When you stand at the top of the hierarchy, capable of defeating monsters, mortals, and even immortals with a simple flick of your finger, you eventually come to realize that it all amounts to nothing. All that strength, gathered over the eons, all that power accumulated to reach the peak of existence, begins to feel like a waste. After all, what meaning does strength hold when you have never experienced the fear of being weak? When you have never felt the need to push yourself further, surpass your limits, and eventually break free from the restrictions holding you back?
Life had always been like that for the Supreme God of Destruction, Nova.
He had never been at the lowest point in any hierarchy, whether among the five other Supreme Gods or anyone else in existence. He had always stood at the peak. In fact, he was the very concept of the peak itself. Yet, despite possessing such unimaginable strength, Nova had never truly discovered the extent of his potential.
And perhaps that was what troubled him the most.
He had never feared. He had never struggled. He had never experienced what it meant to be weak, because there had never been anyone capable of making him feel that way.
The Supreme God of Destruction was, quite simply, always bored.
His duty was to oversee the God of Destruction who resided in the Outer Heaven, the lower region of Heaven, while Nova himself lived in the Inner Heaven, home to the Supreme Gods. His responsibilities consisted primarily of observing and judging the God of Destruction's decisions, ensuring that he fulfilled his duties of clearing out dead planets, solar systems, and even entire galaxies.
Unfortunately, the God of Destruction was doing a fantastic job.
He rarely made mistakes, understood his responsibilities, and hardly ever required Nova's intervention. As a result, Nova had little reason to even spectate him.
And since overseeing the God of Destruction was his only real duty, there was hardly anything left for him to do.
Well, aside from spending time with Freya, the Supreme God of Creation, Sex, Beauty, and so much more. She was one of the few things that made his otherwise uneventful existence enjoyable.
But even with her by his side, Nova couldn't shake the feeling that something was missing.
***
Nova was in his chambers within the Castle of the Supreme, floating comfortably above his bed as he lost himself in thought. His body remained suspended in the air, completely motionless, while his mind wandered through the countless eons he had lived.
I've reached the pinnacle of vitality, ascended beyond almost everyone in existence, and am second only to Father. Yet, life has gotten so boring.
He stared at the ceiling, his expression growing increasingly dissatisfied.
Well, at least I still have Freya. She's been keeping me sane all this time. But I need more than this. I need to experience something different.
His thoughts lingered on something he had never truly understood, despite witnessing countless beings experience it throughout their lives.
I want to struggle. I want to experience fear, pain, and the feeling of being completely helpless. I want to know what it's like to push myself beyond my limits because I have no other choice.
After remaining in thought for a little longer, Nova stopped levitating and dropped onto his bed with a heavy thud.
It was hardly an unusual occurrence.
He lay there for another moment before finally getting up, his upper body completely bare. Gods generally had little reason to wear clothing, as the very concept seemed rather pathetic to many of them. Nova, however, had developed an appreciation for certain garments created by mortal civilizations.
Around his waist, he wore a black Uhag, a traditional draped garment he had copied from the Uhagtain civilization after encountering it in their famous cultural archives.
He had taken a particular liking to its design, especially the way its asymmetrical folds emphasized movement while maintaining a sense of elegance. Its dark sheen, minimalist fastening, and carefully arranged fabric reflected the Uhagtain philosophy of balance through contrast.
Although the garment had originally served a ceremonial purpose, Nova wore it simply because he appreciated its appearance. It was solemn yet elegant, practical without sacrificing its distinctive design.
After adjusting the garment, he made his way toward the chamber doors.
He pulled them open and stepped into the corridor, allowing the doors to slam shut behind him. The impact produced a loud echo that traveled through the surrounding halls of the castle.
Adjacent to his chambers was Freya's beautifully decorated room.
Nova approached her door and knocked.
Almost immediately, a familiar voice answered from the other side. It was heavenly in every sense, delicate and delightful, yet carrying an unmistakable strength.
"You don't have to knock on the door every time, you know. You can just come in."
Nova smiled faintly before opening the door.
