In the vast expanse of the universe, in a dark place on a devasted planet, there sat a black throne befitting an emperor. A man named Matt lounged on it, clad only in a black tracksuit. Tears streamed down his cheeks as he gazed wistfully at the distant planet, knowing that no matter how many times he returned to the past, he could never save the only woman who had ever loved him for who he truly was. The planet, and her fate, were doomed.
As he stared, he remained unaware of the gods surrounding him. Brahma spoke first, his voice trembling with fear. 'Matt, you have to stop what you're doing. Your meddling in the multiverse has caused chaos across timelines.'
Gaia chimed in, anxiety was evident in her tone. 'Your actions have awakened primeval gods that even we fear. We have no information on them and no way to stop them.'
Matt turned to face the gods, anger etched on his face. 'I don't care what happens to anyone else. I only care if she is alive and with me. If you can't handle these gods, send them my way. If you have nothing else to say, leave me alone.' He turned back to the planet. Set, the god of chaos, replied arrogantly, 'If you continue like this, we will have to kill you.' A chill ran through the gathered gods at his words, sensing the rising tide of Matt's rage.
Matt let out a dry, humorless laugh without turning around. "It seems you've all forgotten why you fear me. I am death incarnate to anyone I deem an enemy. If you need a reminder, just ask Ra, Zeus, or Odin about the consequences of standing in my way." Shiva, speaking with cold detachment, said, 'Fine, we will retreat. But if anything happens, we'll send the primeval gods your way. Whether you live or die, we won't care.'
Matt responded with a thumbs-up, as he remained fixated on the planet. Once the gods departed, they gathered in a coliseum-like structure, where an old man, shrouded in a tattered cloak, sat alone on an elevated throne. No one knew his true name, so they simply called him Zaken. The other gods occupied the normal seats surrounding him, a mix of curiosity and unease on their faces. As the pantheons convened, a puzzled minor god asked, 'Why do all our leaders fear him?'
Zaken, gazing in the direction of Matt's distant planet, sighed, his voice laced with exasperation. 'To understand Matt's story,' he began, 'you must realize it has neither a beginning nor an end. His existence is trapped in a loop, like a circle—endless, with no clear start or finish. Every time he tries to change the past, he only tightens the noose of the cycle.'
Meanwhile, just as Zaken spoke those words, Matt was making his fateful decision. After the gods departed, Matt had been contemplating a desperate gamble—one no sane man would ever consider. He had to try, even if it offered him only a 0.000000001% chance of saving her. His powers had long allowed him to witness countless versions of himself across the multiverse, each leading to the same tragic outcome: her death, always more brutal than the last. This endless, torturous cycle had driven him to madness, earning him the nickname The Chained Existence among the gods.
As he gazed at the memory of her smiling face one final time, Matt made his decision: he would convert all his powers into a system, designed to manipulate the fabric of reality. In doing so, he would sacrifice his very existence across all realities and timelines, transforming his identity into the foundation of this new system. Every choice, every action, every power would now be governed by the rules of this creation.
In that moment, a blinding light erupted throughout the universe, followed by a sonic shockwave that reverberated across the cosmos. The very foundations of reality trembled under the force of Matt's transformation. The old man, Zaken, roared in horror. 'This can't be possible! What could have driven him to do this? He was supposed to confront the primeval gods before he fell!' The gods were thrown into confusion as a blinding light pierced the skies, followed by a deafening shockwave that rippled through the universe. When they heard Zaken speak, they turned to him for an explanation. 'He has killed himself—or rather, he has transformed himself. Now, he can't back down, no matter what happens' he said, a dry chuckle escaping his lips, betraying fear for the first time in his voice.