Solo Leveling: I Am The Only Supreme With the Cheating System

Michael gently placed the delicate porcelain teacup back onto the table, his gaze lifting to meet the Supreme Queen's.

He studied her with an intensity that bordered on disbelief, a flicker of amusement playing on his lips.

"Why would you willingly relinquish all your power... to me?" he asked, his voice a low murmur tinged with mild confusion.

""I have already laid bare my reasons to you, Michael."" The queen replied, her golden eyes unwavering.

"True," Michael conceded, leaning back slightly in his chair. "But I remain unconvinced. There must be a deeper motive, a hidden truth behind this extraordinary proposition. I will not accept your power and your position if you do not offer me complete transparency." His tone was firm, leaving no room for further evasion.

""Saying the truth, you possess a rather peculiar nature, yet your insistence on truth is commendable."" She relaxed against the cushions of her ornate seat, her gaze softening as she met Michael's earnest brown eyes. ""Very well, I shall unveil the final layer of my predicament. The fundamental truth is... I do not possess the true blessings of the realms.""

Michael's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Blessings of the realms? What exactly does that entail?" he inquired, his confusion deepening.

""I did not, in the truest sense, create the realms,"" The Queen stated, her words hanging in the air, further perplexing Michael. ""Well, I did initiate their genesis, but the power to truly shape and sustain them... that came from elsewhere.""

"Stop speaking in riddles and just tell me what you are truly hiding!" Michael exclaimed, his patience finally fraying. He was growing increasingly annoyed by her seemingly deliberately obfuscating language.

""Fufufu..."" The Queen chuckled softly, a glint of amusement dancing in her golden eyes. ""Alright, alright. I did set the cosmos into motion, bringing forth worlds, creatures, and even the gods themselves. I was able to achieve such a feat through the grace of the realms' blessings. Without them... I am merely a Supreme, albeit a powerful one, but still limited.""

She sat up straighter, her playful demeanor vanishing, replaced by an air of grave seriousness.

""You are familiar with the titans, are you not?""

Michael nodded slowly. "Gaea's formidable children, currently imprisoned within the Abyssal," he confirmed.

""Indeed... And the eldest among them has now ascended to the rank of Supreme,"" She revealed, her voice tinged with a hint of concern.

"Then you, as the Supreme Queen, should be able to deal with him easily!" Michael asserted, his initial confusion giving way to a sense of logical expectation.

""That is what I initially believed... But the realms themselves are… displeased with me,"" The Queen confessed, her gaze drifting downwards.

"Displeased with you? Why is that?" Michael asked, his confusion returning in full force.

""I made a grave error in judgment, a decision that has had catastrophic consequences. I bestowed the power to govern upon the gods and then retreated into a self-imposed slumber... That decision led to the deaths of billions upon billions of beings, and four entire realms were obliterated from existence, wiped clean with all their inhabitants... These unimaginable losses angered the very fabric of reality, causing a profound and dangerous shift in the cosmic balance,"" she explained, her voice heavy with regret.

She let out a deep, weary sigh. ""My initial plan was to simply eradicate the remaining titans, but I have since discovered a far more significant obstacle. Lapetus, Coeus, Crius, and Mnemosyne... they are not merely powerful beings; they are the four fundamental pillars upon which reality itself is structured.""

She looked down at the tea in her cup, her expression troubled.

""As the Supreme Queen, this should have been a straightforward matter. I should have been able to simply remove them from their positions and appoint others to maintain the cosmic equilibrium. But without the blessings of the realms, I can only access a fraction of my true power – barely thirty percent – which was sufficient to trap them within the Abyssal, but Lapetus current Supreme-level power far surpasses his previous state. Typhon's imprisonment pales in comparison to the precariousness of their confinement."" She finally lifted her gaze, meeting Michael's questioning eyes.

"I still don't fully comprehend... If you lack the power to rectify this, how do you expect me to succeed?" he asked, his skepticism evident.

The Queen offered him a small, enigmatic smile. ""There is only one path to regain the blessings of the realms, and that is through the birth of a new Supreme. The realms, in their ancient wisdom, will recognize your ascendance and bestow their favor upon you.""

