“Now this is most unexpected.” The Master of Ceremonies drew out a pair of chunky black shades from his draw and placed them on his exceedingly long nose as he studied the meter. “You were an impressive Beta 7 rank on the Devotion index when you walked in my door, but you’ve burst clear into the upper Alpha ranges.”

Stone flexed his hands, feeling his battered knuckles tighten and relax. He wanted nothing so much as to punch something.

Therapy through violence.

The Master of Ceremonies turned away from the blazing rod and peered at him over the shades. “Something happened. One moment you were understandably distraught over certain recent revelations, then you suddenly went nova.”

Stone raised his eyes to meet the man’s stare. “Doesn’t matter what happened. I’m ready to continue.”

“You surely are. My, my. You’re going to be wasted on Rauthgar.” But the man kept studying him. “For you to rebound so quickly indicates that your initial devotion was transferred from its true source. As if you were using a mirror to shine your light on Anahydra while all along the blaze came from some other source.” The man leaned forward and grinned. “Do share. What’s occupying your mind now?”

Stone placed both fists on the desk and leaned forward slowly so that his face came within a foot of the other man’s. “It’s none of your god damn business. Now give me my power.”

“Oh yes, I do love this transformation.” The Master of Ceremonies leaned back, delighted. “Much better than that lovesick fool who walked in my door. But very well. Let us proceed. As I was saying, a Champion’s power is sourced from the Pancosmological Prime Mover - the PPM - and channeled through your patron deity into yourself. Anahydra is Rank 47, which is quite respectable for a Grade D planet such as Rauthgar, which means she’s providing more power than a starting Champion could normally hope to channel. That being said, your devotion is what determines how much power you can receive; the more faith you the wider your channel, and the more divine power you can receive.”

Stone just stared at the man. “What are you talking about?”

The Master of Ceremonies sighed. “What I’m saying is that you’re in good shape. Your Alpha rank would give you a fighting chance on a Grade B planet, even, but on Rauthgar? You’ll be unique. Not invincible, mind you, but in terms of raw power, you’ll stand out like a wolf amongst rabbits.” The man paused and winked. “Nice.”

“What does power mean? How hard I can punch?”

“I mean, yes, but so much more. Magic, body enhancements, mastery of the principles of reality -”

“I just want to fight.”

The Master of Ceremonies paused. “Yes. You will be doing plenty of that. But what I’m trying to explain is that… never mind. Let’s just begin. That there is the Fixation Portal.” An archway appeared in what had been a blank wall, its interior filled with gold light. “It will register your Devotion index and imprint it on your profile. This can erode or grow over time but is not volatile. Think of it as turning a massive ship - even spinning the wheel all the way round will only result in a slow change in direction.”

“So I’ll be Alpha-ranked for a while?”

“Indeed. Lucky you. Go on in, enjoy yourself, and say hello to Anahydra when you see her.” The Master of Ceremonies winked. “Tell her I send my regards.”

Stone grunted and stepped into the golden light.

“Fixating Devotion Index at Alpha 6.” The voice was gentle and soothing. Instead of passing through the light into the next space, Stone walked into what felt like a glowing golden cloud. Turning, he saw that the portal back had disappeared.

“Greets, Abraham Stone. You are registered as the new Champion-Elect of the goddess Anahydra. Please select your realm of specialization: Mental, Spiritual, Magical, or Physical.”

Stone glared around the vague golden nothingness in which he stood. He felt feral and on edge, like a wild dog that’s suddenly had the barn door closed on it. “What’s that mean? Specialization?”

“All Champions must select a domain in which to manifest their greatest power. The Mental Realm bestows clarity of thought, enhanced intelligence, the ability to control your thoughts, to think along multiple lines simultaneously, improve your pattern recognition, and much, much more.”

Stone grunted in affirmation.

“The Spiritual Realm specializes in communing with your goddess and channeling her powers. This is by far the most popular Realm chosen by all Champions and allows for greater intimacy and conversation with your patron at all times.”

“I thought I was Alpha whatever already. That I got my power from her.”

“Correct. You receive your raw power directly from the goddess Anahydra, as limited by your Devotion Index. The Spiritual Realm, however, will allow you to become a paragon of her essence, manifesting her unique power suite and forging a direct link with her at all times.”

“Pass.”

“The Magical Realm is as diverse as it is wondrous. Your divinely received power will be translated directly into mana, which can be used for an almost infinite number of purposes. With your will and imagination, you can bend reality to your purpose and effect miracles wherever you go.”

Stone grunted again.

“Finally, there is the Physical Realm. This is the most mundane and limited of power sets, and can be used to enhance your body in a variety of ways -”

“I’ll take it.”

