Later that night, Luna took Sero's bed as he laid on the couch in the living room. Luna had insisted that she should sleep on the bed, saying that it was more comfortable. Sero began to think that Luna was more human than succubus with how spoiled she was acting.

Kit had reluctantly taken up the other couch, though she initially wanted to snuggle with Sero under the pretense that it would be easier to keep an eye on him. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to, but it would feel a little strange to do so, especially with everything he had been through on top of what she said earlier.

He sighed to himself, not wanting to sleep yet. Luna’s snoring permeated through the penthouse, further casting doubt over Sero that she was a succubus. At least Kit wasn’t snoring, though he had a sneaking suspicion she was still awake.

"Kit?" He called out softly. The Paradox didn’t answer, either pretending to or was actually asleep.

"Aphiel?" Sero tried to contact the goddess again, yet there was still no response. It was strange, since he figured she’d at least check in before the next day. A growing worry crept over him, wondering if she was either preoccupied with something big, or something worse had happened. Whatever the case was, Sero felt a strong urge to talk to his Sponsor, to gather answers from the questions he had regarding the conversations earlier.

"Hey, Kit, I’m going to see my Sponsor in her personal space," Sero quietly said. Kit mumbled sleepily, turning over on the couch. At least now he knew she was actually sleeping.

Concentrating, Sero thought of Aphiel, praying and willing himself to appear before her. There was a tugging sensation on his body, and he soon found himself standing in Aphiel’s personal space for the second time.

The dimly lit room was empty, still cluttered with books, scrolls, and trinkets strewn everywhere. Her desk was messy as before, now with even more piles of parchment. The fireplace in the opposite corner was dead, traces of smoldering embers signaling that the occupant had just been here earlier.

Sero glanced over at the small bed, noticing the patchwork quilt had been disturbed. Aphiel had been here earlier, probably during his match, and may have left before the conclusion. If that was the case, then she probably wouldn’t have known everything that happened after Sero’s victory. He didn’t know when she’d be back, so he decided to wait for her, taking a seat at her desk.

The parchments that littered her desk were filled with strange writing that Sero couldn’t decipher, most likely an archaic or exclusive writing of the gods. He grabbed one of the scrolls, studying the symbols and markings on the paper.

"Oh, champion?"

Sero turned around to see Aphiel standing behind him. She wore a simple green hoodie and a pair of jeans. Her emerald eyes were wide with curiosity, with a hint of tiredness lurking beneath. Her light brown hair that used to be straight seemed a little messy, as if Aphiel had just done some exercising.

"Hey," Sero nodded as he stood up. "I was worried about you, so I came here."

"I'm sorry if I worried you," she said, waving her hand dismissively. "I was called away on an emergency earlier, and I only just got back. How are you feeling? I take it things have been... eventful since we last spoke?"

"What's the last thing you saw through my eyes?" Sero asked.

Aphiel frowned, seemingly deep in thought. "I saw you win the match. You did quite well, actually. Your newfound confidence and skill are quite impressive. After that, I left to attend to something urgent. What happened after that?"

Tears suddenly pricked Sero's eyes. He had pushed aside the sadness he felt after his father passed, preoccupied with the conversation he had concerning the Culling and different worlds. But now the emotions were rushing back, overpowering his Rationality.

"He's gone," Sero choked out, his voice barely audible. "He's just gone."

"Who- Your father passed away?" Aphiel suddenly looked alarmed, her eyes widening in surprise. "Oh, Sero, I am so sorry. I had no idea. I should have been here for you. I can't imagine what you must be going through."

She took a step forward, her hands reaching out to comfort him. Sero didn't move, his body feeling numb as he fought back the tears. He felt a mixture of emotions: the pain of loss, anger at the gods for allowing it to happen, and confusion over the implications of the Culling. Most of all, he felt despair at the fact that even with this new power he had, he couldn't hold on to those he loved.

"It's not your fault, Sero," Aphiel whispered, her voice gentle and soothing. "You did everything you could. You were a good son, and he was proud of you. You can't blame yourself for this."

Sero shook his head, unable to speak as he tried to hold back the tears. He wanted to believe her words, but the pain and guilt were too overwhelming. He felt like he was drowning, and he couldn't seem to find a way back to the surface.

For some reason, despite showing his vulnerable side to his friends, Aphiel just felt the most comforting to turn to. Whether it was because she was the first person he met when he was resurrected or the fact that she was a goddess, he couldn't say for sure. He just knew that she was the one who had the most access to his thoughts and feelings. Even despite her naivety and being gullible, she still possessed knowledge far beyond Sero could imagine.

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"Sorry," Sero managed to take a deep breath, calming himself down. "I didn’t mean to break down. I actually came here to talk about something else."

"It’s fine, champion," Aphiel murmured, embracing him gently within her arms. It was comforting, reassuring, and Sero realized at that moment that before his father was the first one to hug him, it had been a very long time since he had been held by another person. He had almost forgotten what it was like to have someone care about him.

