The entity that bought him the drink looked at him in surprise.
"You recovered so fast! You liar, hahaha! This isn't your first time drinking it."
"Nah... it is my first time."
Zero didn't let this opportunity to speak naturally with a denizen of constant time.
"I'm actually quite new here. Can you tell me what all of this is?"
"What do you mean? This is the City of Time. Created by Forma."
"Who is Forma?"
The entity looked at Zero as if he was a madman.
"He's Forma! The only surviving rank 9 from the war! How do you not know this?"
"How good is rank 9?"
"Are you crazy? Rank 9 is the highest level of existence one can reach. There hasn't been a new rank 9 born in the last 10,000 cycles!"
Zero was a bit disappointed.
If he was told there was a higher rank.
He could probably get so strong that he could skip books.
But the highest level here was merely rank 9?
What a shame...
Maybe he should pay Forma a visit.
First he needed to make sure his abilities worked here.
He no longer needed his old save slot 0.
As he could manipulate the reality of book 2 as easily as breathing.
So he planned to overwrite it.
'Save Point 0'.
Zero spoke for the lolz.
"Save Point 0".
"Save Point 0?"
"Yes. Now."
'Reload 0'.
"Reload 0."
"Reload?"
Zero was brought back in time.
He had manipulated the entire constant time, rewinding it.
It was only a few seconds though.
"Save Point 0?"
"Don't worry about it."
----------------------------------------
Forma's POV:
If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.
I was busy guarding my origin stream.
But it felt like reality was tampered with
I tried to find the origin of the change.
But I couldn't.
The only thing this could mean was that reality was tampered with by someone more powerful then me.
"A new rank 9? Impossible!"
"I'm probably just imagining it."
----------------------------------------
Zero waited at the bar.
Waiting for Forma to track him down.
Then he would have an epic battle and claim the entire constant time for himself!
So he waited a few years.
But Forma never appeared before him.
"Hmm... was he not able to trace me? What a pathetic rank 9!"
During these few years he had been talking with Kthoh'gno.
He had made a friend.
[ECHO]: Analyzing book
[ECHO]: "Time Walker"
[ECHO]: 3: Chapter 2: Friend
He had also broken through to chapter 2.
Zero was invited to a 'special' party by Kthoh'gno.
He declined the offer.
But thanked them regardless.
He then began to walk around constant time.
Looking at this 'City of Time'.
Zero was amazed that hidden existences were living in harmony.
He supposed the only reason there wasn't chaos and fighting was due to Forma and the rules.
After seeing the wonders of the city.
He was glad Forma didn't find him.
Because Zero definitely didn't plan to stay in this book.
His fate lied in breaking through all of the books and becoming real.
Such a thing was impossible.
But that is why he will do it!
So if he took over... the whole constant time may be thrown in chaos.
"Don't fix it if it isn't broken."
"What did you say to me?"
"Oh sorry, I was speaking to myself."
"Sure you were. You think your hot shit just because you are 30 cycles?"
Zero laughed.
Zero then spoke:
"How old are you?"
"...I'm five cycles."
"Do you want to fight me?"
"That's against the rules!"
The entity then ran away.
"..."
Zero continued to explore constant time.
He didn't go into any streams though.
When he got close to one.
Law enforcement asked for his I.D and his origin stream.
"I don't have an I.D or an origin."
"When we say origin... we just mean the time stream you were born in. You aren't allowed to visit other realities... unless you have the proper permits."
"Also... even newborn hidden existences are given a name and an I.D. It's in your soul."
Zero wasn't even from this reality though.
His origin stream would technically be in book 2.
That was a lower reality though...
Tricky.
He scanned the law enforcements officers soul.
To copy his I.D.
"Did you just scan my soul?"
"That's a felony!"
Zero began to laugh profusely.
He remembered the time he got arrested for the exact same thing.
He was then surrounded by law enforcement.
They used a special stone made by Forma that could restrict existences.
Zero could feel the power of his rank 8 soul drop to rank 0.
But that was just a fake soul.
"How disappointing... I was expecting an actual threat!"
"He's been regressed! Apprehend him!"
A space bubble wrapped around Zero.
Zero simply walked through the bubble.
"Impossible! Tentacles in the air!"
"We will shatter your soul if you don't stop!"
Zero didn't listen...
They then activated an artifact crafted by Forma.
Zero's 'soul' shattered.
Zero simply shook his head and walked away.
They tried following him.
He then stopped and turned into his human form.
"Are you a human?! How can you keep your senses in constant time?"
"Hmm... what exactly am I now?"
"I suppose I'm an abyssal paradox? I kinda transcend that though... "
"I'm the first of my race."
"You can call me the Omni Paradox."
"Omni? Paradox? You think too highly of yourself! Why is Forma's artifact not working on you? How did you survive having your soul shattered?"
"I survived because I lack a soul."
"Then what makes up your existence? How are you conscious?"
"You wouldn't understand even if I explained it to you, just think of it as a mystery."
"Well... your in hot shit now. We have alerted Forma. He will be here soon!"
"Oh, thanks. I was wondering where he was."
Forma materialized by one of the officers.
"So this is the entity that my artifact didn't work on? He has no soul... he is rankless."
"He is a human?"
Forma spoke:
"You are under arrest for disturbing the peace and scanning someone else's soul!"
Forma had many arms.
He pinched his fingers at Zero.
Zero's body was trapped in his fingers.
Forma's fingers then broke.
Zero was free.
"Impossible! No... you aren't rankless! It is a disguise."
Zero said:
"Nah... I don't need a disguise. I just didn't bother reconstructing a fake rank."