ã€ŠCAELESTIS CROXEUSã€‹


 Prologue

    ¡°And with that our 12¡¯th Student¡¯s Capstone Presentation Gala comes to an end. I want to thank all our presenters and esteemed guests for making today so inspiring and memorable. From groundbreaking theories to insightful research, it¡¯s evident that the future of science and discovery is in very capable hands.

    To our mentors, judges and organizers¡ªthank you for your invaluable guidance and hard work in making this event a success. Now to close our ceremony, it¡¯s my Honor to invite our esteemed chief guest, Dr Ard Barfi, a name we all are familiar with, a genius who has revolutionised our understanding of particle physics and continues to inspire minds worldwide.¡±

    The audience erupted in applause.

    ¡°On that note, he has kindly offered that today our students will have the unique opportunity to ask questions directly-so please feel free to do so!¡± The brown haired woman wrapped up her speech and calmly walked down from the stage.

    Then a man in his mid-twenties with long black hairs and a long handsome face with round specs stepped towards the stage made of smooth black marble which was polished to a glass-like finish. The stage was so smooth and shiny that it reflected the glow of the bright white spotlights which were centred in the middle. As he stepped forward, his footsteps echoed sharply against the marble with each step resonating through the now, silent auditorium.

    ¡°Good evening everyone present over here¡± after a short pause he starts smiling ¡°I am ha¡ªh still not very good with addressing audiences, in my defence I only have 2 years of experience behind me. But uhhhh today¡¯s presentation they were absolutely fantastic and amazing. Their research and ideas are so impressive that it makes me excited to see what kinds of mind-blowing innovations they will come up with next. Also, I would like to thank The University of Tulip for inviting me here and giving me this wonderful opportunity¡± (audience started clapping).

    ¡°Without taking up any more of your time, I¡¯d be happy to answer any questions you students have. Just raise your hand and Emily over there will bring you a microphone, so you can ask your question."

    Many of them Instantly raised their hands and then Ard picked one of them.

    "Hi, sir. I¡ªI¡¯m a really big fan of your work and... uhm, I¡¯m really, really excited to be here. I wanted to ask... do you believe in God? I tried looking it up on the internet, but... uh, I couldn¡¯t find you saying anything about that"

    ¡°Woahhhh Now that¡¯s hell of a way to start the discussion.¡± chuckles ¡°If you¡¯re looking for a straightforward yes or no, then you might end up disappointed.¡±

    After a short pause he answered, ¡°It is a common logic that everything has a process of creation and a creator. For instance, every part of my body-my skin, bones and muscles-are ultimately composed of countless atoms like carbon and oxygen which were all created in a star¡¯s core...And the universe and everything in it begin with cosmic genesis*... But we know nothing about it, how was it created or what caused it? It is only natural to assume that there was a process of creation behind it and perhaps a creator too. While I don¡¯t say that uhh it is the only possibility, but I personally believe that it is the most probable case. But who knows? Perhaps it simply emerged from nothing, as anything about it truly seem to defy all logic. Right?"

    The student on the mic asked again (now less nervous) ¡°Can we take that as a, yes?¡±

    ¡°Well to simply put it I believe it¡¯s more likely, that God exists¡±

    ¡°Is it safe to assume that your faith in God is according to your religion? Given your background in a Doronian family or is there any other¡­¡­?¡±If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    ¡°To me, religion and God are two distinct things. Like think of it this way, religions often paint God as this ever-loving, endlessly forgiving and gentle being who is kind and humble enough to overlook our faults. But alongside this image we¡¯re taught about certain rules that, if broken, will send us straight to hell. Doesn¡¯t it feel like a contradiction?

    Like on one side, religions tell stories of God forgiving people¡¯s sins under different circumstances. But this same loving deity would burn me in eternal fire just because I worshipped using the name alpha instead of beta. How does that even make sense? Honestly, it even feels a little offensive to the idea of God. If a being like God exists, I¡¯d like to think God would be far too humble and wise to be offended by something as trivial as a misnamed title or a human-made ritual.

    If we¡¯re like God¡¯s children then wouldn¡¯t God love us the way any parent would? Obviously, there¡¯d be consequences, but only for actual wrongdoing¡ªnot for harmless slips like choosing the ¡®wrong¡¯ language for prayer or being part of different religion. After all God would understand our prayers no matter what religion we follow. So, to answer your question¡ªmany of my beliefs regarding to God are influenced by Doronian but I don¡¯t agree with all of them.¡±

    Then the boy instantly grabbed the mic and said, ¡°Looking around in the world with all the suffering and pain, don¡¯t you find it hard to believe that such a being exists?¡± (now much more confident and serious)

    ¡°Well... you might be right! Maybe God doesn¡¯t exist or maybe we were just created for some sort of sick pleasures of dimensional observer in this void of ignorance. But if that¡¯s the case, I refuse to respect such a being and would even fight one if I have to,¡± he said with a stern expression but suddenly, after noticing the change in atmosphere he politely apologised, ¡°Sorry I just got carried away please continue asking questions and others too, please continue.¡±

    Many of them start raising their hands and he began to answer each one of them.

    After a long day, he headed out of the university¡¯s parking lot in his sleek and all-black car. As he drove, he found himself lost in thought to think that the very first question would be a bombshell ughhhh¡­. I¡¯m honestly so tired.

    As those thoughts in his mind kept running, he thought to himself, when I imagine God. I don¡¯t picture a figure or a face. No grand being seated on a throne, no blazing light. Just... emptiness. Infinite space. Pure consciousness adrift in the void.

    And what would be the purpose of creating us? To explore what it means to be conscious, to be alive? If that¡¯s the case, does that make us partners in the search for understanding? Maybe even a reflection of creator¡¯s own struggles with existence.

    He exhaled slowly, shaking his head. Whatever¡­¡­... I just need to be properly prepared for any kind of questions. I also need to make sure that I don¡¯t offend anyone, that time I really crashed out. I guess I should just head back and unwind. A nice, warm bath... that sounds good right now.

    Ard¡¯s home lay on the outskirts of the city. It was a sprawling manor surrounded by vast gardens filled with diverse trees and plants. After a refreshing bath, Ard decided to take a quiet walk beneath the night sky while seeking solace in the stars.

    As he strolled through the garden, his gaze caught a strange red light flickering among the trees. His curiosity piqued as he followed the glow deeper into the garden. Behind a line of towering trees, he spotted a shady man muttering softly to himself. Suddenly, a mysterious white and blue light enveloped the figure and before Ard¡¯s eyes. The man¡¯s form transformed, stretching into that of a 6¡¯6 tall and dignified man¡ªhis presence felt like one from ancient legends. Even from behind, Ard could feel that he was no ordinary human. Maybe he wasn''t human at all.

    The stranger¡¯s hair was pure white which was gleaming like snow beneath the moonlight. His attire, though was simple¡ªa white robe with golden borders¡ªpossessed a beauty beyond anything Ard had ever seen. Then, with a subtle movement, the man conjured a golden throne adorned with jewels more precious than any treasure known to humankind. As he seated himself, his charisma intensified and his presence became nearly overwhelming.

    Ard¡¯s heart raced. An unshakable pull drew him forward. Unable to resist, he felt compelled to kneel in reverence as if standing before a being of unimaginable power. The fact that this being haven''t even noticed him yet. For him Ard was nothing but a small fly, not even worth noticing.

    He threw himself in front of that man and the only words he could mutter¡ª ¡°Are you¡ªyou, Are you God?¡±

    Why did he say that? Why did he believe the man before him was God? He used to think of God as formless and faceless. So why had he asked this unknown being if he was God?

 CHAPTER 1: THE ILLUSION OF EXISTENCE

    The year is 2133, the world is governed not by traditional states but by powerful corporations that have everything under the palm of their hand. It all began with development in technologies like online (crypto) currency and artificial intelligence. As these innovations advanced financial systems, regulation of information, data and system gradually slipped out of government¡¯s control. Influential figures from different countries setting their differences aside joined forces, forming powerful alliances that governments could not keep in check. Over time, national authorities found themselves increasingly reliant on these private institutions which made people lose their trust in them. Everything slipped from the hands of these national authorities like sand through fingers to the point that even the elections were staged.

    Elections became nothing more than a show, it was the corporate giants who were pulling the strings behind everything. Now, democracy only exists in name, but the people don¡¯t care (at least most of them). Why would they? Every imaginable pleasure is right on their fingertip¡¯s immersive virtual worlds, ultra realistic android bots which can do anything ranging from housework to sex, even the food though artificially created is filled with all kinds of nutrients and by far tastier than any organic one. The entertainment industry is now controlled by Artificial Intelligence, may it be games or movies or virtual worlds just type your preferences and a fresh piece of content will be created, designed specifically for you. Even though the environment is much worse but due to decline in population, corporate-designed comforts keep everything in balance. Even when the human population was declining rapidly due to fertility issues, it was later fixed by introduction of artificial means.

    All of this enabled the corporations to manipulate education, media even scientific research. They were nurturing humans like crops only to be raised as workers and consumers of the products to keep the economic system in check. Knowledge is restricted, creativity is dead and people are kept in dark about almost everything except for their jobs. For some people who are fully immersed in pleasures, this world is heaven but for others it was an artificially manufactured hell, a shiny cage restricting them from everything.

    Out of these major corporations Quasintial was surely the biggest one. They were also conducting research on revolutionary topics like Dyson sphere, simulations and uploaded intelligence. Uploading human consciousness digitally was going to be a major step in humanity¡¯s evolution. Although many other corporations pursued similar goals, but they consistently fell short; either the humans didn¡¯t survive the process or system failed even after the scanning. Quasintial, however, were already far ahead of others.

    They began by uploading consciousness of newborns, just 10 to 15 days old, into the system. Uploading infants¡¯ consciousness proved easier, as there was far less data to process and after a few initial failures they were successful. However, the shocking thing was that even after the uploads, the infants remained alive and well in the real world. Which raised many complex questions about the nature of consciousness itself. To address this ambiguity, they introduced a new term, "DC" (Digital Consciousness), and proceeded to conduct further experiments on these digital counterparts.

    The strangest discovery was that they could copy these digital consciousness but any attempt to alter them were failure. Hence only copy and pasting was possible. They proceeded their research by creating small environments for these consciousness to develop under different circumstances in hopes of understanding topics like identity and personality perhaps even soul. These experiments were conducted in hopes of answering questions like: Do the identity and personality depends on brain or consciousness or environment in which individuals grow? Moreover, how much of a shift can we see in same consciousness under various circumstances? They also began exploring whether instead of just cloning is it possible to upload an individual¡¯s true consciousness into the system.

    Most of the results were expected but were informative at least. The conclusion was, while brain structure and capacity do influence a person¡¯s personality, the environment in which the individual develops is also a significant factor. Determining any inherent uniqueness in one¡¯s consciousness proved challenging as there was no evident data to prove or disprove it.

    Then after an extensive research and efforts they made a breakthrough, initially it was impossible to alter the existing consciousness. The only thing they could do was to copy the initial one and then let it develop in different environment to see variations. But now they managed to facilitate a sort of digital reproduction between two DCs.

    This breakthrough marked a remarkable step forward, allowing researchers to continue without needing additional infants for experiments. They named these entities APC (Artificially Processed Consciousness). Many people believed these APC¡¯s to be nothing but hollow souls while others believed that soul isn¡¯t a thing, and these APCs were just humans who were born digitally. Nevertheless, everything about this research was just as frighting as it was fascinating.

    With this development the corporation¡¯s higher ups decided to merge this project with another project focused on designing hyper-realistic world simulations.

    Simulations were answer to everything¡ªwhether it was predicting the weather patterns, testing astronomical or quantum theories, or solving complex mathematical issues, when provided with sufficient data, simulations could tackle almost any problem. The potential was limitless, so to improve their understanding of APCs and creating complex simulations for future purposes, Quasintial decided to go on with the project of creating a whole simulated universe. This project required lot of money manpower and resources, all of it were easily available for Quasintial.

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    Twelve years later, the simulation they had created was astonishingly realistic. They simulated the whole universe, from the Big Bang to the formation of galaxies, our solar system, Earth and the humans living in it, everything was almost same down to its last atom. Such extreme details were included so that they could reuse certain elements in future projects if the need ever arise.

    Avin Levi, who had played a major role in the project and had previously served as secretary to the former project leader, stepped out of a meeting. He was a thin man in his late twenties with a tired, expressionless face like life has been sucked out of him.

    The meeting was about the simulation which now they referred to as ¡®SUN-SAAR¡¯. Apparently, the project has undergone numerous psychological, scientific and other experimental studies but now they believed it¡¯s inefficient to continue running it, and they''re also concerned about the potential consequences. Creating a new digital race and managing it had been challenging, as these beings were not like AI. They were just like humans, emotional and difficult to control. They feared that if these beings somehow figured out that they were living in a simulation, the results could be unpredictable. Currently to keep everything under better supervision they had cooled down the time difference. Now, one hour in the real-world equals to eight hours in the simulated world. The current society of these APCs humans had progressed to a level comparable to the real world in 2014, making further continuation risky.

    Although Avin was persistent about keeping the simulation running, eager to see the potential inventions and developments the APCs might create but the others ultimately agreed that continuing was just too dangerous. Some even suggested repurposing the APCs as manual labour replacements for humans, given their intelligence and lack of fatigue, but this idea was also dismissed. In the end, the meeting concluded with a decision to begin shutting down the simulation in three days.

    While potential similar projects were brought up, but the higher-ups were reluctant to share any further details. Overall, the project was deemed a success, with the simulation itself highlighted as a major achievement. Researchers were hopeful they could build on this experience to produce even better results in the future. The APCs were also seen as a positive outcome, though the industry was uncertain about how to utilize them at this time.

    Avin walked directly to GS11, a laboratory room which was filled with large screens displaying information like the world map, population count, time difference and stability statistics for the simulation, all running across holographic displays. A woman in her thirties was seated near two pods, working on a holographic computer. Noticing him, she looked up and asked how the meeting had gone. Avin explained that they had decided to shut down SUN-SAAR. ¡°Figured¡±, she replied, glancing at the screen. ¡°I knew this was going to happen. Ugghhhhh¡­. now, I¡¯ve even lost the motivation to keep going¡ªI think I¡¯ll take a quick break.¡± ¡°Sure, suit yourself¡±, Avin replied, after that she left the room. She was visibly upset as many were going to be as they had worked so hard on this project.

    Avin logged into the system using his ID and began reviewing the data. His gaze drifted to the two pods in the room, designed to allow entry into the simulation¡¯s world. There were at least 216 of these pods across various rooms. Rather than cloning or uploading consciousness, they functioned like advanced virtual reality devices temporarily teleporting one in the simulation. Uploading of true consciousness wasn¡¯t yet perfected, though they were close. The pods enabled humans to enter the world of the APCs to monitor developments, influence events and conduct social studies on topics like religion, society, and the APCs¡¯ human-like qualities.

    However, recently these pods had been used for a very different purpose: assassination. By now, a world resembling 2014 would have theories and fictional stories about simulations. The Quasintial group made every effort to suppress such ideas, using tactics like targeted assassinations or external brainwashing to keep simulation discussions unpopular and infrequent. While this had been manageable at first, the growing complexity of society made it increasingly difficult to control, contributing to Quasintial¡¯s decision to shut down the project out of fear.

    Avin was visibly saddened, he was a kind-hearted, gentle person. And one of the few who felt empathy for the APCs. He even believed they might be genuinely living beings. People like Avin were rare these days, as most were hardened and self-centred¡ªeven Avin¡¯s own parents were no exception. It was surprising he turned out this way, given his difficult upbringing. His childhood was often disturbed by the mechanical noises of his father¡¯s sex robots or his mother¡¯s moaning from VR stimulations. His parents had a strained relationship, and it was hard to understand, why they were still together. He and his brother were sometimes subjected to their parents¡¯ abuse and Avin often ended up with bruises all over his body.

    Avin always looked out for his brother, they were close. They often bonded over creating stories and fantasy worlds together in VR specifically, in CREE8. Unlike others, they were passionate about crafting worlds and stories rather than consuming them. Perhaps this was where Avin¡¯s interest in simulations began.

    Though Avin wasn¡¯t exceptionally smart, he had a knack for coding, a skill he was taught in school. At age 12, students were required to choose a career path and focus exclusively on that field for the rest of their lives. Coding simulations became Avin''s path.

    While reviewing his account, Avin came across his avatar, Croxeus Ezthen. The avatar he had been designing for years. He and his brother were captivated by fantasies and magic, often imagining a world where pain could vanish with a single spell. In their free time, they used CREE8 to craft spells, powers and fantasy stories. Croxeus was a character Avin designed from cherished memories, pouring his heart into each detail whenever he missed his brother. This was a character written by his brother from the time they used to play together. He spent countless hours refining Croxeus''s spells and abilities, fixing an endless stream of bugs and errors along the way.

    In his backstory Croxeus was a three-thousand-year-old sorcerer, known as "The Ancient Archmage." Born as the son of the God of Wisdom and an immortal demoness Queen, he possessed both divine and demonic heritage. He was not only immortal but was also supposed to be the greatest Magic caster.

    Avin tried his best to replicate the character as an avatar but despite all his effort, Avin never had the chance to use Croxeus. Researchers weren¡¯t entirely forbidden from entering the simulation for non-research purposes. Many even did this regularly. However, using something like magic was totally out of the question. Even Avin himself had entered the simulation on several occasions, but always for work-related missions and with a different avatar.

    He thought to himself, the simulation is ending in three days... I¡¯ve never even used Croxeus or his powers. A few minutes of magic inside shouldn¡¯t do any harm, right?

    And I¡¯ll be careful. I just want to try a few of those abilities and spells before the server shuts down. I know they will delete my character, this is the only chance I will get.

    With this decision made, Avin began the initialization process and sat down in the pod. A robotic voice began to announce:

    PROCESS INITIALIZED. CODE 13452.

    ID 1256. AVATAR ¡®CROXEUS EZTHEN¡¯.

    CITY: ¡®Breloom¡¯.

    You will be teleported to the nearest location with no humans or animals present.

    Entering in 10... 9..............3¡­2¡­.1. . . . . . . . .

    A blinding light engulfed him and then everything fell into darkness. When he next opened his eyes, he found himself standing in a forest surrounded by trees on all sides. His body felt different¡ªstrong and almost divine¡ªlike a figure from myth. His physique was sculpted like of a Greek god, totally broad and powerful. His hair was white as snow, his eyes gleaming a brilliant gold and on his head rested a delicate crown which was fashioned from shimmering golden leaves. And in his hand, he gripped a golden staff which looked like a trident. Though the thickness indicated that it was more suited for the casting of arcane magic. His attire was a masterpiece¡ªan ornate robe of sparkling white fabric which was embroidered with intricate designs of golden threads. The robe was bordered with gold and on his shoulders, he wore gilded armour. The armour''s each plate was encrusted with jewels that caught the light and shimmered with a dazzling array of colours.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

    He paused for a moment, calculating. If only an hour passed in the outside world for every eight hours here, he had plenty of time to explore before trying his magic. He then used a spell [Clairvoyance Call] to see the nearest city and decided it would be best to get a feel for his surroundings first. Then he casted [Total Illusion]. This was an advanced spell he had designed, one capable of fooling all five senses¡ªsight, sound, touch, taste and smell. He was surrounded by a gentle halo of white and blue light as his form morphed, his once-divine physique shrinking to a more average appearance. His clothes shifted as well into simple attire that fit seamlessly into the year 2014. The transformation was complete, leaving him looking like an ordinary man and his aura now was indistinguishable from the rest of the world around him. He then used [Fly] to soar closer to the city.

    He wandered through its streets as his curiosity lead him to explore every corner. He couldn¡¯t help but marvel at how much these people had grown, their lives unfolding in ways that felt so real. He looked at them as though they were his children¡ªbecause, in a way, they were. As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a warm glow over the city, he made his way to a food stall. He ordered a burger, though it wasn¡¯t perfect like the one in real world. Oddly enough, the imperfection of the meal made it enjoyable in this new body.

    But as he ate, a wave of guilt washed over him. He knew that, in just a few days, all these people would cease to exist. His heart ached at the thought. Though he believed them to be just as alive as humans in the real world, he couldn¡¯t do anything to prevent them from dying. The guilt lingered in his gaze. His sympathy for them was evident in the sorrowful expression that flickered across his face.

    He then used [instant teleportation] to teleport in a deep forest to try his spells and magic. After an hour of testing and trying, he used [Fly] to fly across the planet. He gazed down at the cities below, which were illuminated by the light in the night. Soon, he descended and landed on the outskirts of one city (little did he knew it was actually a private manor garden).

    Feeling satisfied he decided it was time to log out. Raising a finger to his temple, he activated the interface. A translucent panel materialized in front of him, and he selected the "Log Out" option. But instead of logging out, a message flashed across the screen: Error 4587. Frowning, he tried again¡ªsame error.

    What the hell? he thought, confused. Why isn¡¯t it working? What even is Error 4587?

