[Nothing comes from nothingness, host. Nothing. Fear not the world you stand in now cannot strip those powers from you.. Since these aren't from here. No one can. But understand clearly: your strength, too, is borrowed. Controlled, yes, but not born of your own self.]

Razeal sat still, eyes closed, letting the words sink into him. A long silence stretched between him and the voice in his head, only the whisper of waves filling the space.

Finally, his lips parted slightly. I see… he murmured in thought. So that is the difference. That's what makes me different from others, haaa…

He leaned back slightly in his chair, the faintest smirk tugging at his lips. Yet even as clarity formed, another question pressed against his mind, sharp and insistent.

What about gods then? he asked, his tone almost testing. Do they come under this law as well? Are they not supposed to be supreme? All-powerful? Beyond mortals?

The system did not hesitate.

[Yes. They, too, fall under the same law.]

Razeal's eyes opened, a flicker of intrigue dancing in their depths.

[The strength of any being weak or mighty is determined by one thing: how much of the universe they can lend from, how much influence they hold over its laws. Gods are no exception. They are beings who have grasped primordial truths, fundamental laws that underpin existence itself. Their power is immense not because it is theirs, but because they wield what few others can.]

The system's tone shifted, each word heavy, almost reverent.

[The God of Lightning does not create lightningbhe embodies it, resonates with the primordial law of thunder itself. The God of Light does not birth radiance he has become its vessel. And Riven, the God of Balance… his strength lies in his dominion over the very law of equilibrium, one of the rarest and most absolute of the primordial forces.]

Razeal's heart gave a faint stir. For a brief moment, curiosity overcame the calm mask he wore.

So even gods… are just borrowers.

His interest sharpened further, like a blade honed on a whetstone. Then what rank does Riven come under? Is he truly stronger than that Empress? The question had haunted him for a long time. Now he wanted an answer.

The system replied steadily, almost as though it had anticipated the question all along.

[Yes. He is stronger.]

Razeal's eyes narrowed.

[You must remember what I said, host. Once you pass SS-rank, the scale of strength shifts. The differences between levels grow vast, immeasurable. The words "beginner, intermediate, and peak" begin to carry a meaning more immense than you can yet comprehend.]

The voice carried on, patient and precise:

[From S+ rank you climb to SS. But SS itself divides. At the start, there are Saints. Above them, Saint Kings. At the peak, Great Saints. Each step is a chasm compared to the last.]

[Then comes SSS-rank. The first level is called Supreme. These are beings who can bend laws with their presence alone, who wield vast influence over reality. Beyond that lies Emperor-rank, the true SSS. That title belongs to Nerissa, the Empress the current strongest being in this world. She sits at its summit. Your mother, Merisa Virelan, hovers between Supreme and Emperor… a pseudo-Empress, you could call her. But still far from true divinity.]

The words struck sharply, though Razeal's expression remained unreadable.

[And then, beyond Emperors… lies SSS+. The rank of Cosmic Lords.]

The system's tone deepened, almost reverent.

[That is where Riven stands. That is where the primordial gods stand. The rare, terrible beings who have become masters of the primordial laws themselves.]

Silence followed, heavy and absolute.

Razeal sat with his arms folded, his gaze lowered, eyes unfocused as the sea's endless horizon blurred before him. He had listened thoroughly to the system's explanation, letting each word carve into his thoughts. The more he processed, the heavier it became.

Now that he thought about it, the truth struck him in a way he couldn't easily ignore.

I really am nothing…

For all his arrogance, for all his confidence in surviving battles and brushing shoulders with S-ranked fighters in system space, in the end he was just a speck. He thought no, he believed he could stand toe-to-toe with the strong, maybe even survive for a while against S-ranked beings. But now he understood that there were vast steps beyond that, ranks that stretched into terrifying distances above him.

The gap wasn't small. It was like comparing the faint flicker of a candle to the burning radiance of a sun. He had never realized how wide the difference truly was.

So that's why Nova… His thoughts shifted sharply, his brows furrowing. That's why she could crush those SS-ranked spirits as if they were nothing, even though she was technically at the same rank. The difference wasn't in rank ..it was within it. She must've been a Saint King… while they were only basic Saints.

Razeal let out a small, almost inaudible breath. It explained everything. How fragile his understanding of strength truly was. How shallow his own accomplishments still stood.

Still, despite the weight of realization, his curiosity sharpened again. There was always another question with him, always a hunger for more answers, more understanding.

So… Riven is one of the strongest beings in the world, haaa? Razeal asked finally in his mind, his voice calm, but carrying the underlying hope that the system would give him more than just confirmation. He wasn't simply making a statement; he was probing, searching for cracks in the truth.

The system's voice echoed steadily, unshaken.

[He is. But understand, host… he is not like the Empress and the others who wield their power with freedom and indulgence. A Cosmic Lord, a god ..they do not simply hold strength or tittle. They are bound to it.]

Razeal's eyes narrowed faintly.

