Becoming a Ruler of a planet was a tough reality. One's strength should be unequal to all potential or existing powerful figures. It was a high stake position and something, not anyone could achieve since it required a lot of upkeep and fate.
One can get this sort of title by becoming influential within the proximity of many powers and other powerful figures. That meant acknowledgment, and having an influence like any other. In the case of common Rulers, the words no longer mattered and power was everything, second only to the politics.
It was already a hefty idea to view the Rulers as something restricted and with some limits. They weren't something that anyone below the Extremes knew, or worried about, as the shifting tides of being called a Ruler over a planet, were already lofty enough.
Few would ever worry about it, or come close to that point.
The vast majority of beings didn't need to consider such heights.
Their position came with some consequences. That was to have no equal in a hungry world for power, and one's Path and power were off the charts. It was a tough job to maintain the position so none will overtake you.
It had more various implications that one couldn't truly perceive until seeing enough of life or seeing the peak of their own living. Murai had unquestionable knowledge about such things and examples, as he walked through worlds with each having their usual Ruler. Sometimes, he saw one, or acted against one, while other times, not so much, or not at all.
It wasn't always the gods that were following those heights and becoming a ruler of their own rights. Many Paths and worlds had drastic differences. Manaless worlds were most peculiar and sometimes very unique.
The planets within the flow of the River of Manaflow were the most common to have a rich life. At least that was always the truth.
The world god, in fact, wasn't the most prominent one to assume in a good or bad light. Every interconnecting Pathways and its Path in the Divides of Chaos and Order had various aspects, and the culture of the world can change the vision of them all, but not their roles or laws. Sometimes, nothing will change.
Sometimes, the gods weren't even considered that lofty or high. Most often, it was a status and word for those whose Path was at the top of their Paths. It was hard to point out their power and stage. Though, that depended on the world. Somewhere, or sometimes, the Gods couple even be viewed as someone who barely held the Laws. It depended on the richness of the world, culture, and advancement of civilization.
Worlds varied a lot.
Battleworld was a very different breed in this regard. Its structure was different than usual, and power and stakes were higher as well.
Battleworld-driven God was a common phrase to call a being beyond the rules surrounding the world's limits. They were the kind of beings that stood over their Paths and held power without questions.
People and beings of all shapes and sizes of origin can become powerful Rulers, but in terms of this world, it was different.
Outside, be it from strength, cleverness, or tactics, one wasn't overruled by anything, but others.
It was tough out there. Hungry. The universe was full of many wonders, and path-seeking individuals were always prone to interesting development when certain aspects of power became apparent.
Ego, Will, and desires.
Those 3 aspects of one's mentality were the most common words to describe the start of the ends of some Paths. It implied godhood and power that touched the laws of the universe in very implicit ways.
The word, God had many language iterations from Murai's knowledge, but simplicity was always better. A god was a god. A being that was versed over the people below them, with loftiness and a certain Path that overlooked its boundaries. It spoke of an utter limit and something that should only happen once in one individual Path.
If there was a living God in an individual Path, it was impossible to have a second one. This fact and rule meant a lot of interesting details and quite a complicated process. Gods can die, after all, and it was common for a Path to be Godless for a long time.
However, in a universe with tens of thousands of Paths, how many Gods could there be? There were limits to almost everything, as the universe couldn't accommodate them all.
Murai thought of it as normality and his current living proved many of those points. It made his memories shudder in meaningful waves. His soul liked it, although his vision didn't. This Battleworld was a nuisance of an extreme example and side of that coin.
There were a lot of things going on in Paths and beyond. This world should be a lot higher at all fronts and terms than he had seen in almost all of his New Beginnings, yet something shuddered his hopes. If he wouldn't have been a duck, he would be much happier with an easier time.
The powerful road of many Paths was the reason for everything. The River of Manaflow was also a huge variable, allowing many various changes to follow and view them to be more common. There were also some rules, and surroundings that intricately connected everything into an absurd web of interest.
Murai feared to imagine it all, but in terms of what he comprehended, this world was nudging closer to what was possible and what was reaching something abnormal.
As for how Godly interests were widespread in this world, he didn't dare to view it as a bad thing, but it was rare for sure. It talked of grudges, or so Lisa proclaimed a long time ago. That meant an interesting prose, their Ego, Will, and desires were prone to this world. It was there for them. It acted like a construct. It wasn't some casual world where there were limited resources. In those cases, Gods wouldn't want them as their own.
