The Omnipotent System

Chapter 279: The Man Wearing His Face

The light slowly faded.

Kieran blinked once.

Then twice.

The figure standing a few meters away finally became clear.

Arianna froze.

Kieran froze too.

Because the person standing there...

Was him.

The same black hair.

The same face.

The same height.

Even the same scar near his jaw.

It was identical.

Except...

His eyes.

They were wrong.

They looked old.

Not physically old.

Just... tired.

Like someone who had seen too much.

The man shoved both hands inside his pockets and looked around.

Then he clicked his tongue.

"Tch."

He looked at Kieran.

Then at Arianna.

Then sighed.

"I see he gave you the Core."

Kieran narrowed his eyes immediately.

The stranger nodded.

"Good."

He stretched his neck.

"I’m here to take it."

Silence.

Arianna was the first to speak.

"...Who are you?"

The man looked at her.

Then laughed.

Not a crazy laugh.

Just amused.

"You really don’t know?"

She frowned.

"And why are you wearing his face?"

The man looked at Kieran.

Then looked down at himself.

"Oh."

He chuckled.

"Right."

He shrugged.

"I’m Kieran."

Arianna’s eyes narrowed immediately.

"No, you’re not."

The man pointed at himself.

"I am."

Then he pointed at Kieran.

"And so is he."

Kieran took a step forward.

"I’m not buying that."

The other Kieran sighed.

"Of course you’re not."

He rubbed his forehead.

"Every version of me says that."

Arianna blinked.

"Version?"

He nodded.

"Different universes."

Then he sighed again.

"God, this conversation is always annoying."

Kieran stared at him.

"You’re from another universe."

"Yep."

"And you need the Core."

"Yep."

"And you expect me to hand it over."

"Yep."

Kieran crossed his arms.

"No."

The man stared at him for two seconds.

Then he nodded.

"Fair."

He looked around.

"Didn’t expect it to be that easy anyway."

Arianna stepped closer to Kieran.

"Who are you really?"

The man smiled.

"I told you."

"No," she said.

"You didn’t."

"You said you’re Kieran."

He nodded.

"Because I am."

"Then prove it."

The man sighed loudly.

"I don’t have time for this."

He scratched his cheek.

"Look..."

He pointed at himself.

"My universe is dying."

He pointed at Kieran.

"Your universe is alive."

He pointed upward.

"The Core can save mine."

Then he shrugged.

"So I’m here to take it."

Kieran shook his head.

"That’s not an answer."

"It is."

"No."

The man sighed.

"You’re painfully stubborn."

"And you’re painfully suspicious."

Kieran answered immediately.

The other Kieran laughed.

Then nodded.

"Okay."

"That one was good."

He looked around.

Then looked back at them.

"You two are painfully weak."

Arianna frowned instantly.

"Excuse me?"

He held up a hand.

"No offense."

"Actually..."

He thought about it.

"Yeah, offense."

He pointed around them.

"This place."

"This universe."

"This entire timeline."

"Weak."

Kieran frowned.

"Watch your mouth."

The man laughed.

"There it is."

"The hero attitude."

He shook his head.

"Every version of me has that."

Kieran stared at him.

"What happened to your world?"

The man became quiet for a moment.

Then he sighed.

"I can’t go into details."

"Why not?"

"Because it’ll fry your brain."

Kieran frowned.

"I’m serious."

"So am I."

He shrugged.

"If I explain it, you’ll spend the next ten years trying to understand it."

"And by then..."

"My universe dies."

He looked at Kieran.

"So let’s skip the bullshit."

"I need the Core."

"Give it to me."

"And I’ll leave."

Simple.

Straightforward.

Kieran shook his head.

"No."

The man sighed immediately.

"Of course."

"Of course."

He looked upward.

"Why are all of us like this?"

Arianna crossed her arms.

"Because we’re not idiots."

The man smiled.

"No."

"You’re idiots."

"Good idiots."

"But still idiots."

Kieran took another step.

"What exactly are you trying to do with it?"

The man looked at him.

His expression changed a little.

More serious now.

"Save my universe."

"How?"

He shrugged.

"I’ll restart it."

Arianna froze.

"What?"

He looked at her.

"Restart it."

"You can’t restart a universe."

He laughed.

"You say that because you’re from here."

Then he pointed at Kieran.

"He probably says that too."

Kieran stared at him.

"You’ll kill billions."

The man shrugged.

