Chapter 246 - 247: Devouring Counter
The disintegration ray slammed into the Void Devouring Dragon.
For a single heartbeat, the Multiversals and Universe Wills believed they had won. The massive beam of pure destructive energy—white and black twisted into a spiraling lance of annihilation—struck the dragon’s chest with enough force to erase Beginner, Initiate-tier and even Advanced-tier beings in an instant. The void itself seemed to scream as the ray’s power compressed space, shredded residual laws, and poured every fragment of the formation’s accumulated might into one focused point. Several of the younger Multiversals actually closed their eyes, already picturing the dragon’s body collapsing into scattered motes of dark energy. The formation master held his breath, silver runes still glowing across his arms, waiting for the confirmation of total erasure.
Then the unexpected happened.
The dragon did not explode. It did not even stagger. Instead, the entire disintegration ray was sucked into its body. The Void Dragon Principle of Devour activated at full force. Dark energy flared across the dragon’s scales in violent, hungry waves. Every bit of energy, every rune, every carefully woven fragment of power that had been poured into the formation was swallowed completely. The white-and-black beam, which should have unmade matter, information and complete principles alike, simply vanished into the dragon’s chest as though it had never existed. The surrounding void, which had been warping under the ray’s passage, snapped back into place with a low, resonant thrum.
Inside the dragon’s vast consciousness, pure satisfaction bloomed.
These little insects actually managed to cook a decent meal, it thought, feeling the destructive energy transform into pure nourishment. How thoughtful of them. That formation was stronger than expected... good. Very good.
In less than a second, the dragon’s remaining wounds sealed shut. Dimensional tears that had still lingered from its earlier battles closed like mouths snapping shut. Dark scales regenerated in cascading waves of pure void essence, denser and sharper than before. The creature that had been injured only moments ago now stood at full strength—an Advanced-tier Multiversal Void Devouring Dragon in peak condition. Its golden eyes burned brighter. Its presence thickened until the frozen space around it began to creak under the sheer weight of recovered power.
Silence fell across the void for a brief moment.
Then panic erupted.
"Shit! It’s a trap!"
"He baited us!"
"The attack only fed him!"
"Run! Scatter now!"
Voices overlapped in chaotic bursts. Formation lines that had once been precise and disciplined shattered as Multiversals abandoned their positions. The formation master staggered backward, face pale, silver energy flickering weakly around his hands. He stared at his empty palms as the last runes faded.
"That was everything..." he whispered. "Years of work... and it only made it stronger."
Another Multiversal grabbed his shoulder and shouted, "Stop standing there! Move!"
The dragon let out a deep, satisfied rumble that rolled through the void like thunder. The sound vibrated through bone and soul alike, shaking the confidence of every being still present.
"Thanks for the juice," it said, its voice thick with amusement. "It really filled me up. Now it’s time to eat some stubborn meals."
None of the Multiversals had the luxury of feeling anger at being called meals. Fear had already taken over. A fully recovered Advanced-tier Void Devouring Dragon could wipe out the entire sector in less than a second if it wanted. Escape was the only thought left in their minds.
Several Multiversals turned and fled at full multiversal speed. They crossed enormous distances in fractions of a moment, tearing through the void with every principle they could muster. Spatial folds. Law bursts. Even desperate self-mutilating techniques that burned their own foundations for a momentary surge of velocity. But no matter which direction they chose, they soon slammed into an invisible wall.
"What the fuck is this?!"
They followed the barrier and quickly realized the truth. The dragon had already surrounded the entire sector with a massive devouring barrier. The barrier stretched across every edge of the sector, sealing them all inside. It was not a crude wall of energy. It was a living construct of pure devouring law—thin as a membrane, yet absolute. The moment any power touched it, the barrier drank that power and grew stronger.