“I see.” The voice sounded disappointed. “At the Alpha 7 rank, you have 117 Divine Essence points to distribute as you see fit. Most Champions place the majority of their points in their chosen Realm, and then distribute the rest amongst the other three to ensure an optimal balance. Would you like to explore this possibility further?”

“No.” Stone raised his chin. “I don’t want to be smarter or closer to Anahydra.” The very thought of having a direct link to the goddess made his skin crawl. “And I don’t want to muck around with magic. I want to put all my Essence into punching.”

“Into… punching.”

“That’s right.”

There was a long, awkward pause.

“You have at your disposal 117 Divine Essence points.” The voice spoke slowly and carefully, as if cajoling a toddler who’d found a loaded gun. “Your current intelligence is stunted by your life experiences, but even spending 5 points in the Mental Realm will ease many of the current blocks that limit your thinking. May I politely suggest -”

“No.” Stone knotted his fists so hard he thought he could hear them creak. “Punching.”

Again, there was an awkward pause.

“I must apologize, but I don’t think you understand what you’re giving up. With a mere investment of 30 points in Magic, you could harness the elements, could master long range attacks, could morph your body into diverse shapes -”

“I don’t want any of that stuff.” Stone fought to keep his temper in check. “I know one thing and one thing only, and that’s how to rely on myself. I don’t want to be anyone else. So, punching.”

“I… see. Well. This is… new. 117 points in… ‘punching’.”

Stone said nothing.

“At least let me explain a little more how the Physical Realm works. You can choose to invest your points in almost any aspect of your corporal self. The more specific your investment, the greater the reward. The most general tier is ranked Delta, while the most specialized is ranked Omega. Investing points in your overall ‘Health’ is a Delta-tier ranked investment, and while the benefit is broad, the payout is lower than if you invested those 30 points in, say, Osseous Density, which is ranked Omega, chosen, in this case, to represent all ultimate and final powers. I shall now provide you with an overview of every Physical Category.”

Stone opened his mouth to protest but the golden cloud before him burst into activity as lists scrolled down beneath each of the major letter headings. He scowled and reluctantly read the first few items under each letter.

Delta-Ranked (General Enhancements)

These are broad-based enhancements that affect the overall physical condition. They provide a well-rounded but not particularly specialized improvement.

* Health: Increases overall vitality and stamina.

* Strength: A general increase in muscular power.

* Agility: Enhances overall speed and coordination.

* Endurance: Improves resistance to fatigue and pain.

* Physical Recovery: Boosts natural healing and recuperation rates.

Gamma-Ranked (Mid-level Specializations)

This tier begins to target specific areas of the body or types of physical conditioning.

1. Cardiovascular Efficiency: Increases heart and lung function.

2. Muscular Definition: Enhances specific muscle groups.

3. Reflexes: Specializes in reaction time and quick movements.

4. Skeletal Integrity: Strengthens bones without necessarily increasing density.

5. Metabolic Control: Regulates digestion, energy conversion, and related processes.

Beta-Ranked (Advanced Specializations)

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The focus narrows further, honing in on specific physical abilities or bodily systems.

1. Neural Response Time: Sharpens the speed of thought-to-movement connection.

2. Respiratory Capacity: Extends breath control and oxygen utilization.

3. Muscular Synchronization: Allows perfect coordination between muscle groups.

4. Bone Flexibility: Enhances the adaptability of bones to withstand stress.

5. Immune System Boost: Targets and enhances the body's defense against disease.

Alpha-Ranked (High-level Specializations)

These aspects are even more nuanced, targeting very particular qualities or functionalities.

1. Precision Muscle Control: Mastery over individual muscles.

2. Oxygen Efficiency: Utilizes oxygen at the cellular level for maximum efficiency.

3. Pain Tolerance Threshold: Manipulates the exact level of pain one can endure.

4. Neural Sensory Enhancement: Increases specific sensory perceptions, like taste or smell.

5. Ligament Reinforcement: Targets the connective tissues between bones and muscles.

Omega-Ranked (Elite Specializations)

The most specialized tier, focusing on very particular aspects of physicality, which might even verge on the supernatural in some contexts.

1. Osseous Density: Focus on the exact density of bones for optimal strength.

2. Cellular Regeneration Control: Mastery over individual cell growth and repair.

3. Neural Signal Isolation: Control over individual neural pathways.

4. Hemoglobin Manipulation: Specialization in oxygen-carrying molecules in the blood.

5. Tendon Response Tuning: Precise adjustment of tendon elasticity and responsiveness.

Stone rubbed his eyes with his fingers, fighting back the dull drumbeat of anger. “Look. I don’t know or care what half that means. I want to be able to punch. Put all my points into punching.”

The voice sighed.

“’Punching’ is not a discrete category item, sir. It is instead an intersection of various physical aspects, reflecting the multifaceted nature of a seemingly simple action. It requires a synthesis of various bodily functions and coordination and can be interpreted in various ways.”

