"I hate to ask because I'll miss the sight, but I'm about to lose the sight, anyway, so could you please get dressed so I can see what atoms make up clothes? I'd never actually cared before, so it's not even a part of the little about a lot."

Melena nodded and mid nod, clothes appeared on her body. Degritone closed his eyes to stop light getting in and used the see through construct to view the flows of Stavch that made up her clothes. It didn't take long to create clothes after that, though they were the same color as her clothes and were a bit itchy. "See you later, hopefully not when I'm distressed," he said, offering a fist bump.

Melena was confused for a second, as it was a new gesture. After a few seconds, she put her fist on his and looked questioningly at him. When he nodded, she nodded and said, "I'll see you when you return. Don't take too long, but make sure to ask me if he's visiting first. Don't want you to show up right in front of him. Granted, he may not try to kill you in front of me and we could feign a reunion, but I feel the mental warfare wouldn't be very effective for helping with the resulting combat."

Degritone nodded and she sent him back. When he returned, the city that he'd not paid much attention to before when viewing through the multiverse's surface was once again clean and fully built. Inside buildings, Degritone could see electrical devices being utilized. Walking through the city toward the business lady's village's center, he even saw someone on a laptop, looking at some YouTube videos.

He sent a message to Melena that the internet had been fixed, and she was free to visit any time to read through it and maybe even teach people about the system in as much detail as she wanted. He also thought to tell her that libraries typically included a free computer she could use, and that it would be cool if she were to make videos on System stuff for people to see. She immediately appeared next to Degritone. They looked at each other, both nodded, and Melena ran off with an audible sonic boom.

It took Degritone almost an hour to find the building he was looking for. Just outside it, he realized he no longer had his golem console, or class ring for that matter. He looked at his empty ring finger for a very long time before walking over to the nearest police golem and asking it for a replacement golem console. It required he put his hand on the golem's head and allow it to do some tests to make sure it was truly one of its creators.

After about 20 seconds, he had a new golem console ring on his finger. Sadly, he would never have his class ring back. So, with a bit of sadness in his heart, he entered the building and saw many people hard at whatever work it was they did here. He walked over the elevator and someone stopped him, "Are you supposed to be here?"

"I have a meeting with the leader of the village whose center is in this building."

The woman who'd stopped him looked him up and down and said, "Would you be willing to let me confirm this?"

Degritone nodded and said, "Tell her that Degritone is here to talk."

The woman's eyebrows moved slightly at that, but she nodded and went over to a phone in full vision of Degritone. It wasn't long before the woman came over and said, "You already know where to find her, I presume?"

Degritone nodded and called the elevator. After a few seconds, he said, "Well, it's actually been a long while since I've been here, and each time I was teleported in by my friend. I could use directions."

"Floor 25, the door at the end of the hallway."

Degritone nodded. Once the elevator arrived, he stepped onto it and pressed floor 25. After the long wait, he stepped out and made his way to the office. He walked in without even knocking. Once he was seen by the one he was here to visit, she said, "You should have knocked."

Degritone rubbed his face and said, "Look, I've had a rough... what's been a few months for you. It's interesting that the world got the internet back up and running while I was gone."

"Where have you been? My Patron told me you'd died."

"My death was greatly exaggerated. I'm still not sure if I can trust you, but honestly, I know I can't trust the army man, unless something's changed in my absence, and the two teens didn't seem," pause, "like they'd stay in position for long. I got the feeling you were on top of stuff, and I need to know what's happened while I was gone."

"Do you even know our names?"

"Nnnnope. Never asked, and I'm bad with names, anyway. I hate talking to more than one person at a time, so 'you' typically works. Maybe 'dude' if I'm being more casual. They do, obviously, help when talking to people about other people, but I hadn't planned on doing that when we last met."

She sighed and said, "I'm Jaquelyn. Now, what do you need from me?"

"The most powerful person under the system tried to kill me in a way that no one would know he'd done it. He failed, and if he learns about my survival, he may come after me directly now that I'm not under direct surveillance of every Patron at once. In addition, both Chuuni and Music are effectively dead, though they weren't killed. They simply reached the end of their lives given what they were.

