Chapter 17: What Are You Truly Searching For? Life…

  Now, over two million years had passed, and Primer had finally reached the level of power he once dreamed of. He had mastered all types of basic and advanced spells, as well as ritual, domain, aura, and artifact magic to a high degree.

  No longer did uttering spell names trigger adverse reactions. However, even with this immense power, he had yet to obtain the knowledge he sought.

  “Could Isis have lied?” he thought. “Heh... Even if she did, it no longer matters.”

  The more he lived, the more he became convinced of life's emptiness and futility. What truly gave life its meaning? Was it even living if all he did was pass the time?

  "I’m not really alive... I'm just killing time."

  It was strange, almost laughable, that he could still think like a human—well, to some extent.

  His perception of time had become completely distorted. The passing of years felt like mere seconds. And what of his accomplishments? He could hardly remember. Still, mana now felt like an extension of his own body—obedient, fluid, and familiar.

  Such mastery was the result of millions of years of discipline, forged mostly during long evolutionary slumbers in the mountains.

  "Status."

  Darkness enveloped his vision before he once again found himself standing atop transparent waters. With lifeless eyes and a weary soul, he stared into the shimmering surface as crimson text began to emerge once more.

  Name: Primer

  Age: 3,029,436

  Core Level: 132

  Mana Capacity: 10131 / 10132

  “Well... That number seems incredibly high. But perhaps what I think is a lot, truly isn’t. Just like that time I thought lifting the red boulder would be impossible.”

  Should he test his strength in battle? Come to think of it, he had never left this planet before. With the power he now wielded, could he finally reach beyond the stars?

  He had always assumed danger awaited him and that his strength was insufficient to face it. But now… he figured he could probably destroy a planet in under five minutes.

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  It was all speculation, of course, but one thing he knew: if his strength wasn’t greater than that—it certainly wasn’t less.

  Standing atop a mountain peak, he looked up at the dark, star-filled sky and envied the beauty of its ruby and emerald clouds.

  Yes, it was stunning—but did beauty guarantee safety?

  Never.

  Based on what the self-proclaimed master had taught him, the vast ocean of the cosmos was ruled by countless beings, and among them were others of his limited kind.

  But what if he encountered an entirely different species?

  There were three possibilities:

  They lacked intelligence and acted on instinct.

  They were intelligent but weak.

  They were both intelligent and wielded powers beyond comprehension.

  The first two scenarios were ideal. The first were like wild animals—perhaps primitive civilizations at best. The second resembled human societies from his former world—weak and easily manipulated.

  But the third group... They were unpredictable.

  He knew nothing of their power or influence across the universe. Still, one thing was clear: none of them wielded absolute power. That is, no being had the kind of omnipotence to bend the laws of reality entirely to their will.

  Who knew? Maybe these species possessed knowledge of unique energy forms, or perhaps their civilizations had evolved to such heights that they could command powers beyond humanity and even nature itself.

  But was it really fair to assume we are always being watched? That we have no power to change our fate?

  Once more, Primer sat down on the molten, ember-streaked ground. While daydreaming and calculating, he began refilling his mana reserves.

  Eventually, after two million long years, he restored his core to its peak state once again. Power surged through his being, and he could feel the intoxicating thrill of it course through every fiber of his soul.

  He rose slowly and looked around. Nothing had changed.

  After all, there were no humans here to extract Earth's resources or throw the world into chaos for their own progress.

  Primer carved a vertical rift into the translucent veil of space—a dimensional gate. He would use it to travel to a stony planet located on the far side of his own.

  He wasn’t sure why, but he had a feeling...

  A strange, prophetic sense that he might finally encounter living beings. And he was right.

  The prophecy proved true. Primer discovered significant signs of life.

  It wasn’t surprising, given this new planet’s unique orbit—one potentially capable of supporting life.

  But that alone wasn't enough. There were countless similar planets in the galaxy. So what made Earth so special—so capable of sustaining life?

  The answer was simple: an atmosphere, and water.

  Primer realized this planet had potential. It had all the essential signs—except for one.

  The problem? It had no moon.

  Just like his own infernal planet.

  Further investigation revealed that the star system consisted of five rocky planets and five gas giants.

  Each world differed in size and hue, yet all danced in synchronized orbit around their singular star.

  It was beautiful—a cosmic ritual that reminded Primer of the religious ceremonies once practiced in southern nations.

  He examined every planet, but none fulfilled his expectations. At last, he returned to the first one that had caught his attention.

  “Whatever may be... hiding from my enlightened gaze is pointless. I will find them—my hopes, my desires… my future creations.”

  This was the beginning of Primer’s quest to uncover life on this new world.