"So, in essence, you are passing your immense responsibility onto my shoulders, hoping I can somehow fix the mess you created, is that it?" Michael summarized, his tone surprisingly even.

""You could certainly phrase it in such a direct manner,"" she replied, her smile widening slightly.

"Alright," Michael conceded after a moment of contemplation. "Before I agree to this monumental undertaking, I require answers to two crucial questions."

""And those are?"" The queen prompted, her interest piqued.

"Firstly; what will be your fate if you relinquish all your power to me? Secondly; what is your true name?" Michael asked, his gaze unwavering.

""I will… disintegrate into my constituent particles, returning to the essence from which I was formed, joining my brother and sister. At least then, I shall finally escape this endless cycle of responsibility and perhaps find some semblance of peace... or at least, an end to this profound boredom. Second,"" she paused, a genuine, warm smile gracing her lips.

""My name is Guinevere.""

"Guinevere... Alright. It's not the first time someone has mentioned dissolving into particles and floating away," Michael remarked dryly.

"You mentioned being reunited with your brother and sister. Does that imply the existence of other realms beyond these?"

""Only time will ultimately reveal the full tapestry of existence... Now, Michael, before we proceed with this transfer, perhaps you could enlighten me as to the current whereabouts of my artifact?"" Guinevere inquired, her tone suddenly sharp.

"Oh?"

Michael flicked his wrist with a casual gesture. His Supreme-class weapon, Starvil, shimmered into existence in his hand. He laid the magnificent sword on the polished table and looked up at the visibly surprised Guinevere.

"In here."

""Within the sword?"" She stared at Starvil, momentarily speechless.

'Starvil.'

Michael addressed his weapon telepathically.

'Yes, Master,' Starvil responded instantly.

At Starvil's mental confirmation, a small, intricately carved gem encased within a delicate glass box materialized on the table between them.

""I overheard your… Rather bold intentions regarding the manipulation of my artifact,"" Guinevere said, her eyes narrowed slightly.

Michael nodded.

""What are your immediate needs? I should offer my assistance before… before I potentially depart.""

Guinevere nodded slowly, a thoughtful expression on her face as Michael detailed his plans for the artifact. After a few moments of contemplation, she nodded decisively.

""That will undoubtedly bring about significant changes to your world, but I trust your judgment, Michael..."" She smiled, reaching out to tap the glass box containing the gem with a single, slender finger. Then, she looked up at Michael.

""It is done. And I have also… invited Jennifer to the battlefield.""

"Why would you do that?" Michael asked, a hint of concern in his voice.

""Merely to offer your family some reassurance in these… turbulent times,"" she replied with a serene smile...

...With a gentle wave of her hand, the glass box containing the ancient artifact shattered into countless glittering fragments.

Michael stared at her for a long moment, processing the sudden destruction of such a powerful object. Slowly, he nodded.

"Alright. How do we proceed with this… transfer of power?" He asked, his voice now filled with a sense of grim determination.

""Follow me, Michael.""

Guinevere rose gracefully from her seat and walked towards a large, ornate door at the far end of the garden. Michael quickly drank the remaining tea in his cup and followed closely behind her.

"So, if you don't mind me asking, how old are you?" Michael inquired, trying to make sense of the ancient being before him.

""I exist beyond the constraints of time, Michael. I honestly have no concept of my own age,"" She replied without looking back, her voice echoing slightly in the vast garden.

Michael stared at her retreating figure in silence for a moment before continuing to walk.

"This existence… it seems both a blessing and a curse."

"Meaning?"

Michael prompted, pausing briefly at the door.

""You can live for eternity, Michael... but the people you care about cannot. Only Jennifer, with her unique nature as the blood Goddess can... But Erika, Mira, Maria... And the others, without the continued influence of AI, will eventually age and leave this world.""

"I hope you haven't forgotten that I am about to become the Supreme in mere moments," Michael countered, a flicker of hope in his eyes.

"With that level of power, wouldn't I be able to extend their lifespans significantly?"

"You could indeed prolong their lives, perhaps to a thousand years, but your own existence will stretch across millions. This reality, Michael, is inherently unfair, even to a Supreme," she said with a hint of melancholy before opening the door and stepping through.

'I will make it fair.'