"Oh, is that so? Then I'm relieved—I won't be paying, you can go back now!" After receiving the dimensional debt collector's response, Robert felt justified in his stance. Initially hesitant to act, he now felt emboldened. The problem was with their magic, and they still expected him to pay? Wishful thinking!
As for the debt supposedly transferred from Constantine, Robert felt even more justified. Why should he accept Constantine's debts? Was it his just because it was transferred to him? Where was the evidence? He hadn't used the tracking magic that those charges were based on. Why should he acknowledge a debt he didn't incur?
"???" The dimensional debt collector was taken aback upon hearing Robert's words, as this was the first time he had encountered such a forthright refusal. The collector was unused to being challenged this directly, especially regarding the refusal to pay.
It's worth noting that dimensional debt collection isn't limited to just Earth; the magical dimension behind the tracking magic isn't top-tier, even within the hierarchy of magical dimensions. However, it has the authority to collect debts across all life-bearing planets in the universe.
Even so, this was the first time the dimensional debt collector had encountered a refusal like Robert's—so casual yet so firm. Did Robert really think the magical dimension was easy to bully? And could Robert guarantee he would never again use the power of the magical dimension?
"No one has ever dared to not repay our debts!" The collector quickly regained composure, and a formidable power burst forth from him. As his power erupted, Robert finally sensed the force behind the tracking magic.
This was a type of power Robert had never encountered before, containing a mix of familiar and unfamiliar elemental powers. It seemed to amalgamate many types of energy, though no single power was overwhelmingly strong.
However, the dimensional debt collector's strength was merely satisfactory, similar in essence to the previous Shadow Demon King, barely touching the level of a Demon King—far from a weakling, and Robert in his normal state could handle such an opponent without trouble.
With a "swoosh," it seemed for a moment as if Robert's soul had left Earth's realm. Facing the oncoming dimensional debt collector, Robert fought nonchalantly, all the while taking in his surroundings.
He found himself in a vast territory, his first time in this place. Robert felt that there were divine power-filled areas hidden around, one of which was very similar to the power of Diana.
In the distance, even more formidable dimensions seemed to lurk, eyeing Earth's direction. From the information Robert had previously gathered, his soul seemed to be among many dimensions. Fortunately, he was here in a spiritual form, as he wasn't sure if his physical body could survive in this environment.
While fighting the debt collector, Robert reflected on the situation. The collector's strength did not match Robert's, and as this was his first visit, he naturally wanted to observe.
"It seems that these so-called pantheons closer to Earth are far weaker than those distant dimensions!" Robert quickly realized, his expression growing serious.
Robert didn't know exactly how far these dimensions were from Earth, but he could feel the immense pressure they exerted.
From a vision shared by Gabriel, it was known that among the pantheons, there were beings on the same level as Clark. Now, these dimensions seemed even stronger than many pantheons, perhaps due to their vast distance, almost not belonging to this universe, making their presence on Earth not so straightforward.
Yet, that didn't mean it was impossible. The emergence of the dimensional debt collector, the descent of angels, and the havoc wrought by demons all indicated that these dimensions found ways to reach Earth!
With a "bang!" thinking this through, Robert decided to probe the collector for more information about those dimensions, launching a ki blast that sent the collector reeling. Before the collector could react, Robert launched a series of attacks, overpowering him without effort.
In this fight, Robert felt that the collector's strength was even weaker than the Shadow Demon King's, who could at least rely on instincts and commands. This collector seemed utterly clueless about combat.
How could such a person collect debts if they couldn't even fight? Wasn't there a risk of being counterattacked? Of course, the collector's strength was still formidable against those not at this level...
But then another question arose...
"How has Constantine managed to withstand such methods? Or has it been too long since he first used the tracking magic?" Robert wondered. If Constantine could evade such powerful beings, Robert might believe it, but how could Constantine escape a debt that was supposedly locked onto him? Robert even suspected that the so-called tracking magic evolved from debt collection.
As Robert contemplated this, he lightened his attacks, worrying that killing the collector outright would leave him without a chance to learn more.
But even so, the collector broke down sooner than Robert expected.
"Stop hitting me, I'll die! I'm just a worker. If you had such abilities, you should have said so earlier. I would have reported it, and let others come... no, let others talk to you properly..." As Robert eased his attacks, he heard the collector's voice, laden with resignation and devoid of any dignity of a powerful being.
"Are you that spineless?" Robert looked at the dimensional debt collector somewhat baffled, a thought crossing his mind.
Although aware of the threats within various dimensions, Robert found the debt collector's level, barely reaching that of a Demon King, unimpressive. Such a rank was once a dream for Valentine, and while fearing death is understandable, being this cowardly seemed excessive.
