A rumbling laugh resounded throughout a pristine hall that spanned wider and longer than the eye could see.

“This mortal is interesting. I like him!” A man said, his eyes trailing the myriads of images materializing above a liquid table.

No image was the same. They didn’t even show the same people as they flashed. Only a few images didn’t disperse. They lingered on the same people and showed what they were up to.

A massive frame next to the chortling man moved. It jumped to its feet, electricity currents conjuring in its hands. The electricity currents dyed white and transformed into a great but wild bolt of lightning.

“Do it,” The man said, his expression filled with mockery. His ruby eyes glowed vibrantly as crimson mist oozed from all over his body, and the corner of his lips curled upward. “But make sure you hit him with a stronger lightning. We want to see him struggle as he grows, don’t we?”

The man cocked his head to the side and waved lightly with his hand, “But if you keep attacking him, he will reach the Bronze Rank before he meets the requirements. That’s no good.”

The massive frame turned to the man wreathed in crimson mist, “You really want to take him?! A trashy mortal with a foul mouth like him?”

“What’s wrong with him? Is it really the first time a mortal cussed you out?” The man asked the gigantic figure, but he realized something and laughed, “Ah, right! You’re one of the infants from…I actually don’t know where you’re from. I would apologize, but that wouldn’t be sincere.”

He shrugged, “I don’t know who you are, and, as a matter of fact, I care too little to keep you entertained, infant.”

The man, wreathed in crimson, turned back to the moving images while the gigantic figure was fuming.

“Either way,” the man kept smiling, ignoring his opposite’s rage. I’m probably not the only one who wants him.”

“Bereth already claimed him.” The gigantic figure spit through gritted teeth

A thunderous laughter resounded, “So what? I like him.”

“We are talking about Bereth here. Asmodeus…”.” The man wreathed in crimson mist flicked to the gigantic figure and stared him straight in the eyes. The hulking giant's rage dispersed instantaneously, and he broke into a cold sweat. “Your Excellency…this is no joking matter.”

Asmodeus cocked an eyebrow and snorted, “Whatever.”

He waved his hand and released sparkling crimson motes, which merged with the pictures of the half-dead smiling man Asmodeus had watched with great interest. The recordings pulled back and revealed more of the surroundings. It showed the Pantheon temple first, the Panthea next, and the System Sanctuary a moment later.

Asmodeus didn’t stop there. He zoomed out further, revealing the surrounding region and the damage the integration had done to it. At some point, Asmodeus and the other gods could see the Earthen Union as a whole from the picture. They saw the vivid Aether that surged toward the Earthen Union from all directions.

The Aether paved its way to the planet’s core, but only after splitting into countless tendrils that surged to other gathering points across the Earthen Union.

Asmodeus’ eyes narrowed as his attention flicked to several different gathering points, “Looks like we were found out.”

The hulking giant, but also other gods, turned to the same scream in unison.

“They made a move? Who is it?”

Asmodeus shrugged, and a small rosy smile blossomed. “I don’t know, but their timing and positioning are impeccable!”

The other gods seated around the liquid table glared daggers at him, but nothing could tarnish his mood at this point.

“What? Their timing is perfect. Our little mortal can show what he’s capable of…and meet the requirements.”

Asmodeus got up as the words left his mouth.

The other gods shook their heads. There was no need to ask Asmodeus where he was going or what he planned to do. Everyone who’d lived long enough in the Pantheon knew that predicting Asmodeus' actions was a waste of time. He had a few loose screws.

This wouldn’t have been a problem if he was only a little weaker.

The author's content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

Unfortunately, Asmodeus was as powerful as he was crazy.

***

“Did someone attack the Sanctuary?” Melach furrowed his brows while his eyes trailed David’s body in a mixture of disgust and confusion.

Torb didn’t mind David’s appearance as much. “What happened to you?”

David didn’t put on new clothes right away. He waited for his flesh and skin to heal before putting on anything.

“The Sanctuary is not under attack,” He shrugged, “And I was only at the temple. I had a nice talk with my buddies.”

Melach’s eyes widened briefly, and he forgot all about the disgust, “How did you acquire divine energy? No, you didn’t acquire it. It was…forced inside you, but you subdued it…”

“Is that what pure holy power is called? Divine energy…I like the ring to it,” David chuckled.

“You talked with some gods?” Torb asked incredulously.