    Wondering if his illusion spell might be interfering, he dispelled it and attempted to log out again. But the error persisted. Letting out a deep sigh, he summoned a grand, throne-like chair as he sat on it, he gazed thoughtfully at the night sky. This throne was conjured through a spell, [King¡¯s Authority]¡ªan enchantment meant to lower the confidence of foes and subtly charm those around him. Now, though, he simply used it as a seat to rest.

    Staring at the stars, he thought over the situation. What could be causing this error? I don¡¯t even remember this code. Could my magic be affecting it? No, that seems unlikely¡­ Maybe someone outside will notice and fix it. But what if¡­ A cold thought crossed his mind. What if something happened to my real body? No, that can¡¯t be¡­

    He knew once inside the simulation there was no way to contact the real world except for logging out. Lost in thought, he was suddenly pulled back to reality by a figure approaching him. A strikingly handsome man had leapt into view. His expression was of awe and intrigue. Panic surged through him. Oh no. How much did he see? Is he going to think I¡¯m some eccentric cosplayer? Do people even cosplay in this world?

    As he was thinking the man asked him a question which made him even more wary ¡°Are you¡ªyou, Are you God?¡±

    Aanndd, I fucked up. Can I just say I am cosplaying no¡ªno he asked me am I -God that means he had seen something I will just try to explain it as an illusion. Ahhaa but it depends on how much he has seen.

    "And what makes you say that young man?" Avin asked while maintaining composure.

    His voice was both soothing and commanding. It felt like a melody that resonated deeply, not just in the ears but in the soul as well.

    The man¡¯s eyes sparkled with reverence. "You used magic to transform yourself, conjured that throne from thin air and... and you carry an aura of wisdom and power¡­ Everything about you radiates divinity. There¡¯s no mistake¡ªyou are a god."

    He saw everything. How am I supposed to get out of this mess? He considered his options. He could use a mind-control spell, but he¡¯d never practiced those; they were experimental spells he¡¯d created on a whim. And if they interacted poorly with the system¡­ well, that was the last thing he needed. No, this had to be handled carefully. He¡¯d have to resolve it from the outside.

    For now, he decided to keep track of the man. Narrowing his eyes, he concentrated and the man¡¯s Subject ID appeared in his vision. Avin saved it to access later, hoping it might come in handy when he finally escaped this predicament.

    Noticing Avin¡¯s focused gaze, the man instantly grew alarmed. His eyes widened as he realized what Avin might be trying to do. Dropping to his knees, he pleaded, "Please, I beg you, don¡¯t make me forget this encounter! I am honoured to see you. I don¡¯t want to lose this memory. Let me keep it, please."

    Avin felt a hint of sympathy for the poor man, knowing that protocol would ultimately require him to erase this memory. But for now, he decided to offer him some reassurance. ¡°I am not a god,¡± he said gently. ¡°Just one of the creators of this universe. Calling me a god would be foolish.¡±

    The man¡¯s curiosity flared. "You mean¡­ there are others like you?"

    Avin nodded. ¡°Yes, there are.¡±

    Ard fell into confusion, puzzled he asked, "If¡­ if it¡¯s not too much, may I ask how many such beings there are?"

    Avin hesitated. I can¡¯t just reveal there¡¯s an entire research department behind this. He seems clever¡ªhe might piece together too much. After a moment¡¯s thought, he replied with a careful answer. ¡°There are 49 of us, including me.¡± (Referencing to the backstory of Croxeus¡¯ world where there were 48 Gods).

    The man took this in, awe etched across his face. ¡°And¡­ are there any beings above you?¡±

    Of course, there are higher-ups¡­ managers and their managers. But I can¡¯t exactly say that here, Avin thought. As he realised he was treading a thin line. The man clearly believed he was divine and pushing back might only confuse him more. After a moment¡¯s pause, Avin settled on a response. ¡°No, I don¡¯t believe there is anyone above us.¡±

    The man¡¯s eyes shone with renewed reverence. ¡°Then¡­ you truly are a god?¡±

    Avin shook his head gently. ¡°No, I haven¡¯t done anything to deserve that title. I¡¯m merely a creator.¡± Avoiding further questions, he activated the interface again, keeping it open as he waited. Hoping someone outside would notice the glitch and pull him out soon. All he wanted now was to escape this situation before it got even more complicated.

    The man watched him in awe, his heart racing, thoughts swirling. To think¡­ a god, standing before me, yet refusing to accept the title. Is this humility the true nature of a God? His mind raced with questions, but in this moment, he found himself overwhelmed and speechless. His heart thundered in his chest as if time itself had stopped. While he felt that pure, inexplicable wonder that he had, by sheer luck, encountered a being he could only describe as godly.

    As Ard¡¯s thoughts turned reverent, he couldn¡¯t help but stare at Avin in awe. Noticing this, Avin shifted uncomfortably and decided to fill the silence. ¡°You see those stars over there?¡± he said, gesturing to the night sky. ¡°They¡¯re part of the galaxy¡¯s central arms. And that one,¡± he pointed, ¡°is a main-sequence star¡­¡± He continued to explain, slipping into a creator¡¯s pride as he shared details of his work.

    But in the midst of his monologue, he froze. The Log Out button on his interface had vanished. Panic shot through him, silencing his words. He abruptly rose from his throne, which disappeared instantly. He only managed to stammer, ¡°No¡­ This can¡¯t be happening.¡±

    He didn¡¯t recall every error code, but he knew what this meant. The absence of the Log Out button could only mean one thing¡ªsomething had happened to his real body. In the simulation pod, his body was in an incredibly sensitive state. If his physical nerves were even lightly stimulated, the system would automatically log him out within five seconds to protect him. But if logout failed¡­ then his life was in immediate danger.

    The weight of this realisation sank in. He had just about 40 seconds (converted to 5 seconds outside) to manually log out¡ªor risk never returning. He stood there, stunned. His mind was racing in silent desperation as precious seconds ticked away.

    Ard watched in silence, unsure of what was unfolding but sensing its gravity. He decided it was best to remain quiet, observing in respectful and anxious silence as the being in front of him wrestled with a crisis beyond his comprehension.

    More than two minutes had passed. Avin felt an unsettling mix of surprise, fear and confusion. How am I still here? If I¡¯m dead, then¡­ how am I conscious? What exactly happened? His mind raced, but there were no answers¡ªthe Log Out button was still gone, and with it, any certainty of escape. Am I¡­ trapped here?

    Noticing Avin¡¯s tense expression, Ard finally mustered the courage to ask, ¡°Mr. God, what¡­ what happened?¡±

    Avin hesitated, unsure how to respond. After a long pause, he replied with a half-truth, a lie that felt strangely close to the reality he feared. ¡°I¡ªI think my real body was destroyed¡­ in the Astral plane.¡±

    The words left Ard stunned. His real body¡­ destroyed? The statement was almost too much to comprehend. He stood there, speechless, trying to process what he¡¯d just heard. He glanced at Avin¡¯s face and saw the gravity of the situation reflected in his solemn expression. Realising this was not the time for more questions, Ard¡¯s face grew tense, his worry mirroring the unease that now filled the silent space between them.

    Avin noticed Ard¡¯s shocked expression and felt a sense of guilt. I frightened him¡­ Here I am, caught up in my own fears, while everyone in this world¡ªincluding him¡ªare going to die soon... and I¡¯m only worried about myself. A bitter thought surfaced in his mind, Maybe all of this is the karma I deserve.

    Lowering his head, Avin spoke softly, ¡°I¡¯m sorry for startling you.¡±

    Ard¡¯s eyes widened, disbelief filling his face. The supreme creator¡ªa being he viewed as a god¡ªwas bowing before him? Is this what a true god is like? He always imagined the god would be a humble being but this, this is something humbler, something more profound.

    Without hesitation, Ard dropped to his knees, pressing his forehead to the ground in reverence. ¡°I¡¯m the one who should apologize. Forgive me for my ignorance¡­ I don¡¯t even know how to conduct myself in your presence. A supreme being like you shouldn¡¯t have to be troubled by trivialities.¡±

    To him, this was a god beyond any human imaginings. Unlike the embellished deities he had seen in stories and religions. In this moment, he understood that no myth could ever capture the humility and strength of the being before him.

    As Ard struggled with his thoughts, Avin¡¯s voice broke through. ¡°This apology isn¡¯t only for startling you,¡± he said quietly, ¡°but also for the end of your universe. I¡­ I couldn¡¯t stop it.¡±

    Ard¡¯s head shot up, his face suddenly became opposite of what it was before now filled with anger and range. ¡°W¡ªwhat? The end of our universe?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Avin replied, his voice heavy. ¡°The other creators have decided to terminate this world. I tried to convince them otherwise, but¡­ I... failed. Me and three others were responsible for bringing your universe into existence. Now, they¡¯ve all chosen to end it.¡±

    Ard¡¯s head fell back down, his expression contorted in anger and hurt. His whole body trembled, like a volcano on the edge of eruption. Did I hear him correctly? Our universe¡­ is going to end?

    He struggled to contain his fury. He reminded himself of who knelt before him. This is a god, and he¡¯s bowing before me. He forced himself to think rationally, his emotions colliding with reverence and rage. I¡¯m nothing compared to him, just a small pest, yet he¡¯s apologizing. And¡­ he tried to save us. He didn¡¯t want this.

    But why did he fail? And then, a realization struck. Wait¡ªhe mentioned his real body was destroyed. He must¡¯ve come here to try and save us, only for those other creators to sabotage him by taking out his real body. Maybe this whole ¡°end of the universe¡± decision was a trap all along set just to lure him here and eliminate him.

    Ard¡¯s anger simmered, now replaced by a mixture of respect and sorrow. This god before me tried to defy his own kind, to protect us¡­ and he paid the ultimate price too.

    The pieces started to fall into place for Ard. Calming himself, he looked toward the god-like figure bowing before him. Avin, meanwhile, was flooded with second thoughts. Maybe I shouldn¡¯t have been so blunt. Even if he thinks I¡¯m a God, I have no idea how he¡¯ll react. Will he be angry? Heartbroken?

    But Ard¡¯s voice was unexpectedly steady as he replied, ¡°There¡¯s nothing for you to apologize for, my lord. You tried your best. To think¡­ that your own people would betray you like this, yet you still feel the need to apologize on their behalf.¡±

    Betrayal? Avin¡¯s brow furrowed in confusion. What does he mean, ¡®my own people¡¯?

    Seeing Avin¡¯s troubled expression, Ard continued, ¡°It may not be my place to say, but please don¡¯t carry guilt over our universe being sacrificed to lure you out. You didn¡¯t choose this.¡±

    Ah¡­ now I see, Avin thought, piecing it together. He thinks those supposed other 48 beings orchestrated this just to trap me here and destroy my real body. It hadn¡¯t been his intent to give that impression, but he realized the misunderstanding might actually work in his favour. Maybe it¡¯s better this way. The less he knows, the safer both worlds will be. I can¡¯t risk more damage just because I couldn¡¯t keep my mouth shut.

    Ard hesitated, then added, ¡°If¡­ I may ask, what should I call you, sir? I hardly know how to address a god.¡±

    ¡°Croxeus Ezthen¡± Avin replied, deciding to keep his chosen name same as the avatar he was in.

    ¡°Is that¡­ your name?¡± Ard asked, a bit hesitant.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°But how can I call you just by name? Surely, I should use some honorific.¡±

    ¡°Just Croxeus is fine.¡±

    ¡°Alright¡­ Lord Croxeus.¡± Ard nodded, feeling that it was the only respectful choice. ¡°I couldn¡¯t think of anything more fitting.¡±

    After a moment¡¯s hesitation, Ard continued, ¡°May I ask¡­ just one more thing, my Lord?¡±

    ¡°Yes, you may.¡±

    ¡°Why were we created? Forgive my curiosity, but the idea that we can be created and destroyed so easily¡­ it makes me wonder¡ªwhat is even our purpose?¡±

    Avin felt guilty at the earnestness of Ard¡¯s question. He has every right to ask, he thought, a hint of regret creeping into his tone. ¡°You were created because we wanted to understand ourselves better. You are, in a sense, extensions of us and by learning about you, we learn about ourselves.¡±

    Ard¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. I was right, he thought, feeling an overwhelming rush of validation. The reason I always suspected¡­ it¡¯s exactly as he described. I can¡¯t believe it. It felt surreal, like a confirmation of his deepest beliefs.

    Meanwhile, Avin who was uneasy at having revealed so much, resolved to prevent any further complications. The best thing I can do now is to keep him from spreading word of our encounter. Even if I¡¯m trapped here, I can¡¯t let the APCs destabilize the server.

    ¡°Son, what is your name?¡±

    Son? Ard¡¯s heart skipped a beat, his awe deepening. Did he¡­ did he just call me ¡®son¡¯? He could barely believe it. ¡°My name is Ard Barfi, my lord.¡±

    Avin nodded thoughtfully. ¡°So, Ard, may I ask you to keep everything that happened here a secret?¡±

    Ard¡¯s face lit up with devotion. ¡°I would do anything for you, my Lord.¡± He hesitated, then added, ¡°Yes, my lord, but will you be able to go back to astral plane?¡±

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think so¡±, I think I won¡¯t be able to go back to real world now, Avin sighed.

    ¡°So can I make a request of you?¡±

    ¡°Yes, off course¡± Avin replied.

    ¡°Could I have the honour of hosting you at my home while you¡¯re in this universe?¡±

    It¡¯s not such a bad idea, Avin thought, considering the benefits. This way, I can also keep an eye on him to ensure he doesn¡¯t spread word of our encounter.

    ¡°That is an excellent idea, Ard,¡± Avin replied, nodding. Ard¡¯s eyes glowed with pride and reverence, his faith in this ¡®God¡¯ reaffirmed. While Avin felt a quiet relief, hoping this arrangement might keep everything under control.

 CHAPTER 2: THE END OF THE WORLD

    To think the place, I landed on was actually someone¡¯s property. Ahh how much more careless can I be? Croxeus though to himself while following Ard to his manor.

    After looking around and observing he thought, this guy though, he reminds me of my brother. He is smart, handsome and successful. Like look at his house it¡¯s so big it even has its own garden. Houses in real world are nowhere big as this.

    In fact, Croxeus was right¡ªback in the real world, houses were incredibly small. Despite a drastically reduced population, the damaged ecosystem led to the creation of self-sustaining and compact cities. In many ways, these APCs led better lives than humans did, even in terms of access to knowledge.

    Knowledge in real-world was strictly controlled. People learned only the basics of everything and were pushed to choose a career path from early on. This left them with little room to explore anything beyond that single field. This is the reason why Ard seemed far sharper than Croxeus in terms of raw intellect and perceptiveness.

    As Ard settled in for the night, thoughts of the impending end consumed him. To think that soon, everyone and everything around him would cease to exist. He felt an odd mix of detachment and heaviness. He lived his life with a sense of purpose. He thought he could provide some contributions in humanities journey through the universe but now all of that seemed pointless.

    Materialistically, he was a detached person. He only did things with meaning behind them. He wasn¡¯t even particularly attached to many people and wasn¡¯t driven by strong emotions. He was a logical being. He held a sense of morality rooted in rationality rather than emotions. He acted according to what he believed was right, unconcerned with concepts such as heaven or hell. That¡¯s why it didn¡¯t mattered to him whether God existed or not. But they are real, and God isn¡¯t even the right word for them, devil would be befitting.

    Only one person came to mind as he pondered the world''s end. Which was his old college friend, Tiya. His feelings for her weren¡¯t exactly romantic, but they shared a strong bond which was built through navigating difficult times together in college.

    It had been a while since they¡¯d spoken, and the thought of losing that connection filled him with an unexpected loneliness. He spent all of his life working hard to achieve something meaningful rather than bonding with other. But now he felt a need to talk to someone, to form those relationships which he rendered time waste.

    On impulse, he picked up his phone and sent Tiya a message, inviting her to meet at his place.

    In the morning, after receiving Tiya¡¯s confirmation, he approached Croxeus, asking if he could invite a friend over. Croxeus readily agreed, assuring Ard that he would use an illusion to blend in.

    In the morning, Tiya arrived at Ard¡¯s house, concerned by his late-night message. She thought it might be something serious, but to her surprise, Ard only wanted to catch up. Sensing something was bothering him, she decided to spend the day with him. She did notice one peculiar thing¡ªa rather strange man whom Ard introduced as a friend. Ard treated this man with a surprising amount of respect, which struck Tiya as odd. Ard rarely treated anyone with genuine respect so this was something new.

    Tiya was strikingly beautiful, with rectangular glasses, long black hair and an elegant figure. She was nearly as tall as Ard. She was a scientist like Ard, but in microbiology.

    Who is this guy? she wondered, glancing at Croxeus. And why do I get the feeling he¡¯s got Ard under some kind of hostage situation?

    Meanwhile, Croxeus observed the two friends with great curiosity. In the real world, genuine relationships were rare. Most people had virtual partners or relied on simulations and devices like Glock-Glock 300 or Turbo-1000 (hold your horses, this is called dark humour). Humans didn¡¯t feel the need to have relationships as they were satisfied both emotionally and physically.

    But Croxeus (Avin) was different, he always wanted to have a real relationship with a girl but just never got a chance. Seeing Ard care for Tiya, he somehow came to the conclusion that Ard was in love with Tiya.

    Seeing Ard as a younger brother¡ªone who reminded him of his own sibling¡ªCroxeus felt a deep need to help. He knows the world is ending, Croxeus thought, and he probably wants to spend the rest of his days with her. That¡¯s so romantic! I just hope she doesn¡¯t reject him! But how do I help him confess? I don¡¯t have any experience with ladies either...

    An idea hit him. I could use magic to create the perfect proposal! But then he hesitated, realizing magic might startle her, especially since Ard hadn¡¯t told her about the world¡¯s impending end. She¡¯d likely wonder why he was proposing out of nowhere. Croxeus ran through the options in his mind, feeling increasingly invested.

    Well, revealing my identity to one more person won¡¯t hurt, right? Even though it¡¯s a fake one. It¡¯s just one more person¡ªand for the sake of love! Anything for love, right? I¡¯ll help him by planning the best proposal ever. Maybe I¡¯ll make it on the moon, with a barrier for oxygen¡­ oh, that¡¯d be so sweet!

    Ard shared almost everything with Tiya. But the weight of keeping the universe¡¯s impending end a secret, due to the promise he¡¯d made to Croxeus, gnawed at him. He wanted to spend rest of the time left with her, just like the old days.

    As if reading his mind, Croxeus made an exaggerated expression, motioning for Ard to step outside. Once they were alone, Croxeus said, ¡°I think I¡¯ve taken quite a liking to your companion.¡±

    Ard replied, ¡°Yes, my lord. She truly is an exceptional person.¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯ve deemed her worthy to know my true identity,¡± Croxeus announced.

    Ard¡¯s eyes lit up with gratitude. The god had been observing his and Tiya¡¯s conversation, perceiving Ard¡¯s internal struggle and even chose to help by letting Tiya in on the secret. Ard nodded in respect, saying, ¡°As you wish, my lord.¡±

    Croxeus added, ¡°And if you need any assistance with... whatever you¡¯re planning, just let me know. I¡¯d be glad to help.¡±

    ¡°Yes, my lord,¡± Ard replied, already feeling relieved.

    They stepped back into the room and Tiya quickly sat down on the sofa, trying to act casual despite the fact that she was just trying to eavesdrop the conversation they were having. Ard took a deep breath, then began, ¡°Tiya, this man isn¡¯t my friend. He is the ruler of everything, a supreme being, a god above gods¡ªthe Almighty Croxeus Ezthen.¡±

    Tiya raised an eyebrow, then scoffed. ¡°I knew you were a little off, Ard, but¡ªWHAA¡ª¡± Her expression shifted to shock as the mysterious man was suddenly enveloped in a soft blue and white light, transforming into his true and regal form.

    She stammered, ¡°How did he do that? What kind of trick was that?¡±

    Ard subtly gestured to Croxeus, signalling that Tiya might need more convincing. However, Croxeus, misinterpreting the gesture, thought Ard was signalling that he was about to propose to her!

    Filled with determination, Croxeus teleported himself to the Moon. He quickly created a protective barrier with his [Celestial Barrier] magic, followed it by setting off magical fireworks in the background and filling the space with oxygen using [Ventosus].

    ¡°Where did he go?¡± Tiya gasped, watching as Croxeus disappeared in a flash of crimson light. Moments later, the same light appeared beneath her and Ard and they were whisked away to the Moon.

    Croxeus who was now sitting confidently in the star-lit, oxygen-filled bubble, signalled to Ard. Is he going to propose now? This would be the first and the last live proposal I will ever witness. It¡¯s so exciting.

    But Ard began calming Tiya down, carefully explaining Croxeus¡¯ true identity. Tiya who was astonished, looked around, realizing that they were indeed on the Moon. Eventually, she took a deep breath, bowed slightly and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Man¡ªGod... Lord Croxeus. I didn¡¯t know who you really were... or I¡¯d never have doubted you.¡±

    Croxeus who was eagerly awaiting Ard¡¯s proposal, muttered, ¡°No¡ªno that isn¡¯t any matter for concern.¡± And to his surprise, Ard asked him to teleport them back to Earth, explaining that he still had a lot of details to fill in for Tiya.

