Scott blinked several times, eyes fixed on the flashing system window. I might have messed up, he thought, glancing at the path where the monkey had vanished. He could already picture the kind of chaos the champion would stir—especially now that it had inherited the Chaos Caller title and the authority to establish its own confessions.
Scott shifted his gaze from the empty path and focused on Orion. “What’s an Order?”
Orion’s brows shot up in surprise, the question catching him off guard. His eyes then flickered toward the notification in front of Scott, and a flash of understanding lit his expression.
“Was that creature just recognized as your devotee?” Orion asked, countering Scott’s question with his own. Scott’s brow furrowed, his confusion deepening.
“Your reaction tells me all I need to know,” Orion said, a smile playing on his lips. He clapped his hands lightly. “Congratulations. Your authority has officially acknowledged your right to claim the Throne. That’s why the system recognized that creature as your devotee and granted you the right to establish an Order—which is, in simple terms, your own faction. Its sole purpose is to help advance your ascent to the Throne.”
Scott blinked again, still processing. “How do you even know that?”
Orion’s smirk widened. “Are you sure you want to know all the nitty-gritty details?”
Scott rolled his eyes. Before he could respond, Orion continued, “Forget that boring topic—what we should be discussing are your confessions. Since your Order’s been established, you now have the right to craft a confession that your devotees will use to praise your claim to the Throne. In return, they’ll gain power through their connection to you. I’ve always wanted to write a confession—who would have thought—"
“The Authority of Madness gave that guy the right to establish confessions for my Order,” Scott interjected, watching Orion freeze mid-sentence.
“Wait. Maybe my ears aren’t working properly. Did you just say—?”
“The Authority of Madness gave that guy the right to establish confessions for my Order,” Scott repeated slowly, watching as Orion’s shock grew.
Orion’s mouth opened and closed a few times before he finally found his words. “That’s… impossible. Confessions are a divine right reserved for candidates, not—”
“I take it that usually doesn’t happen?” Scott asked dryly, noting the rare disbelief on the mage’s face.
“This is a first for me too,” Orion muttered, shaking his head. “Normally, only candidates have the right to create confessions. The fact that the Authority granted that right to someone else…” His voice trailed off as he stared intently at Scott.
Scott frowned, glancing around. “What’s wrong? Why are you looking at me like that?”
Orion continued his intense scrutiny for another moment before he chuckled. “I get it now.”
“Get what?”
“Your personality was taken into consideration,” Orion replied, the grin returning to his face.
Scott’s frown deepened. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Be honest. Are you the type of person to write a confession glorifying yourself? Would you even tolerate the idea of a cult-like following, an Order devoted to spreading your name without your input or consent?” Orion asked, his voice filled with knowing amusement.
Scott opened his mouth, ready to fire back, but the words never came. The more he thought about it, the more he realized Orion had a point. Well, it’s not like I care about this in the first place, so there’s no point getting upset, he reasoned before asking, “So, the other candidates—they all have their own Orders and confessions, right?”
Orion nodded. “That’s generally the case, yes. But I doubt any of them are in a situation as... peculiar as yours.”
“Is there anyone in particular I should be worried about?” Scott asked, watching Orion tilt his head, considering the question.
“All of them, unfortunately,” Orion replied with a sigh. “They’re all competent. And just so you know, Orders don’t have unique names. They’re named based on the order of their establishment. What number was your candidacy?”
“I’m the 18th,” Scott answered.
“Then your Order will be recognized as the 18th Order of the Mad Throne,” Orion explained.
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Scott’s brows knit together as he processed this new information. “Does it work the same way for other candidates for different thrones?”
Orion shook his head. “The Mad Throne is a special case. Normally, candidates vie for the position of a lesser god tied to the throne, but with the Mad Throne... Whoever succeeds out of the 18 recognized candidates becomes the next Mad God.” Orion paused, his gaze locking onto Scott. “I’m hoping that person is you.”
“Succession wars,” Scott whispered. He knew the fight for the Mad Throne wouldn’t end until only one of the 18 candidates remained. With his Order newly formed and lacking any reputation or power, it was likely the others would see him as an easy target.
As if sensing Scott’s thoughts, Orion added, “From here on, your Order will be tested—relentlessly. By other Orders, and by those looking to make a name for themselves. It’s going to be... interesting.”
“And we still have to deal with the idiots trying to cash in on the bounties on our heads,” Scott sighed, though his calm tone betrayed none of his growing concerns.
