★2
THIRD POV
After a while, the blinding light faded, leaving both figures hovering in the void. Neither had activated defensive skills to bolster their bodies. Asteri's form was battered, smoke rising from cuts and bruises that marred his skin, while Guy remained completely unharmed, his posture calm and unshaken.
"I knew you'd be on your feet."
"So did I."
Suddenly, the kid toppled backwards, landing in the void with a soft thud, sitting upright as if the nothingness beneath him offered some strange support.
"I...I surrender. Not because I lost but..."
He paused for a moment shaking his head. He never expected this to happen so soon.
"…Jokes like this aren't allowed,"
He muttered, a faint scowl crossing his face.
"It's so embarrassing… running out of stamina at a time like this."
The words carried just a hint of childishness, a rare crack in his otherwise unshakable demeanour.
Guy's eyes widened at the unexpected display, and then, he burst into laughter, a deep, resonant sound that echoed through the void. Despite the chaos and the battle, he found it genuinely amusing, as if the boy's rare vulnerability was a novelty worth savouring.
"What? You ran out of stamina. That's hilarious and also embarrassing of course. Your stamina capacity is indeed otherworldly."
He replied sarcastically.
"I did a lot of things, you know. I remodelled the World before firing Hyper Ray. That aside, I gave up all the energy my current state can handle. I could barely hold the Neutron."
Guy continued laughing loudly, the sound echoing through the void, sharp and unrelenting, as if the emptiness itself fed his amusement.
"I didn't ask you to change the structure though."
"Heeeey? You expected this fight to be held in your castle, didn't you?"
"Not really, I know you're strong but I didn't expect this much. I haven't stretched up in a while."
"Well, anyway, I had to create them as I am not ready for any punishment if I destroy Grand Lord's precious Qorld."
"Grand Lord? You mean Veldanava? So you know that dude?"
"You guys can call him that but we won't dare to say his true name. Not even the Ommis can say his name. It's an absolute order from the Supreme Star God so we must abide."
"That strict? Who's the Supreme Star God anyway?"
"Think of it this way. If, and that's a big if, the Divine Great Spirit of Light is a son of the Grand Lord, then the Supreme Star God would naturally be the Grand Lord's grandchild. The Supreme Star God is said to be the first child of the Divine Great Spirit of Light or at least, that's what she told me. But that last part is true. The Star God was the first to emerge from the Holy Spirit."
He paused, gaze distant.
"Oh, I get it..but still too many Divine, Great and Supreme titles."
He teased.
"That's how it is, no one has the power to change that."
After a brief moment of focus, the boy flinched, eyes narrowing.
"I couldn't sense it before... but now I can. It was only a higher structure, yet it's already been obliterated and the damage must've spread even further."
He exhaled, frustration tinging his voice.
"I'll have to clean up this mess."
With that, he let himself fall backwards, arms stretched wide, his gaze fixed on the endless expanse above
"That'll have to wait as I have an excuse for that."
"You can perceive that much? That's amazing. Excuse though? I thought it's your World, who'll blame you?"
"No one. But I don't know if we destroyed other worlds. If yes, I'll be held responsible for not containing all the damage."
"Yeah, that's right."
"I'll have to create the Rose Dimension. It'll help me recover."
He sat down, accumulating energy in his palm.
"Veldanava really did create strong beings. So what will you do now, Asteri? Like where will you go? Oh, transport us back to my castle so we'll talk. That way you won't waste your energy creating dimensions to recover what do you think?"
Guy suggested.
"O..ok."
He absorbed the lingering energy and closed his eyes, and in an instant, they were transported back to the Frozen Continent. With Guy Crimson absent, command of the land had fallen to Rain and Misery.
The two maids stood silently beside the empty throne, anticipation etched into their posture. Moments later, two figures appeared, and the maids immediately rushed to their king, dropping to their knees in solemn reverence.
"Welcome back my Lord."
"It's good to have you back."
Rain and Misery welcomed him respectively.
"Oh, hey guys. Thanks for looking after my Palace while I was away."
"It's nothing much."
"You, what are you doing here?"
After seeing Asteri, Rain asked with clenched teeth, but Guy cut her off.
"Prepare the hall for my friend and me, we have something to discuss."
He commanded.
"As you wish."
They bowed and left.
Asteri materialised his cloak, following Guy into the hall.
The hall's open roof left the frozen interior exposed to the biting air. Frost coated everything, the long table, the chairs, even the floor beneath them.
The two took their seats as the maids served them silently, placing dishes and drinks before their lords. Once the service was complete, the maids stepped back, standing near the door, their eyes alert.
"How long have I been absent, Misery?"