"Thanks," Sero quietly said as Aphiel pulled away. His emotions were stable now, kept in check by his Rationality. With his mind cleared, Sero was brimming with questions to ask the goddess, but a new one had come to him during his moment of weakness. "Hey, I noticed you said my name instead of ‘champion’."

"Oh," Aphiel flinched before recovering her composure. "My apologies, champion."

"No, it’s ok," he shook his head. "I’m wondering why you’d use that term instead of my actual name."

"Well…" the goddess coughed into her hand. "It’s more due to strict rules of tradition. Addressing one’s following as ‘champions’ eliminates the feeling of favoritism. Plus, it makes it easier for the gods to get by without remembering each and every name of their champions."

"But… I’m the only one you have."

Aphiel stiffened, a faint blush creeping over her cheeks as she avoided his eyes. "E-even so, I must practice good habits so that later in the future, when I gain new champions, I will not become tempted to fall for favoritism."

Irritation washed away any traces of sadness Sero had been feeling. "You saying that you’d start to favor other Ascendants over me?"

"No, it’s not like that! I’ve already grown fond of you–" Aphiel covered her mouth in shock. Sero smirked, leaning closer to the flustered goddess.

"So, I’m growing on you! I knew it."

Aphiel spluttered, her cheeks reddening even more. "Shut up! It's just that... being the first one to Ascend under my following, you hold a special place in my heart. It's not like I'd abandon you for another. Besides, I'm your patron now. It's my duty to help you."

Sero felt a warmth spread through his chest at her words. He knew that Aphiel was telling the truth, even if she was still a little embarrassed about it. "Thanks, Aphiel. I appreciate that."

The goddess averted her eyes as she pouted. "Well, you're welcome. But I hope you don't mind me still using 'champion' sometimes. It's just such a... comfortable habit, you know?"

"No, yeah, that's fine," Sero replied with a small shrug. "I get it. Anyway, I actually came here to talk about something else, something I learned about earlier."

Sero began to recount the conversation he had with Luna and the others regarding the true nature behind the monster outbreaks and Catastrophes. As he finished, he noticed that Aphiel didn't seem surprised at all.

"I've known about this for a while now," the goddess admitted, looking solemn. "The truth is, the more powerful you become, the more likely you are to attract the attention of higher entities. Entities that would see you as nothing more than a tool for their own ends."

"Pardon?" Sero blinked, though a small part of him suspected that Aphiel had been aware. "So you just never bothered to tell me? Do the other gods also keep this from their Ascendants?"

Aphiel bit her lip and sat on the edge of her bed. "To be frank, champion, the other gods have collectively decided best not to inform your kind about the true nature of the outbreaks, as well as the beings you label Catastrophes. We... wanted to nurture your strength to the point that learning the real origins behind the apocalypse would not overwhelm you, and perhaps one day, when you have grown even stronger, you might be able to face them head-on."

Sero frowned, crossing his arms. "The real origin? Why did the apocalypse happen? Who or what unleashed it?"

The goddess couldn't look Sero in the eyes, shame radiating off of her. A feeling of dread and denial began to rise within him.

"Did you... have any part in it?"

Aphiel's eyes widened in surprise, but then narrowed, her expression hardening. "No. None of the gods had a hand in it. But... there are other forces at work in the universe, champion. Forces older than we are, and far more powerful. The Catastrophes you face are but mere symptoms of a much larger conflict between these forces." The goddess's face softened with a hint of sadness. "The apocalypse was the best case scenario we could have hoped for."

"What...what do you mean?"

"Do you recall me teaching you about the existence of evil gods?"

Sero nodded slowly, his heart sinking. "The ones that were sealed away because all they want is destruction and to consume?"

Aphiel bowed her head. "Yes, champion. Your world had been targeted by them long ago, but the gods had been keeping the banished at bay. The apocalypse was a result of a Catastrophe that nearly broke through."

"Wait," Sero said, his voice cracking. "So, what you're saying is that the apocalypse wasn't just some random event? It was... planned?"

Aphiel made a face. "I would not go so far as to say planned more-so than we did not realize the banished had raised an army capable of that."

Sero felt himself reeling from the information. It was definitely jarring to know that evil gods had targeted Earth long ago, and even more that gods such as Aphiel existed. But the most unbelievable was that a single entity had that much power to rip open multiple portals to different realms all at once.

"The Catastrophes... they're under the evil gods? Like how the Ascendants are your champions?"

Aphiel sighed and nodded. "Yes, in a sense. But the evil gods do not directly control them. The Catastrophes are a result of the banished gods' influence on the universe. They're like... ripples in the fabric of reality, created by their desire for chaos and destruction. The more powerful a banished god becomes, the stronger those ripples grow, and the more likely a Catastrophe will occur."

"So the reason why outbreaks are still occurring... is because those Catastrophes are trying to come here." Sero now understood what Luna meant.

"Yes, and worse, the banished gods themselves are beginning to grow more powerful once more. It is only a matter of time before they break free from their prisons and return to wreak havoc upon the universe. When that happens, nothing will be left but chaos and destruction." Aphiel's voice was solemn, her expression grim. "That is the reason champions like you were made. You are our answer to their Catastrophes."