This one seemed the opposite of that, and almost seemed to be manufactured where they opposed one another for their desires, and why?
That had an easy answer... Vermillion already spoke of that. Becoming something better than a God. That was what they wanted. An utter peak! Creator status. Entity. Someone with a vision of the depth of the universe, and Pathway.
Murai didn't like to consider thinking much of this sort of status. It was too high, and too... messed up. He was already having his Cursed Living to think about, and seeing how things can become complicated didn't make his living easier.
Outside of the unfathomable River of Manaflow, there was another intricate thing that Murai was worried about. It was unfathomable to perceive the Will of the Battleworld and this world's core as something normal. This was all weird because of some absolute rules that followed certain actions, and consequences, and it all acted from gods' interests.
It should be absolutely phenomenal and rare to see a world of this caliber in any way, and it had touches of the Creator for sure. It all seemed to look like a huge chessboard of interest because of it.
From a godly view, the Will of the Battleworld was a tool and some strange iterations of power that allowed beings to follow rather interesting premises. It all seemed complicated, but it did allow the common folks to follow the Paths clearly, and reach powers unfathomable in normal ways.
Why it was this way if Gods wanted to remain in their loftiness?
That was insensible in Murai's understanding. It was helpful. Too helpful, in fact.
For him, this whole world seemed to be magnitudes higher in terms of the common tropes he was familiar with and why was that the case? He didn't see the full context or answers to his worries, of course, but he wanted to seek them and this world for real.
Its continents, Depths, or Skies. He was curious about them all and didn't want to shatter his head over his Cursed Living like usual. Not in a world that seeped with power and interests like none ever should.
Be it the lofty Gods, or why this world was the way it was. He desired to seek the possible lengths of the Paths many could reach, or how magic will get Shaped up. Then, there were beings that desired to be the Rulers of their own game. He was one of them as well, but it wasn't because of them. He was doing it for himself, as many others will do the same.
It was all about power. Murai knew of it himself, while this world was defining and operating in an extreme side of that vision.
Sighting, he no longer looked at Lisa or Lorry. They were questionable, but everyone can have their vision of their desires and secrets. That didn't mean he liked that to see, but he didn't hate that as well. It was all about honesty.
So, he figured out one thing he should do. Not question every little thing that came his way, even though he had every right to be that.
Looking forward, the Gate of Suffering nickname for Gate 1 was as unordinary as a stone underneath his feet. There were no runes or anything that was indicating some sort of place of suffering. There was no handle, door, or anything else. He stepped forward, to see if there would be a change of pace.
He could feel something change as he stepped forward. A strange aura and mana surged out of the walls and there weren't any structures or formations. These were simple and bare walls so something deeper moved through them, but from where and why?
He walked to the wall as Lorry proclaimed, interested and curious about the way of the suffering. Step by step he felt those waves around the walls hit his body, and they became apparent under his Mana Detection. He went until his beak almost hit the opposite wall, and the weird energy seemed to be touching him.
The wall was the same sandstone, and the moment he was so close to it, the wall changed. It shook, and visible mana poked out of the wall. A large whirlpool emerged, swirling and causing Murai to back a step.
A Portal? Murai thought, knowing very well what sort of spell this was. It was a structural spell that was hidden under some intricate rules or crafted by an Array Master, or Runic Master.
Murai figured that even if someone powerful came here, slaughtering Thar and the Undead army would be futile. None will ever reach the Gates below. There was something odd about it. It was a Spatial Spell that was so sturdy, it locked the place above this with such lengths, that it almost made it an entirely different realm.
This Portal was incredibly stable, leaving the Gates down below open to any challenger.
Gradually, the whirlpool on the wall outstretched the wall, becoming stronger like a void storm until it resembled a wormhole. It was forceful, and without any stoppage, it sucked Murai inside. He didn't have a choice, even though he tried to step away.
Even Lisa and Lorry followed behind him. They both didn't speak but glanced at each other when the storm sucked them in.
Like that and without much trouble, Murai was in the midst of a chaotic space. It wasn't like that spell that a messiah used when he was in Ceila's hands. Back then, it was a powerful and forceful power of Chaos that was akin to grabbing the rules of space-time and twisting them apart. This one was stronger and firm, filling the rules of space-time with more mysterious usage and stable power.
