"I offer a thousand high-level universes." This was also another insane offer. The number of universes was practically infinite, but high-level ones were rare and controlled by major organizations.
The bids continued as the gods fought among themselves like madmen, but only the greatest were truly competing. Those near the top couldn't even understand the reasons behind what was happening. They understood that Kayden was special, but at this level?
It made no sense in anyone's mind. This was just a medium-level universe, and not even a decent one—it was isolated, with no contact with the outside. It was so weak that even the presence of gods had been banned to allow it to develop. This only happened in weak worlds.
"This mage must not have his fate altered by the gods." The heavens ended the matter without giving any justification. The gods simply had to accept what was happening.
Many times, the gods had their wishes denied—whether for obvious reasons or unknown ones, as was the case now. This was so common that none of them said anything while the clouds disappeared and time resumed its normal flow.
"Master, what was that?" Han was the first to come out of his stupor and try to understand what had happened. The power required to kill a mage of that level was insignificant to Han and Atlas, but the way it happened was completely inexplicable—and that was terrifying.
Kayden did not respond immediately. He was looking at his own hand, lost in thought. This action… it was so easy and yet so complex. For the first time in a long while, he didn't know exactly how strong he was or how superior he was compared to his peers.
All his life, Kayden knew he was a genius. He had always been above average. Even in his earliest days, he was ahead of the curve. But there had always been an average, something to compare against. Now, there was nothing. Kayden couldn't place a single mage on his level.
It wasn't a difference in strength or talent anymore, Kayden had taken a step that he had never even heard of in another wizard, it wasn't just strength, it was something far beyond that, Kayden had taken an insane leap in quality that had no logical explanation.
"Han and Atlas, do you want to have one last fight before I intervene?" Kayden's voice, his calm tone—everything about it was strange yet terrifying. Most mages present could not comprehend it.
Who exactly was Kayden? That was the question every mortal was asking at that moment. Everyone knew the legends, but none of them truly believed they weren't just myths. Moreover, the high-level mages had grown up without Kayden's shadow in the universe. They had never witnessed half of his deeds.
Meanwhile, those who had seen everything from the beginning were trying to determine whether this was a bluff—whether this confidence really meant something more than it appeared. In the end, none of them could come to a solid conclusion. Kayden was perhaps the greatest enigma in this universe. He had always been present in all major events—whether as a main participant or as a secondary figure—but he had always been in the middle of everything.
The greatest names in this universe were his disciples. Kayden had literally created mages that even the gods couldn't produce. He had made geniuses who defied common laws and reached levels incomprehensible to most. Not only that, but he had performed feats that defied conventional logic.
"I would like to face Han again. Our last battle did not push me to my limit." Atlas spoke before anyone else could say anything. Kayden nodded without much thought.
"Wait for the flows to end. Let the weaker ones fight and show their full potential." Kayden was looking at nothing. The strongest among them perfectly understood his words—it was about not disrupting the flow of mortal beings.
The battles of the weaker mages were boring to watch, but they still served as inspiration for others. Not only that, but they were a stepping stone, a way for organizations to gain visibility and recruit them. With a simple act of humility, Kayden had just changed the destiny of an insane number of people.
"I also recommend that the weaker among you fight. The first place is no longer your concern," Kayden said without looking at the mages around him. "Try to show your best so you can be recruited by good organizations."
The way Kayden was acting was almost like an old man passing down knowledge from a long life. His words were strange, but they were exactly what was happening. None of them had any chance against Han or Atlas, making their presence here a complete waste.
"Felix, I think a good opponent for you is Matheus." Kayden began organizing the pairs based on the laws and strengths he had observed. Some simply ignored his words, but a large portion listened to his advice—including Felix and Matheus.
The false god didn't need to listen to anything Kayden said, but there was something in his soul that compelled him. The respect Kayden had earned in their minds was no small thing. In fact, it was immense. The fear of Kayden was greater than his resentment, but that was something he would never admit.
Everything seemed to be heading perfectly toward a controlled battle where everyone could gain some recognition—or at least, that's how it appeared to most mages.
For those who remained still...
"Spectators may stay outside." Kayden said these words in a normal tone, and suddenly, ten people disappeared from the environment as if they had never existed. Ten high-level mages were erased in the blink of an eye, their presences completely wiped from existence without any explanation.
"You're not using mana for your attacks," Han murmured.
"This is the same as what the gods do." The realization made Han's expression tighten and left the mages around them in doubt.
Kayden was doing the same thing as a god... while still being a mortal.