“Supreme Divinity of Toxin?” Eik repeated. “What the hell is that?”

  The serpent looked up at him with expressionless eyes. Its presence came from all directions at once. Centered around its manifested body, yes, but it felt like it existed everywhere simultaneously.

  “It is… stronger than you are now.”

  “So, what, X-rank?” Eik asked, his heart speeding up at the thought of reaching that ridiculous height.

  Rather than see it, Eik felt the grimace. “I… despise those labels. They are… disgusting.”

  “You don’t like the power ranks? Because they were created by the system?”

  “… Yes.”

  “Is it true that the system was created by nature to oppose the Worldbreakers?”

  “Yes.”

  Eik tilted his head from side to side. “I guess it makes sense not to like it then,” he muttered before he realized that he was going off on a tangent. “Wait, how am I supposed to reach this Supreme Divinity of Toxin? Can you elevate my power or something?” It couldn’t be that easy, or could it?

  “No.” No, of course it couldn’t.

  Eik massaged the bridge of his nose tiredly. “All right, how, then?”

  “Vanquish the spawn… of a Worldbreaker. To prove… your power and worth. A trial.”

  “Classic hero quest. I like it. A kill quest is exactly what I would expect from you. You got any of your spawn lying around here? Let’s get this thing over with,” he grinned, patting his bicep.

  “Not one of mine, idiot.”

  “The Lord of the Moon’s?” he asked, ignoring the insult.

  “… Obviously.”

  Eik frowned. “So, I guess I can take that as confirmation that the creepy tree bastard I killed earlier was not, in fact, a spawn of the Lord of the Moon then?”

  “No. It was.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me? You didn’t even flip out like you usually do, so what’s up with you?” he asked but at this, Profound Toxin remained silent. Not eager to reveal everything, huh? “But then doesn’t that mean I already killed a spawn of the Lord of the Moon? Can I reach Supreme Divinity of Toxin now, then?”

  “No.”

  “Speak clearly, will ya?” Eik snapped. “Did you forget how well I know you? I already know that you’re a bloodthirsty monster, not some mystic saint hiding profound meaning in some annoyingly vague drivel!”

  Profound Toxin seemed to take a moment to decide whether to take offense to that particular description or let it go in a rare display of benevolence. In an instant, its stumpy tail lengthened and flattened, delivering the painful answer right across Eik’s cheek.

  Grumbling, he massaged the reddening skin as the Worldbreaker spoke. “The spawn we fought was… not strong enough to serve such a purpose.”

  “Not strong enough?” Eik gasped. “You’re kidding me, right? I nearly died, like, twenty times! Anything stronger than that and I’ll actually be killed!”

  “Hence why I call it a trial.”

  “Guh…” he sighed and sat down. “I thought I was hitting Supreme Divinity of Toxin now. You’ve totally dashed my hopes against a rock, you know?”

  “I… don’t care.”

  “That’s because you’re a rotten bastard. But it’s still cool to meet you properly, buddy,” Eik said with a grin and reached out with a clenched fist. Profound Toxin should have witnessed him do it enough to know what he wanted.

  He could swear he heard a faint snicker as the serpent’s tail grew again to form a club-like appendage which it bumped against his fist.

  “I… liked the muffins.”

  “I have more. Interested?”

  “… Yes.”

  Another two helpings went down the membranous gullet. Eik watched it vigorously chomp with a smile. “Why are we meeting?” he asked the serpent regarding him with an air of confusion. “I mean, why now? Why not earlier?”

  “It is… a big step to meet. It is a bother to… have met if you die quickly.”

  A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  Eik’s eyebrows shot up. “You waited this long because you didn’t want to fall for me too much in case I died? Oh, you little cutie, you!”

  “You are trying to… embarrass me.”

  “Damn straight! So you think I’ll survive now?”

  “… Maybe.”

  Eik snorted and leaned back onto his hands. “Is there a special reason why you’ve taken the form of a snake?”

  Instead of answering, Profound Toxin’s body warped and grew into a humanoid shape. The features solidified and sharpened, revealing a familiar face.

  Eik arched a brow. “My local baker? Why are you turning into him all of a sudden?”

  “Your… favorite person.”

  “No, he’s fucking not! He just has a way with croissants that borders on the magical, is all!” Eik protested insistently, Profound Toxin nodding along in agreement. “If you’re going for favorite person, you should have turned into one of my kids, or Ihasu, or maybe my dad or Oli! But don’t!” he hurried to add before the blue bastard could get any ideas.

  They sat in silence for a minute before Eik got enough. “Will you still be here the next time I come back to the Profound Toxic Realm?”

  “… Probably.”

  “I’ll take that as a yes, then. I think I’ll take my leave now. I know time flows more slowly in the real world while I’m in here but it does still flow, and from what I was able to pick up before I blacked out, it’s not looking good out there,” Eik said with a thumb in a random direction.

  “I thought… you would have more questions for me.”

  Eik chuckled. “I do, but duty calls.”

  And with that, the Monarch closed his eyes and let himself fall backward through the earth and into the blackness below.

