The transcendent’s domain engulfed the space around Taesan. He tried to create distance, but the entire realm had already been consumed.

[You have activated Essence Analysis.]

[You have activated Concentrated Detection.]

[You have activated Reconnaissance.]

Taesan attempted to analyze the power materializing in this world.

Yet, no comprehensible information came through. Like the jumbled letters he encountered with the divine blood, he could decipher nothing.

This power was beyond Taesan’s reach, even with his abilities.

Boom!

The Emperor lunged.

Taesan raised his sword to block the incoming fist.

Clang!

The force pushed Taesan back slightly. The Emperor had indeed become stronger with the domain’s manifestation, but the increase wasn’t overwhelming.

If he needed to, Taesan could counteract it. For something granted by a god, it didn’t feel particularly insurmountable.

[You have activated Starlight Arrow.]

A bolt of light struck the Emperor, only for his divine aura to swallow it.

Taesan swept his hand forward.

Magic surged from him, cracking the earth and encasing the surroundings in ice.

The raw strength of Taesan’s magic was intense enough to make it challenging for even someone of the Emperor’s level to approach.

He continued casting, pushing the Emperor back with relentless magical attacks.

The Emperor’s gaze turned condescending.

“How rude, to use such profane magic in a god’s domain.”

The Emperor raised a finger.

“I will impose a new rule. In this sacred realm of Horai, anyone who uses magic must fold their hands in prayer.”

As soon as he finished, Taesan’s ongoing magic was abruptly canceled.

“What?”

Taesan frowned in confusion.

His spell had been interrupted midway. It was something he had never experienced. Quickly, he gathered mana again.

[You have activated Starlight Arrow.]

The mana should have formed into a spell, but it didn’t. It was as if he were trying to ignite a flame underwater.

The Emperor charged at Taesan, his blows coming in a fierce storm.

Clang!

Taesan barely managed to block, clicking his tongue in frustration. He shifted to using dark mana instead.

[You have activated Asmodeus’s Chains of Corruption.]

Black chains emerged, binding the Emperor. He thrashed, trying to shake them off, and the chains began to crack.

[You have activated Arrow of Stormy Calamity.]

A dark arrow materialized, streaking toward the Emperor.

He shattered the chains restraining him and swung his fist.

Boom!

A clash of dark and golden energy obliterated the area around them.

“You dare use dark magic in a sacred realm?”

The Emperor scowled and declared another rule.

“From now on, anyone using dark magic must bow to the ground in reverence to the god.”

The dark magic ceased, nullified by the imposed rule.

“Absurd.”

[What’s going on with him?]

Even the spirit murmured in disbelief.

This wasn’t simply a personal restriction on Taesan.

It was a law imposed upon the very fabric of this world.

The Emperor unleashed another flurry of attacks.

Clang!

After creating some distance, Taesan folded his hands in prayer and cast another spell. Folding his hands alone seemed enough to activate his magic.

Crackle!

With that, the surrounding landscape was encased in ice again.

Taesan’s eyes narrowed.

The Emperor wasn’t bluffing. As long as he followed the imposed rules, he could use his power. Otherwise, he couldn’t.

“Your swordsmanship is graceless,” the Emperor sneered before imposing another rule.

“From now on, before using your sword, you must kneel in reverence.”

Taesan, who was about to swing his blade, froze.

The changed laws stopped him from moving his sword. He quickly knelt, then raised his sword to strike.

Clang!

“Tch.”

Taesan clicked his tongue and summoned Minerva. The summoned spirit of wind began pressuring the Emperor.

“A mere spirit dares to appear in a god’s domain? Without offering proper tribute, no spirit shall remain in this sacred place. Begone.”

“Ah!”

With a scream, Minerva vanished.

Taesan fended off the Emperor’s relentless attacks while making swift judgments.

“Rules…”

This was the power to intervene in the laws of reality itself.

It was similar to the partial world alteration skill, but on a higher level.

The god of Order, Horai, had bestowed his Apostle with the power to impose rules that favored him over Taesan.

Taesan understood.

This was the unique power only an Apostle chosen by a god could wield.

Clang!

[Your first attack negation has been activated.]

The Emperor’s attack vanished, returning Taesan’s body to its state before the blow. The Emperor scowled and charged again.

“What’s this trickery?”

Boom!

The Emperor rushed forward, fist clenched. His attacks were straightforward, making it easy for Taesan to counter.

But Taesan was under a restriction.

Magic, dark magic, spirit summoning, even swordsmanship—they all required him to fulfill conditions.

Attacks he’d usually deflect with ease became difficult to block.

Clang!

Taesan swung his sword, but the required preparation slowed him down. The Emperor twisted, dodging the attack and countered.

He knelt and swung again.

[You have activated Deflect.]

The Emperor’s fist glanced off Taesan’s sword.

But the Emperor quickly planted his feet, realigning his attack to its original course.

The second attack negation activated.

Taesan thought quickly.

This power to restrict his abilities—the rules—was potent.