"Anyway, I need to know about what's been going on from the moment the Architect Tournament started to now. Also, please don't use the knowledge that the Patron of Duels will come after me if you tell him about my survival to get him to come after me. The collateral damage would be ridiculous, which might kill some people that lolis would be sad to have missing."

Jaquelyn slowly nodded and said, "Quite a lot has happened in your absence."

----------------------------------------

Degritone thought over the news. The only things really relevant, beyond the world mostly returning to normal, was that the highest level on Earth was now held by someone named The One, possibly his friend from before the system, at level 79, probably level 80 by the time he got out of here; the world had been split up into many small governing states that were pretty much always at war; and there had been about one attack on the city per week to try to take it over by the state that controlled its surroundings.

After thinking it over for a while and rubbing his face, Degritone said, "I'm pretty sure going back on the war path would be a bad idea. It would get my name back out there, and people might tell their Patrons, which may make it back to the Patron of Duels. I need to contact some people. I'm sorry about your city, but the golems have been keeping it safe, yeah?"

She nodded her head. "They have definitely met up to the expectations your friend had set. Many, including myself, thought they were simply hyperbole, but after seeing them withstand attacks from level 60 and higher people without so much as a scratch, many people have come to respect our little protectors. We've needed to reinstate many laws without their help and it sounds like changing their laws would draw attention to you."

If you come across this story on Amazon, it's taken without permission from the author. Report it.

Degritone said, "Yeah. I think I need to talk to my friend about getting me back up to relevant levels. As I am, having a level of 35 won't do much. I hope it won't be too long before I can come back and take over the whole world. How's the general population's lives been so far?"

"Pretty good. Not much different from pre-system America, honestly, except the near-weekly attacks and near-monthly invasions."

Degritone nodded. He thought about maybe going off-world to somewhere he wouldn't be recognized for a while, but also realized that using his World Gate Token would also draw attention to himself. He sent a question to Melena.

Degritone: If I give someone else the World Gate Token to use, would it attribute the use to them, and can someone other than the first person get a WGT if the original holder dies with it unused?

Melena: Yes and yes. Are you thinking of going to a different world, where you won't be recognized?

Degritone: Yeah. Not sure how well that will work, given the fact that I won the tournament, but still.

Melena: I actually have just the world in mind. By the way, these computer things are interesting. Typing is hard because I actually need to use your local language and your keyboard layout seems nonsensical given what I've learned of your alphabet. Though, I've also learned that it's because of an older method of purely mechanical typing that created issues when typing too fast. There are so many fascinating things on the internet.

Degritone: Be careful to not fall for scams. For someone new to the internet, they probably won't be as obvious as they were to someone who basically lived on the internet like I did. Also watch out for viruses. Look up "computer virus."

Melena: I will do so. Once your World Gate gets made, use Summon Ally and I'll get you to the world I'm thinking of. It will be quite dangerous for someone of level 35, but you should be fine.

Degritone: Pat your head for me~

With that, he messaged The One.

Degritone: Critas, you dingo. I need some help. The most powerful person under the system wants me dead and I need to get off world. I have a thing that lets me do that, but it's unique, meaning if I use it, it'll announce my presence in the world. Do you have a stat above 10000?

The One: I'm not an Australian wild dog! But yes, I do.

Degritone: Good. I'll give you the token after I go do a few things I need to do. Where should we meet? Can you get back to Fairfield quickly?

The One: Yeah, I could. Just finished a wild Dungeon and reached level 80. I'll be back in like 2 hours. Meet you at Huck's?

Degritone: Sounds good to me.

Degritone said, "Ok, plans have been made. I'll see you in a while, maybe. I might not actually," pause, "feel like talking after I get a reason to come back to this city. Anyway, goodbye." He did not wait for a response as he opened a window and flew out of it as fast as he could toward his home. It took him slightly longer than 3 minutes to make the over 200 mile trip.

He arrived with a loud sonic boom, rocking the house's windows. Multiple people turned to attack him, but saw it was Degritone and they spent a few minutes catching up and talking about what had happened, including the fact he was wearing a different color shirt and slightly different color shorts. He got a new copy of his outfit and created a memory packet inside his mental space to be able to replicate them if they ever break again.