"They’re already dead."

"..."

"..."

Silence.

Then he continued.

"I’m just putting everything back together."

Kieran’s eyes narrowed.

"At the cost of this universe?"

The man didn’t answer immediately.

That was answer enough.

Arianna’s face changed.

"No."

The man sighed.

"See?"

"That’s the problem."

He walked around them slowly.

"I’m trying to save my world."

"You’re trying to save yours."

He stopped.

"Nobody is wrong."

Then he smiled.

"But only one universe gets to survive."

Kieran’s jaw tightened.

"I’m not giving you anything."

The man nodded.

"I figured."

Then he pointed at him.

"But I wasn’t asking."

The black crown on Kieran’s wrist suddenly glowed.

Arianna immediately stepped back.

The other Kieran looked at it.

Then smiled.

"Yep."

"He definitely gave it to you."

Kieran’s eyes narrowed.

"Why are you smiling?"

The man laughed softly.

"Because now I understand."

"Understand what?"

He looked at Kieran.

"He chose you."

Arianna frowned.

"He?"

"Adams."

Kieran froze.

"You know him."

The man laughed.

"Know him?"

He shook his head.

"That’s cute."

Then his smile disappeared.

"I’ve met him."

Both of them stayed silent.

The man continued.

"Twice."

Arianna swallowed.

"And?"

The man shrugged.

"Lost both times."

Kieran frowned.

"Then how are you alive?"

The man smiled.

"He let me."

Silence.

Then he laughed.

"Funny, right?"

"He does that."

"He likes collecting interesting people."

Kieran stared at him.

"Why did he let you live?"

The man’s smile slowly disappeared.

"I asked him the same question."

He looked away.

"And he said..."

He paused.

Then looked back.

"’Because watching you fail is entertaining.’"

Arianna went quiet.

Kieran clenched his fists.

The man sighed.

"That’s Adams."

"That’s always Adams."

He looked at Kieran.

"So trust me when I say..."

"If you’re still alive..."

"It’s because he wants you alive."

Kieran spoke quietly.

"I know."

The man nodded.

"Good."

Then he stretched.

"Now let’s move on."

"The Core."

"Hand it over."

"No."

The answer came instantly.

The man sighed.

Again.

Then he rubbed his forehead.

"Man."

"We really are the same person."

Kieran frowned.

"We’re nothing alike."

The stranger smiled.

"No."

"We are."

"That’s why this is annoying."

He pointed at Kieran.

"If I was standing where you are..."

"I’d say no too."

Then he pointed at himself.

"If you were standing where I am..."

"You’d do exactly what I’m doing."

Kieran didn’t answer.

Because he couldn’t.

The thought itself was uncomfortable.

The man noticed.

Then smiled.

"See?"

"There it is."

"The doubt."

Arianna suddenly stepped forward.

"No."

Both men looked at her.

She stared at the stranger.

"He’s not you."

The man blinked once.

She continued.

"He wouldn’t sacrifice another universe."

The man stared at her.

Then he laughed softly.

"You’re wrong."

She shook her head.

"No."

He smiled.

"You don’t know him yet."

Kieran looked at her.

Then at him.

The man shoved his hands back into his pockets.

Then sighed.

"I was hoping this would be easier."

He looked at Kieran one last time.

"Last chance."

"Give me the Core."

Kieran answered instantly.

"No."

The stranger nodded once.

Then smiled.

"Okay."

His eyes suddenly changed.

The tiredness disappeared.

Something ancient surfaced underneath.

Something heavy.

Then he spoke quietly.

"Then I’ll take it."

The black crown on Kieran’s wrist exploded with light.

Arianna immediately stepped back.

The stranger looked at the crown.

Then smiled wider.

"Oh."

"Interesting."

He slowly raised his hand.

Then stopped.

His expression changed.

For the first time since arriving...

His smile disappeared.

He looked somewhere else.

Past them.

Past reality itself.

Then he sighed.

"...Seriously?"

Arianna frowned.

"What?"

The man didn’t answer.

He stared into empty space.

Then muttered quietly.

"He came back already?"

Kieran froze.

His eyes widened.

"...Who?"

The stranger slowly lowered his hand.

Then looked directly behind Kieran.

His face had gone completely serious now.

"No way."

Kieran turned around.

And a familiar voice spoke.

"You’re touching my toy already?"

Both Kierans froze.

Because standing there...

Was Adams.