Guy spoke, his tone casual yet carrying weight, while Asteri's gaze remained fixed on the frozen cup in his hand, the crimson liquid within glinting like a shard of light trapped in ice.
"About seven weeks my Lord."
She answered.
"That long? It didn't feel like a day back there."
"We went through different worlds with different transcendence such as time. I'm surprised it was just seven weeks. Time is so fractured in Paradis."
Asteri replied softly, lifting the frozen cup to his lips and taking a careful sip, his eyes never leaving the crimson liquid as if measuring its essence.
"Paradise?"
"Paradise is a spiritual realm. I named my World, Paradis, because it's one of my finest creations."
"Oh, I see. Why is time fractured though?"
Guy asked, intrigued.
"The Worlds in the Star Realm have a lot of transcendence such as time included. So it's natural for us, Stars, to create a similar atmosphere to our individual realities."
"I see, your race is truly fascinating. Please enlighten me more, Asteri, now that I have won."
Asteri set the cup down gently, the frozen red liquid trembling slightly in the glass. He met Guy's gaze with a calm, measured expression, letting the silence stretch for a moment before finally speaking.
"My race… is more resilient than you might imagine. We endure, adapt, and observe long before most even notice our presence. I didn't come to the Cardinal World on a whim, nor did I randomly choose to make my first appearance here.
There is a depth to us that goes beyond mere strength or survival."
He paused, swirling the liquid thoughtfully.
"And yet, winning… or losing, is but a fraction of our story."
He laid down his cup with deliberate care, the frozen liquid settling quietly as if echoing the weight of his words. The faint clink against the frozen table sounded sharper than expected in the stillness of the hall.
"You didn't win. It's fair to call it a draw. But anyway, be specific. What part should I talk to you about?"
"I don't know, maybe everything?"
Guy chuckled.
"Fine. But I need something in return."
"Anything you need buddy?"
"I want to become a Demon Lord like you."
He said, pointing a sharp finger at Guy. For a heartbeat, the hall fell into complete silence. Then, breaking the tension, Guy erupted into laughter, and the two maids struggled to stifle their own giggles, their composure wavering.
"How comical."
"I'm serious."
"I know. Look, it's not easy but I'll help you through. You're an otherworlder I don't know if your race can
be eligible. That's why I want to know more about your kind. How did you know about Demon Lords anyway?"
"I told you. I didn't descend without proper reason."
"You're a sneaky one aren't ya? Well, go on please."
"I'll start with what Stars are and how they are ranked and I'll be as brief as possible.
Basically, Stars are nothing more than the Wills of the Supreme Star God. Nothing but divergent Wills.
We are into different ranks or tiers, call it whatever you want. Here's the list..."
Dwarf: Lowest level of a Star. All newborns Stars and those unable to awaken are grouped here.
Giant: Awaken if a Star masters all Nova Arts or master Mega Art Supreme Gate or Divine Gate of Babylon.
"Ah, Supreme Gate, you used that when we fought, didn't you?"
"Yes. It's an absolute defensive Art. There's literally nothing that can penetrate it. The gates cannot be opened; back then, I used an illusion to fake it and launch my next attack as soon as possible."
"I see. Before you continue, what are Nova Arts and Mega Arts? Explain broadly please."
"Nova Arts are somewhat like skills & abilities techniques used by Stars. They are the basic skills a Star can use at an early stage such as healing, summoning, gravity manipulation and more.
Mega Arts on the other hand are more like an advanced Nova Art but on a different level. With Mega Art, you can manipulate things such as probability, time, space, sealing techniques, summon Divine Weapons, make a pact, create attacks and have negation to all of them and many more. They're hard to learn though."
Red's eyes widened.
"You can do all these with just one Mega Art?"
"No, each one has a different use. For example,
Mega Art Supreme Gate: Impenetrable defence,
Mega Art Chaos Shift: Probability manipulation,
Mega Art Temporal Twist: Manipulate time as a whole, it has a lot of different branches though. And many more Mega Arts out there."
"I see, I see."
"Moving on, we have,"
White Dwarf: Awakens if a Star masters 5 Mega Arts.
Supergod: A Tier achieved when a Star has mastered 50 Mega Arts, possesses the capability to create infinite Superworlds, and has fully mastered the Mega Art Chaos Shift.
"Wait a minute, Superworlds, Hyperworlds?"
"I'll explain later. Lastly, we have,
Hypergod: The peak level of a Star. Awakens when a Star masters all the Mega Arts and can create and destroy the Nest.
Now I'll explain the cosmological structure."
A hologram appeared as he began to explain.
