[: 3rd POV :]
Daniel remained completely silent.
Not because he lacked words.
Because since he had gained these abilities, his own mind struggled to fully process what he had become.
Even the void around him trembled faintly, responding not to an attack, not to a release of aura, but simply to his existence alone.
Every breath he took carried an unnatural pressure, as though reality itself had to constantly adjust just to allow him to remain within it.
His eyes slowly lowered toward his own hand.
A hand that now possessed the authority to define concepts.
To rewrite laws.
To manifest impossible truths.
To decide what reality itself accepted.
Even now, Daniel still could not completely comprehend the scale of it all.
The abilities he had obtained were no longer abilities in the normal sense.
They were authorities that surpassed understanding.
They were powers that should not belong to a mortal existence.
No...perhaps he was no longer mortal at all.
The thought lingered heavily within him.
Ever since his rebirth, Daniel had continuously evolved, continuously climbed higher, but this time felt different.
This was not growth.
This was transcendence.
A god in a mortal's body.
A complete evolution into something entirely new.
Something that neither mortals nor even higher beings had ever reached before.
His fingers slowly clenched.
Primordial Mana flowed naturally through every part of his existence, causing countless ancient runes hidden beneath his skin and bones to glow faintly with golden-purple radiance.
Even the empty void surrounding him distorted slightly.
And then, after a long silence, Daniel finally spoke.
"…System,"
His voice was quieter than usual.
Not uncertain.
But thoughtful.
"At this point…"
He slowly raised his gaze.
"What's the difference between me and a god?"
The moment those words left his mouth, even the void itself seemed to become silent.
Because this was not arrogance born from ignorance.
Daniel had genuinely reached a point where he possessed the right to ask such a question.
The system remained silent for a brief moment.
[: Seriously? You're asking that? :]
The system suddenly replied with amusement.
Daniel blinked once.
"…What?"
[: Host, your confidence has increased quite rapidly after obtaining your new powers :]
"…Can you blame me?" Daniel replied immediately.
He gestured lightly around him.
"I literally possess abilities that can rewrite existence itself."
[: Fair point :]
For a brief moment, the atmosphere became strangely lighter.
Then the system continued, this time more seriously.
[: In terms of abilities and authority, you are indeed no longer far behind the lower spectrum of divine existences :]
[: Your current abilities already surpass countless concepts that ordinary gods could never comprehend, let alone resist :]
[: However… :]
The system paused deliberately.
[: There is still an enormous difference between you and true gods. :]
Daniel's expression sharpened slightly.
"…Because of my True Existence Tier?"
[: Correct. :]
The system's voice became calm and absolute once more.
[: No matter how extraordinary your abilities are, your current existence is still within the Divine Rank. :]
[: Your foundation has evolved beyond reason, but your overall existence has not yet reached the level of a true god. :]
[: To explain it simply… :]
A faint pulse echoed through the void.
[: Comparing your current stats to an actual god is like comparing a grain of dust to an entire galaxy. :]
Daniel froze slightly at that comparison.
"…That ridiculous?"
[: That ridiculous. :]
For a moment, Daniel could only remain silent.
Not out of disappointment.
Not out of discouragement.
But because the scale genuinely shocked him.
After everything he had just obtained…
After all these absurd abilities…
After transcending countless limitations…
There were still beings that vastly surpassed him?
The realization should have been suffocating.
Yet unexpectedly...Daniel began to smile.
Not a mocking smile.
Not an arrogant one.
But a smile filled with excitement.
"…So I'm still that far off," he muttered softly.
His eyes slowly narrowed with growing determination.
Instead of discouraging him, the revelation ignited something within him even further.
Because if this was merely the beginning…
Then what would he become later?
What kind of existence would he stand as once his True Existence Tier evolved further?
Even Daniel himself could no longer imagine it.
And that thought thrilled him.
Deep within his body, Primordial Mana surged violently in response to his emotions.
The void around him cracked slightly.
Space folded unnaturally.
Ancient inscriptions appeared and vanished across reality itself.
Daniel exhaled slowly, trying to stabilise himself.
But even that simple action released enough pressure to make dimensions tremble.
"…Still," he said quietly.
A faint grin appeared on his face.
"With powers like this…"
He slowly looked at both of his hands again.
"…It honestly feels like nothing can kill me anymore."
And that feeling was genuine.
Not because he had become careless.
But because the powers flowing through him now were simply too overwhelming.
Infinite adaptation.
Absolute principles.
Endless evolution.
Reality inscription.
Conceptual manifestation.
Even causality itself no longer fully applied to him.
Whether it was confidence…
Or the beginning of overwhelming ego…
Only the future would reveal the answer.
The system remained silent for a moment before finally responding.
[: Be careful, Host. :]
[: The moment one begins believing they are invincible… :]
[: That is usually when reality decides to humble them. :]
Daniel chuckled softly.
"…Then I'll just become stronger than reality itself."
The system went completely silent after hearing that.
Not because it disagreed.
But because with Daniel…that statement no longer sounded impossible.
And somewhere across the vast universe, beyond countless worlds, beyond endless factions, beyond ancient pantheons and sleeping horrors...something began to stir.
Because whether the universe realised it or not…
A new existence had finally been born.
One that would one day shake every corner of creation itself into absolute uproar.
