Pure, raw, and unfiltered energy coursed through Orion, his body trembling and vibrating for what felt like endless moments. He closed his eyes, letting the sensation wash over him, feeling his mind, body, and soul begin to shift, to sublimate, to evolve at a terrifying, exhilarating speed.
Seconds bled into minutes, and minutes into hours, as Orion silently cheered, his entire being steeped in the warm, surging power.
"Phew," Orion exhaled, the intense sensation gradually slowing, then vanishing in an instant. He cracked his eyes open, staring in disbelief at the world around him. Before, he'd seen life in high definition; now, it was as if he perceived everything with a clarity and depth that no human technology could ever hope to replicate.
"Damn, this is insane," he murmured, half to himself.
"Haha, your eyesight is nothing compared to the other changes, young Orion." Hearing the familiar laughter behind him, Orion turned. A faint smile touched his lips, his previous annoyance and worries completely washed away by the profound merging with his new powers.
"What exactly happened to me?" he asked.
"Evolution, sublimation, recreation—there are many words for what you've just experienced," God replied, his voice laced with amusement. "Simply put, you've ceased being merely human. You've become something truly indescribable, immeasurable. Even simpler, you've officially been hired!" God finished, spreading his arms wide as he spun playfully in happiness.
"And why did that message pop into my head about Anos? Isn't he a character from some anime?" Orion questioned, trying to reconcile the fantastical with the absurd.
"Hmm? Oh, Anos," God mused, a knowing glint in his eyes. "He's likely the closest analogue to the power level I could grant you. If you were to consider your status, you'd get a general idea of where you now stand."
Orion nodded slowly, then concentrated, bringing forth the mental status screen.
------------
Ultimate Strength, Speed, and Durability:Infinitely strong, fast, and tough. You can move anywhere instantly, shatter entire multiverses with a single hit, and nothing can harm you – not physical attacks, black holes, or even attacks on abstract ideas. Your presence alone can reshape environments.
Instant Healing (Perfect):You heal instantly from any injury, even if completely erased from existence. As long as you desire to exist, you will perfectly reappear.
Unlimited Magic Control:Easy and complete control over all magic and the rules of reality across all dimensions and countless universes. You can change universal laws, create or destroy realities, and conjure anything from nothing with a thought.
All-Seeing Destroyer Eyes (Perfect):Your eyes gain Anos's terrifying power. They can see and destroy anything, including abstract ideas (like fate or logic), cause and effect, and the fundamental "Source" (essence) of any being, no matter how powerful. They know all truths and lies instantly.
Absolute Control Over Reality's Rules:You can impose their will on the basic "Order" of everything. This means you can change natural laws, cancel magic, fix broken concepts, and control life and death across all timelines.
"King's Destructive Aura":A constant, overwhelming presence that passively destroys anything weaker than yourself on an conceptual level (it attacks the very idea of something). You can also actively use this aura to erase concepts, logic, or existence, regardless of defenses.
Total Source Manipulation:You can directly control or destroy the "Source" (core essence) of any living thing or abstract idea. This can make enemies powerless, erase them, or force them to obey. You can also infinitely strengthen or change their own "Source."
Instant Travel & Everywhere At Once:You can fly beyond imagination, move faster than speed itself, and appear anywhere across all of existence instantly. You are effectively omnipresent, existing in multiple places conceptually across the multiverse.
Attacks & Defenses That Target Ideas:All your attacks target the very concept of an enemy or their abilities (e.g., removing the "concept of injury" or erasing their "existence" from history). Your defenses make them immune to any attack that targets ideas or erases things, even from primordial beings.
Complete Mind Control:You can easily control anyone's mind, regardless of mental defenses, divine protection, or resistance. You can make others obedient, break their minds, or twist their souls across all of existence.
Control Over Their Own Existence:You can change their own existence, making yourself immune to all attacks, time manipulation, conceptual erasure, fate changes, and reality-bending effects. You can exist as an idea or physically, changing instantly, and can manipulate your own existence across different timelines or realities.
Unbroken Mind:Your mind instantly expands to understand all cosmic truths, complex ideas, and endless knowledge.
Boundless Soul:Your soul's core ("Source") instantly merges with Anos's "Root of Destruction," becoming an infinite well of perfectly controlled power. No strain, just perfect union and absolute spiritual protection.
Harmonious Body:Your body naturally channels this endless power without breaking or tiring. It is the perfect vessel for ultimate rule.
------------
Orion's jaw dropped, his thoughts grinding to a complete halt as he absorbed the information displayed before him. Never, in his wildest imagination, would he have conceived of reaching such a unique and unfathomable level of power, simply by dying.
"Impressive, isn't it?" God said, a knowing smirk playing on his lips as he watched Orion's reaction.
"Impressive? If this isn't utterly broken, I don't know what is." Orion flexed his hands, feeling the vast, untapped, infinite power thrumming beneath his skin. "But... what now? I thought there'd be more to it, like training to earn these powers, or a long journey to prove myself responsible enough to wield them."
God snorted, then gestured for Orion to follow him to a nearby wooden table where he conjured two glasses of an amber liquid. He took a seat, sighed contentedly, and pushed one glass towards Orion.
"Why would I give you the position of my replacement, then send you off for a couple trillion years without the means to protect yourself?" God took a sip. "Sure, I could just grant you some immortality and enough power to deal with future problems, but where's the fun in that, Orion? Isn't there a saying in your world: money doesn't buy happiness, but it sure makes being poor a lot better? This power is your money. Go on, enjoy your life."
Shaking his head with a faint smile, God closed his eyes after another drink.
"The powers granted to you are beyond comprehension; you could simply snap your fingers and alter the fate of everything without a second thought. But I know that's not your way. You know it yourself. Follow your own convictions and have some fun."
Orion listened to God's world-shattering pronouncements, subtly nodding, finding himself agreeing to more than he would have ever anticipated just moments ago.
"So, if I'm understanding this correctly," Orion began, slowly piecing it together, "I'm given free rein across the multiverse to use my powers as I please, do whatever I want, and at some distant point in the future, you'll retire, and I'll take your place?"
"Finally! Your little existential pity party was growing quite tiresome!" God cheered, a wide grin stretching across his face as Orion merely frowned in response.
"So, I'm off now?" Orion asked, the immense power brimming within him proving surprisingly easy to control. He already possessed a fundamental understanding of his newfound ability to teleport throughout the multiverse at a whim.
God nodded at his words, then paused, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Yep! But I'm going to choose your first destination. I don't care what you do there, just spend at least a year or two exploring and meeting people."
Orion's brow furrowed, contemplating the hidden meaning behind God's cryptic words. He began to focus his new powers, trying to probe the secret of his immediate future.
"Nope! No spoiling the surprise!" God yelled, snapping his fingers. "There, no peeking into your own future or destiny. My mistake for thinking you wouldn't try that so soon! Now off you go, pipsqueak. I'll see you in the future!"
"Hey, what the fuck!" Orion shouted, but his protest was cut short as God waved his hand.
Reality simply warped around him, twisting and reforming, drawing him irrevocably towards a new destination.