"Our existence is anchored to a vast and carefully ordered system of realms. At this moment, you are a native of the Scarred Realm, a world standing at the boiling point of an existential catastrophe."
"Above the Scarred Realm exist six higher planes of existence, each inhabited by beings whose power far exceeds anything your world could presently comprehend. To help you understand the structure of this reality, let me show you a rough representation."
As Nir spoke, a luminous projection bloomed into existence above her palms. Rings of pale light rotated slowly around one another, forming the shape of an inverted cone made of seven circular layers. Each disc revolved in perfect synchronization, radiating a strange sense of depth that made the structure feel less like an illusion and more like a glimpse into reality itself.
"Each disc represents one existence plane," Nir explained calmly. "The smallest and lowest layer is the Scarred Realm, the world where you currently live."
Her gaze shifted toward William, whose stunned expression only deepened as he stared at the rotating model.
"The beings your world worships as gods may originate from any realm above the Scarred Realm. And with every higher plane, the strength of its civilizations, its laws, and the collective power of its inhabitants increases exponentially."
A faint smile touched Nir’s lips as she watched William struggle to process the scale of what she was describing.
"I am simplifying many things," she continued, "because your current understanding is still limited. What I am giving you is merely a broad outline meant to help you grasp the magnitude of the universe you exist within."
She lifted one hand slightly, and the glowing discs slowed their rotation.
"The title of ’God’ is not an inherent state of existence or a cultivation realm that you need to reach. It is a designation granted to individuals who complete certain chains of quests and fulfill extremely specific conditions. As for who creates those quests and who possesses the authority to bestow godhood..." Nir’s smile deepened faintly. "That is knowledge far beyond your current reach."
William remained silent; meanwhile, his eyes were fixed on the floating structure.
"Beyond the seventh plane," Nir said, her tone growing quieter, "there are no more realms of mortal existence. No worlds of the living remain after that point. Beings like me who are categorized separately live on their respective celestial bodies. We are known as Outer Gods."
The projection shifted again, and above the seven rotating discs appeared enormous celestial bodies suspended in darkness.
"Outer Gods include entities such as me, Moon, Jupiter, Uranus, and countless others who have their lives tied to celestial bodies. Our abilities, our authorities, and even the nature of our existence are shaped by the characteristics of the celestial object from which we are born."
For the first time since she had begun speaking, Nir’s voice carried the faintest trace of solemnity.
"Ordinarily, Outer Gods do not concern themselves with the laws or regulations established by the gods of the existence planes. However, the current situation has forced every Outer God into participation within the Council of Gods."
William finally tore his eyes away from the projection and looked at her directly. He knew about the outer gods from an earlier conversation with Xythia; maybe that is why Nir did not take much time to explain about them.
"The Council of Gods," Nir continued, "is an organization that monitors and registers every god within the system of these seven planes. Officially, its purpose is to prevent chaos and the misuse of divine power. At least, that is what they claim."
A soft laugh escaped her lips, carrying a hint of amusement and cynicism alike.
"In truth, you may think of it as a coalition of competing powers. Numerous factions exist within it, each pursuing its own interests, ambitions, and ideologies. It is no different from the political structures of your own world, merely operating on a scale vast enough to encompass entire realities."
Nir finally fell silent.
William sat motionless, completely absorbed in thought as the implications of her words crashed through his mind one after another.
Seeing his expression, Nir smiled faintly.
"I know this is difficult to absorb," she said gently. "But you really needed this amount of context to understand the true significance of why I brought you here."
Before she could continue further, William suddenly spoke.
"What level of strength do Outer Gods possess?" he asked, unable to suppress his curiosity. "Are you stronger than the gods of the Seventh Plane? Those beings are supposed to stand at the pinnacle of existence, aren’t they?"
Nir looked at him for a moment before answering.
"In a certain sense, Outer Gods are the strongest entities within the entire system," she admitted. "However, our existence comes with restrictions that the gods of the higher realms do not suffer from. Those limitations balance the scales, making us roughly equal to the gods of the Seventh Plane."
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
"That is all I can tell you for now."
William slowly nodded, though countless questions still swirled through his mind. After a brief hesitation, another thought surfaced.
"If ’God’ is a title granted after meeting certain conditions," he asked carefully, "then does that mean there are other titles similar to it that can be granted on fulfilling certain conditions?"
Nir nodded immediately.
"You have already heard of some of them."
William frowned in confusion. "I have?"
A small laugh escaped Nir as she watched him struggle to remember.
"You encountered one quite recently," she said. "The Guardian of the Battlefield. Though depending on perspective, that entity is also known as the Heavenly Will... or the Gatekeeper of the First Plane."
"The guardian is a type of title; there are countless types of guardian titles borne by many beings who look over and maintain balance in these seven realms. They often clash with gods if the gods try to fulfill their own agendas by threatening the existence of the rest of the natives of the seven realms."
William’s eyes widened instantly.
The revelation struck him harder than he expected.
If the Heavenly Will was not a unique being but rather a title, then that meant such a position could theoretically be attained by someone else as well.
Almost immediately, another memory resurfaced in his mind.
He remembered the words Xythia had once spoken when he asked her how a god could be killed.
Either obtain the assistance of the gatekeeper of that realm... or become one yourself.
At the time, he had thought those words metaphorical. Now, they carried an entirely different meaning.
Nir observed the shifting emotions on his face with visible amusement before continuing.
"And that is not the only example," she said. "There is another title known as Witch. Does that name sound familiar?"
William stared at her silently for several moments before releasing a dry, almost ironic laugh.
"Yes," he muttered. "The Witch of Corruption... Lady Velma."
Nir nodded approvingly.
"Correct. And there is still another title you have heard before." Her lips curved upward slightly. "Would you like to guess?"
William’s thoughts immediately raced.
He searched through every major figure, every strange encounter, every fragment of knowledge he had accumulated since entering this world.
Gods. Witches. Guardians. Heavenly Wills. His mind moved frantically from memory to memory, trying to identify another title significant enough for Nir to mention alongside them.
But no answer came.
And when Nir finally spoke again, her revelation shattered what little certainty he still possessed.
"Another title you are already familiar with," she said softly, "is the title of Ruler."
William’s expression froze completely.
At that moment, only a single name echoed within his mind.
The Ruler of Eternal Darkness.