The women gathered around Pef to stare at the Shroud's description in the inventory menu.

*Shroud Of Turin. Demigod level artifact. Worn on cape slot.

*Originally a fake created by St. John Templar Chapterhouse in the 11th century (1053 AC), this linen sheet has been subjected to 28 consecrations over the centuries, including being blessed by an Archangel and wrapped around a Holy Nail for 33 years.

*This artifact is now charged with the faith of 1.32 billion believers, granting it the following abilities:

-Karma based protection against damage or stealing. Archangel Uriel enforcing. (Suspended due to Gaia. Still, don't bring out the scissors.)

-Cure all heavy wounds, up to Demigod rank targets. Open wounds close 500 percent faster. Can apply to pets, familiars and elementals.

-Cure all body illness, up to Mythical rank targets. Poisons and curses not included. Can apply to pets, familiars and elementals.

-Revive dead person(human only). Requires 3 days of uninterrupted skin contact, up to Legendary rank targets.

-Heal mental illness, up to Saint rank targets. Curses and demonic possessions not included. Can apply to pets, familiars and elementals.

-Exorcise demons, up to Saint ranked demons. Requires 3 days of uninterrupted skin contact. Humans only.

-Passive 100 percent bonus HP and MP regen. Can apply to pets, familiars and elementals.

-Grants 5 percent Damage and Magic Resistance. Can apply to pets, familiars and elementals.

-Immune to Lightning Tribulation. Immune to mundane weapons. Will not get dirty.

*Grants +20 to all stats.

*Grants Regeneration level 2(passive). Grants Soul Defense level 2 (passive). Grants Empathic healing level 1(active)

"Uh...is that the real thing?" Sonia mumbled and crossed herself.

Pef smiled kindly and took out the cloth, then wrapped it around Sonia's shoulders.

"Check your character page, my pretty maid." he said with a curious tone.

Immediately, Sonia's page opened in front of her, allowing them all to observe the upgraded stats.

"I am a game character now?" the maid wondered while dragging her blouse off on the screen. As expected, she was promptly undressed, and remained naked from belly up.

It seemed Lise had only given her jeans and a blouse to wear, not bothering with a T-shirt or a brass. Not that Pef minded anyway.

Pef eyed the full breasts with a hungry eye, and drew Sonia into a hug. "I didn't want to get you involved in the Abyss, my dear. But now that you are, the Abyss has noticed you back. No turning back anymore."

"Yeah, Lady Lise has told me as much. Only way forward is to become strong, to stay free." the Italian maid answered, while hugging him back and sobbing a little.

Lise coughed politely and clenched a fist, turning the room into a new temporal dungeon.

"Time for farming, my husband. Start plowing!" the queen demanded, as she fell on the bed while her clothes vanished somewhere.

Pef kissed Sonia and dragged her along, to farm, plow and irrigate those fertile tracts of land.

Much later, after the wives were sated and fell asleep, our hero received his new reward.

*Harem increased by one maid. Gained + 3 Charisma.

*Relationship with Sonia now at 22 (Favored)

*You have sated all 4 harem members. Gain +1 Constitution.

*The gamer received a new ID: Temporal Shift Tier 1, + 20 percent. Gain 2 hours for every 10 spent inside.

With the new bonuses, Pef felt kinda satisfied, although he wasn't sure why he deserved such boons. It seemed Gaia had something planned for him, and he was given extra time to grow.

"So, my goddess. I did good?" he asked the ceiling with a small voice.

"Not good enough, but for a new gamer it was passable. You actually went and grabbed the Shroud...Uriel was livid." the goddess answered with a tiny snort, seeming amused for some reason.

"And I died for it. Lost 10 levels..." he said in a more somber voice.

"Do try and avoid provoking high tier entities, for now. Archangels are even stronger than old faith gods, and you're not equipped to deal with such existences. The tutorial mode will end soon." Gaia added as a parting word, waving an airy hand at Pef as it drew away.

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

Pef floated up in Meditation, going over the last day and all the experiences.

Fighting, dying, rebirth. Somehow, being a game character was broken, giving him abilities reserved for demigods.

The ones with a divine parent.

Pef mused on this for some time, thinking back at his old life, in the other world. It was quite clear to him now, that this alternate Earth was different in more ways than he first imagined.

Not just the existence of magic, and the Abyss culture derived from it. But real gods and myths, tangible and deadly.

If the Norse gods were real here, what about Egyptian and Greek gods? Roman gods, Asian gods like devas and kami, African gods...hell, even Tiamat and other Babylonian gods.

There was a new jungle here, with gods old and new fighting and competing for the faith of their followers, or subjecting people to various rituals or sacrifices in a constant struggle for more power.

And then, there was Gaia. Omnipotent, or so she seemed. But why would she need an enforcer then?

He had to grow stronger, if this was the stage he had to walk on. And all the men were merely players in this play, with gods as puppeteers. Or perhaps spectators?

Too many unknowns, and Gaia wouldn't act this way, unless she was worried. And anything that made Gaia worried...

Much later, Lise woke up and walked beside him, then poked him awake. "Time to meet Master Kimmel. Our stunt didn't go unnoticed."

Pef nodded and hugged his queen as a reply.

"Above Legendary ranks is the Mythical, right?" he asked to make sure.

"The Myths are all in top 100 of the Abyss. And only three of them are younger than me." Lise answered on a tangent.

"So, it can be done." Pef concluded in a serious tone.

Lise turned to glance at Lucia. "You're not a pretty witch to charm a hundred devils into submission. You haven't flown to the Moon, watched by billions. Nor do you have your own dynasty with an army 10 million strong, all loyal to death. Modern myths are rather hard to achieve."

Pef hummed deep in thought. "I could write a book." He had some talent with writing...maybe.

Lise snorted and patted his shoulder. "Like that guy in California? Ancient aliens and such. Not enough."

Pef sighed in defeat. Not that route then. "Perhaps a movie? A trilogy..." he wondered thinking of sabers made of light.

His queen sighed and poked his forehead in dismissal. "Stop trying silly ideas. You're only good at fighting monsters."

Pef grimaced in acceptance.

Then, he smiled widely as brilliance struck him. "Huge monsters, even devouring the moon or drowning the world. Even gods will die in twilight. Perfect stage for a new myth to arise."

Lise tilted her head, eyes going up towards the hidden sky beyond the sky. "Perhaps. It's either that...or the Siberian Hell. Maybe both."

With that, Pef drew courage and went to meet Master Kimmel and plead for a larger room. And pay a new fee to allow Sonia access to the Paracelsus dungeon.

He wouldn't want Sonia to remain a mere level 1 character, after all.

++++++++++

As Pef departed for his lab to study advanced alchemy, Master Kimmel vanished into his shadow and appeared in a secret room deep under the Paracelsus Association.

Five other alchemists and a young Nepalese boy nodded politely as he sat down to sip tibetan tea. The boy wore the red robes of a Dalai Lama, even if he appeared about 9 years old.

"So, it has begun?" the young boy asked in a grave tone, much too wise for his young years.

Kimmel shook his head and settled his soul. Demigods had always too much power infused in their words.

"Just a minor skirmish, for now. The Twins will wake next year." he exposed while turning his black ring around.

Von Mackberg copied his gesture and sipped some tea with a far away look. "Twins. And now there are two. Although your candidate is growing fast, it will not be enough."

Kimmel shrugged and smiled thinly. "We win either way."

Von Mackberg nodded and bowed towards the young Dalai Lama. "Your Holiness?"

The young boy smiled mysteriously. "You're bickering like kids, my old friends. The storm is nearly here."

The room fell silent, as everyone sipped their tea in deep thought.