"I never expected this child to reach such a stage. It's unbelievable."
While Noah silently controlled his Domain, the Ancient One and Odin observed from within the Mirror Dimension, their expressions filled with disbelief.
They had clearly sensed the shift in Noah's aura and the transformation of his soul. He had crossed the threshold of soul evolution without undergoing a divine transition.
That alone was nearly unheard of.
Everything they were witnessing exceeded their imagination. They couldn't understand how Noah had done it, nor why his Domain had undergone something akin to a "Big Bang," evolving into a nascent universe.
Naturally, these were Noah's secrets.
Everyone walked a different path. Asking would be meaningless. Even with their curiosity, neither the Ancient One nor Odin would pry into his affairs.
But one thing was unmistakable.
A passage linking to the World of the Dead was flickering around Noah.
That fact alone proved something critical.
Noah's Domain had truly become a universe-one that possessed both life and souls.
At that realization, neither of them could remain calm.
They had studied magic related to souls for countless years. And now, a completely new path had appeared before them.
"A brand-new universe, one that contains life and souls," the Ancient One murmured. "He truly deserves the title of Domain Creator. Unbelievable power. Unbelievable in every sense."
"Yes." Odin exhaled softly. "Sometimes I truly envy you. You helped someone solve a few problems and gained such a disciple. If only he were Asgardian..."
"A pity he's from Earth," the Ancient One said with a faint smile. "And I doubt he'd enjoy being Asgardian anyway. He's a mage. In Asgard-"
"My wife would be an excellent teacher," Odin interrupted, shaking his head. Then, accepting the impossibility, he shifted topics. "He's awake. And he seems to have noticed us. Let's go."
Noah had indeed awakened.
After carefully examining his newly transformed Domain, his consciousness returned.
The moment he opened his eyes, he felt it.
Something was different.
His perception of power had reached an entirely new level. If he wished, he could see the entire world reduced to countless lines-each one representing a form of power.
Every unfamiliar line was a Rule he had yet to comprehend.
The sensation was deeply uncomfortable.
After only a brief moment, Noah shut that perception down.
He didn't want the world he lived in to be nothing but power and rules. He didn't want his family and friends to become abstract constructs of soul and energy.
Still, one thing troubled him.
Through that perspective, he had clearly seen two terrifying existences hidden within space itself.
"That power... All-Father Odin and my Master?" Noah thought.
The answer came immediately.
Space shattered in front of him as Odin and the Ancient One stepped out from the Mirror Dimension.
"Noah. Long time no see."
"Master. All-Father." Noah stood at once and bowed. "It has been a while. I apologize for not visiting during this time. There was simply too much work..."
"Work?" The Ancient One chuckled softly. "Do you truly care about that? From what I see, your High Council has been handling things quite well."
Noah smiled awkwardly.
Strictly speaking, his workload wasn't that heavy. He simply disliked dealing with it.
The truly troublesome matters had always been handled by the High Council.
Faced with the Ancient One, Noah didn't argue. He scratched his head and let it go.
"Forget it." The Ancient One looked at him with both helplessness and pride. "I've heard everything you've done for the magical world. You did well. Very well. If only you were a bit more diligent."
"I understand, Master." Noah nodded firmly. "If not for your guidance, I would likely-"
"Your strength is the result of your own efforts," the Ancient One interrupted. "You've always been the child I worried about the least. And my most outstanding disciple. Everything you gained came from your own hard work."
"I understand, Master."
Noah truly did.
His current strength was something he had earned step by step. That was his pride.
But he would never forget what the Ancient One had given him.
If she hadn't brought him to Kamar-Taj-if she hadn't opened doors and provided opportunities-the System alone would never have carried him this far.
Noah was still Noah.
Even as a Demi-god, he retained human emotions.
And he believed that even if he became a true god one day, he would still be a god of flesh, blood, and feeling-just like his Master and the All-Father.
If he lost that, he wouldn't be himself anymore.
"Master. All-Father." Noah shook his head, setting those thoughts aside. "How is the research on modifying the Reanimation magic progressing?"
"It's extremely difficult," Odin said slowly. "We can probe the World of the Dead, but we can't pinpoint the soul we're looking for. Too much power is consumed just maintaining the connection between the two worlds."
Noah frowned.
That wasn't good news.
But then, something clicked.
The biggest problem was the energy spent linking the worlds.
What if that step wasn't necessary?
What if all the power could be focused solely on searching for the soul?
In that instant, Noah realized something.
His Domain's connection to the World of the Dead wasn't a problem.
It was the perfect solution.
"Master. All-Father." Noah's eyes lit up. "I think I can help."
"We know," the Ancient One said calmly. "The fact that your Domain is linked to the World of the Dead is already extraordinary."
"...Eh?" Noah froze. "You knew?"
The moment the words left his mouth, he realized how foolish they sounded.
These were beings who had studied souls and the World of the Dead for ages.
They were intimately familiar with its aura.
Even though the experiment took place inside the System's space, Noah's physical body had been affected. Power tied to the World of the Dead had leaked outward.
Detecting it would have been effortless for them.
Rubbing his nose, Noah glanced at their knowing expressions and shrugged.
This wasn't the first time he'd embarrassed himself. He was used to it.
"What do you need me to do?" he asked directly.
"You'll need to carefully study our previous research," Odin replied. "Your universe is yours alone. Only you can exert full authority within it. Learn the spell, master it, and then use the passage inside your universe to locate the soul."
"I understand." Noah nodded. "An interesting approach. I'll handle it."
"But I am curious," the Ancient One added suddenly. "How did you manage to connect your Domain to the World of the Dead? This isn't a matter of life, but of souls. If I'm not mistaken, you seemed to have abandoned Soul Magic. Or rather... none of us ever truly mastered it."
Her curiosity was focused entirely on one thing.
Souls.
The World of the Dead existed solely for them. Life had no place there.
Only beings that had lost life, yet retained memory and identity, could exist as souls.
To connect to that world, a universe had to possess independent souls of its own.
Noah didn't answer.
Instead, he raised his hand slightly.
An orange gem appeared quietly in his palm.