I Spread my Genes to Level Up in the Apocalypse

"Hahaha, you finally came."

A maddened laugh echoed through the void as both beings instinctively raised their heads.

Ray sat atop a hovering throne at the peak of the galaxy, the throne itself seemingly defying all laws of physics. His posture was relaxed, his expression calm and composed as he gazed down at the two beings before him.

The Universal being's form appeared drastically diminished, its height reduced to a fraction of what it once was…

"Hmm, its presence seems to have diminished rather than its stature," Ray murmured to himself.

His gaze then shifted to the colossal being beside it, spanning the size of two stars. Its translucent form reflected black holes and stars within its vast body, a living embodiment of the universe.

"The being that governs this entire universe," Ray muttered, his lips curling into a faint, knowing smirk.

One thing Ray had learned over time was that every celestial body, if large enough and ancient enough, would eventually develop a consciousness, becoming a living entity responsible for maintaining its domain.

If such a phenomenon existed for a galaxy, then it was inevitable that the universe itself—a vast expanse encompassing countless galaxies—would possess an even more ancient and formidable consciousness.

"So, are you the being that governs this universe?" Ray asked, his eyes narrowing as he studied the massive entity before him.

If it had been the previous version of himself, he would have fled without hesitation. After all, even facing the Universal being at his current strength was a daunting challenge, and this entity standing before him was far more terrifying.

"Luckily, I've already devoured their entire galaxy," Ray said, a confident smile spreading across his face.

While Ray was lost in his internal monologue, the massive being silently observed him, its cosmic presence exuding an air of quiet authority.

"There is something strange inside you, failed human," the being finally spoke, its voice resonating with the weight of countless stars.

"How am I strange?" Ray responded, raising an eyebrow.

"There is something within you that fills me with dread."

"Really?" Ray replied, a faint smirk forming as he already had an inkling of what this "dread" could be.

"It must be my charisma. After all, I am a charming young man."

"Charming?" The being tilted its head slightly, and an amused, feminine chuckle echoed through the void. "You look ugly, though."

"Ouch, that hurts, woman." Ray mockingly clutched his chest as if wounded. "Right in the heart."

"Good," the being said, its tone sharpening. "You should feel pain, for you destroyed my little children's universe."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

"Anyway, why are you here? Is it to enact justice for your little child?" Ray asked, his gaze drifting briefly to the Milky Way.

"No." The being shook her colossal head. "I am here because I have a deal for you."

"A deal?" Ray's expression shifted to one of surprise. His curiosity piqued, and his mind raced. If this deal could benefit him in some way, it wasn't entirely out of the question for him to consider it.

He didn't harbor much of a grudge against her, despite their confrontation. His primary animosity lay with the Universal being, who's galaxy he had obliterated. In the end, it was likely the larger grudge lay on her side.

"What's the deal?" he asked.

"Failed human," she said, pointing at him with a hand that spanned stars, "I want you to open the gates of the Multiverse again."

"Gates of the Multiverse?" Ray repeated.

"You're talking about the Gates encoded into the genes of the human race, aren't you?" His expression hardened, his usual smirk fading into a grim seriousness.

The realization stirred something deep within him, a frustration that had been dormant until now. "Everyone seems to know the secrets of the human race—except me." He cursed inwardly, his anger swelling like a storm, building and intensifying with each passing second.

Before she could even respond, the universal being, milky way, roared in anger:

"How dare you talk to her like that, you're a mere failed human."

Ray's eyes narrowed, and without warning, his figure vanished from where he stood.

"Eh?" The Universal being beside the colossal entity blinked in confusion, caught off guard by Ray's sudden disappearance.

Then, the silence of the void was shattered by a deafening roar that seemed to reverberate across the entire universe:

"The failed race? I'll show you what failure truly means!"

From outside the galaxy, a colossal fist materialized, tearing through the fabric of space itself. Its sheer size eclipsed entire star systems as it descended slowly yet inexorably upon the Milky Way, its intent unmistakable: annihilation.

Shing! Zzz! Pang! Thump!

A cacophony of sounds echoed through the void as the galaxy began to warp and shatter under the overwhelming pressure of the descending fist. Stars stretched and tore apart like fragile strands of silk, black holes collapsed in on themselves, and the galaxy as a whole twisted and contorted like soft tofu under immense strain.

With one final, devastating motion, the colossal first made contact.

BOOM!

The entire galaxy fragmented into countless pieces. Black holes, stars, planets—everything was obliterated. Space itself seemed to collapse, leaving a void where the Milky Way had once existed.

Ray materialized outside the remnants of the galaxy, his expression calm and unshaken as he observed the destruction he had wrought.

As he floated amidst the chaos, two figures appeared before him. One was the massive, star-spanning being, its form as imposing as ever. However, the second figure, the Universal being, seemed to be fading. Its translucent body was slowly vanishing, dissolving into nothingness.

"Are you happy, failed human? Destroying a galaxy that was already in ruins?" the massive being asked, her tone cold and filled with disdain.

"Positive." Ray replied, his voice brimming with twisted delight. "I'm what you call a madman. That guy attacked me out of nowhere and nearly killed me, so I'm just returning the favor."

"What a childish mentality for a self-proclaimed madman," she retorted, her gaze fixed on the Universal being, now completely faded from existence.

Ray shrugged, indifferent to the jab. "So, what's this deal you were talking about?"

She shifted her attention fully to him. "Open the Gates of the Multiverse and allow my soldiers to enter."

Ray's eyes narrowed as he crossed his arms. "And what do I get out of it?"

"I will grant you resources," she replied evenly.

"Resources?" Ray scoffed, shaking his head. "I've already moved past that. If I don't have something, I take it. Resources aren't an issue for me anymore."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah," Ray said, his eyes narrowing further.

The tension thickened like an unrelenting storm as an oppressive pressure descended, smothering everything in its wake.

The Void began to collapse, and the surrounding galaxies rippled with disruption, their orbits thrown into chaos.

"You forget, Madman," the massive being spoke, her voice echoing like the birth of stars, "you are a creature of my Universe, and you are bound by my laws."

Thump! Thump!

Ray's body froze mid-motion. Every nerve in his body went numb, his heart stopped in its tracks, his blood halted, and even the flow of Mutation Energy in his veins ceased entirely.

"What the fuck is happening!?" he screamed internally, terror gripping his mind.

It wasn't the freezing of time—no, this was far more unsettling. It felt as though he had been severed, disconnected from the entire universe itself.

The sensation lasted for only a fleeting moment, but when it passed, Ray gasped for breath, collapsing to his knees. His long white hair masked his face.

The being's voice broke the silence, "So, Madman, will you do as I say?"

Ray slowly lifted his head, his crimson and golden pupils gleaming with a strange, unsettling excitement. Not a shred of fear lingered in his gaze—only the thrill of chaos.

"Yes."