The Achievement Junkie

"How come--"

"Jack, I'll explain Halmut's incapability to surpass lv. 99 after I finish speaking about the tiers of governance. For now, pay attention because it's pivotal that you understand this," Daruun continued, not letting Jack interrupt him.

"To recap, it takes over one thousand planets to form a system and at least one thousand systems to form a precinct. The next tier up is a zone, made up of at least five hundred precincts. And as you may have guessed, the one chosen to govern a zone must be at least a three-star cosmician. Are you keeping up?"

With his expectations and former beliefs utterly annihilated, Jack nodded. He let Daruun continue. It was a good thing that Daruun was explaining things so simply, otherwise, Jack was sure he would be in over his head.

"Then, following zones are sectors. A sector is made up of one hundred or so zones and governed by at least a four-star cosmician," Picking up where he left off, Daruun let his explanation rock Jack's mental limits further. "Finally, after combining at least a dozen sectors, we have a district."

"So…"

"Yes, you remembered correctly. I'm the one in charge of the Fate District, formally known as District 14," added Daruun.

"District 14… how many districts are there?"

Smiling, Daruun replied, "Within the void, there are a total of twenty-eight districts. Though a district's given name, such as the Fate District, can change based on the current ruler, the number assigned to a district is unchangeable.

"A district's number is based on its location within the void. The districts on the outskirts of the void are known as the Outlying Districts or the Outliers, ranging from District 28 to District 17. Those are the weakest districts. They may have the most worlds and cover the most space, but the quantity and quality of cosmicians that emerge from there are less than any district with a lower number. This is apparent as most all of them are governed by only a five-star cosmician.

Daruun explained, "As you get further into the center of the void, you'll find the districts with a good foundation of strength but not the strongest. Those are the Interval Districts or the Intervals and they range from District 16 to District 7. There are, however, some people that segregate the Intervals into two groups but that's nothing official, only thoughts of Districts 11 through 7 sometimes having a superiority complex."

"Then…" Jack was connecting more dots as he barely kept up with the mental marathon of an explanation. "As the leader of District 14… Are you--"

"I'm a six-star cosmician. You've assumed correctly," Daruun answered, leaving Jack speechless. "Don't lose me now, Jack. I'm almost finished giving you a mental diagram of the universe as we know it.

"As a side note, you've also guessed correctly about the subsidiary tiers of government within the Intervals. As the Intervals' district leaders are at least six-stars, one star more than the Outliers' district leaders, their lower tiers of government sometimes follow that same trend, especially for Districts 11 through 7. So, in a way, their occasional superiority complex has some merit. Are you still with me?"

"Yeah… just give me… another moment…" admitted Jack.

Daruun obliged, waiting a couple of minutes until Jack was ready for more. "Now, after the Intervals are the Core Districts or the Core. Those are the remaining districts, ranging from District 6 to District 1, and they are the most powerful. Seven-star cosmicians and above are the only beings qualified to run such a district."

"How high does--"

"Seven-stars are already at the very peak of the void," Daruun stated. "As for eight-stars, one hand is enough to count all eight-stars across the void. Nine-stars… are nonexistent and things of legend."

"It goes that high…" Jack couldn't help but be humbled. His perception had already changed after entering Kartonia in comparison to his original world. After finally surpassing his old self and being on the cusp of immortality, Jack's self-confidence was at an all-time high. But being at an all-time high only allowed Jack to be humbled all the more, drastically plummeting after realizing how insignificant his strength actually was.

"Don't worry, Jack. You're actually in a better position than the majority of cosmicians experienced, including me," mentioned Daruun. "After you break through Kartonia and enter the void, you'll understand just how lucky you are. If I've become a six-star through my path, then you should be able to do the same in far less time, so long as you keep at it."

Touched by Daruun's words, Jack asked, "Compared to other one-stars, how do I stack up?"

"I'd say you're quite average, to be honest."

"But you said--"

"Jack, you still haven't ascended," Daruun continued, reminding Jack of the true situation. "You faced Duorda, someone I personally constructed to be one of the most powerful one-stars after he's permitted to officially ascend. That alone puts you in the upper echelon of all one-stars the moment you ascend.

"But thanks to the unusual barrier surrounding Kartonia, you'll enter the void with a leg up. As a two-star, you'll be more prepared for the initial challenges of the void and have the best odds to survive. Only after your initial experiences within the void will you be challenged to expand your limits again and again.

"Of course…" sighing, Daruun added, "Should you be satisfied with being a two-star, then I won't blame you. You're more than welcome to do as you see fit. It's your life to live after all. Should you choose relaxation, I won't interfere in your life further, no matter the situation."

Jack tried to swallow some saliva but failed to find any in his dry throat. He appreciated the thought of relaxing with his family and loved ones. But there also was the thought of what may happen if Jack and his family were confronted by anyone stronger than him. Living under the rules and dominion of another wasn't something Jack liked by any means, not when he didn't know that person or that person could act however cruelly as they wished.