Chapter 16: The Rule of the Universe
Jason dropped his bag next to the clothes rack and saw a dark living room with an empty kitchen. He glanced to the side and saw pair of boots. Someone was home.
He took off his coat, put it hanging on the clothes rack, and slipped his feet out of the shoes before placing them next to the boots. He then walked upstairs and saw light leaking out of the closed room. It was the only room with lights on.
Jason rubbed his chest and looked at his brand-new linen shirt. After tearing his shirt on Mach Island, he went to the inn to change clothes and came straight home. His father was home, and he had things to discuss with him.
Knock, knock.
He double knocked on the door and heard the shuffling of papers. He then opened the door slowly and entered his father's study. It was a comfy-looking room with shelves filled with books, a soft rug covering the floor, and a small chandelier in the ceiling.
Then there was a wooden desk with a monitor and a small stack of papers. Before the monitor, there was a black keyboard with a mouse right next to it.
There was a man sitting on a chair, looking at the monitor with a thoughtful look. He wore a short-sleeved shirt, black jeans, and slippers without socks. There were also reading glasses on his nose bridge, illuminating his deep blue eyes.
In that sense, he was a handsome man with a well-toned body. His powerful-looking muscles protruded with blood vessels as he had his right fist clenched. He had short, neatly combed black hair. At first glance, he looked like a man in his late thirties, but he was also very mature.
"Son, you are back." He said and steered his gaze away from the monitor. The screen showed the front page of the Realm Streamers website.
"Father." Jason nodded and took a seat in the comfortable chair. He slightly leaned forward while fidgeting with his fingers. "I-I have something to tell you."
His father, Jack Grandhart, caressed his chin before placing his right leg over his left. Then, he frowned before his eyes widened. There were trails of black lines on his son's neck, as if they were coming from his chest.
He leaned forward and tore Jason's shirt. Then he noticed the black faded handprint, as if he had been touched by someone whose hand was stained in black ink.
"Son... what happened to you." Jack took off his reading glasses and looked straight into his son's eyes.
"I... might have died." Jason looked at the handprint with a deep frown.
"Tell me everything." Jack sat back down with his hand pinching his forehead. It was unclear what he was thinking.
Jason nodded, and after taking a deep breath, he told him everything. He started with the mission request in the Adventurer's Guild, then about entering the Forsaken Realm. Lastly, he mentioned the river and the white-haired man he met. With a single gaze, he died without being able to fight back.
Jack looked at his son silently before sighing. "That person must have been the False God. The mission was a scam. It's unclear whether the person who commissioned wanted to trick the seven guild masters into their deaths."
'Yeah, I was correct that he was the False God. I didn't know that by staring into False God, someone of my level would die. I thought it would only happen if I stared directly at God.' Jason thought inwardly with an uncomfortable expression.
Jack tapped his armrest and said, "That handprint on your chest is the Mark of Death."
"Mark of Death?" Jason cocked his head after hearing an unknown name. "What is that?"
Jack rose from his seat and walked to one of the shelves. There, he took one of the books with a gloomy black cover, then turned around and leaned against the shelves while opening the book.
He flipped through the pages before stopping in a page 55. "This is what is written. O, dear poor man. Met with death, argued, then fought. The dear poor man, didn't know that death tricked him into a battle. He fought valiantly but still lost.
"With a statement from death, the dear poor man died with his eyes wide-open. The death entered the door of the underworld, leaving the corpse of a dear poor man behind. However, death was arrogant, thinking that death was eternal.
"The dear poor man rose from the soil with a cry that silenced the world. The dear poor man had risen from death. However, a Mark of Death was left on his chest to remind him of what had happened and so that he wouldn't forget.
"The death expected to see the dear poor man in the gates of the underworld. But, according to his subjects, the dear poor man never came. He was still alive. The Death was shocked, and the other Deaths laughed at him.
"The Death became angry as he was being humiliated by his colleagues. Thus, he left the underworld and chased after the dear poor man...
"However, the Death didn't find him, but he still continued chasing after him... the chase still continuing to this day."
Jack closed the book, returned it to the shelf, and sat down. "Do you now understand?"
Jason touched the faded handprint and gulped with fear. "Does that mean... He is going to come after me?"
Jack looked silently at his son before shaking his head. "No. You were lucky. If that person was one rank lower, an Archangel, then he would have already killed you. However, he is False God, meaning that he can't leave his realm unless he wants to abandon godhood."
"Why can't he leave?" Jason felt relieved but also had more questions.
"There is a reason why False Gods don't walk the land of mortals." Jack put his left leg over his right and said, "The False Gods have to choose godless realms to try their ascension to True God. If they choose realms where there are already gods, they have to fight against those gods for that realm.