Inside, Freya was floating gracefully in the middle of her chambers, beautifully dressed as she concentrated on something hovering before her.
She was creating a new black hole.
It was intended to serve as the center of a newly formed galaxy, one that would eventually become home to an entirely new civilization.
Freya gently caressed the developing black hole, carefully shaping its immense gravitational presence as she transformed it into what she considered a gentle, humble giant.
Once completed, it would stretch approximately a light-year across, with a mass approaching two trillion solar masses. Despite its extraordinary size, it was nowhere near the largest black hole in her collection.
Nova watched her for a moment, a warm smile appearing on his face.
He then levitated toward her, gently kissed her on the lips, and pulled back slightly.
"It's not about whether I have to knock or not," he said, his voice firm yet affectionate. "It's about giving you as much privacy and respect as you deserve. Knocking on your door is simply one of the ways I show you how much I love you."
"Aw, you're so sweet."
Freya smiled brightly, clearly pleased by his response.
"I'm making a new black hole," she continued, turning her attention back toward her creation.
Nova followed her gaze, observing the enormous celestial object hovering before them.
"It's going to be a pretty decently sized one," Freya explained, her enthusiasm becoming more apparent. "Though I'm still not sure whether I want to put it in the galaxy I've been preparing or simply add it to my collection, like the rest of my babies."
Nova raised his eyebrows slightly, the corners of his lips curling into an amused smile.
"You do you," he replied. "You're their mother, after all, so it should be entirely your choice what you want to do with them. Whether you place them in a galaxy or keep them for yourself, that's up to you. After all, you're the Mother of Creation."
"Well, I suppose that's true."
Freya lowered her voice thoughtfully, returning her attention to the black hole.
She examined it for a moment, seemingly weighing the possibilities before finally making her decision.
"You know what? I'm keeping it."
Nova chuckled softly at how quickly she had made up her mind.
"I like the way it looks," she continued, gently moving her fingers across its outer edges. "It's a humble giant, nothing like TON 618."
She paused, considering her own words.
"Well, that black hole hasn't reached its actual potential yet, either. It'll take another couple of years, give or take a few trillion, before that happens. So, we still have plenty of time."
Nova couldn't help but smile.
Freya had a habit of becoming completely absorbed in her creations, sometimes spending an extraordinary amount of time discussing even the smallest details. To her, these celestial bodies were far more than enormous collections of matter governed by gravity. They were her creations, beings she had carefully nurtured from their earliest moments.
And whenever she spoke about them, the happiness in her expression was unmistakable.
It was one of the many things Nova loved about her.
Yet, as he watched her return to shaping the black hole, the thoughts that had occupied him earlier began resurfacing.
He had been considering something for quite some time now, and although he had yet to make a final decision, he knew that he needed to discuss it with her.
"Listen," Nova said, gently interrupting Freya as she continued rambling about her creation.
"Hm?"
She turned toward him.
Nova looked at her for a moment before finally speaking.
"I've been thinking of reincarnating in the mortal realm."
Freya blinked.
Her hands, which had been carefully guiding the black hole's development only moments earlier, stopped moving.
"Reincarnation?" she repeated, her voice carrying a mixture of amusement and genuine disbelief.
For a moment, she simply stared at him, trying to understand what he meant.
Nova didn't answer immediately.
Instead, his gaze drifted toward the black hole floating beside them. He stared into its dark center, watching the immense gravitational forces surrounding it.
As the Supreme God of Destruction, he had witnessed countless civilizations rise and fall. He had seen mortals struggle desperately against enemies far stronger than themselves, watched them suffer devastating injuries, and observed the extraordinary lengths they were willing to go simply to survive.
He had always understood their struggles from an observer's perspective.
But he had never experienced any of them himself.
He had never been forced to fight for his survival. Never faced an opponent whose strength genuinely frightened him. Never understood the desperation of knowing that a single mistake might cost him his life.
And despite everything he possessed, he found himself longing for those experiences more than anything else.
After a brief silence, Nova finally spoke, his voice barely above a whisper.
"I want to know what it feels like… to bleed."