It didn't take long for Liliya to realize something.
In truth, she herself often behaved the same way.
Seated high upon her throne, gazing down upon countless living beings. Occasionally, when someone caught her attention, she would cast a brief glance in their direction.
What surprised her even more was something else.
She could not sense even the slightest trace of a soul aura from the Water-type super expert before her.
It was as if—unless her eyes saw him directly—this person did not exist in the world at all.
"Hahaha…"
Hearing the red-haired girl's question, Locke laughed.
"Whether this place is a dangerous forbidden land depends on what I'm doing at the time."
"If I were cultivating and suddenly interrupted while in the middle of an insight, then this place would indeed become a forbidden zone where anyone who enters dies."
"But if I've already finished cultivating and made some progress, and I'm in a good mood…"
"Then this place becomes a land of opportunity. Any creature who comes here with questions about cultivation—if I happen to know the answer—I wouldn't hesitate to guide them."
"So, little girl," Locke said calmly, "when you encounter an unfamiliar place in the future, it's better not to be so reckless."
"You never know how dangerous the person behind such a place might be."
"If you had interrupted my cultivation earlier, I might not have given you the choice of entering or leaving. I might have simply killed you outright."
"Hehe."
Liliya laughed softly.
Kill me?
Outside the Netherworld, perhaps those three working together might have had a chance.
But inside the Netherworld?
Even if those three came here together, they would still have to respectfully address her as "My Lady."
Within the Netherworld…
She was invincible.
Who here could possibly threaten her?
Still, from his words, she had confirmed something.
This man seemed to possess a mentality very similar to her own.
Could he also be a Sovereign?
Her brows furrowed slightly.
If an unfamiliar Sovereign had come to the Netherworld, what was his purpose?
"What about you?" she asked, sitting across from him.
"If the situation were reversed, would you have entered—or left?"
She tossed the question back to Locke.
She wanted to see how he would respond when faced with danger and opportunity.
"Heh. If it were me?"
Locke chuckled and shook his head.
"I wouldn't have come here in the first place."
Seeing the defiant look on the red-haired girl's face reminded him strangely of his own experiences in this life.
"For me, the most important thing is staying alive."
"If there's even the slightest danger, I avoid it from a distance."
"Oh?" Liliya raised an eyebrow.
"Even if it meant losing a great opportunity?"
This man was unexpectedly cautious.
"Mm. If I don't have absolute certainty of safety, I rarely take risks."
Taking a sip of tea, Locke thought back on his past.
Aside from the time he had first become a Demigod and gone to meet Emperor Celes, which truly felt risky, most of his other decisions had remained within his expectations.
Even the founding of Fiend Castle, despite several crises, had always been within acceptable limits.
"It's precisely because I'm this cautious that I could grow from a weak human in a material plane into someone standing at the very peak of the gods."
"Little girl, your road is still long."
"Stay vigilant. Avoid dangerous places."
"If you have spare time, go into seclusion and comprehend the Profound Mysteries of the Laws."
"One day, when you stand at the very peak of the gods, there will be few places left in this world that you cannot go."
"The peak of the gods?"
Liliya tilted her head.
"Are you saying… you're a Sovereign?"
She covered her mouth in mock astonishment.
"My luck must be incredible to meet a Sovereign here."
"Hahaha!"
Locke burst into laughter.
He reached forward and lightly flicked her forehead.
"How could I possibly be a Sovereign?"
"I said the peak of the gods."
"Sovereigns and gods are not on the same level."
"The difference between them is like separate dimensions."
"Even though I've reached the pinnacle of godhood and am invincible among gods, in front of a Sovereign I'm still just a slightly larger ant."
"Not a Sovereign?"
Liliya nodded inwardly.
She actually agreed with Locke's statement.
Sovereigns and gods truly existed on entirely different planes of existence.
Even a Sovereign's divine clone far surpassed ordinary gods.
Still, it surprised her that Locke wasn't a Sovereign.
She didn't think he had any reason to lie.
But if he wasn't a Sovereign, how could he hide his soul aura so perfectly?
