MIGHT AS WELL BE OP

Chapter 1207: Name

“To think you would get here this fast. You truly are the greatest anomaly I’ve ever witnessed since my dawn.”

The voice seemed majestic. It seemed ancient. It carried the wisdom and composure of countless ages.

Anthony couldn’t trace the voice. It seemed to have come from everywhere and nowhere at the same time. Since he couldn’t locate the speaker, a speaker who seemingly knew of him, he simply remained where he was and waited for the other party to make the next move.

Seeing that Anthony wasn’t responding or moving, the majestic voice finally continued, “Sorry for the late introduction, but it seems we finally meet, Null Anthony.”

As the voice spoke, the clustered clouds in a particular direction parted as though something hidden was finally being revealed. Anthony’s eyes shifted in that direction, and there he saw a man who appeared to be in his forties, seated upon the clouds. He wore a kimono adorned with constellations, while his pure white hair was tied into a single ponytail that flowed down his back. His eyes were also pure white, yet one could still distinguish his pupils, much like Veronica’s.

Before the man rested a small wooden table holding a chessboard and two cups of tea that seemed to have been freshly prepared as wisps of white steam gently rose from them.

Anthony didn’t hesitate. He simply stepped forward before lowering himself into a seated position opposite the unknown man, who remained perfectly composed with a calm posture and a gentle smile upon his face.

Anthony met the man’s white eyes with his own sky-blue ones before speaking. “May I know who you are?” he asked calmly, not daring to display any arrogance while in an unknown place.

The man smiled at Anthony before replying, “Others who have arrived here were always cautious of me. They stared at me as though I had killed their children or their partners. But you don’t seem to possess such caution,” he said, his tone carrying a hint of amusement. “I don’t possess some grand name. I never received one. But you may simply refer to me as the Will of the Galaxy.”

Anthony wasn’t exactly cautious at this moment. He had already come to understand that the man before him wouldn’t harm him without reason. After all, if he had harbored any ill intentions, he would have already done whatever he wished from the very beginning.

Anthony remained calm. He had already guessed that the Acarnis Galaxy possessed a Will of its own. After all, the Universe and the River of Time both possessed their own Wills. Why should the Acarnis Galaxy be any different?

“Isn’t the name of the Galaxy Acarnis? Wouldn’t that naturally make it your name?” Anthony asked as the question surfaced within his mind.

If the Galaxy’s name was Acarnis, why wouldn’t the Will of the Galaxy simply use it?

The Will shook his head before responding, “The name Acarnis was chosen quite a while ago by mortals. They simply decided to call it that, but that doesn’t mean I should adopt that name for myself.” His tone remained calm as his hand reached for the teacup before him and took a slow sip.

Anthony noticed that the tea leaving the cup was automatically replenished the very instant it was consumed, yet he didn’t react to the phenomenon.

“Then why don’t you simply choose a name for yourself? As the Will of the Galaxy, I’m sure you’ve had countless ages to go through every name that could possibly exist,” Anthony asked, his tone patient as he wasn’t in any hurry. He simply lifted his own cup before taking a sip of the tea.

“Indeed, I’ve gone through more names than I care to count. But none of them seem to suit my liking. Rather than choosing a name I dislike simply for the sake of having one, I chose to remain as I have been since my dawn,” the Will replied calmly.

Anthony nodded, saying nothing further on the matter, understanding that the Will of the Acarnis Galaxy was referring to its own birth when it spoke of its dawn.

“Why don’t you try choosing a name, or perhaps several names, for me?” the Will asked with a warm smile.

Anthony paused for a moment, surprised by the unexpected request. After a brief silence, he spoke. “Why? You couldn’t find a name you truly loved after going through every name imaginable. What makes you think I won’t simply choose one of those same names you already rejected?” Anthony asked, genuine confusion evident in his tone as he couldn’t understand where this conversation was leading.

“Simply because you are the greatest anomaly there is. I’m certain you’ll choose something I have never once considered,” the Will replied without the slightest hesitation as his hand finally moved toward the chessboard.

Anthony shook his head before speaking. “You say I’m the greatest anomaly as though there’s a record of every anomaly since the dawn of existence.” His tone remained calm as his own hand moved toward the chessboard, advancing one of his pieces in response to the Will’s opening move.

The Will didn’t reply. He simply remained silent, an amused smile lingering upon his face.

Anthony’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Wait… don’t tell me there really is such a record,” Anthony said in genuine shock.

At the same time, however, it strangely made sense. The Universe, and anything existing above it, recorded everything beneath it. Why wouldn’t there be a record of every anomaly since the dawn of existence?

“Have you actually seen such a record?” Anthony asked, a hint of skepticism entering his voice. He found it difficult to believe that someone of the Acarnis Galaxy’s standing possessed the authority to view something of that magnitude.

It wasn’t that he looked down upon the Acarnis Galaxy. Rather, he understood that throughout existence itself, hierarchies naturally existed. Just as there were Upper Galaxies and Lower Galaxies, shouldn’t something akin to clearance levels also exist for viewing records of such profound significance?