"I'm not actually fused with my universe's core."
"What?" The Supreme One muttered with slightly widened eyes as his hand, lifting the cup to his lips, paused just beneath his jawline.
"The core is still in the centre of my home universe," Alex added in a determined tone. "I undid the fusion."
"...."
Alex watched as the Supreme One's expression, while not very noticeable, changed from shock, contemplation and then to realisation.
"So that's the reason… Haha." The Supreme One couldn't help but laugh, placing his cup down. Focusing on Alex, he took a good look at him as the pieces of the puzzle came together. "You're your own system indeed…"
Alex could only show a stiff smile that he quickly took back. From what he could decipher from that tone, Alex could tell there was regret laced in, further solidifying his hypothesis about the Supreme One's actions.
'I wonder how many cores he has right now…?' Alex pondered silently, his gaze shifting to the Supreme One's chest. 'All this power and yet…'
While he felt the same drive from the core of his universe, his reasons would have been solely for the power and knowledge. He was a nobody while the Supreme One was a grand entity known throughout the multiverse.
"You're one of a kind, Alexander." The Supreme One suddenly said with a slight smile. "You carved out your own path…"
"What I have done is nothing special." Alex shook his head. "I'm sure others can do the same… eventually."
"Maybe… But we can't reverse what has already happened." The reply made Alex furrow his brows in slight confusion.
"What do you mean?"
"All veilwalkers are an anomaly, Alexander. No being was supposed to have the kind of powers we wield. The power to use the rawest energy of reality was not meant to be done, even for gods in Universe Prime.
"But the multiverse made this possible, changing the dynamics of everything. In a way, you could call us extensions of the multiverse made flesh, soldiers to defend reality. Once we fuse with a core to ascend to godhood, we cannot go back."
Alexander widened his eyes in shock. This was in line with his own thoughts, but he wasn't exactly sure. Veilwalkers become their universe by fusing with its core. Trying to undo that was equivalent to destroying the universe itself.
"Veilwalkers could only reach godhood through fusion," Alex muttered in a daze. "We aren't supposed to know the truth that will allow our ascension without fusing with a core. The universe's core is responsible for that."
"Exactly." The Supreme One nodded in affirmation. "What you did should not be possible… It's not something you can just do simply because you realised this truth. At least, not until you showed up."
Gulp.
"Why do you think the requirements to become a god are different from the requirements for a veilwalker to become a fully realised god? I've had many attempt this feat, but as you can tell, there have been no successes."
The more Alex heard, the more he felt his core thump. He was basically a cheater, constantly stealing from reality. He was using its energy for himself — he made himself an outsider, a glitch in the matrix that the system hadn't detected.
"What does this mean for me…?" Alex asked in a heavy tone. What he was hearing was scaring him a bit. Now more than ever, he needed to secure his existence.
"Nothing…" The Supreme One replied. "Reality is in a state of incompleteness, so you don't have to worry." His words made Alex sigh in relief.
"This brings me to why I invited you over, Alexander." The Supreme One continued. "Anomaly or not, your path is different and may be the only hope I have…"
The Supreme One didn't have to tell Alex what his issue was directly. The Supreme One saying Alex was his hope was more than enough for Alex to know his hypothesis was correct -- more or less. The only thing he wasn't sure of was how he was the Supreme One's hope.
"Do what you have to do to grow as powerful as you can… Time is running out." The last part made Alex's core thump once more.
"What…?"
"What do you think I've been doing all this while, Alexander?" Alex didn't get an immediate reply. The question, however, got him thinking.
"Focusing on gathering as many cores as possible?" Alex replied, unsure of his response.
"I have my vassals for that." The Supreme One stood up, gesturing for Alex to do the same. "Come with me. There's something you need to see…"
Alex got up, and the table disappeared soon after. He stepped forward and came to stand by the Supreme One's side, his height overshadowing the Supreme One.
Suddenly, the white space disappeared as Alexander felt space fluctuate around his surroundings. White became dark and empty as the two veilwalkers came to stand in the true void.
The abrupt change in environment didn't surprise Alex more than the sudden drain he felt on his reserves, making him falter slightly.
"The hell…" A groan escaped his lips as he willed his core to devour the surrounding void energy. The will of the Supreme One was gone, but this was replaced by the pressure of reality itself.
With a thought, he expanded his domain as much as possible. But then, his domain picked up multiple energy signatures in the far distance and two distinct barriers; the closest one hindering his domain.
"What the…" Alex turned to face that direction with furrowed brows. He quickly pierced through that resistance, focusing on what was transpiring between the two barriers. "Is this what you were talking about?"
"Indeed…" The Supreme One replied calmly, both hands clasped at his back. "There is a reason there aren't many high-tiered void creatures plaguing the multiverse. I may be the strongest being in reality, but it comes with a price."
Alex didn't know how to respond to that. For the longest time, he had assumed the Supreme One just sat in some fancy paradise while his subordinates did the work.
However, seeing what he was currently seeing, he understood. 'He isn't just some power-hungry primordial hellbent on making all universes bend to his will…. He's been protecting the multiverse in ways I couldn't foresee.'