    Is he going to propose her later? Croxeus wondered. After looking at her confused state he thought, yeah¡­ she looks in no state for a proposal now. But next time, I¡¯ll make it even better. With a new plan in mind, he decided he would consult with Ard on exactly how he wanted to propose. With a quick flourish, Croxeus used [Instant Teleportation] to return them to Earth.

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    The night was dark and silent. Inside an abandoned factory shadow sprawled across the dusty floor, stirred by faint beams of moonlight streaming through shattered skylights. On the top of an old barracks structure within the factory an elderly man was sitting, his face was hidden in darkness, but his presence resonated a commanding aura.

    Below him, a young man, stripped to the waist and clad only in black and tight-fitting pants, worked diligently on his push-ups with straining muscles and sweat glistening in the moonlight.

    With a low grunt, the young man completed his final push-up, catching his breath as he rose to his feet.

    "And that completes your hundred push-ups for the day," the old man remarked, his tone carrying both satisfaction and a quiet expectation.

    The young man, barely out of his twenties, straightened up, wiping sweat from his forehead. ¡°I believe tonight is the night when the drug cartel and the local dealers are planning their meet at the harbor,¡± he announced.

    The elder nodded slowly. ¡°Yes. And you understand why stopping them is so crucial?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Master,¡± the young man replied.

    The old man spoke again. ¡°Before you go, recite the three principles ¨C the three ultimate rules you must live by to call yourself a hero.¡±

    Without hesitation the young man began with his steady voice, ¡°First, never kill anyone, no matter how much they deserve it. The line that separates us from them is mercy, not vengeance. Second, protection comes before justice ¨C a hero shields before striking. And lastly, always try to bring a lightness to the dark. No matter how serious the situation is, find the humour to ease fear and keep the people calm.¡±

    The old man gave a curt nod. ¡°Good. Remember those words. Now¡­ go.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Master.¡±

    Then the young man moved to a small bench lined with gear. He pulled on his dark suit, with yellow lines and stripes in it. His body was filled with scars, some were new while others were old. He secured his mask, the eyes glowing a faint amber, giving him an almost spectral appearance in the shadows. Carefully, he loaded an array of small weapons into his suit ¨C knives, smoke pellets and a compact grappling gun.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    After his is preparations were complete, he hooked his grappling gun to his side. And with a swift and silent movement, he launched himself upward, scaling to the top of the factory in a matter of moments. The city¡¯s distant lights flickered against the horizon as a dark playground was awaiting his arrival.

    ..

    At the harbor many men were gathered in dark clothing, standing on guard. Black cars were parked in the middle of a deserted street. There was a large, unmarked truck behind one of them. Armed and alert men stood at intervals guarding the surrounding area.

    The two groups who faced off in the middle of the street, brought their briefcases from the trunks of the cars. The leaders exchanged few nods and words, murmuring in low tones as they opened the cases to reveal stacks of cash and smaller pouches that hinted at illicit merchandise. One of the men from the truck¡¯s side handed a set of keys to the opposing leader, who then gave the key to one of his subordinates.

    But unseen in the darkness, the hero was making his move. His dark suit blended seamlessly with the inky surroundings. One by one, he approached the guards stationed around the perimeter with his swift and silent movements. With a quick flick of his wrist, he activated a small, concealed device. Which sent a jolt of electricity through a guard¡¯s body. The man stiffened, his weapon clattering softly to the ground before he slumped unconscious. Another guard, barely aware of his colleague¡¯s fate, was taken out by a precise strike to the base of his neck. The hero¡¯s methods were efficient ¨C no killing, just the quietly making them unconscious.

    By the time he reached the scene of the trade, most of the deal was done. The man with the truck keys turned towards the vehicle, signalling to his men to start clearing out. Several cars had already begun to pull away.

    The hero moved quickly now as the traffic was decreased now, his gaze was locked onto the truck. As everyone either moved out or immobilised he darted at the truck driver with some kind of sedative. Then he vaulted over crates and slipped around to the rear, finding the truck¡¯s back doors unlatched. Pulling a compact canister from his suit, he prepared to slip in a small but carefully packed set of explosives ¨C a little insurance in case the truck was indeed carrying the drugs he suspected. But as he lifted the door and peered inside, he froze.

    The truck was filled not with drugs but with real people. All of them were unconscious and enslaved. This was no simple drug dealing but rather human trafficking. Before he could react, the crunch of tires on gravel echoed down the alleyway. The convoy cars had returned most likely due to lack of responses by the guards and the truck.

    ¡°Hey!¡± a voice shouted. The shout was followed by the metallic clack of a gun being cocked. He bolted, ducking behind a crate as gunfire erupted, bullets whizzing past him and ricocheting off metal containers. He fired back with a compact stun dart, but the cartel members were already closing in and calling for backup as they moved.

    A sharp pain tore through his side as a bullet grazed him, followed by another shot on his leg. His breath hitched, but he forced himself to stay silent and try to lose them in the dark. Blood was flowing through his suit, staining the dark fabric as he gritted his teeth against the pain.

    In desperation, he tried to make his way to the back of the truck once more to place a tracker on it, but it was too late. His vision was starting to get blurry, and his limbs were weakening from blood loss and exertion. The last thing he saw before blacking out was the truck¡¯s taillights disappearing down the road carrying its cargo.

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    It has been 15 days now and....and he still hasn¡¯t proposed to her. Is he planning on proposing her on the last day?

    I even checked on the internet both of their birthdays and the loveday (substitute for this world¡¯s valentine day) all of them are pretty faraway.

    It isn¡¯t like I am complaining about anything, I mean last couple of days have been exciting. We have visited all of the famous places in the world, tried every fun using magic. And honestly, I never had this much fun ever in real life or even virtual reality.

    Now, they were sitting together in a small, lively foreign restaurant, with Tiya and Ard across from him, laughing and toasting the night away. All three of them had changed their appearance using the illusion magic as a precaution because both Tiya and Ard were famous. Croxeus, even after lowering his own resistance to alcohol, still couldn¡¯t get as drunk as his two companions, who were locked in a boisterous drinking contest.

    They left the restaurant and stumbled into the quiet and empty streets of the harbor district. It was dark outside with only the occasional murmur of water lapping against the docks to break the silence. They were halfway across the globe right now, so they were searching for a secluded spot to use teleportation.

    As they wandered through the silent alleyways, the three of them noticed signs of violence. The nearby walls and containers were riddled with bullet holes along with some tire marks on the floor. While moving carefully, Ard suddenly froze as his eyes were locked on a figure slumped against a stack of crates in the shadows. He knelt down to check the man¡¯s wrist for a pulse which turned out to be faint, but still there.

    ¡°He looks like the vigilante ¡®RictRex¡¯, the one they were talking about on the news¡± Tiya remarked, looking at his body and mask. She seemed to be calm and unphased by the violence in front of her.

    Even though the world was about to end, they couldn¡¯t leave him there. Helping the man was the only choice.

    I think this will be the perfect opportunity for me to try to use my healing magic, thought Croxeus.

    Croxeus¡¯ hand started glowing with an emerald light as he prepared his healing magic. He crouched over the hero and as his hands hovered above RictRex¡¯s broken form, a green aura enveloped the man. Bathing in a warm and otherworldly glow.

    Slowly RictRex started to move, his breathing evened out as the cuts on his face and body began to close. The scars that crisscrossed his body which were remnants of old battles and painful nights, smoothed away as if they had never existed. His body began to feel light, and he felt an absence of pain which he had forgotten. He opened his eyes to find himself surrounded by three strangers who were watching him with intent expressions.

    His eyes fell on Croxeus who was still channelling healing energy on him. Is this Magic? These people ¨Care they like me? Are they heroes who help the world from the shadows? Master told me about few of them, are they one of them?

    ¡°Thank you for healing me. I¡¯ve never felt this¡­ well,¡± he said, marvelling at his rejuvenated body. He hesitated, as though embarrassed and then asked, ¡°Are you people heroes like me?¡±

    ¡°You could say that¡± Ard replied.

    He now pleaded them with his expression hardened with purpose, ¡°I need your help. There¡¯s a cartel moving innocent people ¨C children somewhere nearby. I don¡¯t know the exact location, but I have a few leads. We have to hurry.¡±

    Ard, Tiya and Croxeus exchanged a look, each nodding in silent agreement. The universe¡¯s end wasn¡¯t an excuse to justify abandoning innocent lives.

    They then began their mission teleporting to each of RictRex¡¯s suspected locations in rapid succession. Abandoned warehouses, remote docks, even rundown coastal buildings ¨C they searched until finally, they arrived at a location that felt¡­ suspicious. A dark and grim warehouse surrounded by fog and lights barely flickering within. The faint sounds of movement coming from inside confirmed their suspicions.

    Croxeus looked to the others, formulating a quick plan. ¡°I¡¯ll go in first. I¡¯ll lure them out and give you all the time you need to get those people out safely. Just move in from behind and get everyone out. Once they¡¯re clear, I¡¯ll handle the rest.¡±

    With a final nod, Croxeus slipped through the front, drawing the cartel¡¯s attention with a loud clatter. They spotted him immediately, voices rising as they opened fire. Meanwhile, RictRex, Ard and Tiya slipped inside from the back. There they found a group of frightened captives huddled in the darkness, guarded by a handful of cartel members. RictRex knocked them out easily and as now captives were awake most of them were able to move out on their own while Tiya and Ard lead them out. RictRex stayed behind to make sure everyone moves out safely.

    As everyone escaped RictRex thought of lending Croxeus hand but when he reached there all the cartels were already unconscious and tied to a pole using metallic pipe all around them. The battle ground was full of bullet holes and remnants of explosives. Many of the cartel members were severely injure but Croxeus was unfazed.

    What the hell happened here. He looked at Croxeus, He did all of this?

    As all of the captives had escaped Ard and Tiya called the police. Within moments, police sirens pierced the night as officers arrived to secure the scene. RictRex watched as the last of the cartel members were apprehended and people were saved.

    Then he turned back to his unlikely rescuers and expressed his gratitude ¡°Thank you, I know this is late but what may I call you guys?¡±

    ¡°We are called The Super Guardians¡± said Croxeus making up a dumb name.

    ¡°How can I reach you again, If I need your help like this?¡± asked the hero.

    Without hesitation, Tiya handed him a small slip of paper with her number written on it.

    Later, as they walked away from the docks, Ard shot Tiya a questioning look. ¡°Why did you give him your number?¡± She shrugged with a small smile. ¡°With the universe ending soon and all, I figured I¡¯d cross off something on my to-do list. I want to try being a superhero ¨C just once.¡±

    Superheroes huh¡­ They used to be pretty popular in 21<sup>st</sup> Century but then people started to feel they were cringe, so their hype died out. Cringe or not it sure feels satisfying, thought Croxeus to himself feeling satisfied from today¡¯s adventure.

    When they teleported back to Tiya¡¯s apartment she made a suggestion that one of her coworker friend is a talented engineer so she would ask him to help her design their superhero suits. Ard cringed at the superhero idea, but he agreed as usual.

    From past few days she was the one, who was coming up with the plans and Ard and Croxeus were just following them. Croxeus had no objections on the other hand.

    Oddly enough, keeping Croxeus¡¯s godly nature a secret was a priority, but dressing up as superheroes and using powers was apparently just fine.

    The next week unfolded in a blur of missions with RictRex, their new ally. They saved people from different kind of dangers in shadows, careful to keep Croxeus¡¯s powers hidden from the public.

    Between missions RictRex bombarded them with questions. He even investigated about them from his master but even his master had no clue about them. They also had a new teammate, Ronny Roxxane who was the engineer friend of Tiya. He became their tech support, fixing their suits and acting as the man on the chair during their missions.

    Ronny was a young man with brown hair and an average build. He was known for his quirky inventions. He had a knack for creating unusual tech for unusual purposes. He did this in hopes of inventing something groundbreaking.

    Today, however, was different. It was the last day of the universe. The three of them decided to gather The Super Guardians and finally reveal the truth. When everyone assembled, a countdown appeared on Croxeus¡¯s interface:

    INTERFACE: DELETION OF SERVER STARTS IN 60 MINUTES

    As there is a weird counter on the interface and I still can¡¯t logout. I can confidently say that I am about to die over here along with these guys. At least last couple of days were fun and I didn¡¯t die of overwork instead. Ugghhh¡­ I wish I could talk to my brother for one last time.

    As Croxeus was lost in thoughts, rest of the ¡°Super Guardians¡± team was getting settled in. When everyone was settles in, Ard cleared his throat. ¡°Listen, everyone¡­ I know this is sudden, but we¡¯ve called you here to explain everything about Croxeus and his powers. I know you¡¯ve all had questions, and finally, you¡¯ll have answers to them. To put it simply, Croxeus is a¡ªGod.¡±

    Ronny scoffed. ¡°You didn¡¯t bring me here to joke, did you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m serious. I know it sounds impossible, but it¡¯s the truth. Croxeus really is a god, and¡­this universe is about to end.¡±

    Ard went on to explain everything¡ªtheir encounters, the situation with Croxeus, and the impending apocalypse. There was initial resistance especially from Ronny but as they looked into Croxeus¡¯s eyes and saw the earnestness in Ard and Tiya, the disbelief started to fade.

    After this Croxeus transformed into his real form to confirm what was said.

    Silence settled over the room. Ronny pulled out his phone to call his parents, just to hear their voices one last time. RictRex, who had distanced himself from his mother to become a hero, did the same. As for Tiya and Ard, Ard had no family and Tiya had cut ties with her family many years ago.

    After everyone was done, Ard turned to Croxeus with a suggestion. ¡°Can you teleport us to the top of a tall building? I¡­just want to see the world one last time.¡±

    Is he finally going to propose to Tiya? Croxeus wondered All this time, he¡¯s held those feelings inside, only to speak now, at the end. Soo Romantic, yet so painful.

    Eagerly, Croxeus transported them all to the roof of a towering building, far from any prying eyes.

    2 MINUTES LEFT

    I don¡¯t know what exactly will happen when we get deleted, but I want these 2 minutes to last as long as possible, so at least Ard has a good chance at his proposal. As he wondered this, he began to cast spells.

    [Eka-Plutonium Barrier] (This was a barrier which wasn¡¯t originally from Croxeus¡¯ powers. This was something Avin came up with on his own. This was supposed to be most powerful barrier. Capable of protecting from any radiation, explosion even the magic of highest order).

    [Time Delay]

    [Indestructible Shield]

    [Celestial Barrier]

    Suddenly, darkness crept over the horizon, consuming buildings as it moved toward them. Everything was slowly devoured by the encroaching void.

    Ard clenched his fists. ¡°So¡­this is it, huh? This is as far as we go.¡± A strange mixture of anger and sorrow crossed his face, a hatred burning for the gods who toyed with human lives.

    Ronny sighed, ¡°Looks like it. It was¡­good knowing you all.¡±

    RictRex shook his head. ¡°If only I¡¯d been strong enough to protect everyone¡­¡±

    As the darkness drew closer, Croxeus watched Ard. Why isn¡¯t he proposing? Is he¡­still nervous?

    Ard on the other hand stood silently, watching the world¡¯s impending end. A fierce resentment burnt inside him¡ªif only there were some way to make those devils pay for the suffering they¡¯d caused. To end this injustice, to stop them¡­if only there was a way.

    The barrier held the darkness back, slowing its advance for a few precious seconds. They each exchanged quiet smiles, tears glistening as their final moments arrived. Then, a blinding flash of light engulfed them.

    Everything went blank. But little did they knew this wasn¡¯t the ending, but only the beginning of their journey.

    ¡­

 CHAPTER 3: NEW WORLD

    Two armies were assembled for a standoff on a vast and barren plain under a dim morning sky. King Raaz of Meer had brought forth a massive army of 100,000 troops. They all were battle-ready veterans from his previous campaigns. In just five years, Raaz had subjugated two kingdoms and now his ambitions were set on the illustrious Ketu Empire. Raaz was a young ruler only in his late twenties but had many accomplishments under his belt.

    But as he surveyed the opposing force, he noted a glaring disparity. Only about 30,000 troops had assembled to defend Ketu and all of them had heavy armours and shield as if they were prepared for defensive approach only. To the Meer¡¯s soldier it looked like another easy win, but the actual situation was way different.

    For King Raaz, Ketu was the biggest obstacle in his path of conquest. His ambitions had led him to victory after victory, toppling kingdoms that had seemed immovable. But Ketu empire was a formidable foe, they had brought many empires to their knees. Their influence extended far beyond its borders bustling with trade routes that linked distant kingdoms and brought the empire vast riches. Their military strength was said to be the strongest of all. They withstood twenty attacks over the past fifteen years, emerging victorious every time.

    Ketu¡¯s forces were believed to be led by a living legend known as Yodh. Humans usually lived for seventy-five to eighty years but Yodh was said to be alive for over two centuries. He was the firstborn son of one of the Ketu¡¯s previous kings, King Kurlan. The origin of his extended life was still mystery¡ªsome speculated it was due to ancient magic while others believed he had made a pact with the gods themselves.

    His legend had grown over the decades, it was said no opposing army had ever won in the battlefield when Yodh stood as Ketu¡¯s defender. His strength was said to rival that of an entire legion. His mastery of the sword, mace and magic made him an unstoppable force. But there was more to this legend than his strength and skill.

    He carried a legacy that transcended bloodlines. His life had been one of sacrifice and unwavering loyalty, dating back to his youth when he had been set to inherit the crown.

    Yodh¡¯s mother died shortly after giving birth to him. His father, King Kurlan had groomed him with relentless devotion. Under his father¡¯s guidance Yodh not only honed his prowess in battle, but he also spent time with various scholars from different nations in order to become the prince deserving of the crown. But all of that changed with the arrival of a foreign princess in a royal visit from neighbouring kingdom.

    When she arrived in Ketu, her beauty and charm ensnared Kurlan¡¯s heart, He was so awestruck from her beauty and elegance that after spending few days with her he gave her father a marriage proposal. But both the king and the princess declined the proposal citing the inevitable succession issue. If she were to marry Kurlan, any children they bore would be deprived of the throne because of Yodh¡¯s rightful claim. Disheartened by rejection Kurlan grew distant and troubled.

    Seeing his father depressed was unbearable for Yodh, he had lot of love and respect for his father and was willing to do anything to help.

    When he found the reason for his father¡¯s sorrow, Yodh took matters into his own hands and approached the princess. There princess agreed to marry Kurlan only under two conditions. First, Instead of Yodh her children would be the ones to inherit the throne. The second was about his children, the princess was smart she knew that Yodh was already fifteen and even if he doesn¡¯t ascend to the throne his children might cause succession disputes for her children¡¯s children. So, in second condition she asked that his whole bloodline would lose the right to throne.

    He instead pledged three oaths. The first was to renounce his claim to the throne, forever surrendering his birthright. The second was that he would never marry or father children, eliminating any risk of future disputes over succession. The third vow was his promise to protect Ketu and its ruling bloodline for as long as he lived.

    The princess was awestruck by his loyalty and selflessness and accepted his proposal. She later became the Queen of Ketu and Yodh honoured his vows without faltering.

    Through wars, political turmoil, and countless threats Yodh remained the kingdom¡¯s stalwart protector. Decades passed, and then centuries, yet Yodh did not wither. He defended Ketu from invaders putting down insurrections and repelling foreign armies. That¡¯s how he became a living legend, the ¡®immortal guardian of the empire¡¯.

    Today in the cold light of dawn, King Raaz knew that the stories of Yodh were not mere legends. Raaz had heard the rumours that Yodh wielded the strength of 100,000 men and that no adversary who crossed swords with him had ever survived. Even after all of this king Raz decided to attack on the empire.

    Why was that? Why was he so desperate to attack the empire? Surely it wasn¡¯t a foolish reason like increasing his kingdom¡¯s influence or extend its boundaries. Having friendly a relationship with Ketu empire would¡¯ve been far more beneficial for them than making them enemies. The actual reason was far more foolish, to impress a woman.

    Lady Irgis the ruler of Bahleeka was the epitome of beauty and strength. She could captivate the hearts of men with a single glance, she was easily one of the most beautiful women in all of the history. Her youthful charm and stunning features were unparalleled, but it wasn¡¯t just her appearance that drew admirers. She was a warrior without equal, undefeated in both swordplay and magic in the entire kingdom of Bahleeka. Her legend echoed throughout the land and her mere presence was enough to spark dreams of grandeur in those who beheld her.

    When King Raaz first laid eyes on her, he was consumed by infatuation. Determined to claim her as his queen, he approached her with a proposal of marriage. But Lady Irgis was no ordinary woman. She had no interest in being wooed by titles or riches alone. Her conditions were clear and uncompromising: she would consider marriage only if Raaz could prove his worth in real war.

