Meikanxie nodded, her expression filled with a mix of amusement and satisfaction.
Even though they were discussing something as serious as the nature of authority, neither of them had paused their… activities.
The Succubus Queen's voice carried a note of excitement:
"Authority is built upon rules—everything in existence may contain these rules in some form. Some can be wielded directly, while others remain dormant, inaccessible without the right conditions."
Her crimson eyes shimmered as she continued:
"For example, high-grade equipment and advanced skills are imbued with these rule-based powers. As long as the conditions are met, they can be used immediately."
She let out a soft laugh, her tail curling playfully.
"However, not all forms of authority can be claimed so easily. Only gods truly understand this principle—true control over authority and power stems from everything within this boundless universe. And sometimes, that means… taking what is needed."
Novak listened carefully, half-understanding, half-curious.
Sensing this, Meikanxie decided to give an example:
"There are certain authorities that don't need to be acquired manually. Some beings are simply born with them. Take me, for instance. As a Succubus Queen born from the very essence of the Abyss, I was naturally endowed with the power of 'Slaanesh'—the force of desire itself. This is the authority I have spent my life refining and perfecting."
Her voice took on a sharper edge as she continued:
"But not everyone is born with such gifts. Take Hell Rose, for example. She was originally nothing more than an ordinary elf—just another being among the countless creatures of the Gods and Demons Trial Field when it first appeared, tens of thousands of years ago."
Novak's brows furrowed slightly—he had heard of Hell Rose before, but not in such depth.
"Unlike me, she had no authority at the start. But she changed that."
Meikanxie's tone grew colder, laced with disdain:
"She relied solely on her own limitless ambition. She stole authority. The first step in her ascension was when she robbed the oldest ancient god of the elves—the 'Old Tree of Life'—of its life authority. That was her first taste of godhood. Then, in the great War of the Gods, she slew another ancient deity—the Spider Goddess."
She smirked, but there was no warmth in it.
"Rather than embracing the authority of spiders, she abandoned it, choosing instead to absorb the authorities of 'Darkness' and 'Breeding.' With each step, she grew stronger, eventually using the beliefs of her followers to erode and claim even more of the blank authorities scattered throughout the cosmos. And now, thanks to that accumulation, that bitch has become the so-called Goddess of Darkness—one of the most powerful beings among the gods."
Born, stolen, cultivated, or fueled by faith.
These were the ways one could gain authority.
Meikanxie leaned in, her voice almost a purr:
"At the core of godhood lies the purest form of authority. Generally speaking, anything above S-rank—be it equipment, skills, or artifacts—contains at least a trace of that power."
She let out a soft moan, but continued speaking as if it was the most natural thing in the world:
"That's why, in the Gods and Demons Trial Field, those who seek to ascend to the rank of Emperor must collect advanced skills and equipment that correspond to the authority they wish to wield."
Her claws lightly traced Novak's chest, her voice turning hushed and knowing:
"And naturally, those who seek authority often become enemies. Conflicts over power are inevitable."
Her eyes darkened, a shadow of something more sinister crossing her face.
"Take the oldest god in all of legend—the Creator of Light. He has long been dormant. If he were awake, then all who dare dabble in the power of darkness would have long since been wiped out."
Novak's expression shifted slightly.
The Creator of Light.
An ancient god, said to have been born alongside the universe itself—even older than the God of the Underworld.
And now… he was sleeping?
A realization dawned upon him.
"So, your conflict with Hell Rose… it's ultimately a war over authority?" he asked, his voice tinged with understanding.
Meikanxie smirked, pressing closer.
"Of course, Great Master. In the end, all struggles in the divine realm are battles for authority."
"And the only question that matters is—who will claim it first?"
Meikanxie nodded, her expression thoughtful yet tinged with amusement.
"Most divine wars stem from struggles like this. Of course, there are always those fools who initiate wars recklessly, without considering the consequences—throwing themselves into battle only to end up as tools for others. But gods like that never last long."