It was working gently, and not by force. There was no chaos in the sense of mana, but this chaotic space was the prime conduct that was making this Portal Spell workable.
Around him was Chaos Space. It was akin to a ridiculous and mysterious way the space, time, and void functioned and it was one of the mysterious places in the universe. It was everywhere, in fact. Any Portal allowed one to travel through this place, which was akin to pushing and ripping through spatial waves amidst an oceanic universe. It wasn't dark at all, but bright and unfathomable.
One couldn't move within it, or affect anything unless one's power was as weird as this space. It was all working from the Portal Spell anyway, and if one tried something, one could easily die or disrupt the flow of the predetermined journey through this Chaos Space.
“So it is that sort of thing again?” Murai wondered after watching Chaos Space after a long time without it. “That makes me wonder from the way of those messiahs. Was it a spell from some random Pathway of Chaos, or was it some specific Path? This one is sturdy. I can tell that from the craft and power, but its origin is questionable. That portal was way too....crafty? Is this spell outside of some order, or... Nah. I am overthinking it. I don't need to worry about that right now.” he decided to forget it and rather viewed this positively.
Anyway, this journey is fine and stable enough. It must be the work of an Extreme for sure, or even someone in cahoots with some space itself. I wonder, but it isn't bad. Travel can take a bit longer though so let's get a couple of things straight. This Temple is Levandis's possession and tool of Hell Haven. I am taking it as power for the Chaos factions that I heard mentioned by a couple of Gods before.
I suppose it makes a lot of sense, and I am glad to go over my memories from time to time. Though, few are prevalent, others aren't.
Anyway... Levandis is someone who formed a proper godhood but is of Chaos and remains different from the norm. Demon of some sort is possible, but it is hard to guess. Never heard of her though. What sort of situation is going on here... Really? There must be more than a few factions. This should go as I should know, but I do not. Rain didn't mention much. Only little bits that I needed, while Lisa is... Lisa.
I've got some hunch of them lives ago, and in a world where many gods are in one place? This is as unique and strange as those proclamations. Perhaps I could even expect something even stranger? What if a Creator pops out of nowhere? That would be hilarious.
That would fit this world I guess since I am beginning to like this sort of mystery about this world. Getting out there and adventuring through this seems fascinating. Who knew that this world had even existed? This sort of playground for anyone who wants to desire the peak of their power? What a living.
Murai laughed for himself, flying through the Chaos Space until his vision blinked, and he flew through a lighting whirlwind before hitting the physical wall.
It wasn't a pleasant end to getting out of the Chaos Space. The landing was terrible since his physicality wasn't something common to go through a Portal and he didn't get a hang of his flying in time. It wasn't meant for something so small as a duck, he figured.
Soon enough, he found his ass at the other end of the Portal room, and nothing was strange apart from slight dizziness that he didn't find upsetting. It disappeared the moment he landed thanks to his Robust Spirit that was like mild overflowing power that washed it away.
His soul wasn't something that could become unstable by a simple Portal and brief travel through the Chaos Space.
He looked around the room that had a similar swirling whirlpool of mana at a wall like the one before. Though, there was no rectangular and limited room but a large corridor instead.
There were no stairs any longer but tall walls a dozen meters tall and with equal wideness. It was quite a large space for his little body and his perspective and sight made it much larger for him than it was in reality. Aside from the wall were lit torches that weren't wooden. They were of metallic frame, while the flame was ghostly blue, lighting the surroundings in dim yet quite stretched light. There was a lot of dense fog around too.
Interesting. A Gate of Suffering, huh? I wonder if I will suffer, or if others will do so instead. Let's see. Murai wondered and walked through the corridor made of sandstone and a mix of dark-looking stone slabs. Before he got far, the whirlpool of mana flickered again, letting Lisa and Lorry emerge next.
They both appeared fine as they should, flying through the Portal with firmness and steady form. They were rare cases of soul forms, and both floated in midair without any tight undulations that cracked them up.
Although, Lorry wasn't like Lisa. Unlike her, Lorry was a soul forced upon the physical skull of some demon or a devil, with rules, formations, or something even stranger. It was a wonder if it was a skull that was once his, but not like it mattered. At least neither Lisa nor Murai asked about that, nor were they curious about it. Each had more important worries on their own, and Gate 1 was before them.