“That too,” Orion chuckled softly, about to continue when he suddenly froze, staring down the path ahead. “Good news and bad news. Which do you want first?”
“Start with the bad.”
“The undulations have disappeared,” Orion said with a grin.
Scott took a deep breath. “And the good?”
“I’ve sensed a new one, much further away.” Orion paused, waiting for Scott’s reaction.
“And?”
Orion chuckled. “You know me too well. This new one is giving off a far more terrifying ripple. Whatever it is, it wants to make sure everyone knows it’s there. Whether it’s smart for us to approach it... well, that’s up to us to find out.”
“One normal day is all I ask for,” Scott muttered, take a step forward. “Let’s go. There’s no point hanging around here—”
Before he could take a second step, the familiar chime of a system notification echoed, and a new message appeared before the Voidweaver.
Your devotee has earned a rank on the Territorial Rankings! Your devotee has established a confession in your name! Your devotee has attained the minimum requirement to control a territory within the Endless Bridge!
Scott’s lips parted slightly; his eyes fixated on the flashing blue screen.
“What now?” Orion muttered, peering over Scott’s shoulder to read the notification. He let out a low whistle. “Your guy doesn’t waste any time, does he? I can’t wait to see how much chaos follows.” He chuckled softly.
Scott exhaled deeply, his thoughts drifting as he continued forward. He wasn’t sure if bestowing the Imprint of Madness on the monkey had been the right decision, but it was too late for regrets now. There was no point in dwelling on it.
Silently, Scott and Orion pressed on, their journey lonely and devoid of any third presence. The same monotonous scenery stretched out ahead—scratched walls, smooth road, and no noticeable changes. Their pace remained steady; with the previous exit disappearing, they weren’t in a rush to approach anything unknown.
Hours passed without any notable shifts in the landscape. They crossed several invisible barriers along the way, and Scott received two more notifications about his devotee establishing new confessions, but he barely spared them a glance.
Orion sighed suddenly, catching Scott’s attention.
“What is it this time?” Scott asked.
“This place,” Orion began, “It’s maddening to figure out. Every time I’m on the verge of a breakthrough, something interferes. It’s been a long time since I’ve felt this frustrated—and honestly, I’m enjoying it.”
“Oh, I see,” Scott replied, his gaze returning to the path. He had no desire to push Orion for more details, unwilling to dive into arcane jargon.
“Have you managed to reach the others?” Orion asked out of the blue.
“Not at all. The same restrictions are in place. The party communication channel isn’t helping either,” Scott replied. “Any luck with your clones?”
“Nope. Same deal for me.” Orion’s lips curled into a curious smile. “I wonder just how many people are on this bridge. Billions, maybe more.”
“Yet we’ve barely encountered anyone,” Scott noted.
“Exciting, isn’t it? I can’t even fathom how massive this bridge really is,” Orion said, barely containing his excitement.
Just as he was about to continue, they crossed another invisible barrier. Scott and Orion halted as system notifications echoed around them like a relentless alarm. In front of them, an enormous crowd of champions stood in a vast section of the road, devoid of the familiar towering walls they had grown accustomed to.
What the hell is going on here? Scott thought, his gaze sweeping over the champions, who stood motionless, ignoring the system notifications before them. He glanced at Orion, who wore the same expression—confusion, mixed with curiosity.
Can they not see us? Or are they choosing to ignore us? Scott pondered, watching the champions, all eerily still.
He saw champions from all races, some familiar, others completely alien. But no matter how long Scott observed, he couldn’t grasp why such a massive crowd stood frozen, indifferent to their arrival and the notification announcing their bounties.
“Orion, do you—” Scott began, but stopped abruptly as the champions suddenly stirred. Their heads—those who had them—rose in perfect unison toward the heavens. Then they began to laugh. A chilling, synchronized cacophony of screeches and cries echoed across the area, unsettling in its eerie harmony.
“Orion, do you have any idea what’s going on?” Scott asked mentally, and the Chains of the Abyss began to loosen around his arm.
Before Orion could answer, a loud pop resounded through the air. All at once, the laughing champions' bodies exploded in a grotesque burst of flesh, sinew, and tainted blood. Scott and Orion stood still; their gazes now fixed on a solitary figure standing amidst the blood-soaked terrain.
“You two... you’re trying to invade my territory, aren’t you? That’s not fair, you know,” the figure said, its voice powerful yet oddly soothing. “It’s common courtesy to ask permission before entering someone’s domain, don’t you think?” It paused, a sinister smile tugging at its lips. “But since you’re already here... you might as well stay. Forever.”