Saruto stood frozen, his face etched with shock at what he'd heard from the Origin. "How can you ask me to give up my emotions for power?!" he demanded, his voice trembling with anger.
The Origin replied coldly, "There's no other way, Saruto. Even if you absorb me, you won't be able to use my full power as long as you cling to your emotions."
Rage surged through Saruto, his energy surging uncontrollably. "So you're asking me to become like the Emperor?!" he cried out.
The Origin responded calmly, "It wasn't just the Emperor who gave up his emotions. All rulers did. A true ruler cannot have a heart bound by feelings."
Saruto clenched his fist, then turned and began to walk away, his expression a mixture of anger and defiance. "Where do you think you're going?" the Origin demanded sharply.
"I'll leave this place," Saruto replied without turning around. "It's impossible for me to abandon my feelings… they're what sets me apart from you."
The Origin laughed mockingly. "Fool… you won't get out of here unless you do as I say."
Saruto stopped abruptly. His energy surged violently, as if reflecting the turmoil in his soul. He gathered the energy in his hand and began releasing it in all directions, intent on destroying everything around him. "What are you doing, you fool?!" the Origin roared angrily.
"I'll destroy this place… and I'll get out by force!" Saruto retorted defiantly.
The Origin lunged at him with lightning speed and delivered a powerful punch that sent him flying. "No matter what you do," the Origin said sternly, "you won't get out of here unless you do as I say."
Saruto struggled to his feet, wiping the blood from his mouth. "Then I won't," he said defiantly.
In a burst of energy, he activated Shielding—Level Two—then Dark Awakening—Level Three. Origin smiled coldly: "So you resorted to this option…"
He unleashed his own power. The fight erupted. Saruto began attacking with a barrage of violent punches, but Origin countered with his own. With each collision, destructive waves of power erupted from their bodies, shaking the void around them.
Outside the cocoon, Hades noticed a violent disturbance in its energy. She stepped forward anxiously, placed her hand on it, and closed her eyes. She saw what was happening inside. "What are these two idiots doing?" she exclaimed angrily. "If they don't stop… the cocoon will shatter, and its energy will rebound on Saruto and kill him!"
She decided to transfer her consciousness inside the cocoon to end this madness.
Inside the cocoon, the fight raged on. They traded blows relentlessly until Origin seized Saruto arms with both hands. Saruto noticed this and lunged forward, slamming his head into Origin.
Origin lost his balance and slipped from Saruto grasp. He seized Origin by the leg, dragged him to the ground, and began pounding him repeatedly with tremendous force before hurling him away. Saruto's shield transformed into a dragon's head, and he began gathering energy in his mouth, then unleashed a massive dark beam toward Origin.
Origin quickly regained his balance and launched his own attack of dark energy. The two attacks clashed, each pushing the other away in a terrifying struggle. At the crucial moment, Hades suddenly appeared, swiftly moving to Saruto side and grabbing his head. He cried out in surprise, "Hades?!"
Suddenly, his energy was completely sealed off. His attack vanished in an instant. Origin attack continued, but Hades raised her hand and easily absorbed it. Origin was taken aback by her intervention. Hades roared angrily, "What are you two fools doing?! You almost destroyed the cocoon!"
After a few minutes, the two explained what had happened. "Hades… how can you ask me to give up my emotions?" Saruto cried out, his voice filled with emotion and pain. "Then I'd be like the Emperor and Umbra… and I don't want to be like them! They're what sets me apart."
"You're still spouting nonsense…" Origin retorted disdainfully.
They were about to start fighting again when Hades shouted, "Enough! Stop it immediately!"
Then she turned to Saruto and said calmly, decisively, "There is a way that allows you to use the power of darkness… without losing all your emotions."
The two froze. "What? Another way?!" Saruto and Origin exclaimed together in astonishment.
"Yes… there is," Hades smiled mysteriously.