Ocular Demon, also known as the Evolved Demon Ma, stands at a towering height of over one hundred meters when upright, with a golden halo emanating from its body, resembling a grotesque idol. This type of Heaven Demon is incredibly rare and belongs to the class of battlefield node commander-type demons.
While its destructive power is not as bloodthirsty as other Heaven Demons, it possesses extraordinary abilities such as foresight, calculation, and manipulation. Essentially, this creature functions like a super biological computer, capable of analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of different human factions and calculating various combat strategies. It then selects the most probable course of action based on its predictions.
Ocular Demons typically hide deep within their flying nests, making it extremely difficult for Trial Takers to locate their true form. They are known to be an extremely troublesome existence.
Orson was perplexed and muttered to himself, "A prophecy about things happening years from now?"
In the past life, a Heaven-level expert had nearly died capturing an Ocular Demon, trying to use its own tactics against it. After all, Ocular Demons, being node creatures, possess a level of intelligence far beyond that of other Heaven Demons, and they fear death just like any other creature. However, they can only predict events that will occur in the near future—at most a few days or weeks ahead.
A prophecy concerning events years in advance just didn't make sense.
"Where was this creature discovered?" Orson frowned, his anxiety showing.
Blank's gaze shifted slightly, and she quickly sensed his unease, though she chose not to address it. Instead, she tapped her toe and said, "All I know is it crawled up from the ground. I don't know the exact location."
The ground? How could it have come from underground?
Orson was stunned. Heaven Demons, by their very name, were supposed to emerge from rifts in the sky—devouring demons that descended from above. This was starting to get interesting. It seemed the cataclysm from his previous life wasn't as simple as he thought.
"I've told you everything I know. Does that mean you'll agree to help me now?" Blank looked at him eagerly.
Orson smiled slightly, replying, "It depends on my mood."
Upon hearing that, Blank nearly shoved the knife into him again.
On the way back from the manor, Orson sat in the passenger seat of the car while K.D looked at him in surprise.
"K.D, you're not planning on doing anything to me, are you?" Orson said lazily.
"Doing anything? Why do I feel like there's something you want to say? I'm an open book, feel free to speak your mind," K.D responded with a warm smile.
Orson gave a nonchalant grin and teased, "Not planning on taking me to your secret base for an autopsy, are you? After all, I'm an Infinite Dimensions mage, a rare lifeform."
"Not exactly..." K.D's expression darkened as he caught the implied meaning, realizing that Emma must have spilled some of the secrets to Orson.
"If you're planning on forcibly taking me somewhere, I can understand, but you seem to be ignoring the changes in me. Looks like you enjoy seeing those changes," Orson remarked with a meaningful smile.
K.D's smile froze.
"As a mere mortal, it's indeed laughable for me to try hiding things from a Trial Taker." K.D sighed, admitting that the prophecy Blank spoke of was indeed true. They had captured a live Heaven Demon.
"So, where is it? Can you take me to see it?" Orson's eyes grew sharper, and he paused before continuing, "If possible, could you also tell me the exact location where it was found?"
K.D's expression turned serious. "It's very dangerous. Right now, you're far too important to Radiant Shuttle... No, to the US. I can't let you take the risk of approaching it."
Orson was left speechless. This old man was putting on such a righteous act, pretending to be all high and mighty.
"Could you at least reveal where it was discovered?" Orson asked again.
K.D shook his head. "That area has collapsed. It'll take at least a month or two to reopen it."
Orson wasn't ready to give up and pushed further.
K.D, growing impatient, grumbled, "It's north of the Appalachian Mountains. What, you planning to help with the excavation? Better bring your own pickaxe."
"Uh... forget I said anything." Orson laughed awkwardly and then hesitated before speaking seriously, "My suggestion is to destroy that thing as soon as possible. Whether you use nukes or knives, just don't play with fire."
Negotiating or striking a deal with a Heaven Demon was never a wise move.
While Ocular Demons feared for their own survival, their intelligence as commanders made them particularly dangerous. They excelled in strategy and psychological manipulation. Even if captured, there was always the risk of them causing trouble, turning into a massive ticking time bomb for the US if left inside their borders.
K.D furrowed his brow, suddenly asking, "You seem to know more than I do. Orson, if it's convenient, I'd like to hear more."
Orson cursed himself for being too careless. He nearly dug a hole for himself to fall into.
Orson took a deep breath and explained, "I once came across a record of this creature in a relic in Infinite Dimensions. I'm sure you've noticed some kind of connection between the two."
K.D looked at him skeptically, his gaze sharp.
"Sorry, I wasn't full earlier. I'm going to grab something from a street vendor and then head back. I need to get out of the car!"
Not giving K.D a chance to ask further questions, Orson opened the passenger door, causing the driver to slam the brakes and stop, allowing him to get out.
Orson watched K.D's car leave and stood on the bustling street, deep in thought.
His mind was a mess. First, the super hardcore mode had been triggered ahead of schedule, then his near-death experience had resulted in the manifestation of a skill. Now, the US military had captured a living Heaven Demon, and a prophecy about the Trial Takers and The Bruce Family had surfaced...
All of it made him uneasy.
It felt like the calm before a tsunami, where the ocean suddenly receded, and danger was approaching, though most people couldn't see it coming.
"North of the Qinling Mountains," Orson silently memorized the coordinates. It seemed he had to make a trip there before the military got around to digging it up. He had a strong feeling that some earth-shattering secret lay buried there.
Before the Monster Siege event, Orson returned to the Godslayer mansion. Bradley and the others had already logged into the game, leaving Madman waiting at the door.
Madman tossed him a cigarette, and the two sat by the pool, smoking.
"How's the money situation? The bank people didn't throw you out, did they?" Madman teased.
"Not sure yet. I'll find out once I get into the game," Orson said, brushing ash from his cigarette and exhaling a long cloud of smoke.
"I feel like you're really distracted. Did you get beat up while you were out? You should've called me so Bradley could take care of it for you. He's pretty tough," Madman quipped.
Orson smiled but said nothing, letting the warm sunlight shine on his face. The scene outside the villa was peaceful and serene, but in his heart, he couldn't help but sigh: "Time is running out."
He couldn't afford to slow down his growth, even though it would mean a delay in his weaponization process and push back the closure of Infinite Dimensions.
If he stopped, Usher, Demon Emperor, and the other powerful beings in the foreign servers wouldn't sit idly by. They would use his inactivity to close the gap and catch up.
Even though slowing down might give him more time to enjoy the scenery and eat some more luxury instant noodles, he knew deep down...
The worlds would merge, and mortals would eventually die. Only the Trial Takers would endure.
Orson understood that his thoughts were selfish. The accelerated timeline meant most of the Trial Takers would be unprepared when the battles started.
But if he fell because of his own lack of strength, nothing would be left to protect his friends. They would vanish from his life, repeating the tragic cycle of his past life.
Orson clenched his fists. If the inevitable calamity was coming, why not let it come faster and harder?
"I will become the god of mortals..."
"I will become the unforgivable scourge of mankind."
This resolve burned deep into his soul.
Turning, Orson entered the game pod, re-entering the Infinite Dimensions world.
He took a deep breath, without any more hesitation.
With Sienna and his friends, he would fight to survive—by any means necessary!