46 What is the truth?

(Noah's Pov)

'I am happy to have met you! Happy that you were born! Happy, so so happy!'

Her words lingered in my mind.

This was NOT supposed to happen yet it happened.

For whatever reason, memories of the time I spent with her started to flood my mind, her smile not fading from my memories at all.

That was a dirty play by her.

But it was over.

We will never see each other again.

So, it's okay.

'I hope, she makes some friends'

I hoped for her. 

Shaking myself of these thoughts I focused on what was in front of me. I have lots of things to talk about.

But before that, I opened my inventory window.

The items that I had stolen from that world are still there in my inventory.

'That's cool'

"If you guys are done, can we talk?" I asked looking at the blue-haired and blonde from before arguing with a pinky.

"Don't interrupt us you mortal! Just stay down" The pink-haired guy shouted at me, pressuring me with his mana or energy component, whatever it is supposed to be called.

I, of course, being a mortal as he called me, fell on my knees, gritting my teeth, trying to stay conscious to the best of my ability.

The already intense pain now added to the intense body pressure that I felt on myself was too much.

But I held myself back from screaming, screaming won't help with anything.

Let's see, what can I do? Welp, all I can do is talk.

So, let's talk.

Forcing the words out of my body somehow I began to speak.

"You are calling me mortal and all. Tell me something, do you not bleed?"

One way or another I choked those words out of my mouth with great difficulty.

Let me assure you, it was far more difficult than when that one bad dump I had taken.

Whatever.

The pinky didn't seem to entertain my words, and the pressure boring down on me increased.

'This time I won't even be able to speak' I thought gritting my teeth.

His murderous eyes bore into my very being as he spoke.

"I told you to shut up."

Ah, I see.

Forcing my own 'energy' I voiced out my opinion.

"You can't kill me, can you? Forget that, you can't even harm me. Seems like the great pinky is ...only good at trying to intimidate. How pitifully pathetic."

What? He is arrogant, that's clear from the way he called me mortal, he has got that superiority complex going for him as well and he actually can kill me without any effort.

Why do you think a person like that would go around giving threats or warnings?

Putting pressure to force me to the ground? Not crushing my limbs or something?

Sorry but people like him crush others first and then give a warning.

Even Demo- Enyo made Liza put a hole inside my stomach on our first meeting.

The force on me increased but as I had expected it wasn't anything that could potentially harm me, just forcing me to the ground, unable to speak.

'It's useless to resist' 

I was just wasting my energy trying to do so.

So, I let go of the control of my body, letting the pressure bore onto me.

My face faced the ground as I waited for him to be done with it.

A loud laughter soon followed and right after the pressure that bore onto me subsided.

I moved my neck around to see what happened only to find the blue hair laughing and holding her stomach while the blonde sat on my right shoulder.

Looking at her I said "Thanks"

"Just be careful with whom you are speaking."

"But he can't harm me much less kill me, can he or you for that matter, right?" I asked to confirm, and after a bit of hesitation, she spoke.

"..That is correct, we aren't supposed to intervene nor harm individuals like you, well not unless we are attacked."

Not a potentially harmful attack but an attack

And

Attacked not provoked, noted.

"Eliza, get off of him and you stop laughing!" Pinky shouted.

Dude go see a therapist or someone, you have some anger issues to work on.

"No matter where you go management these days is shit." Saying so I looked to my right and asked the blonde "How do I file a complaint against him?"

"You can't. The world itself will judge, if he crosses the line he will be dealt with."

"Is it related to what, the world's genre?"

The blonde shook her, her name was Eliza which I just learned now. "It's because of the World's Will"

Doesn't seem too different.

I shook my head as I thought about the Blonde's name.

Damn, I just dealt with one of the Liza's, now her.

"Ever thought of changing your name?"

She looked at me would be an understatement, I swear she was looking at me as if she is gonna draw my portrait.

"...My name is Eliza, Eliza Ashford."

She said straightening her face, with a firm voice, gone were the comedic character relief vibes she was giving till now.

Blon- Eliza is serious, for the first time, the look in her eyes that told me to not cross the line.

As if, telling me to know my place.

"Understood."

I simply replied.

Nothing I could do.