“Well, this is the Gate of Suffering. Lisa is truly fierce... Taking a Master here, what a huge gamble this is.” Lorry said to Lisa, who furrowed her brows unhappily.
“I do what I must so who are you to question it?”
“Under whose circumstances? Lisa's?”
“Doesn't matter,” Lisa scoffed, glancing around the room. “This place is the same as ever. Just a tiny little beginning to something better. Is Mindarch here? Watchful?”
“Lisa knows stuff, but Lisa shouldn't forget what sort of individuality this place has and what goes behind it. Blessed are most welcomed here, so let's hope the 10 Overlords won't be too forceful to Murai. Isn't Overlord and Mindarch what Lisa is worried about? Anatidaes too?”
“Overlords? They are still having some touch over here?” Lisa hesitated. “Wait... You are kidding. This isn't about me, but Murai instead, so stop joking.”
“Of course. Of course.” Lorry chuckled and cluttered his teeth. “Some things never change in Hell Havens. This is part of Hell Havens still. Although, Murai had no idea about what goes around this place, or what.... his place even is here. Lorry can't even imagine everything, and Lisa is truly unfathomable to come here again. Consider Lorry surprised, and cheerful to hear and see Lisa again.” he stated the words of some interest, uttering them in a way, that Lisa found fitting so she wouldn't snap at him.
“Cheers and celebration then,” Lisa said with a sigh.
Lorry spoke in tight and cluttering words, speaking in whispers so Murai didn't hear them. It was a strange fluctuation of words, that held some truth and power to them.
Though, Murai wasn't interested in them either way. He walked further, eying the walls and the corridor itself. He also put his Mana Detection forth to a full capacity, hoping to discover some factors about this place. From the basic overview, this place was like Death Valley and the paths towards that gate before, seeping of chaos and unnatural aura of magic and soul fluctuations of Death and Chaos properties.
He no longer cared about the soul forms behind him. He was feeling the mana shrouding the walls in many layers that made his Mana Detection unable to go through them. Usually, he was able to perceive things even through some wall limitations, but not here. His Mana Detection only penetrated the wall slightly, and even then, there was some sort of overlapping backlash that pushed against his Will.
He couldn't reach further than a couple of centimeters, so he decided to give up.
“A living... This Temple was completely reforged by a powerful being or was it done naturally? Indeed. It can be both, or one can be more important than the other. It was Sungod's place, after all. I've got that answered.” Murai recalled and chose not to spend too much attention on the Mana Detection. His Mana Pool wasn't steady in his core, but it was getting fuller, so he had to be careful of it.
If the walls were firm, unable to be perceived, he could only focus on the way forward.
His Mana Detection was already quite good under his magical senses and Will. If it couldn't detect the surroundings around him, Murai could focus on one specific direction. It was a bit harder to use Mana Detection in this way, but he managed to at least work around it in the last week when he could.
It was more stressful on the mind, and his core, but it gave him some advantages. In this way, surveillance had much higher efficiency, and the distance and range were always important. However, this sort of style of Detection was limiting, since eyes were often much better at this.
Mana Detection had one vast advatage. It could perceive things eyes couldn't, so when it became limited, it became not as good.
Still, Murai felt good about this choice. His Mana Detection can go beyond the means of his limited eyesight, since his height limited his field of vision, and ducks weren't known for their bright outlook and mighty eyes. They were no dogs, hounds, or wolves, that could think with their noses, nor were they eagles to see from far away.
The lit corridor went 40 meters forward, ending in an intersection. There was a left path and a right path that went to their respective corridors.
“Murai has to choose the path ahead,”
Murai heard Lorry above him. He appeared out of nowhere, surprising him.
“A path, hm?” Murai wondered and stepped forward to take a closer look.
It was at this moment, that long-awaited call of the Battleworld echoed towards Murai's soul. It was something he was waiting for since many things had to become clearer about this temple.
