Kill the Sun

The difference in power between a common man and Nick was staggering.

Even without his ability, Nick was around 150 times more powerful than his base physical body.

He could jump for over a kilometer.

He could run faster than 200 kph.

He could lift things that weighed over ten tons.

And he was only an Early Veteran.

The difference in power between a normal person and an Early Veteran was the same in terms of magnitude as the difference between an Early Veteran and a Mid Specialist.

A Mid Specialist could clear over 50 kilometers in a single jump.

Their speed would have to be calculated in kilometers per second.

They could lift over a thousand tons.

And then, the same difference in magnitude applied again when one went from Mid Specialist to Late Protector.

The power of such a person was unimaginable.

And finally, a similar jump would happen when one went from Late Protector to the power of the Eternals.

Nurse Alice could probably move thousands of kilometers per second.

She could lift millions of tons.

Assuming someone on the other side of the world spoke the Sentence, Nurse Alice would barely need a couple of seconds to get there.

Nurse Alice was unimaginably powerful.

And yet…

Could she kill every single human in the world at the same time?

She could probably go to a city, obliterate it with a single strike, jump to the next city, do the same, and so on.

She could probably destroy a couple of cities in a single second like that.

But that would be the extent of her power.

She couldn't do what the Sun had done.

What about the Nightmare?

Well, there was an important distinction between physical power and an ability.

The Nightmare's influence was simply its ability, while the Nightmare itself had to be present in a certain location in the world.

If it wanted to, the Nightmare could jump from city to city and destroy them, just like Nurse Alice.

Encompassing the entire world with its ability while ignoring the sunlight, on the other hand, was most likely too much for the Nightmare.

So, the Nightmare also wouldn't be able to accomplish what the Sun had most likely done.

The Maw?

The Maw was most likely a Physical Specter, and even though it was theorized to be humongous, it also couldn't be present at the same time everywhere.

So, the Maw also couldn't do the same thing.

The Null?

Not much was known of the Null, but since it was possible to see it, as evidenced by Nick's loss of memories and his ability, it was most likely also a Physical Specter.

Maybe it had some kind of ability that could get rid of every person who knew about it, but that was a qualifier for its power, which put it on the same level as the Nightmare.

Most likely, the Null also wouldn't be able to accomplish something like that.

The Sun?

What kind of ability did the Sun have?

Where was its body?

Well, the Sun was in the sky.

Above everyone.

At all times.

No matter where.

No matter when.

It was omnipresent.

And if it was present, it could probably also act upon whoever was in its presence.

Could it kill every human in the world?

…

Most likely.

'Is that it's ability?' Nick thought. 'Is the Sun that we always see its true body, or is it just part of its ability?'

'Is the Sun actually the Sun?'

'The other Eternals all need certain conditions to use their powers.'

'Someone has to say the sentence.'

'A certain amount of people need to reach a certain level.'

'Someone has to be in the darkness.'

'Someone has to know something about you.'

'What about the Sun?'

'Does its power have conditions?'

'Or can it just use its power however it wants?'

Nick had been looking at the ground for quite a while now while the governor kept clicking on the square he held in his hands.

None of them said anything.

After a bit, Nick glanced at the governor.

He was unsure.

Why was the governor telling him all of these things?

'If he wants to kill me, I'm already dead. There's no point in being afraid of asking too much,' Nick thought.

"Does the Sun have an activation condition for its ability?" Nick asked.

The governor didn't answer immediately.

"Have you heard the story of the Champion of Light?" the governor asked.

"No," Nick said.

The governor stopped tapping on the square and turned his head to look at Nick with furrowed brows.

Nick just looked at the governor normally.

"Is this some form of joke?" the governor asked.

"No," Nick said. "Should I have heard of that story?"

The governor looked at Nick like he couldn't believe what Nick was saying.

"That's very unusual," the governor said. "The story of the Champion of Light is told to every child. It's a short story about a champion who is the manifestation of every despairing human's dreams and hopes."

"The Champion of Light is the manifestation of these hopes, and the more people wish for a brighter tomorrow, the more powerful he becomes."

"Eventually, when humanity is at its lowest point, the dreams of the despairing humans reach a crescendo, and the Champion of Light finally gains the power to destroy the Sun and replace it with himself."

"The eternal light of the Champion of Light banishes the Nightmare, incinerates Nurse Alice, seals up the Maw, and vanquishes the Null, ushering a new age of prosperity and hope."

"Parents tell this story to their children to make their lives just a bit more magical."

Nick wasn't quite sure why the governor was talking about a fairy tale. "But I've never heard about it."

"Which is why I was so surprised," the governor said. "The story has been deliberately designed to be easy to remember, like, and retell. It's a classic."

"The story has been created by Aegis, and it has a real purpose."

"After all, the Champion of Light is real."

Nick's eyes widened.