Tetsu was like a light particle traveling at light speed in the forest. Every particle around him broke down into a tiny glittering particle as Tetsu zoomed through them, pushing them aside with no effort.

Miles away, the orb breaks and dissipates into lightning fragments, shoving Tetsu out of the orb.

Thank god he wasn’t still moving at the speed of light or this would have been game over for him.

Alongside the momentum, Tetsu used the digging skill and earth affinity to burrow into the ground. His predictions came true as several chunks of wood and creatures came crashing by, seconds after he landed.

The snowman scattered in every direction and the electric orbs separated everyone lucky or unlucky enough to be in its line of fire.

‘I have to find more snowman.’ Tetsu made a mental note

A smaller battle erupted around Tetsu, the scattered forces not letting the distance or lack of backup come between their battles.

Tetsu had no shame in waiting them out. The earth was warm and if he could see above, he preferred some popcorn.

After the noises died down, he came out of the hole like a rat and devoured the spoils of war. Every such time, the system offered him the ‘Scavenger Class.’ The implications were clear, and he didn’t mind the class, yet he waited, hoping the system would rename or change the horrible description.

— — — — — —

Tetsu found himself in another bland view; The same old trees with battle scars ranging from molten claw marks, sparks that zapped parts of the trunk in and out of reality, viscous liquids that changed the priorities of matter, from solid to liquid to gaseous, and greenish goe which made stuff elastic.

He got used to the abnormal and now nothing impressed him like they used to.

Tetsu would have forgotten this area if it wasn’t for the casual meeting with the gods.

This is also where Tetsu made himself the enemy of the gods.

A casual meet he ruined with his big mouth.

SWOOSH..!

A presence zoomed past the horizon faster than light, descending upon Tetsu.

The pressure pushed him to kneel, but a toothy smile puffed his chest out instead.

Intricate runes rained down, each of them contained within a fractal. One glance at them and Tetsu knew he would need a million years just to make sense of the design.

Runes and a couple of other symbol-based power systems broke their fundamental law, whirling in proximity to one another.

The supreme being wove symbols on a whim and they had no choice but to bow to its will.

The raining symbols grew brighter, blinding Tetsu. He already figured out the absurd situation as it closely reassembled his last.

It was another fucking sales rep.

Unlucky for them, as Tetsu never fell for advertisements or scams. He only bought stuff if he really wanted them and bonds will never make the list.

Tetsu named the deity, the God of runes.

Tetsu judged him to be amongst the powerful but shy type because the magic field created by the god blurred Tetsu’s vision to an alarming degree.

Even when he closed his eyes, he could only see a plain white backdrop.

“This is why you don’t stare directly at glowing shit—you piece of shit!” He curses himself for being stupid.

Runes already have unique functions and some can claim one’s sight with relative ease. The glow from before must have burned his receptors white. it was hard to say if it was even magical as the white field wasn’t a grand hall with endless rooms or anything fancy. Just a plain white drop.

Tetsu movements and vision weren’t restricted, yet he felt like a particle stuck in a two-dimensional space of white.

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‘Is this strong magic or weak?’ Tetsu had a hard time discerning the power of the rune god.

Over time, will he consider himself a dot stuck on a canvas? Tetsu wondered about the backlash of solitude but soon discarded the thought as overthinkers are notorious for creating a bubble and living in it for the rest of their life.

‘A god should know that, right?’

The more Tetsu pondered over God’s schemes, the lesser he considered him to be a powerhouse. After a million years, maybe even he can slap those rune fairies to do his bidding.

“How self-centered are you?” Questioned the Rune God.

Like always, Tetsu answered the voice, assuming he brought up the question.

“Wrong wording.” Tetsu tsked. “You are new to the group, so I will let you off with a warning for now.” He lectured the voice about the rules.

Overthinkers keep themselves sane by talking to themselves. Doesn’t sound Sane, but it is!

They makeup scenarios, argue, agree, and disagree with themselves.

Everyone has a little imp and angel on either side of their shoulders. Crank this up to a thousand, add in other mythical creatures, and you get an overthinker.

“So it’s not self-centered or selfish, but a negative take on what-ifs,” Tetsu concluded.

During his explanation, the light shimmers down, revealing a normal forest.

Tetsu scans his surroundings and sighs in relief. “We are back. Back’ish.”

He turns to confront the rune god, a humanoid figure with the familiar attributes of two legs, hands, torso, and head, yet devoid of joints. Each body part hovered at a slight distance as if an unseen force prevented them from uniting.