"I'm just a worker; there's no benefit to me in fighting to the death!" As if sensing Robert's thoughts, the collector looked at Robert with a mixture of resignation and said, "I was once just a debtor in the magical dimension, unable to repay my debts, so I ended up working indefinitely for the dimension. If I had your strength back then, I could have at least made it to the middle management…"
"Are there more powerful beings in your magical dimension?" Robert's eyes lit up, expecting more stories about the powerful beings of the magical dimension.
In Robert's view, since the collector was so weak, it was a perfect opportunity to learn more about the magical dimension and other dimensions. The existence of so many powerful dimensions didn't frighten Robert; instead, it excited him.
If the strongest being in this universe was truly his brother Clark, then Robert would find this world quite boring! However, after encountering new worlds and situations, Robert realized that Clark's invincibility wasn't absolute, which only increased his anticipation.
But faced with Robert's question, the dimensional debt collector seemed perplexed, unsure why Robert was so excited, and even suspected that Robert might be the legendary type to enforce laws strictly!
Of course, the key issue was that the debt collector didn't really know how many powerful beings existed within his own dimension...
"I'm just a former debtor now working off my debt for the magical dimension. I don't really know how many powerful beings there are, but my supervisor is stronger than me, and he has his own superiors, and so on..." After regaining his composure, the collector cautiously spoke, fearful of displeasing Robert further and facing another beating.
That beating was unlike anything the collector had experienced before; he was just a minor magician whose
soul happened to be somewhat special, which caught the interest of the magical dimension. Not only did they demand his soul, but they also consigned him to eternal labor—a true manifestation of capitalist exploitation!
"Why don't you contact your superior then?" Robert raised an eyebrow, slightly disappointed with the collector's ineffectiveness—not only was he weak, but he also seemed useless. "What kind of power does your superior have?"
"If we classify it by the standards of the hellish dimensions, he would be about the level of a Demon King?" the collector hesitated before responding.
"Aren't you also at the level of a Demon King? Also, why do you also use the standards of the hellish dimensions for classification?" Robert frowned, puzzled. Although his interactions with the hellish dimensions had been extensive, he hadn't felt that they were particularly powerful.
"It's because the hellish dimensions are powerful!" The collector stated matter-of-factly, "The hellish dimensions are among the top tiers across all dimensions. Their ruler reportedly doesn't restrict his subordinates' growth, allowing a multitude of powerful beings to arise within the vast expanses of hell. Therefore, many dimensions acknowledge the strength of the hellish dimensions as a benchmark…"
"How vast are the hellish dimensions?" Robert raised an eyebrow; his previous glimpses of the hellish dimensions were brief, but it seemed his interactions with them would increase.
"They are at least more vast than this universe!" The collector thought for a moment before speaking softly, "It's said that while most dimensions are dependent on a single universe for existence, some can rely on multiple universes or even the entire multiverse. The hellish dimensions are rumored to be such dimensions…"
"That powerful?" Robert could accept this concept of the universe, as the Dragon Ball world also contained multiple universes and timelines, though not in such abundance.
"Yes, I can only just touch the level of a Demon King, but my superior is a true Demon King, and above him, I'm not sure; I'm just a worker..." The collector nodded with a wry smile, looking at Robert.
At this moment, the collector's situation was akin to a low-level employee in a company. If Robert asked him about the company's overall strength or the specific salaries of each person, he could say the company was quite strong and well-resourced, and he knew his salary and that of his immediate boss. But beyond that, the collector was clueless...
"Well, contact your superior then!" Hearing the collector's explanation, Robert understood his predicament and nodded understandingly, smiling at the collector. He hoped to glean more information from the supervisor.
After all, the collector's boss was only at the level of a Demon King. Robert conservatively estimated that he could still handle someone two levels above the collector, which should be middle management, and thus gain more information...
"Even if I contact him, my supervisor won't come immediately..." The collector said somewhat awkwardly, "But don't worry, as long as the debt on you remains, our dimension's forces will still find you. You've experienced the power of our tracking magic..."
"So, how should the debt be canceled?" Robert raised an eyebrow, looking at the collector.
"An equivalent exchange that complies with our dimension's rules can cancel it. If you don't want to surrender part of your soul, actually, killing a Demon King of similar strength to me and handing over his soul to us can also settle it. Even surplus value can be generated. Of course, transferring the debt to someone else is also acceptable to us..." The collector seemed somewhat frightened by Robert, his eyes hopeful as he spoke, seemingly eager for Robert to quickly settle the dimensional debt.
"Is that so?" Robert nodded in understanding, having gained further insights into the interplay between magic and debt, and also getting a clearer idea of how Constantine might have evaded these magical debts.
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