"Well then," Liliya said, eyes gleaming.
"Could you explain something to me?"
"What exactly does the peak of god-level power look like?"
She genuinely wanted to know.
What kind of realm did Locke mean when he said "invincible among gods"?
"That's easy enough."
Locke nodded.
Becoming a Paragon had filled him with pride.
Although he didn't dare show off in front of Sovereigns, boasting a little in front of a young girl felt quite satisfying.
Besides, when she left, he could simply erase himself from her memory.
"Little girl," Locke said, "I saw that you experienced enlightenment on the bridge earlier."
"You should already know that Profound Mysteries of the Laws can be fused together, right?"
"Yes."
Liliya nodded.
All Sovereigns, after refining their Sovereign sparks, gained knowledge of the Laws—including the fusion of Profound Mysteries and how faith power enhances comprehension.
That was precisely why Sovereigns broke down the Profound Mysteries into magic spells, sending their followers to spread faith throughout material planes.
"Each time two Profound Mysteries fuse, one's strength increases tenfold."
"So, tell me."
"How large is the gap between a Highgod who has fused no Profound Mysteries, and a Highgod who has fused all six?"
"...One hundred thousand times?" Liliya guessed.
"Wrong."
Locke raised a finger and shook it gently.
"A Highgod who has fused five Profound Mysteries is about ten thousand times stronger than one who has fused none."
"But someone who fuses all six is fundamentally different."
"Once all six Profound Mysteries of a single element fuse completely, the Laws become perfectly unified."
"With that alone, they are over one hundred thousand times stronger than ordinary Highgods."
"I call this state…"
"Great Perfection."
Locke felt extremely proud saying this.
As long as the other three Overlords hadn't yet reached that state, then calling himself the first Paragon wasn't entirely wrong.
If that was the case—
Then the title "Paragon" had been coined by him.
How could he not feel proud?
"But the true strength of a Paragon isn't just the fusion of the Laws."
"After perfectly fusing all Profound Mysteries of an element…"
"The universe itself grants you Willpower."
"Willpower?"
Liliya's expression changed drastically.
Willpower was something exclusive to Sovereigns.
And yet…
Fusing all Profound Mysteries of a Law could also grant Willpower?
"That's right—Willpower."
Locke was so enthusiastic about showing off that he failed to notice the shock in her tone.
Normally, someone hearing about Willpower for the first time would be confused about what it meant.
Not shocked that a god could obtain it.
"Willpower is the reason Sovereigns are so much stronger than gods."
"Although the Willpower granted to a Paragon is far weaker than that of a Sovereign…"
"To gods who aren't Paragons, facing me isn't much different from facing a Sovereign."
Liliya looked at him thoughtfully.
No wonder his earlier attitude toward her resembled her own attitude toward the countless beings of the Netherworld.
Earlier she had suspected he was a Sovereign.
But now she realized—
The idea that he was a god who had reached Paragon level was even more shocking.
Willpower belonged to Sovereigns.
Someone who possessed it—even in a lesser form—could almost be called a "lesser Sovereign."
Such a person deserved to be treated as an equal.
After adjusting her posture slightly, Liliya spoke more formally.
"We've talked for a while now. May I ask your name?"
"Oh?"
"You want to know my name?"
Locke looked at her with mild surprise.
It was obvious she came from some great family.
The pride in her eyes wasn't subtle.
But Locke's greatest confidence lay in his strength.
Her arrogance meant nothing to him.
He hadn't cared about her attitude from the beginning.
After all, he had only wanted to show off a little after becoming a Paragon.
And whether he showed off in front of this girl or someone else made little difference.
Sure enough, once she realized he was a Paragon, her attitude changed.
Still—
One of Locke's favorite things was telling self-important people "No."
"Little girl," Locke said calmly, setting down his teacup.
"Knowing my name won't do you any good."
"To be honest, when you leave here…"
"I'll erase myself from your memory with a soul attack."
"So, the best thing you can do right now is ask me some questions about cultivation and improve your strength."
"Don't worry."
"I'll only erase your memory of me."
"I won't erase the answers you receive."
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