    His earlier victories against three smaller kingdoms had not been enough to impress her. Driven by desperation and blind to reason, he set his sights on the Ketu Empire. A victory against such a formidable foe would surely be proof enough of his prowess¡ªor so he thought.

    The king, his prime minister and his chief warrior along with the other nobles were having a discussion regarding the battle yet to come inside a tent close to the battlefield. All the nobles seemed rather arrogant and ignorant, each one of them was eager to prove their prowess in the battle in hopes of getting rewards for their contribution. One of them even said that he would behead the great Yodh. The prime minister and the chief warrior on the other hand knew the gravity of the situation.

    The prime minister was a man of caution and wisdom. He proposed a contingency plan: if the battle turned against them, they should retreat. He reminded the council of an incident from years prior when the empire''s previous king had attempted to misuse Yodh¡¯s power.

    The story was a cautionary tale. The former king, seeking to expand the empire¡¯s borders, had led an attack on a neighbouring kingdom, assuming that Yodh who was bound by duty to protect the king, would obliterate their enemies.

    But Yodh¡¯s loyalty was nuanced. His magic shielded the king from harm and killed only those who directly threatened him. Yodh refused to attack indiscriminately hence adhering strictly to his role as a protector not a conqueror.

    The enemy forces recognised this limitation and shifted their focus to decimating the empire''s army instead of targeting the king. The result was a humiliating retreat for the king and a stark reminder of Yodh¡¯s principles.

    Despite the prime minister¡¯s warnings, the nobles erupted into laughter. To them the suggestion of retreat was absurd. They were confident in their numerical advantage. Their army of 100,000 vastly outnumbered the empire¡¯s 30,000 troops. ¡°Even Yodh cannot overcome such odds,¡± one of them sneered, their arrogance blinding them to the lessons of the past.

    On the other side of the battlefield, a man of imposing stature stood atop a chariot pulled by two magnificent white horses. Towering at 6 feet 8 inches, he wore full silver armour that gleamed in the sunlight, its pristine surface marred only by the faint traces of battles past. His physique was monumental¡ªbroad-shouldered and muscular. His fists were so large they could crush the heads of most men. He had an aura of a person who had seen countless battles and killed numerous people. Right now, he was staring at the battlefield as if he was lost in thought.

    A rider approached him on horseback, armoured and ready for battle. The man addressed him, ¡°Commander, are you ready for the war?¡±

    ¡°Mogh, is a man ever ready to commit the atrocities the war Gods require for their worship?¡± said Yodh calmly, his voice carrying the depth of a man burdened by purpose. ¡°To murder the sons, husbands and brothers of thousands of families¡­.no, a man can never be ready.¡±

    ¡°I should give them a chance to backdown at least¡± said Yodh while removing all his armours and weapons from his chariot. ¡°Mogh hoist a white flag on the chariot, I will try talking to their king.¡±

    Meanwhile within the opposing camp, the nobles and commanders gathered in the tent were engrossed in discussion. A soldier rushed in, his voice breaking through their chatter. ¡°A chariot approaches from the other side of the battlefield¡ªit bears a white flag!¡±

    The room erupted with laughter. ¡°What¡¯s this? They¡¯re surrendering already?¡± one noble mocked, his voice dripping with arrogance. Others joined in as well. ¡°Bet that Yodh is probably shivering from fear.¡±

    As King Raaz, his chief warrior and the prime minister stepped out with the rest of the nobles, the sight that greeted them silenced any laughter. Approaching them was a chariot drawn by two white horses with a white flag fluttering on top of it. Standing unarmed upon the chariot was a man who looked not a day over 40. He had short black hairs and was so huge that he blocked everything behind him.

    The chief warrior instinctively stepped in front of the king, ready to shield him from any threat. But King Raaz raised a hand to signal his guard to stand down. ¡°Be at ease,¡± the king said. His gaze was fixed on the approaching figure.

    He looks like the Yodh from the description, thought Raaz.

    Yodh was not known for deceitful tactics. Raaz knew he had come in good faith. But the king couldn¡¯t help but wonder¡ªwhy was Yodh here under a flag of truce?

    When the chariot reached the distance Yodh stepped out from it and greeted the king. ¡°Greetings King Raaz I am son of Kurlan, Yodh.¡±

    ¡°Greetings warrior Yodh¡± said the king ¡°What is the purpose of your visit?¡±

    ¡°I have come to warn you,¡± Yodh began, his voice steady but firm. ¡°You now stand on the boundary of the Ketu Empire. To advance further will invite severe consequences.¡±

    ¡°I am well aware of that warrior Yodh, in fact I am here to declare war on the empire, I thought this much was clear.¡±

    ¡°I know king Raaz. My purpose here is not to debate your decision but to offer you a final chance. No one has ever penetrated the Ketu Empire¡¯s territory. If you turn back now, the empire will forgive your actions and forget this transgression.¡± He said with a firm voice.

    ¡°I am well aware of what I am doing warrior Yodh, and I am only attacking because I am assured of our victory. Your warning, though noble, is unnecessary.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡± then after a short pause he said, ¡°Then I have another proposition for you King Raaz.¡± He began chanting an incantation, and before long and colossal gada (mace) materialized in his hand. The mace was golden in colour and glowing faintly with divine energy. He rested the mace on his shoulder this made the surrounding soldiers tensed. Their hands were instinctively tightening on their weapons.

    Yodh moved deliberately, placing the gada onto the ground. The moment its head touched the earth, the surrounding area trembled faintly as if something immeasurably heavy had been set down. The top of the mace sank slightly into the soil and a palpable sense of gravity seemed to emanate from it.

    ¡°If any of the soldiers here can lift this mace, I will concede defeat,¡± Yodh declared, his voice carrying over the field. ¡°Not only that, but I will also withdraw my army and grant you five meel of land from the empire.¡±

    This offer intrigued King Raaz deeply. The prospect of Yodh admitting defeat and ceding imperial land was unprecedented, a potential triumph that could elevate his name into legend. Without hesitation, he ordered his ten best elite soldiers to step forward and attempt to lift the mace.

    The soldiers surrounded the mace and together they grasped its hilt and pulled with all their might. They gritted their teeth, veins bulging in their arms, but the weapon remained unmoved. Its massive head seemed to be fused with the ground itself. Minutes passed as the soldiers strained and all their efforts were fruitless.

    Seeing this, the chief warrior, along with several more soldiers joined the attempt. Even with combined strength, the mace did not budge. Few murmuring started to spread across the ranks especially among the nobles.

    King Raaz turned to his prime minister who was a renowned magic prodigy. The minister had mastered all basic two tiers of magic by the age of eight and the king trusted his judgment. ¡°Prime Minister, what kind of magic is he using to anchor the mace?¡±

    The prime minister inspected the weapon carefully, his eyes narrowing as he studied it. Finally, he spoke. ¡°Your Majesty¡­ no magic is being used here.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± the king exclaimed with disbelief in his voice.

    ¡°It¡¯s just¡­It¡¯s just that heavy,¡± the prime minister replied. ¡°Perhaps as heavy as a mountain. I can¡¯t even begin to estimate its true weight.¡±

    The king¡¯s initial intrigue was now tinged with unease. He turned back to Yodh. ¡°Is magic permitted in this challenge?¡±

    Yodh nodded calmly. ¡°Any means are allowed, so long as the mace is lifted.¡±

    Determined not to let this opportunity slip away, King Raaz ordered the prime minister to assist with magic. The minister instantly began casting powerful spells to amplify the soldiers¡¯ strength and reduce the weapon¡¯s weight. He pushed himself to his limits¡ªhis nose and ears began to bleed from the strain¡ªbut even with 50 elite soldiers aiding him, the mace didn¡¯t shift.

    When all were exhausted, Yodh stepped forward. His movements were casual as if he were lifting a piece of paper. Gripping the mace with one hand, he effortlessly hoisted it onto his shoulder. The soldiers and nobles could only watch in stunned silence.

    Yodh turned to King Raaz, ¡°Now, do you see the vast difference in our strength? Your attempt to challenge the empire is futile. My first offer still stands¡ªturn back, and we will forget this ever happened.¡±

    Though shaken, King Raaz¡¯s pride and determination refused to yield. ¡°Lifting a heavy mace and fighting a war are two different things, warrior Yodh. We are here to win and will settle for nothing less.¡±

    The king obviously now knew the strength of the mighty warrior Yodh, but he refused to back down and said ¡°Lifting a heavy mace and fighting a war are two different things warrior Yodh. We are here to win and won¡¯t settle for anything else.¡±

    The king was right, no matter how mighty and powerful a warrior is, a war is a war. Battlefield is a place where even the mightiest have fallen either from carelessness or from good tactics. A war is a place where even a foot soldier can kill the strongest of the opposition. Even though this time the instincts of the king were shouting to retreat instantly.

    Yodh¡¯s expression shifted, a flicker of disappointment passing through his eyes. ¡°So be it, King Raaz,¡± he said softly. With a wave of his hand, the summoned gada vanished back into his armoury.

    As he reached the other side, he said to Mogh to prepare for the battle. The soldiers moved swiftly, forming a defensive phalanx with shields and spears anchored firmly into the ground. Behind them, archers readied their bows and mounted warriors stood poised to charge.

    After an hour, Yodh stood still in the middle of the battlefield with his towering figure calm and resolute amidst the chaos. With hands clasped in prayer, he murmured solemnly, "Forgive me, God, for the lives I am about to take. May their souls find salvation."

    The air was thick with tension as the kingdom¡¯s battle horn echoed across the field. Yodh¡¯s eyes opened and his deep commanding voice began an incantation. "Oh, extraordinary fire with your radiant glaze and glorious heat, I summon you from the power of my prayer¡ªburn them with Fire Wall."

    In an instant, a massive wall of flames erupted before him which stretched across the battlefield. The fire crackled with an almost otherworldly intensity, creating an impenetrable barrier of heat and light. With the aid of sound magic Yodh''s voice boomed across the field, heard clearly by every soul, "DEATH LIES BEYOND THIS LINE. IF YOU WISH TO DIE, THEN COME AT ME."

    The chief warrior of King Raaz¡¯s army, undeterred by this warning commanded the first wave of 10,000 soldiers to advance.

    War cries erupted as the troops charged forward. They strengthened themselves with magic and mages behind them casted spells to quell the flames. Few moments after crossing the line their war cries faded, swallowed by an ominous silence as they disappeared beyond the fiery line. No one could see what had occurred, but the absence of movement told all they needed to know: the first wave was no more.

    Undaunted, the chief ordered the second, third and fourth waves to attack. Each wave charged forward, only to meet the same fate.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

    The battlefield quaked as enormous boulders rained down from the heavens, crushing soldiers and carving massive fractures into the earth. Those who managed to cross the wall of fire found themselves face-to-face with Yodh, wielding two immense maces that he swung with devastating precision.

    The few who survived his onslaught were swiftly dispatched by the disciplined imperial soldiers stationed behind him.

    In mere minutes, the battlefield was littered with the corpses of 40,000 soldiers¡ªmen seasoned in war, masters of magic and skilled fighters, all reduced to silence and stillness.

    King Raaz who was watching this from afar felt his blood run cold. He had known Yodh to be formidable, but this... this is a massacre, a slaughtering on an unimaginable scale. As each wave was commanded forward, the weight of their inevitable deaths bore heavily on the chief warrior¡¯s shoulders. When the fifth wave met the same fate, the line of fire suddenly vanished. The thing that was revealed now shocked even the most gruesome warriors: mountains of corpses piled high; the dead sprawled in every direction. In the middle of it all stood Yodh, blood-soaked and unyielding, his eyes burning with a fearsome resolve.

    It was clear he had removed the fire as an act of mercy, offering one final chance to retreat.

    The battlefield fell into an eerie silence. King Raaz, his mind reeling from the sheer devastation, finally broke, shouting, "RETREAT! EVERYONE, RETREAT!"

    The order sparked a frantic exodus. Soldiers abandoned their positions, fleeing in every direction. Those on horseback galloped at full speed while the foot soldiers sprinted desperately away from the battlefield.

    Amidst the retreat, Yodh remained standing drenched in blood. His face had an expression of sorrow. He clasped his hands once more, whispering a prayer for the lives he had claimed.

    ¡­¡­¡­.

    Far away within the imperial palace, Emperor Shyok of the Ketu Empire observed the battle through a magic mirror. His younger brother Mayu, stood beside him with an expression of mild disdain.

    ¡°I told you sending 30,000 soldiers was overkill. Last time when we sent those 50,000 troops the supplies and food wasted on them impacted our budget. Not to mention few who fell ill and died from injury to assemble the artillery.¡± Mayu remarked dryly. ¡°Ten, maybe twenty thousand would¡¯ve sufficed.¡±

    Shyok replied calmly, ¡°It¡¯s not about how many soldiers are necessary, Mayu. It¡¯s about showing that, beyond Yodh, our army is a force to be reckoned with. Also it gives our soldiers a little practice for future.¡±

    Mayu shook his head, gesturing toward the mirror. ¡°With Yodh around, I doubt we¡¯ll ever need an army. I can¡¯t imagine anyone defeating him.¡±

    Shyok nodded slightly, his tone reflective. ¡°Neither can I. If there¡¯s someone out there stronger than Yodh, even our entire army would be powerless against them.¡±

    Mayu hesitated, his voice lowering. ¡°I heard from the old man once¡­ there was someone who came close.¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Shyok acknowledged, a flicker of unease crossing his face. ¡°But that was forty years ago. If he hasn¡¯t been seen since, he is likely dead.¡±

    Mayu sighed, his expression pensive. ¡°I just hope there aren¡¯t others like him.¡±

    <ul>

    <li> </li>

    </ul>

    In a picturesque valley within the dark forest where wildflowers bloomed in vibrant waves and the breeze carried a hint of ancient magic, a battle of epic proportions was unfolding.

    There stood a young man clad in midnight-black armour who was getting ready to attack his target. He gripped a massive, enchanted axe whose blade was glinting ominously with magical enchantment. The air around him was charged with energy as he swung around his axe at his opponent tirelessly.

    His target was none other than Croxeus, the Ancient Archmage¡ªa legends known throughout the Meleroma kingdom. He was said to wield powers vast enough to shape reality itself.

    The young man exhaled, bracing himself he decided it was time to end the fight with his most powerful technique, one he was certain would secure his victory. Calling upon the magical forces he shouted, ¡°[Disintegration Beam]!¡± Instantly the skies responded to his command, parting as a blinding beam of pure and golden light descended from above. The ground started trembling and an intense flash engulfed the area, vaporizing everything in its path. Rocks disintegrated, flowers turned to ash, and even the very earth seemed to tremble and recoil beneath the power of the spell.

    As the dust settled and silence fell, the young man smirked who was certain of his triumph. He raised his axe in victory, laughing loudly into the empty air. ¡°I came here merely to gather blue rose herbs for the king,¡± he sneered, his voice dripping with overconfidence, ¡°and yet, it seems I¡¯m strong enough to defeat a legendary Ancient Archmage as a side task! HA Ha HA! Surely there is no one in the kingdom who can rival me.¡±

    But then, just as his laughter echoed through the valley, a low and calm voice rumbled from beneath the rubble. ¡°Cut me some slack, young man,¡± Croxeus¡¯ voice was steady, almost like he was amused.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been alive for thousands of years son, I don¡¯t exactly warm up quickly. In fact, most of the battles I fight last years, not minutes. And this little show?¡±

    The rubble began to shift, and the stones and dirt started crumbling away as a figure began to rise from the wreckage. ¡°It¡¯s only been twenty minutes.¡±

    Croxeus now stood tall, brushing off the last bits of debris from his robes. His eyes were gleaming with a mix of amusement and indifference. The young warrior¡¯s confidence flickered as he took a step back and his fingers started tightening around the axe. Croxeus rotated his shoulders, stretched his neck and flexed his fingers with an audible crack. ¡°Let¡¯s see how long you can last¡± (That¡¯s what she said).

    After what seemed like an eternity, the young warrior was finally exhausted. His exhaustion etched into every movement. He tried to finish it with one final blow but after successfully hitting his opponent with every energy he had, his axe dropped from his hands. His armour was dented and scorched, and he fell to his knees gasping for breath.

    Croxeus shook his head, visibly disappointed, let out a heavy sigh. ¡°Guess he was all talk,¡± he muttered with mild disdain. ¡°Couldn¡¯t even last two hours.¡± (that¡¯s also what she said). He glanced down at him with disappointment. ¡°I can¡¯t even call this a battle¡ªmore like a warm-up¡­ or, rather, a waste of time.¡± ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..

    ¡­¡­ . . . .

    Croxeus¡¯ eyes slowly fluttered open, revealing a bright and cloudless sky stretching endlessly above him. A groggy sigh escaped his lips as he shifted on the coarse desert like ground. ¡°Ahhhhh¡­ was that a dream?¡± he murmured, his voice tinged with exhaustion.

    The last remnants of the catastrophic event that had consumed their reality still lingered in his mind. He stood up and started surveying his surroundings. The sand stretched infinitely in every direction and the faint mirage of heat rippled in the distance. ¡°Now that I think about it... I suppose we died. Is this the afterlife? Why do I still look like my avatar?¡±

    His gaze fell on his unconscious companions who were lying still but seemingly unharmed. The memories of their final moments came rushing back¡ªhis desperate attempt to shield them with barrier magic as the deletion wave erased their world.

    The last thing I remember is¡­ everything getting deleted, he wondered. I tried to stop it, that failed, and then¡­ we were deleted too, right? So, where the heck are we? Did the guys outside notice something?

    Or... was the data reused and somehow, we ended up in another simulation?

    Pushing his questions aside, Croxeus tried to use his interface panel, but he didn¡¯t get any response. Interface panel isn¡¯t working at all, what about... [Fly] he used his flight magic and ascended into the air. ¡°At least my magic is still functioning,¡± he mused.

    As he ascended higher, he began scanning the endless desert from above. The rush of magic coursing through him felt oddly reassuring. the monotonous sands eventually gave way to a small cluster of structures¡ªa village? Curiosity stirred within him.

    He used [Unseen] to hide his presence. Carefully, he approached the settlement, observing its inhabitants closely. He spotted a group of children playing joyously in the dusty streets. One of them extended a hand and created a shimmering water bubble out of nothing.

    Croxeus¡¯ eyes narrowed, is he using magic? Moving his gaze to the adults, he saw similar magical feats¡ªone levitated a crate of supplies with ease, while another used flames to ignite a cooking fire.

    This... doesn¡¯t make sense Croxeus thought, perplexed. A new simulation where APCs can use magic? Why would they ever create something like this? Maybe this place... He hesitated. Maybe it¡¯s not a simulation at all. Could this be another server? Are these people humans using VR? No that can¡¯t be why would they cosplay as villagers doing dirty work.

    Another world? No... I¡¯m just overthinking things. Taking a steadying breath, he resolved to regroup with his comrades and assess the situation calmly.

    Returning to where his friends lay unconscious, Croxeus knelt beside Ard, whose face reminded him painfully of his brother. I wonder what he¡¯s doing now¡­ I wish I could see him again.

    He sighed and glanced at the others. They were alive, at least. As he turned to other direction, he began summarising. The Interface panel is not working. Without the panel I can¡¯t get any more information. And it seems like we¡¯re transported to some kind of new simulation... or perhaps another world? Even as he said those words, it felt surreal. Another world¡­ Is that even possible?

    As he was lost in thought Ard woke up, his groggy voice breaking the silence. ¡°What happened, Lord Croxeus?¡± His words carried a mixture of reverence and confusion. The others soon began to rouse, their disoriented faces scanning the desolate surroundings. Croxeus turned, towards them, maintaining an air of authority. ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure about it at first,¡± he lied, ¡°but it seems I was able to transport us all to another universe.¡± He kept his tone measured, confident¡ªanything to quell the chaos swirling in his own mind.

    Croxeus looked little pale and exhausted, noticing this Ard¡¯s expression softened and he nodded. ¡°I understand, my lord.¡±

    Croxeus exhaled internally, relieved that no one pressed him further. I just hope they don¡¯t ask me anything else. I can¡¯t explain what I don¡¯t know myself.

    Croxeus watched their expressions with a heavy heart as all of them wore faces of quiet despair. The weight of what they had witnessed hung heavy in the air. They had watched their universe crumble, their entire reality extinguished.

    The hope that Croxeus might have saved their world flickered briefly in their minds, but the truth was undeniable now: this wasn¡¯t their home. It was entirely a different world.

    The weight of their loss¡ªtheir world, their people¡ªwas etched into their every movement. It gnawed at him. He couldn¡¯t undo the past, but he could try to lift their spirits, even if only for a moment. An idea struck him. With a flick of his hand, he conjured an entire castle [Spire of Crimson Shadows].

    Suddenly, towering from the endless sand, a massive structure erupted into existence¡ªa castle so breathtaking it seemed otherworldly. This was no ordinary fortress; it was the castle once conjured by Croxues¡¯ mother the Demoness Queen. Croxeus had ¡®stolen¡¯ this castle from his mother in the stories written by his brother, a piece of their shared creativity now brought to life.

