I Have 10,000 SSS Rank Villains In My System Space Chapter 412: Plan For future And For Absolute Victory

"So yeah... that’s pretty much it," Razeal wrapped up with a faint, nonchalant nod, like he’d just recapped a minor hassle instead of total apocalypse, his voice devoid of any hype even though the weight of his words was immense, and that sheer composure made the truth sink deeper, feel more undeniable.

"What...?" Maria blinked hard, her eyebrows knitting as she wrestled with his revelation, her brain shoving it away on reflex before it could take root, "Gods? Heavens?" She shook her head gradually, bewilderment and skepticism swirling as she gazed at him.

"What are you even saying?" Tension edged her voice now, like her mind clawed for any sensible lifeline, since this wasn't anything she wished to grasp, nothing simple to swallow, especially when it rang so... absurd.

Sofia responded in stark contrast. No immediate verbal challenge came from her. No quick counterarguments. She just... fell quiet. Utterly quiet. Her eyes, already somewhat detached earlier, blurred further into the void, dragged into abyssal depths beyond, for when Razeal claimed he'd found a path... in that split second, she'd let herself hope it was real.

But now... with the real nature of that "way" laid bare... her tentative hope crumbled in a flash.

"What... what’s even the difference between this and impossible then?" Her words burst out suddenly, fingers twitching at her sides, Fight the heavens...? battle gods...? supreme gods...? rewrite the cosmic laws...? A faint tremor shook her head, a subtle denial she couldn't suppress.

"No... That's" she whispered so softly it was almost lost, "...That's just..." The sentence died unfinished. No label existed for it.

Maria rejected sinking into that despair. "No no, it’s not like that," she fired back fast, lunging a step ahead, her tone hardening into fierce urgency, desperate to yank everything back to fixable ground.

"We can figure something out." She fixed her stare on Razeal, resolve chasing away the fog, "Gods? They can’t be that powerful, right?" Another stubborn head shake, "And wait... I thought the Empress was the strongest person in the world." Her pitch climbed a bit, clinging to known truths.

"...You’re joking, right?" A quiver laced her words, not frailty but flat-out denial of worse options, "There’s no way... no one can be above her." She advanced once more, fists clenching tighter, "...they can’t even come close to her." Then, self-reassuring in a rush, "And even if she is a problem we can deal with her." Her speech quickened, ideas outpacing reason.

"We can plan, we can prepare... we can figure out a way to kill her if needed..." Her logic hit a snag briefly, "...I... I don’t know, but we can definitely do something." Her eyes stayed locked on his, "...we’re not completely hopeless."

Razeal observed her in silence, fully aware of her crafting false hope from thin air, bending the harsh facts into something bearable—yet he merely shook his head with calm honesty, no cruelty or brush-off, just raw truth. "Yeah... she’s strong," he stated plainly, "...but not at that level." His voice held firm, "There are beings... she can’t even touch."

"Yeah, she’s the strongest in this world." His eyes narrowed faintly, "But the heavens?" He shook his head once more.

Maria shot it down right away again.

"No... no way," she pressed, voice climbing with surging doubt, "She has like thousands of bloodlines, maybe even hundreds of thousands." Her eyes flared wider while reeling them off.

"...I don’t even know if there’s a bloodline in existence she doesn’t have." She eyed him with near-disbelief, "How can anything be stronger than that?" Her tone grew taut.

"Like that’s just the most broken power there is... Right??"

Razeal let out a soft breath, cocking his head as though searching for relatable words, "It’s not just about abilities," he replied evenly, "That's not what defines that level."

He hesitated a moment, "And actually... she could reach it."

Maria blinked. "...what?"

"She could be stronger," he pressed on,

"But she’s not." Neutral as ever, "She’s holding herself back."

"Not only her, in fact... but her whole bloodline." He breathed out gently. "Had they not... then perhaps... yes, she could have attained that realm."

"So yeah, she isn’t truly that formidable against the caliber of powerhouses I’ll face."

He stated.

This caused Maria to hesitate briefly, yet rather than giving up, her thoughts raced once more, seeking a fresh perspective, a novel approach, until abruptly her face changed.

"Hold on," she uttered, her eyes brightening faintly as an idea sparked, "Wait... yes." She nodded swiftly, advancing once more, her tone building speed, "From your words... the Empress isn’t even your true issue." Her stare intensified, "Your battle and actual challenge lies with gods, correct?"

Razeal stayed silent.

