The universe continues to expand.

  The distance between galaxies grows greater with every passing moment. Galaxy clusters that were once bound together by gravity slowly drift apart. The space between them becomes wider, colder, and emptier.

  In the very distant future, there are no longer any large collisions capable of creating new stars. Matter is too scattered. Particles are too far from one another to meet.

  The stars that exist now continue to follow their life cycles.

  They are born from clouds of gas, shine for billions of years, and eventually die. Some collapse into white dwarfs. Others become neutron stars. Some collapse even further and become black holes.

  Time continues to move forward.

  One by one, the stars fade.

  Galaxies that were once bright become collections of dim stellar remnants. Planets that were once warm turn into frozen rocks orbiting dead suns.

  In an even more distant era, even the longest-living red dwarf stars finally exhaust their fuel.

  No new light appears.

  No nuclear fusion remains to ignite new stars.

  Only dark objects remain.

  Black holes become the final rulers of gravity. They slowly consume the remnants of stars and the dust that still exists.

  Yet even black holes are not eternal.

  Through an extremely slow process of radiation, they too evaporate. The process requires almost unimaginable lengths of time, but eventually the last black hole also disappears.

  After that, the universe becomes almost entirely empty.

  Remaining particles drift without direction in an ever-expanding space.

  There is no structure.

  There is no light.

  There are no events.

  The era filled with stars and light turns out to last only a very short time compared to the full age of the universe. It is merely a brief blink within the span of cosmic time.

  After that blink, what remains is an immeasurably long darkness.

  The temperature of the universe approaches absolute zero.

  Energy spreads evenly.

  There is no longer enough difference in energy to create significant change.

  This state is known as the Heat Death.

  The universe does not end in an explosion.

  It simply stops.

  Everything stops.

  Even if a being could live for trillions of years, it would witness nothing more. No new stars are born. No new galaxies appear. No great events occur.

  Only space that grows wider.

  Cold.

  Empty.

  Silent.

  Yet there are beings who recognize the possibility of that future long before its arrival.

  Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

  They are not ordinary beings.

  They are gods who exist beyond the limits of the ordinary universe.

  They observe time on a scale far greater than any civilization.

  They see the past.

  They see the present.

  And they see possible futures.

  When they witness that cold ending, they make a decision.

  They create something that has never existed before.

  Omni-Core.

  Omni-Core is not merely an object.

  It is the core of existence itself.

  A pure energy connected to the laws of reality.

  It is capable of influencing matter, energy, space, and time directly.

  Omni-Core possesses a connection with the entire universe, even with regions beyond the known universe.

  It connects to the highest cosmic level: The Absolute Infinity.

  With the Omni-Core, one does not merely control energy. One can alter the laws that govern reality.

  However, such immense power cannot be given carelessly.

  The gods create a system of trials.

  To prepare candidates who may be worthy of receiving the Omni-Core, they create nine primary elements that represent the imbalances of the universe.

  Fire.

  Water.

  Wind.

  Earth.

  Ice.

  Lightning.

  Energy.

  Shadow.

  Poison.

  Each element has a ruler.

  Beings capable of controlling these elemental powers are tested over extremely long periods of time.

  Every candidate is given an opportunity.

  If someone succeeds in mastering the balance of all nine elements, that individual will receive an unimaginable reward.

  Omni-Core.

  If their soul merges with the core, they ascend to a level of existence equal to that of a god, within the cosmic realm of The Absolute Infinity.

  The trials last for a very long time.

  Civilizations rise and collapse.

  Planets form and are destroyed.

  Yet no one succeeds.

  Some candidates are too weak.

  Some are too greedy.

  Some lose control of the power they possess.

  Most cannot even survive until the end of the trials.

  The nine elements remain unbalanced.

  Omni-Core remains without an owner.

  The gods eventually realize that their method is not enough.

  They cannot simply wait for the right being to appear.

  They must create something new.

  Something designed from the beginning to bear such power.

  Something not bound to the failures of previous candidates.

  To accomplish this, they gather at the highest place that exists.

  The Grand Hall, Nexus of Eternity.

  Located within the cosmic realm of The Absolute Infinity.

  A vast and magnificent hall.

  Its floor is formed from cosmic energy, revealing swirling galaxies and nebulae moving beneath it.

  The ceiling has no clear boundary.

  Light from various spectrums flows slowly through the air like currents.

  At the center of the hall lies a large circular space.

  There stand the rulers of the elements.

  The Ruler of Fire comes from the cosmic realm of Boundless.

  The Ruler of Water comes from the cosmic realm of Outerverse.

  The Ruler of Wind comes from the cosmic realm of The Hyperverse.

  The Ruler of Earth comes from the cosmic realm of Universe.

  The Ruler of Ice comes from the cosmic realm of Multiverse.

  The Ruler of Lightning comes from the cosmic realm of The Eternal.

  The Ruler of Energy comes from the cosmic realm of The Beyond.

  The Ruler of Shadow comes from the cosmic realm of The Source.

  The Ruler of Poison comes from the cosmic realm of Megaverse.

  They stand forming a circle in the center of the Grand Hall.

  Beyond them, many other beings are also present.

  Cosmic entities.

  Dimensional guardians.

  Beings that have lived longer than most stars.

  All gather to witness something that has never happened before.

  At the center of the circle, the gods create a new element.

  The tenth element.

  Bright energy begins to gather at a single point.

  The light is extremely stable.

  Unlike lightning, which is wild, or fire, which moves unpredictably.

  It shines with constant intensity.

  The Element of Light.

  Yet the element does not stand alone.

  At the center of that light lies a much denser core.

  Omni-Core.

  The energy of the Omni-Core pulses slowly, as if possessing its own rhythm.

  The light grows brighter.

  Energy from the Grand Hall flows toward the center of the circle.

  A form begins to take shape within the light.

  A humanoid figure slowly appears.

  Its body forms from extremely stable light energy.

  When the process is complete, the light gradually dims.

  The figure stands in the center of the hall.

  Silent.

  Every being present watches without a sound.

  The gods stand upon platforms of energy higher than the others.

  They observe the result of their creation.

  A being designed to carry both the Element of Light and the Omni-Core simultaneously.

  A being that may be capable of changing the future of the universe.

  Several seconds pass in heavy silence.

  Then the gods raise their hands.

  Energy within the hall resonates.

  Their voices echo through the boundless space.

  “Paragon.”

  The call reverberates across the entire hall.

  The rulers of the elements follow.

  The cosmic beings present join the call.

  “Paragon.”

  A wave of voices fills the Grand Hall.

  All beings welcome that name.

  All except one.

  The Ruler of Shadow.

  Lucifer.

  He stands silently for a moment, observing the new figure at the center of the hall.

  Without saying anything, he turns.

  His steps slowly move away from the circle of light.

  And while the call of “Paragon” continues to echo across the whole of Absolute Infinity, Lucifer walks out of the Grand Hall.