Chapter 5: Anger
"Hello, what happened to you?" Maya's voice was cold, though her eyes sparkled with curiosity.
Ank slowly opened his eyes. His head felt heavy, his chest weak. "Oh… what? Sorry. I must have passed out after checking my status."
Maya was shocked by hearing this. "Passed out… from just looking at your own status? How weak."
Her words stung more than he cared to admit. He forced himself to sit up, staring at his trembling hands. "Oh, now I'm as weak as a seven-year-old boy. If Immortality, the Seven Beasts, Draganight, or Mystic heard this, they'd laugh at me."
Ank's lips tightened, but those words remained unspoken. They were thoughts buried in his heart—echoes of his fallen pride.
Suddenly, he remembered his deepest regret—betraying them all. Now, he was consumed by guilt for his past actions.
Once, he had been the First Emperor of the Universe and he conquered many universes. Now, he was just a weak boy, someone anyone could kill.
I won't follow this path again. I will not become emperor this time. I know the greed for power will consume me once more if I do.
Ank had once been one of the most powerful beings, capable of destroying galaxies without even moving. But now, because of his lust for power, he had become a loser that anyone could kill easily and bound with a system that wants him dead by giving quests for his own power.
He knows that the system is made by Destruction and Destruction hates him. He will definitely make quests that are impossible to complete.
This time, he decided—he would not follow that path again.
First, I must regain my power, he thought.
And then…
When he was lost in thought, voices broke the silence.
"As he sat in silence, his thoughts spinning in his mind, a voice snapped him out of it.
"Grandpa, I told you this was a bad idea to bring him home," Maya complained. "Now see? He's mental too. Standing here and mumbling to himself for ten minutes."
"Stop calling him mental," the old man beside her said, his tone calm but firm. "He's thinking about his next move."
Maya scoffed. "Oh, don't lie to me. He's just a mental patient. Sure, he healed fast, but that doesn't make him special. He survived wounds that should've killed him in eight months, but maybe he's just too stubborn to die."
Ank could hear every word. Her sharp tongue was like a dagger stabbing into his pride. But he didn't react. He refused to give her satisfaction.
He ignored her, sinking deeper into his thoughts.
After much thought, he decided on his path.
Recovering my power, Ank repeated in his mind. That's the first step. Without strength, I'm nothing. Without strength, I cannot even survive in this world.
The second step was clear in his heart: Defeat Destruction.
He knew Destruction could not be killed easily. And if he tried, Protection—his father—would step in to stop him. Creation, his mother, would not interfere; she would support him with all her heart.
But the issue was his father. Protection only cared about balance, and about Ank. So he would stop Ank from doing anything foolish that would force him to choose between his son and the balance of the universe.
Ank thought for an hour before his mind was clear.
He thought in silence, lost in a storm of regret and ambition.
"Gramps, let's go. He shouldn't wake up soon.
Let's just wait a little longer for him," the old man said.
"Okay, if you say so," Maya replied.
But Maya was irritated. Very irritated. Her favorite show was starting in less than twenty minutes. She tapped her foot impatiently, glancing at the small box in the corner of the room—their television.
In this village, only her grandfather owned one. On this planet, only nobles and powerful families could afford the luxury of television. Common people could only dream of it.
Television worked on magic, and only powerful mages could operate it.
And only the rich had money to hire powerful mages so they could watch television.
Yet here she was, wasting time babysitting some boy who stared at the wall like a broken doll.
"Ugh…" she groaned. "Why now of all times?"
Finally, Ank opened his eyes and spoke.
"Thank you, old man."
"No problem," the old man replied calmly.
"So, tell me—what are your future plans?" Maya asked impatiently. "Hurry up, I have to go."
Ank's irritation flared. "Who told you to watch me while I'm thinking?"
"You!" Maya snapped.
"What, you?" Ank replied coldly. "And I heard you insulting me. Let's check your status."
Her eyes widened. "You can't! You can't check someone's status without permission!"
Checking someone's status was a matter of privacy and was not allowed in Duskwild except during war and fights.
Ank's lips curled into a faint smile. "Check status."
[Status Window: Maya Silvertone]
[Race: Human]
[Age: 14]
[Rank: Apprentice]
[Level: 38]
[HP: 2500]
[Mana: 5000]
[Strength: 2000]
[Constitution: 150]
[Stamina: 4000]
[Charisma: 500]
[Intelligence: 370]
[Skills: None]
[Spells:
God's Grace (Locked)
Skill Info: Can create powerful shockwaves using tone. Unlocks at age 15.
Super Strength
Skill Info: Inhuman strength, capable of lifting two elephants.
Energy Blast
Skill Info: Fires energy blasts that are made of mana.
Cute Shock
Skill Info: By using her cuteness, she can control monsters (except brainless and someone more powerful than her).]
After reading this, Ank's eyes widened.
Ank froze as he read the window.
What is this…? She's more powerful than me in my current state.
His pride twisted into shame. Once, he was the First Emperor of the Universe. Now, a little girl surpassed him.
"Why did you check my status?!" Maya shouted, her face turning red with anger.
Before Ank could reply, her fist shot forward.
BAM!
The punch landed on his face. The force hurled him across the room. He slammed into the wall with a crack, dust and wood splintering around him. His body slumped to the ground, unconscious once more.
Far, far away—beyond stars, beyond realms, in a place untouched by mortals—Destruction watched.
The great being leaned back on his throne of chaos, laughter echoing through the void.
"The Almighty. The First Emperor. Beaten by a little girl. How… hilarious!"
His laughter shook worlds, his amusement boundless.
"Yes, Ank. Crawl. Suffer. Entertain me with your fall. I'll be watching your life unfold… piece by piece."
The sound of Destruction's cruel laughter rippled across the cosmos, as Ank's story of redemption—or dominance—began once more.