Silence.
Not empty…
But endless.
Godwin stood in a space unlike anything he had ever seen before.
There was no sky.
No ground.
No horizon.
Only floating fragments—
Worlds.
Hundreds… no—
Thousands of them.
Each one different.
Each one existing on its own.
Some burning.
Some frozen.
Some completely destroyed.
"…So this is what lies beyond…"
Godwin whispered.
His voice didn't echo.
It simply… existed.
He took a step forward.
And the space reacted.
The fragments shifted slightly.
Like they were aware of him.
Watching him.
Measuring him.
"…Multiverse…"
The word came naturally.
Not learned.
Not told.
But understood.
Godwin looked at his hand.
No system.
No interface.
But his power—
Was there.
Stable.
Complete.
Controlled.
"…So this is my next battlefield."
Suddenly—
A ripple spread across the space.
Subtle.
But noticeable.
Godwin's eyes sharpened instantly.
"…Something's coming."
From one of the floating worlds—
A figure stepped out.
No portal.
No effect.
Just—
Appeared.
Godwin focused.
The figure looked human.
But its presence—
Was overwhelming.
Not like the Observer.
Not like the final being.
Something different.
Something… higher.
"…So you finally arrived."
The figure spoke calmly.
Godwin crossed his arms.
"…And you are?"
The figure smiled faintly.
"…A watcher."
A pause.
"…One of many."
Godwin's eyes narrowed.
"…Another observer?"
"…No."
The figure shook its head.
"…We are beyond that."
A brief silence.
Then—
"…You are a newly awakened Origin User."
Godwin didn't deny it.
"…And?"
The figure's gaze deepened.
"…That makes you dangerous."
Godwin smirked.
"…Good."
The watcher continued:
"…This space…"
"…is not meant for beings like you."
Godwin tilted his head.
"…Then why am I here?"
The answer came instantly:
"…Because you broke the system."
A pause.
Godwin smiled slightly.
"…Sounds about right."
The watcher raised its hand.
And suddenly—
One of the floating worlds moved closer.
A ruined world.
Burning.
Collapsed.
Dead.
"…Look."
Godwin glanced at it.
"…What about it?"
The watcher spoke:
"…This was once a stable reality."
"…Until someone like you appeared."
Godwin's expression didn't change.
"…And?"
"…They lost control."
"…Their power consumed the world."
"…And everything inside it."
Silence.
Godwin looked at the ruined world again.
Then—
"…That won't be me."
The watcher's eyes narrowed slightly.
"…All of them said the same thing."
Godwin stepped forward.
Closer.
Calm.
Unshaken.
"…Then they weren't me."
For a moment—
The space grew tense.
Then—
The watcher smiled.
Slightly.
"…Confidence."
"…Interesting."
A pause.
Then—
"…Then prove it."
Suddenly—
The ruined world expanded.
Pulling Godwin in.
FLASH—!!!
Godwin landed on the surface.
The ground was cracked.
The air burned.
The sky was broken.
"…So this is the test."
The watcher's voice echoed from above:
"…This world is collapsing."
"…Its core is unstable."
"…Fix it…"
"…or let it die."
Godwin looked around.
"…Fix a world?"
"…Or destroy it."
A pause.
Godwin smirked.
"…Now that's new."
Suddenly—
The ground trembled.
From beneath—
Something emerged.
A massive creature.
Corrupted.
Unstable.
Made of broken energy.
Godwin's eyes sharpened.
"…So that's the problem."
The watcher spoke:
"…That is the world's core."
"…It has taken form."
Godwin cracked his knuckles slightly.
"…Then I just have to beat it."
"…If you destroy it…"
"…The world dies."
Godwin paused.
"…And if I don't?"
"…It will destroy everything."
Silence.
Godwin looked at the creature again.
Then at the collapsing world.
"…So there's a third option."
The watcher remained silent.
Watching.
Godwin stepped forward.
Calm.
Focused.
"…I'll take control of it."
The creature roared.
And charged.
Godwin didn't move.
Not immediately.
"…Let's see…"
"…if I can control a world."
His aura shifted.
Not outward—
But inward.
Connecting.
Reaching.
Touching the very structure of reality.
The battle—
Or rather—
The trial—
Had begun.
Far above—
The watcher observed silently.
"…Interesting…"
And beyond even that—
Something else watched.
Something far greater.
"…He might actually succeed…"
To be continued…