The existence of the Celestial World and the Underworld was a universally recognized fact, though their inner workings remained a mystery to the vast majority of mortals.
In the upper strata of reality, the Celestial World was governed by the twelve Constellations, the primordial gods and absolute masters of the cosmos. Their authority was enforced by the twenty-two Seraphs, beings of incalculable power tasked with upholding divine decrees.
Among them were Uriel, the Seraph of Beauty, Michael, the Seraph of Judgment, or Luciel, the Seraph of Light. A strict and immutable hierarchy then extended downward, with the Archangels and Angels, each serving a precise role in a rigorously defined cosmic order.
In total contrast, the Underworld, nestled in the depths of the abyss, operated under the law of brute force and raw power. Only the twelve Seats, also called Dead Stars, imposed any form of supreme authority. Beneath them, the twenty-two Demon Princes and Princesses, such as Lilith, incarnation of Lust, Beelzebub, Lord of the Flies, or Aeshma, Princess of Death, shared sovereignty over the blood-soaked territories.
This structure quickly dissolved into perpetual struggle where Archdemons and lower-ranked demons constantly tore each other apart to climb the ranks and enslave their rivals. Technically, a lower demon could become one of the 12 Seats, even if it had never happened.
The Constellations and the Dead Stars remained distant, their gazes turned toward concerns that transcended the mortal world. In contrast, the Seraphs and the Demon Princes exerted direct and tangible influence. The Seraphs had granted their blessing to the seven great legendary families and were at the origin of the founding of the Holy Cathedral. In response, the Demon Princes had inspired the creation of an occult organization called The Spectrum, operating in the shadows.
Kaiser was perfectly aware of this cosmic landscape. His world was ruled by higher forces whose designs were often impenetrable even to him who knew the future.
"I'm sure one of those supreme beings is the one who reincarnated me into this world, but I can't prove it."
Most mortals knew nothing of the existence of the Constellations and Dead Stars, but he had to deal with that reality. However, his immediate concerns were far more earthly; the true cosmic-scale crises were not expected for another four or five years with the demon invasion, and he had more pressing problems to handle.
His mind was a whirlwind of plans and strategies that he mentally ordered by priority.
First, he had to announce Isaak's death to their father, a confrontation he anticipated with cold apprehension.
Second, he needed to increase his personal power and master the complex mechanisms of the system that governed his abilities.
Third, it was imperative to set up an innovative and lucrative commercial enterprise to finance Black Neon's operations, which would generate no revenue in the near future.
Fourth, he had to structure and train Black Neon to make it operational within three years.
Fifth, expanding his political influence was a necessity to maneuver within the circles of power.
The accumulation of these challenges caused him permanent tension.
"My head already hurts just thinking about it."
He was carrying Isaak's corpse when he stepped through the portal. A wave of nausea, the familiar sensation linked to crossing unstable dimensional passages, rose in his throat.
"Fuck... It's always unbearable, no matter how many times I do it."
He finally emerged in the basement of Paragon Manor, where the air was dry and cold. He carefully placed the body on a stone table, the metallic and earthy smell of death already beginning to permeate the place.
Back in his apartments, heavy fatigue crashed over him. He ignored the servants and headed straight for the baths. Under the hot water, he scrubbed his skin vigorously to remove the residue of sweat, dust, and dried blood clinging to his body.
Watching the steam rise in curls into the air, he realized that an entire day had passed since the start of this affair. He had lost precious time, a resource he could not afford to waste.
Once dried and dressed in clean clothes, he took a deep breath, gathering his focus.
"Status."
A translucent screen immediately appeared before his eyes.
[Kaiser D. Paragon
Level: null
Aura: null
Mana: null
Talent: Mediocre
Skills: Composure [C = 60 %]
Arts: None
Magic: None]
He frowned, studying the interface with frustration. The system was simple, but its activation conditions were demanding.
Acquiring a skill required that at least five important characters from the novel (including the protagonist, major antagonists, and certain key secondary characters) be convinced of the same characteristic about him.
The more people shared that belief, the stronger the skill became. To evolve the rank of an existing skill, the same principle applied: the conviction had to spread to a wider audience.
"Right now, I've only met Kris and Kara as part of those characters. So whether I like it or not, I have to go to the Academy, where a lot of the characters are gathered."
However, this mechanic carried a major risk. Every action, every public word could potentially generate an unwanted skill. If enough important characters from the novel perceived him as a madman, the system would inevitably grant him a madness-related skill, whether he wanted it or not.
His thoughts turned to his only skill: Composure. At C rank and sixty percent mastery, it gave him precious mental clarity, helping him keep a cool head in his decisions.
But he feared the effects of pushing it too far. If it reached too high a rank, it risked stripping him of all emotion, turning him into a cold, detached calculating machine.
He ran a hand through his still-damp hair, pushing it back with a weary gesture.
"In short, I have to carefully build several public personas to optimize the system," he murmured to himself. "And at the same time, I must avoid becoming completely dependent on it. It's a double-edged weapon."
He let out a long sigh, aware that the real difficulties were only just beginning.