"Be my slave…"

Mark, Kira, and Marcule all wore shocked expressions.

No one had expected it. What Void would say. What action Mark would need to take to change his bloodline. Yet there they were, stunned beyond doubt by Void's words.

A slave?

That meant Mark would have to bow his head. Void would become his master. They didn't even know how it would happen, but even the most basic understanding of slavery made it clear, once Mark agreed, his life and death would depend on Void.

This… this was insane.

"…Ah… is that the only way?" Mark finally asked after struggling for a while.

You must understand, at one point Mark had undoubtedly been number one on the Hans ranking, while Void wasn't even anywhere in sight. Years had passed. Worlds had faded. Beings had succumbed to death. Yet everything had changed.

"That, I don't know," Void replied calmly. "It's your choice. Your decision. You can accept it, or you can reject it. If you wish to find your own way, that's fine too. Not every path leads to the market anyway," Void said lazily as he slumped into the chair.

His body relaxed as his jaw tilted slightly, revealing rows of terrifying sharp teeth.

"Another way…" Mark muttered as memories surfaced.

How long had he been searching for a way?

The moment he broke through to Rank 3, he had known he was nearing his limit.

He had searched endlessly. Traveled to different universes. Challenged countless Rank 3 beings for the right to enter their worlds and universes.

Yet every time, he returned empty-handed.

Nothing gained.

Nothing changed.

Now, a chance had presented itself.

Should he let it slip away?

Kira frowned. She didn't want this for Mark. He was someone she wanted to conquer, to defeat in the future. Yet he was also a friend. A colleague.

In fact, she even considered him a teacher. He had patiently taught them whenever something was too complex to understand.

Now this path stood before him.

"No… Mark won't take it, right?" Kira thought, her eyes fixed on him as her mouth slowly opened in shock.

She could see it.

Mark was seriously considering it.

Raising his hand as if to speak, then lowering it again. Over and over.

Kira didn't know why, but she felt broken.

Hurt.

How could Mark do this..to her… or to himself?

If Mark agreed to be Void's slave, then everything he had worked for, his achievements, his role in the survival of the Hans would mean nothing. None of it would hold a candle to Void, because Void would be his master.

"Mark… don't tell me you're considering this?" Kira asked, her eyes filled with disbelief.

Hearing her familiar voice jolted Mark back to reality. His thoughts scattered as if a decision had already been made.

"Kira…" Mark called out.

But the usual smiling Kira was gone.

Her expression was ice-cold. Her eyes filled with disappointment and sadness.

"Mark, tell me," Kira said. "Have you decided?"

Beside them, Marcule's mind was in chaos.

Like Mark, he could feel it too, his strength had reached its limit.

He might never surpass it in his lifetime.

Now the question was simple.

If there were a way right now to change everything about himself, to become stronger, to become more…

Would he take it?

Or leave it?

If Void had asked Marcule instead, he would have said yes instantly.

"I have decided," Mark said, making Kira's eyes burn.

"And… what did you decide?" Kira asked.

Her gaze hardened as she waited.

As Mark opened his mouth, Kira already knew what he was about to say.

But when the words came, they shattered her completely.

"I accept," Mark said.

Kira froze.

"Wait… what?" she whispered, feeling like she was dreaming.

But when she saw the bittersweet expression on Mark's face, she knew it was real.

Beside them, Marcule stood stunned but more than that, he felt jealousy.

Of course Mark would say yes. Who wouldn't, for power alone? Who wanted to remain third forever?

He wanted to be the strongest.

And here was an opportunity handed freely to Mark.

Only a fool would decline it.

"Why… why, Mark? Why must you do this?" Kira shouted, feeling betrayed.

Hearing her voice made Mark's heart ache as his thoughts swirled.

What had he done?

No… no, he had made the right choice.

This was for his future.

"Kira, believe me, I never wanted this," Mark said. "But I have no choice. I want to be his slave."

Kira felt like she was hallucinating.

What did she just hear?

Mark… willingly becoming a slave?

"You were the former number one on the Hans list, for god's sake!" Kira shouted. "And now you're telling me you're throwing away everything, your life, your achievements, your pride everything for more power? To become a slave?!"

"I'm sorry, Kira," Mark replied quietly. "But power comes first."

"And what achievements? What ego?" he continued. "Once I'm stuck here, it all means nothing. I need to grow stronger, faster, to evolve. I'm sorry."

"Fuck you!" Kira shouted. "My father should have never helped you! Why would you do this? What if I tell my father to take everything for you? Wouldn't you leave this Omniverse as yourself instead of becoming Void's slave? Leave everyone. Leave your friends. What kind of life is answering at someone's beck and call?!"

"Kira, haven't you grown up yet?" Mark snapped. "Look around you. This is the real world not a game. You stop growing, you die. And tell me, what's the difference between being Void's slave and being under your father's so-called God Kingdom? Am I not already obeying his will like a loyal dog?"

"Do you have any idea what I went through?" Mark growled, clenching his teeth.

"Mark, how dare you?" Kira said angrily.

"Hahaha…" Mark laughed as he stood up.

"Power is everything in this world," he said. "I understood that even more when I was with you and the gods. You treated me well but after you left, do you know what happened behind your back? Do you know what they did to me?, Ah, of course you don't. As long as I'm smiling, it means I'm happy, I'm fine. Argh, you see, this is why I was number one and you were number two."

Kira's eyes flared.

"You ungrateful—"

"Quite entertaining," Void murmured from the side.

An apple appeared in his hand as he took a bite, watching the scene unfold with relish.