Damned Healer-Chapter 681: Timing Seems Perfect

Darian's first orders were pretty simple. Lucy was to set up hundreds of surveillance inscriptions around that galaxy, using materials infused with Void power that came from that other universe.

Those materials had a very unique property: when used in a detection inscription, they were able to sense even the slightest change in space.

That way, if the Celestial Shadow or anyone else escaped from the galaxy, it would be detected quickly. The maintenance of those inscriptions would fall exclusively on the Mannaz of that universe, because, according to Darian, everyone else had another major mission to carry out.

Lucy worked nonstop for almost two months. During that time, everyone kept their senses focused on the galaxy.

Through karma, Darian could clearly feel that the ordinary people living there were alive and well.

The Celestial Shadow definitely had some kind of plan, using something from the traitors to recover. Darian couldn't give him much time, so after everything was finished, the entire main army returned to the academy.

Inside the meeting room, the main leaders were gathered. Everyone was tense, staring at Darian, waiting to hear exactly what he planned to do.

Darian calmly sat down in his chair and then focused his gaze on Painita.

"The solution to this problem is simpler than it looks. Basically, Niara can handle this easily. I remember reading a Jade Slip written by you, detailing the unique powers of a Spiritual Sovereign when they merge with Immortal Chaos Essence; there was a very interesting ability described there..."

After Niara merged with the Immortal Chaos Essence, Painita handed all the knowledge she had about it to Darian. She did that because she knew Niara and knew she wasn't the type to read and study things.

For her, it worked better to just try things out in practice. And in a magical and unbelievable way, she always managed it. Darian, on the other hand, was the opposite, and with all that knowledge, he could guide her properly.

After a brief pause, he continued: "You called it: Universal Spatial Domain..."

Painita and the other Spiritual Sovereigns nodded. All of them knew about it.

That was one of the abilities that originated from the universe's Immortal Chaos Essence. The person didn't need to know how to manipulate space; they only had to use their will, and all the space in the universe would respond to their command.

For Painita, Aurix, and Czaza, their greatest weapon was their own universes. If they could bring the enemy inside them, everything that existed there could be used against the opponent. Of course, saying it was much easier than doing it; that was why Darian had never seen this happen in previous battles.

The Universal Spatial Domain, on the other hand, was relatively simple to execute, but at the same time, it was a supreme execution ability. Basically, the Sovereign could create a space-time fissure inside their own universe, completely sealing the target inside it.

Inside that fissure, it would be as if the enemy were in a separate micro-universe, completely cut off from everything; turning into a rat inside a trap, with no external support at all.

"The Celestial Shadow probably doesn't know this ability exists. If it did, it wouldn't have stayed in one fixed place," Darian added calmly.

Painita spoke seriously: "Indeed, this ability could solve everything. But it's extremely complex to use, and it's practically impossible if the enemy defends against the spatial power at the start. A primordial beast like him could escape it easily. And also... she can't do it, because she doesn't have immortal power."

"The first part won't be a problem," Darian said confidently.

Thanks to his curse, which allowed him to sense exactly where the enemy was inside the galaxy, together with Ailik, who could use his Void power to suddenly send them right in front of the enemy, Darian was sure he could make a direct strike, with no chance of being sensed beforehand.

After that, with Darian using his domain, together with Ailik using his control over space-time; if they were fast and precise, he wouldn't be able to block Niara.

"As for the second part..." Darian added, turning to Niara, "She doesn't need immortal power, because she has the pure Bloodline of a Primordial Dragon."

"I have that too. I can say for sure that it's not enough," Painita said seriously.

Darian turned to her and snorted. "I don't want to be rude, but... you're just a common beast that received the Bloodline of a Primordial Dragon. Compared to Niara, you're like a fly buzzing around, while she's a falcon piercing the skies."

"But... a Mannaz is basically a human..." Painita insisted.

"That's true. But she's very different..." Darian murmured, turning back to Niara.

She looked him in the eyes, with a faint trace of expectation.

Before, in the cemetery, when she absorbed the Sacred Weapon, Niara felt something very strange arise in her mind. It was a subtle feeling, like it came from an ancient memory of hers... but at the same time, it didn't feel like it was exactly hers. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

She thought it was something coming from the Divine Dragon, which, because of sharing its Bloodline, ended up infecting her when she absorbed the weapon. Darian, however, noticed that change in her and knew that wasn't exactly it.

Later, in the battle against the Celestial Shadow, when he activated his manifestation, that reaction had made Darian even more curious. He seemed absurdly disturbed and even asked her a very strange question.

Back in the meeting room, Darian felt that the moment had come. Niara seemed ready to hear it, and very soon, she would have to deal directly with her past.

After taking a deep breath, Darian started from the beginning, explaining the memories he received from Enfield. He told how the Celestial Shadow was born and about the great conflict it had with the Divine Dragon, caused by its greed and arrogance.

When they heard that the Divine Dragon had almost destroyed the entire universe, everyone was shocked. Putting themselves in the Celestial Shadow's place, who had legitimately tried to stop her and ended up being brutally treated like trash, they, too, would feel enraged and try to change that.

Of course, there were limits. The Celestial Shadow had completely corrupted itself and become a villain beyond saving.

