My attributes are increasing infinitely Chapter 382: Confronting the hunter

The Hall of Origins served as something far more profound than a mere treasury; it was a mausoleum for vanished civilizations. As Ethan gripped the Void World Heart, the Space Cube embedded within his soul emitted a rhythmic, metallic vibration of hunger. It had transitioned from a simple tool into something resembling a sentient organ, ravenously seeking the sustenance required to ascend to the Chaos Rank.

"Nini," Ethan communicated through his thoughts, his tone strained. "The stone is liquefying. What further requirements are there?"

"Master," Nini answered, her voice sounding burdened as if under immense pressure. "The World Heart establishes the base, but reaching the Chaos Rank necessitates two additional ingredients: a Core of Absolute Stillness and Primordial Astral Marrow. My scans of this entire vault are complete. The Velzard family... they do not possess them."

Ethan’s brow furrowed. Despite the Velzards being among the most formidable lineages in this universe, even their vast collection fell short.

"Then our search continues elsewhere," Ethan declared. "However, I must first settle a debt of etiquette."

He exited the vault, the massive iron gates groaning as they sealed behind him. The sentries immediately dropped to their knees. The atmosphere surrounding Ethan had shifted, now pungent with the sharp aroma of ozone and the scent of ancient ages.

The Patriarch stood waiting at the corridor's end. "Doctor Alistair! Please, a feast has been prepared. The entire clan desires to express their gratitude."

"I lack the time for extended festivities," Ethan countered, his voice sharp and distant. "I shall grant you one hour. No more."

The banquet hall was a spectacle of light and crystal. Every prominent figure of the Velzard clan was in attendance, draped in garments that pulsed with spiritual energy. Seraphina sat at the center of the gathering, appearing radiant. Her skin possessed a healthy glow that would have been unattainable only hours prior. As Ethan walked in, her gaze locked onto his, and a visible flush darkened her neck.

While Ethan approached the seat of honor, his Eye of Existence remained engaged. He surveyed the hall, hunting for any remaining traces of the entropy he had previously purged.

His attention was caught by a youth seated in a secluded corner.

The boy appeared to be in his late teens, sharing the sharp facial features of Seraphina. Yet, while the rest of the family exuded warmth and light, this youth felt stagnant. Ethan’s spiritual vision delved beneath the boy’s surface.

His Law of Karma was being constricted. A dense, ashen seal was coiled around his very soul. It wasn't the Law of Entropy, but a different manifestation—a separate branch of the inverse world.

"Who is that boy?" Ethan inquired softly, turning toward Seraphina’s father.

The Patriarch looked over, his gaze softening with sorrow. "That is Rafael, my nephew. His father, my older brother, perished in a savage conflict against the inverse world years ago. Rafael has been withdrawn and frail ever since."

Ethan felt a weight in his chest.

It wasn't a feeling of sadness.

It was a connection.

Ethan took his seat but abstained from eating. His thoughts raced as he observed Rafael, recalling the grey strand he had extracted from Seraphina.

Those grey lines... he mused. They weren't merely random afflictions or fodder for his lotus. Each represented a distinct Law. Yet, they all appeared to be variations of his own Law of Entropy.

Suddenly, a flash of profound insight struck him.

He understood then that these inverse laws were not isolated phenomena. They were limbs of a single, horrific tree, all stemming from the Law of Entropy—or perhaps, the supreme Dao of Entropy. His Infinite Comprehension sparked at that exact moment.

As this realization took hold, Ethan’s perception fractured.

He had breached another forbidden boundary, conceiving of a concept even more primordial than the Law of Entropy itself.

Within his soul, the Law of Entropy—previously a mere 0.1 percent fragment—began to spread like a raging fire.

Law of Entropy: 1 percent... 3 percent... 5 percent!

Boom.

The banquet hall shuddered. A gargantuan, terrifying pressure erupted from Ethan’s body. Wine within crystal vessels soured into vinegar instantly. Decorative flowers on the tables withered and turned to soot in heartbeats.

Ethan inspected his status, his eyes widening in shock.

[Master: Ethan Hunt Realm: Emperor (99.1%) Physique: Genesis Realm Spirit: Genesis Realm Talent: Infinite Comprehension System Ability: Creation of All things]

Inside his inner world, the World Tree—which had stood as a silent sentinel for years—began to uproot itself. It was shifting its position, migrating elsewhere. This movement triggered a secondary surge of power, as the World Tree served as his primary energy regulator.

"Damn it. Not here," Ethan growled under his breath.

The shockwave of pressure exploded outward. The Patriarch and the guards were hurled against the walls. Only the Ancestor, the elder from the vault, managed to stay upright. He raised his hand, casting a golden shield around the family to prevent them from being obliterated by Ethan’s aura.

Seraphina watched with eyes full of adoration and awe. To her, Ethan appeared as a literal deity.

However, Ethan’s focus was elsewhere.

He looked at Rafael.

The boy showed no sign of terror.

He was grinning.

His eyes were devoid of a soul, replaced by a vast, hollow avarice. A superior entity was peering through those sockets, utilizing Rafael as a mere vessel.

"I must leave," Ethan managed to choke out.

He didn't wait for a reply. His form transformed into a bolt of silver radiance that tore through the roof and disappeared into the midnight sky.

Rafael’s mouth twisted into a repulsive smirk. "Found you."

The youth’s body liquified into a pool of grey shadow and vanished.

Ethan touched down on a desolate, vacuum-sealed rock thousands of miles from the Velzard lands. He assumed a meditative posture, his skin radiating a dark, thumping light. For two hours, he struggled to assimilate the torrent of knowledge flowing from the Law of Entropy. He grasped the methods to deconstruct matter at the atomic level, how to decay time itself, and how to nourish himself on the chaos of the cosmos.

Eventually, his aura reached equilibrium.

Ethan rose to his feet.

Power surged through his veins, surpassing anything he had previously experienced. He felt as though he had ascended to godhood.

"Are you finished? Shall we have a conversation?"

Ethan turned around.

Rafael—or the creature inhabiting his flesh—stood ten meters away.

Ethan engaged his Eyes of Existence to analyze the intruder.

The entity was shrouded in a grey film, yet Ethan could discern vibrant law patterns that did not originate from this plane of reality.

This meant he could now perceive the laws governing inverse beings, though his understanding remained incomplete.

"It’s no wonder Jian warned me that a powerful foe was approaching," Ethan remarked composedly.

Ethan scrutinized the being. Its power level defied all common sense, existing far beyond the Genesis Realm.

"How many stages do you stand above the Genesis Realm?" Ethan questioned plainly.

The entity let out a laugh that sounded like stones grinding together. "Oh? You are aware of the higher tiers? Fascinating. Your origin is even more peculiar than Jian described. I am in the Axiom Dominion Realm. One level above Genesis."

It took a step forward, and the ground beneath its feet disintegrated into dust.

"Now, provide me with an answer," the entity commanded. "You are a mere insect at the Emperor level. Even with the physical might of a Primordial, you cannot oppose an Axiom. Reveal where you acquired that Law of the inverse world?"

He was aware that Ethan had grasped an inverse law, but he was ignorant of which one. Even an Axiom Dominion was forbidden from knowing about a Genesis-grade Law of Entropy.

Ethan did not waver.

Instead, a slow, predatory grin formed on his face.

"An insect, you say?" Ethan murmured. "You inverse beings are all alike. You assume that because you represent the conclusion of all things in this realm, your victory is guaranteed."

He lifted his hand.

"You are correct about one thing," Ethan stated. "I am far from ordinary."

His gaze turned razor-sharp.

The Sword of Infinity began to materialize in his palm.