    Avin had poured countless hours into designing every intricate detail of this version¡ªa tribute to his brother and a testament to his own creativity.

    The castle was a masterpiece. Its dark crimson and black walls shimmered like polished obsidian, glinting like jewels under the desert sun. Golden accents wove through its design, adding an air of royalty. Its sharp spires and jagged turrets pierced the sky, their edges glinting with a menacing beauty. Though it was compact in area, the castle¡¯s majesty rivalled palaces from legends.

    Croxeus stood back, admiring his work with the satisfaction of a proud artist. The rest of them also turned to behold the towering castle, their expressions shifting slightly from sorrow to muted awe. But the spark was brief, their grief too fresh to fully appreciate its grandeur. Croxeus¡¯ shoulders sagged slightly as he sensed their lingering despair. He was no less burdened by their shared loss, but he had resolved to press forward. There was nothing he could do to prevent any of that.

    He turned to them and said with calm but firm voice, ¡°I think it¡¯s better to rest today before we see what this world has to offer. I¡¯ve used a significant amount of magical energy reaching here, so I¡¯d like to rest as well.¡±

    It was a lie, of course¡ªhis reserves were hardly depleted¡ªbut his concern was for them. They needed a safe place to recover, and perhaps the castle¡¯s comfort could provide that.

    Before leading them inside, Croxeus casted two protective spells over the area: [Eka-Plutonium Barrier] and [Invisible Barrier]. The air shimmered faintly as the layers of magic settled into place, ensuring their safety and concealment.

    As they approached the grand doors, they swung open on their own. The interior of the castle was as magnificent as the castle¡¯s exterior. The hall was vast, lined with gleaming black marble that reflected the golden light of ornate lamps. Velvet drapes of deep crimson adorned the walls, their rich folds giving the space a luxurious warmth.

    Overhead, a chandelier crafted from countless golden crystals hung from the ceiling, its light casting a soft glow that adjusted subtly with the time of day. It was an enchantment Croxeus had painstakingly designed¡ªbrighter during the day, softer and more soothing at night, surpassing even modern LED technology.

    When they all stepped inside, their footsteps echoed in the vast and silent space. Despite their fatigue and sorrow, the sheer splendour of the castle couldn¡¯t be ignored. Croxeus watched them to see their reactions. ¡°Pick any room you like,¡± he said, gesturing to the grand staircase that branched off to corridors leading deeper into the castle.

    The atmosphere remained subdued, but Croxeus knew this was a start. They need time, safety, and perhaps a hint of beauty to rekindle their hope, he thought. As the doors closed behind them, he silently vowed to protect them like his own family.

    As the castle settled into an uneasy quiet, everyone went to their rooms to process everything that had transpired.

    A few minutes later, Tiya hesitated outside Ard¡¯s room before entering. When she came Inside, she found him pacing furiously. His face was a tempest of anguish and rage. She stepped closer, concern written all over her expression.

    ¡°Are you alright, Ard?¡± she asked softly.

    He stopped and took a deep breath before answering. ¡°No, I¡¯m not¡±, his voice tight with suppressed emotion. He looked away, his fists clenched. ¡°I thought that was the end. I didn¡¯t expect¡­ this. I don¡¯t even know what to think.¡±

    Tiya nodded, ¡°I understand. None of us were prepared for this, but maybe fate¡ªor rather, Lord Croxeus¡ªhas given us another chance. We can¡¯t waste it.¡±

    Ard¡¯s gaze snapped to hers, and a flicker of resolve sparked in his eyes. ¡°You¡¯re right. He has given us another chance, and I won¡¯t let it slip away.¡±

    Tiya tried to offer reassurance. ¡°He even spent most of his magical energy bringing us here. Without his real body, he must have weakened so much¡­¡±

    But her words seemed to fuel Ard¡¯s fury instead of calming him. His jaw tightened and he spoke through gritted teeth. ¡°Those fiends. Those devils.¡± He slammed his fist into the wall. ¡°I¡¯ll kill them all.¡±

    Tiya flinched but quickly recovered. ¡°You just said we¡¯ve been given another chance. Why let your life be consumed by vengeance?¡±

    Tiya knew Ard more than anyone. She knew he wouldn¡¯t let anyone off the hook for wronging him. He would go to any lengths to make sure they face consequences. That is what worried her.

    ¡°Vengeance?¡± Ard¡¯s voice rose in incredulous. He turned to face her fully, his eyes blazing with intensity.

    ¡°Tiya, you don¡¯t understand. Do you know what¡¯s been taken from us? Everything. Everything we ever built, worked for, or achieved¡ªwiped out in seconds. Gone. Erased, like it never existed. And you want me to just move on? To forget? Start over? Only for it to happen again someday, whether in a hundred years or a thousand?¡±

    He stepped closer, his voice shaking with both anger and pain. ¡°What about those billions of people who died? Erased completely from existence. Who¡¯s going to bring justice to them? Who¡¯s going to make those monsters pay?¡±

    Tiya¡¯s voice was quiet but firm. ¡°You never cared about people, Ard.¡±

    He shot her a sharp look. ¡°Just because my sense of morality is grounded in judgment not emotion, doesn¡¯t mean I don¡¯t care. Don¡¯t mistake my pragmatism for apathy Tiya¡±

    ¡°But what you¡¯re planning¡ªwhat you¡¯re dreaming of doing¡ªis impossible,¡± she argued. ¡°You can¡¯t even reach them, let alone defeat them.¡±

    Ard¡¯s voice grew louder, filled with unrelenting determination. ¡°This goal might seem unachievable, but it¡¯s the only one that makes sense. The only one that matters. Even if I¡¯m facing 48 impossible enemies, I have a god behind me¡ªa real one.¡±

    ¡°A god whose real body is destroyed,¡± Tiya countered. ¡°A god who is magically depleted right now. Ard, we¡¯re powerless.¡±

    ¡°No.¡± His voice was like steel. ¡°We¡¯re not. We can and we will, one day. For even the Gods are bound to slip. Just like they made the mistake of leaving Lord Croxeus alive, they¡¯ll make others. And when they do, we¡¯ll be ready. We¡¯ll capitalize on them.¡±

    ¡°Ard¡­¡± Tiya tried again, her voice wavering. ¡°Please. What you¡¯re thinking is¡ª¡±

    ¡°Where is your rage?¡± Ard¡¯s shout cut through her words. ¡°Billions died, Tiya. BILLIONS. And you act like nothing happened! I refuse to stand by and let history repeat itself. If no one else will act, then I will. I¡¯ll do whatever it takes, because if I don¡¯t, no one will.¡±

    Tiya¡¯s words faltered as Ard stormed past her, leaving the room without a backward glance. She knew his rage came from a place of pain and loss, but she also knew that such unbridled fury could destroy him.

    In the dimly lit living room of the castle, RictRex and Ronny sat together. Their expressions were a mix of exhaustion and contemplation. As Ard joined them, the atmosphere heavy with unspoken emotions. RictRex sat silently and observed everything.

    ¡°My family¡­¡± Ronny began, his voice subdued. ¡°They were really annoying, you know? Always texting and calling me, more than five times a day, just to check on me. I used to ignore them because I was so immersed in my work¡ªcreating tools, working on projects. I was obsessed with achieving something, with leaving a mark. So, I pushed them away.¡± He sighed, his shoulders slumping. ¡°If only I¡¯d spent more time with them. I kept thinking, ¡®I¡¯ll have plenty of time after I¡¯ve accomplished something.¡¯ Guess I was wrong.¡±

    Ard frowned, his voice low with regret. ¡°If only I had told you about the fate of the world sooner¡­¡±

    Ronny shook his head, interrupting. ¡°No, Ard, it¡¯s not your fault. I was the one who pushed them away. A week or two of effort wouldn¡¯t have fixed what I¡¯d broken. I was selfish, stupid¡­ and now, it¡¯s too late. Sorry for being so pathetic goys. I know¡­ I¡¯m not the only one who¡¯s lost everything.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Ronny,¡± RictRex said softly, breaking his silence. ¡°We¡¯re all having these thoughts. We just don¡¯t know how to express them.¡±

    Ronny let out a bitter chuckle. ¡°I just don¡¯t even know why I¡¯m alive anymore.¡±

    Ard¡¯s tone turned resolute. ¡°There¡¯s only one thing we have to do. We¡¯ve been given this chance to prevent something like this from ever happening again.¡±

    ¡°But can we really do that?¡± Ronny asked, doubt creeping into his voice. ¡°Those are gods. We don¡¯t stand a chance against them.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not about whether we can or can¡¯t,¡± Ard replied, his gaze steady. ¡°We have to. I¡¯ve made my decision. What about you? Can I count on you two?¡±

    Ronny hesitated but then nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll try to do everything I can.¡±

    ¡°Me too,¡± said RictRex. He sensed some change in Ard as he was quietly observing both of them

    As their conversation unfolded, Croxeus entered the room. His presence seemed to fill the space, and all three of them turned to look at him.

    ¡°I see you¡¯ve all gathered here,¡± he said.

    The moment Ard heard Croxeus¡¯ voice, he dropped to his knees, bowing his head to the floor. Croxeus blinked in surprise, unaccustomed to this display of reverence.

    While this is the proper way to address a god but when Croxeus and others spent few days together especially the last week, Ard became a little casual in front of him. Seeing Ard¡¯s renewed faith, Ronny and RictRex kneeled as well with their heads bowed low.

    Until now they had treated Croxeus like another fellow hero, but now that they knew his real identity, they couldn¡¯t continue to treat him with same familiarity. With no experience in protocol for interacting with gods, they chose to mimic Ard¡¯s behaviour.

    ¡°Y-yes, I think that¡¯s enough,¡± Croxeus stammered, visibly uncomfortable.

    Ronny and RictRex lifted their heads, but Ard remained in his position, speaking with deep conviction. ¡°My lord, I know you are humble, but you are a god, and I am merely a human.¡±

    Croxeus said gently, ¡°But it¡¯s okay. You can lift your head now.¡±

    Ard¡¯s voice grew more determined. ¡°It¡¯s not just reverence, my lord. I have a request to make of you.¡±

    Croxeus tilted his head. ¡°Of course. Is there something you need? Perhaps food? The cafeteria down there provides any kind of food made with magic. You just need to think about it, and it will be made.¡±

    ¡°No, my lord,¡± Ard said firmly. ¡°It¡¯s something far greater. I want to stop those 48 gods.¡±

    You could only stop them if they existed in the first place¡­.

    His whole world was wiped out of course he is going to be angry, but I should stop him before he figures out that I am actually lying about everything, he thought grimly. But aloud, he said, ¡°I don¡¯t believe it¡¯s possible, Ard. You know their power. They are gods, far beyond your reach.¡±

    ¡°I know, my lord,¡± Ard admitted. ¡°But still, I want to try.¡±

    Croxeus sighed internally, searching for a way to redirect him. ¡°How do you plan to do it, Ard? You¡¯re in an unfamiliar world with no knowledge of it. Even survival here will be a challenge. And yet, you plan to take on the creators of this world? I would surely help you in anything you want but how do you plan to match their strength?¡±

    Ard¡¯s eyes lit up with renewed determination. ¡°I see my lord. You want me to prove my strength first, to show that I am capable.¡±

    I think this better for now, at least he won¡¯t nag me more questions about those fake Gods. I better come up with good stories and excuses in the meantime, ¡°Precisely.¡±

    Ard¡¯s resolve hardened. ¡°I¡¯ll do whatever it takes to prove myself, my lord.¡±

    Whether it¡¯s conquering this world, creating an intergalactic empire, or anything else, I¡¯ll go to any lengths to show I am capable of destroying them, he thought.

    Croxeus felt a pang of unease at Ard¡¯s fanaticism but nodded. ¡°Very well. But be cautious. This world is dangerous, and we know little about it.¡±

    Ard asked, ¡°My lord, is this world created by you?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Croxeus said truthfully. ¡°Even I know very little about it.¡±

    ¡°In that case, allow me to gather information about this world,¡± Ard requested. ¡°It would be my honour.¡±

    ¡°Yes, of course. Just be careful,¡± Croxeus said. This place looks a little dangerous should I give him some gear from my inventory.

    ¡°And please my lord I want to do this on my own, I have to prove that I am capable.¡±

    Then, considering Ard¡¯s determination, he added, ¡°[Tongue of Gods]. This spell will allow you all to understand any language here. Just a small gift.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, my lord,¡± Ard said, his voice full of reverence. ¡°We are forever grateful to you¡ªfor saving our lives and giving us a new one.¡±

 CHAPTER 4: THE VILLAGE AND THE HERO

    It was an average night for Kevin Fermi who was in the final term of his middle school. As usual he was nestled in bed while clutching his favourite superhero comic book. For Kevin, superheroes were more than just fictional characters¡ªthey were a bridge between childhood wonder and the ideals of courage, justice and hope.

    Kevin¡¯s favourite superhero was Alphonso Man, a character whose struggles defined him. Alphonso wasn¡¯t just a powerful hero, he was a symbol of resilience. Despite enduring numerous personal challenge, he faced every adversity with an unwavering smile. Even the superpowers he got by accident came at a huge cost, but he decided to move forward. He never used his powers for selfish reasons and dedicated himself entirely to helping others. His motto was ¡®Power yields purpose and ability inspires action¡¯.

    Kevin admired him so much so that a poster of Alphonso Man hung on his bedroom wall, serving as a daily source of inspiration.

    Today, Kevin could barely contain his excitement. The newest issue of Alphonso Man had just been released and after waiting all day to read it, his anticipation was at its peak. But a mountain of homework had delayed his plans until now.

    With the comic in his hands, he began shuffling the pages but then he heard faint footsteps. As he heard the soft creak of footsteps coming up the stairs, Kevin hastily hid the comic under his blanket, switched off his light and feigned sleep.

    When his mother entered his room, her eyes fell on Kevin¡¯s ¡®sleeping¡¯ form, as his fluttering eyelids betrayed his act. A knowing smile spread across her face, touched by the playful innocence of his deception.

    This innocent facade filled her with maternal affection but¡ªno she had to be strict. She couldn¡¯t let him stay up late¡ªnot when there was school the next morning. Deciding to play along, she closed the door and pretended to head back downstairs.

    The moment the footsteps faded, Kevin couldn¡¯t resist any longer. He pulled the comic out from under the blanket, turned on his bedside lamp and prepared to dive in. But just as he flipped open the first page, the door swung open again. His mother now stood in front of him.

    Her face was stern, though her eyes held a glimmer of affection which she worked hard to conceal. ¡°Kevin, what do you think you¡¯re doing? It¡¯s already past your bedtime. You have school tomorrow!¡±

    Caught red-handed, Kevin tried to plead his case. ¡°Mom, it¡¯s just one comic. I promise it won¡¯t take long!¡±

    His mother shook her head firmly. ¡°This comic isn¡¯t going anywhere. You can read it tomorrow. Now, hand it over.¡±

    Kevin considered protesting but he held his mother in the highest respect. Ever since his father¡¯s passing, she had taken care of everything, ensuring that Kevin never felt the weight of their loss. Her sacrifices and unwavering love had taught him the importance of gratitude. With a reluctant sigh, he handed her the comic.

    ¡°Good boy,¡± she said softly, taking the comic and turning off the light. ¡°Goodnight, Kevin.¡±

    ¡°Goodnight Mom.¡±

    As she left the room, Kevin snuggled into bed. He couldn¡¯t help but feel a twinge of disappointment, but it was outweighed by the deep appreciation he felt for his mom. After all, Alphonso Man himself would have done the same¡ªput others first even when it meant setting aside his own desires¡­

    As Kevin Fermi slept, muffled noises from downstairs stirred him awake. Half-conscious, he glanced at the clock illuminated faintly by the moonlight streaming through his window¡ªit was 2:00 a.m. "Why would Mom be awake this late?" he wondered, trying to ignore the sounds and go back to sleep. But when the noises persisted, curiosity and unease got the better of him.

    He slipped out of bed and opened his door quietly. It was then he heard two unfamiliar male voices.

    "You sure no one else lives in this house?"

    "Yes, just the lady and her son. He''s probably sleeping in his room now. She takes him to school at 7 a.m."

    Peeking from the staircase, Kevin caught a glimpse of the men. The way they wore their masks and carried themselves screamed ¡®textbook robbers.¡¯

    Just like people from different professions bring professionalism in their work, some robbers take their jobs seriously too. Their activities involve stalking and surveying the target¡¯s house and figuring out the necessary information as much as they can. These guys had also done their homework.

    "Then deal with the kid, too. What if he wakes up?" one of them said, his voice cold and calculated.

    Kevin froze. Panic set in as he realized they are coming for him. Nervously, he stepped back, accidentally pushing the door behind him, causing it to shut with a loud bang.

    "Oh, shit!" one of the robbers cursed. In an instant, he bolted up the stairs and grabbed Kevin before he could react. A gloved hand clamped over Kevin¡¯s mouth, silencing any chance of a scream. The man hauled him downstairs while the child''s muffled protests growing weaker as terror took hold.

    When they reached downstairs, Kevin''s heart sank at the sight before him. His mother was pinned to the ground, her wrists were tied behind her back and her face gagged with a piece of cloth. One of the robbers stood over her, holding a knife to her throat.

    "This is why I told you to be careful!" the man reprimanded his partner. "You knew there was a kid here. What if he''d screamed or called the cops?"

    Kevin struggled in the grip of the other man, biting and writhing in a desperate attempt to break free. His efforts stopped cold when the robber holding his mother snarled, "If you scream or bite or pull any other crap like that again, your mother dies."

    The second robber, still restraining Kevin, pulled out a knife and pressed it lightly to his neck. "Same goes for you woman. You try anything and he is done."

    The two robbers dragged Kevin and his mother to the living room. Then they forced her to hand over her jewellery, cash and valuables.

    While she was taking out the jewellery the man pointing knife at her tried to harass her. Kevin¡¯s eyes brimmed with tears as he watched. He couldn¡¯t stand the sight of his mother, who had worked tirelessly to keep their home and provide for him, being humiliated and robbed of everything she¡¯d worked so hard to protect.

    The jewellery in particular, was precious¡ªit was the last memory of his father. His mother had refused to sell it, no matter how tough times got. Kevin knew he couldn¡¯t just stand by and let these men take it.

    He formulated a risky plan. If I can just break free and scream there is a chance that someone will hear us, he thought. The robbers didn¡¯t look like killers and the one pointing knife at his mother was now busy counting the money. If he broke free and screamed, she would¡¯ve enough time to run away.

    While one of the men focused on counting the money, Kevin took his chance. He stomped down hard on his captor''s foot, eliciting a sharp yelp. As the man loosened his grip, Kevin bolted and began screaming at the top of his lungs.

    "HELP! SOMEBODY HELP US!"

    The man roared in fury and lunged at Kevin with his knife. As the blade swung towards the boy, his mother leapt between them, taking the blow meant for her son. The knife plunged into her stomach.

    Time seemed to freeze. Kevin''s screams died in his throat as he watched her fall to the ground, blood pooling around her.

    Why isn¡¯t anyone coming? Where¡¯s the help? Where¡¯s a hero when you need one, His thoughts raced but his body refused to move.

    The sight of blood overwhelmed him and Kevin fainted. The last thing he saw before losing consciousness was his mother reaching for him, her trembling hand brushing against his. Lying nearby, the comic book he had cherished earlier that night was now splattered with blood, its bright colours tarnished by the horror unfolding around it¡­

    When Kevin opened his eyes, the sterile brightness of a hospital ceiling greeted him. His body felt heavy but not as heavy as the crushing weight in his chest. His mother was gone. The realization hit him in fragments as if his mind was too fragile to take the full blow all at once. Every time the truth tried to settle, he fought it, pushing it away with desperate disbelief. "This isn¡¯t real," he whispered with trembling lips every time.

    The world around him moved forward without pause. Insurance companies and banks swooped in to handle the formalities, discussing the fate of the house and financial assets. As he had no relative or friend left, no one asked Kevin how he was doing. No one offered comfort for the gaping hole that had just torn through his life.

    Kevin was eventually transferred to an orphanage, a place that buzzed with life yet felt oppressively empty to him. He barely talked to anyone there and just stared blankly with his hollow eyes. Days turned into weeks, but the weight of grief and disbelief never left him. His thoughts circled endlessly: It¡¯s not true. It can¡¯t be true.

    Unable to bear the oppressive silence of the orphanage, Kevin decided to sneak out. He slipped away unnoticed and made his way back to the house that no longer felt like home. Using a secret entrance that only he knew, he crept inside.

    The house was eerily clean. The bloodstains were gone, the floors were scrubbed and everything was put back in order. Although the stillness felt suffocating, like the house itself mourned the life it had once held.

    Standing in the living room, Kevin spoke into the emptiness. "Mom, I¡¯m back," he said softly while his voice was shaking.

    He paused, then forced a smile. "School today was a real pain, but I managed to survive."

