Ragna remained deep in thought, while the Elders of the Universe and Hela were visibly confused.
What did truth mean?
What did hope signify?
Why was Ragna the only one who could either destroy or save the entire universe?
What kind of forbidden secret lay hidden behind these cryptic words?
"This answer is not clear enough!"
The cosmic law enforcement officer, the most authoritative among the Elders, spoke in a firm tone.
What they needed was concrete knowledge—the true face of this universal enigma—not more riddles.
"There is no clear answer."
"We were created as mere instruments at first, but in our long existence, we glimpsed into the deepest mysteries of the cosmos."
"What exactly this secret is… only he can fully reveal."
The mighty Celestial gestured toward Ragna .
"However, two things are certain."
"First, Midgard—Earth—plays a crucial role in this mystery."
"Second, the very reason most of our kind have ceased maintaining the universe's balance is this: Do we truly exist?"
"Does this universe actually exist?"
"Can you provide us with the answer?"
The Celestial's deep voice resonated through the battlefield, and behind him, a legion of gods turned their eyes to Ragna .
For countless millennia, the Celestials had acted as cosmic architects—seeding life, shaping civilizations, and enforcing balance.
But if everything was false, then all their work—the Eternals, Deviants, and countless species they had uplifted—would be meaningless.
The Elders of the Universe, too, turned toward Ragna .
They had lived for billions of years, each Elder representing an unshakable obsession—Survival, Knowledge, Strategy, Judgment, Combat, and Discovery.
And yet, if everything was an illusion, their endless pursuits would be pointless.
Hela, however, scoffed in disdain.
"Truth and falsehood? Hah!"
"Do we really need to ask if we exist?
"Am I an illusion? Are all our battles just dreams?"
Her only goal had always been Asgard's retribution—to reclaim its honor and dominion.
The ultimate nature of reality did not concern her.
Then, Hela suddenly narrowed her eyes at Ragna .
"And why you?"
"Why do they think you hold the answer?"
She watched him carefully.
Ragna remained silent.
A heavy, unnatural stillness settled over the battlefield.
Hela, usually brash, felt a creeping unease.
Something was wrong.
If this were just some absurd philosophical debate, Ragna would have dismissed it immediately.
And yet… he remained deep in thought.
Even the Elders of the Universe—powerful beings who had long abandoned mortal emotions—looked unsettled.
Then a terrifying realization struck Hela.
If Ragna couldn't confirm the reality of their existence…
Did that mean it was actually in question?
Were they all fake?
If they were illusions… what was she?
A shadow crossed Hela's face as countless thoughts raced through her mind.
She clenched her fists.
For the first time in millennia, the Goddess of Death felt fear.
Finally, Ragna spoke.
"I can't be sure… yet."
A sharp intake of breath echoed across the battlefield.
"Why not?"
Hela stepped forward, now face-to-face with Ragna , her piercing eyes searching his for any hesitation.
"What do you mean 'not sure'?!"
"Are you saying our memories—our very existence—might be a lie?!"
Her voice trembled with a mix of rage and uncertainty.
The Elders of the Universe grew visibly tense.
Ragna 's words carried an unspoken horror—an implication too terrifying to fully comprehend.
Even the Celestials, the oldest cosmic beings, remained eerily quiet.
Then, something snapped.
Two of the Elders of the Universe—ones who had spent eons searching for cosmic truths—began to laugh hysterically.
"A lie! A lie! Billions of years spent searching for the truth… and it's all meaningless!"
Their laughter was madness incarnate.
They had pursued universal knowledge for so long, and now, the possibility that reality itself was false had shattered them.
The cosmic law enforcement officer grimly shook his head.
They had lost themselves.
In a flash, the remaining three Elders—the law enforcement officer and two others—turned their power against the two laughing Elders.
BOOM!
A devastating cosmic energy erupted.
The two maddened Elders were annihilated on the spot.
Silence.
Ragna remained expressionless, watching the executions unfold.
The law enforcement officer turned to face him.
"You said you're not sure—"
"Does that mean you might find certainty later?"
His voice was calm, but his eyes held urgency.
Ragna thought for a moment, then nodded.
"Maybe… when I acquire all six Infinite Gems, I will uncover the final truth."
"But I will not take them now."
His voice was unshakable.
"Why not?"
The Celestial Leader asked directly.
"Because the Sacred Heavenly Palace is not yet powerful enough."
"Not secure enough."
Ragna 's answer was blunt, without any deception.
The power of the six Infinity Gems was limitless—but without them, the Holy Heavenly Palace was still a step behind the combined might of the Celestials, Elders of the Universe, and Observers.
And what if the truth was something so terrifying that it turned all cosmic powers against him?
If the Elders, Celestials, and Observers decided that revealing the truth posed a threat to the entire universe—
Would they all turn on him?
It was too risky.
He would only seek the final truth once the Sacred Heavenly Palace reigned supreme.
"I understand."
The law enforcement officer nodded.
Without hesitation, he unleashed a sudden, ruthless attack, obliterating the two fallen Elders who had descended into madness.
A decisive purge.
Now, only three Elders remained.
Their lifelong obsession had transformed into a fanatical pursuit of truth.
Meanwhile, the Celestial Leader turned to his brethren.
He gave a silent signal.
In an instant, the Celestials cast an impenetrable barrier, sealing Vormir from the rest of the universe.
Even the Observers, the omniscient cosmic watchers, would be blind to what happened here.
Ragna coldly observed.
The Celestials, the Elders of the Universe—these beings, once considered gods, were now desperate seekers of truth.
"We are not your enemies," the Celestial Leader finally said.
"We will help eliminate any threats to you."
"And then… we will wait."
"Because that truth is also our only desire."
The entire Celestial Clan bowed their heads.
"We must know if our existence has meaning."
JOIN MY PATREON TO READ ADVANCE 70+ CHAPTERS
PATREON.com/Kora_1