Nakoro had never comprehended any true Origin Law, which left him unable to sense the subtle fluctuations of the laws around him. He could not distinguish how the rules of this universe differed from those of the Devouring World.
The laws of the Marvel Universe were incomplete, weak, and fragmented, a far cry from the fully developed laws of the Devouring World. The gap was enormous.
Rowan understood this all too well.
Back when he first entered the Eternal Flame and felt the Law of Fire, he had not realized how abundant and dense the power there truly was. He only noticed the difference after he left and returned to Earth. The laws of this world were thin, fading like smoke in the wind, almost impossible to grasp. Compared to the Devouring World, where the fire laws pulsed vividly at every moment, Earth felt barren.
This meant that comprehending laws within the Marvel Universe would always be exponentially more difficult.
It was precisely for this reason that true powerhouses were incredibly rare. Even someone like Thanos, merely at a planetary level, could dominate entire star systems. A stellar-level warrior could wander the galaxy unhindered. A cosmic-level expert could rule the universe.
And above them, the so-called Cosmic Sovereigns could destroy low-tier universes with a flick of their hand.
"What trick are you plotting, kid?"
Nakoro narrowed his eyes. He could not understand why a mere stellar-level warrior like Rowan showed absolutely no fear. In fact, Rowan seemed entertained, like a man watching a clever scheme unfold exactly as intended.
"I'll give you two choices," Rowan said, his tone calm and his gaze filled with amusement. "Choice one: I kill you, then collect everything you own. Choice two: you obediently submit, I imprint your soul, and you become my servant. Once I'm strong enough to no longer need you, I'll remove the imprint and grant you freedom."
"Are you looking for death?"
Nakoro burst into rage. He was a bona-fide Cosmic Level Three warrior, a drifter who clawed his way up from planetary rank, surviving countless battles and near deaths. How could someone like him ever kneel to Rowan?
Yes, something felt strange. He sensed danger lurking here. But a stellar-level seven versus a cosmic-level three. The difference was insurmountable.
And he also possessed his own life-saving trump cards. The moment he decided to kill, he acted.
In the blink of an eye, Nakoro surged forward, blade raised. A blinding field of light erupted from him, countless rays converging into a violent storm that crashed toward Rowan. Layer upon layer of shimmering blade arcs crossed the void, engulfing Rowan completely.
"Mountain Shield."
Rowan's smile vanished. This was his first battle against a cosmic-level enemy. Underestimating his foe would be fatal. Without the Golden-Horned Beast's body and with his Life Core contained within himself, death would be real if he was struck down.
The Mountain Shield materialized in front of him. The storm of blades crashed down like a collapsing mountain range. Rowan shot backward with explosive force, streaking across the void until he slammed into the surface of a desolate gray planet hundreds of kilometers away.
A mouthful of blood escaped his lips. His spiritual power surged to stabilize his body as his gaze grew solemn.
Impressive.
Just that light touch was enough to severely injure him.
And worse, Rowan could clearly feel that Nakoro had held back. That attack had only been a test.
A mere test had nearly crushed him.
Without the Infinity Gauntlet, he truly could not win. The gap between Stellar Level and Cosmic Level was a chasm. His starting point was simply too low.
"He blocked it? A Tier Three Original Energy Weapon? This kid really has a background. Should I kill him or not...?"
Nakoro frowned. Rowan wielded Silver Guards and possessed high-grade weapons. He was clearly the descendant of some noble family or powerful faction sent out for training.
But Nakoro was a mercenary of the Universal Mercenary Alliance, used to drifting between stars. Killing Rowan meant trouble, but he could simply flee the Black Dragon Empire afterward. As long as he ran far enough, no one would ever find him.
Unless Rowan had a Universe Lord or an Immortal backing him. But that was extremely unlikely. The Black Dragon Empire had only two Immortals, and neither belonged to Rowan's race. At most, Rowan might be under the protection of a Domain Lord.