"Hyperworld is a vast, space that contains countless Worlds aptly called Hyperworlds. I didn't name them so don't ask me why.
Each one is governed by a Law, and These Worlds form a strict hierarchy: those with more Laws dominate those with fewer, unless a World wields the Law that transcends all others.
Within each Hyperworld, universes exist, some empty, some teeming with different energy and celestial bodies, like galaxies and planets where Stars live. Yes, just like you all, we have planets and a home to live in.
Certain universes even harbour Nests, which hold Superworlds. Though smaller and bound by the Laws of their containing universe, these Superworlds are not powerless.
Most of them transcend Minor Concepts, and a rare few surpass even time or dimensional restrictions. Like Hyperworlds, Superworlds contain their own universes, though void and raw energy are scarce since few Supergods can manipulate them.
Everywhere, a pattern emerges, a hierarchy of Laws, a cascade of universes, and a delicate balance of power, all interwoven in layers that stretch from the infinite to the infinitesimal."
Not only did Guy capture their attention, but his explanation also held the maids spellbound. As he spoke, the hologram shifted and morphed, reflecting the concepts and details he was describing.
"Apply the same process as before, and the system will be complete. Most habitable regions within the lesser Superworlds possess virtually no transcendence, a result of weaker Stars emerging there. In such environments, even ordinary humans can begin anew and build lives of their own."
"What are these Laws exactly?"
"Think of the Laws as the foundation of all existence realities, the very essence that decides what can or cannot be. They are the invisible rules that shape reality within each Hyperworld's boundaries. A Hypergod, with a single thought, can rewrite that script, erasing or altering everything within reach.
Yet, not every Hyperworld is bound by Law. Some drift in utter disorder, ungoverned and unstable. We call them Chaos Worlds, places where existence collapses upon itself, where even light forgets how to shine. Without a Law to anchor reality, they're impossible to inhabit and deadly to approach.
And then there's the great divide. Supergods, mighty as they are, can't even step onto the lowest planet of a Hyperworld. The air alone would tear their essence apart. They can only descend when invited, a rule written deeper than any Law."
(Order.)
"So yes, it's entirely possible that a hundred-year-old Dwarf or Giant born within a Hyperworld could stand against a Supergod. Such is the gulf between the two realms… and their gods."
"Are you done?"
Guy asked.
(Unfortunately, Guy isn't a fan of complex lectures. Are you? ._. Lol, I had to break it further. The original version cannot be easily digested xd)
"Yeah."
"How do you know all these?"
"Basic knowledge all Stars possess. As for me, my Lady told me."
"Lady keh? It's getting even worse up there.
Did you use all of it in that fight cause I sense you were holding back?"
He quickly changed the topic so as not to receive a lecture from Mr Asteri. (LOL.)
"So you've noticed it. I sensed it too. You were also holding back."
"Answer my question please."
"The answer is yes and no."
"Huh?"
"I'd say yes if I were using my True Body but I can't right now. I'd say no, too, because the Cardinal World forbids me from using all of my powers; even though we fought in my World, my sealed powers cannot be used."
"Yep, it's true the Cardinal World is restraining people's maximum power. Whatever I can do in the Underworld I can't do here. I could, but it would not be comparable. I am surprised that this isn't your true body."
"Yeah."
Asteri nods.
"Where is it? Back in your World?"
"No, I hid it somewhere beyond reach."
"What? How's that possible?"
"Well, it is."
"Why did you hide it though?"
A question laced with curiosity.
"I don't know. I felt like I wanted to use half of my powers to find someone worthy of challenging me."
"Did you?"
"I guess."
"Half? So you are currently using 50% of your true powers?"
Guy kept sending missiles packed with questions.
"No. I concealed 50% of my power along with my True Body and entered this World with the remaining half. However, upon arrival, I gradually felt my strength diminishing. Before I realised it, only 30% remained, and with 10% suppressed by this World itself, I'm currently operating at merely 20%."
Red was stunned, unable to believe what he had just heard. He shot up from his seat and exclaimed,
"What!? You mean all those devastating attacks were just 20% of your power?"
Asteri, who had been standing, calmly sat back down.
"I wouldn't put it that way."
He replied evenly.
"When our fight began, yes, I was only using 20%. But remember, when I unleashed my aura twice where we clashed?"
Red calmly sat down.
"Yeah."
"Well, the first time, I borrowed 20% from the Antares in hiding, bringing it up to 40%."
Asteri explained calmly.
"The second time right after you used Calamity Claw, I added another 15%, making it 55%. And finally, before we launched our final attacks, I increased it by another 10%, reaching 65%."
He leaned back slightly.
"In total, I used 65% of my energy in that fight."