[Remember this well. To reach SSS+ rank Cosmic Lord.. it is not just a title of strength. It is a responsibility, one that binds itself to the being whether they desire it or not. The law they resonate with does not merely grant them power. It shackles them with duty.]

The system's voice grew quieter, heavier, almost as if carrying the echo of truth too vast for human mouths.

[That is why Riven does not enjoy freedom. He is chained to balance itself. His law is Balance, and he cannot abandon it. His life, his will, his very existence now serves it. Every moment of his eternity, he is its guardian, its arbiter. That is the cost of his unimaginable strength.]

Razeal's gaze sharpened as he listened, his thoughts turning. So strength… comes at the price of freedom.

The system continued:

[At that stage, host, one becomes a true immortal. Their age ceases to matter. They no longer decay, nor die. Their existence becomes tied to the law they embody so until that exists they reamins. Unless that law itself is shattered, or the universe itself collapses, they cannot be ended. That is the essence of a Cosmic Lord.]

A flicker of light passed through Razeal's eyes interest, challenge, a dangerous gleam of amusement.

What about replacement? he asked after a long silence. His voice in his mind was calm but edged, like a blade being tested on stone. If someone else surpasses them.. if someone else becomes strong enough to take the law for themselves then the old one can be killed, right?

The system did not hesitate.

[Yes. That can be done. A law is not eternal to its bearer. If another rises and proves stronger capable of embodying and shouldering the responsibility.. then the seat can be replaced. But…]

The pause lingered, cold and absolute.

[Do you think they will allow you to?]

Razeal's eyes narrowed dangerously.

[Remember what was told to you before.. by the old man who gave you Flow Dao. To reach SSS+ rank, the path must be your own. Power and skills learnt from others cannot bring you there. A half-finished road will collapse. You can only ascend if the law you embody is truly yours. If you fail… the one already seated on the throne will erase you long before you draw near.]

Razeal didn't answer immediately. He let the words churn inside him, each one heavy. His silence stretched long, his breathing slow, as if he were weighing every possibility, every thought.

Finally, he whispered in his mind: Hmmm…

The information dug into him. Not discouraging him.. never that. It only sharpened his hunger further, made him want more.

Then, after a long pause, he asked another question. I can still come to that rank easily, right?

His lips curled slightly at the corner. I already have two Daos. Two primordial laws. If I train enough, master them… then I will reach that level. And this universe doesn't have anyone occupying those thrones. The path is open. It's mine to claim.

The system's reply came slowly, almost reluctantly.

[I do not know. I will not say it is impossible. But remember this, host: both of these Daos are… dangerous. More dangerous than you understand.]

Razeal's gaze deepened, but he said nothing.

[The ones who pursued them before you, those who tried to reach the end of these paths ..they were destroyed by them. Not because of enemies, but because the Daos themselves devoured them. They reached a point where understanding them was no longer possible. The law demanded more than their existence could bear.]

The system's tone sharpened, carrying the weight of warning.

[Killing Dao do you know what it asks of you? To reach its peak, you cannot simply wield it. You must become it. You must be killing incarnate, until your entire being embodies slaughter. That is the price for mastery. And Flow Dao… its burden is no lighter. To reach the end of its current, your body would need to become indistinguishable from the universe itself, flowing with every particle, every star, every tide of existence.. Even flow of fate and time. Do you truly understand the strain that would place on mortal flesh?]

Silence.

The waves crashed gently against the ship, the only sound in the long pause that followed.

Razeal leaned back slowly, his expression unreadable. He didn't answer. Not yet. He let the warnings sink in, let the weight of them coil in his chest.

But beneath his calm surface, something else stirred. Not fear. Not hesitation. Something darker, sharper, and more relentless.

Ambition.

Razeal wasn't the kind of man to stay buried in heaviness for long. He let out a small breath, shaking his head as if to push the oppressive weight aside.

Don't worry, he told himself. I'll find a way for it. Even if not, there are other paths. Always other paths.

He refused to chain himself to despair. If one road was blocked, he would carve another.

Still, curiosity tugged at him. His eyes narrowed as a new thought surfaced.

Ohh, also… what about those Ex-ranked villains? he asked within his mind, his tone shifting into one of sharp interest. Do they also use the universe's powers? Do they master laws like the gods and cosmic lords?

The system's reply came slowly, but with weight that made Razeal straighten a little.

[Those entities… are beyond comprehension. They are not merely masters of laws, host. They exist far above them. For gods, the laws are chainsbresponsibilities, burdens that tie them to their strength. But for Ex-ranked villains? Laws are like slaves. They do not bow to laws; laws bow to them.]

The words dropped like thunder in his head.

[The difference is vast so vast you cannot yet understand it. Words will fail to explain. Only if you one day experience their presence will you grasp what "above laws" truly means. Imagine this: where you and others must bend, cultivate, or master techniques to touch reality… those beings need nothing. The universe itself obeys their will. Reality reshapes itself because they exist.]

A faint scowl flickered across Razeal's face, but not from fear rather, from irritation.

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