Her eyes darkened slightly as she leaned in, voice lowering into a more serious tone.
"That fallen elf… she is dangerously ambitious. She doesn't just want to wield an authority—she wants to completely master one, to become its sole ruler, the only true god of that domain."
Meikanxie paused for a moment, then continued, her voice edged with disdain:
"At first glance, it seems as if her chosen authorities are Darkness and Life. But if you look deeper, the true power she seeks is something far more primal—Breeding. Or, more precisely, Reproduction."
Meikanxie's lips curled into a smirk.
"Authority itself is not equal. Some are strong, some are weak. A god who controls a truly powerful authority can dominate others—even if they only grasp a fraction of it. Meanwhile, weaker gods, even if they wield multiple minor authorities, remain insignificant in comparison."
She tilted her head, golden eyes gleaming with insight.
"And reproduction… is one of the fundamental laws of the universe. Countless races and civilizations rely on it to exist and continue. Even without divine intervention, its power is immense. But in many cases—no, in all cases—reproduction is inextricably linked to Slaanesh."
Meikanxie's tail flicked as she let out a sultry laugh.
"And I, the Succubus Queen, hold nearly all the authority of Slaanesh across the heavens, the infinite realms, and the boundless dimensions of the cosmos. Naturally, that makes me the greatest obstacle standing in her way~"
At that moment, Novak finally understood the true source of the conflict between the Succubus Queen and the Dark Mother Goddess.
As realization dawned, he stretched out his hand. A dark red flame erupted—a fire born from Hell itself, the manifestation of Desire.
He stared at it, then turned to Meikanxie with a curious expression.
"Does this skill contain the power of Slaanesh?"
Meikanxie gave him a knowing nod.
"Of course."
Her expression turned teasing, but her words were anything but playful.
"Even at his peak, Satan—the ruler of Hell himself—could not steal my power of Slaanesh. At most, he could only cultivate a fraction of it on his own. His mastery over the 'Seven Deadly Sins' was formidable, rivaling even the Creator of Light before he fell into slumber. But even he could not touch what I possess."
Novak's gaze darkened.
Satan…
How powerful was the Lord of Hell, truly?
Even now, Novak found himself gaining a deeper understanding of the so-called incarnation of evil, the being often referred to as "the successor of the universe's negative pole."
But then… if Satan was so powerful, how did he fall?
What was left behind in the Abyss after his death?
And who—or what—was now trying to seize the Abyss for themselves?
A storm of questions formed in Novak's mind, but he held his silence. He would not ask Satan—not yet.
As he was lost in thought, Meikanxie's sultry voice snapped him back to reality.
"Master… what are you doing? You mustn't stop now. How else will you help your beloved Queen expand her authority?"
Her lips brushed against his ear, her voice turning into a soft, teasing whisper:
"One day, with your help, Master, we will make that bitch Hell Rose kneel before us. We will show her just how powerful you are… wouldn't that be wonderful?"
She didn't need to hear his response.
She could already feel it—Novak's body had answered for him.
Meikanxie giggled softly, her tone dripping with amusement and satisfaction.
"For all her cunning, Hell Rose remains bound by her purity. I can say with absolute certainty—she has never been tainted."
Her eyes flickered with a knowing glint as she traced a finger along Novak's jaw.
"Because if she ever loses that purity, her strength will be compromised. My authority will weaken her greatly. But if she truly wants to claim the power of Reproduction, one day… she will have no choice but to embrace it."
Her voice turned into a purr, full of temptation and certainty.
"And when that day comes…"
She didn't need to finish the sentence.
Because that day…
Would be the moment Novak claimed what was his.
Hell Rose. Dark Mother Goddess. Hell Rose Andashir.
Sooner or later… she would fall before him.
Novak smirked, his movements intensifying, as if the Succubus Queen—his sworn enemy's greatest rival—could already feel the anticipation and joy burning within him.