"Hmm, I see but how can you do that when 50% is sealed?"
"I can access that anytime I want as long as I'm not taking it all. If I want it all then I'll have to go there myself. Plus, in this World, I can only use that 20%, I can't access the 50% I sealed."
"Ok. You really are extraordinary."
"Tell me about your Skills. I want to know more about those Ultimate Skills, like you took on a Pulsar Ray head-on and were unscathed."
"I survived that thanks to the Ultimate Skill Lord of Patience Gabriel. By combining Fixation, an unparalleled defensive barrier which is a sub skill under Gabriel plus anti-shock area, a barrier that reduces 99% of physical damage within its radius."
"So that's how Ultimate Skills work. They have sub skills and can be combined with another skill to make a string combo. Noted."
"Alright, I'll make this simple."
He said.
"Skills in this World are abilities born from growth, instinct, or inheritance, proof of what you've achieved or what you were born to be. They come in all shapes, but most fall into a few broad types."
Intrinsic Skills come from what you are, species, bloodline, or personal evolution.
Common Skills are easy to gain, weak in combat, and barely flexible.
Extra Skills are stronger, the kind you earn through effort.
Resist Skills aren't really skills at all, they're defences, like your Mega Art Phylax, allowing you to withstand magic or physical damage.
Unique Skills are special, born from a powerful desire or emotion. No two are ever the same, even if they share a name.
And then there are Ultimate Skills, the strongest of them all. Some can rewrite the very laws of the world, existing far beyond magic.
He leaned back.
"So yeah, you could say Skills are the language of existence itself. But only the wise, or the insane ever learn to speak it fluently."
(You're welcome. I just explained Tensura Skills for you all.)
"So I was correct, Mega Arts can rival Ultimate skills."
"Yep."
"Tell me about your Ultimate Skills. Like some of the attacks you used."
"Well ok. Let's start with.
Void Flare. Beneath the Underworld lies a fragment of true void. Only those strong enough can draw its power, anyone weaker is simply erased before they even touch it. Let's say you manage to do so, in its presence, I'd doubt all the Primordials can handle it individually."
"Primordial?"
"First-generation Demons or Demons separated from the Holy Spirit of Darkness. I am the oldest among the Primordials."
"Where are the others?"
"Probably in the Underworld. I don't really care about them though."
He said casually.
"We're classified by our hair colours, just like mine, or those two."
He gestured toward the maids.
"They're Primordials too?"
"Yeah."
He replied.
"Anyway, void flare burns through everything in its path. That's why your cute little weapon shop didn't stand a chance."
He tilted his head slightly, smirking. "What was that, anyway?"
"Mega Art: Divine Gates of Babylon. Countless divine weapons created by the Stars. Useless, you thought? You forgot Claíomh Solais sliced through the void flare and purified it."
"Didn't expect that to work."
Guy admitted.
"No darkness survives its light. Shame I couldn't hold it long."
"You need more practice and control. I'm sure the more you use it the longer you keep it."
He cracked his neck.
"I know. But summoning the Sword of Light is a problem on its own. That mist earlier. You almost had me with it."
"It wasn't anything fancy. Just something to force you to stop attacking. Clever trick."
"And those claws that nearly killed me, Calamity Claw, was it?"
"Yeah. I created that. Void energy, laced with death viruses. Nullification is useless. Even gods rot from that."
"Impressive. I had to use Reverse Fate to survive that one."
"Figures. Your black and white holes nearly tore reality apart. If I were a second less, I'd be ripped apart."
"Didn't think you'd survive the ring collision. Guess even galaxy-busters aren't enough."
"Not against me."
"What about Hellish Catastrophe? That eye, what was it?"
"That's just my unique demon magic's strongest attack. That eye is a combination of nihil energy and dark magic, those magic circles are there to contain it while back in the portal those hands are like chains. I also imbued some of my attacks. I thought it wouldn't be possible but it actually worked.
"Hyper Ray is also my self-created Art. Summoning a Neutron and filling it with my attacks, touching it is beyond deadly but that won't activate the explosion. It's a two-stage attack which is the only flaw it has."
"So these two attacks destroyed a Hyperworld."
"I only said it was a higher structure. In reality, it's a universe in a Hyperworld. Not the same structure but same attributes."
"Now that I've heard about you. Is there anything more to say?"
"They are but not personally."
"Well, we'll discuss that later for now, are you sure you want to become a Demon Lord?"
Guy asked with a serious expression.
"I have no second thoughts"
"Well, I can't change your mind but you'll make a better Hero than a Demon Lord."
"Hero?"
"Yep. They are humans who rival Demon Lords."
"What a joke. Human to rival someone like you."