Finally, Darian looked at Niara and calmly explained the Divine Dragon's final fate.

That figure regretted what she had done and, after being defeated by the Celestial Shadow, since she was already injured by the previous events; she knew she couldn't become a puppet, or the universe would have no salvation.

So, she chose to completely destroy her own soul, shattering it forever, in a way that not even the laws of the world would allow her reincarnation.

Then...

The Yin Chaos Dragon, who was the mentor responsible for telling the Divine Dragon about the Immortal Chaos Essence, intervened for her, asking Heaven's Will to save her.

That figure accepted, but the conditions imposed on that soul would be, to say the least, terrible.

Thus, a poor soul, carrying an absurd karma that no mortal could even imagine, was born as a half-human in the same universe.

That figure was destined to live eternally degrading and brutally painful lives, just to pay off that karma. Everything that was worst would happen to her, and there was no end to her suffering.

Just imagining being born and tortured in the most horrific way possible until death, only to be born again and repeat that forever... everyone in the meeting room swallowed hard and broke out in cold sweat.

But...

"After countless lives, that soul broke the cycle. She... let's say... had a fortuitous encounter, joining with another cursed person. When the two combined their curses, they managed to turn them into their own strength."

Darian continued calmly, while people grew confused by his words.

"Dan, you're not cursed." Suddenly, Niara spoke, staring straight into his eyes.

"My master said you earned that through your own merit, even though the wife of Heaven's Will hated you. She placed many barriers so that Lady Meru's power wouldn't be granted to you, but you went through many lives of trials until she accepted it, even if reluctantly."

Darian heard that in shock. Meru had never told him this. So, in truth, he had gone through a lot before finally obtaining his 'curse' in this life. In the end, he wasn't so different from Niara.

Everyone in the meeting room was completely stunned. Way too much shocking information was being revealed all at once.

First... Niara had just implied that the figures in that story were actually her and Darian? So she was the Divine Dragon?!

Darian focused seriously on Niara. "You understood everything?"

She snorted. "I think so... I always felt that all the misery I lived through was something natural to me, like I'd already gone through it many times. That's why I never felt deep hatred toward people or the world; I just couldn't explain why. When I finally gained freedom, I wanted to kill those idiots just so they wouldn't do that to anyone else again. But the truth is, I desperately wanted to save this universe. All of this always felt very natural to me."

She took a deep breath. Everyone in the meeting room focused on Niara, completely catatonic.

So she really was... worse still, she had gone through near-eternal torture, all just to reach this moment.

Painita was the most shocked. At least now, she could understand Niara's absurd, instinctive talent. How the hell does someone learn everything so easily without studying, just by doing it directly?

That could only come from a figure beyond comprehension, like a Primordial Dragon. Even though she had completely changed, she still carried part of her past glory within her.

Niara met Darian's eyes. An intense emotion flowed from her, transmitting itself to him.

"Well, Master Yinou already scolded me, cursed me, and forgave me for what I did in the past. I also feel like I learned from my mistakes, and I won't do anything like that again. Now, I'm more than satisfied with who I am. Fuck the past. I'd do it all again, I'd even suffer a thousand times more... all just to be here with you again."

Darian nodded lightly. He knew his wife, and he already expected that conclusion, but... hearing it directly from her still made him a little embarrassed.

'I feel the same. The two of us inspire each other to live and achieve our goals.' Darian didn't have the courage to say it out loud, so he replied mentally.

A wide and beautiful smile bloomed on her face.

Darian turned forward, quickly changing the subject.

"Anyway, I had to take a big detour so you could understand my plans. Niara is not a half-human with Primordial Dragon blood. She is a Primordial Dragon who, by chance, became a half-human."

Everyone nodded, their expressions still somewhat frozen.

Darian continued: "Inside the Primordial Cemetery, we managed to find a Sacred Weapon that came from the Divine Dragon... in other words, something she herself created in the past with her own body. Niara absorbed it easily, and her power increased massively all at once."

He turned to Niara. "You felt that after absorbing it, something inside you seemed to awaken again, right?"

Niara nodded. "It's like... now it's twice as easy to use my Bloodline."

"Yes. That happens because those weapons were created with your body, your will, and your past essence. The will already died, but the rest remained." Darian continued gently, then turned to Painita and the others.

"In short, there are still five Sacred Weapons missing. If Niara manages to absorb them, even without immortal power, she'll have a potential close to when she was a Primordial Dragon, able to control the Immortal Chaos Essence with ease."

Painita and the others nodded lightly.

Using the Universal Spatial Domain wasn't complex for someone fused with a universe. It only required a thought and a bit of immortal power. If Niara truly had the capability Darian claimed she had... defeating that enemy quickly really did seem possible.

"But... Bro said the Sacred Weapons weren't in the cemetery." Lucy murmured, thoughtful.

"Yes. But I'm sure of where they are and who has them," Darian smiled faintly.

"Our three old friends are keeping everything safe for us. The timing seems perfect. Now that I'm back, we'll finally settle everything in both universes."

Everyone almost forgot to breathe at those words.

He was implying that...

Darian nodded to everyone. "Let's prepare. We're going to put an end to the chaos in our universe. Soon, we'll attack the territory of those three Spiritual Sovereigns."