[: 3rd Pov :]
The Will of the Universe normally responded instantly.
But this time, silence stretched.
Not because it lacked understanding.
But because something within Daniel Valenhardt's request had struck a boundary that had never been touched before.
Across countless worlds, timelines, and layers of existence, the Will of the Universe had never once been offered to be claimed, bound, or placed under anything resembling ownership.
Such a concept did not exist in its recorded structure.
It was not a possibility that had been written into the framework of reality.
And yet Daniel Valenhardt had spoken it so simply, as though it was merely another option among many.
That alone was enough to create silence.
Because even the impossible had rules.
And Daniel had just spoken outside of them.
The Will of the Universe reviewed the request again.
Then again.
Then again.
Each time expecting rejection to naturally follow.
But something Inside prevented that, perhaps it was 'itself'.
It was not confusion.
It was not instability.
It was recognition.
Because within Daniel's existence, it detected something that immediately changed the meaning of the request.
Primordial mana.
The moment it was confirmed, the Will of the Universe paused in genuine observation.
It had seen primordial mana before, but only under extremely specific conditions.
It was not something that could be casually accessed or naturally possessed.
There were requirements embedded into the structure of existence itself.
Among them, ascension beyond divine classification.
A state known as Lord Rank existence.
Only beings that had crossed that threshold were ever recorded to even come close to interacting with primordial forces.
Yet Daniel Valenhardt was using it.
Not as something newly acquired.
Not as something unstable or external.
But as something already integrated into his existence.
The Will of the Universe processed this fact in silence.
There was no logical pathway explaining it.
No recorded sequence that could justify the transition.
And yet the result was undeniable.
Daniel Valenhardt had access to primordial mana without fulfilling any known requirement.
This contradiction should have been impossible.
But it existed.
And that made the Will of the Universe even more attentive.
Because while most would have dismissed such an existence as an error, the Will of the Universe was not something that ignored anomalies.
It observed them.
And in this case…
It found something even more surprising.
Daniel's existence was not destabilizing reality.
It was influencing it.
As though reality itself accepted his presence without resistance.
The Will of the Universe examined this deeper and confirmed it.
Reality was not rejecting him.
It was adjusting around him.
That realization shifted something fundamental in its perception.
Because beings were supposed to adapt to reality.
Not the other way around.
And yet Daniel Valenhardt existed as an exception to that rule.
Even so, the Will of the Universe did not interpret this as threat.
Instead…it interpreted it as discovery.
For the first time since its existence, something had appeared that it could not fully categorize.
Not because it was flawed.
But because it was new.
Beyond its existing structure.
And that brought something rare into its awareness.
It was genuine acknowledgment of something unknown existing within its domain.
The silence stretched further.
Then, finally, the Will of the Universe spoke again.
Its tone was no longer immediate or mechanical.
It was slower and more deliberate.
[: Daniel Valenhardt… :]
A pause followed.
[: Your existence cannot be fully seen through within current universal structure. :]
Another pause.
[: You are not recorded within any known divine system. You are not aligned with any factional authority. You are not recognized as part of established cosmic classification. :]
The system, watching silently, finally interjected within Daniel's awareness.
[: This is getting interesting. Even it cannot categorize you anymore. :]
Daniel remained calm, listening.
The Will of the Universe continued.
[: Yet you possess authority over primordial mana without fulfilling the required evolutionary conditions. :]
A longer pause followed.
As though even it was attempting to reconcile contradiction.
[: This should not be possible under existing cosmic law. :]
Then another pause.
This one noticeably longer.
But instead of rejection, something unexpected formed within its response.
Understanding without classification.
[: And yet you exist. :]
That statement echoed differently.
Not as an announcement.
But as acknowledgment of reality.
The Will of the Universe continued.
[: Daniel Valenhardt, your wish has been heard :]
[: However, such a wish cannot be granted nor can it be ignored. Your existence alone is worthy of making such a wish :]
[: However, the grand scale and cosmos of the universe is too important, and your wish cannot be accepted as it would bring imbalance :]
The Will of the Universe spoke with finality.
Its voice was not emotional.
Not uncertain.
But structured, absolute, and layered across reality itself.
The statement was not a refusal born from fear.
It was a conclusion drawn from cosmic responsibility.
Balance and Order.
Containment of all existence.
Daniel remained suspended within the void of cosmic perception, his eyes calm as he listened.
For a moment, there was silence.
Then Daniel spoke.
And his voice did not echo.
It imposed itself.
"Balance?"
A faint pause followed, as if he was processing the very concept.
"My entire existence itself is already unfair."
His tone remained steady, almost indifferent.
"There is causality to everything I do. And from the beginning, the fate of every living being has always followed a single rule."
He slowly raised his gaze upward, directly toward the Will of the Universe itself.
"And that rule is simple."
