Standing at the intersection of countless timelines and dimensions,
Orsaga gazed at Petra, who lay in his arms, utterly stunned.
With a faint, casual smile, he raised his flawless white hand before her eyes.
The hand clenched slightly, then slowly opened.
When it fully unfurled, a floating white light appeared in the previously empty space.
In the next moment, a dazzling brilliance bloomed from that point of light, radiating outward from Orsaga's palm.
The brilliance was so piercing that Petra instinctively shut her eyes.
But Orsaga merely watched calmly.
This radiance, and all that was happening before them, was nothing more than a manifestation of his power.
It did not last long.
Soon, as the object within his hand began to take shape, the blinding light gradually faded.
When Petra opened her eyes, she saw a newborn nebula slowly rotating in Orsaga's palm.
She quickly noticed that as it turned, it was also gradually expanding.
Realization struck her immediately.
A newly born universe!
At this moment, it was nothing more than a chaotic, ever-expanding nebula. Yet its essence was undeniable.
She could tell it would take time before it formed stars and planets.
Looking at the object in his palm, Orsaga smiled and asked,
"A newborn universe — do you want it? If you do, I'll give it to you."
At his question, Petra glanced at his calm expression.
There was not the slightest sign of effort on his face.
He had created it as casually as one might create an apple.
Hesitation welled within her.
She felt this small universe was of little use to her.
But she also knew: if she said she didn't want it, its existence would likely end here.
Its creator would extinguish it as easily as snuffing out a candle flame.
For Orsaga, mercy and cruelty alike were casual choices; only what he cared for held meaning.
After some thought, Petra nodded.
At her response, the nebula vanished from his hand.
Yet at once, she felt a connection to a certain space.
That space now resided within her chamber in the Crimson Heaven.
Still holding her close, Orsaga chuckled softly:
"I've fused it into your room. From now on, you can enter and exit it freely. By relying on the power of the Crimson Heaven, you can adjust the flow of time and its structure at will, shaping its development however you please."
Hearing this, Petra slowly nodded.
Barely able to process the enormity of what he had revealed, she nonetheless could not restrain her curiosity and asked:
"Since you already possess the power to create universes so easily… why do you spend so much time scheming over the Prime Universe?"
From what she had just witnessed, Petra could not imagine why the Prime Universe was worth his attention.
After all, if Orsaga could casually create an entire universe, then the Prime Universe and its contents should mean little to him.
Yet she knew: since becoming a Chaos God, Orsaga had plotted around the Prime Universe for thousands — perhaps tens of thousands — of years, placing extraordinary importance upon it.
After pondering briefly, Orsaga explained:
"The Prime Universe is fundamentally different from these secondary ones. Think of existence as a house. The Prime Universe is one of its supporting pillars, while these secondary universes I create at will aren't even floor tiles. The difference in value is incomparable. For us Chaos Gods, secondary universes are trivial — they can be made or destroyed on a whim."
"But within the Prime Universe, things are different. There are many more restrictions. Yes, with effort, we could destroy it… But because of its special nature, such destruction would not be permanent. It would simply reform into a new universe, in a new shape. As for ruling it outright, that is also possible in theory… But the other Chaos Gods would never allow it. They would intervene and divide the power among themselves. That is why I must plan so carefully."
Petra listened, nodding slowly. "So, in short, the Prime Universe is unique. The Chaos Gods permit its temporary destruction, but none of you are allowed to seize it entirely for yourselves?"
Orsaga nodded approvingly.
"Exactly. That's more or less the situation."
To the Chaos Gods, the Prime Universe was like a peculiar toy — not especially useful, but too precious to abandon.
Their actions around it resembled an endless card game:
Each one, every so often, would play a card, signaling that they were watching the Prime Universe, warning the others not to think of taking it all for themselves.
That was the state of affairs.
And it left Orsaga, who wished to make his move, rather frustrated.
The four other Chaos Gods were a true obstacle.
He dearly wished to destroy them — but that was far easier said than done.
Hearing his explanation, Petra realized once again just how weak she truly was.
Even when handed such vast knowledge, she could not grasp its full meaning. The true uniqueness of the Prime Universe was utterly beyond her.
Besides, with no strength to act upon such knowledge, knowing too much was meaningless — even dangerous.
So she let go of her urge to press further.
She stopped asking what the Prime Universe truly meant to Orsaga.
Instead, she asked indirectly how confident he was in his plans.
"Not at all."
That was his simple reply.
Petra could only sigh helplessly.
Not wishing for her to dwell too deeply, Orsaga comforted her:
"Don't worry. Even if I fail, it's no matter. In the endless flow of time, opportunities will always arise. And I — I only need to wait patiently."
_____
T/N:
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