The Black Necromancer

Chapter 526: The Next Stage

"You are...!!?" A sudden realization came over Leon as he stared at the Nexus Being in shock. "The Paragon of Undeath wants to take your place?! But you can't strike him down directly, which is why you want me to help... But this brings up even more questions. If you say that I can also reach that level, then does that mean that there are other Nexus Beings?"

Leon's mind was moving at a high speed as he broke down all of this information. But a sudden calm was forced over him, making him pause in his words.

"Calm, Leon Cromwell. I will answer your questions." The Nexus Being said, placing a palm on Leon's shoulder. It turned around and stared into the vast Void all around them. "Indeed, the Paragon of Undeath seeks to rise up and claim my spot. However, due to the rules that dictate reality, I cannot stop him.

If I forcefully interfere, then all semblance of balance and fairness within this Universe that I have crafted with my own hand will fall apart. It is ironic. The same rules I made sure to enforce have come back to shackle me. But it is a cycle that must be maintained."

"As for your other question. Yes, you are right. There are other Nexus Beings." The Nexus Being waved its hand and the stars within the Void seemed to shift, but in actuality, it was Leon and the Nexus Being who were being moved.

Whoosh!

Everything changed and Leon was brought before a vast emptiness that held countless orbs of glowing light.

"This is the boundless multiverse. It contains many universes. Some were just born and have no rulers, while others have been established for countless years. In reality, the universe that I rule is but a fraction of some of these others."

"..." Leon remained silent but in the depths of his mind, a profound change in the way he viewed things occurred. Back when he had initially been taken to Datar by Michael, he had already been astounded at the fact that another world existed like Datar. His view had been limited to the sparse number of planets that existed within the Solar System.

Eventually, he came to know that there were many worlds besides Datar and Earth, which had also influenced another shift in his worldview.

Now, he came to realized that there were even other universes! What next, were there other multiverses?!

Leon's mind came to a standstill and his thoughts became blank. He was clearly struggling to come to terms with all this. However, the Nexus Being did not interfere. It knew that it was crucial for Leon to adapt his worldview if he was ever to fight against the Paragon of Undeath.

After an indeterminate amount of time, Leon's mind finally began to move again. The way he saw things had undergone a profound change. He also felt that there was something different within him, but he had no idea what it was.

"What... what is this feeling inside of me?" He asked, looking at his body. He looked no different from before, but he could feel the change within and without.

The Nexus Being sighed before speaking.

"Every being who comes to know of this next level of existence always gains a seed of potential within them. Whether that potential blooms into something worthwhile is always up to them. You are not the first to receive this seed within my Universe, but we shall see what becomes of it."

Leon was intrigued but also a bit concerned. "Who are the others that have gotten this seed?"

"Two of them that you will surely cross paths with are the Paragon of Undeath, Izeal, and the Lord of the Army of Destruction, Ijas." The Nexus Being responded.

"The Paragon of Undeath, Izeal... He wants to replace you. What about Ijas? You do not seem worried about him?" Leon inquired.

"Ijas... is a friend. He does not aspire to carry such a great burden. As a result, he has sealed away parts of himself, including knowledge of all of this. As a result, he does not know of the ploy of the Paragon of Undeath. I do not plan to get him involved either.

He deserves that much." The Nexus Being said, and for once, its voice carried a hint of emotion that Leon could detect. Leon could feel a hint of sadness and regret, but before he could glean more, the emotion disappeared.

"That is enough for now. Are you willing to accept my aid in defeating the Paragon of Undeath? I can promise you that there will be no foul play. I am a being who upholds fair play as best as I can. You will not be hindered by me as long as you do not threaten me." The Nexus Being went back to the main topic.

"I..." Leon opened his mouth but could not speak. He was conflicted. He wanted the most strength he could get, but he also wanted to have a peaceful life that was not bothered by all these concerns. Indeed, ignorance was bliss, because all of this knowledge had become a burden to Leon. The more he knew, the worse this burden became.

Before he decided, Leon went over all of his goals that had driven him forward all this while.

At first, his driving goal had been simply to get stronger and survive. After a time, he had finally accomplished that goal. Then his next goal had changed into growing strong enough to reach the pinnacle and become independent.

Along the way, he had gained the additional desire to strip himself of any interference from any of the Gods, as they had a habit of pushing their wills onto those weaker than them.

Before he had even accomplished that goal, the threat of the Army of Destruction had arrived, and he needed to change his plans. He had become a God, but there were still worries everywhere.

But he thought that he had finally seen the destination, as if the warded off the Army of Destruction, then he would finally be able to settle down. But it seemed things were not over yet.

Of course, Leon did not forget about some more personal goals of his. His thoughts drifted, and his non-existent heart thumped.

'Elena. Dad. Mom.'

His family.

Eventually settling on a choice, Leon looked at the Nexus Being once again.

"I-"