'Beep!' 'Beep!' 'Beep!'

The hologram begins to flash and shows a person with similarities to humans. The sage was 2.5 meters tall and wore a blue robe.

"Hmm? a sage race?" Manasi thought, then started to speak.

"Hello stranger, My name is Hadem Ironforge. We are the race of the Sages, known for our intellect and wisdom across the vast universe." He said this while taking a deep breath.

"Stranger, if you've seen this recording, it means our race is over. The end of our race is caused by our madness. 

We are so dependent on our intellect that we despise the other races who have caused our destruction. 

The sages were too proud to befriend other races, and we paid dearly for our arrogance. This is the result of our actions." Hadem Ironforge said, filled with sadness.

"This is the Sage world before our annihilation." Sage Hadem

On the hologram, Manasi saw countless combat spaceships patrolling outside of their home planet. 

Tall towers that pierce the skies. The floating island and the mythical winged beasts that circle the island. 

In the floating island city, a beautiful blue crystal can be seen as it shines brightly.

Many sage beings would approach the beautiful crystal while carrying their children.

Sage parents would help their children to touch the beautiful crystal. 

When the Sage children finished touching the beautiful crystal, then suddenly a pale blue light would shine on that child's body.

The Sage children's talents would then be enhanced.

"Spirit System, is this the crystal that you are looking for?" Manasi asks.

'Yes, contractor, this is the crystal. You should find some clues if we continue to look at the hologram images.' Spirit System

Manasi continued to look at the hologram, just in time for it to change again.

Manasi could see the blue crystal absorbing the water and then, it would release stronger light.

"Hmmm? Spirit System, is this crystal alive? Why does it look like it's greedily absorbing the water?" Manasi found it unusual. 

'Yes, contractor, you are right. The crystal is alive. because it's a parasite that absorbs energy' Spirit System.

Manasi couldn't help but swallow his saliva.

He now understood why the mighty Sage race would be annihilated.

"So, the annihilation of the Sage Race has something to do with the blue crystal." Manasi said, as he kept pondering.

'It is not a blue crystal, Contractor; its true name is the star-devouring-crystal.' Spirit System

"Star-devouring-crystal? Spirit System, can it devour a star?" Manasi said in confusion.

'Yes! Contractor, it can devour a star.' Spirit System

Manasi flinched when he heard the Spirit System's confirmation.

"No wonder that happened." Manasi says, shaking his head.

He then focuses back on the hologram.

On the other hand the people were discussing the blue crystals, as the key to their growth and dominance in the Higher Realm.

The hologram is changed again, and this time a group of people is sitting around the table discussing something.

The scar-face old man stood up while yelling at the young man.

" I would rather die! Then request for their help, Hmmp!" 

Young Hadems' expression started to twist as he angrily retorted. 

"The star devouring crystal is dying! We need the help of the other races to maintain the star-devouring crystal! If we don't feed the crystal, it will feed on us instead!" 

"Star devouring crystal? Hadem, don't make me laugh! No one would believe you!" The scar-faced old man's disdainfully said.

At this time, another elderly person stood up and said.

"We are elders in this gathering. We should decide by votes!" 

Then, one by one, they all raised their arms in favor of the scar-faced old man.

The young Hadem's face is filled with despair as he shouted at the top of his lungs.

 "YOUR DECISION TODAY! WILL CAUSE THE EXTINCTION OF OUR RACE! YOU D*MN LUNATICS!" 

He then smashed the round table with his fist, shattering the fragments on their faces. But everyone ignored him.

The hologram has again changed to the old Hadem in his laboratory. 

"Our race depended too much on the star crystal. The star crystal is a gift from the superior planet of the Abyssal Abaddons."

He took a deep breath as he continued to speak.

"We thought there was nothing wrong with the crystal they gave us. We loved the crystal as it strengthened our Sage race, and we are feared by the other races because of the crystal.

