MIGHT AS WELL BE OP

The world froze. Space, time, life, death, thought, mind, and consciousness, all of it seemed to halt, as though reality itself dared not move.

From the exact point in space where Lilithra had been erased, a faint mote of black light flickered into existence, subtle yet terrifying in its quiet radiance. That lone mote multiplied, splitting into countless others, each shimmering with an unnatural depth. Then, without warning, the number swelled violently, climbing in an immense, unstoppable wave.

The moment Anthony's eyes caught sight of this, his figure vanished from where he floated, reappearing far away in the vast expanse of the Blue Planet's sky, putting as much distance as possible between himself and that expanding darkness.

A blinding black radiance, paradoxical in its nature, as if capable of erasing not just light but the very concept of life, erupted outward in a cataclysmic wave. It poured forth like a colossal ocean that had been restrained for eternity, now suddenly released from its chains.

Yet, just as the black light reached the peak of its outward motion, it halted mid-air. Space itself seemed to tense. Then, without the faintest warning, the tide reversed, surging back inwards. The colliding waves of darkness slammed into one another with the force of celestial oceans meeting in fury, merging into a single colossal form.

From that chaos emerged the outline of something humanoid, a shifting, flickering silhouette of brilliance entwined with fathomless blackness.

The radiance collapsed. The blinding light vanished in an instant, and in its place, a man appeared. He stood, or rather, floated, with unshakable composure, black hair cascading softly, eyes as dark as the void itself. His presence embodied the very definition of calm.

If one were to merely glance at him, they would assume he was human.

They would be wrong. Utterly wrong.

At his emergence, the Blue Planet trembled violently, as though the world itself had sensed its own impending demise.

Across the skies, those who were airborne at that precise moment plummeted without resistance, crashing towards the earth as though the heavens themselves refused to hold the weight of these beings together with the new presence.

Those who witnessed his arrival felt something invisible crash into their very souls. Knees buckled instantly. But this was not the oppressive pressure of an overwhelming aura like Lilithra's, it was something far worse.

This was the inevitable subjugation brought about by the man's mere existence.

On the streets, in the fields, atop mountains and deep beneath oceans, every citizen of the Blue Planet felt their knees slam into the ground.

Next came their heads. Their foreheads pressed against the soil, tile, stone, or whatever surface lay beneath them, as if compelled to bow before a god whose gaze they dared not meet.

And it was not selective. No one was spared. Vega, Kingsley, Spectre, Clement, the Domain Leaders, each and every one knelt in the same posture, as though it was the most natural act in all existence.

At that moment, not a single person continued watching the StreamGhost livestream.

An incomprehensible tide of dread gripped the entire world. It was not just fear, it was a primal recognition of the absolute. Earthquakes and shockwaves rippled endlessly as though the very foundation of reality protested his presence.

The man in space finally moved. It was not an elaborate gesture, merely the shifting of his eyeballs. But the direction of his gaze was unmistakable, it landed directly on Anthony.

Anthony, the sole being entirely unaffected by this suffocating phenomenon. The only one still floating in the sky, calm and unmoving, watching.

His face was tranquil, but his thoughts were not.

His mind was already working with cold precision, constructing scenarios, countermeasures, and probabilities.

Within the ever-present sphere of his Sense Dome, Anthony's Mental Calculation ability was fully active, operating at a level that would shatter any mortal comprehension. Infinity roared at full overdrive.

Threads of reality itself bloomed into existence as his Authority of Severance filled the surrounding space, manifesting numerous pathways and possibilities.

He understood instinctively, this man was not Lilithra. This was something altogether different. Stronger in ways that no mere rank or classification could measure. Anthony would not dare to relax his guard simply because he had slain a Demon ranked the weakest among a hundred.

With but a thought, Anthony invoked the Authority of Information. But the result came instantly, failure. And there was only one reason that Authority could fail: when the target's power dwarfed his own.

It did not disturb him. Authority of Information's verdict of inferiority did not mean defeat was certain. There were always ways. Always.

Then the man's eyes shifted. For the first time, their gazes met.

Anthony's mind summoned a single thought, a proverb: "Stare too long into the abyss, and it will stare into you."

Those black eyes… they were the Abyss. Not a metaphor, not an exaggeration, the Abyss itself.

In that instant, an unfathomable force crashed into his mind and soul simultaneously, clawing, reshaping, corrupting. It sought to turn him into something other, something demonic.

But it was useless. Romulus and the System's presence flared within him, their combined strength rendering the intrusion powerless.

And just as suddenly as it had come, the force vanished, as though recognizing the futility of its own effort.

Anthony understood, the man had not done it on purpose. This had occurred simply because their eyes had met. Nothing more. Nothing less.

It was as if the Abyss itself had administered a silent test, determining whether he was worthy of holding the man's gaze.

The man spoke at last, his tone as calm as the still sea.

"It seems one of my subordinates has truly fallen… It has been a megaannum."

He did not look at Anthony as he continued. "I cannot even sense her. So… your wish to climb to the Above was never fulfilled before your death… Lilithra." His words drifted as though spoken more to the void than to anyone present.

Anthony's Perfect One skill surged into full force, its defensive capabilities tightening. Something, or someone, was trying to probe him, to tear away layers of concealment.

The man raised an eyebrow, faint surprise flickering in his abyssal gaze.

"Interesting. To think even my World Knowledge skill would fail to uncover you." A faint smile touched his lips.

World Knowledge. The ability to gather every piece of information within any planet upon which he stood with nothing but a passing thought. A skill that had not failed in eons, until now.

Anthony remained silent, letting the man speak freely. His instincts told him that words now were worth more than actions.

Deep down, he knew, if this man truly wished, today could mark Anthony's first genuine death since his reincarnation. And while his Infinite Regeneration could restore him even from the smallest fragment of matter, it did not mean he was eager to test the limits of that ability.

He was not afraid of dying, not truly. His soul was bound to the eternal protection of Romulus. To kill Anthony completely, one would first have to destroy Romulus. And that was no simple feat.

"Who are you?"

Anthony's lips parted at last as he finally spoke, his voice steady despite the oppressive weight pressing down on the atmosphere.