The cold Himalayan wind howled like a wounded beast, but to Arthur, it felt like a whisper from his past. Standing amidst the ruins of the temple, with the God of War's broken armor at his feet, Arthur didn't feel like a conqueror. He felt like the same starving porter who used to wait outside the Dungeon Gates for a few copper coins.
He looked at his hands. They were covered in divine blood, but in his mind, he could still see the calluses and scars from carrying the heavy gear of arrogant S-Rank hunters. He remembered the nights he spent sleeping in the rain because he didn't have enough money for a bed. He remembered the face of Elara, the woman he thought he loved, looking at him with disgust before she left him to die in that dark hole.
"Arthur of Earth," a voice boomed, interrupting his thoughts. It was a voice of absolute perfection, like a choir of a thousand angels, but it carried a coldness that froze the very air.
Themis, the Arbiter of Law, descended from the white rift. He didn't walk; he floated as if the ground were too filthy for his feet. He held the Golden Scales, which shimmered with a light so bright it blinded the sun.
"You look at me with such hatred," Themis said, his voice expressionless. "But hatred is a luxury for those who have a soul. To the universe, you are just an error. A glitch in the grand design. You were born to be a porter, Arthur. You were born to carry the weight for others, and eventually, you were born to die so the gods could feast. Why do you struggle against the Law?"
Arthur let out a dry, kinking laugh. It was a sound of pure bitterness. "The Law? Your 'Law' only exists to keep the strong fat and the weak in the dirt. When I was begging for a single piece of bread, where was your Law? When my mother died because the healing potions were only for the rich, where was your 'Balance'?"
Themis tilted his head. "Individual suffering is irrelevant to the cosmic order. The scales must remain level. By gaining this... 'System', you have tipped the scales too far. I am here to correct that."
Themis raised the Golden Scales. Suddenly, the gravity around Arthur didn't just increase—it became 'judgmental.' Every sin, every regret, and every moment of weakness Arthur had ever felt became a physical weight pulling him down. His knees buckled. His bones began to creak.
[Warning!]
[Host is under 'Divine Judgment'!]
[Your 'Humanity' is being used as a weapon against you!]
"See?" Themis said, stepping closer. "Even with all that borrowed power, you are still just a pathetic human. A porter who cannot even carry the weight of his own memories."
Arthur's face was pressed against the cold stone. He saw the face of the S-Rank hunter who had spit on him years ago. He felt the cold steel of the blade Elara had plunged into his back. But then, something else flickered in his soul. It wasn't mana. It was the raw, unadulterated will to survive.
"You think... my memories are a weakness?" Arthur growled, his voice muffled by the snow.
He slowly started to stand up. The ground beneath him shattered. The golden light of the scales began to flicker.
"I am a porter, you golden bastard," Arthur roared, his violet eyes flaring with a light that pushed back the divine radiance. "And I've been carrying the weight of the whole world's unfairness on my shoulders for twenty years. You think your little 'Judgment' is heavy? I've felt heavier things every single day of my life!"
[Ding!]
[100x Multiplier Triggered by 'Indomitable Will'!]
[Passive 'Pain Resistance' multiplied x100!]
[Skill 'Mana Burst' evolved into 'Monarch's Defiance'!]
A massive explosion of violet energy erupted from Arthur. The golden chains of light that were pinning him down snapped like dry twigs. Themis actually took a step back, a look of genuine confusion—or was it fear?—crossing his perfect face.
Arthur didn't use a skill. He just lunged. He moved so fast that the 'Law of Physics' couldn't keep up. He grabbed the Golden Scales with his bare, scarred hand.
"This is for every porter you let die," Arthur hissed.
[100x Multiplier Activated!]
[Physical Strength: x100!]
CRACK!
The Golden Scales, the symbol of the universe's order, shattered in Arthur's grip. The golden shards flew everywhere, slicing through the clouds. Themis let out a scream of agony as his very source of power was turned into junk.
Arthur didn't stop. He punched Themis right in his perfect, beautiful face. The god was sent flying through three mountain peaks, leaving a trail of golden blood in the air.
"How does the stone feel, Judge?" Arthur asked, appearing above the fallen god. "Is it too cold for you? Too dirty?"
Themis tried to speak, but Arthur's boot was on his throat. The God of Law looked up at the 'Porter', and for the first time in an eternity, he saw not an error, but a King.
[Ding! Divine Concept 'Order' has been disrupted!]
[Experience Gained: 8,000,000!]
[Level Up! Host reached Level 930!]
"I'm done carrying your weight," Arthur said, raising his blade for the final blow. "From now on, the only law in this world... is Mine."