Tengen's cocky smile widened as he laughed, looking straight at Maxi. Then, with a smirk, he jumped off the table, leaned in close, and licked his teeth slightly.
"So, you finally asked."
Maxi narrowed his eyes.
"You know, the whole reason I got you all riled up about your mother yesterday was because I knew you'd ask this question right after i finished teaching you. I even dangled magic in front of you because you're a smart kid—quick-thinking. I figured magic would be the best way to distract you from knowing which gods blessed you. But I knew I couldn't hide it forever. Damn your so fricken persistent. Give me a break, kid."
Maxi remained silent, waiting for the real reason.
Tengen sighed dramatically.
"Okay, okay. There's a very specific reason why I didn't want you to know, alright? It's because... well, the gods who blessed you aren't exactly strong or give... useful blessings."
Maxi held his head in disappointment, but then—
He felt them.
Three divine presences. Watching.
He recognized them from his birth. He remembered their weight, their presence. And now, they were staring daggers at Tengen.
Then, he felt it—a sharp, powerful killing intent from two of them. The third presence remained calm, but only barely.
Maxi's stomach twisted. Even he could feel their rage.
Tengen smirked, clearly aware of the divine fury directed at him.
Maxi, now fully panicked, stretched his arms toward Tengen, shouting, "Whoa, whoa, whoa! What the hell are you doing?!"
Tengen only smirked. "What? I'm telling the truth. Your gods can't handle the truth."
Then—
A burning sensation erupted in Maxi's right arm.
His breath hitched. Looking down, he saw it—
The right eye on his three-eyed symbol was moving. It shifted from looking to the right and began turning straight ahead.
The moment it aligned forward, a crushing weakness washed over Maxi's entire body.
He couldn't move.
His muscles locked. His limbs felt like lead.
Then—blood.
Thick crimson tears dripped from his eyes.
And then—
A presence.
Divine. Demonic.
It grabbed his hand.
Maxi looked—but saw nothing. Yet, he felt it. A force lifting his arm.
It was about to do something—but then—
Another force.
Strings.
Thin, invisible threads yanked his hand away from the unseen entity.
Maxi's consciousness flickered.
Darkness.
Then—light.
Maxi slashed back into consciousness.
His maid was kneeling beside him, her hands glowing faintly with magic as she checked his pulse, her face unusually tight with worry.
He could hear Tengen pacing in the room, muttering under his breath. His usual cocky demeanor was gone, replaced with sharp realization—
He had messed up.
Maxi tried to speak, but his throat felt raw.
His vision blurred. The edges of the room darkened again—
Flicker.
Back in the void.
The Veiled Man sat before him again, unseen strings wrapped around his fingers, controlling something unseen.
Maxi then looked at the figure holding his hand and he saw him the other figure.
Tall. As tall as the Veiled Man.
But broader, more muscular.
Two horns sprouted from his head, and his short, messy hair—
Maxi blinked. He couldn't tell the color of anything.
Everything was black and white.
The horned figure scowled, then threw Maxi's hand away angrily.
Flicker.
Back in the room.
Maxi gasped for air.
His maid was gripping his shoulders now, shaking him slightly. "Young Master! Stay with me!"
Tengen had stopped pacing, staring at Maxi with something close to guilt, but it was more of something closer to he was about to lose his job kind of guilt. His usual arrogance was gone, replaced with a tight frown that seemed to be deep in thought.
Maxi felt heat around him.
A presence—warm, protective—wrapped around his body.
Not his maid.
Something... else.
Flicker.
Back into darkness.
This time, he felt arms around him.
Long hair draped over his chest.
A head rested on top of his.
It was warm. Comforting.
But—
There was killing intent.
Not directed at him—but radiating from the being holding him.
Divine. Demonic.
Maxi tried to move, but the warmth overwhelmed him, pulling him into unconsciousness once more.
Flicker.
Maxi's eyes snapped open.
He was in his bed.
His mother's arms were wrapped around him, holding him close and tight he looked up and saw his mother was sleep.
But he knew.
He knew.
That wasn't her back in the void.
That warmth—that presence—
It had been something else entirely.
Before he could dwell on it further—
A voice.
Familiar.
"Hey, you good, Maxi?"
Maxi turned his head and saw him.
Techxin.
Sitting in a chair next to the bed, watching him with an easygoing smirk.
Maxi smiled.
"As good as I can be, big brother. Where the hell is that bastard of a teacher of mine?"
Techxin smirked.
"Busy explaining what happened to Father."
Maxi's mind flooded with all the ways he wanted to punish Tengen.
But then—he had a better idea.
He grinned. "Hey, can you do something for me?"
Techxin raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, sure."
Maxi smirked wider. "Can you punch him for me?"
Techxin laughed. "I'll do you one better. Just wait."
Maxi grinned, satisfied.
For a moment, there was silence.
Then—
Maxi asked the same question he had asked Tengen.
But this time—he asked Techxin.
"Can you tell me which gods gave me their blessing?"
Techxin smiled. "Yeah, why not? The gods who blessed you are—"
"A Demon King."
"A Demon Queen."
"And finally—a Dreamer who ascended to godhood."
Maxi's breath hitched.
He finally had the answer.
The question that had haunted him.
The uncertainty that had followed him since his birth.
Maxi smiled.
And under his breath, he muttered—
"Finally."