I simply stood watching a clash of 2 different colorful aura(?) mana(?) energies(?)

One belonged to Blue Hair while the other belonged to Pinky.

Eliza was protecting me from the effects of it all.

They seemed to be arguing, not like I was interested in it.

Welp, I guess I will talk with Eliza.

"So, if you were watching me, mind telling me about energy or do I need to go into detail?" I asked.

"Haa.." Heaving out a sigh she began to explain "The term 'energy' that you have given it is wrong. There is no term for it, it's Mana, Aura, Demonic energy, and other ones which when intertwined with harmony, write the laws of the world, the laws of the universe, and it's very existence. "

...

No term, that's not gonna cut in but I am not the making the rules.

"Let's call all these 'energies' intertwined with harmony 'World's Power'. Simple, right?"

She rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"Fine. Do whatever."

Cool.

"So, this 'World's Power', what exactly is it? Does my intelligence have something to do with it? What does intelligence is supposed to mean?"

I know what intelligence is. What I want to know is what this world considers intelligence. At this point, I am sure it's not your generic definition.

Enyo could also use more than one component of World's Power. Mana and demonic energy and her intelligence is B-, still lower than mine but helps to know that intelligence is connected to the world's power in some way.

"As I have said, 'World's Power' comprises of different components-as you call it- that once intertwined with harmony build this very world, this very universe you live in. As for intelligence, it defines how much you can perceive or infer the various 'components' that surround you and how many of them are you able to use. Of course, your intelligence also includes reasoning, critical thinking logic, and so on and on, the usual but I am sure that was not what you wanted to ask."

So, intelligence in this world basically comprises the generic definition AND the ability to perceive these energies.

"And intelligence has a cap of A+, right?"

I needed to confirm, I know something about it was written in the novel but...

I need exact words, I don't remember the exact thing said in the novel, all I remember is the fact that there was someone with A+ intelligence.

The final boss of this world, probably, at least that's what it felt like when they talked about him.

What matters the most right now though is to know if there's a cap or not.

Eliza seemed to be hesitating in answering my question while I ignored the battle going on in front of me, I couldn't even see them. All I knew was there was a blue-colored light and pink-colored light moving all around clashing and wreaking havoc, thanks to Eliza I am fine but damn.. they are monsters.

Demon lord will turn into a paste in less than a nanosecond.

No, it's not like I don't know what comes after nanosecond that I used that as a reference. I know.

"...What comes after A+? I don't know. I am not sure, no one is." She said with a defeating sigh and continued "I know someone who has A+ intelligence and he is strong, far far stronger than any other, strong enough to wipe out worlds with just a snap of his finger"

Yeah, yeah, I know. Your boss is fucking strong, he ought to be but...

I don't think your boss brought me to this world and whoever brought me here made it so that no one finds out about me.

That person gotta be stronger than your boss, that much I am sure of.

But someone stronger than the very person who is supposed to be the final boss, a final boss whom the protagonist never had the chance to even see!

All it helps to do is prove the point that ...the world's bigger than I had thought.

At this point, the novel can be damned, all it does is help me narrow down my view of things. I don't need such a thing.

"Let me get this straight, you simply don't know if this 'someone' you know has hit the limit or can grow. Basically, you simply just have never seen a case like what I am asking for before?" 

"...That's right"

Ah, I see-

Wait, wait, wait ...what the fuck!

What the actual fuck!??

"Who the hell decides the cap?" I asked

The cap that exists to stop others from growing stronger, the potential cap on so many people, who decides that?

I was sure moments ago, that these guys do that stuff.

I mean, they are the ones who deployed the system on us all.

I had arrived at the conclusion that they made it so that we could grow stronger than ever before but not strong enough that we could harm them.

But now...

If they don't know about the cap on intelligence then that would mean they didn't put the restriction, they themselves seem to have restrictions on them instead but that would mean...

'This is annoying'

"I can't give you an answer," Eliza said, once again firmness in her voice, her posture screaming to not ask the question again.

Welp, another piece of puzzle goes in the back of my head.

"So, then what are the various 'components' of the world's power and why don't they appear on my system screen?" I asked.

"Why should they?"

