At the edge of the bulwark slumbering in darkness.

A ritual, grand enough to stand at the pinnacle of the entire Era Era, was slowly beginning.

As the secret, profound ritual activated.

Deep within the unending Star Realm.

A quiet rustling sound slowly began to echo.

It was as if some terrifying and great existence was gnawing on the entire Star Realm.

Following the perfect convergence of the veins of time and space.

The tranquil echo finally converged with Zorn’s ritual.

RUSTLE...

As the response rustled within Zorn’s body.

HUUU...

Zorn let out a soft breath.

He focused his senses inward.

He saw that within the framework of his Divine Kingdom, the Tree of the Magic Ring, and his own Demigod Sequence...

...an "Eating Phase King" ran through it all like an intricate network.

In some subtle places, the King, the Divine Kingdom, the Tree of the Magic Ring, and Zorn himself had completely fused into one.

The Wizard and the Ancient Curse had completely merged.

’Witchcraft Unity!’

After a detailed and thorough investigation from the inside out, Zorn nodded in great satisfaction.

’Without using a ritual to fully digest an Insect King Curse and achieve a state of perfect unity, a single curse of its kind could potentially cause a backlash.’

’A two-phase Insect King Curse will definitely cause a periodic backlash.’

’The backlash from a three-phase Insect King Curse is so violent that even an Upper Rank God could be gnawed to death if they’re not careful.’

’But... by using a ritual to digest and fuse with an Insect King Curse, I’ve reached the perfect state of Witchcraft Unity.’

’Since I possess a few Eating Ancient Insects, the Insect King Curse will consider me part of the parent body.’

’Even a Seven-Phase Insect King Curse won’t cause any backlash or violent outbursts.’

’Next, as long as I use the ritual to gradually digest and master the Insect King Curse Seeds, I can complete the seven-phase King’s Star Trace·Eating Phase Worm Curse.’

’A single Insect King Curse is already astonishingly powerful. A seven-phase one will be an incredible trump card.’

Lost in thought, Zorn took a deep breath and slowly exhaled.

After steadying his mind, he began to gradually digest the other Insect King Curse Seeds in his possession.

Over the past half a year or so.

Zorn had been continuously exploring the depths of this Star Realm Rift Area, collecting Insect Curse Seeds.

His luck was quite good.

He managed to obtain two naturally occurring Insect King Curse Seeds.

Combined with other scattered Insect Curse Seeds, he finally gathered eight Insect King Curse Seeds.

One by one, Zorn absorbed and digested the Insect King Curse Seeds.

The powerful Star Trace·Eating Phase Worm Curse inside him was gradually constructed.

Before he knew it, more than a year had flown by.

「This day.」

RUMBLE...

A violent tremor came from deep within the Star Realm Rift.

’Hm?’

Zorn, who was silently digesting and improving his Star Trace·Eating Phase Worm Curse, lifted his head and looked outside the bulwark.

’I sense the aura of an Insect King Curse.’

’Have other Lower Rank Gods come to inherit and master an Insect Curse?’

Zorn mused to himself.

Insect Curses came in many forms.

It wasn’t just Caster Divine Spirits who could master the Eating Phase Insect Curse; other Sequences could as well.

But the vast majority of Lower Rank Gods, even those with astounding strength, would usually only take an Insect Curse.

Those who dared to master an Insect King Curse were absolute madmen.

At the very least, they were trailblazers of the tide of the Era Era.

He waited for the external turmoil to calm down slightly, feeling the Crystal Wall tremble.

’The Divine Artifact outside should be finished forging by now. It’s time to head out.’

After some thought, Zorn prepared to get up and return.

As he made his way back through the quiet passage.

Zorn focused his senses on his Star Trace·Eating Phase Worm Curse.

In about three months, Zorn had already mastered the seven-phase Eating Phase Insect Curse.

Currently, the Eating Phase Insect Curse was at Level Three.

Although not high, its power and characteristics were already extremely astonishing.

Moreover, Zorn had extended a part of the Insect Curse along the Crystal Wall of his Calamity Divine Kingdom into the Cosmic Demon Pool.

The part of the curse absorbing from the Cosmic Demon Pool Root Source had a gnawing power even greater than that of an Insect King Curse.

He continued along the corridor.

Thanks to the Cosmic Magic Net Zorn had set up long ago, the path back was easy and smooth.

Using the Witchcraft methods of a Divine Kingdom Passage, Zorn’s speed was also exceptionally fast.

’If I had a perfect traversal method like Abigail’s, I could get out in just a few breaths.’

’Instead of taking at least half a day like this.’

’Still, it’s not bad. If I had to travel normally, it would have taken at least half a month.’

Previously, Zorn had spent more than half a year slowly exploring to reach such a deep location.

As he was advancing through the Witchcraft passage...

BZZZT...

An extremely powerful repulsive force suddenly slammed into Zorn.

CRACK... BOOM...

The barrier in the rift area blocking Zorn exploded directly.

And Zorn tumbled out of the traversal passage.

’Hm?’

Zorn’s brow twitched slightly.

’Can these natural rift areas also form barriers on their own?’

’Statistically, it’s possible, but extremely, extremely rare. And... naturally formed barriers are usually very weak.’

Just as Zorn was feeling puzzled.

The auras of three Lower Rank Gods quickly appeared.

Zorn focused his gaze.

He saw that among the three Lower Rank Gods was a fellow he was rather familiar with.

Zorn was quite familiar with him, but it was hard to say if the other party was familiar with Zorn.

’Terence, one of the darlings of the Mythical Wave.’