At the Fifth Layer of the Abyss...

"This is slow…" Void muttered as he opened his eyes. His breath etched itself into existence like scars.

He had been studying "Rules," yet he had barely scratched even 0.0000001...% of them.

They were fundamentally different from Origins.

Rules were more conceptual than physical.

For example…

Death.

A Rank 3 being could descend, wave its hand, and destroy an entire universe. This was the peak of physical destruction.

But a Peak Rank 4 being, one standing at the absolute limit, only needed to utter a single word...

"Death."

And not only would the universe collapse, it would fade into nothingness. Quietly. Instantly.

All lines of fate and time would also "ignore" it, making it seem as though that universe had never existed in the first place.

Yet if one searched deeply enough, they could still find traces of it.

A fragment of history.

A node in time where that universe had once thrived.

But Rules…

Rules changed everything.

Even the memories of beings connected to that universe would be altered.

Not only their memories…

But their fate as well.

In simpler terms, a Rank 3 being wielding Laws could destroy a universe.

A Peak Rank 4 being could erase that universe from time itself, making it appear as though it had never existed.

Yet if another Peak Rank 4 existence searched deeply enough, they could still discover a fragment of history stating:

"This universe once existed."

And through that fragment, the universe could potentially be restored.

But Rules were different.

When a being possessing Rules destroyed a universe, they did not merely erase it or leave behind hidden traces within time.

Rules altered all interactions connected to that universe.

Whether a being had visited it…

Passed by it…

Or merely glanced at it once…

Everything would be rewritten.

It was no longer:

"This universe was destroyed."

Instead, it became:

"This universe was never created."

It never existed.

And any being connected to it would also cease to exist.

Meaning Rank 3 beings and below would instantly be erased if they had interacted with that universe.

And not only them.

Those connected to them would also be erased.

Then the ones connected to those beings.

And so on…

An endless chain reaction.

Everything associated with that universe, even a single thought or passing glance would be wiped away completely.

If a Rank 3 being destroyed a universe, only that universe would be affected.

If a Peak Rank 4 being destroyed one, it would be erased from time and causality. Unless specifically searched for, no one would even realize a universe had once existed there.

But when a being wielding Rules destroyed a universe…

Everything associated with it would vanish.

The destruction of a single universe could severely affect parallel realities, multiverses, and even countless powerhouses.

That was why beings possessing Rules rarely fought or even appeared.

Their casual attacks carried horrifying consequences for existence itself.

And Void…

Void was merely a Quasi-Middle Rank 4 being.

He had not even reached the peak of Rank 4, yet he had already touched upon Rules.

But understanding them…

Using them…

That was nearly impossible.

"I need to try more," Void muttered as he looked toward the Magi System from Azar's multiverse.

At a glance, he already understood the basics—how mana functioned, how spells interacted, and why lower-level chants differed from higher-level magic.

Why a simple fireball cast by a Tier 1 Mage could barely destroy a tree…

Yet the exact same spell cast by a Tier 6 Magi could erase an entire continent.

"Mastery"

The difference lay in understanding.

Of course, this was far from the entirety of the Magi World.

He was still studying it.

But he needed to branch into something else.

Just as Void sank deeper into thought, a faint smirk appeared on his face.

"And perhaps,

the purest place to study change... was the birthplace of demons themselves." Void muttered softly.

A fragment of his consciousness split apart before rapidly ascending.

From the Fifth Layer of the Abyss…

To the Fourth…

Then the Third…

The Second…

And finally....

The First Abyss.

Perhaps he could not immediately find the answers he sought.

But with the recent changes occurring within the Abyss, studying it might allow him to understand Rules a little better.

Besides…

Void had never truly stayed within the Abyss.

He had always traveled from world to world.

So why not begin again?

This time, focusing entirely on observing the Abyss itself.

Would it help him understand Rules?

He did not know.

But trying cost him nothing.

With that thought, Void's true body closed its eyes once more and continued meditating.

---

First Abyss…

An immeasurable number of eggs rested upon countless gigantic islands scattered throughout the Abyss.

Sulfur filled the skies while three blood-red moons glowed ominously overhead.

The eggs ranged from barely a meter tall to over five meters in size.

Each possessed different shapes and forms, yet every single one radiated the chaotic aura unique to the Demon Race.

Surrounding the islands was an endless sea of magma that slowly rose higher with every passing moment.

And at that exact moment

Crack.

A sharp sound echoed across the island.

Among the countless eggshells…

The first survivor broke free.

Boom.

The eggshell fell to the ground as a demon crawling on all fours emerged. Its neck was twisted unnaturally, while one of its legs was larger than the other. Hard, dark scales covered its grotesque body.

And with the appearance of this demon, the other eggs seemed to respond as they all began cracking open, revealing the grotesque demons growing within them.

After being born, each demon opened its mouth and spoke its true words, from which they chose their names.

Among them was Void.

"Aris… je… heri… Nuk… Osiris…"

Void finished speaking before, like the others, turning to devour his shell.

Eating the shell was not merely a tradition.

A demon's eggshell contained massive nutrients capable of strengthening newly born hatchlings, allowing them to survive the harsh environment of the Abyss and other worlds.

After consuming his shell, Void slowly stretched his back.

His scales were dark in color, a trait that signified a newborn demon. Eventually, however, the color might remain the same or evolve into different shades.

It could become monotonous…

Or a mixture of two, three, or even more colors.

Regardless, Void was still a humanoid demon, his tail swaying slowly from side to side.

Now reborn or perhaps reincarnated—this Void was merely a fragment of the original Void's consciousness.

He knew he was Void.

But he could not do the things the real Void could.

For example, he lacked a human form and would have to learn how to transform into other races himself.

There was no system supporting him.

And apart from inheriting a demon's body, he possessed no special or unique abilities.

So instead of being called Void…

He chose the name...

Nuk.

"Let's begin, shall we?" Nuk muttered softly as he grabbed the neck of a nearby demon before tightening his grip.

Crack.