wall around Damon's cocoon. The beastkin's claws collided with the bone wall. 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

BOOOOM!

Half the skeletons shattered instantly.

Necrogod staggered backward, blood spilling from his mouth as the shockwave tore through his body. The difference in strength was overwhelming and the attackers were not stopping.

More figures surged forward. A rain of lightning spears. A wave of emerald blades. Crimson blood magic. All of it rushed toward the cocoon.

Necrogod's eyes widened in despair. He had not recovered completely and even if he had his skill level and experience was simply lacking when compared to these monsters. "Blood God!" He clenched his fists, preparing to go all out.

The attacks closed in from every direction and just as the first wave of attacks was about to strike the crimson cocoon, something unexpected happened.

Damon disappeared along with the crimson cocoon. He too had entered the colossal storm!

Looking at that, Necrogod immediately acted without hesitation. He too entered the colossal storm. He had no idea what was waiting for them inside but if Damon was going to face it, then he was bloody well not going to sit this one out.

Meanwhile, inside the memory world…

Necrogod stumbled forward and collapsed onto cold stone ground.

His head throbbed violently and for a moment he couldn't even tell which direction was up. The roaring storm from before was gone. In its place, there was silence.

Necrogod slowly lifted his head. He was no longer inside the golden vortex or the trial world.

Instead, he was standing in what looked like a large academy courtyard. Tall stone buildings surrounded the area, their gothic spires stretching toward a pale gray sky. Students in dark uniforms moved through the courtyard in small groups. Some practiced spells. Some argued loudly. Others simply watched.

Necrogod blinked several times. "What the hell…" Before he could gather his thoughts, a harsh voice exploded beside him. "Freak!"

Necrogod turned his head.

A group of academy students stood a few steps away, glaring at him like he was something disgusting. One of them pointed at him with open contempt. "What are you sneaking around the graveyard for?"

Another student sneered. "Of course he's there. That's the only place a corpse lover like him belongs."

Laughter broke out among them.

Necrogod frowned. Graveyard? He slowly looked down at himself. His body was different. The necrotic aura he normally carried was gone. His armor was gone too. Instead, he was wearing a simple academy uniform, the fabric slightly torn and dirtied.

One of the students stepped forward and kicked dirt toward him. "I asked you something, grave rat."

Necrogod slowly stood up. The students instinctively stepped back for a moment when they saw the look in his eyes. Even without his powers, the killing intent buried in Necrogod's gaze was not something ordinary academy brats were used to facing.

"Kids...," Necrogod muttered. He quickly left without paying any further attention to the idiots. Though he hated bullies and usually made an example out of them, these kids were not on the top of his priority list right now. He first needed to figure out the rules of this world and fast. If a golden memory storm was already enough to leave him half-dead, then he did not dare to even think about what this colossal mother of all memory storms could do.

***

Chapter 5 Mass Release Sponsored by Syphatrol