But who would have thought that the star crystal that my people love was a curse that binds our race! 

The more our people absorb the power of the star crystal, the more it absorbs the energy of our planet. 

Finally, when there was nothing more to absorb, it started to absorb every Sage that had received its power. Later on, our race discovered the schemes of the superior race, but alas, it was already too late." Hadem said with sadness.

....

The hologram has changed again.

In the laboratory, a wolf-like beast is submerged inside a tube filled with food.

"He has been my contact beast since I was young. He is like a brother to me." Hadem clenched his fist and looked his brother in the eye.

"Time is running out. To avoid being devoured, a solution had to be found. The only solution is to merge the dormant star-devouring crystal into our bodies, but I don't have enough time to test the experiment." Hadem said as he roared and bashed the table. 

'Bang!'

Suddenly...

"Arg!"

Hadem then gasped desperately, clutching his heart.

"The star devouring crystal is already absorbing me." 

Hadem took out a knife and cut his hand. The blood slowly falls to the ground.

Hadem's body started to turn red. He used a prohibited technique in their race. 

"To gain more time, I had to use the technique of our race to temporarily suppress the absorption of star crystals."

Hadem walks toward the transparent orb. Inside this orb is a beautiful girl sleeping soundly.

Touching the orb cover, as if he wanted to touch the girl inside. 

"She is my daughter, my precious daughter," Hadem said.

"When she was born, her mother passed away and she is the only one I have. Her name is Blossom Ironforge."

He closes his eyes for a moment. "My contract beast experiment was a failure, but I will not fail my daughter!" Hadem said as his resolve grew firmer. 

Hadem took out a vial that contained a red powder inside. 

"I had to use the world's engine to powder the star devouring crystal, in order to increase the chances of the experiment."

Hadem opened the orb's transparent cover.

He leans over to his daughter and kisses her forehead.

He looked at her fondly and injected the powdered star-devouring-crystal into her body.

 "This is the first step of the experiment." He said.

Hadem was silent for a moment and then said. "The second part is to turn her into a homunculus, the body of an undead. To prevent the Abaddons from pursuing her and to preserve the Sage race."

Hadem stopped touching his daughter's arm and took a deep breath as he closed the lid.

The orb starts releasing a liquid gel and slowly submerges Blossom inside the tube. 

"Strangers, please help my daughter get off this planet as the Abaddons will surely eliminate her if she is found!" Hadem gritted his teeth and knelt in front of the hologram device.

When the gel is completely submerged, her daughter Blossom. Suddenly, she started to struggle inside the orb. 

Hadem stood up and walked over to his daughter. His hand trembled as he touched the top of the orb.

He wanted to break the lid and stop the experiment.

Hadem forcefully stopped the urge to stop the experiment, but deep down he knew that the experiment was the only way.

Even though his daughter continues to struggle within the orb.

"I-If only... I'm strong, my daughter wouldn't have suffered this torment."

Hadem could only keep looking at her daughter as teardrops rolled on his cheeks. 

"Arg!"

'Cough!'

Hadem spits out a glob of blood while clutching his chest, as he knew that his life would soon end. The effect of the forbidden ability is fading.

"Stranger. The Abyssal Abaddons have already killed the Sage Deity Beast of this planet to seek answers. Most likely, the Abyssal Abaddons already know when the void door will open."

"They want to find the void door and free the imprisoned progenitor, that is. Their ambition would not stop." Hadem said as his body trembled.

"Please tell the other race to stop the Abyssal Abaddons."

Hadem is holding his chest while kneeling. He wrote something on the ground.

His hair continues to fade and fall out, while his skin starts to dry up.

His original youthful body starts to age rapidly and becomes abnormally thin and bony.

Slowly, Hadem's body becomes dust and only his robe and shorts can be seen. 

Manasi found it hard to believe that the once genius leader of the Sage race, would be so powerless in the face of the star crystal, and be reduced into dust.

 End of Chapter 9