Holy Progenitor

A spark could at light up a part of darkness.

Causing it to be dimly illuminated to a certain extent. Though this in turn invalidated progress.

His ideal of 'Darkness' was born out a drive to stay the way he was, even if that meant hiding away,

His feelings of emptiness was weaponised by the initial Black Cigar into a tool that was useful to him.

He emptied out his feelings whenever he could in order to keep a clear head. To stave away insanity.

Even without the system messages, Adam had gained a deep understanding of himself over the years in an objective standpoint. However, it came at the cost of normalising his place in the world.

At some point in life, he'd accepted that this dark void would be where he'd spend his whole life in.

Or to be more specifics: Where his immortal body would rot as his consciousness stayed dormant.

He wasn't sure how long he'd spent in this place…

…but somehow, it became the new 'normal' to him.

That's why, the moment he saw the door leading out of the expertly designed Portable Space, he stopped. The people who'd specifically came here to save him were confused by his clear hesitation.

"What's wrong?" It had been some time since they were ready to go, so 'Simon' was ready to leave.

It was everyone else that somehow became more sensitive to Adam's current emotional well-being.

They could see that who-knows-how-long of a life lead in seclusion had made a little bit… 'chaotic'.

"C-can we stop to rest a little bit?" They'd already took enough time 'resting', but none had disagreed.

He looked at them nervously…

How long had it been since he last communicated?

The feeling of emptiness may have defined him for a long time, but how could he always stay 'empty'?

Of course there'd be times his emotions rose.

Which would usually lead to total suppression.

He held the case of Black Cigars he'd confiscated from 'Simon' and started to feel himself heating up.

The tiny spark was like a crack on a dam.

That fracture slowly opening up… and causing what once a stable mind to fall into a chaotic state.

'Why…?' He thought in his mind, but his rational mind that knew common sense held his heart back.

Blowing up on them wasn't a good choice.

He didn't want to freak them out, or be thought of as someone who couldn't control his own feelings.

Wasn't it better to empty these feelings out again?

The same way as before… like when he felt insane irritation from having been defeated endlessly.

But he didn't want to do that anymore.

He wanted to tell them everything he felt. Make it known in his own monologue that it was all wrong.

That he shouldn't have suffered like this.

He came to this new world for new experiences.

Not to go through such a tragic event in life. It was supposed to be the start of his own 'adventure'.

So why did he feel so hurt right now…?

Why couldn't he convey these feelings to them?

It was like a bone in his throat.

The words just wouldn't come out properly…

"Adam?!" Hyuk was the first to react and grab him when he started to lose the strength of his legs.

His body tumbling over.

"I… This… Home… We…" His words a disconnected mess, but the immortal still tried conveying it all.

Regardless, some things were unnecessary.

'Simon' and Sebastian were the next to come running, while the two Beastkin merely watched on.

Velma and Nyaura were still guarded after seeing how unstable the formerly featureless doll was.

The two felt unsure of what was his personality, or if he would even accept them like the others did.

They could handle the types like Sebastian, but it would be bad if the man before them had ill-intent.

There was a world's difference between innate curiosity, and rejection of what was deemed 'alien'.

Adam's eyes lingered on their distrustful frowns…

He couldn't see their eyes.

As his body heated up, only one person out of the five realised what was going on inside of him.

"Semblance Breakdown…" Her words caused the people by Adam's side to glance at her once.

It was then followed by Sebastian asking 'Simon' and Hyuk to take care of their new home's owner.

The two of them laid his down on a blanket.

The demonically horned man seemed used to taking care of people who'd collapsed from illness.

He didn't seem to panic.

The demon-like figure identified his symptoms as feverish, then wiped sweat off Adam's forehead.

Hyuk was unable to diagnose any problems regardless of his insights into the Medical Dao.

The only thing he could do was simply stay there.

They all did as much.

Only Sebastian took his eyes off the fallen figure and looked at the girls who were standing far away.

Looking ready to bolt at the first sign of trouble…

"You guys feeling alright?" The two of them didn't answer, Nyaura hid Velma from the Magician.

She hissed in distrust…

"My bad. Weren't you fine with me? I thought you guys were fine with me. Or was I mistaken?"

"Stop exaggerating. Just ask if you're curious."

"Since you're inviting me, then… What's this?"

"Semblance Breakdown. It's like having a meltdown and changing your perspective on the world itself."

"Can we do anything to help him?"

"Nothing." She left him that word.

Adam struggled to keep himself in a calm and collected mentality. His Semblance was 'dying'…

His current Semblance had initially kept on going by constantly feeding off his blood to store vitality.

Now that there was no one to fight, that vitality had nowhere to go. It merely fought against the separate vitality of its owner; unable to agree on being unable to fulfil the role Adam placed upon it.

'Simon' could distinctly feel this as well.

As Sebas was trying to pry more details about the condition Adam was in, he generated his energy.

The Dark Mana and Yinyang Energy he'd got from Hyuk coated his fingers, then was fed to the 'thing'.

The evolved Innate Semblance now called 'Empty Darkness' independently fed on the new energy.

It devoured and evolved just like when it used to derive power from the vital energies of its host.

Like a parasitic creature, it tried to lack onto 'Simon'… only to realise it made a big mistake.

