MIGHT AS WELL BE OP

In a boundless void, where no life stirred and where no being, aside from the one who stood beyond the very boundaries of existence, had ever dwelled, there existed a strange, quiet gathering.

Two, perhaps even three, figures could be seen sitting together, gazing out into the infinite, shapeless nothingness as though their eyes sought something yet found nothing at all.

The first among them was a figure shaped like a man, yet wholly alien. His form was that of a living black hole, a humanoid silhouette of perfect darkness, devouring even the faintest trace of light and substance that came near.

Every contour of his being radiated the same absolute black, so complete that it was almost an offense to existence itself. He was the embodiment of absence, a void wearing human form.

To his right sat another being, one who could have passed for human at first glance, were it not for the overwhelming sense of power that clung to him. His hair was pure gold, flowing and radiant, resting upon his head like an eternal crown.

His eyes, too, shone gold, but not with warmth. Instead, they gleamed with an intensity so sharp it seemed as though a mere blink could slice through the multiverse, rending creation itself.

On his left was a third figure, the antithesis of the void-born entity he sat beside. His entire form was a brilliant white, radiating serenity and calm, the complete opposite of the devouring black on his right.

These three were not ordinary beings.

They were ???, Romulus, and System, names whispered only in the most ancient of whispers, titles that predated the birth of reality itself.

A little apart from them, a fourth presence lay stretched out, covered in a sheet of the finest silk, breathing slowly in deep, unshakable slumber. This was the Unbound, the laziest being in all of existence, a being who could outsleep the death of existence.

At that moment, the three were not speaking of themselves, nor of the endless realms beyond.

Instead, they were watching, watching Anthony's battle against Lilithra unfold in real time.

"Feels… nostalgic," ??? murmured, his voice deep yet strangely hollow, as though the very void itself was opening and closing its mouth to speak.

"Indeed," System replied, his tone measured yet touched with faint amusement. "Feels like yesterday that he was laughing like a maniac when I finally activated upon his awakening."

A faint smile tugged at his lips, though his eyes remained on the scene before them.

"But now," Romulus said, his usual prideful and imperious demeanor softened into quiet observation, "he fights at a planetary level."

"At least he's doing better than the others," ??? remarked, his gaze never shifting from Anthony. "Most reincarnators… all they do is train endlessly. No joy. No life. Just train, battle, fight, kill, spill blood, repeat."

"Power without the ability to enjoy it," System agreed, "is nothing more than a cage. They become slaves to their strength, chained to their own endless hunger for more."

"That's exactly why I gave him Quantum Manipulation after he visited that orphanage," ??? continued. "It wasn't a mission. He didn't need to do it. Normally, he barely glances at strangers before moving on, but that time… I liked that he acted."

Romulus smirked faintly. "You sound like a proud father. But isn't he just… a source of entertainment to you?"

"He is," ??? replied without hesitation. "That is the price for the abilities and power he wields."

Then, almost as an afterthought, he added, "But at the same time… yes. I am proud. Planetary scale may be nothing in the face of the universal stage, but watching him progress, it's the best part."

Romulus and System said nothing more for a time. They simply observed, silently, as Anthony tore through star after star, planet after planet, without sparing a thought for whoever might dwell upon them.

Though they did not speak it aloud, all three felt a certain… warmth. They were beings older than time, entities that had existed before existence itself, yet here they were, feeling something akin to joy for a mere human. It was like watching a child take his first steps, or hearing him say "Dada" for the first time instead of "Mama."

"How long do you think it will take him to reach this place?" System asked, his eyes still locked on Anthony as he decimated Lilithra's loyal servants.

"Although I am all-knowing, I deactivated that Law when it comes to Anthony and his companions," ??? answered. "It would spoil the entertainment if I already knew the ending. So, no… I truly don't know."

Romulus chuckled. "Well, it's not going to be soon, not with the pitiful daily sign in rewards he gets from you. You're basically the only one giving him useful things."

System narrowed his eyes. "Tsk. Possessing the very first System is an achievement in itself. And I do give him plenty, concealment, the clone technique, knowledge of every demon in existence. You name it."

"Sure," Romulus countered, "but none of that compares to what Limit Breaker gave him. The man practically tried to drag Anthony to a higher galaxy the moment they met. In just five minutes, he did more than you, who sends him… toothbrushes and toothpaste as rewards."

System smirked faintly. "Says the one who refused to revive Seraphim after her soul was sacrificed in the final floor of the Fractured World."

Romulus cleared his throat, looking away. "Character development," he said simply.

??? ignored their bickering entirely, his attention still fixed on Anthony.

'Should I give him another reward?' he mused silently. 'Maybe send it through Vega… or perhaps a little 'virility' boost. I wouldn't mind getting a grandchild sooner rather than later.'

Anthony was not the first he had reincarnated for his amusement. Far from it. Many had come before, heroes, warriors, kings, monsters. All had been given power, and all had eventually been consumed by it, lost in their own greed for dominance. None had reached the true peak, his peak... well, not that he gave them the potential to.

Some had died. Others still lived. But in the end, their stories ceased to entertain him.

Anthony was different. He fought, yes, but he also rested. He joked. He played games. He flirted. He gossiped online. He knew when to stop and breathe. That balance was rare.

At first, ??? had assumed Anthony would lock himself in the Divine Realm, exploiting its time dilation to cultivate endlessly, as so many others had done. But no, this one defied even the expectations of the all-knowing.

'It seems I chose well,' ??? thought.

All he reincarnated never met him face to face. Anthony alone had been granted that audience, the honor of seeing the one who stood outside all things.

A soft snore interrupted his thoughts. The Unbound shifted beneath his silk sheet, rolling over in search of a more comfortable position, utterly undisturbed by the weight of eternity unfolding around him.