One desperate Multiversal, an Initiate-tier being who specialized in spatial principles, tried to force his way through. He poured every scrap of his understanding into a single, concentrated spike of folded space, hoping to pierce the membrane and create an escape corridor. The moment his power touched the barrier, he was instantly pulled in and completely devoured. Not even a scream remained. His body, his principles, his very existence unraveled into streams of dark energy that flowed straight into the dragon’s waiting maw. The barrier glowed faintly where he had been, then returned to its seamless, hungry stillness.
The dragon watched with clear satisfaction. Its golden eyes tracked the remaining Multiversals as they scrambled along the inner surface of the barrier like insects trapped in a jar.
"Hmm. Now that’s a high-quality meal," it said, licking its fangs with a tongue of pure void. "As for the rest of you... you’re not going anywhere. I can’t let my food escape. Don’t worry—your deaths will be super painful."
It slowly closed its massive claws.
The devouring barrier began to shrink from every direction at terrifying speed. The membrane contracted with the steady, inevitable certainty of a predator’s jaws. Everything the barrier touched was instantly consumed. Residual energy left over from the failed formation, stray information particles drifting through the void, even the faint afterimages of fled Multiversals—all of it was torn apart and sent straight back into the dragon’s body. With each pulse of consumption, the dragon grew stronger. Its scales darkened further. Its presence pressed harder against the sealed space.
Inside the Multiversal Will chat group, panic messages exploded.
"The barrier is shrinking! My universe is next!"
"Can anyone still reach the Multiversal Center?!"
"We’re sealed. Completely sealed."
"Where is that expert outside William’s membrane?!"
Universes at the edge of the sector trembled as the barrier approached. Their membranes flexed and groaned under the approaching pressure. Stars within them flickered. Laws strained. One of the outermost universes—a smaller, quieter realm that had remained largely untouched by the earlier chaos—was only moments away from being swallowed. Its Universe Will screamed in silent terror, pouring every ounce of authority it possessed into reinforcing the membrane, but the effort was like trying to stop a tidal wave with bare hands.
Stars inside the edge universe began to stretch and warp. The membrane started to peel. For a fraction of a second, trillions of lifeforms inside felt an inexplicable wave of pure existential dread wash over them.
Far away, inside his own universe, William watched the scene with a grim expression.
"I knew it was a trap... but I still hoped the formation would at least slow it down," he muttered. He looked toward the void where Runar floated and thought, If you’re going to move... now would be a good time.
Just as the barrier was about to fully touch the first universe, a single calm word echoed across the entire sector.
"STOP."
Everything froze.
The shrinking barrier stopped moving as if an invisible hand had seized it mid-contraction. The devouring energy halted mid-flow, dark currents hanging in the void like frozen rivers. Even the dragon’s body locked in place for a fraction of a second, its eyes widening in genuine surprise. The golden irises that had gleamed with predatory amusement now flickered with something closer to caution. The force behind that single word had not been loud. It had not been aggressive. It had simply been absolute—an authority that temporarily overrode the Principle of Devour itself.
Far away, inside the universe that had almost been erased, its Universe Will let out a long, shaky breath. The membrane of its realm, which had already begun to warp under the barrier’s pressure, slowly smoothed out again.
"Whew... that was close. I was almost a goner. Thank the voids that person intervened. Now it’s time to watch the show."
Across the sector, every Universe Will and Multiversal turned their attention toward the source of the voice. They all knew who had spoken. The residual authority still lingering in the void carried a signature none of them could mistake—golden, refined, and far denser than anything a simple Multiversal should possess.
Outside William’s membrane, Runar’s main body finally opened its eyes.
Golden light pulsed once across his form, then settled into a steady, controlled radiance. The void energy he had been absorbing continued to flow into him in silent streams, but his attention was no longer divided. Every principle he had been refining now stood complete and ready. His perception swept across the sealed sector, taking in the frozen barrier, the trapped Multiversals, the fully recovered Void Devouring Dragon, and the countless Universe Wills watching with a mixture of hope and dread.
The real fight was about to begin. If it would even be called a fight.