    Turning toward the corner of the room, he added with a playful tone, "And Mr. Superhero, you''re here too? Thanks for saving us the other day. But don¡¯t think you can start hitting on my mom just because of that!"

    The words hung in the air, absurdly normal in a space that should have been silent. There was absolutely no one there, not even a single soul except for Kevin.

    Kevin¡¯s mind which was once shattered by trauma had filled the void with hallucinations. To him, they weren¡¯t just figments of his imagination¡ªthey were real. His mother stood before him, smiling warmly while the mysterious hero who saved them was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed and a confident grin.

    This became Kevin¡¯s new normal. Night after night, he sneaked out of the orphanage and returned home to talk to his imaginary companions. He told his mother about his day and sought advice from the mysterious hero, who became his guide, mentor and protector.

    One evening, during one of these conversations, Kevin asked the question he always dreamed of asking, "How do I become a superhero like you?"

    The man tilted his head, a solemn look crossing his face. "Becoming a hero isn¡¯t easy, kid," he said. "It takes sacrifice. You¡¯ll have to leave everything behind."

    Kevin¡¯s heart sank. "Leave¡­ everything? Even my mom?"

    "Sometimes, to achieve greatness, we have to make hard choices," the Man continued. "Your mom would not want you to leave, don¡¯t you think?"

    ¡°Sir, you came to save us when we needed it most. I want to do the same, there might be a lot of people who need someone like you to save them, but you can¡¯t be everywhere so please take me as an apprentice I want to be just like you.¡± Pleaded Kevin.

    ¡°If that is your resolve then I won¡¯t stop you,¡± said the man.

    "I¡¯ll miss you, Mom," he whispered to himself. "But I¡¯ll do it. I¡¯ll make you proud."

    In reality, there was no one there. Kevin¡¯s schizophrenia had warped his perception, convincing him that this imaginary farewell was real. That night, he left the orphanage for good, abandoning the remnants of his old life to pursue a path that only existed in his mind.

    Kevin believed he was training under the hero. In truth, he was wandering aimlessly and mimicking the training regimens of fictional heroes from comic books. His delusions guided him, shaping every step he took and every decision he made.

    As years passed, Kevin fully became RictRex, a self-proclaimed hero in a fractured world. His schizophrenia remained untreated which trapped him in a perpetual cycle of hallucinations and distorted reality. He believed his mother was still alive watching him proudly from the sidelines. And the man he called master gave him company everyday acting as his mentor.

    <ul>

    <li> </li>

    </ul>

    The village of Nihar was located on the border between the Maya Kingdom and the Ketu Empire, nestled in the semi-desert region of Kahaar. Nihar village was named after its founder ¡®Nihar¡¯ who established this village around one hundred years ago. The village could be easily spotted from a distance due to the wooden barriers and the patches of vegetation which stood out in the arid region.

    Its population was modest, consisting of around seven hundred humans. Most of the villagers were farmers, cultivating barley, wheat and cotton. The rest of the villagers dabbled in crafts, producing textiles and pottery to supplement their livelihoods.

    Due to its location in a semi desert region, the monster attacks on the village and its surrounding were a rare occurrence. That¡¯s why for years, the village had initially thrived as a stopping point for travellers journeying between the two nations.

    Slowly, the village evolved from just a stopping point to a bustling trade route, attracting merchants, caravans and travellers.

    But recently due to the construction of a new trade route bypassing the village, the number of visitors started to dwindle which heavily impacted the economy and livelihoods of the villagers.

    The decline of travellers wasn¡¯t the only shadow looming over Kahaar. The old route that once passed through the village was a hunting ground for a notorious bandit group called Chausar.

    These bandits were raised in the rugged outskirts of the Maya Kingdom and Ketu Empire which made them masters of survival in the harsh and rocky terrain. They looted travellers with ruthless precision and melted back into the jagged landscape before any military forces could catch them.

    Both the Maya Kingdom and the Ketu Empire had sent armies to deal with the Chausar bandits many times, but their efforts proved futile. The bandits¡¯ knowledge of the terrain made them impossible to track.

    The new trade route had initially struck a blow to the bandits, depriving them of the steady flow of targets. But desperation drove them to shift their focus on Kahaar. At first, their crimes were petty. A theft of a goat here, a cow there. But the incidents escalated, progressing to armed robberies of villagers which spread fear and tension across Nihar.

    For most villagers, the rising threat of Chausar meant staying indoors as much as possible especially after dark. But for Malti, life carried on as before. She couldn¡¯t afford to let fear dictate her actions¡ªnot when she was her family¡¯s only provider.

    Malti¡¯s world revolved around her sick mother, who relied entirely on her care. Her days were spent tending to their cattle and gathering whatever food and resources she could in the grasslands outside the village. Though many warned her against wandering too far from the safety of the village, Malti had no choice. Her family¡¯s survival depended on her.

    Malti wasn¡¯t reckless as well. She understood the dangers all too well and took the necessary precautions. She always strapped two pairs of knives to her legs and made time to practice fighting with a local instructor in the village.

    Today had been another quiet day out in the grazing fields. The sun hung low in the sky, casting an amber glow across the semi-desert plains. Malti¡¯s cattle moved lazily while chewing on the sparse patches of grass. Malti herself carried a bundle of small wooden sticks tied to her back with a rough rope.

    As she scanned the horizon for any signs of trouble, her sharp eyes picked up nothing unusual.

    She let out a small breath of relief. ¡°Looks like I¡¯m saved today, too,¡± she muttered to herself, her tone both thankful and wary.

    But she knew it wasn¡¯t safe to stay out now as the safety of daylight was fading fast. Malti called out to her cattle, urging them toward the village. ¡°Come on... tchh tchhhhh... let¡¯s get back before dark.¡±

    <ul>

    <li> </li>

    </ul>

    The village of Nihar was no stranger to travellers, but today¡¯s visitors were unlike any the villagers had ever seen. They wore strange outfits that immediately set them apart.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

    One was clad in sleek black armour which didn¡¯t look like the rugged metal armour the villagers were familiar with¡ªit was smooth and almost alien. Another had a similar outfit, but it was a vibrant blue and its material was reflecting light in a way that felt unnatural. However, the third one stood out the most. He was wearing a garment with rows of buttons running down its front, something the villagers had never seen before.

    The villagers who were gathering in quiet clusters, whispered among themselves.

    ¡°What kind of armour is that?¡± one murmured.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s armour at all¡ªit looks too soft. Maybe they¡¯re sorcerers from another land.¡±

    Another villager squinted at the group. ¡°No, look at the way they¡¯re walking. The two in armour must be escorts and the one in the buttoned outfit¡­ maybe someone important?¡±

    ¡°The man with the buttoned outfit is so handsome, I have never seen a man this good looking.¡± Said one of the village girls.

    The travellers mostly inquired about the kingdom, directions, nearby cities and landmarks. It was a surprise that how did they make it so far without such vital information.

    As these travellers walked quickly down the paved road surveying everything around them and exchanged weird glances, the villagers¡¯ curiosity grew even more.

    After confirming there was nobody in near surrounding all three of them turned to each other.

    ¡°It¡¯s just like what Lord Croxeus said. This world really does have magic¡±, said Ronny adjusting the blue suit he designed for himself.

    They were amazed when they saw few villagers using magic to lift objects, watering plants and drying the clothes.

    Ard while rolling up the sleeves of his shirt replied, ¡°Magic or not, there¡¯s a system behind everything. I believe magic is just science we don¡¯t understand yet. Unfortunately, this village doesn¡¯t even have a library or any real sources of information. All we got is this ragged map and vague directions to the city. Not nearly enough.¡±

    Ard¡¯s frustration was evident. His analytical mind craved more¡ªa deeper understanding of this strange world. But their inquiries had already drawn curious stares and lingering too long or asking too many questions might raise suspicions.

    RictRex, on the other hand was quieter. The lack of information didn¡¯t bother him as much. He expected such gaps in knowledge in a world that seemed medieval. Instead, his thoughts were elsewhere. He was more concerned about the bandits he heard about from the villagers.

    His instincts as a hero were urging him to do something to help. The thought of innocent people suffering made him uneasy.

    Yet he hesitated.

    Why? He had faced countless dangers in his training and overcome every obstacle in his journey as a hero with determination. So why was he holding back now?

    A storm of thoughts raged in his mind. Was it the unfamiliarity of this world and its magic? The possibility of facing foes wielding powers he couldn¡¯t yet comprehend. Or was it something deeper¡ªsomething born from the events of the previous day?

    He couldn¡¯t shake the memory of standing powerless and being unable to save those he cared about. It was a suffocating feeling. All of the training, the hard work he put in and the sacrifices he made, all of them failed when it mattered the most. His mother and his master were gone forever. He began wondering, can he really make a difference? No matter how much he trained or worked hard, he could never reach the level of an omnipotent being.

    Am I truly a hero? Or a coward? he thought, his fists clenching involuntarily. These doubts weren¡¯t like him.

    As the group prepared to leave the village and head toward the castle, an old woman appeared in their path. She looked frail with her back bent with age and illness. Her steps were shaky and her voice trembled as she pleaded. She clutched at the hems of villagers¡¯ clothes and held onto their feet, begging for their help.

    ¡°Please, someone help me find my daughter! She didn¡¯t come home last night! Please, I beg you!¡±

    The villagers avoided her gaze, their expressions were a mixture of pity and helplessness. A few paused as though they wanted to help, but none dared to speak. Everyone knew what the old woman¡¯s daughter¡¯s disappearance likely meant.

    Chausar.

    The name carried dread through the village. This bandit group wasn¡¯t just infamous for robbing travellers¡ªthey also abducted women and children, selling them into slavery.

    Though slavery was illegal in both the Maya Kingdom and the Ketu Empire, few kingdoms allowed it. Even in the Maya Kingdom slave trade thrived in the shadows. With the recent increase in the Chausar¡¯s activity, it was most likely that she was abducted by them.

    RictRex who was standing among the crowd, felt the weight of the scene pressing down on him. He had been quiet since they arrived. The memory of his own helplessness was haunting him like a shadow. But as he watched the old woman crumble to the ground, her hands shaking as she reached out for aid, something inside him snapped. He saw his mother in her.

    His chest tightened and his heart ached as if it were breaking. He could no longer suppress the instincts that had defined him¡ªthe instincts of a hero.

    Without a word to his companions, he stepped forward and knelt beside the woman. Gently placing a hand on her shoulder.

    ¡°Tell me what happened,¡± he said in firm but kind voice.

    The old woman looked up as her tear-streaked face filled with desperation and a flicker of hope. Her words came out in gasps, broken by sobs.

    ¡°My daughter¡­ she tends to our cattle every day. Yesterday, she left in the morning as usual but¡ªbut she didn¡¯t come home by nightfall. I waited all night, praying she would walk through that door, but she never did. she¡¯s all I have left in this world. Please help me! I beg of you.¡±

    RictRex¡¯s jaw tightened. He didn¡¯t need to ask who might be responsible¡ªhe already knew.

    The murmurs of the villagers reached his ears. ¡°She¡¯s gone, poor thing¡­¡±

    ¡°Chausar must¡¯ve taken her. It¡¯s too dangerous to intervene.¡±

    ¡°Even the soldiers couldn¡¯t do anything about them¡­¡±

    Their words made RictRex¡¯s blood boil. These people weren¡¯t heartless¡ªthey were victims of a system that had failed them. It was a world where justice was a distant dream. But he couldn¡¯t accept that. He wouldn¡¯t. This world needed a hero more than anything.

    He looked into the old woman¡¯s eyes, his resolve hardening. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll find her and bring her back.¡±

    The woman stared at him in disbelief, her lips quivering. ¡°You will? Truly?¡±

    ¡°I promise,¡± RictRex said, standing tall.

    Ard stepped forward with frustration etched on his face as he grabbed RictRex¡¯s shoulder, pulling him back. ¡°What are you saying, Rex? We don¡¯t have time for this! We have to head back. This is no place and definitely no time, to play hero. Rex, we¡¯re in another world!¡±

    RictRex didn¡¯t budge, his eyes fixed on the old woman. ¡°People are still people, no matter what world we¡¯re in. This woman needs help. These villagers need help. And I can¡¯t leave them like this.¡±

    Ard sighed, ¡°Don¡¯t you understand? This is pointless. We have more important things to do¡ªmore important than throwing yourself at some hopeless cause in a world we don¡¯t even understand.¡±

    RictRex turned to Ard, ¡°Then tell me something, Ard. Back in our world, when everything was falling apart¡ªwhen the world was ending¡ªwhy did you save those kids from trafficking? Even though you knew it was useless, you still saved them. Why?¡±

    ¡°Because I¡ªfelt helpless. In that moment, I thought that saving them was the only thing I could do. But that was different. The situation has changed now¡±, said Ard after pausing for a moment.

    RictRex shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s only changed for you. For me, it hasn¡¯t. I still feel helpless, Ard. And helping these people is the only thing I can do.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t be a part of your helplessness, Kevin. And I¡¯ll wish for the day you stop feeling that way¡±, said Ard in an annoyed tone.

    RictRex stared back at him, unyielding. ¡°It isn¡¯t that I don¡¯t want to help you. I really want to prevent something like that from happening again and repay lord Croxeus. But I can¡¯t leave these people, the woman and her daughter like this. I will help these villagers and get some more details to help you and then head back.¡±

    Ard sighed deeply, ¡°Fine. But don¡¯t expect me to stick around for this.¡± He gestured for Ronny to follow. ¡°We¡¯ll head back to the castle after we can dig up anything useful on our own.¡±

    Ronny hesitated, glancing between the two of them but ultimately followed Ard without a word.

    As they disappeared into the distance, RictRex turned back to the old woman. Her face was a mixture of gratitude and desperation. Her frail hands were clasped tightly together.

    ¡°I¡¯ll need to know everything,¡± RictRex said gently. ¡°Where does your daughter usually take the cattle to graze? Are there specific areas she favours?¡±

    The old woman nodded quickly, pointing toward the outskirts of the village. ¡°There¡¯s a small clearing by the rocky hills. She always takes them there. It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s not far¡­¡±

    RictRex nodded, thanking her before turning to the other villagers. He asked them about the bandits, their habits and their recent appearances. Though most were reluctant to speak out of fear, a few offered bits of information¡ªa sighting near the southern cliffs, an encounter by the dried riverbed. Few pitied the man while others thought he was simply foolish.

    Pulling out the ragged map he¡¯d received earlier, he sat down in the village square and began to mark the locations. He plotted the old woman¡¯s description, the known bandit sightings and other reports of disappearances. Slowly, a pattern emerged.

    Three potential hideouts stood out on the map: the southern cliffs, a cave system near the hills and a dense thicket on the south of the hills.

    He drew a deep breath, ¡°That¡¯s where I¡¯ll find them,¡± he muttered to himself. Standing up, he secured his gear and made his way toward the first location.

    RictRex stood at the entrance of the second possible hideout. The terrain here was more promising¡ªa cluster of rocky outcrops offering concealment and vantage points, it looked like a location well-suited for an operation near the village. As he surveyed the area, he paid close attention to the wind patterns and terrain shifts.

    His survey was interrupted by a sudden disturbance. Out of seemingly nowhere, three bandits appeared riding horses. The riders were cloaked in shimmering distortions and their forms were solidifying as they approached. The leader¡¯s sword glowed faintly with an otherworldly light¡ªmagic.

    Looks like they¡¯re using magic for concealment and movement. I need to know more about their magic and its limitation before I act recklessly.

    The bandits spotted him and charged without hesitation while their leader was shouting something indecipherable. RictRex clenched his fists as adrenaline surged through his veins.

    As the first bandit swung his enchanted sword, RictRex sidestepped the attack with precision, narrowly avoiding the blade¡¯s arc.

    When the bandit returned, RictRex delivered a powerful strike to his wrist, disarming him and sending the sword clattering to the ground. Before the bandit could recover, RictRex knocked him unconscious using his electric taser.

    The second bandit lunged from behind, aiming a dagger at RictRex. He ducked under the strike and retaliated with his electric taser, pressing it against the bandit¡¯s torso. A surge of electricity sent the assailant convulsing before collapsing unconscious.

    The last bandit who was their leader hesitated, perhaps realizing RictRex was no ordinary opponent. He tried to flee, urging his horse into a gallop, but RictRex anticipated the move. He leapt onto the horse and used the momentum to grapple the bandit off the saddle. This sent both of them crashing to the ground. Before the bandit could react, RictRex immobilized him with another precise taser strike.

    Breathing heavily, RictRex surveyed the aftermath. All three bandits lay unconscious near the horses. Just as he was about to tie them up for interrogation one of the horses neighed loudly and began running away.

    ¡°Perfect,¡± RictRex muttered as he sprinted after the horse. ¡°Let¡¯s see where you¡¯re headed.¡±

    The horse charged through narrow pathways and rugged terrain, eventually leading RictRex to a concealed base. From a distance, RictRex spotted a cluster of makeshift tents and wooden structures nestled against the mouth of a cave. He spotted few bandits, some of them were armed and alert after seeing one of their horses running rampant without a rider.

    He crouched behind a boulder, assessing the situation. The camp was on high alert most likely due to the suspicion that someone might have followed the horse. A group of bandits stood guard at the perimeter while others retreated into the cave.

    ¡°First priority is the girl,¡± RictRex murmured as he slipped into the shadows. His black costume blended seamlessly with the dim surroundings as he moved carefully to avoid detection. When he left the village it was already evening and now the sky had turned almost dark, working in his favour.

    He made his way around the camp while staying out of sight. After some time, he found what he was looking for. Inside the cave, a single guard stood in front of a cage. Behind the iron bars a girl was lying unconscious.

    RictRex¡¯s eyes narrowed. One guard¡­ I can manage that.

    He moved closer with his silent footsteps against the stone floor. As he reached the guard¡¯s blind spot, he drew his taser. With swift precision, he pressed it to the back of the guard¡¯s neck. The man barely had time to grunt before he crumpled to the ground.

    RictRex crouched by the cage, examining the lock. It was rudimentary but sturdy. He retrieved a lock-picking tool from his utility pouch and began working. ¡°Hang tight,¡± he whispered to the girl. ¡°You¡¯re getting out of here.¡±

    As the lock clicked open, RictRex lifted the cage door. His heart raced¡ªthis was just the beginning. Now, he had to get her out safely without alerting the entire camp.

    As they exited the cave, the girl began to stir. RictRex gently placed a finger to his lips. ¡°Shh... don¡¯t make a sound. We need to get out of here quietly.¡± The girl nodded weakly, her eyes still glazed with confusion and fear.

    Navigating through the rocky terrain, RictRex kept his movements deliberate and silent while constantly scanning for danger. But just as they reached a clearing, a sudden clang echoed behind them. Someone had discovered the unlocked cage. Moments later, the shrill sound of a bell shattered the quiet night.

    ¡°Damn it,¡± RictRex muttered, glancing back. The camp came alive as bandits scrambled to action. Spells began illuminating the area, casting an eerie glow on the rugged landscape.

    ¡°Stay close to me,¡± RictRex whispered to the girl as he ushered her toward the shadows.

    Despite his efforts to stay hidden, a sharp-eyed bandit spotted them and shouted. Within seconds, he was surrounded by bandits wielding weapons and using magic. RictRex was able to push the girl from the terrain behind him protectively. As the bandits were approaching, he signalled her to run away.

    The bandits unleashed their spells¡ªsome turned the sand below his feet into thick mud to entrap him. While others wielded swords enhanced with magical energy.

    RictRex dodged and countered as best as he could, using his taser to neutralize the attackers. He moved with agility and landed precise blows that incapacitated his opponents without killing them. He had years of experience, but this fight was different. They weren¡¯t shooting bullets at him or throwing bombs at him. They were constantly using different unexpected spells which sometimes landed a blow on him.

    Some of the bandits were invisible while attacking him. Even though he was able to sense them due to the sound and patterns they made on the sand, some of them were able to land a blow or two unnoticed sometimes.

    RictRex¡¯s nose was broken during one of the blows, blood dripping onto his black costume. His movements grew sluggish as exhaustion set in. The bandits¡¯ tactics were unlike anything he had faced before¡ªmagic gave them an unpredictable edge. Not only that they also had the numerical advantage.

    Even as his injuries piled up, He was more concerned about the girl. He glanced back and saw her disappearing in the forest, using the chaos he created as a distraction to escape.

    A faint smile tugged at his lips. Good. She¡¯s safe, he thought while dodging another enchanted blade.

    One by one, he took down more bandits, but their numbers seemed endless. He fought with every tool in his arsenal until his tasers were out of battery and he was out of other equipments.

    He was surrounded, outnumbered and bleeding but he still held his ground

    He managed to neutralize around 35 bandits, but five were still circling him like predators around wounded prey. His breathing was laboured and his vision started to get blurry. Every swing of his hands was slower than the last. One bandit lunged, slashing across RictRex¡¯s side.

    For a brief moment, a sense of peace washed over him.

    So, this is how it ends he thought. I survived the end of my world, only to die here¡­ in a place where no one knows me. But... I¡¯m okay with that. I didn¡¯t abandon her. I did what a hero should do.