Eventually, a faint smirk slowly appeared across Daniel's face.
Not one filled with arrogance.
Not mockery.
But calm certainty.
The kind of certainty that came from someone who had completely changed.
Someone who no longer viewed the world from the same perspective as before.
"…So I guess," Daniel said quietly, his golden eyes glowing faintly within the endless void, "it's time to return and settle things with the Black Meridians."
The moment those words were spoken, the surrounding void trembled slightly.
Not from killing intent.
Not from mana.
But simply because his will now carried weight powerful enough to affect existence itself.
The system responded almost immediately.
And for some reason…its voice sounded amused.
[: That's right, Host. :]
[: It's finally time for you to announce yourself to the universe. :]
Daniel let out a small chuckle.
"Somehow that sounds more dangerous than reassuring."
[: Because it is. :]
*Crack*
A sudden fracture echoed throughout the endless void.
Then another.
And another.
The empty darkness surrounding Daniel began splitting apart like shattered glass, countless fractures spreading endlessly in every direction.
From within those cracks, light emerged.
At first faint, then it became brighter.
Brighter and brighter until the darkness itself seemed unable to endure it any longer.
Reality itself was reopening.
Daniel narrowed his eyes slightly as the light consumed his vision.
And in the next moment...space collapsed inward.
The void disappeared, and Daniel returned.
The frozen battlefield reappeared around him instantly.
The ruined glaciers.
The shattered landscape.
The distorted sky overflowing with dark corruption.
And standing before him...the Black Meridian Leader.
Or rather…the abomination he had become.
Its body twisted unnaturally, flesh pulsating endlessly with grotesque black veins crawling across its entire existence.
Multiple distorted eyes opened and closed across its massive frame while corrupted energy leaked from every movement like infected blood poisoning reality itself.
Yet...the moment Daniel returned, everything changed.
"…I'm back," Daniel muttered calmly while lightly cracking his neck.
A sharp sound echoed throughout the battlefield.
"That honestly felt like eternity."
Meanwhile, the Black Meridian Leader froze completely.
Its countless eyes widened simultaneously.
Confusion filled its distorted mind immediately.
Because only seconds had passed.
One moment Daniel had stood there normally...and the next…everything about him felt wrong.
No…not wrong, beyond wrong.
The creature couldn't understand it.
Daniel's appearance had changed slightly, yes.
Longer silver-gold hair.
Golden eyes.
A far more refined and overwhelming presence.
But those physical changes weren't what terrified it.
It was what existed underneath.
The Black Meridian Leader suddenly felt its entire body screaming at it.
Every instinct.
Every sense.
Every fragment of corrupted power within its existence, all of them were issuing the same command.
Bow.
A horrifying surge of primal terror exploded throughout its body.
Its brain began ringing violently.
An unbearable pain erupted inside its skull.
Its vision distorted instantly.
Because the creature realised something impossible.
Its eyes…were not worthy of looking at Daniel anymore.
The moment it tried to fully perceive him, pain beyond comprehension assaulted its existence.
Cracks formed across its eyeballs.
Black blood poured down its face.
And then...
*POP*
*POP*
*POP*
Its eyes exploded.
All of them.
Every single grotesque eye decorating its body burst apart simultaneously in a shower of corrupted blood and flesh.
A horrifying scream almost escaped its throat...but it never came out.
*BOOM*
Its enormous body suddenly slammed onto its knees.
The ground beneath it shattered instantly.
Its head lowered violently.
Not willingly.
Its body had forced itself downward.
The Black Meridian Leader panicked.
It tried to resist.
Tried to stand.
Tried to scream.
But nothing listened to it anymore.
Its limbs trembled uncontrollably.
Its organs convulsed.
Its bloodline shook in terror.
Even the corrupted energy within its body became unstable as if desperately trying to flee from Daniel's presence.
"W-What…?"
The creature tried to speak.
But its mouth refused to open properly.
Its jaw trembled violently.
Its throat locked itself shut.
Because somewhere deep within its existence...it instinctively understood.
Speaking carelessly before the being standing in front of it…was blasphemy.
Its entire body had awakened to a terror far beyond rational fear.
It was no longer merely frightened.
Every individual part of its existence had developed its own instinct of survival.
Its flesh did not dare offend Daniel.
Its bones did not dare stand before him.
Its blood did not dare flow rebelliously in his presence.
Even its cells themselves seemed to possess awareness now...and every single one of them had reached the same conclusion.
Do not offend him.
Do not look at him.
Do not speak against him.
Survive.
The Black Meridian Leader's thoughts spiraled into madness.
What… is this…?
What did he become…?
No…
That's not possible…
No being should feel like this…
Not even the Sovereigns…
Not even the ancient pantheons…
Its entire existence trembled violently.
Because this feeling…
Was not pressure.
Not aura.
Not killing intent.
It was something far worse.
It felt as though reality itself had already decided Daniel stood above it.
And everything else merely existed beneath him.
The battlefield became deathly silent.
Only the sound of the Black Meridian
Leader's trembling body remained.
Meanwhile Daniel simply stood there calmly.
His golden eyes looked down at the kneeling abomination without emotion.
And unknowingly...the space around him continued bending subtly with every passing second, unable to properly contain what he had become.
"…Well," Daniel said softly.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"I didn't even do anything yet."
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