*Slap!*

With a crisp smack, the demonic figure separated the creature after hitting the feverish Adam's face.

"What are you doing t-? …What the?" Sebastian was the first to react when a shadow was released.

It looked just like the featureless silhouette when their Landlord went into a self-induced coma.

The only thing different was that it… 'separated'.

Even though the real Adam was clearly fainted by the demonic figure's side, it walked out by itself.

'Empty Darkness' didn't have any features, but it slowly started to form two eye-sockets personally.

Those newly formed eyes opened…

What was reflected in those red glowing eyes was true 'life'. Like it had become an entity of its own,

The creature started to morph into an animal.

Making the whole group tense…

They watched in horror as it transformed into an unidentifiable animal between human and monster.

Scaled, furry, reptilian, fish-like, feathered, bird-like…. Nothing about that 'thing' had consistency.

It was just a dangerous mishmash of parts…

Regardless, none of them could take on the materialised 'Empty Darkness' as they were now.

Even though they rested for quite a while, the injuries 'Simon' had left them were too deep.

None of them had the ability to fight.

"Why did you do that…?" Hyuk looked up at the perp that put them in this situation in disbelief.

He couldn't read what 'Simon' was thinking…

Even wondering if the now sobered up mess of a human being was still digging graves for them.

The possibility wasn't nil.

"Worry not… for 'I' am still here." The eccentric didn't seem bothered by losing all of his powers.

He watched as the creature swelled up the the size of an elephant. The darkness congealing into the form of a slime-like monster, then shifting into a big blob-like head with of parts from different animals.

The vicious yet empty eyes looked down on him with killing intent. Another feature forming on it.

A satanic smile curved under the creature's eyes.

The height of the mysterious being intimidated the group. Fear started seeping into their marrow.

Anxiety gripping their hearts…

The 'Simon' of now looked unreliable in front of such a terrifying being. He wasn't invincible now.

No matter how hard he trained or how good his talents were, he was merely an 17 year old 'kid'.

Even if the horns on his head showed he had a stronger body, that didn't change his reality.

Especially the fact his powers were all drained..,

After the creature emptied the man out, the eccentric no longer had any magic to work with.

And they were also suspicious if he'd actually have enough experience to absorb and redirect magic.

But 'Simon' didn't seem fazed.

He merely lifted his arm, stopping the lost creature of 'Empty Darkness' before it made the first move.

"Stop that. Return to your original position. Trying to inflict any harm on them will make me label you as 'evil'." The horned figure spoke. He had no intentions of letting the creature harm his group.

After all, they were the new companions he made.

"I… don't… want… to…" The vocals sounded like a synthesised response made from artificial voices.

"Then you will become an enemy to me."

"Humour… Laugh…" After the artificial voice came the sound of an applause and chuckling sounds.

"…So you still know how to speak?"

"Intelligence… cultivated…"

"So you're an Artificial Intelligence…"

"Nonsense… unconvincing…"

"Open your ears and listen: By my name as the chosen hero and Greatest Light, I shall slay you."

The air around 'Simon' changed…

In the eyes of the demonic horned man, he saw no difference between this and his 'First Summoning'.

Memories started to define the new Beast King.

"Become… sustenance…" The creature spoke before trying to devour the man in one full gulp.

The eccentric Beast King watched as the jaws of the monster opened. It didn't bother being fast.

Living creatures naturally knew when they were outmatched. They could sense the Aura of others.

And it knew all others felt from its aura was fear.

Along with the cruelty to erase hazardous factors.

But just before it chomped, 'Simon' brought his hands up into a prayer sign by joining the palms.

The rest of them could only look away…

'He has given up…' The rest of them thought.

They closed their eyes for a moment to look away from his gruesome fate. It was far too horrifying.

But they underestimated a hero's power of prayer.

How altruism was said to beget good karma.

Even though nothing in the atmosphere was of the Dark Affinity, 'Simon' gave off pale white light.

His prayers transformed into a crucifix.

When they opened their eyes once again, they were greeted with a featureless silhouette having been tied onto a cross. It seemed unresponsive as the self-proclaimed Greatest Light stood proud.

There was no fight to be had here…

The group watched in awe as 'Simon' seemed to be trying to persuade the Semblance to submit.

"As the 'Holy Progenitor', I order you to sleep. Do not awaken unless called out." A cross appeared in the centre of Adam's chest as he said that. Which was exactly the same for the figure on the crucifix.

The eccentric they now deemed to title as Mr 'Holy Progenitor' watched as Empty Darkness returned.

Their unsavoury capitalist's condition stabilised…

None of them could hold back the curiosity of what they had just seen, with only Hyuk holding back.

As everyone surrounded their 'Hero', the Martial King thought of the vague past Lucia explained.

Didn't she talk about the 'Greatest Light' then too?

His eyes narrowed when he realised the power the man called 'Holy Progenitor' used was… weird.

It seemed to come from a more abstract concept than light and dark, so what was this Attribute?

He felt like he'd seen something similar in his own realm, but couldn't be sure of it that confidently.

The only thing he was sure of was that there seemed to be certain conditions to use that power.

Whatever the case may be, it really wasn't crucial.

He would definitely ask about this later after they got out. There was no rush in trying to clarify it all.

Hyuk watched the Holy Progenitor with serenity…