Stone raised his fist. “It’s punching. I drive this through someone’s face. Simple.”

“Sir…” the voice seemed at a loss. “Please. Invest some points in the Mental Realm. It will make this conversation much more intuitive.”

“No. Only one thing is sacred.” Stone unclenched his hands and studied them, turning them over slowly. They were scarred and raw, callused and powerful. “It’s how I’ve survived. It’s the only thing that’s made sense. Life is…” He paused. Caught himself. What the hell was he doing, trying to explain this to a golden cloud? “I want to punch as hard as I can. I want whatever I punch to go down and stay down. That’s all.”

“I… yes, sir. I understand. Then… perhaps I can suggest a breadth of options that encompass this desire? For example, I would suggest investing in basic Delta-Ranked Strength. This will provide you with a solid foundation for doing damage to whatever you connect with. From there, I would suggest Gamma-Ranked Muscular Definition with a focus on the Arm and Shoulder Muscles. Targeting these specific groups involved with punching would provide a more nuanced approach, and the elevated Rank would provide greater return on your investment. Beta-Ranked Muscular Synchronization of the Upper Body would perfect coordination between muscle groups of the upper body, optimizing the mechanics of the punch.”

The voice paused, as if seeking permission to continue.

Stone nodded warily.

“At the Alpha-Rank we could invest in Precision Muscle Control, with a focus on the Fist and Forearm. Mastery over these individual muscles used in forming a fist and delivering a punch would allow for precise control over the force and direction of your punches. Finally, I would invest a large percentage of your points into Kinetic Energy Manipulation with an exclusive focus on Punching. This elite specialization would encompass your ability to learn and optimize the kinetic energy of your punches, harnessing every other investment made thus far in the lower ranks and focusing on every minor detail from the angle of the wrist to the exact moment of impact. This would bestow upon you a comprehensive, near God-like understanding over all the physical factors involved in… punching.”

“Now we’re talking,” said Stone. “Give me that.”

“One final warning, sir. Once your points are invested, there is no changing your mind. I know that you are singularly -”

“I won’t change my mind.”

“- invested in the idea of punching, but let me ask you: is there any other aspect of hand-to-hand martial combat that would benefit from your being enhanced?”

Stone paused. Punching ended fights. But he thought back to his match against the Hammer. How the man had pounded him several times before being knocked out.

“This Rauthgar world.” Stone hesitated, trying to formulate the question. “There are other Champions there, right?”

“That is correct, sir.”

“But no A-Grade Champions?”

“The term is ‘Alpha-Ranked’, sir. But no. You will be the only one.”

Stone rubbed his jaw. “But the ones who are there. They’re probably still plenty tough.”

“Correct, sir.”

“And… are there other people I should be worried about?”

“I’m sorry, sir, but that is too broad a question. I assume, however, that you mean within the realm of… punching. In that case, yes. There are notable combatants native to Rauthgar who could provide you with a serious challenge. Perhaps more relevantly, there are many other creatures, or ‘monsters’ as you would term them on your home planet, which are far more powerful that humanoids.”

“I see. Monsters.” Stone reflected. “And things that can throw magic spells around.”

“Precisely. Your ability to punch will be negated if you cannot get close to your foe. I’m glad you are opening up to this idea, because with Magic, say, you could -”

“I’d just have to survive and get up close so I could punch them,” interrupted Stone. “Which would mean being able to take damage.”

“There are numerous Magic spells that can safeguard you from numerous attacks, ranging from basic spells to enhanced transmutation -”

“I don’t want magic. What I want is…” Stone scanned the lists hovering before him again. “Endurance sounds good. And Physical Recovery. Or…” He glanced over at the Omega-Ranked list. “Or Cellular Regeneration Control.”

“Yes. Those would all allow you to take and recover from varying levels of damage.”

“What would happen if I put all 117 points into Cellular Regeneration Control?”

“If you… yes.” The voice sounded as if it were taking a deep breath. “That would result in your natural healing factors reaching inhuman levels of efficacy. You would heal most damage as quickly as you received it, and even magical damage would have difficulty in impairing you for long.”

“But if I did that, I’d not be able to punch.” Stone considered. “How powerful is 117 points? How many points do, I don’t know, a Gamma-Ranked Champion get?”

“A Gamma Ranked Champion -”

“No, I’m talking the ‘C’ ranks.”

“My apologies. In the system we are using based on your home world’s taxonomies, the next letter after Beta is Gamma. Thus a Gamma Ranked Champion is awarded 26 to 40 points.”

“That’s it? What about Beta?”

“Beta-Ranked Champions are awarded 41 to 75 points.”

“And Alpha-Ranked like myself are given 76 and up?”

“Up to 125 points. Beyond that lie the Omega-Ranked Champions.”