He had several ways to counter it. One was partial world alteration.

Though it was a divine power, it was ultimately the Emperor wielding it. With partial world alteration, he could potentially nullify some effects.

However, he’d used all his materials for this ability while fighting the Guides.

Another option was the Boundary Line.

A gray force, blending law and the strength beyond laws, could break through rules and sweep away the Emperor’s divine power. If it connected, even the Emperor would fall in a single strike.

But it wasn’t suitable for now. He still didn’t have full control over the Boundary Line and had to use it cautiously.

‘If I use Beyond the Boundary alongside the Boundary Line…’

He might be able to pierce through.

However, the aftermath of wielding two uncontrolled forces simultaneously was unpredictable, even for Taesan.

It was a last resort.

This opponent wasn’t formidable enough for such measures.

Observing and strategizing should yield a solution.

In the meantime, though, he would have to endure. The Emperor’s attacks gradually accumulated damage on Taesan.

His attack negations depleted, and his stamina began to drop.

Boom!

The Emperor’s fist smashed against Taesan’s sword, pushing him back.

“You cannot win.”

The Emperor’s tone was full of arrogance.

“I’ll grant that your raw strength surpasses mine. I won’t deny that.”

If they fought at full power, the Emperor knew he would lose.

“But against the might of divinity, even the strongest mortal strength is meaningless.”

The power of gods made all mortal efforts insignificant.

“Understand, you lowly tool.”

“Ah…”

The child, watching the battle from a distance, trembled.

Though he couldn’t fully follow the clash, he could see Taesan was at a disadvantage.

“This weakling suffers because of your stubbornness.”

“N…no…”

The child’s face turned pale.

Taesan was going to die.

Because of him.

“N-no…”

The child stammered, stepping forward. Having already lost so many people due to his supposed curse, he couldn’t bear it anymore.

“There’s no need.”

But Taesan stopped him.

“So, you crave divine blood that much?”

“A feeble tool like you does not deserve such greatness. Only the worthy should wield it.”

The Emperor sneered, his face twisted with greed.

“Yes! I will absorb the divine blood, transcend mortality, and stand beside my god as his Apostle!”

With that, he charged, laughing maniacally.

“Become my stepping stone, insignificant being!”

Taesan gripped his sword tightly.

[You have activated Mental Acceleration.]

He parried the incoming assault, using the mental clarity to formulate a strategy.

‘Forced laws.’

The Emperor imposed rules that only benefitted himself.

But he was not a god.

He was merely an Apostle wielding divine power.

There had to be a limit to his authority.

The fact that he couldn’t outright block Taesan’s spells or dark magic but only impose certain conditions hinted at restrictions.

‘He can place conditions but can’t outright disable abilities.’

[You have activated Stealth.]

The Emperor’s strike shattered the ground, obscuring Taesan from view. In the cover of the debris, Taesan vanished.

Reappearing behind the Emperor, Taesan knelt.

Clang!

The Emperor quickly twisted to block Taesan’s attack.

“Such vile tricks you have.”

Despite his disdain, the Emperor didn’t impose a rule on Taesan’s stealth.

‘He hasn’t restricted my attack negations either.’

The Emperor grumbled with annoyance but hadn’t blocked the negations or other defensive maneuvers.

Taesan grew certain. There were limits to the rules.

But what were those limits?

‘The conditions that apply to both himself and his opponents.’

All of the Emperor’s rules had targeted magic, dark magic, spirits, and swordsmanship—things he himself didn’t use. But he refrained from placing restrictions on his own techniques, such as martial arts. If the rules applied to him as well, it made sense that he couldn’t impose them on his own abilities.

‘Or, there’s a limit to how many rules he can impose simultaneously.’

If he could only enforce a certain number of rules, that explained why he

 hadn’t restricted martial arts.

Testing his theory would be simple.

[You have activated Ember of Catastrophe.]

A dark flame manifested, seething with an intense power Taesan had never fully controlled. But now, after defeating the Guide’s elite, he could wield it.

“What…”

The Emperor’s face twisted as he instinctively stepped back. Taesan focused, channeling his strength.

The fire surged, a flame capable of reducing all to ashes.

Its sheer potency made it hard for even the Emperor to counter. Taesan took advantage of the distraction, folding his hands in prayer.

[You have activated Starlight Arrow.]

Magic and dark magic surged forth. The rules didn’t prevent casting—only added conditions. By fulfilling them, he was free to wield his powers.

The barrage closed in on the Emperor, who barely managed to deflect, hindered by the inferno.

He clicked his tongue in frustration.

“To use such foul fire in Horai’s domain. The flame may be powerful, but outside its own realm, it cannot reach its full potential.”

A new rule imposed itself upon the world.

Simultaneously, Taesan felt the rule against magic disappear.

The Emperor could impose only four rules at once.

The experiment was complete. He understood the method to counter this power.

Now, it was Taesan’s turn.

Gathering his strength, he prepared to strike back.