A week had gone by since Klaus met with the gods of Order, marking the day of the trip to Under World planned by the Gods for the demigods who made their place in the semi-finals of the Divine Tournament.

During the days that had passed, Klaus had managed to calm himself and his thoughts on the information he had received seven days prior. The pain eventually began to hurt less as time went by.

Within those seven days, however, Klaus did not depart from his room even once. He remained sober and lost in his thoughts for so long that he did not even consume food during this period. But his body did not feel like his own.

Klaus had remained with his thoughts for so long that he tried not to think too much anymore, considering that was all he did all week. Only one thing kept him sane and all he could think about during the last few hours; his concern for Avalon and how she was doing.

Klaus felt very disappointed in himself after recalling how he had left her that day. Despite his reasoning, it felt very selfish to leave someone the way he did. But despite this, he knew that his feelings for her didn't matter anymore after learning about the nature of Dominion-over-Creation.

She was better off without him anyway.

After what seemed to be an eternity of silence for Klaus without food or slumber, a sound suddenly echoed in his room.

"Klaus Walker," a voice seemingly belonging to XVII echoed around Klaus' room. "Your presence is required at the Golden Gate."

Klaus took a second before managing to get himself off his bed. "Too loud," he muttered, indicating his irritation with the sudden sound after so long of its absence.

After taking a shower and preparing himself, Klaus finally emerged from his dark solitude and stepped out of his room, perceiving the bright light for the first time in what felt like ages. Due to the nature of his power, the intense light of Higher World had no effect on his vision despite his prolonged absence from it.

Klaus walked out of the apartment building and headed straight to the Golden Gate. He continued until he arrived at his destination, where he acknowledged the presence of X, Lance, and Arthur, the other demigods granted the blessing to traverse to Under World with him. Sage was also present, indicating that he would be their guide for the trip.

As Klaus approached, the others turned to him, acknowledging his arrival.

"Ah, Walker," Lance greeted with a smile. "There you are."

Lance took a moment to analyze Klaus' state before continuing, his smile dimming slightly.

"You seem less healthy than usual," Lance observed. "Is everything okay?"

Klaus' expression remained unchanged as he responded, "I guess," he said, continuing closer to the group.

X noticed Klaus' strange behavior and lifeless expression, causing him to be slightly surprised, but he ultimately disregarded the situation since he did not care.

"Welcome, demigods," Sage began after Klaus' arrival. "I will now explain the procedures you will all follow regarding the trip."

The demigods remained silent as Sage continued.

"When you depart from here, you will await the arrival of two demons who will guide you to your expected location. They will be in charge of you during your stay in Under World. Upon your arrival, they will direct you to the hotel where you will stay for the next few hours until you are ready to be received by Nekro at his domain."

"Nekro?" Arthur asked, his voice filled with shock.

"That is correct," Sage replied. "Nekro, in case some of you are unfamiliar, is the God and guardian of Under World, similar to how Zenith and Torrent are the Gods of Higher World and Main World respectively. He will guide you as you remain in the world he watches over."

This news took the demigods by surprise. They had not expected to meet Nekro himself, although it made perfect sense considering they were venturing into his realm.

Klaus took a moment to recall what Halo and Horns had told him about the generations of Gods. He remembered that Nekro was also the God of fire, making him one of the second generation of Gods.

A few seconds after Sage had concluded, a valid question arose from one of the demigods.

"Does this mean you will not accompany us on our travels?" Lance asked Sage.

"That is correct," Sage confirmed, surprising the demigods even more.

"Why is that, if I may ask?" Arthur continued after Sage's response.

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

Sage took a moment before finally addressing the question that all the demigods present had in their minds.

"Naturally, this is because we Gods do not permit ourselves to traverse to other realms."

Sage's brief response did not soften the question-filled eyes present, so he decided to elaborate.

"Due to the magnitude and potency of our power, we Gods are simply too powerful to exist in multitude in any other world but Higher World. This is because of the mortal status of the beings that were designed to reside in these worlds. If more than a single God exists in any mortal realm, it may have repercussions that could hinder the world itself, but at a minimal scale. However, if more than two Gods are present, it could cause unimaginable instabilities that may put the lives of those who reside there at stake."

The demigods stood in silence, absorbing the information. This was news to Klaus, but it made sense to him since he had always wondered why the Gods did not travel to the other realms. However, amid his understanding, there were still lingering questions in his mind that felt contradictory to his knowledge.

"If that's the case," Klaus began, "then how did all the demigods come to be? Especially considering that we're all basically around the same age."