    I saved one life¡­

    Memories flashed before his eyes¡ªhis parents, his mentor and Croxeus. I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t repay you, Lord Croxeus... Mom, Dad, Master... I hope I made you proud.

    A bandit charged at him with his weapon, but RictRex was too weak to react. The blow struck him hard and the world faded to black. He fell unconscious, his body crumpling to the ground.

    ¡­¡­.

    RictRex¡¯s consciousness slowly returned, as he opened his eyes a dim light of a room came into focus. The first thing he saw when he opened his eyes was a thatched roof. The room was made from wood and was supported by few sticks of bamboos.

    He blinked a few times, his body still heavy with exhaustion. He realized he was lying on a simple bed and there were bandages covering his wounds. Someone had patched him up and the more severe injuries had been treated with surprising care.

    The faint creak of the front door caught his attention. A familiar figure entered¡ªit was the girl he had risked everything to save. Her face lit up with joy when she saw him awake.

    ¡°You¡¯re awake!¡± she exclaimed, running toward him. Her feet pattered against the wooden floor as she dashed to another room. Moments later, she returned with her mother.

    The two knelt beside him with expressions of gratitude and relief. The older woman clasped her hands together, ¡°Thank you. Thank you for saving my daughter. I don¡¯t know how we¡¯ll ever repay you.¡±

    RictRex managed a faint smile, ¡°I¡¯m just glad she¡¯s safe.¡± He looked at the girl. ¡°But tell me... what happened after I blacked out? How did I end up here?¡±

    The girl¡¯s expression turned serious as she recounted the events. ¡°When I was running back toward the village to find help, I ran into a group of villagers. They were already on their way to subjugate the bandits along with... two strangers. One was wearing armour like yours¡­ and the other looked... unusual. They rushed to where you were and surrounded the remaining bandits. Together, they defeated them and carried you back here.

    The villagers also handed the bandits over to the Maya Kingdom¡¯s authorities. Apparently, there was a huge bounty on those bandits and the villagers said they¡¯ll share most of it with you.¡±

    Her tone brightened as she added, ¡°You¡¯ve been unconscious for a whole day. The entire village is talking about what you did.¡±

    RictRex sank back against the pillow, letting her words sink in. He felt a mixture of relief and amusement. Ard, he thought, I always knew you weren¡¯t as heartless as you pretend to be.

    His body still needed rest, and he had done his part. Knowing that both the girl and the villagers were safe made every wound worth it. He closed his eyes, letting himself drift back into a well-earned rest.

    <ul>

    <li> </li>

    </ul>

    Beneath the blazing sun of the semi-desert region, a convoy of armed soldiers escorted a group of caravans along a dusty road. Under the flag of their nation, the soldiers gripped their swords tightly as their horses trotted in rhythm. They seemed to be in some kind of urgency.

    When the soldiers of the Maya Kingdom confirmed that the captured individuals were indeed members of the infamous bandit group ''Chausar,'' they either poisoned them or beheaded them before delivering their remains to the authorities. This method was far more efficient, as it eliminated any risk of the bandits escaping or staging a rebellion during the transport.

    Since they were only transporting corpses, they had let their guard down. It was now just a simple transportation job and no bandit group would try to attack the soldiers of army or so they thought..

    Suddenly, one horse stumbled violently as its legs were tangled in an invisible thread strung low across the path. The fall was followed by chaos¡ªmore horses started tripping and before the soldiers could regroup, a flurry of masked attackers descended upon them.

    The soldiers didn¡¯t stand a chance against the ambushers who not only outnumbered them but attacked with accuracy and precision. Blades clashed, and moments later all the soldiers lay unconscious while their weapons were scattered across the dirt.

    Amid the masked attackers, Ard stepped forward with his calm demeaner contrasting the chaos. Beside him was Ronny who was more guarded but equally focused. When the dust settled, Ard turned to the leader of the attacking group who was sifting through the spoils.

    ¡°Take whatever you want from these soldiers,¡± Ard said. He then reached into his cloak and retrieved a small but intricately embroidered bag of gold coins. Handing it over to the group¡¯s leader, he added, ¡°Our deal ends here.¡±

    The leader accepted the payment, narrowing his eyes. ¡°What are you going to do with the bodies of those bandits?¡± he asked curiously.

    Ard¡¯s piercing gaze met his. ¡°That¡¯s none of your concern,¡± he replied coldly.

    Leaving the raiders to their loot, Ard strode purposefully to one of the caravans. He pulled open its reinforced doors and revealed the corpses of bandits inside. They all lay motionless. Some with their heads chopped off while others had a stark white pallor. All of their faces were covered with black clothes, probably to hide the expressions of fear and horror.

    A satisfied smirk crossed Ard¡¯s face as he surveyed the scene. ¡°So, the intel was right. They already poisoned these scums before presenting them in the court. Perfect, everything went well according to the plan.¡±

    He gestured mockingly toward the immobilized bandits and muttered with icy amusement, ¡°Welcome to hell, gentlemen. I hope you¡¯ll make excellent test subjects.¡±

    Ronny who was now standing behind him, shifted uneasily. ¡°Roleplaying as villains now, are we?¡± he said.

    Ard turned to him, ¡°Sympathy for these corpses?¡± he asked mockingly.

    ¡°Not for them,¡± Ronny clarified. ¡°For Rex, you didn¡¯t have to do him like that.¡±

    He replied, his smirk now deepening into a sinister grin, ¡°Sympathy for Rex? He got exactly what he wanted. He saved the girl, saved the village and got to play the hero. That little taste of success will keep him motivated for what¡¯s ahead. The village sees him as their saviour. And we now have an informant there to keep an eye on things.¡±

    He glanced at the bandits again and commented with more calculating tone. ¡°We¡¯ve secured enough information and our test subjects for the experiments. It¡¯s a win on every front.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s next then?¡± asked Ronny.

    ¡°Rict¡¯s fight proved that no matter how much technology or skill you have, without learning more about magic we are helpless here. So, we will now use these pigs and the books we got from merchants to figure out magic.¡±

    ¡°Stepping into the profession of sorcery, Mr Physicist?¡± asked Ronny mockingly.

    As Ard was about to reply to his question Ronny spoke in middle, ¡°Magic is nothing but science, I know¡ªI know.¡±

 CHAPTER 5: MAGIC ENCYCLOPEDIA

    Magic in this world was divided into five distinct stages with each level representing a particular set of magic. The first stage was known as the Elemental Stage. This stage involved control over the four classical elements: water, fire, earth and wind. The second stage introduced the Light and Dark Magic. Very less was known about light and dark magic as it delved into dualities like illumination and shadows, energy and void.

    The third stage was called the Amalgam Stage. It blended the magic and principles of the first two stages to create advanced and hybrid magic such as healing or illusion magic. The fourth stage revolved around Creation Magic. This allowed practitioners to create things. Finally, the fifth and most legendary stage was the World Stage. It was said to grant control over dimensions, portals and in some legends, even the flow of time itself.

    Ronny sighed in frustration while slumping onto a golden stool decorated with gems.

    He was sitting in a dimly lit room while holding a leather-bound, worn-out book in his hands. The room was filled with alchemical instruments, ancient tomes and glowing vials along with some humanlike skulls and body parts. The only light source in the room were the small magic items across the polished obsidian counters.

    ¡°I¡¯ve spent like two hours on these magical theories, and they still don¡¯t make effing sense,¡± Ronny grumbled.

    ¡°Like, okay¡ªStage 1 is about controlling the basic elements like wind, fire, Earth and water¡­ Apparently you can create water, fire and wind in the first stage but to create earth element you need stage four creation magic. Not just this, but there are gazillion other things that don¡¯t make sense,¡± said Ronny

    Across the room sat Ard who was lost in thought with his arms folded. His sharp features were illuminated by the eerie glow of a nearby magic crystal.

    He adjusted his spectacles and chuckled softly. "That''s because these classifications are based on vague observations rather than precise understanding.

    Back home, people of my culture used to think along similar lines centuries ago. They believed the world was made of basic elements like earth, fire, wind and water. They even believed that our stomachs contained fire. Which was theorised to explain the burning sensation after a heavy meal. Of course, science later showed us that it was just hydrochloric acid at work... Their theories were formulated based on observations, same thing applies here.¡±

    Ronny squinted. "So, you''re saying these magic stages aren¡¯t entirely accurate?"

    Ard nodded. "Precisely. They reflect close guesses, not the true mechanisms. Though I¡¯ll admit, the idea that magic stages depend on a practitioner¡¯s magical capacity and progression isn¡¯t far off."

    Ronny perked up. "Wait... does that mean you¡¯ve figured out the real classification?"

    Ard smirked. "I believe I have."

    "Teach me Sensei." Ronny leaned forward eagerly.

    "Yeah sure. Take Stage 1 magic, for example. They claim it¡¯s about manipulating basic elements like water, fire, wind and earth. But in actuality, it¡¯s about controlling temperature and the states of matter¡ªthermal manipulation, if you will. When someone creates water from thin air, they¡¯re not creating it but condensing water vapor from the atmosphere.

    Wind can be manipulated by altering temperature and pressure. Fire? That¡¯s just a matter of increasing temperature to the point of ignition, or even ionizing air into plasma at higher levels. But Earth... well, that¡¯s different. Regulating temperature can¡¯t possibly create solid matter. That¡¯s why Earth creation falls under Stage 4¡ªCreation Magic."

    Ronny¡¯s eyes widened. "So, Stage 2 magic¡ªLight and Dark¡ªmust be horseshit as well?"

    "Absolutely," Ard replied. "For instance, they classify gravity as Dark Magic. We both know gravity isn¡¯t some dark magic. Gravity is just a natural force¡ªa field, to be precise. Lightning magic is explained as the ability to create lightning, but that¡¯s merely the manipulation of electromagnetic fields.

    Stage 2... It isn¡¯t about light or darkness. It¡¯s about controlling the forces and fields of nature. Gravitons for gravity, photons for light and electrons for electricity¡ªit all boils down to scientific principles interpreted through magic."

    ¡°Okay, that makes sense,¡± Ronny said, nodding. ¡°What about Amalgam Magic? The books say it¡¯s a mixture of Stage 1 and Stage 2.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re not entirely wrong there," Ard admitted. "Amalgam Magic often combines thermal manipulation with force fields to achieve other effects. Healing magic, however, is more complex. The books claim it¡¯s a mix of light, dark and elemental magic, but in reality, it¡¯s mostly Creation Magic. In theory, healing might involve creating stem cells or accelerating the body¡¯s metabolism. The former requires Stage 4 magic, while the latter is achievable through a blend of Stages 1 and 2.¡±

    Ronny asked in shock, ¡°so¡­ you¡¯re saying that Creation Magic can make living beings?¡±

    ¡°Technically, yes," Ard said. "Creation is about assembling elements, compounds and mixtures. Combining these at an advanced level could easily create living things. As the book mentioned, healing magic isn¡¯t rare but regenerating entire limbs or so is rare. It¡¯s because the regeneration part requires stage 4 creation magic.¡±

    "What about that invisibility magic those bandits used? The books said it was rare Stage 3 magic,¡± asked Ronny.

    Ard shook his head. "Not quite.... When I examined their hideout and their bodies, I found traces of a material¡ªnanoparticles capable of bending or deflecting light. The bandits used these particles, combined with electromagnetic manipulation from Stage 2, to cloak themselves. Technically, it¡¯s a Stage 3 effect, but yeahh... it leans heavily on Creation Part."

    Ronny grinned. "And the legendary Stage 5 magic? That¡¯s just Space-Time manipulation, right?"

    ¡°Just?¡± Ard chuckled. "Controlling space-time isn¡¯t simple, Ronny. But yes, you are correct. It is Space-Time manipulation.¡±

    Ronny leaned back, ¡°Wow¡­ I hate to say it but it is as you said. Magic is just complex science.¡±

    Ard smirked. ¡°That¡¯s because in this universe magic is just another set of natural laws¡ªlaws we¡¯re still trying to fully understand.¡±

    ¡°At first, all of this felt like some kind of fairy tale nonsense to me,¡± Ronny admitted while pacing back and forth in the dimly lit study. ¡°But now, it¡¯s starting to make sense. Still, I can¡¯t wrap my head around one thing¡ªhow are humans able to use such incredible power? There has to be some kind of mechanism behind it, right?¡±

    Ard leaned back thoughtfully. His gaze drifted to the high-arched ceiling. ¡°I¡¯m close to figuring that out,¡± he said. ¡°Almost everything in this universe mirrors the principles of our own¡ªsame forces, same fields and fundamental particles. The only outlier here is magic.

    It¡¯s only logical to apply theories from our universe to this one, but that brings their problems along as well.¡± Gesturing with his hands, ¡°take gravity and quantum mechanics for instance. The grand unification of gravity in the quantum physics had been the focus of physicists for the past half a century in our world. But... there was this one theory that explained this anomaly¡­uhh I think it was called the Brane World Scenario.¡±

    Ronny tilted his head. ¡°Brain... what?¡±

    ¡°In the Brane World Scenario,¡± Ard began with a hint of excitement creeping into his voice, ¡°our universe is thought to be a three-dimensional ¡®brane¡¯¡ªa slice of space¡ªwithin a larger and higher-dimensional ¡®bulk¡¯ universe.

    Gravity is weaker compared to other forces because gravitons, the hypothetical particles responsible for gravity, escapes into the bulk. Other particles remain confined to our brane because they are too weak to break the barrier. But gravitons are far stronger, and they only exist in the brane in their lowest energy state. Higher energy states gravitons reside in dimensions above us.¡±

    ¡°So... it¡¯s like gravity leaks into other dimensions?¡± Ronny ventured.

    ¡°You can say that.¡± Ard said while adjusting his specs again. ¡°Of course, it was just a theory back home. But now, I think it might actually be true. Picture this, the Cosmic Genesis of universe as a kind of dimensional leak. Originally, there was nothing but true, empty space. The creators¡ªthose devil gods¡ªused a process that leaked other fundamental particles and their fields in the empty space. Then they stabilized everything with gravitons.

    But in the observation these gravitons appear weak. It¡¯s because they¡¯re pulling the entire dimension together.¡±

    ¡°But here¡¯s the twist. In this universe, there¡¯s another universal particle¡ªa particle that doesn¡¯t exist in ours. I¡¯ve named it Matrium. This particle and its field are the key to everything. Like gravitons, Matrium can access higher dimensions, but unlike gravitons, it interacts with all other particles in unique ways. It doesn¡¯t just manipulate fields¡ªit alters them as well.¡±

    Ronny¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Hold your horses sensei, you¡¯re saying this particle is responsible for magic?¡±

    ¡°Yeahh that¡¯s what I think right now.¡± Ard replied. ¡°My research on those bandits supports this theory. Matrium¡¯s field enables humans here to manipulate the forces of nature. Ahhhh¡­ I¡¯m this close to understanding how living beings harness it.

    And as much as I despise those devil gods, I have to admit¡ªcreating a universe like this? Genius. Lord Croxeus was right. I¡¯m nowhere near capable of matching them yet. I can¡¯t even approach their mental capacity let alone the physical one.¡±

    Ronny clapped Ard on the shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t sell yourself short sensei. You¡¯ve managed to piece together the mechanics of an entirely new universe in just two days. That¡¯s incredible. Even lord Croxeus hasn¡¯t returned yet, he is still trying to understand the mechanism of this universe.¡±

    Ard shook his head. ¡°You¡¯re wrong, Ronny. Lord Croxeus is far more intelligent than I could ever hope to be.¡±

    ¡°What makes you say that?¡± Ronny asked, frowning.

    ¡°Do you see the barrier around this castle?¡± Ard gestured toward the faint shimmer visible through the high windows. ¡°It¡¯s not just an invisibility barrier. It¡¯s protecting us from harmful radiation emitted by Matrium particles. Prolonged exposure could damage our genes¡ªpossibly even cause cancer. I just figured this out while researching.¡± Ard¡¯s gaze was now fixed in wonder, ¡°the moment we stepped foot into this world, Lord Croxeus created this barrier to shield us. That level of foresight? It¡¯s beyond anything I could have achieved. Not to mention the equipment he left behind. These equipment¡­ most of them don¡¯t even use magic¡­ they seem like so futuristic.¡±

    Ronny was slack jawed. ¡°I had no idea. Lord Croxeus is smarter than I thought.¡±

    Ard nodded solemnly. ¡°He¡¯s more than smart. His magic... it¡¯s incomprehensible. It¡¯s like a new Cosmic Genesis itself¡ªsomething entirely beyond our dimension. Every time I try to analyse it, I fail. His wisdom, his power and his humility¡ªthey make him the greatest being I¡¯ve ever known. No one can surpass him.¡±

    Ronny sighed while leaning against a desk. ¡°If we¡¯re going to defeat those gods, shouldn¡¯t we study his magic and the astral plane? Why waste time learning about this world¡¯s third-rate magic?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re missing the point, Ronny,¡± Ard said (now standing). ¡°We have to prove ourselves worthy. Only by mastering this world, by conquering its challenges¡­ we can show that we deserve to understand his magic and gain his wisdom.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I guess you¡¯re right,¡± Ronny said with a faint smile. ¡°I just hope we are able to prove ourselves.¡±

    ¡°We will,¡± Ard said confidently.

    Ronny glanced toward the ceiling. ¡°I wonder what Lord Croxeus is doing right now.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s quite simple. He¡¯s busy recovering the magical energy he expended in transporting us here,¡± Ard replied.

    <ul>

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    ¡°Aaachoooo!¡± A powerful sneeze echoed through the air, coming from a man dressed in full silver plate armour.

    His huge figure with broad shoulders and muscular arms looked like the kind of earned through years of training. He had a stern expression on his face. His short black hair and the faint scar on his forehead made him look like a seasoned warrior.

    He sat in the middle of a horse-drawn cart, surrounded by bundles of peculiar green plants. These plants had tangled stems with purple-tinged flowers and pods peeking through their verdant mass.

    The moving cart creaked and groaned with each jolt along the uneven path while the wheels stirred up clouds of dust as they rolled forward.

    At the reins sat an old man, his triangular hat tilted slightly to shield his face from the sun. His worn attire spoke of a simple life. In the middle of the journey, he kept on turning back and grinning at the young man who sat inside.

    Hearing the sneeze, he glanced back at the armoured man. ¡°Ahhhaaa, you sneezed,¡± the old man said with a grin. ¡°That means someone¡¯s remembering you.¡± He said with a teasing voice.

    ¡°Do you think so?¡± the man replied with a deep and hard voice. For a moment, his gaze drifted into the distance. I wonder if it¡¯s my brother. It¡¯s been a month since I have talked to him¡­.

    The monologue of this young man was same as Avin Levi¡¯s voice (which is same for the Croxeus) which means this man was Croxeus in disguise. (The voice of Croxeus is different than the voice of Avin, but monologue retains Avin¡¯s voice).

    I took up this escort job to learn more about this place, he thought. His fingers began absently brushing the copper badge hanging from a simple necklace around his neck.

    I could have used my flight magic to survey this place from above¡­. but that would¡¯ve only scratched the surface. But by spending some time among the people like this, I can establish a real presence and probably blend in here.

    Besides... this adventurer thing is pretty exciting on its own. Copper rank, huh? Looks like I¡¯ve got a long way to go...

    The Adventurers¡¯ Guild was one of the things that surprised Croxeus a lot.

    In the city of Jul, he had registered himself under the name Markus and under a new appearance, created using illusion magic. The guild reminded him of mercenary networks from old stories. But Adventurers here weren¡¯t just hired swords¡ªthey performed a range of tasks, from hunting fearsome monsters to assisting with mundane jobs. The guild itself operated with a ranking system, from copper to the coveted adamantium. Though the Adventurer¡¯s guild wasn¡¯t really big in most of the kingdoms.

    This system originally began from the kingdom of Hami, where the army and noble faction didn¡¯t possess much power. Whereas the Maya kingdom allowed working of Adventurer¡¯s guild in their kingdom to have friendly relations with different factions of Hami.

    It was in Jul where he had met the old farmer. The man needed an escort to the capital city of Doon and Croxeus was also headed there.

    Though completing a private job like an escort job wasn¡¯t going to improve his rank but it provided him with a chance to explore this world.

    The guild¡¯s ranking system was deliberately designed to prioritize monster hunting as the primary method for advancing one¡¯s rankings. While private jobs, such as escort missions contributed minimally to rankings due to the logistical challenges and various other reasons.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

    This structure encouraged adventurers to focus on monster hunting to climb the ranks, as higher rankings served as a badge of credibility when seeking lucrative private contracts. Hence, creating a balance between reputation-building and monetary gain.

    The cart jolted over another rut in the road which made Croxeus grip to the edge to steady himself. The sensation was new, almost thrilling in its simplicity. Back home, hyperloops and levitating pods had eliminated any transit time. The travel was instantaneous as no journey took more than ten minutes. Here, spending two full days on the road felt alien¡ªbut not unwelcome.

