“So what do you want?” Arceus groaned as he placed his staff on top of his desk, beside the [Reward Box] and some mysterious book emitting aura, “You first, Artemis.”
“Yes, master,” Artemis kneeled, “Some sort of monster emerged from the [Abyss] recently, and though it was taken care of, I wanted to inform you.”
At this news, both Alex and Arceus’ eyes widened.
“Hm, seems like the [God of the Abyss] is getting impatient…” Arceus grinned, “Do I need to take care of that bastard?”
“I wouldn’t advise you, master, remember the rules of the order, doing that would attract too much attention and hatred.”
“What is the order,” Alex was the one to speak this time, intrigued as he didn’t know about any of this.
Even the fact that the [God of the Abyss] was starting to act was news to him.
After all, though he did cause havoc a few months from now, he still went back to the [Abyss] after getting bored, not coming out of it.
It was only two years later that Alex and his team were able to challenge him, and even then, they lost 80% of their forces in the process.
Maybe if he could get rid of him…
“…” Arceus didn’t answer.
“And why don’t you take care of that God?” Alex pressured, “I believe that you, a grand mage at level 2000, would easily able to take care of a level 1200 lower-god, right?”
But the moment he said that last part, Alex instinctively knew he fucked up.
Why, you might ask.
“Hey, kid,” Artemis and Arceus both looked at Alex, their gazes piercing his soul, “How do you know about the level and rank of that god.”
Alex’s heart pounded in his chest.
He cursed inwardly, knowing he’d let his knowledge slip too easily.
Of course, they’d question it, no ordinary mortal should have any precise information about a being as enigmatic as the [God of the Abyss].
“We had to send a party of level 1,000 angels inside to gain this information, and none of them came back alive, so do you, a mere mortal, know of it,” Artemis questioned.
“Would you believe me if I told you I heard it from somewhere?”
“No.”
“Figures,” Alex didn’t feel like giving the real reason, and he felt like any other one wouldn’t slip past them.
“Well,” Arceus finally groaning, “It doesn’t matter, as long as he’s up-to-date, it means we don’t have to explain anything to him.”
“But master, this human-” Artemis tried to argue.
“I said it doesn’t matter,” Arceus repeated, this time infusing his aura in his voice, which stunned Artemis in place.
“Yes…”
Meanwhile, Alice and Aurelia were confused.
These three beings, all overwhelmingly strong to them, were discussing things they couldn’t understand.
“Thank you for the information Artemis, keep me informed about anything else,” Arceus nodded.
“Very well, master, I believe that news about the [Universal Descent Race/Bloodline Tournament] or the [Sacred Tree] should emerge soon,” Artemis got up from his kneeling position, twirling before disappearing in a golden flash.
Both these things were familiar to Alex, though he was still shocked to hear Arceus and Artemis speak about them so early in the game.
These two were up to something, or more like, Arceus was.
His gaze, his determination, and all these experiments, there was something to them, he probably didn’t even tell Artemis.
As the room settled into silence, Arceus’s gaze shifted to Aurelia. A mischievous grin spread across his face.
“Another woman, student?” he teased, his tone lighter now. “Don’t let her distract you from your priorities.”
“It would never happen, teacher,” he replied with a smirk. “I’m as focused as ever.”
Alex didn’t expect to get any information or quest from Arceus yet, he just felt like going to the tower.
It did reveal some juicy news to him though: the fact that the [Abyss] was active even at the start of the game.
He was about to leave, heading to the [Double Experience Zone] or even back to the [Tower of Destiny] as he wanted to slay the other [Floor Bosses].
But before he could do anything…
“The Grand Mage Order is basically a meeting between all Grand Mages, or at least most of them,” Arceus spoke, answering the very first question Alex asked.
“Huh.”
“We have complete freedom except for three specific rules, and breaking them would mean facing all other members of the order,” Arceus sighed, “Even I wouldn’t be able to do that.”
Facing a single [Grand Mage] was terrifying, so just imagine having ten of them on you.
Even a High-Rank God would probably succumb.
“What are the rules?” Alex asked, unable to hide his interest.
Arceus held up a finger. “Rule one: Never engage in direct conflict with another [Grand Mage]. It keeps the balance intact.”
A second finger followed. “Rule two: Don’t interfere in major world events unless absolutely necessary. We stay in the background, ensuring the natural flow of events.”
Finally, Arceus raised a third finger, his expression darkening. “And rule three: Never kill a god.”
The weight of those words hung heavily in the air. Alex frowned, trying to make sense of the last rule. “Why not?” Read latest stories on empire
It would have been so much easier if the [Grand Mages] actually did that in Alex’s past life!
Arceus didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he turned his gaze to the glowing book on his desk, his expression unreadable.
After a long pause, he finally spoke, his voice low and cryptic.
“Because the consequences of such an act would ripple across the entirety of this space.”
Alex had more questions, but he knew better than to push.
For now, he’d learned enough.
Whatever the [Grand Mage Order] was planning, or avoiding, would reveal itself in time as he now had contact with one of them.
All he could do was prepare for what was coming.
“I have one last question for you,” Alex dared.
“Do ask, I’m quite busy right now,” Arceus didn’t look back at him, instead opening up the [Mysterious Book] on his desk.
After hearing about the [Universal Descent Race/Bloodline Tournament], Alex couldn’t help but dwell on the possibilities.
His curiosity got the better of him, especially given the significance of bloodlines in the game.
He wanted to participate in that tournament too, but unfortunately, the human race wasn’t allowed, meaning that he would need to acquire another one.
‘Angel or Dragon should be the best…’
He turned to Arceus, still sitting with his staff and mysterious book.
“Teacher,” Alex began, his voice measured but inquisitive, “this [Race/Bloodline Tournament] Artemis mentioned… it made me wonder, how does one gain a bloodline like the angel one.”
Arceus raised an eyebrow, studying Alex for a moment.
“A new bloodline, is it?” Arceus said, his tone carrying a hint of amusement. “It’s no small thing you’re asking.”
“So do you know?”
“Of course I do,” Arceus shrugged, “But I’m not telling you, find an angel who can teach you.”
Before Alex could argue, Arceus pointed his staff at the three humans inside his chamber, and with a simple sway of the staff, all three were teleported out.
“And don’t come back until you found a way to gain that new bloodline you wanted, otherwise I have nothing else to teach you,” he added at the end, thinking that with his, Alex wouldn’t be able to come back.
Ding!
[SSS-Level Grand Mage Student Quest #3 has been triggered, “New Bloodline”!]