The Laughing Eternal

The ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Spirit Realm war. He downed the last of the liquor in his tilted glass in one swift gulp and burst into roaring laughter. The effect of the wide-area authority displayed by the being who could now only be called the Magic God of Dimensions was simply astounding at that level of strength.

‘In the nearly 500 billion years I’ve lived, countless beings have possessed dimensional authorities, but none have ever produced something like this.’

Most dimensional lords preferred to create their own isolated worlds and rule as the one true master. Naturally, no Absolute would willingly choose to benefit others. Yet the one who had willingly accepted his own weakening to awaken the unprecedented wide-area rank-up support was the very first.

‘There was never any need for that. An Absolute who has nearly reached the ultimate is already supremely capable and overwhelmingly powerful. The ability to construct an independent world means they can respond to any situation, and because they themselves are quite strong, powerful subordinates naturally gather. On top of that, they can even create strong beings themselves, so there is no reason to provide wide-area authority support to such subordinates.’

He had already anticipated the Magic God of Dimensions would use any means necessary to reach the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠12th circle and wield dimensional authority, watching with great interest. In the end, when he saw the Creator God authority activate, he had thought there was a chance of victory.

‘The Creator God authority I first designed requires ten times more computational power and divine energy than its peers, but in return, depending on the battlefield conditions, it can even overthrow a Creator General.’

Yet all those transcendent settings had been ignored. Instead, out of nowhere, a 1st-circle wide-area rank-up support that came at the cost of the user’s own level had appeared. For the first time in a long while, he couldn’t hold back his laughter.

‘And because of the computational deficiency, he’s even become fixed on the battlefield.’

It was an irrational choice unthinkable for a Creator God.

“Hahahahahat—! Just how long has it been since I laughed like this? The authority of a ‘Dimension’ that creates its own world and eventually reigns alone has changed this much? To choose a wide-area support authority while accepting personal loss—what in the world is this? Among all beings who have ever held dimensional authority, there has never been one like this. This isn’t the influence of the ‘Origin’ title. It’s purely his personal disposition. Still craving the affection of others in such a way… what a child. Hahahahahahahat—!”

Even as he laughed, his eyes grew chillingly cold.

‘A great price is required, but living beings can be revived from death by spiritual bodies, and spiritual bodies can be restored from annihilation by eternal beings. For a living being to resurrect another living being from death, or for a spiritual body to restore another from annihilation, carries far too great an impact on the Master Universe.’

For finite living beings, death is the beginning of the cycle. For immortal spiritual bodies, annihilation is the end. That standard becomes the absolute criterion that maintains order.

‘Because they can do what ordinary beings find utterly impossible, they are gods. They are Absolutes. Therefore, anything beyond that is only permitted to higher beings who can bear all responsibility.’

It is allowed only on the premise that they can shoulder the negative effects as well. Yet the Magic God of Dimensions had restored a spiritual body—an existence from outside his own dimension—within his dimensional domain.

‘A very delicate matter.’

Of course, he had shouldered even that influence with his ‘Dimension’ authority. Still, for a spiritual body to restore another from annihilation rather than mere death was an irresponsible act that could not be accounted for.

‘If the Creator Gods all flock to the Magic God of Dimensions demanding he restore every annihilated god, could he possibly refuse? With that ability, he could never refuse. He would endlessly restore them until he self-destructed.’

If he could bear it himself, it wouldn’t matter how much he did. But at the level of a Creator God, it was impossible to resolve the surrounding effects, and the very order of things would be shaken.

‘Even now, if his dimensional authority had not manifested an independent world, the negative impact would require a near-regional-universe-scale reorganization.’

Of course, unless it was an Absolute possessing ‘Dimension’ or an Absolute-grade Karma contract that nullified all restrictions, he would have already turned not only the offender but every related party into insects or Substitute Gods and forced them to repair the damage. But since the man was somehow holding on, punishment would be postponed for now.

“Hmm. It’s a bit delicate. But… hahahahahaha—! An Absolute who possesses the authority of ‘Dimension’ that creates only his own world has chosen a Creator God authority that benefits only other beings. There is no greater comedy than this. I’m actually looking forward to the next step. Hahahahahaha.”

His laughter filled the grand audience chamber. The door on the left wall opened cautiously, and three figures appeared. All wore the same attire and possessed similarly plain faces, yet each exuded a completely opposite aura. The single pair of transparent wings glowing behind each of their backs revealed they were not human.

They flinched in visible surprise at the sight of him laughing, but quickly offered deep, respectful bows. Then they rose, heads still lowered, and the central figure spoke in a low voice.

“We greet our Grandfather. May you enjoy eternal health and strength.”

He gave a light nod, accepting their greeting.

“Yes. You too, stay healthy and receive many blessings.”

Exchanging words utterly unsuited to beings above Eternal Beings—health and longevity—they smiled pleasantly. The figure ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠on the right, possessing golden wings, returned the same smile ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠and asked respectfully.

“It has been a long time since you seemed so delighted. Is it because of the Creator of the 499th Master Universe?”

Every time he lightly suppressed the countless challenges of the Creator of the 499th Master Universe and returned, he would wear a faint smile. They had rarely seen him laugh so heartily, so they were startled.

‘The Creators of other Master Universes couldn’t last even a hundred million years before raising the white flag.’