"Then imagine..." she pressed on, her voice brimming with a fresh wave of optimism, "What if we pull her to our cause?" She inclined forward a bit, her gaze nearly glowing as the notion solidified.

"What if we help her unleash that hidden potential, whatever it may be? Let her transform into what she was meant to be?" Her breath quickened a touch, thrill blending with urgency, "Should she ascend to that height..." She waved her hand expansively.

"Our odds improve greatly, don’t they?" She bobbed her head fast, persuading herself through her words, "And it’s not only her—if she joins us, she’ll draw others along." Her mouth opened slightly, "Other mighty figures... pacts... supplies..." A subtle, optimistic grin emerged.

"It’s a win-win situation." She fixed her eyes on him squarely, seeking his nod, "...what do you say?"

For an instant... it seemed she’d uncovered a viable path. A strategy with promise. One free of utter hopelessness. Yet then...

"No." Razeal’s reply came swift and firm. Direct. Final. And with that, her hopes crumbled anew.

"What...?" Maria’s face fell at once, bewilderment surging back fiercer than ever.

"Why?" She shook her head briskly, struggling to grasp it, "Wait... I get it might seem off to you due to your history with her..." Her tone gentled a fraction, attempting to persuade, "But survival takes priority." Her eyebrows knit together. "Even if it means leaning on foes."

Razeal merely shook his head once more. "That’s not why."

This deepened her puzzlement. "Then what is?" she demanded, her voice edging sharper, irritation seeping through, "Why dismiss it outright?"

Then Razeal responded. "Freedom."

A single term. Serene. Straightforward. And it baffled her further.

"What?" Maria blinked, gazing at him, wholly unable to link the reply to her query.

Razeal shook his head deliberately, as though anticipating her very bewilderment, his look composed yet subtly weary as he regarded Maria, "You see... there isn’t so much stronger you can become without a cost. There are different kinds, types, and levels of strength," he explained, his manner even and deliberate, as if unveiling a core truth instead of debating. "Some demand sacrifice and payment. And once you surpass a certain threshold of power..."

"Just understand... Power doesn’t always grant freedom alongside strength." He reclined a bit in his seat, his red eyes carrying a profound stillness as he went on, "If you’re too feeble... sure, you enjoy a form of liberty since nobody bothers to chain or dominate you." His mouth twitched subtly, not in mirth but in wry insight.

"You’re negligible... thus free." He halted momentarily, allowing it to sink in before proceeding, "But when you hit the midpoint... when you grow potent enough to count, yet not mighty enough to shatter all bonds..." His eyes narrowed a touch.

"That’s when freedom vanishes entirely." His fingers drummed softly on the chair arm, "That’s when others begin manipulating you... exploiting you... imposing duties, demands, burdens..." He cocked his head, "...you turn into a mere instrument." A brief silence. "No freedom." His tone stayed even, somewhat aloof.

"And then... as you climb even loftier," he went on, "To the pinnacle of this realm..." His gaze flashed briefly, "...a sliver of freedom returns." He gave a slight shrug.

"Since no one in this world can truly oppose you any longer." He eyed Maria.

"And that’s the Empress’s position." His voice carried no praise, merely recognition.

"She towers over all here... beyond reach, in a sense."

Maria gave a slight nod, naturally tracking the reasoning, but before she could respond

Razeal pressed on. "But you’re thinking that means she has absolute freedom, right?" he questioned, skipping any reply as he shook his head once more, "That's where you're wrong." His voice dipped a touch, carrying deeper gravity.

"Because the next level she must attain..." He paused for a moment. "That's the realm beyond this world... where freedom vanishes anew."

"At that height... you stop facing mere mortals." His eyes fixed steadily, "...you confront the laws themselves."

"Cosmic laws, and upon touching that stage... you become shackled by them." His voice stayed even, yet a hint of bitterness simmered underneath.

"Utterly shackled." He gave a light shrug, "Just like the gods." Then he reclined once more.

"Zero freedom." Casually, he tacked on, "So yeah... grasp this one truth." A subtle smile tugged at his lips, "This world is full of hypocrisy." His eyes darted between the pair.

"Its laws... its order... call it what you will..." With another faint shrug, "...it's all identical."

Sofia had lingered quietly off to the side, now shutting her eyes gradually while he spoke, her face tensing ever so slightly—not from rejection, but from deep understanding, as though each phrase echoed knowledge buried within her that she'd always shied from confronting head-on, and she offered a barely noticeable nod, accepting its harsh reality.

