Chapter 88: Nine Paths Elder God Form
At the age of 312, Zero began to live in the Shattered Plane. He could not leave the place for fifty years, so he used this time to think and reflect. It was the first time in his life that he had ever lost so badly. Before that, he never trained, never studied, and never respected anyone. Everything came easy for him. But now, he had a goal. He wanted to get stronger. He wanted to beat Ian. He wanted to become a real God, not just in name, but in power.
At the age of 313, Zero started to walk around the rivers of the Shattered Plane. He saw many souls in boats, moving quietly across the waters. He kept his distance from the black-robed skeletons who guided the boats. He remembered his father’s warning. But he also became more curious. One night, he tried to talk to one of the souls in the boat. The soul had no mouth, no face, and no words. But somehow, Zero felt pain in his head after the meeting. It gave him strange dreams about energy, time, and light.
At the age of 314, Zero learned how to quiet his own energy. He could now hide his presence from the Wraiths and move more freely. This gave him more time to explore the land. He found broken towers, fallen gates, and lost items from other worlds. He collected these and tried to make sense of them. Some of them gave him new ideas. Some of them gave him new questions. But most of all, they gave him a purpose.
At the age of 316, Zero began his first real training. He used the strange energy from the Shattered Plane to push his body. The place had no sun, no rest, and no food. But his body changed. His bones grew harder. His mind became more clear. His power became more stable. He started to build his own form of God Energy. He called it "Black Origin Ki." It was cold, quiet, and smooth. It was not like the loud and hot power of his old self. It was something new.
At the age of 320, Zero made his first breakthrough. He developed a new transformation. He did not name it, but it made his body glow in black and silver. His voice changed. His thoughts became faster. He could now feel the Wraiths watching him. But they did not stop him. He thought they were testing him.
At the age of 325, Zero remembered Ian. He thought of his smile, his green eyes, and the way he beat him without full power. He felt anger, but also respect. He no longer saw Ian as a monkey, but as a wall he needed to break. He made a plan. After leaving the Shattered Plane, he would search for old gods, forgotten books, and hidden energy.
At the age of 328, Zero no longer feared death. He now feared being weak.