“Gotcha. So, 117 is… good.” Stone considered. “All right. I want to spend 75 points on punching, and the rest on being able to take damage.”

“Very well, sir. Your punches will be… admirable.”

“But?”

“You have still not grasped the full extent of the threats you will face on Rauthgar. The Magic and Spiritual Realms encompass in various ways the ability to mind control.”

“Oh.” Stone blinked. “Oh shit. Someone could puppet me?”

“Very much so, sir. That is one of the primary benefits of the Mental Realm.”

Stone resisted the urge to growl. He just wanted to be able to punch things, to stop them, to put them down. To look at the world and decide what could stay, and what had to go. To end all that opposed him.

Was that so hard?

“Fine. How do I stop mind control?”

“I would recommend a salubrious spread of points across a wide variety of Mental Realm tiers, beginning with basic Delta-Ranked -”

“No. I’m not spending a ton of points on all that. What’s the Omega-ranked equivalent?”

“Please, sir. Allow me to explain the Aegis of Autonomy package of powers that would safeguard you from all mental or spiritual attempts at domination.”

Stone crossed his arms. “Fine.”

“Omega Ranked Champions have sufficient banks of points to be able to purchase thematically united suites of powers. The Aegis of Autonomy suite is one such, and bestows a mastery over the self that represents the apex of individuality and self-determination. It is the ultimate shield against any external influence that seeks to usurp control over the mind. It fortifies the mental landscape, making it impervious to mental coercion, spiritual possession, emotional manipulation, and psychic intrusion.”

Stone was impressed despite himself. “Go on.”

“You must simply invest points in four different Omega-Ranked powers. Absolute Willpower ensures that your core beliefs, desires, and identity are unshakeable, resisting any external force that seeks to manipulate or overwrite them. Mental Fortress creates a complex labyrinthine structure within the mind that traps and repels any intruder. Soul Integrity from the Spiritual Realm ensures that your spiritual essence remains untouched, even if the mind control attempts are rooted in ethereal or divine realms. Finally, Metacognitive Awareness grants you the ability to perceive and understand the very process of thought and consciousness itself, allowing you in turn to recognize and counter even the most subtle and sophisticated forms of mental manipulation.”

“Sure. How many points would I have to spend to get a perfect defense?”

“There is no such thing as a ‘perfect defense’, but only ever more formidable defenses that can withstand ever more powerful attacks. But if you were to invest 30 points in Absolute Willpower, Soul Integrity, and Metacognitive Awareness, and place the remaining 27 points in Mental Fortress, you would be inviolable to all entities currently extant in Rauthgar.”

“Not happening. I want to put most of my points into punching. Second largest group into healing. Smallest amount into this Aegis business. What do you suggest.”

“Very well. In that case I would recommend the following distribution of points:

1. Physical Categories to Optimize Punching (Primary Priority)

* Δ-Ranked Strength: 10 points

* Γ-Ranked Muscular Definition (Arm and Shoulder Muscles): 10 points

* B-Ranked Muscular Synchronization (Upper Body): 15 points.

* A-Ranked Precision Muscle Control (Fist and Forearm): 15 points

* Ω-Ranked Kinetic Energy Manipulation (Punching): 25 points

Total: 75 points

2. Physical Categories for Stamina/Regeneration (Secondary Priority)

* Δ-Ranked Endurance: 5 points

* Γ-Ranked Metabolic Control: 5 points

* Ω-Ranked Cellular Regeneration Control: 14 points

Total: 24 points

3. Mental/Spiritual Protection: Aegis of Autonomy (Tertiary Priority)

* Ω-Ranked Absolute Willpower: 4 points

* Ω-Ranked Mental Fortress: 4 points

* Ω-Ranked Soul Integrity: 4 points

* Ω-Ranked Metacognitive Awareness: 6 points

Total: 18 points

Grand Total: 117 points

Stone scanned the list. “What’s Metabolic Control in there for?”

The voice sounded almost weary. “In brief, energy conversion and management. Part and parcel of enhancing your endurance.”

Stone nodded. “Good. I want to punch, I want to heal, and I don’t want anybody messing with my head. Looks like I’m set.”

“While your punching ability will be unparalleled, your autonomy and ability to withstand and heal damage are merely in the middle to upper ranges of the Champions already present Rauthgar.”

“I’ll just have to hit them before they get to me,” said Stone. “Who are these other Champions, anyway? These other gods?”

“That information is beyond my purview. Please confirm your expenditure of points. Once spent, they cannot be recovered.”

“Sure, looks good.”

“Confirmation received. Imbuing divine essence… now.”

The whole universe came roaring down into Stone’s head. His body exploded into flames, his mind burst at the seams, and for the briefest moment he felt what it was like to be a god.

Power. So much power.

Then he blacked out.