“It was more of a one-sided chat,” David grumbled, “They’re not a very talkative bunch.”

Torb cocked an eyebrow, “Savage bastard. You provoked them, didn’t you?”

“He is just like the other idiots. Why am I even surprised?” Melach sighed.

So that’s why everyone ran out of the temple when I started talking to the gods. I’m not the only one in need of answers. Doesn’t that mean the gods overseeing the Pantheon temple have fragile egos? If they punish everyone who provokes them with a lightning bolt straight from the Pantheon…

“Either way,” David waved his hand dismissively, “What are we doing now?”

The day was still young. David was a bit tired and forced to keep using [Cure Wounds] to mend his wounds smoothly, but he was in a place with countless races. A place created by the Pantheon with a mixture of fantasy and science, medieval and modern age.

Trob snorted and threw a small pouch filled with tinkling coins, “You should search for a place to stay. Arc is not yet at full capacity, but you want a decent place to stay, don’t ya?”

David opened the leather pouch, revealing small slates made of different metals. There were a few dozen bronze slates and a few silver slates, “How much is a decent room in the Sanctuary?”

He counted 73 iron slates and four bronze slates.

“Since we sold the Fragment of Power as well, you won’t have any issues paying for a good room,” Melach answered calmly, “A room shouldn’t be more than 10 Iron these days. But we cannot say how long that will be the case. Once more natives and Protectors come to Arc, the demand for housing will only increase. If you plan to stay in Arc long-term, you should lease an apartment for a small upcharge or consider purchasing a building.”

David raised an eyebrow at that. Everything Melach said felt too much like the old Earthen Union.

“On a good note, you won’t have to pay for a room if you sign up to the Familia. For the first ten days at least. Natives are given a boon for working alongside the Familia against the threat consuming the newly integrated world.” Melach added.

That doesn’t sound suspicious at all. The Familia, a construct created by the Pantheon, hands out freebies to work with them against the very problem they created. Not weird at all!

“What do I have to do to sign up?” David asked out of curiosity, “I doubt the Familia will pay 100 Iron without demanding anything in return. What are my responsibilities once I’m a member of the Familia?”

“First of all, I should tell you that one Bronze is worth 100 Iron. 100 Bronze is the equivalent of one Silver. You won’t need more than a few Iron to purchase daily necessities. Even if you feast on meat until you’re sick, it shouldn’t cost you more than 10 Iron. Of course, there are also expensive meals, Aether-infused dishes from other worlds, or meat from mutated animals of the Earthen Union. They can benefit you, but they’re not worth your attention. You – we – are not wealthy enough,” Melach explained sharply.

If Melach’s words can be trusted, one Iron should be the equivalent of one, maybe two Credits.

David calculated quickly while Torb answered his question, “The only responsibility as a member of the Familia is to protect it when the Sanctuary is in danger. You can do whatever you want as long as you don’t harass, attack, or scam anyone. Thievery is also forbidden and will be severely punished, but I think that’s obvious.”

There didn’t seem to be a problem with protecting the Familia, but David was nosy, “What if I don’t protect the Sanctuary when it is under attack?”

Trob shrugged, “I don’t know. Maybe they’ll throw you out and blacklist you. That way, you wouldn’t be able to enter any System Sanctuary until you’re taken from the blacklist.”

That was understandable.

David rummaged through the pouch filled with slates again to count it once more.

“I assume the Fragment of Power was worth quite a bit. If everyone got the same share – I wouldn’t blame you if you took a bigger share – we earned almost 15 Bronze for defeating a single Infected. Of course, it was an Anomaly, but still…”

“We could have earned a lot more than that,” Torb clicked his tongue, “It would have been better to sell the Fragment of Power to an Alchemist, but we had to give the Familia the Fragment as proof.”

Torb’s annoyance was replaced by a thin smile, “But, on a good note, we were generously compensated for the Familia’s mistake. Their information network was messed up, and they detected the mistake in the issued danger level too late, which nearly killed us. The money is great and all, but two skills of mine ranked up…Soo…I guess I shouldn’t complain too much.”

Skills can level up by completing missions? That’s neat. To earn money, which can be reinvested in equipment, while your Skill Runes and Rank increase as well.

“What do you say?” Melach asked, “Are you ready to be reborn?”

David froze. His eyes narrowed to tiny slits.

“Wait, what?!”