‘It has already been 400 billion years since he began subjugating Master Universes alone, and 498 of them have been completely assimilated into the Absolute Realm.’

The process of assimilation was always the same, and no one could stop it.

The purpose was to unearth the limits of developmental potential, helping them achieve explosive evolution. Naturally, he personally dealt with anything that hindered progress or evolution. After the first generation of the god race passed, he would inject every Substitute God created from Creator God-level beings that had emerged during the evolution process to test their right to survive.

‘The small number of Substitute Gods deployed during the process is meant to accumulate combat experience.’

When observed, it was an absurd solo conquest war paired with arrogant support, yet because he was the one carrying it out, there was no problem. Far too many Master Universes had collapsed without even enduring this simple war and judgment.

‘Setting aside the difference in strength, his support is so different that the rate of conversion from Creators to the Absolute Realm is enormous.’

‘They feel despair facing the Substitute Gods—pure embodiments of strength and creative power—and choose assimilation.’

‘In the end, the Creators cannot endure the rebellion of their own subordinates and beg to be brought under his wing.’

However, the Creator of the 499th Master Universe was different. He had indiscriminately accepted beings who had been exiled or had fled from other universes and fought with them. Unlike other Creators who feared him from the beginning and tried to command from the rear while leading all their god and demon races, this one had challenged him from the front lines.

Discarding all the dignity and arrogance unique to a Creator who possessed an entire Master Universe, he had charged at him like the lowliest foot soldier, screaming in ecstasy.

“At last, the chance to prove myself has come!”

He did not know why this Creator acted this way. But compared to the fear shown by other Creators facing assimilation, this one charged forward as if he had been waiting for this moment alone. Even his subordinates were left stunned by the mad Creator’s battle. Though he could not win, he endured and endured against every attack.

‘The complete suppression of an entire Master Universe’s forces, which should have ended in a day at most, took two full days.’

The three figures clearly remembered the voice of the 499th Master Universe’s Creator—an Eternal Being who had exhausted so much authority and power that his body was on the verge of disappearance. At the very end, just before losing consciousness, he had roared like a beast.

With that cry filled with bitter resentment and satisfaction, the subjugation of the 499th Master Universe had ended.

The investigation conducted by the Absolute Realm, which had found the Creator’s behavior strange, yielded unexpected results.

‘Simply put, among the Creators, the 499th was an outcast, and the Master Universe he managed was the weakest, looked down upon by all.’

The reason was painfully simple. His ideals and actions were far too different from the other Creators.

“Unity and harmony are not the principles of world development. Difference and competition are. The highest being, the Creator, must stand at the forefront and take the lead to solve problems. Delegating authority while only seeking sweet results is nothing but an evasion of responsibility.”

Naturally, they did not accept it. To the Creators who already stood above all beings, the stability and prosperity of their Master Universe was a given. Since more vitality than necessary was automatically supplied, there was no longer any need to fight. There was no higher position than Creator, and even if Creators fought each other, as long as the Master Universe existed, the Eternal Beings who had gained immortal existence could never truly decide a victor.

That was why the god race managed things as the ruling power, the demon race moved as the resisting force to prevent corruption, and the Creators enjoyed peaceful lives among themselves. When one suddenly insisted on returning to the field to compete again, he was treated as a mad Creator.

Yet he did not give up. After countless trials and errors, he had arduously led his Master Universe himself.

‘When the Creator stepped forward to personally manage the Master Universe and work in the field, the effect was clear.’

‘All beings certainly grew stronger, but many could not endure and left for more comfortable universes.’

‘The vicious rumors that started from them naturally spread, branding his universe as the lowest.’

‘Despite pouring in all his effort and passion, the universe he managed grew weaker and his evaluation worsened. The harder it became, the more frantically he worked, refusing to give up.’

When even the competent beings above Creator Gods left because they could not endure, he began to ignore every convenience a Creator was entitled to and simply worked. The other Creators, unable to watch any longer, collectively warned the Creator of the 499th.

“Stop working directly like a Creator should not. Delegate to your subordinates and maintain the dignity of a Creator. If you continue this peculiar behavior, we will not tolerate it.”

“I only do the work I believe in. You may keep the dignity you have defined for yourselves. I will walk my own path. Only the results shall judge everything.”

In a relationship where emotions had already been strained to the limit, normal conversation was impossible. In the end, even while being ostracized and ignored by the other Creators, he devoted himself to his own training and the development of his universe.

However, a universe isolated from all others had limits to its growth and gradually withered. Of course, the individuals belonging to it were certainly strong, but so many had failed to endure or had given up that their numbers were far too small.

‘In the end, even the god race—who should have offered absolute loyalty—turned their backs, and the universe was collapsing.’

‘Still, the Creator of the 499th, who refused to admit fault to the other Creators and never stopped walking his own path, saw the support for assimilating his universe as salvation.’

‘Because it was the only way to prove the meaning of his existence as a Creator, he had been that desperate.’

Thus, he had endured for a full ten billion years, strengthening himself and his forces while continuing the challenge.

He knew that to the being who pursued eternal happiness, a Creator who had chosen eternal struggle against other Creators was not viewed negatively and was even thought of rather favorably. Yet the answer was unexpected.

“No. In the 499th Master Universe this time, a Creator God of Dimensions has been born, if only barely. However, his authority was so interesting that I was laughing.”