Klaus' question was valid. It made no sense how the demigods were conceived around the same few months if the Gods did not reside on Main World simultaneously. Stories from his mother also suggested that his father had stayed on Earth for a very long time, so Klaus was almost certain that they did not come in sequences.

"Well," Sage began, "our power was the most restricting factor against our plans. So, to bypass the obstacle, I devised a plan to nullify our divine powers to an infinitesimal amount, suppressing them to their most possible nonexistence. However, Under World was unfortunately still too feeble to house our presence, which is why we decided to solely proceed with Main World alone. Despite this, we were only able to reside in Main World for approximately a year and a few days before causing severe damage to the realm."

The demigods listened to Sage's explanation in utter shock. Klaus hadn't anticipated such critical thinking, but it made perfect sense now why everything had happened the way it did. However, among all the demigods present, X appeared to be the most taken aback.

X's mask hid the lower half of his face, but the visible parts still displayed his utter shock at Sage's revelations. He stood frozen for a moment before his expression quickly reverted to his usual brusque demeanor.

"Is there any relevance in our knowledge of these unnecessary stories?" X questioned Sage, breaking the silence. "If not, then we should begin to depart."

Sage agreed that it was time to depart, promptly dismissing the topic and moving to the transportation podium. He placed his left palm on an elevated portion, initiating the preparations.

Meanwhile, Lance couldn't help but feel puzzled by X's eagerness to avoid the topic.

"Why are you so against continuing the discussion about our birth, X?" Lance asked, seeking an answer.

In typical fashion, X ignored the question, keeping his focus on Sage, who was busy with the transportation preparations. Unconvinced by X's dismissal, Lance persisted.

As Sage concluded the preparations and stepped back, indicating they were ready to transport, X walked ahead of the group, dismissing Lance once again. Upon walking ahead to the podium, X stopped in his tracks for a second before turning his head slightly to Lance.

"I don't owe a response to someone who can easily revoke their beliefs," X said before facing forward and continuing to the podium.

The silence between the demigods grew heavier as Lance's expression darkened, realizing what X was referring to. X stepped onto the podium and transported to the designated location.

A brief silence lingered before Lance followed suit, stepping onto the podium and transporting away. Arthur was next, following his brother a few seconds later. Finally, only Klaus remained, standing alone with his fleeting thoughts.

Klaus's mind was a storm of burdensome thoughts. He felt adrift, his sense of purpose muddled, as if he were merely floating along with whatever life handed him. It was a haunting return to his old self, indifferent to everything. Despite this, he walked to the podium, following the other demigods, and teleporting to their prepared destination.

In what seemed like an eternity compressed into a heartbeat, Klaus opened his eyes to an unfamiliar location. The other demigods were already there, and he quickly realized they had materialized at the corner of a building.

They glanced around, taking in their surroundings. The night sky blanketed the area, and a biting cold wind swept through. None of the demigods knew where to go or what to do next.

Klaus took a moment to study their surroundings more closely. The buildings around them were unlike anything on Earth. Their intricate architecture captivated him, and he marveled at their beauty. Additionally, the technology appeared far more advanced than what humans had, a surprising revelation about the demons' way of life.

A few demons walked by, strolling about what seemed to be the main pedestrian path, reminiscent of the pathways around where Klaus typically traveled between Main World and Higher World. The demigods began moving towards the road, but Klaus quickly halted them.

"I don't think it's a good idea to leave this spot just yet," Klaus said, drawing their attention.

"And why is that?" Arthur asked.

"We're an entirely different race here," Lance interjected, understanding Klaus's point. "We'd attract too much attention."

"Exactly," Klaus confirmed. "Imagine how alarming it would be if a demon suddenly appeared on Earth."

His explanation resonated with the demigods, who decided to stay put for the time being. Although they didn't know where to go, it seemed wiser to wait until the crowd thinned out before attempting to find their destination.

A few minutes passed since Klaus's suggestion, and the demigods suddenly heard footsteps approaching from around the corner. These footsteps sounded closer and more deliberate than the others. They immediately stayed on alert, preparing for whoever was coming their way.

Suddenly, two demons emerged from around the corner, halting in front of the demigods. One had a masculine appearance, the other feminine. Both had ash-colored skin with a slightly rough texture, and horns protruding from either side of their foreheads, partially covered by their black hair. Their general appearance bore a striking resemblance to Drake.

The demigods placed their full attention on the two demons who appeared to have planned the meeting between the two parties. The male demon had a straight expression on his face while the female generated a smile after their eyes met with the demigods. And after a few seconds of staring, the female demon finally broke the tense silence that covered the cornered location.

"Welcome... demigods."