The Veilwalker

"Swear it?" Alex echoed with a bit of surprise in his tone.

"Yes, swear it." Trohan nodded. "You see, beings like us with a major understanding of laws and what energy actually is, our word itself becomes reality. That means…"

"We can bind our own existence through our words." Alex completed but still showed a bit of confusion. "Still… there is a giant hole in your line of thinking. Just as fast as we will something, we can un-will it."

"I know…" The hulmite smiled knowingly. "What I want you to swear on is something that made you what you currently are…" His gaze lingered on Alex's chest, his meaning obvious.

"The universe core…" Alex replied with raised brows.

"Bingo." Trohan was glad Alex was following nicely. "Without that core, without its guidance, you wouldn't be at your current level. Reaching the level of a fully realized god was supposed to be impossible."

Naturally, Alexander knew that. Even if his vassals spent thousands of years cultivating, the highest they could reach without help was the demi-god level, and that in itself was already broken.

"So I want you to swear on your universe's core." Trohan continued with a smirk. "Binding your words to the core would ensure absolute admission. Should you go back on your word, the core itself would denigrate your existence and level, bringing you back to the demi-god level."

Even if veilwalkers were the ultimate beings, reaching the god level was only possible through the means of the core. All the knowledge they had would be taken back, erased like it never existed.

Alex wasn't sure how this being knew this, but he was right. Though, there was only one problem. He didn't ascend with the core of his universe. His ascension was entirely his own.

So whatever oath he took would be invalid as his universe core had no power over him.

'And it also reveals another illusion of the power we wield.' Alex added inwardly. 'We gain absolute power, but that power comes at a price of our existence being in the core's hands. One wrong move and we would be doomed.'

While that was the case, Alex also knew that was an unlikely possibility. He didn't even consider something like that a thing until this hulmite suggested the bet.

"Very well…" Alex agreed after several seconds of 'pondering'. "How do you want to go about this…?"

"Easy." The hulmite grinned like he had already won. "Just say the words and the conditions that would require its trigger."

Alex understood the gist of what Trohan was saying, but he also needed his assurance.

"And you?"

"Hehe… Don't worry. If you win, I will open my head to you… I swear it on my head's protection." Trohan swore, just like that. "And if I win, you'll have to put my missing arm back as well."

Alex noticed the slight ripple around the hulmite's head, clearly showing that Trohan took the initiative. He casually swore to unravel the spell that protected his soul, granting Alexander the opportunity to find out what he wanted without any restrictions.

'It's still a mystery how such a protection is there in the first place… There are too many unknown variables here… Things I don't like not knowing.'

His best guess was that someone powerful put it there and probably put this demi-god to whatever that anomaly was. Someone was cooking something and it didn't smell too pleasant.

'Is this related to the Supreme One as well?' Alex couldn't see the Supreme One doing something like this. 'Or maybe there's another player I don't know about.'

After making up his mind, Alex made his vow, making a show with a swirl of energy revolving around him and bonding to him like straps before disappearing into his being.

The vow was genuine--except for the missing ingredient.

"Now what is this bet you have in mind?" Alex went straight to the point.

"That, my friend, is the bet!" Trohan pointed at the anomaly with a deranged look on his face. "Our task is a simple one! We're going to find out who can make it to the other side!"

Alex was taken aback for a moment. He turned to look at the disgusting brew with a frown.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Alex wasn't too pleased with what he heard. "If I wanted to go in there, I wouldn't be wasting my time with you. And I have no idea what will happen once inside."

"Isn't that why it's called a bet?" Trohan retorted. "If you knew what to expect, it wouldn't be thrilling!" Of course, this was completely in the hulmite's favour, and also his one-way ticket to getting rid of Alex.

"..."

Alex knew he was played, and while he wasn't very worried, he should have known the content of the bet before making the vow.

'That's why he made the first move.' Alex realized. 'With no way to tell what his deep thoughts are, I am on the blind side.'

"This isn't exactly a fair bet, now is it?" He glared with a slight flare in his aura. "You clearly have information that I don't."

"Says the only god around here…" The hulmite sneered even under the slight pressure. "You should know, you can't back down now… The vow has been made."

'I guess this is one way of finding out what that is…' Alex recalled the other blank spaces he located with his senses. 'I bet the others are just like this… thing here. As for the core of the universe, I'll have to personally go there and see what's happening.'

That location was even more mysterious. He couldn't even pierce the first storm barrier to the inner space. But one thing was for certain though; that place was packed with void creatures all attempting to break through the barrier.

"Very well…" Alex put his wondering thoughts aside. "Let's get this over with…" He looked over to the hulmite.

"On the count of three."

Alex said and Trohan nodded. The two veilwalkers faced the disturbing anomaly, one with clear apprehension and the other with a wide grin.

"Three…"

"Two.."

"One!"