I stared at the Eternal, my eyes locked onto his body.
He had not moved even a step.
That punch had never been meant to kill him. It had been a test. A way to understand whether his physical existence followed the same rules as mine, or if he was nothing more than a law-bound projection.
Now I had my answer.
His body was real. Solid. Present.
But his Law of Sealing was powerful enough to halt a strike reinforced by my own Essence and will. Powerful enough to stop me inches away from contact without visible strain.
That alone told me everything I needed to know.
A small smile formed on his face, as if he had just solved an interesting puzzle.
"You appear stronger than you should be," he said calmly. "And that Essence… it does not represent anything I know."
His gaze sharpened, black eyes reflecting the violet glow bleeding faintly from my arm.
"Did you alter it yourself?" he continued. "Is it a mutation? A talent? Or something born outside the system you follow?"