An array of symbols illuminated and twirled around the god, weaving an ethereal dress that enveloped his entire form.

The symbols had a life of their own as they danced and covered the god, changing his outfit every second without grazing his rusty brown skin. Just by keeping track of them, Tetsu’s fatigue levels increased.

‘On second thought, maybe don’t stare at a strange rune with unknown properties.’ Tetsu scolded himself once again. ‘And also, the god might be a woman!’

“For a smart guy, you sure are dumb.”

“Hahaha.” Tetsu covers his eyes and bursts into laughter. “Kile!” His heart aches. “Did he send you?”

This forced the god to raise his eyebrow.

“Never mind. You won’t tell me even if he did.”

“You don’t seem startled in the slightest. Instead, you throw meaningless nonsensical sentences together.”

“Well… “ Tetsu removes his hand and looks straight at the god. If he wanted him dead, he would be dead, so covering his eyes felt stupid, and one can learn a lot with just a simple glimpse.

“After you’re forced to see a huge ass insect god for a billion years, it breaks one’s spook meter, and for the second statement, you knew and still came to meet a weirdo. This is on you.” Testu shrugs.

“Fair enough.” The god shrugs back, almost giving Tetsu the impression that he is talking to a mortal.

“Wow! Neat skill,” Tetsu exclaimed suddenly, clutching his head.

“Hahaha.” The god laughed, almost resembling an artificial yet genuine laugh. “A mere mortal seeing through a God’s spell.” Rune god kept laughing. “How intriguing.”

For the first time since his descent, the god opens his eyes.

It was weird as Tetsu was sure he kept them open all this time. Yet like stepping out of an illusion, the hidden face of the god shimmers into existence.

The rune god had a clear-cut model’s face.

‘Surely another illusion or skill used to mold the face,’ Tetsu figured, but his eyes stood true to their godly might.

Lines and curves adorned Rune God’s iris, while the pupil concealed the profound abyss. The sclera exuded an authentic darkness, casting the illusion of a levitating eyeball.

The intricate lines within the iris seamlessly flowed into the pupil, forming runes that flickered to life within the god’s gaze. At his mere whim, he possessed the power to activate or deactivate any rune or symbol within his range of vision, and for a god, what realms were beyond his sight?

“You can discern every thought I get?” Tetsu stated instead of inquiring.

“You have a million thoughts running through your tiny little head. Which one do I answer?” Rune God's reply made both of them laugh.

“Now you know why I am lonely, but not alone.”

Their laughter crescendoed, echoing louder, as the god leaned back, clutching his stomach, maintaining a half-robotic demeanor, while Tetsu succumbed to uncontrollable amusement, collapsing and rolling on the floor in mirth.

“And no, I won’t be giving you this dress. Do you expect me to walk around naked afterward?” The god retorted.

“Hey... mortals gotta dream, but now that you have put such an image inside my head, no thank you!”

After a good ten minutes of laughter and retorts, they both calmed down.

“So...” Tetsu breaks the silence. “Your Highness sales pitch?”

“You are one interesting mortal. Tell me. How did you break through the…” Rune god pauses, mulling over what to call his skill without revealing any details, and continues. “Friendship spell?”

“A million thoughts questioning one and another?” Tetsu shrugs. “Guess stranger danger is implanted into my very being.”

“Weird way to live a mortal life.”

“Ah!” Tetsu waves his hand dismissively. “It’s entertaining, to say the least.”

“Immortality will weigh heavy on you.”

“Guessed as much.”

“Why refuse bonds?”

“Didn’t you just say immortality is going to be a pain? Why help?”

“Power is a must if you desire freedom.

“Ooh... cryptic. No offense, but I have lived with a guy who made me insensitive to such statements.”

“Humor me!”

“One has to gain power on their own merit to appreciate the journey. Also, you definitely get benefits from me taking the bond. I might or might not be able to repay my debt when you are in charge of what’s acceptable as payment, so I am told to avoid such dilemmas.”

“Clever kid! I should bond with this friend instead.” Rune god wondered out loud.

“Ha-ha! Good luck with that. The dude is beyond the crazy list. By the way, can give out information about my loved ones?”

“Will you accept the bond?”

“So you don’t perceive every thought. It’s okay.”

“You do realize you are messing with a god.”

A stronger pressure bears down on Tetsu, forcing him to bow, but he shifts the angle of the fall and lands on his bottom, quickly changing the bow into a sitting position.

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