Chapter 61: Domain of the Gods

When Apophis opened his eyes, he found himself floating in an endless white void.

System: Congratulations! You found a unique secret. Gain 1 level. Please note that you are not high enough level for this area and will be expelled in 5 minutes.

*Level 13 achieved*

Apophis had no idea where exactly he had ended up, so he opened his political menu.

Stellar year: 7099

Galactic Sector: ???

Stellar Faction: ???

Planet: ???

Continent: God Valley

City: Domain of the Gods

The Domain of the Gods?!

This place had been legendary in Apophis's former life. Back then, only seven people had ever accessed it in the nearly ten years the game had been out! It was a place reserved for the Gods—and, therefore, for any player or NPC who had achieved Rank S.

It was the place where all the gods met, no matter their alignment, and even if some of them were enemies! This place was a neutral zone, the only area in the entire game where all the power of the gods was blocked, preventing them from fighting with one another.

.

According to lore which had been discovered over the years, the main objective of this place was to allow for the settlement of conflicts between gods. In very rare cases, it was rumored to allow multiple gods to arrange a way to pool their forces and contain a god too powerful or too belligerent for an individual to handle on their own.

Aside from these legendary summits, the Domain of the Gods was said to remain completely empty.

Yet, Apophis now saw, a few hundred meters in front of him, a man he'd seen before in a nightmarish experience.

[Unknown God-Emperor, God-Slayer, Lord of the Universe] [Player] [lvl: ???] [Tier: ???]

"How is that possible?!" Apophis gasped.

The probability of meeting the same god twice in such a short time, considering the absolute vastness of the universe, was zero! Moreover, Apophis suddenly realized how strange it was that this character was listed as a player, and yet was completely unknown to him!

And this time, Apophis knew that there was no way out. No goddess would appear to save him. "What do you want from me?!" he snapped. "I know this isn't a coincidence! Tell me who you are and what you want from me!"

The God-Emperor smiled. "You know who I am!" Slowly, the God-Emperor raised his helmet and one more bit of character information popped into view.

[God-Emperor Apophis, God-Slayer, Lord of the Universe] [Player] [lvl: ???] [Tier: ???]

What?! "How is this possible?" Apophis muttered. He didn't know what to think.

The God-Emperor answered, "Once divinity is achieved, few things are impossible! But I am not here to test you like last time. No, I am here to warn you! I am afraid the exact timing is unknown to me, but, at least eight years and several months from now, at some time following the date of your first death, a cataclysm of cosmic proportions will occur. It will be known as the 'Great Devourer,' and will seek to corrupt the gods, one after the other. Through this, the Great Devourer will threaten all life in the universe!

"Unfortunately, despite my current power, it is impossible for me to stop it. So it is up to you! You must find the artifact called the "Ancient Heart" and destroy it before the Great Devourer awakens!"

Apophis was in shock!

'Was' the God-Emperor really himself?! Was this god a version of him from the future, or perhaps even the past? Things were getting more and more complex!

Then he had an idea. "Enclabossa, what do you think?"

The soul answered, "I am as skeptical as you, Master! I have known many gods, and almost all are untrustworthy! It is perhaps possible that this is a ruse by a god to get their hands on an object in the mortal universe which they may not take themselves."

So Apophis spoke up and answered the God-Emperor. "This is all pretty hard to believe!"

The God-Emperor replied, "I know that for a mortal, this must seem truly extraordinary. The inescapable truth is that, until you reach divinity, you will be incapable of fully believing me! That is irrelevant. This is my last possible intervention with you, and there is nothing more to be said."

The God-Emperor placed a ring on the ground, which was otherwise impossible to tell from the rest of the surrounding white void, and said, "I offer you a second chance."

Then he disappeared without a trace.

Apophis retrieved the ring and inspected it.

[Ring of the God-Emperor Apophis] [Common]

Item Summary: Ring of the god Apophis. Grants no mechanical bonus.

Apophis was astonished. Why the hell did the God-Emperor leave him a worthless ring?

But what intrigued Apophis the most was the god's last sentence! It was exactly what Cortana had told him just before his first death. This reinforced the God-Emperor's mystery, but gave Apophis some confidence in what the god had said.

System: You are not high enough level for this area and will now be expelled.

Apophis reappeared next to his mysterious cube in the void of space.