Chapter 30 - 30

not just Stage 5 but perhaps Stage 8 Advanced or even something beyond what this system defined as limits yet the question remained unchanged "…where are they now" silence filled his mind briefly before he began constructing possibilities one by one "possibility one… they died" but this immediately created another contradiction because beings capable of reaching extreme levels early would not fall easily especially not all of them "possibility two…" his thoughts shifted "…they left this system" meaning they surpassed its boundaries and no longer existed within its observable range "possibility three…" he continued "…they were removed" not killed randomly but deliberately erased isolated or transferred for reasons beyond ordinary understanding then his thoughts moved in a more dangerous direction "if individuals are summoned across eras…" he said internally "…then they cannot all be the same" each one would possess different origins different rules different forms of power some might not rely on mana at all some might exist outside the concept of stages entirely "there could be those who are born already beyond Stage 8…" he thought calmly "…without needing development" others might possess abilities that break causality itself "immortality…" he considered "…future awareness… time reversal…" these were not fantasies they were logical extensions of a multiversal system with countless races and unknown laws "and that means…" his eyes sharpened slightly "…that the stage system is not absolute" it was only one method of measurement within this world not a universal truth his breathing remained steady as his thoughts deepened further "if they exist…" he continued "…then either they are hidden…" "…or they are no longer part of this layer of existence" the second possibility carried far more weight because it implied transcendence beyond the observable system beyond even Stage 9 then the image of the red-haired girl returned again not as a memory but as a reference point she had read his thoughts effortlessly she spoke of multiple worlds without hesitation and her presence did not feel bound by the same structure "she did not belong to this system…" he realized "…she stood outside it" a quiet realization formed "…which means…" he thought slowly "…beings like her are proof that this system is incomplete" silence followed inside his mind not empty but filled with expanding understanding then his focus returned slightly to the present but his perception had already changed completely "interesting…" he thought calmly "…this is no longer about becoming the strongest here" his eyes opened fully "…this is about understanding what lies beyond" the pressure of mana in the hall continued unchanged but for Neuro it had lost all meaning it was no longer a barrier only the lowest layer of something far greater