"The fight would destroy the realm, and after the battle, there wouldn't be any realm left. Therefore, False Gods have to find realms they can take for themselves. This Death False God, whom you met, is trapped in the Forsaken Realm until he ascends."
"And when he ascends... what happens?" Jason clenched his fists.
"That Mark of Death has another name." Jack sighed with a heavy look. "Mark of Humiliation. The Death Incarnations are proud creatures. The first thing he does after ascending is most likely killing you."
"Death Incarnation... so, he isn't Death per se?" Jason wanted to know more about him and what kind of threat awaited him in the future.
"No, he is only Death Incarnation. The Death is an Eternal Being that rules over the Underworld. However, 'They' also have subordinates, the Death Incarnations."
"'They?' You mean, there are multiple Deaths?" Jason frowned.
Jack shook his head. "No. The Death's pronouns are 'Them/They' because the Death is not male or female. To some, the Death might look like a beautiful and cold death angel. And to some, a gloomy and mysterious reaper.
"The Death looks different for everyone. It depends on what you think 'They' look like. So, what do you think 'They' look like?" Jack leaned closer as he asked a question from his son.
Jason turned silent and remembered the scene on Mach Island. The cold gaze. Pure white hair. Emotionless black eyes. That was what he thought death would look like if he ever met one.
"I think... 'They' would look like him... The white-haired False God is what the Death looks like in my opinion." Jason spoke firmly.
Jack sighed and then nodded. "Then, when the Death finally arrives on your doorsteps. 'They' would look like that person."
"Father, what do you think I should do?" Jason didn't want to wait for his death. He wanted to fight for his survival.
"There is only one way." Jack crossed his arms and leaned on the backrest. "Become False God before he becomes True God. That is the only way. Then you go to the Forsaken Realm, you find him, and then you kill him!"
Jason nodded and stood up. He looked at his father and smirked. "Sounds simple enough."
"Hmph." Jack scoffed and interlaced his fingers. "Unfortunately. The Rule of the Universe written by Gods forbid me from helping you. Otherwise all my potion recipes would be yours. You have to do this alone."
"The Rule of the Universe?" Jason frowned because that wasn't a term he had heard before.
Jack nodded. "I don't know why, but Gods had made a rule. If one is helped too much, that person isn't worthy of stepping onto the stairs of godhood. You remember the image of the pure white stairs when you became Systemer, right?"
Jason nodded.
"Those are stairs to godhood. It is possible to help someone go from Non-Systemer to System Champion, but that someone is then forbidden to continue. It isn't possible for that person to become Angel. That is Rule of the Universe."
"But, you already helped me." Jason frowned and drew his iron-black revolver. "You also gave me the recipe for Night Potion."
"Hahaha." Jack laughed before shaking his head. "I barely helped. BARELY. I only helped you start your journey. The Rule of the Universe doesn't forbid that. If it would, then saving your fellow companion or buying ingredients would be forbidden.
"Like, you can buy ingredients with your own-earned money. However, if you buy everything with my hard-earned money, that is helping."
"This is... not common knowledge, right?" Jason asked with widened eyes.
"It's not public knowledge, but there are still people who do know."
Jason nodded and sighed.
"Remember." Jack raised five fingers. "It is alright to be part of a party or guild to earn money. However, if you stand aside and do nothing, then receive as many rewards as others, that is against the Rule of Universe.
"Do not leech; work for every bronze, silver, and gold coin. The Rule of the Universe isn't as strict as I make it seem, but it is wise to remember. It is still unknown how loose the rules are and how strict they are for False God. But, to be safe, I won't be helping you."
"I understand. I will do my best." Jason engraved everything his father taught him into his mind. He wouldn't laze around. "Anything else?"
"What do you plan to do next?" Jack asked.
Jason looked out the window. The sun was slowly moving over the horizon. The sky turned orange, slowly becoming darker. It was going to be a cloudless night.
"I am going to digest my potion. I won't order a taxi and instead walk back to the inn. That should be enough to digest it." Jason placed his iron-black revolver on the desk.
"What is this?" Jack asked with a soft smile.
"The Rule of the Universe." Jason sighed and took all the bullets from his pocket, then placed them neatly next to the revolver. "This is your weapon. I don't want to take a chance."
"Very well." Jack nodded in approval. "I would have asked for it, but I am glad you gave it without having to."
Jason wryly smiled and left the study.
After the door closed, Jack exhaled and looked at the ceiling. "You might not care, but our son is in danger. The Death Incarnation is after him. I don't need your answer or help; this is what our son has to overcome.
"You have already chosen between us and Crimson Moon. I just thought it would be fine to inform you."
Jack sighed and stopped talking to the empty air. He imagined that person would still hear him, but he didn't care even if she didn't.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone