Chapter 30: Seducing Clara

Walking toward the abyss talent tree, Damian felt something was wrong. No matter how long he walked, he never seemed to get any closer to it. At first he considered stopping, but after a moment of stubborn resolve, he pressed on. A minute later, he finally reached the shores that the gates could not cross.

Beyond that shore, the scenery changed completely.

It was a desolate, barren land, riddled with cracks and split earth from countless fissures that had scarred this cursed terrain. The sight of a lone towering tree surviving in such an extreme environment was not comforting in the slightest. In fact, the entire place carried a different presence.

It was the feeling of emptiness.

When Damian stepped onto the dry land, a strange sensation crept over him. He glanced back at his Lust Talent Tree, and now it felt distant, just as the abyss tree once had.

“It’s like they exist in two completely different worlds,” he murmured.

Shaking off the thought, he continued forward. As he approached the abyss talent tree, something else caught his attention. Behind it stretched an endless forest of dead trees, swallowed by pitch black darkness.

Damian halted.

A wave of dread washed over him. His instincts screamed at him to run, but his body refused to obey. Whatever lurked here made Asmodesus feel almost harmless by comparison.

Of course, if the sin of lust had a powerful consciousness attached to it, why would the abyss be any different?

Buzz.

The entire dead forest ignited in crimson light.

From within the darkness, a single massive, dreadful eye opened. Its pupil was a narrow slit, and it was so enormous it covered the entire region behind the dead forest, which now seemed less like scenery and more like a barrier between it and Damian.

It stared at him.

Yet there was no rage. No hatred. No sorrow. Its gaze was empty.

“What are you?” Damian asked, unable to suppress his curiosity.

Unlike Asmodesus, who had radiated violent madness and murderous intent, the dread that had accompanied this eye’s arrival faded the moment it revealed itself. There was no hostility in it.

“I am the abyss. Everything yet nothing. Filled, yet empty.”

Its voice rumbled like distant thunder, shaking the world itself, but there was a strange gentleness to it.

“Filled, yet empty…” Damian repeated softly, pressing a hand to his chest.

The feeling the abyss gave him was familiar. It reminded him of when he first bought his car. He had longed for it, obsessed over it, and when he finally got it, he had been overwhelmed with excitement. But in time, the sparkle faded. It was still his car. Still valuable. Yet the hunger was gone.

Like the hollow clarity that followed indulgence. When desire was satisfied, and what remained was nothing but a quiet emptiness.

That was the abyss.

Damian opened his mouth to speak again, then stopped himself. What was he doing, conversing with something sealed behind a forest of death? If it were an ally, it would not be imprisoned here. There was no reason to complicate matters.

Just focus on why you came.

[Abyss Talent Tree]

[Rejuvenation Process: 10 Points]

[Continue? Y/N]

He gave the massive crimson eye one final glance.

Then he chose yes.

[Abyss Talent Tree Rejuvenation Process: 0%]

[Infernal Transformation: Abyss I Unlocked!]

[Abyss Talent Tree Awakened]

[Living Arts: 0%]

[Primal Soul: 0%]

[Elder Arts: 0%]

“Infernal transformation… just like last time.” Damian rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

If that pattern held true, upgrading Living Arts would likely grant him a form similar to the one tailed fox transformation. On the other hand, investing in Primal Soul might unlock something destructive and spectacular, like his fox fire.

Hazel had warned him. Without transformation, he risked losing control of his own power.

Living Arts should come first.

There was no point unlocking raw power if he could not contain it.

“Living Arts it is.”

[Living Art 0 → 1%]

[Dark Knight Physiology Skill Unlocked]

[Name: Dark Knight Physiology]

[Type: Passive/Transformation]

[Description: Upon activation of Infernal Transformation Skill, you will automatically gain the traits of a dark knight, gaining complete control over this form.]

“Dark Knight Physiology? That sounds dope.”

He had only five talent points left now, yet he felt satisfied. Even without proper training, he understood his powers. He knew how they functioned. It would not be an exaggeration to call himself the most powerful human alive on Earth.

“I already feel bad for the unfortunate soul I test these abilities on first. It will be overkill.”

He grinned.

“Lawyer by day, demon and angel slayer by night. That caped billionaire has nothing on me.”

He laughed as his vision went dark.

Damian’s eyes snapped open.

Clara’s face hovered inches from his own, her gaze locked onto his. She jerked back in shock, stumbling and nearly crashing into the glass wall behind her if Damian had not caught her wrist.

With a single tug, she fell onto his lap. Her eyes widened, hands instinctively wrapping around his neck for balance. They stared at each other, so close their breaths mingled.

“I… I’m sorry… I wasn’t… I couldn’t…” Clara stammered, her thoughts tangled beyond coherence.

Simply being near him left her warm and restless. His scent. His eyes. His flawless skin. Everything felt amplified at this distance. Her breathing grew uneven, her pulse quickening in ways she could not control.

Never in her life had she felt like this.

I think I’m in love with this man.

In a sudden surge of resolve, she pushed herself off his lap and hurried behind the desk, stopping only when there was furniture between them.

Her cheeks burned crimson. Her chest rose and fell rapidly, hands pressed against her heart.

“It’s almost 3 pm. We should be going to meet Mr 20 now,” she said, refusing to meet his gaze.

Damian did not respond immediately. He felt it. The pleasant pull directed toward him. Clara’s carnal desires did not escape his Predatory Instinct.

He rose slowly and approached her. After only a few steps, she lifted something between them.

He stopped.

His eyes narrowed at the sight of his ring.

“I found it on the floor when I came in, so I thought… ah!”

His hand slid around her slender waist, pulling her close until the tips of their noses brushed.

[Sovereign Of Lust Equipped]

A pink miasma, invisible to mortal sight, poured outward in every direction. The office filled with a dreamy haze only he could perceive.

“Let’s grab some drinks and dinner after work… and maybe spend the entire night together doing office work and some other things.”

A slow, seductive smile curved his lips.

“You would love that, wouldn’t you?”

[Persuade Successful]

“Yes… yes, I will,” Clara whispered, her eyes glazed and distant.

She clutched his collar, rising on her toes to claim a kiss, but Damian withdrew with effortless grace, pressing a finger gently against her lips.

“If you work hard today, I’ll reward you with more than just a kiss.”

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