    Still, it was strangely captivating. Each mile brought new sights and sounds that Croxeus found himself marvelling at. The rhythmic creak of the wooden wheels, the earthy scent of the road and the vibrant scenery of rolling fields and distant forests¡ªall of it somehow felt alive.

    This is incredible, he thought, leaning slightly to peer at a group of children waving excitedly by the roadside.

    Are they waving at the cart? Or at me? What¡¯s so exciting about a horse-drawn cart? Surely, they¡¯ve seen hundreds...

    But the children¡¯s joy was infectious as it made Croxeus smile faintly.

    People here are so happy to see one another¡­. Back home, it wasn¡¯t like this. Even with all our time saving technology, everyone seemed so busy¡­ so detached. No one had time to even look at each other, let alone smile like that.

    His thoughts turned to the previous night where he spent the night at random farmer¡¯s house. Those strangers had offered them food and shelter without hesitation and with no expectations in return.

    They had so little¡­ but still they were willing to share everything. In my world, we were taught that people in pre-technological eras lived in constant suffering¡ªwars, famine and slavery and all¡­ But here¡­ it¡¯s different. They find happiness in simplicity¡­ in community. Maybe the truth was never as black-and-white as we believed.

    The sunlight filtering through the trees warmed his face which made him close his eyes, briefly savouring the moment.

    Time feels different here, too. It moves so slow as if it¡¯s inviting me to truly live each moment.  The way those clouds shift lazily in the sky. The way the light flickers through the trees... Even the creak of this cart feels soothing. The warmth of the sun¡­ the brightness of the sky... I never appreciated these things before.

    The old man¡¯s voice broke through his thoughts. "I know I never asked this," he said while turning back with his ever-present smile, "but are you by chance from the kingdom of Hami?"

    Croxeus hesitated briefly before replying. ¡°Ye¡ªYeah, you¡¯re right, old man. I¡¯m from Hami.¡±

    "As expected," the farmer said with a knowing chuckle. "Folks from Hami are always strong, like you. Adventuring suits them well. But I have to admit, I¡¯m surprised to see someone as capable as you at copper rank.¡±

    ¡°I started adventuring recently,¡± Croxeus said, weaving a careful lie. ¡°I lost someone dear and decided to leave my old life behind and start fresh here.¡±

    The old man¡¯s face softened. "Ah... I¡¯m sorry to hear that."

    "No worries," Croxeus said with a faint smile.

    "If you need help settling in, just let me know," the farmer offered. "I know a fair bit about this kingdom and its ways."

    "That would be most helpful," Croxeus replied. "Tell me more about Maya. I¡¯d like to learn everything I can.¡±

    ¡°Well, the kingdom of Maya isn¡¯t as grand as Hami perhaps, but it has its own charm,¡± he said.

    ¡°It¡¯s a good place for a fresh start, you know. Life¡¯s pretty peaceful here. The land¡¯s fertile, the people are kind and there¡¯s not much trouble apart from the occasional bandit or monster attacks. Makes it a great place for an adventurer like you.¡±

    Croxeus remembered about the monster attacks mentioned in the guild bulletin board. ¡°Peaceful, huh? Then why does the guild bulletin have more job requests than I¡¯ve ever seen in one place?¡±

    The farmer chuckled. ¡°Fair point. Maya might look calm on the surface, but when you dig a little deeper, you¡¯ll find the usual troubles. Bandits get bold on the trade routes, monsters wander too close to the villages... And, well, there¡¯s always a bit of tension between the nobles.¡± His voice grew quieter. ¡°Not all of them are as concerned with the people¡¯s welfare as they should be.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s... troubling,¡± Croxeus said carefully. ¡°Doesn¡¯t the king do anything about it?¡±

    The farmer tilted his head as though considering the question. ¡°King Yuyutsu, eh? Now, that¡¯s a man with a reputation. They say he¡¯s got eyes everywhere¡ªspies, informants, you name it. Some even say he can change his form and slip into the dens of his enemies unnoticed.¡± He chuckled. ¡°Makes you wonder if the person sitting next to you might be him, doesn¡¯t it?¡±

    Croxeus chuckled. ¡°Sounds like a smart way to keep people in line. Do you think those stories are true?¡±

    The farmer shrugged, an enigmatic twinkle in his eye. ¡°Who knows? Folks like to exaggerate, but there¡¯s usually a kernel of truth in every tale. Either way, the man¡¯s done well enough. Kept the trade routes open, kept the peace with our neighbours. You can¡¯t argue with results, I suppose.¡±

    ¡°Sounds like you approve of him,¡± Croxeus said, studying the old man¡¯s expression.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t go that far,¡± the farmer replied while leaning back. ¡°The king¡¯s just a man, like any other. He¡¯s made mistakes, too. Some folks think he¡¯s too heavy-handed with his spies¡­ that he¡¯s paranoid. Others think he focuses too much on diplomacy and not enough on the troubles at home. What about you, Hami boy? What do you think of a king like that?¡±

    Caught off guard, Croxeus hesitated. ¡°I... don¡¯t know yet. I haven¡¯t been here long enough to form an opinion.¡±

    ¡°A fair answer,¡± the farmer said with a nod. ¡°But mark my words, lad¡ªwhether you¡¯re a farmer or an adventurer, a king¡¯s choices affect everyone. You¡¯ll see it soon enough.¡±

    Croxeus frowned, unsure if the old man¡¯s words were a warning or simple musings. ¡°What about the capital? Doon, right? Is it as prosperous as they say?¡±

    The farmer¡¯s eyes brightened at the question. ¡°Ah, Doon. Now that¡¯s a sight to behold. It¡¯s the heart of Maya¡¯s trade, bustling with caravans heading to and from the Ketu. You¡¯ll find merchants selling goods from every corner of the land, from spices and silks to weapons and those weird enchanted trinkets... whatever you want you will get there. If you ask me, it¡¯s a good place for a fresh start.¡±

    ¡°I might check it out,¡± Croxeus said. ¡°Thanks for the advice, old man.¡±

    The farmer waved a hand dismissively. ¡°Bah, no need for thanks. Just do some good out there, and we¡¯ll call it even.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind,¡± Croxeus said while watching the old man shuffle off toward his small cart.

    I don¡¯t know what Ard and the others might be doing right now. They¡¯re probably working in that laboratory I gave them, trying to make sense of this world. Honestly, I¡¯m ashamed to admit it, but I only have a basic understanding of science. It felt... right to let them take the lead. They¡¯re scientists, after all.

    The cart jostled as it hit a small bump. On the outside this place feels just like SUN-SAAR. My magic works the same. Could this be a new simulation? Did they repurpose the old data to create this place?... That would explain how we ended up here.

    Should I try to contact them?  No¡­ that¡¯s probably a bad idea. If they discover that my consciousness was transferred here intact, I might end up as their next guinea pig¡­. It¡¯s too risky.

    Not that I am dying to go back. There isn¡¯t even anything for me there. Except¡­ His chest tightened. I miss my brother. More than anything. If only there was a way to talk to him¡­ just once.

    His eyes softened as he looked around the serene beauty of the countryside. The vibrant colours of the fields, the crisp air and the peaceful hum of life¡ªit was perfect¡­ in its own way.

    This world is so good. There¡¯s no pressure, no tasks¡­ no deadlines. I can do whatever I want here. It¡¯s like I¡¯m finally free.

    Still¡­ I can¡¯t be too careless. I can¡¯t let myself be discovered. If this truly is a simulation, then I need to lay low. For now, I¡¯ll gather as much information as I can.

    -

    The sun dipped below the horizon as the cart rolled into Doon, the capital city of the Maya Kingdom. The towering gates at the entrance stood as the sentinels of the city. Soldiers on the front door were dressed in polished armour. Their job was to inspect every individual and cart that passed through.

    Their watchful eyes scanned Croxeus and the old farmer as they approached.

    "State your business," one of the guards shouted as they reached the gates.

    ¡°Delivering purple herbs to the Lord Saran,¡± the old man replied in his polite tone.

    The guard nodded and after a brief inspection, he waved them through. They paid the entry fee and entered the bustling city just as the first stars began to shimmer in the sky.

    The streets were alive with the fading echoes of daytime activity.

    The merchants were closing their stalls, children were darting between alleys and lanterns started to flicker light along the cobblestone pathways.

    As they moved deeper into the city, the old farmer turned to Croxeus (now going by his alias Markus)

    ¡°I know our arrangement was just for escorting me here,¡± he began, scratching the back of his neck, ¡°but my back isn¡¯t what it used to be... Think you could help unload the herbs at the noble¡¯s house? Your muscles could make quick work of it.¡±

    Markus¡ªCroxeus¡ªnodded without hesitation. ¡°Of course. Lead the way.¡±

    They soon arrived at the gates of Noble Saran''s estate. It was an ostentatious mansion surrounded by high walls and guarded by soldiers who seemed more for show than actual protection.

    The farmer informed the guards of their delivery. After a short wait, the noble himself emerged from the front door of the mansion, flanked by a handful of his men.

    Saran was a thin, wiry man with sharp features that twisted into an expression of disdain as he approached. His silk robes were embroidered with gold which glimmered under the lantern light. By his attire he looked a wealthy noble, but his demeanour was far from royal.

    ¡°You brought the herbs, I see,¡± Saran said with his tone dripping with impatience. Without waiting for a response, he leaned in to inspect the bundles on the cart. As he began his inspection, his lips curled in disapproval.

    ¡°Yes, my lord,¡± the farmer said while bowing slightly. ¡°I grew them myself and transported them all the way here.¡±

    Lord Saran waved his hand dismissively. ¡°How much are you asking for this... ragged bunch?¡±

    ¡°Twenty-one gold coins, my lord,¡± the farmer said in his steady voice despite the noble¡¯s tone.

    Saran scoffed. His annoyance was evident on his face. ¡°Twenty-one? For this?¡± He gestured at the herbs dismissively. ¡°These look like they were picked out of a ditch. The leaves are wilted, the colour¡¯s off¡ªI won¡¯t give a dime more than nine gold coins.¡±

    The farmer¡¯s expression faltered, but he still persisted. ¡°My lord, I came from far away. These herbs took months to grow and tend. I even hired an adventurer for one gold coins to ensure their safe delivery.¡± He gestured toward Croxeus, who shifted uncomfortably under the noble¡¯s dismissive glance.

    Saran¡¯s face darkened. As he took a menacing step forward. ¡°I don¡¯t care how far you came or what you paid. I didn¡¯t ask for these! And these herbs are garbage¡ªprobably stink like the muck they grew in. Seven gold coins, and not a penny more.¡±

    ¡°What did you just say about the royal farmlands?¡± The farmer¡¯s voice changed, now calm and soothing. His voice now seemed to ripple with an authority that demanded attention.

    Before anyone could react, the old farmer¡¯s appearance began to change. His hunched posture straightened. His weathered skin smoothed and his simple clothes shimmered into fine royal garments with gleaming jewelleries.

    As he transformed, light seemed to radiate around him. And where the farmer had stood, now was a young and strikingly handsome man with golden hair that seemed to glow in the moonlight.

    The soldiers and Markus stood frozen in shock.

    ¡°K¡ªK¡ªKing Yuyutsu? Your Majesty?¡± Saran stammered while stumbling backward. His face turned pale as his arrogance evaporated. ¡°Why are you here?¡±

    Yuyutsu¡¯s serene expression remained unchanged. ¡°I¡¯m here to investigate you, of course,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ve received numerous anonymous complaints about your dealings with the farmers under your care. It seems those complaints were accurate.¡±

    ¡°No, Your Majesty, I assure you, they were just simple misunderstandings!¡± Saran¡¯s voice cracked as he scrambled to save himself. He shoved one of his soldiers forward. ¡°This fool¡ªhe smells awful, that¡¯s why I thought the stench came from the herbs! And it is nighttime. So¡ªI¡ªI  couldn¡¯t see the quality properly...¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s enough, Saran,¡± Yuyutsu interrupted in a sharp tone. ¡°Stop making excuses.¡± He raised his hand and armed soldiers appeared from the shadows. Among them was a man in elegant attire who was probably the kingdom¡¯s prime minister.

    ¡°Guards, arrest him,¡± the king commanded.

    The guards moved swiftly and binded the sputtering noble. Saran shouted protests, but his voice grew faint as they dragged him away.

    The prime minister stepped forward. His face was a mix of respect and concern. ¡°Your Majesty, was it truly necessary to handle this matter personally? We could have dealt with it without exposing you to danger.¡±

    Yuyutsu smiled faintly. ¡°A king must walk among his people, Prime Minister. How else can I truly understand their lives? This was not just about Saran. I¡¯ve learned so much during my time here, and I needed to see with my own eyes what was happening in my kingdom.¡±

    His gaze shifted to Croxeus. ¡°Besides, I had this young man to protect me.¡±

    Croxeus blinked as he was caught off guard by the compliment. ¡°I... I didn¡¯t do much, Your Ma¡ªjesty.¡±

    Croxeus stood frozen. His mind was struggling to reconcile what he was seeing. Just moments ago, the old farmer had seemed like an ordinary man. Now, in his place, stood King Yuyutsu, the leader of the Maya Kingdom. A leader of an entire nation.

    The change in atmosphere was so sudden. The light right now, shimmered differently around the king. It was like an unspoken authority radiated from him which even made the air feel heavier.

    This wasn¡¯t the carefully protected and manufactured respect Croxeus had seen for politicians in his world. Politicians, Presidents and Prime Ministers held little or no respect in the real world. Those were just empty posts filled by faceless fools.

    But this, this was real respect and authority, which was earned through deeds and the loyalty of those under his rule.

    Croxeus¡¯s thoughts raced. So, this is what a true leader looks like. In the real world, the Prime Minister was nothing more than a joke¡ªa figurehead for photos and formalities. People mocked him openly and called him good for nothing. But this man¡ªKing Yuyutsu holds such authority so effortlessly. Even the Prime Minister at his side carries himself with so respect for him.

    Yuyutsu¡¯s calm voice broke the silence. ¡°Even if I wish to reward you, I cannot disrespect you or the terms of our agreement.¡± He glanced at the Prime Minister and nodded. ¡°One gold coin, as promised.¡±

    The Prime Minister stepped forward, handing over the coins without hesitation. Croxeus accepted them.

    The king¡¯s expression softened slightly. And a hint of a smile crept on his lips. ¡°However,¡± Yuyutsu continued, ¡°I would also like to offer you something more¡ªa place among the royal guards. You seem a capable warrior and this position would not only pay handsomely but also ensure you are well-settled in my kingdom. What do you say?¡±

    Croxeus thought to himself, while this may be an excellent way to make connections¡­but¡­

    After a moment¡¯s hesitation, he said, ¡°It¡¯s... an incredibly generous offer, Your Ma¡ªjesty. But I think I want to roam the world¡­ see different things, before I settle into a role. Adventuring gives me freedom.¡±

    Yuyutsu smiled faintly, as if he had already predicted the answer. ¡°Haha Spoken like a true Hami native. Your people are known for their free spirits.¡± He stepped closer, ¡°Still, I wanted to try¡­ Perhaps our paths will cross again someday, Markus.¡±

    With that, the king turned and began walking away and the Prime Minister followed him closely behind.

    When they moved out of Markus¡¯ earshot, the Prime Minister leaned towards the king and spoke in an urgent tone. ¡°While you were out, we received troubling reports. King Raaz of the Meer Kingdom launched an attack on the Ketu Empire¡ªand he apparently lost.... His forces suffered a devastating defeat, estimated loss is of fifty thousand soldiers.¡±

    Yuyutsu replied in a shocking manner, ¡°King Raaz? Attacking Ketu? Has he lost his mind?¡±

    The Prime Minister shook his head. ¡°The reasons for his attack are still unclear. But now, there¡¯s speculation that Ketu might retaliate. If they decide to take action against Meer, should we intervene?¡±

    Yuyutsu¡¯s response came without hesitation. ¡°No. We will abide by our long-standing policy. The Maya Kingdom will not engage in conflicts between other nations. Our priority is to maintain friendly relationships with all kingdoms.¡±

    ¡°But¡­¡± the Prime Minister pressed with a cautious tone, ¡°diplomacy says, aligning with the stronger side is always better. Also, our borders are with the Ketu Empire, not Meer. If we somehow offend Emperor Shyok, we might face repercussions¡ªhis wrath is not something to underestimate.¡±

    The king replied after a short pause, ¡°King Shyok is a wise ruler. He won¡¯t be offended by our neutrality. Our stance will be clear. We condemn King Raaz¡¯s actions as reckless and unjust. Beyond that, we will wait to see how events unfold before taking any further steps. Emperor Shyok hasn¡¯t even announced his decision regarding Meer yet, am I correct?¡±

    The Prime Minister nodded his head. Then inclined his head to acknowledge the king¡¯s reasoning. ¡°As you say, Lord Yuyutsu.¡±

    Yuyutsu¡¯s expression softened slightly. ¡°Remember, diplomacy isn¡¯t just about taking sides¡ªit¡¯s about ensuring the best outcome for our people. Maya has thrived because we focus on peace, not war. Let¡¯s not stray from that path.¡±

    As the two men continued their conversation, Croxeus stood rooted in place while watching them disappear into the night.

    For a moment there. I was worried¡­ I don¡¯t even know how to behave in front of a king.

    I used to get so nervous in front of our bosses and he¡ªhe was a king.

    Ufff¡­ I think this is enough information for now. I should rest in an inn here and head to castle tomorrow.

    <ul>

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    Inside a dimly lit palace which was far smaller and less grandiose than the main royal residence, a tense atmosphere permeated the air. The grand hall was shrouded in shadows. In the front of the hall, there were a wide set of steps leading up to an imposing throne. At the top of the throne sat a strong but weathered man.

    His broad shoulders and sharp jawline gave him an air of authority, while his piercing eyes reflected a mix of fury and worry. Age had left its mark on his face, but the power he exuded was unmistakable.

    The silence of the room was broken as King Raaz entered through the front entrance, flanked by a small group of guards. His steps echoed across the hall as he approached in front of the throne.

    Stopping before the older man, Raaz bowed slightly and greeted him. ¡°Good evening, Father. I have returned.¡±

    The old man¡¯s reply was as sharp as a blade. ¡°There is nothing good about this evening, you FOOL.¡±

    Raaz straightened as he was startled by the harsh tone. ¡°Father, if this is about¡ª¡±.

    ¡°Silence!¡± after a short pause he continued, ¡°will you care to explain to me why the hell you attacked the Ketu Empire?... I was so proud of you after your last two victories¡ªso proud! Never¡ªever, even in my darkest dreams, did I imagine you would do something so foolish.¡±

    ¡°Father, it was necessary,¡± Raaz began in a respectful tone. ¡°We cannot allow the Ketu Empire to dominate like this. Their influence and power over other kingdoms pose a direct threat to us. With our recent military strength, it seemed right to strike first¡ª¡±

    ¡°Enough!¡± the old man barked. ¡°You can¡¯t fool me anymore Raaz. I know the real reason you attacked Ketu. It¡¯s that damned Irgis.¡±

    Raaz replied in slightly raised voice, ¡°father, leave Lady Irgis out of this!¡±

    ¡°Silence!¡± his father roared in anger. ¡°Where did I go wrong in raising you? Were the countless women in your harem not enough? What spell did that vixen cast on you to make you lose all sense?¡±

    ¡°FATHER!¡± Raaz snapped and his fists clenched, but the older man ignored him.

    ¡°You still don¡¯t see it, do you? She doesn¡¯t care about you, boy. If she did, she would¡¯ve shown it after your first victory, or your second. She¡¯s using you¡ªmanipulating you for her own schemes. And you, blinded by desire, have thrown away everything.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not true¡ª¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t interrupt me, boy!¡± his father thundered as his tone shifted to one of bitter disappointment.

    ¡°Wisdom is chasing you, Raaz, but you¡¯re running even faster¡ªafter a DAMNED WOMAN! Do you even realize what you¡¯ve done? You¡¯ve not only lost the battle but cost fifty thousand soldiers their lives. Fifty thousand! Ahhhh¡­ (the man sighed). Do you have any idea how much I¡¯ve sacrificed to maintain peace with the Ketu Empire? Decades of diplomacy, countless efforts¡ªall undone in a single, thoughtless act.¡±

    Raaz opened his mouth to reply, but his father raised a hand to silence him. ¡°Perhaps I was too hasty in your coronation. Maybe I should have kept the crown a few years longer¡ªtaught you the art of diplomacy instead of warfare.¡±

    The man turned to the elderly advisor standing at his side. ¡°Gush, prepare for my departure tomorrow. I will go myself to speak with Emperor Shlok. We must repair this disaster before it worsens.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness,¡± Gush replied while bowing deeply.

    ¡°And ensure the finest treats and offerings are prepared for the Emperor,¡± the old man added.

    He shot one last withering glance at Raaz. ¡°Pray that I can undo the damage you¡¯ve caused. Pray, for all our sakes.¡±

    Raaz remained silent as his jaw clenched in shame and frustration. Despite his anger and shame, he knew the old man was right.