What happened to you?” Maya’s voice was cold.
But a faint spark of curiosity shone in her eyes.
Ank was lost in his thoughts.
Then he heard her voice, but his mind was focused on something else.
He was so weak.
Even a small child could beat him.
And somehow he had changed in fifteen years.
He had already confirmed that he was in his own body.
Not someone else’s.
But still, there was no explanation.
Ank slowly opened his eyes.
His head felt heavy and his chest weak.
As if even breathing required effort.
“Oh…” he muttered, trying to focus.
“Sorry.
I was lost in thought.” Maya blinked in disbelief.
“Wait…” “In other words, you passed out after hearing that you were weaker than a child?” She stared at him for a moment before shaking her head.
“That’s honestly pathetic.” “I knew you were weak, but not this weak.” Her words stung more than he wanted to admit.
Ank slowly sat on the bed.
His muscles trembled slightly as he looked down at his hands.
They were still shaking.
And the pain in his hand was still there.
“So this is what I’ve become…” he murmured.
A bitter smile appeared on his face.
“Oh well, now I’m as weak as a seven-year-old boy.
If Immortality, Seven Beasts, Xzen????, or Mystic heard this…” “They would laugh at me.” Suddenly, he remembered his deepest regret, betraying them all.
Now, he was consumed by guilt for his past actions.
Ank’s lips tightened, but those words remained unspoken.
They were thoughts buried in his heart, echoes of his fallen pride.
Once, he had been the First Emperor of the Universe, and he had conquered many universes.
Now, he was just a weak boy whom anyone could kill.
I won’t follow that path again.
I will not become Emperor this time.
And this was the moment Ank decided what he had to do in the future.
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 his hand.
But now, because of his lust for power, he had become a loser whom anyone could kill easily.
And he was bound to a book that wanted him dead.
He knew that the book had been altered by his greatest enemy, who hated him so much.
He had gone so far as to change the workings of a primordial artifact just to make him suffer.
But now Ank had made a resolution.
This time, he decided he would not follow that path again.
First, I must regain my power, he thought.
And then…
He sat quietly, lost in his thoughts again.
A voice broke the silence.
“Grandpa, I told you this was a bad idea to bring him home,” Maya complained.
“Now see?
He’s mental too.
Sitting on the bed 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 mocked.
“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 the 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.
To defeat and kill the person who altered the book at any cost.
He knew that person could not be killed easily.
And if he tried, many cosmic beings would protect him.
But still, he wanted to kill him with his own hands.
One hour had passed.
Ank sat still, and slowly his mind became clear.
“Gramps, let’s go.
He shouldn’t wake up soon.
Maya commented.
Let’s just wait a little longer for him,” 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 outside 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.
Televisions worked on magic, and only powerful mages could operate them.
And only the rich had the money to hire powerful mages so they could watch television.
Yet here she was, wasting time babysitting some boy who was sitting 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.
I am only tolerating your insults because of your grandpa.
If he had not saved me, I would not have listened to your insults.
I do not want any lecture or criticism from a fourteen-year-old girl.
You are even smaller than me.
So what gives you the right to insult me?” Ank released all his frustration toward Maya that had been building inside him.
He had had enough of her taunts.
But Ank made his first mistake after gaining consciousness, one that he would later curse himself for.
Why didn’t he keep quiet when he knew nothing about the person?
But Ank was too late.
Maya became angry.
Hearing Ank’s words, Maya shouted, her face turning red with anger.
“Enough!” Before Ank could reply, her fist shot forward.
BAM!
The punch landed on his face.
The force threw him to the back of the room.
He slammed into the wall where he had thrown the book.
Dust and wood scattered around him.
His body was now lying on the ground, unconscious once again.
Far, far away, beyond stars, beyond realms, in a place untouched by mortals, A divine being sat upon a dark throne.
An existence so terrifying that even death feared approaching him.
His eyes watched everything.
And a smile slowly spread across his face.
He was the same being who had been watching Ank a moment ago.
Ank’s every struggle.
Every frustration.
Every humiliation.
He enjoyed all of it.
Then suddenly…
He burst into laughter.
“Hahahahaha!” The sound echoed through the endless void.
“The Almighty.” “The First Waestor of the Universe.” “The First EMPEROR of the Universe.” “The ruler of countless universes.” “The being who stood above gods.” “The monster who made entire pantheons tremble.” He paused.
A grin stretched across his face.
“Defeated by a little girl.” His laughter became even louder.
“Hahahahahaha!” His laughter shook worlds.
Stars were destroyed.
Space trembled.
And yet he could not stop laughing.
“Ank…” “You once conquered universes.” “You once crushed gods with your bare hands.” “You once made reality kneel before you.” “And now…” His shoulders trembled.
Not from fear.
But from trying not to laugh.
“You are arguing with a fourteen-year-old girl about a broken wall.” Another burst of laughter escaped him.
“Magnificent.” “Truly magnificent.” His amusement knew no bounds.
“Yes, Ank.” “Crawl.” “Struggle.” “Suffer.” “Show me how the greatest Emperor in history survives without his throne.” “Without his power.” “Without his pride.” His eyes narrowed.
“And when you finally think things cannot get worse…” A sinister smile appeare d on his face.
“I’ll make sure they do.” The divine being leaned back on his throne.
Patiently waiting.
Watching.
Enjoying every second.
As the story of the fallen Waestor began once again.