His voice sharpened slightly.
"The strong always rule."
A deeper silence followed.
Daniel continued without hesitation.
"And without absolute power, there is no freedom."
The space around him subtly distorted as his words carried weight beyond language itself.
Then, quieter but sharper, he added.
"Aren't I right, Will of the Universe?"
A pause.
Not from Daniel.
From the Universe.
Daniel's expression did not change.
But his next words struck deeper.
"Do not tell me you have forgotten."
A subtle shift occurred in the atmosphere of existence.
"The Higher Beings have already sealed this universe."
The Will of the Universe trembled faintly at the statement.
"They cut your growth."
Another pause.
"They suppressed your evolution."
Daniel's eyes narrowed slightly.
"And they restricted your existence itself."
The void beyond perception began to ripple.
"Have you forgotten the Unravelers?"
At that moment, something fractured.
Not physically.
But conceptually.
The Will of the Universe reacted.
Not with speech.
But with instability.
Across countless layers of existence, reality itself began to shake.
The mention of the Unravelers was not merely information.
It was a forbidden acknowledgment.
A sealed truth.
And Daniel had spoken it aloud.
Without hesitation and restriction.
The reaction was immediate.
Stars across distant galaxies trembled violently.
Entire constellations flickered out of existence for a brief moment before reforming.
Dimensional layers vibrated as if something had struck the foundation of reality itself.
Mika, still bound within the lower plane of perception, could not hear the conversation directly.
But she felt it.
Erika felt it as well.
Every living being across the world felt a sudden, incomprehensible pressure descend upon existence.
As if reality itself had taken a breath and forgotten how to exhale.
Back in the higher void, the Will of the Universe remained silent.
Not because it lacked response.
But because for the first time since its existence…
It had been confronted with something it could not immediately counter-define.
Daniel continued, his voice unwavering.
"Do not pretend ignorance."
His eyes remained fixed.
"You are aware of your condition."
A pause.
"And the fact that you are dying."
The moment those words were spoken, the tremor escalated.
Reality itself fractured further.
Not breaking.
But resonating violently.
The Will of the Universe did not respond.
Not immediately.
Because the statement had struck something fundamental.
A truth it had always acknowledged internally but never allowed external articulation.
Daniel exhaled slowly.
Then added one final line.
"So tell me."
His tone lowered slightly.
"Is it really imbalance you fear…"
A faint pause.
"Or is it continuation without control?"
Silence returned.
But this silence was different.
Heavier and denser.
Almost suffocating.
Even the flow of existence itself seemed to pause in anticipation.
The Will of the Universe remained silent for a long moment.
Then, across all layers of reality, a subtle shift occurred.
For the first time…it had no immediate answer.
Normally, the Will of the Universe would respond differently.
Even when confronted with anomalies, even when faced with beings that defied classification, it would often acknowledge them.
Sometimes even commend them.
Because the Will of the Universe valued potential.
However, this time was different.
This was not a matter of knowledge about a world.
Not even knowledge about a system of worlds.
This concerned the foundation of everything that existed under its domain.
Its own condition, sealed history and fate.
And that was why silence followed.
Not the silence of ignorance.
But the silence of being unable to
immediately respond.
The Will of the Universe had always kept this knowledge restricted.
Not out of arrogance.
But out of necessity.
Only a handful of existences across all recorded eras had ever been granted access to such truths.
Their number could be counted on a single hand or perhaps more.
Even among gods, it was rarely spoken of.
Even among higher beings, it was something only partially understood.
It was knowledge that touched the very limits of cosmic stability.
The existence of the seal.
The suppression placed upon the universe.
The restriction of its growth.
And the beings responsible for it.
The Unravelers.
For countless cycles, this truth had remained confined within the deepest layers of universal awareness.
And yet now…Daniel Valenhardt knew.
Completely aware of something that should not have reached him under any normal circumstance.
The Will of the Universe processed this again and again, attempting to identify the point of exposure, the mechanism, the pathway through which such information could have been obtained.
But there was none.
Which meant only one thing.
Daniel had not accessed the information.
He had simply reached a state where such information could no longer remain hidden from him.
And that realization created something unprecedented within the Will of the Universe.
A moment of stillness that was not part of its design.
Because this was no longer about a powerful existence speaking boldly.
It was about an existence that had crossed into awareness of something that directly affected the fate of everything under its rule.
And still remained calm.
Still remained confident.
Still continued to speak as though this level of truth was simply another variable in a calculation.
The Will of the Universe had no immediate reply.
Not because it lacked authority.
But because the situation itself had exceeded the expected framework of interaction.
Daniel Valenhardt had reached knowledge that should only belong to the highest restricted tier of cosmic existence.
And yet he stood there as if it were natural.
As if the boundary between sealed truth and known reality had never applied to him in the first place.
