Within the Quantum Realm

The Quantum Ruler taps his finger on his throne as his son, the Quantum Architect, stands off to the side within his throne room. With both of them watching similar screens in front of them showing the events within the Tier 5 dungeon. But the moment Crystal Nightshade leaves the dungeon, a flash of light shines throughout the quantum realm.

One that sends a chill down the spine of the Quantum Architect, and makes the Quantum Ruler narrow his eyes a little.

So it's finally time.

Without hesitating even a second, the Quantum Ruler snaps his fingers, bringing the last devourer straight to his throne room from wherever she currently is inside of the quantum realm. And when she arrives, she doesn't even look surprised.

Most likely because she felt the same thing they did.

An order from the universe itself.

The woman slowly walks further into the throne room before stopping at the very center of the room. Then she lets out a sigh and puts her hands on her hips.

"You knew this was a possibility ever since you killed the previous Architect and escaped punishment," the Quantum Ruler declares while still tapping his throne. Meanwhile his son just silently watches the woman without much interest on his face.

He probably doesn't care about this one way or another because of who she is.

The Ruler glances between the two before focusing on a small glitching purple orb that appears in front of the devourer.

"Take this orb and the universe will officially recognize you as the Successor to the Quantum Architect, ending any mention of punishment from here on out," the Ruler declares as he patiently watches from his throne. "This orb will partially shift you into a quantum being while keeping your powers as a devourer and granting you the seed of the Quantum Architect's True Form."

The devourer glances between the orb and him a few times before focusing on him and asking, "There was something that I wanted to ask before I accept this."

"Go ahead," the Quantum Ruler declares, deciding to be at least accommodating to the mother of his granddaughter and the latest addition to the Successors.

"It's about my daughter," the devourer states before narrowing her eyes a little, "there was another requirement to becoming the Quantum Reaper, wasn't there? One that neither of you have told her about."

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

Her question surprises the Quantum Ruler so much that he stops tapping the armrest on his throne. Meanwhile his son looks just as surprised, except his is riddled with confusion.

An expression that clearly displays how little his son knows about the Quantum Reaper.

"Your reaction tells me my guess was correct," the devourer states with a faint grin spreading across her face. "And the reason I didn't qualify to become a Quantum Reaper despite fulfilling this hidden requirement as well was because…?"

The Ruler narrows his eyes at the woman for a few seconds before leaning his cheek against his fist with his elbow on the armrest as he answers, "It is because you were already a devourer before slaying a quantum being."

"I thought so," Crystal says, her grin growing even wider now that she's got her confirmation.

She may make a skilled Quantum Architect after all… considering how much knowledge she already has of the quantum realm and quantum beings even before becoming a Successor. And she can clearly tell what all is in that orb judging by the way she's looking at it.

A few seconds pass as the Quantum Ruler watches Crystal stare at the orb before the woman closes her eyes and raises a hand over it. Then a wave of black mist shoots out to envelop the orb for a moment. At which point the Ruler realizes exactly what she's doing.

She's devouring the parts of the orb that she wishes to keep and leaving behind the parts of it that come with restrictions.

She's smart as well.

And once she's finished, the black mist returns to her body, leaving behind the tiny specks of light remaining of the orb. Specks that soon fade away into the universe itself.

Meanwhile the devourer's hair begins to change color, gaining hints of purple in it to officially mark her as the Successor of the Quantum Architect.

A role long since overdue.

One that would genuinely have belonged to a Successor chosen by his son if it weren't for his son's bad luck with his choice. After all, the actual reason why the Ruler's granddaughter wasn't chosen by the universe to become a Quantum Architect and was instead made into the Quantum Reaper has nothing to do with her personality.

Although that does play a part in it. Albeit a minor one.

The Ruler glances at his son, who doesn't even know himself why his original plan failed. Then he turns his gaze back to the devourer that is currently opening a portal and leaving his throne room.

A mother who is smart enough to force and trick the universe itself into letting her do as she pleases.

He glances at the screen in front of him.

And a daughter who managed to worm her way into a nearly impossible role to fill through sheer accident and without a choice of her own.

The Ruler feels a grin spreading across his face as he thinks about the changes that will arrive within the universe soon enough.

Changes so great they will shock everyone. Whether they're a Quantum Being, a mortal, or even the Quantum Ruler's own brother. The Corrupted One.

And it will all start when his granddaughter reaches Ascendant Tier.

When she learns the truth of her blood.

The blood of the devourers.

I just hope she doesn't cause too much damage. But at least it'll be her own mother's responsibility to fix the damage if she does cause it. Along with my son.

The Ruler glances back at his son in question for a moment before lightly shaking his head with a faint look of disappointment on his face.

It's too bad that the devourer is already married. It would've been interesting to set her up with my son.

The thought leaves his head just as quickly as it had arrived as the Ruler returns to his work.