"Yep, it's true. But this generation doesn't have any. The first Hero came to my castle and challenged me just like you did and guess what?"
"What?"
"The fight ended in a draw. For some reason, I thought you were his reincarnation or something but you displayed skills he couldn't do."
"It's still interesting to know that humans are strong in this World."
"Not all though. That guy was special, he was trained by Veldanava himself to rival me so I'd expect nothing less."
Asteri's eyes widen.
"Impossible, trained by the Grand Lord himself? I'm so jealous."
"Hahaha, you must be. You seem too surprised, doesn't he visit Star Realm?"
"Recently, no. I doubt even the A Class have seen him. M class is literally unlucky."
"I don't know if I should tell you this but Veldanava is..."
"Dead, huh? Yeah, we know."
He said, his tone sharpening with a hint of unease. "But don't you think it's strange the World hasn't ended yet? I mean, by now the Supreme Star God should've ordered its destruction… but it hasn't."
"Yeah I know, as the grandchild of Veldanava he's permitted to take action. What do you think happened?"
"To be honest, I don't know. Maybe the Grand Lord prohibits it from doing so."
"Yeah, that's what I thought."
"Anyway, tell me more about Heroes and how to become one."
"Well, unlike Demon Lords, to be a True Hero one must have the Hero's Seed which you don't have."
"Hero Seed?"
"Similar to Demon Lord Seed, it makes one eligible to become a True Hero."
"I doubt I have any of that. I just got here."
"Yes, you don't have any seed. So you can't be Demon Lord or Hero... but."
He paused purposely.
"I'm listening."
"The Demon Lord is just a status I create in this World to play games."
"What games?"
"Only a few know this but I'll tell you. Me and Rudra, the First Hero, had been fighting but the results were still the same, draws after draws so we decided to play a game. We'll fight only with our pawns to win no confrontation between us."
"Funny so all the Demon Lords are your pawns in this game?"
"Correct, and Rudra has all the Heroes and others to fight for him."
"I suppose this game is still in play?"
"Yes. So to be a Demon Lord doesn't really matter, we have a fairy, demonoid, angel, giant and many more who are Demon Lords."
His expression changed for a bit.
"Angels? Feldway?"
"You know the brat?"
"He's the few I'd lose to if we ever fought."
"Hmm, don't jump to conclusions, you're more than capable."
Guy said, offering support.
"You don't get it,"
Asteri countered, his tone lowering.
"Feldway was separated directly from the Great Spirit of Light… just like the Supreme Star God."
"Indeed the Seraphim were separated from the Light Spirit and we, Primordial Demons are from the Spirit of Darkness. So we are like your natural counterpart."
"Not actually but yeah. So, if it isn't Feldway, who is it?"
"Some dude named Dino."
"I don't know him."
"Keep that brat aside. There's a chance you could awaken as a True Demon Lord. But I don't think you're capable."
"What's that I can't do?"
"You'll need ten thousand human souls. So, are you ready to massacre a whole lot of people for your own desire?"
"Don't get the wrong idea, Red. Stars don't have feelings. That won't be the issue. The real problem is I'm against meaningless fights, much less slaughtering innocents."
"Yep. That's what I thought. I can see you barely give a second thought to anything beyond that neutral, blank face."
Asteri's eyes narrowed.
"How did you get through killing innocent lives?"
"Same as you. As a Demon, a Primordial one for that matter we're devoid of emotions too. Demons generally find this a weakness.
One day, I was summoned to the Cardinal World by some fool who thought he could command me."
Guy began, his tone laced with dry amusement.
"He wanted me to destroy a few nations. I did. But as a Demon who despises humans, I went ahead and wiped out his nation as well."
Asteri stayed silent, listening as Guy's grin widened.
"I got more than enough souls to evolve that day… and while I was at it, I named these two, my fellow Primordials."
He gestured casually toward Rain and Misery, who stood behind him in silence, their presence alone echoing the weight of ancient carnage.
"I'm curious how you recruited them."
"For Demons, defeat means servitude. I don't need to explain the rest do I?"
"No. Just like you, if my time comes, I'll find a way and evolve too. A Primordial with nihilism...it's dangerous."
<
Entares spoke.
"Yeah, If not handled properly, it might kill the user. So tell me, Asteri…"
Guy said with a half-smile, spreading his palms like a scale, one hand glowing faintly white, the other pulsing with red.
He tilted his head, eyes narrowing with sharp curiosity.
"A Hero… or a Demon Lord?"
The hall fell silent again, the question hanging heavy in the air, less a challenge, more a judgment of what kind of existence Asteri would choose to become.
To be continued...