In an isolated space where two beings thought they had utter and complete privacy.

"The Animus Universe is the last fulcrum we need to have the Slaughter Star Monolith fully anchored, and it is close to completion too...we cannot let it be jeopardized!"

The new Hegemony with a glimmering white horn on his head spoke as my consciousness and soul delved into Ambrose.

The ability of Protagonist's Bookmark was truly something else, where even the consciousness of experts that had long since began collecting Marks of Antiquity saw nothing wrong as they continued their conversation!

"I know. If the Great Sages within the Monolith cannot take care of him, I will draw him out with the massacre of the creatures he wants to protect so dearly."

…!

Ambrose had a ruthless expression when he said this, my mood becoming colder as I dug into his consciousness and soul looking for what I wanted.

The origin and soul of a Hegemony was extremely unique, finding the huge portions that represented the Daos this being accumulated over the years was not hard! Inside Ambrose, there were three Clusters of Dao Essence that shone with a terrifying might, two of them being Cosmic Daos, while the third was the Grand Dao of Slaughter that was rising up to nearly become the same size as a Cosmic Dao.

My aim was of course the Dao that palpated with black and red color- the Cosmic Dao of Annihilation that this being worked so hard to achieve and comprehend!

Let me just take that for myself!

THRUM!

The one minute timer for Protagonist's Bookmark began counting down as the horned Hegemony replied to Ambrose.

"For him to give you this much trouble already, he must be destined to become at least a Paragon if not an influential Hegemony of this Cosmos. Be ready with the expectation that you might continue to fail…"

RUMBLE

"...yes. After all, the Fortunes of a Cosmos are absolute! If his Universal Fortune is that important...I won't let it jeopardize the completion of the last Fulcrum in the Animus Universe. The best possible scenario is for us to carry out The Universal Amalgamation with the Monolith fully anchored to the Animus Universe, but we can always start without it."

Ambrose's face was shining with a brilliant light as he spoke, my mind half divided to their topic of discussion while also reveling in the absorption of a new type of essence!

As a Cosmic Dao, Annihilation was a tier below Ruination- but it was still something of great importance! The full 1 minute of the Bookmark was required as a portion of my soul had already began to condense a brilliantly shining cluster of light that would represent the comprehension of a Cosmic Dao.

"We will cause gaps if we do not anchor the Universal Construct to all targeted Universes fully...that would be antithetical to our goals! We might even draw the attention of the Oathkeeper and the other fools with him…"

Ambrose listened carefully to the words of the other Hegemony, his hands plucking the strings of destiny around him as he spoke mysteriously!

"I have a plan to take the eyes of the Oathkeeper and others when the time is ready. I'll occupy them with a Blood Feud that hasn't occurred for over 2 million years now!"

BZZZT!

A shocking amount of information continued to be released from the conversation of two Hegemonies, but the timer on Protagonist's Bookmark had finished as my soul was pulled out from Ambrose and began to rush back towards my main body.

The time for me to utilize the Bookmark was truly perfect as Destiny foretold, but the duration of it was too little as even though I gleaned a shocking amount of information that stunk of conspiracy and hidden conflicts between Hegemonies...it still wasn't enough!

WAA!

But this wasn't the most important thing right now.

At this moment, it was the vibrating ball of light that was returning with the portion of my soul that represented a Cosmic Dao!

It moved countless light years and arrived back into my main body, with my soul welcoming it with excitement as the comprehension of a Cosmic Dao began!

BZZZT!

The Origin that held a vast amount of Galaxies trembled.

The Ruination Essence floating within and in the depths of the half a million Dao Galaxies still reigned Supreme, but another Cosmic Essence began to bloom at the center of the Origin!

Others had to be extremely lucky or be born as unique existences like the Universal Emperor Slime, with Paragond having a slim chance of obtaining small Comprehensions in a Cosmic Dao as only Hegemonies had lived long enough to be able to study them.

Yet I...I would just need to meet any Hegemonies or Paragons that comprehended a Cosmic Dao, and I can then add it to my long list of Daos every month after the cooldown of Protagonist's Bookmark!

How grand!

How fair!

How balanced!

RUMBLE

The new Essence within was birthed successfully, feeling my strength elevated to another level as the sheer fact of holding the essence of two Cosmic Daos made every cell within my body bubble in excitement.

In the Stat Panel, information was added as a new Cosmic Dao appeared- along with the percentage of 25%!

In but a moment and I successfully comprehended one fourth of a Cosmic Dao. I would boast about my genius if it wasn't all due to the ridiculous capabilities of the Protagonist's Bookmark that was even applicable to Universal Hegemonies and Cosmic Daos...

Even more information freely flowed into my brain on the cultivation of Annihilation, as well as a skill tree blooming as it was sorted out and displayed to me in but a moment!

GALACTIC FILAMENT [Bearer of Annihilation] :: To reduce entirely and completely, even to the point of erasing its existence- that is the essence of Annihilation. The Bearer of Annihilation is a skill tree focused on the extremes of annihilation, with mainly offensive skills worthy of a Cosmic Dao. Abilities include [Chains of Annihilation](5/5), [Galactic Devastation](5/5), [Destroyer](5/5), and [Apocalypse](5/5).

"Ah…"

A devilish smile bloomed on my face at the sight of such grand sounding skill names that came from the Hegemony of Slaughter!