...This lady knows exactly that I need more explanation but deliberately chooses to answer my question in such a stupid way.

Fine.

I will play your game.

"Fair enough," I replied casually as if I understood everything.

What? Sometimes, you just gotta go along even if you don't know shit.

Her eyes wavered for a second.

Heh~

Your lousy ass wanted me to retort but you won't get that response from me.

"I-it's good that you understand without the need for explanation"

"B+ intelligence here," I said, pointing at my brain, flexing feels good.

"Mine is A. It is but a fact that I am talking to a person dumber than me, it makes complete sense for you to not understand what I say sometimes thus I shall ask again, do you truly understand or shall I explain?" She replied with a smile.

...Fuck you, Eliza.

I lack the skills for a solid comeback.

"Explanation needed"

Jokes and ego apart, I do need the answers. She scoffed at me.

"Check carefully. It's not your ability to use the 'components' of the World's Power that the system screen shows, it's your proficiency in it. You are not even at the starting point. You use it on instincts alone and you use all of them at once. That's why the system can't measure it. You had your aura and demonic energy on your system screen the moment you felt there and there's flow alone in you"

"So, kinda like a dish?" I asked.

"What?" She arched her right eyebrow and asked and I decided to explain.

"Kinda like a dish, like you taste everything in the dish at once, you don't know the taste of a single ingredient but the dish as a whole. Unless I taste, every ingredient in the dish separately I could never tell about their taste, not by eating the dish. And just like you said, when various energies come together harmoniously, it becomes the 'World's Power' itself, something that could do anything and everything, granting omniscience and omnipresence to the one who could control them all but if it's not in harmony it wouldn't end on a good note, a dish doesn't taste good if the ingredients aren't properly used, you gotta balance the shit out somehow and I don't balance it that's why I feel like shit whenever I am using the 'components' of World's Power."

I remembered how Beastfolk, Elf, and Liza had moved aura, mana, and demonic energy inside of me.

That was the first time I had learned about them individually. I mean, I am a new resident in this world, learning for the first time.

Besides, it was Enyo who gave me this analogy, first.

"...It's both weird and amazing how it makes sense."

"I am smart, I know"

Wait no, not again.

"You are the dumbest person in this room" she scoffed at me, once again.

Damn, I had it coming, didn't I?

"Well, you aren't wrong. So, I take it you understand why your 'components' of the World's Power don't show themselves in the system screen?" she asked.

"I do," I answered.

Onto the next question.

"How many of these 'components' are there and how many can I currently use and their names?"

"There are 9 of these, you are able to use 4 of them. Their names - Aura, Mana, Demonic Energy, Myst, Celestial Radiance, Nether, Numen." She paused and then continued "No one knows about the 8th one, it's something only he has control over and ..the 9th is said to be the final key to becoming 'One True God', to rule over everything, to be absolute but it's also considered to be just a myth. No one knows anything about it. You are capable of using the first four and the power level also goes in the same manner as I listed them to you"

I see.

It seems like I have a long way to go.

I will think about it later, first though, this confirms it.

"There's demonic energy but no holy energy? Hey, tell me something now, what's the deal with these demons as you termed them? What's the real name of demonic energy and what is the deal with the 'Demon Lord'?" I asked and I could see her being startled resulting in the gusts of air hitting us, her being taken off guard resulting in losing concentration on the barrier that was protecting us from the ongoing fight between two strong individuals.

"...You know, I sometimes really find you creepy."

...

What am I talking about, you ask?

Welp, demon is a term for those who are evil beyond anything, they take pleasure in other's suffering. That is why every author uses the term demon for the evil side, they are evil which is why they are called demons. I mean, you call a table a table, a clock a clock, and just like that demon is supposed to refer to those who are absolutely evil. Readers can complain about why are demons always portrayed as evil, but for the fuck's sake, that is what the term is supposed to mean.

I ain't gonna call my water bottle a fire bottle, no matter how cliched people would find it.

That's why, were those people really demonic? Their literal constitution dictates their action, nothing more nothing less. I have used demonic energy and I haven't felt a tinge of malice or bad vibes from the it.

Breaking the silence, she heaved a deep sigh and began to speak revealing the truth that had been hidden for an absurd amount of time.