"Why must you exhaust yourself so completely..."
Within the consciousness battling for control of Hollow Zero, all was darkness—yet from the depths of that void, a distant voice drifted faintly into Zane's ears.
It was Him. After all, aside from this being who was currently contending with Zane for control over Hollow Zero, no one else could possibly reach him here.
"If I lose, I'll simply leave this place and return another time. But if you lose, you'll have nothing left."
"The cost isn't proportional—it's not worth it."
In Tyce's perception, Zane's consciousness stood perfectly still, as if doing nothing at all. Yet the tearing sensation surging through Hollow Zero was so vivid, so overwhelming, that it made His awareness tremble.
He cared little for human affairs, yet still regarded Zane with a measure of significance. If it was possible to avoid a direct clash and instead draw Zane to His side, that would certainly be the better outcome.
After a brief pause, Tyce's voice echoed once more, low and unhurried.
"I can offer you another chance."
"Work with me. When I achieve my purpose, I could even share half of it with you."
"Those you care for will remain. Strictly speaking, our goals don't truly conflict."
Just as He claimed, He had no concern for who ruled the world. Once the world was assimilated, it would lose all meaning and value to Him. Giving it all to Zane would make no difference—He would eventually depart in search of the next world anyway.
Still, Tyce held little hope. Zane's answer had already been clear from the start.
Sure enough, Zane's calm voice soon followed. It was quiet, yet Tyce heard every word.
"There's no question of worth or not... Master never liked that kind of world—like that wretched full moon."
"And I don't like it either."
Zane had never once considered joining Him.
The suffering brought by the Hollows had already gone too far. He wasn't someone who could turn a blind eye, especially after meeting so many good people in this world.
Even if he accepted the offer and those he cared about truly remained safe afterward, how would they look at him then?
Even without mentioning the others, Qingyi alone would be disappointed.
Besides, he didn't believe a single word Tyce—or rather, the being behind him—had said. Not His reasoning, not His promises.
Entrusting his fate to an enemy? What a joke.
Whether it was helping evil or standing aside to watch, he could do neither.
"Such stubbornness..."
A soft sigh echoed, followed by Tyce's voice once more.
"But haven't you forgotten something?"
"You do realize—I came into this world without a physical form!"
...
Outside Hollow Zero's core region, Tyce's body—drawn along by the Ether currents toward the center—suddenly went limp. His form slackened, suspended in the swirling energy, kept from falling into the raging tides of Ethereal matter below that would have torn him apart.
Amid the dreamlike energy, Tyce slowly opened his eyes. A flicker of clarity flashed across them.
The Primordial had already left his body.
"Just as that guy said..."
Tyce shook his head, the pounding in his skull nearly splitting it open. The Primordial had succumbed to temptation—exactly as planned.
The temptation from Zane.
Tyce tried to move his arm, but the Ether bound him tightly. A faint gray pallor surfaced across his face, though it quickly faded under his control.
He couldn't do anything now—not even transform into an Ethereal. But that, too, was within expectations.
Even though he had played his part perfectly, outwardly appearing loyal to the Primordial, the being had never trusted him. Or rather, the Primordial never trusted humans at all.
Fortunately, Tyce had nothing more to do for the moment. All that remained was to wait—and see what would become of Zane.
His gaze stretched into the distance, as if piercing through layer upon layer of energy.
"Zane... hang in there."
...
"To dare connect your consciousness to mine through Hollow Zero under these conditions—should I call you brave, or simply foolish?"
A cold, mocking voice echoed through the void.
Suddenly, Zane was struck by a wave of dizziness so intense it blurred his senses. Agonizing pain followed immediately, ripping through him as though his very soul were being torn apart.
"What a perfect vessel! I've regretted missing my chance last time for far too long."
"I want to see just what you'll rely on to escape me this time!"
The Primordial's tone was wild with delight—this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!
Indeed, while He had truly intended to draw Zane in moments ago, that had only been a ploy—to cloud Zane's awareness and keep him from severing his link with Hollow Zero.
Now that their consciousnesses had collided directly, there was no longer any need for deceit. His true intentions could finally emerge.
And what if Zane had actually agreed earlier?
The Primordial never believed he would. He had known from the beginning that Zane would refuse.
Besides, Zane didn't trust Him—and He didn't trust Zane either.
Even if Zane had agreed, it would have been meaningless.
Compared to seizing Zane's body, everything else was secondary. Even annihilating the human resistance and reclaiming His full power in this world paled in comparison.
Once He possessed this vessel...
Everything else would be effortless!