Chapter 469 An Unusual Being

The first thing Michael felt was surprise.

Followed by a chill down his spine.

Origin Will?

That Origin Will?

The realization struck him like a hammer. His thoughts immediately flew to the two titles he had received after completing his advancement quest.

First in History and Outlier . 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

They were the first signs that something—or someone—was watching him.

And now, it had finally made contact.

Michael’s breath slowed as unease crept over him. He had long suspected that the Origin Will had some kind of influence over the Awakener System. Maybe even control. And if that was true...

And the worst part?

Michael had no control over it.

Which is why, deep down, a part of him couldn’t help but feel a creeping dread.

He didn’t trust the Origin Will.

Not one bit.

[Title: First in History]

You are the first in your race to achieve something the Origin Will acknowledges.

Achievement : Breaking through the established rating.

Effect : The Origin Will now pays attention to you.

[Title: Outliner]

You have shaken—or have the potential to shake—a fundamental balance of the universe.

This is unacceptable to the Origin Will and requires punishment... but as this existence is rare, a reward has also been issued.

Effects :

Experience gained is reduced by 50%.

You gain resistance and partial immunity to certain universal rules.

Michael stared at the translucent panel for a long second.

Then he exhaled softly and asked aloud, "...What do you want from me?"

Silence.

No reply came.

The system remained dormant—still, like a lake without ripples.

Oddly enough, the lack of a response calmed him. His shoulders, which had tensed unconsciously, loosened.

Michael leaned back in his chair again, tapping his fingers lightly on the desk.

"Fine. Ignore me. I’d actually like that," he muttered. "But I’ve got questions of my own."

He turned his attention back to the Laws. If the Origin Will wasn’t going to interfere directly... then he’d take advantage of the moment.

"What are these Laws, really?" he murmured. "Do all Rank 3 beings awaken a Law?"

For a long moment, the room remained quiet.

Then—

A new panel flickered into existence, the font slightly sharper than usual.

[In the universe, there exist countless power systems. Each is a framework designed to help lesser beings climb the ladder of power.]

[But those who come in contact with Law are the ones who truly step onto the path of true power and begin to comprehend the nature of the universe.]

Michael’s brows shot up.

He wasn’t expecting a reply.

His mouth twitched into a dry smile.

"...So you only answer when you want to answer?" he asked.

No reply.

Though Michael still felt a low, crawling discomfort in his gut, it wasn’t fear anymore.

Of course, that didn’t mean he trusted it.

"Why are you helping me?" he had asked.

No answer came.

Just silence.

So he did what he always did when faced with the unknown.

He stopped overthinking and moved forward.

Michael turned back to the lingering panels, focusing on what he had just been told about Laws.

If nothing else, that was something he could use.

Something real.

"Path of true power, huh..." he muttered, tapping lightly against the desk.

But then his fingers paused.

His mind, still buzzing from the Origin Will’s words, began making connections. Slowly. Sharply. Like the clink of glass pieces falling into place.

Laws aren’t like spells, he thought. They’re what makes spells possible.

A spell was just a result—like a flame from flint and steel. But the Law ... the Law was what governed fire in the first place.

He rubbed his temple lightly. "So that means..."

Michael’s lips parted slightly.

"Laws are like magical science," he said aloud. "Not the product, but the principle behind the product. The physics of mana."

That was it.

The reason why those Rank 3 supers bent the world wasn’t because they were slinging bigger spells. It was because they understood —or at least touched—the foundation beneath everything. The universal coding.

Laws weren’t narrow. They were vast. Like science itself. Saying "Law of Flame" was like saying "Physics"—broad, powerful, overwhelming.

But every Law could be broken down. Piece by piece. Layer by layer.

That was what the [Seed] was.

Not the whole tree.

Just the start.

Michael’s mind spun now. Not from confusion—but from excitement.

Unfortunately, he could already feel the edges of comprehension slipping again. Like trying to hold fog in his hands.

His breath calmed.

"Yeah," he murmured. "I’ll probably only start to truly understand once it’s time to advance again."

Still, one question itched at the back of his mind.

Michael narrowed his eyes at the floating system panel.

"...Then explain something else," he said slowly. "This title. Outlier . What exactly does that mean?"

A heartbeat passed.

Then two.

Just as he thought the Origin Will had gone quiet again—

Another panel appeared.

[ You are an existence that lies beyond established pattern.]

[You are incompatible with the standard framework.]

"So you punished me?" Michael asked quietly.

[...]

A pause. Nothing.

Michael sighed helplessly.

The Origin Will—this elusive force he still knew nothing about—seemed content to do only two things: answer cryptically or ignore him entirely.

It didn’t threaten him. Didn’t command him. For now, it simply watched.

But knowing that a being like that was aware of him—observing him—made his skin crawl.

There was nothing he could do about it.

Not yet.

He leaned back in his chair again, letting his arms hang loosely as he stared at the ceiling.

"Guess that’s something for future me to deal with," he muttered.

Still, one more question itched at his curiosity.

He hesitated, then asked, "Origin Will... where are you right now?"

At first, silence.

Then—

[Everywhere. I exist everywhere.]

Michael’s eyes narrowed slightly.

"That’s quite creepy."

Michael was just about to push the matter of the Origin Will to the back of his mind when something else occurred to him.

"Oh—right. One more thing," he muttered. "What exactly does ’resistance and partial immunity to certain universal rules’ mean?"