Maria, on the other hand, froze in place, her forehead creased profoundly, her thoughts wrestling to comprehend his words fully, since they clashed with every belief she'd held—it went beyond baffling; it was profoundly disturbing.

Then Razeal dropped a remark that altered the mood once more. "And yeah..." he remarked offhandedly, "I wasn't intending to accept her aid regardless."

Maria's eyes widened in surprise. "...what?" "Since she might obstruct me," he went on smoothly, his manner unaltered, treating it as mere practicality, "I can't predict how events will play out." His look shifted from one to the other.

"I have no idea who my foes might become later." After a short halt. "It might even include the two of you." He shrugged it off, even letting out a soft chuckle.

"No, it won't," Maria shot back at once, her tone cutting and reflexive, advancing a step while shaking her head with conviction, "It will never occur." Her stare met his without faltering.

"I would never oppose you." She flicked a quick glance at Sofia, seeking her support, before fixing her eyes on him anew, even more resolute, "Never."

Razeal observed her briefly, then offered a minor, somewhat detached shrug, "That's not fully up to you." His delivery stayed serene, neither mocking nor belittling, merely stating reality, "But it's nice to know."

Sofia at last parted her eyelids, drawing in a measured breath prior to edging forward a bit, her features settled once more, although the weight of her recent realization still simmered below, "I stand by you." Her words rang clear and resolute, brooking no uncertainty.

"You are my husband, after all." She held his gaze, wordlessly challenging the notion of any alternative, and momentarily, a gentler warmth surfaced under her gravity—something guarding.

Maria, positioned right next to her, registered the term 'husband' and her face twitched faintly, her sight darting momentarily to Sofia from the side before she averted it swiftly, compressing her mouth as she opted to stay neutral, concealing any response, redirecting her attention to the present priority.

"Alright..." she uttered shortly after, her voice more stable as she suppressed those feelings, "Then tell me." Her direct stare met Razeal's, intent once again.

"So reveal the methods." Her gaze sharpened a fraction, "Assure me you're fighting to triumph... not merely endure." A near-commanding edge entered her voice, "Assure me you're not surrendering... Because you aren't."

Razeal regarded her momentarily, then eased back a tad, his stance loosening somewhat, as though the forthcoming reply was long decided in his core.

"The initial move..." he stated evenly, "...is altering how the world views me." The two blinked in unison.

"Like how?" Sofia queried first, her eyebrows furrowing as bewilderment overtook her prior intensity, "What exactly do you mean?"

Razeal eyed them both, utterly unperturbed, "Currently... the world despises me." He stated it plainly, "The majority does." His eyes dipped briefly then lifted, "...and even those who don't now... will in time."

Maria's brow creased, "Why?"

With a casual shrug, he stated, "Because that’s how the world is designed to perceive me." His voice stayed even, "Even folks who don’t know me or have ever even heard of me..." He halted briefly, "Their initial impression stays negative." One more shrug, "Automatically."

Sofia’s face grew tense a little, "That doesn’t make sense."

"It doesn’t need to," Razeal answered plainly, "Maybe that’s fate’s way of making itself right." A short pause ensued. "If I’m destined as a ’divine villain’..." His mouth hinted at a smile, "Then the world has to view me like that."

Silence hung in the air.

"But I’ve discovered something," he went on, leaning in a bit, his voice sharpening with purpose, "...a method to bypass it."

They both fixed their gazes on him intently.

"If I alter that view..." he declared, "...if I get people to see me in a new light..." His gaze intensified.

"Not merely neutral." "But positive." "Favourable." He paused. "Until they actually like me."

"Or even love me." The notion seemed ridiculous, yet he voiced it utterly seriously.

"Across the entire globe," he emphasized. Silence descended. Thick and heavy.

"Then I escape that role." His voice held firm, "Free from this fate." Sofia and Maria simply gaped at him. "At least, that’s my take on it..."

"I mean, gods obsess over their reputation for a reason... Right?" His lips twitched faintly once more, "Why they crave worship... love... faith." A light shrug followed.

"It’s not merely ego." Another pause. "There’s surely more to it." Then he settled back, utterly calm. "And that’s my tool."

For a moment, neither uttered a word. The immense scope of his words... at last started to register.

"The whole world?" Maria murmured softly, her tone laced with disbelief as she eyed him. Sofia stayed silent. She merely stared.

Because now, for the first time... it wasn’t just impossible. It felt horrifyingly, utterly impossible.