[Variant X04 of the Remnant Dungeons, Temple of Levandis is officially entered]
[Recalucalting, and adjusting the means and necessary preparations for the gifts, reasons, rewards, options, and fighting chances]
[It is a pleasure of the Death, Devils, and Demons. The Temple of Levandis is up to the Citizen's choice. So far off, however]
[It is a fine adventure indeed, and an undeniable choice, albeit amidst the ongoing Encounter, which may not be the wisest choice but an interesting one regardless]
[The course of the Will of the Battlewolrd is limited in this place, but not so much to let the Devils, Undead, and Demons to make it detached from reality]
[Rules are there to follow, with premises and desire that act according to the rules of the temple itself, and the premise of Levandis, its Ruler]
[First and foremost, by the decision of the owner of this place, Levandis, and the favor of God of Battle, Lordis, this place serves the purpose of strengthening those who aren't afraid of Death. You aren't, since a Blessed already died at least once]
[You are a Blessed being under God of Battle ~ Lordis, and by the definition of your New Beginning. No choice has been made to be part of any faction, nor are there any limiting factors outside of the norm. You are a free being through and through, with free choice and Will to see the Temple of Levandis to its full extent, apart from limits of power and Gates]
[Because of that, various things can occur. There are 10 Gates in total, with each harder, and deadlier than the last. You are before Gate 1 with the name: Gate of Suffering]
[It is known as a Gate of Suffering because of the rules and stakes involved. You are to travel past the hurdles of Suffering, seeking the entrance to the next Gate. If done, rewards will be granted under the vision of the Battleoworld and the stakes of the temple. Each will mash together to form a stable promise and opportunity to seek the next challenge]
[But be aware, that the place is not run by the God of Battle, and many rewards of the dead, are not something a god or world can stop, or cherish. It is a strength that can do so, and anything that is physical, or not, can be taken out of the temple like many rules and things around the Battleworld. There are limits to many things. Rewards and treasures are subject to various opportunities. Greed moves them]
[That is, if one survives until the very end and gets out, one can end up rich]
[Be aware that survival chances for the 1st timers are less than 25% for Gate 1. One can end the Gate anytime, and reach the temple back on the surface under the power of a Guide on your side. It is a Soul under the temple's order, so it can't lie but it surely speaks words that may not be handy]
[Reward of the Gate 1: Modification of Attributes, variable improvements in Spells, Mana, Abilities / Minor Blessing]
[Good luck, and don't be a poor Challanger]
Then, the Will of the Battleworld stopped and sounded rather cheap and briefer than usual. It still sounded like a mechanical voice, but the kind that was huffed, and speaking quicker than usual.
Murai looked at Lorry, who somewhat knew that the message of the Will of the Battleworld went toward his soul. He wasn't one to witness, or hear it, but Lorry knew all that was to a Blessed living because of his connection to the temple. He saw plenty of Blessed, as they were primary challengers to this place.
In this world, there were a lot of things to consider. After all, there were 5408 Challengers, but some of them entered more than once. 25% wasn't a small amount because of it, even though not all these numbers were for Blessed beings. Many would come here again after giving up, hoping to challenge it since one can give up and come back in 3 years' time. They would have higher difficulty, but they counted as survivors.
“So you are a Guide to my stakes? What should I make of you?” Murai asked directly, glaring at Lorry who glared back with a sneer on his face.
“Lorry is nothing but a small helper for Murai's stakes. There are some situations that are better explained by words.” Lorry said. “Lorry is a stake for the temple's interest, forming a steady following sense for the Challenger's sake.”
Murai grunted, obvious that the course of a Guide was just an excuse to watch the challenger's attitude or make some rules more sensible. He was probably spying and affecting the course of the temple's Gates and someone who will constantly watch his steps.
He didn't like it.
What it was all for, Murai wasn't right to guess it. There were a lot of things to consider, and Lisa was the same as Lorry. Both held some thoughts they didn't let out. Maybe they could keep their secrets forever, but was he one to blame or curse at than because of them? He wasn't that sort of petty duck, as long as it didn't involve him way too much.
And this life of his wasn't exactly so nice. He should force and know as much information as he could, since unlike ever before, this New Beginning was a massive pile of mess that was unnaturally fast-paced.
“Fine, you flying and bony Guide. Left one, or the right one?” Murai asked, shoving his beak to the left and right, gesturing to the intersection that had simple choices, but quite important ones.
“Murai should decide.”
“You are a Guide, so I am asking you. If you aren't a Guide, what sort of other purpose do you have to be by my side?” Murai asked a well-thought-out question, which made it rather difficult for Lorry to find the right excuse to tell. “Chirping and laughing behind my head... That is all you are good at?”
Lorry was still a Guide, but there was also something else to him than guiding the Challengers.