I’m the Madman of This Family

Chapter 380. A Future Without Me (8)

Keter’s authority, Unchain, possessed a power that was unaffected by any form of restraint.

Thus, it was unaffected by the spatial freezing magic, “Eternal Freezing,” of the spacetime mage Krona, and it could also escape from Ivan’s Final Magic, “Three Thousand Worlds.”

Therefore, it seemed that Keter could also escape from the Heavens Sovereign’s “Mandala” using Unchain—

‘It doesn’t work.’

Keter’s Unchain did not react to the Heavens Sovereign’s Mandala. The slowing of time was not a “restraint.”

This meant that Keter would have to endure a perceived 11 years before being able to converse with the Heavens Sovereign again.

However, Keter neither despaired nor grew impatient.

‘Who do you think I am? I’m a secret weapon even gods would fear, you know.’

Having realized his own identity, Keter even felt a sense of anticipation.

What kind of ability would manifest to overcome this current crisis?

Like a child who had received a gift box without knowing what was inside, Keter was excited, and the waiting time became enjoyable.

‘Oh?’

After what felt like an hour of waiting, Keter sensed a change.

The Heavens Sovereign seemed to notice it too, as his brow slightly furrowed. Originally, Keter could move his body very slowly.

But now, the intervals were gradually shortening. It took 7 hours to move a finger, but now it only took 2 hours. This meant Keter was adapting to the “slowed time.”

This was extraordinary.

There is a limit to the speed a living being can handle. The faster one moves, the exponentially greater the physical strain becomes.

Even Transcendent Beings are no exception. Even if one could move at the speed of sound, the body would not withstand it. That’s why many Transcendent Beings abandon their physical forms and transform into “mental entities.”

But now, Keter was trying to reach the speed of sound with a human body.

Moving in a world where one second feels like 168 hours. This was similar to the speed of sound, akin to Keter’s Celestial Infinity Technique, 8th Form: Tachyon.

“Hoh.”

The Heavens Sovereign stroked his chin in admiration. Neither humans nor divine beings could move at a “normal” speed in a world where one second felt like 168 hours.

Moving that fast was akin to expending energy equivalent to obliterating a city every second.

Perhaps because of this, Keter’s movements did not become any faster at a certain point. Instead, they stopped at an unnatural speed, like a creaking chair.

But even that was enough for the Heavens Sovereign to applaud.

“Keter. I summoned you, but honestly, I didn’t know what kind of being you were. But now, I think I understand.”

“Wait… just… a moment.”

Keter approached the Heavens Sovereign and threw a punch. It was slow enough to make one yawn, but in the real world, it was a speed even a Transcendent Being would struggle to react to.

However, the Heavens Sovereign simply tilted his head, easily dodging it, and said,

“Alkione seems to think of you as a Pioneer. It’s understandable to mistake you for one. Regression is a privilege of Pioneers, after all. But, in my eyes, you are not a Pioneer. You are something else, yes… The only one who could do such a thing is Akra.”

Snap.

The Heavens Sovereign flicked his finger, and time returned to normal.

Keter suddenly crashed into a wall. Returning from the slowed world, he couldn’t handle the speed.

“Even if you have the blood of the Bloodline Tribe, known as the inhabitants of space, I am one who was worshipped by those very Bloodline Tribes. Moreover, the Bloodline Tribe’s genes themselves aren’t that strong. Not even half… not even half of half.”

Keter’s ability to adapt in the slowed time was thanks to the Bloodline Tribe’s genes imprinted in his blood.

Of course, it wasn’t just that. The Power of Adaptation that Amon had passed on also helped push him forward. Keter, who had crashed into the wall, straightened his clothes as if nothing had happened and said,

“Keep playing with time. I’ve almost fully adapted.”

“Do you intend to fight me? Me, who is time itself?”

If Thanatos, the ruler of the 6th Layer, was death itself, then the Heavens Sovereign, the ruler of the 7th Layer, was time itself.

But Keter scoffed.

“Stop bluffing. You and Thanatos claim to be gods, but by my standards, you’re not gods.”

It was a provocation that could have been insulting, but the Heavens Sovereign instead asked with interest,

“Why do you feel that way?”

“To an ant, a human might seem like a god. Because humans appear omnipotent to ants. You’re similar. You just have ‘abilities’ that make us humans feel omnipotent, but you’re not truly omnipotent. In the first place…”

Keter pointed around with his hand.

“A guy stuck in a place that could drive anyone insane can’t be a god.”

“Heh heh… That’s a good analogy. Indeed, I am not omnipotent. If I were, I wouldn’t have summoned you here, nor would I have asked for your opinion. A being with no needs and no curiosity—if that’s what a god is, then I am certainly not a god.”

“If you’re not a god, then what are you?”

“Thinking about what we do, you could call us administrators, or responsible beings. But such words seem trivial, don’t they? That’s why we’re called gods or rulers.”

Surprisingly, the Heavens Sovereign explained easily, and Keter calmed down a bit. While being caught in the Heavens Sovereign’s Mandala was annoying, even if it was part of a “test,” the Heavens Sovereign was still a god-like being.