  ***

  A groan escaped him as he slowly opened his eyes. Something blocked the sun from stabbing him in the eyes. How ni—

  “Eik!”

  With a gasp of fright, he flew to his feet, a crystal sword snapping into existence in his hand. He was still in the garden of the Dayarunar estate and nothing was on fire. Good. “Molanda.” He regarded Andihar’s wife with a nod. “What’s going on?”

  “Andi and Gul left already, and you have to go as well, I think. One of the teams sent to cull monsters on the proximate worlds have been annihilated. It’s an emergency.”

  “Fuck,” he muttered under his breath as he collected his thoughts. “Why didn’t they just throw me over a shoulder and bring me along while I was unconscious?”

  She sent him a stern look that relayed every sliver of medical horror felt by her doctor’s heart at that question. “Eik, you should know by now that disturbing a person in a trance or comatose state as a result of a rank up or other similar conditions could have dire consequences!”

  “Uuh, right. I knew that. Where did they go?”

  “Back to the fracture hall was their destination but I can’t promise they’re still there.”

  “How long was I out?” he asked as he began to jog down the pathway to the outer gate.

  “I got here a little later to check on you, but I’d say about ten minutes,” she called after him.

  “Ah, crap!” Abandoning the path, he leaped into the air and soared, covering the distance to the gate while he was still ascending. At his current power level it would take moments to arrive at the fracture hall.

  When he touched down, a guard stepped forward from his position next to the entrance with an expression that clearly showed he had been expecting Eik’s arrival. After a short, curt salute, he delivered his message.

  “Mr. Eik Magnasen. I have been instructed by Andihar Dayarunar to relay to you the following,” the burly man said, the helmet giving his voice a metallic tinge. “Andihar Dayarunar, Clan Leader Gul of the Ougi clan, and the active members of…”—He stopped to think for a moment—“Eik’s Great Group of Guys, have gone ahead to assess the situation at the site where another squad has been reported as possibly wiped out.”

  A ball of worry formed in Eik’s stomach. “They’ve already left? Why didn’t they wait? What do we know?” More than anything, he wanted to run the hell after them but the smaller, reasonable part of his brain recognized that spending thirty seconds now to be brought up to speed would serve him better than wasting two minutes trying to make heads or tails of a likely extremely chaotic situation once he got through.

  “The warrior who made the report was forcibly sent back here by the leader of the team so we could be informed as soon as possible. She was badly injured but stayed awake long enough to reveal that at least half of her team had been killed by the time she was sent back. The survivors were mounting a retreat but she couldn’t say if they had ultimately been successful.”

  “How did she escape?”

  “Two monsters in particular wielded overwhelming power but they seemed strangely intent on torment before killing. That odd inclination offered a window to send her back, it seems. They feared that the monsters would follow if they didn't close the portal down immediately, so only she got through.”

  “Two?” Fuck. Then there truly was no time to waste. Judging by the playful cruelty, they were at least tangentially related to the creepy tree. Shit, shit, shit!

  “That’s what we were told, yes.”

  Eik strode through the double door as guards stepped aside respectfully. “Get me a fracture, stat! I’m going in!” Armor of the Scourge flowed around his body and settled into place as the ankle-length cape of glittering blue billowed behind him in an imperceptible wind.

  “Yes, sir!” a mage acknowledged and immediately went about preparing the portal with two of his colleagues. It was unfortunate, but maintaining a constant fracture was too risky when monsters like that on the other side, even if they were one-way.

  “Eik! Eik, wait!” It was Robert, panting his lungs out as he supported himself on the door frame. The same guard who had been charged with the message for Eik put a palm in the Earthling’s chest and pushed him forcefully back out of the fracture hall, Robert unable to do anything to resist the high-ranker.

  “Let him through,” Eik ordered. “He’s with me.”

  A moment later Robert came back in, a sour glance at the guard as he rubbed his solar plexus but it was quickly forgotten. “She did it!” he exclaimed, excitement painted on his face.

  “Who did what?” Eik asked, shooting constant, anxious glances at the mages working to open a fracture for him.

  “Meri! Meri hir Gawak! She found a viable ingredient mixture to synthesize a class 6 Potion of Mighty Strength! All you have to do now is create it!”

  That got his attention for a moment. “Really? Write that on my schedule after this, then,” he muttered wearily, unable to muster up the enthusiasm he would otherwise have felt. Robert finally seemed to notice the palpable tension in the room. “How did you know to find me here anyw—”

  But before he could finish the question, a call from the fracture specialist told him that they were ready to go. “Never mind, tell me later. Good work, Bobby. I’ve got work to do!” he said and stepped through the portal.

  “What’s going on?” Robert shouted, taking a few steps after his boss.

  “Fill him in!” Eik told the others in the fracture hall. “He’s my second-in-command!”

  Eik felt the dimensional forces pull at his body, sending him to what might be his final showdown.

  Meri had made that recipe impressively quickly. He honestly couldn’t wait to dive into the creation process. If only he lived long enough to go home.

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