"God, he's a god, only a god can manipulate space, and even time, like this."
At the other end of the black thread being pulled by the black hole was a black dot as dark as ink.
Space itself was an abstract concept. From the perspective of external space, the other end of the black hole was a small dot. However, within that small dot lay a vast world.
This world was filled with streams of colorful, iridescent energy, dazzling and varied. But if an ordinary person were to enter, they would instantly be bombarded by these energies, their minds reduced to a state of utter helplessness.
For these energies were the very essence of human desires: "greed, anger, ignorance, hatred, love, malice, and lust."
The ultimate desires converged, forming the six-sided, unnamable entity at the edge of space, relentlessly pulling space forward.
This was the true form of the "Singing Demon King" of the outside world, the real demon king.
Judging by its aura, it lacked the ferocity and madness typically associated with demon kings. Instead, it exuded a gentle demeanor, yet this gentleness felt strangely false.
Conversely, the indifference lurking beneath this gentleness felt far more authentic.
At this moment, the six-sided monster's single visible eye was filled with panic.
Even a being born from the fusion of life's desires, once imbued with the consciousness of emotion, a hallmark of intelligent life, would naturally possess the instinctive emotions of all living things. This miracle of life applied not only to gods but to demons as well.
If, at first, it was unaware of Kouta's might, then when Kouta severed its connection with Uta with a single blade, and even tore through the world barrier that it could only breach with the power of the Uta Uta no Mi fruit, working in tandem with external forces, it understood Kouta's greatness.
That was no mere human, but the ultimate realm it had pursued since its own inception.
"A god."
Knowing it was no match for the silver-haired youth before it, "Totemjika" chose to flee.
As for where it fled, it had no idea.
This space had existed since its birth. It was born within, like a chick in an eggshell, only able to break free once it had grown wings and its bones had hardened.
Otherwise, death was the only certainty.
Not everyone could traverse shattered space with impunity like Kouta, nor could everyone withstand the depths of space without being swallowed by spatial currents.
Were it not for the appearance of the Uta Uta no Mi fruit, it would never have had the chance to venture out, nor would it have been able to accelerate its growth. It would have remained here indefinitely until the day it truly hatched.
Yet, it could never have imagined that a simple excursion to breathe and absorb more desire energy would attract a true deity.
At this moment, Totemjika propelled itself forward, pressing against the spatial barrier. Its eyes were fixed on the black hole enveloped in seven-colored energy on the other side, behind it.
Though the black hole was shrinking, and though the other side might be the reality it yearned for, it dared not explore it, let alone venture there.
As this space receded, the void formed by the black hole also diminished. When it saw the black hole reduce to a mere speck, Totemjika let out a sigh of relief, its body relaxing.
"Now you shouldn't be able to follow!"
Totemjika reasoned that even a god couldn't freely navigate spatial currents. Once the connection to the other side of the black hole was severed, no matter how powerful that silver-haired youth was, he shouldn't be able to find it.
Watching the black hole vanish completely, Totemjika let out a hearty laugh, its panic entirely dissipating.
At that very moment, it ceased its forward propulsion against the spatial barrier. Instead, it raised its head, and its formerly gentle eyes turned wild and furious.
"Wait, just you wait. As long as there is endless desire in this human world, I will continue to grow stronger. When I truly manifest, it will be your doom, no matter who you are..."
"Really?"
Just then, a sudden voice echoed in Totemjika's ear.
"Uh..."
The laughter cut short.
Its ferocity and rage instantly turned to sheer terror.
"You..."
Turning its head, its colossal eye, like a moon hanging in the sky, now lacked its brilliance, a void of darkness capable of swallowing light.
Totemjika stared at the tiny silver-haired youth floating before it. Its six corners instantly pointed at the youth, and from its mouth, filled with sharp teeth, it roared, "How did you get here?"
"How could you possibly have come here?"
"Impossible, absolutely impossible. The passage is severed, and we are now in the deeper reaches of space. Aren't you afraid you won't be able to get out again?"
"Is it a starfish?"
Kouta did not answer Totemjika's question. Instead, he rubbed his chin, examining the six-sided monster before him. "No, starfish have five points."
Shaking his head, he dismissed his own thought while staring at Totemjika.
Observing the six differently colored corners pointing at him, Kouta lowered his hand, tapped his left palm with his right, and then looked up at the massive eyeball staring at him from behind the six corners, smiling. "I know, you're in your six-path form, aren't you?"
He then raised his head, looking at the dazzling, colorful energy pervading the entire world, and continued, "The six colors represent the six desires of the human world, and you have six corners, which should represent the six paths."
"The six paths merged, condensing into this form of yours."
"Am I correct?"
Lowering his head, Kouta once again faced Totemjika.
Totemjika remained silent, merely staring at Kouta.
Seconds ticked by, and the atmosphere between them grew increasingly tense and oppressive.
As Totemjika's emotions surged, the surrounding space began to destabilize.
If the energy surrounding Kouta in Uta's world was a small pond, then here, it was a vast ocean, boundless.
This energy belonged to Totemjika, yet it did not truly belong to it.
For in order to maintain this space and prevent it from being swallowed by spatial currents, this energy could not be fully consumed by it.
But at this moment, Totemjika could no longer afford to be so considerate. After all, in its estimation, the being before it was a god.
Thus, the moment it saw Kouta, Totemjika quickly used another mouth on its other side to begin devouring the energy within this space.
If it couldn't escape, then it had to fight.
It did not wish to vanish, nor did it wish to be sealed away, so it could only fight with all its might.
As the tension between them intensified, Totemjika's rate of energy consumption accelerated.
Kouta made no move. If Totemjika wanted to devour, let it. Even with such immense power, Totemjika couldn't possibly advance.
After all, if it could advance, it would have done so already and left this place. Why would it still be here?
It was for the best. If Kouta had to process the energy of this space himself, it would take considerably longer. By having Totemjika devour it, Kouta would save a significant amount of time.
Why not take advantage of it!