He had used his technique, Mandala, without permission, and ultimately, Keter’s survival in the 6th Layer was thanks to his help.

There was no reason not to have a conversation.

“I think the interrogation is over. Let’s get to what we both want. What I want is to be sent to the 8th Layer.”

“I don’t like that. What I want from you is to start over.”

“Start over…?”

When Keter didn’t understand, the Heavens Sovereign explained again.

“Start over from the beginning, Keter.”

*

Keter is indeed different from other humans. Not in origin, but in his mental world.

The Heavens Sovereign felt this way because of Keter’s impatience.

“Stop confusing people and explain it clearly, will you? Before I switch back to informal speech.”

Ordinary humans would interpret and fantasize about a god’s every word. They wouldn’t dare ask a god to “explain.”

But Keter treated gods as if they were humans. Despite clearly feeling the overwhelming difference in power.

‘Even if he realizes he’s special… he’s a rare breed.’

Being special doesn’t mean he’s immortal. What he loses, he loses, just like any other human.

Keter’s courage doesn’t come from ignorance.

-If you mess with me, you won’t get away unscathed.

What emanated from Keter’s demeanor was, absurdly, a “threat.” A threat against a god.

While it was ridiculous, it wasn’t entirely without reason, and the Heavens Sovereign found it difficult to define Keter.

‘If I had to define him, he’s a madman.’

The Heavens Sovereign realized one thing for sure: it was impossible to manipulate Keter like other humans.

“Keter. Let me put it simply. You’re being used by Akra. And Akra has been dreaming of the gods’ demise for a very long time. With the genes of an extinct race, you can become ‘the one and all,’ a being capable of killing gods.”

“Does it have to be me who kills the gods?”

“Gods cannot be killed. They merely sleep.”

“That sounds familiar.”

“But you can truly kill gods.”

“How?”

“Hohoho. Don’t be impatient. If it were possible right now, Akra wouldn’t have gone to such lengths. But it’s not difficult. You just have to keep fighting. You’re already fighting, aren’t you?”

Indeed, Keter has been fighting since birth. But Keter thought he wouldn’t have to fight forever, nor would such a situation arise.

“I want to rest in my later years.”

“Do you think the world will let you?”

“I’ll make it let me.”

Keter’s words weren’t a dream. The Transcendent Beings who live quietly in seclusion are proof.

But the Heavens Sovereign shook his head.

“You won’t be able to rest even in death. Akra will keep reviving you. Even if you give up, if Akra doesn’t give up, you can’t either. You were born as such a being. You might not believe me now, but it seems you’ve only experienced regression once or twice.”

“Regression isn’t something I do by choice…”

Keter’s eyes widened.

Originally, Keter thought he would regress upon death. But through war, he realized that wasn’t the case. He could only “perceive” someone turning back time.

But hearing the Heavens Sovereign’s words, it seemed even worse.

The Heavens Sovereign smiled.

“You seem to have realized. You don’t regress by your own will. You are forced to regress. Forever, until your goal is achieved.”

“Is Akra doing that?”

“Yes.”

“Until I kill all the gods?”

“The pressure on Sephira. Civil war, Ruquer’s expansion. All of this is Akra’s preparation for your growth. She manipulated this world so you would have no choice but to fight. That way, you would grow. Once you kill all the gods, do you think Akra will let you be? A being who can kill gods is more dangerous than the gods themselves.”

The Heavens Sovereign’s words weren’t temptation or incitement. He was merely stating facts.

Keter closed his eyes. He had heard everything he had wanted to know. He thought he would feel relieved and happy, but that wasn’t the case. Nor did he feel anger rising.

‘It’s more messed up than I imagined, but I expected it to be shitty.’

However, he definitely planned to vent his anger later.

“So, my true enemy is Akra?”

“I will set you free. Not just me, but almost all the gods will help you. Akra has made it difficult for gods to intervene in the human world, so she is the enemy of all gods.”

“Now I understand what you mean by starting over.”

The Heavens Sovereign controls time. Like Akra, he can turn back time and send someone to the past.

“Akra will notice if the future changes and time reverses. Especially if it’s your change. But you can deceive her. Don’t be afraid to deceive a god. As you said, gods are not omnipotent. And…”

“Wait.”

Keter interrupted the Heavens Sovereign and tapped the table with his finger.

“You want me to become a god-killing being, right?”

“Yes. That way, you can kill Akra.”

“Then you’ll also keep making me fight.”

“It’s different from Akra’s method. If you keep challenging strong opponents, even if you kill them, I can just turn back time and revive them. That way, you won’t feel the guilt of murder.”

The Heavens Sovereign seemed to be accommodating Keter as much as possible.

But that wasn’t Keter’s point.

“No. That’s not the issue.”

“Then what is?”

“Are you pretending not to know?”

Keter lowered his right arm under the table.

“If I kill Akra, will you all just leave me alone?”

Swish.

The right arm that had gone under the table came back up, holding an arrow.

The Heavens Sovereign’s eyes widened at the sight of the arrow. Keter had drawn the god-killing arrow, Misteltein.

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