Then he flew back to the city to look at the golems to see how to make cloakium, which he'd realized he should have done much sooner. However, he flew under the speed of sound this time to not announce his arrival. With another memory packet of Stavch flows that he was uncertain how to recreate, he flew back to the Huck's gas station in his home town. It was an uneventful hour and a half before his friend showed up.

The exchange went smoothly, Degritone explained exactly what the World Gate did, and they decided that building it in the currently most stable country was the best idea, which, somewhat unhappily for Degritone, ended up being his own. It would potentially draw a bit of attention, but he decided the safety of putting it near the police golems was good enough.

The One has used your world's World Gate Construction Token!

This allows you to visit other worlds and denizens of other worlds to visit yours.

In order to visit a world through a World Gate, you must have a level equal to or less than the level of the highest level person to originate from that world.

The location of your World Gate will be added to your map.

And so, after getting the Gate built outside Jaquelyn's office building, Degritone used Summon Ally on Melena. She appeared and they hugged. "So, what's this world you're thinking of?"

"It'll be a bit dangerous and you won't have much to level up from, but there is a world that, at this point, only us Patrons remember. They used to have a presence in the larger community, but they have turned isolationist. This is primarily due to their current ruler, who has forced all off-world travel to cease. I know for a fact that their World Gate is unguarded, though it might take you a while to get out. Maybe not, I'm uncertain the exact extent of your Stavch mastery.

"While you won't be able to level up very easily, I know you already want to do something about the situation on the world, and you haven't even heard anything about it. Halflings exist over there, and they are treated as a slave race by the humans of that world. It'll be a bit tough, but given that they only ever see even Patrons when they're forced to, word of your existence will never get out.

"Do not worry about causing a loli to feel sadness when you kill someone that you must to overthrow the government over there. In order to have a position in government on their world, you must be infertile. None of them even had adopted families last I checked, though that was 27 years ago. I wish I could personally help you, but if I did, word may get out at that point, so you will be on your own over there."

Degritone thought for a moment and said, "Why hasn't a Patron or Patron-level person done anything about it yet?"

"We see too many worlds to do anything about every single one, which tends to make others more callous. I haven't done anything about it because I'm not primarily a fighter. The fact I beat anyone in the Patron bracket of the tournament is a miracle. Less of a miracle than what I felt had happened when I saw you had come back from what I had believed to be your death due to a System error, but still a miracle.

"My combat power is probably equal to your friend's at best, but I'd bet a vitalower he could defeat me in a fight. It will probably take you a few years, but overall, this is the safest method that I can think of at all to keep you safe. It will still definitely be dangerous, but it won't be fighting So'ejan. They have a council of level 90 combatants, though they may have leveled up since I last checked, but they definitely will not be above level 92, lead by a level 97 'king' that deals with all high level invasions they get."

Degritone nodded and said, "I'll miss you. I'll probably visit in a year or so. It'll be hard to keep track of time, but I may go visit sooner."

Melena nodded and said, "I'll miss you, too, but you have lolis to save, mister Lolicoknight. There is no need to delay."

Degritone messed with her hair before stepping onto the World Gate's platform. "Ready to launch when you are."

Melena nodded and placed her hand on the railing of the World Gate. As soon as contact was made, Degritone appeared in a metal cube with nothing in it but air and the World Gate. After using his through sight to confirm there was no human-like matter in a large radius around the cube and no unknown Stavch flows that could be an alarm system, Degritone used two opposing kinetic Stavch structures to rip the cube open, making sure it folded inward.

After stepping through, he filled the hole perfectly so as to make it look like the cube hadn't ever been damaged. Looking around, Degritone noticed it was night and that it was raining outside the now-abandoned building the World Gate and its cage occupied. It was at this moment that Degritone had a thought and summoned his Condensed sword to look at it with his Stavch sight. As expected, the structures to recreate the flows seen inside it were unknown.

However, its similarities to cloakium was not lost on Degritone. It wasn't exactly the same, but its flows seemed to start the same and deviate half way through the soul stuff's overall less complex flows, or roughly 30% of the way through cloakium's flows. Degritone thought that the similarities might be solidified pure Stavch, but he couldn't be certain until he could figure out how to replicate them.

For now, however, he desummoned his Condensed sword and began to look around the relatively new, sparse wooded ruins around him for any signs of where to go to kill some loli abusers.