And a Domain Lord was far from enough to scare Nakoro.
"Kid, you messed with the wrong person. This next strike will take your life."
With every scenario calculated within a tenth of a second, Nakoro made his decision.
His light domain surged outward once more, coating the area within a radius of five hundred meters. The first stage of his Light Domain.
"What trash. You reached cosmic rank and still only have a first-stage domain? Pathetic."
Rowan laughed loudly. Instead of panic, he radiated confidence. Dark purple flames burst across his skin, expanding in an instant into a massive domain far larger than Nakoro's.
"Flame Domain."
Rowan flicked a finger. His domain tore through Nakoro's instantly, shattering it like brittle glass.
"Fifth stage...?"
Nakoro froze. The shock barely had time to register before Rowan's Flame Domain dragged him into its depths. The scorching heat pressed against his body. Although his own light domain protected him with a thin layer no more than a few centimeters thick, the temperature was nearly seventy thousand degrees. And that was only the ambient heat.
"Bladefish Formation."
Rowan saw his chance. With a thought, the Sky-Piercing Shard split into countless blades that spun together into the shape of a golden fish. The Bladefish streaked through the air, unpredictable and swift.
Nakoro sensed the danger and roared, his power bursting outward to push Rowan's domain back. The difference in levels was too great. Rowan's domain alone could not restrain him.
But the Bladefish slipped through the cracks and shot for Nakoro's head.
At the last instant, Nakoro summoned two axes from thin air. His hands danced. The heavy weapons blurred like feathers, smashing the Bladefish away. Then he lunged, turning his light domain into a sharp drill, tearing open Rowan's domain in a spiraling vortex of heat and light.
"Impressive talent, kid," Nakoro said. "Stellar Level Seven yet already a fifth-stage domain. When I was at your level I hadn't even touched domains. But your strength is still too weak. If we were equal in rank I could never break your domain. Unfortunately for you, we are not equal."
He grinned cruelly, savoring the idea of killing a genius slowly.
But Rowan smiled back.
A strange, wicked smile.
He raised his fist.
The Infinity Gauntlet gleamed.
"What...?"
A wave of primal terror struck Nakoro. Before he could react, Rowan clenched his fist. Purple energy surged from the Power Stone, racing into his arm. Crackling purple lines spread across his skin. Purple flames erupted around him. Heat skyrocketed past two hundred thousand degrees, hot enough to burn even a cosmic-level warrior.
Rowan struck.
The punch looked slow yet moved faster than light. Space rippled violently as it smashed into Nakoro's domain.
A deafening explosion tore through the void.
Nakoro's domain shattered. His eyes widened in disbelief as Rowan's fist grew larger in his vision.
The punch hit him like a star crashing into his skull.
Nakoro flew backward like a meteor, crashing through countless floating asteroids, pulverizing each one. He tumbled for an unknown distance before finally slamming into a dark comet, carving a crater over a kilometer wide.
"What power... at least Cosmic Level Five or Six."
Rowan's eyes shone with excitement. It was the first time he had unleashed the true strength of the Power Stone.
And this was only one stone. Once he gathered the full set, the possibilities were endless.
Deep in the crater, Nakoro staggered to his feet, trembling.
Impossible.
That punch had the force of Cosmic Level Seven.
Nothing made sense anymore.
He had to escape.
He reached for his communicator to summon his ship.
But space behind him twisted open like a tear, and Rowan stepped out with a smirk, accompanied by three Silver Guards.
"Spatial teleportation... Immortal rank?"
Nakoro felt cold from head to toe.
Only those who had fully comprehended the Law of Space and reached Immortal Rank could teleport freely.
Yet Rowan had done it.
"Attack."
The three Silver Guards melded into liquid metal and wrapped around Nakoro instantly.
"Damn it!"
Nakoro struggled to break free, but the combined force of three merged Silver Guards held him fast.
He realized too late. He had underestimated Rowan completely.
And now he would pay the price.