Chapter 461: Theory & Opportunity (1/2)

”Oh, finally here?”

As I was taking my steady steps towards the demon's location, a voice sounded out as it spread like a wave in my direction.

'As expected, his perception is strengthened in this space as well…'

Just like I could use Darkness elements to connect to this space and obtain a larger range of perception, it seemed like a demon would receive a similar effect using his Corruption.

However, there were obvious differences. Unlike Darkness which was practically the 'base' of this space, the effect of Corruption was much more limited. Otherwise, the demon wouldn't have reacted only now.

Moreover, thanks to the process that this space has gone through, the Darkness elements that were 'invaded' by Corruption had a natural greater sensitivity towards Corruption. As such, throwing a demon within this space along with a Darkness Elemental Master was like lighting a beacon on the prey's head for its hunter!

'Comparison is tough indeed…'

While the demon's range of perception was already good, it appeared to be pitiful when compared to my current one. It was like comparing blurry glasses to maximum vision binoculars.

”Why did it take you so long to arrive? The last prey was much quicker!”

As my thoughts wandered trying to relieve the boredom caused by the dull walking state I was role-playing, the voice that sounded earlier came out once again.

'Sounding so smug… just wait…'

While I felt slightly irritated by the demon's commanding tone, I didn't stop or answer as I simply continued walking, suppressing my emotions as an interesting theory surfaced in my mind.

'If this is not his first time, then this could explain a lot…'

If this demon had already managed to convert others to Corruption Puppets, then it was obviously possible that such a development took place in the last two domains. Perhaps…

It was a plausible possibility that the corruption that spread within the 'Light Association' started with a few Corruption Puppets, leading to the state we discovered it at.

No matter how one thought about it, the situation where humans at top positions joined demons was quite suspicious, and while some had some motives like Crane, it didn't seem strong enough for them to betray their whole race and lay waste to the domain…

Either way, we didn't have the ability to validate this suspicion. After all, once one got converted into a Corruption Puppet, they would be instinctively subservient to demons. Wouldn't it feel like the idea of betrayal was their own when it was just something planted by suggestions?

'I should keep that in mind for the time being…'

While this seemed like a new and helpful idea, in reality, it was just a seed of suspicion. In any case, Corrupted Puppets were already beyond saving, even if they were originally more reserved, there was no going back for them.

As such, the importance of a piece of thought like this held was only one, and that was to try to prevent such 'abductions' from taking place if possible.

Of course, that was just in case this theory was actually true. It could be that those people just had that much greed to nurture their thoughts of betrayal.

”Hmm, your senses seemed to have dulled if you didn't hear me from just that far, but you seem to be in acceptable shape.”