Apocalypse Healer - Path of Death

A rumbling laugh echoed throughout a pristine hall that spanned wider and longer than the eye could see.

"This mortal is interesting. I like him!" a man said, his eyes trailing the myriad images materializing above a liquid table.

No image was the same. None of them even showed the same people as they flashed. Only a few images lingered, refusing to disperse. These held steady, focusing on the same individuals and revealing what they were up to.

A massive frame beside the chortling man stirred. It rose to its feet, electricity currents forming in its hands. The currents blazed white, transforming into a great, untamed bolt of lightning, "I want him dead! Don't interfere again!"

"Do it," the man said, mockery dripping from his tone. His ruby eyes glowed with vibrant intensity as crimson mist seeped from every pore of his body. The corner of his lips curled upward. "But make sure you hit him with something stronger, or your attack won't weaken my Seal. We want to see him struggle as he grows, don't we?"

The man cocked his head to the side, waving lightly with his hand. "But if you keep attacking him, he'll reach the Bronze Rank before he meets the requirements. That's no good."

The massive figure turned to the man wreathed in crimson mist. "You really want to take him?! A trashy mortal with a foul mouth like that?"

"What's wrong with him? Is it really the first time a mortal cussed you out?" the man asked, then seemed to realize something and burst into laughter. "Ah, right! You're one of the infants from… I actually don't know where you're from. I would apologize, but it wouldn't be sincere."

He shrugged. "I don't know who you are, and, as a matter of fact, I care too little to keep you entertained, infant."

The man, still wreathed in crimson, turned back to the moving images, ignoring the massive figure's growing fury.

"Either way," the man continued with a smile, disregarding his companion's anger, "I'm probably not the only one who wants him."

"Bereth already claimed him," the gigantic figure spat through gritted teeth.

A thunderous laugh erupted. "So what? I like him, and nobody claimed him last time."

"We are talking about Bereth here. Asmodeus…" The man wreathed in crimson mist flicked his gaze to the hulking figure and stared him straight in the eyes. The giant's rage dissipated instantly, replaced by a cold sweat.

"Your Excellency… this is no joking matter."

Asmodeus cocked an eyebrow and snorted. "Whatever."

He waved his hand, releasing sparkling crimson motes that merged with the images of the half-dead, smiling man Asmodeus had been watching with keen interest. The recordings pulled back, revealing more of the surroundings. They showed the Pantheon temple first, the Panthea next, and finally, the System Sanctuary.

Asmodeus didn't stop there. He zoomed out further, revealing the surrounding region and the scars left by the integration. Soon, Asmodeus and the other gods could see the entire Earthen Union. They observed vivid streams of Aether surging toward the Earthen Union from all directions.

The Aether carved its way to the planet's core, splitting into countless tendrils that raced toward other gathering points across the Earthen Union.

Asmodeus' eyes narrowed as his attention flicked to several different gathering points. "Looks like we were found out. Not that it's surprising."

The hulking giant and the other gods turned toward the same scream in unison.

"They made a move? Who?"

Asmodeus snickered, a small, rosy smile blooming on his lips. "Have you been asleep since the last time? Well, it's not like it matters. Your presence wouldn't have changed anything."

The other gods seated around the liquid table glared daggers at him, but nothing could tarnish his mood now.

"Did I say something wrong? Their timing is perfect. Our little mortal can show what he's capable of… and meet the requirements while you all keep watching Zachariah."

Asmodeus rose as he finished speaking.

The other gods shook their heads. There was no need to ask where Asmodeus was going or what he planned to do. Everyone who'd lived long enough in the Pantheon knew that trying to predict Asmodeus' actions was a waste of time.

He had a few loose screws.

This wouldn't have been a problem if he wasn't so powerful.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

Unfortunately, Asmodeus was as strong as he was insane.

***

"Did someone attack the Sanctuary?" Melach furrowed his brows, his gaze trailing over David's battered form in a mixture of disgust and confusion.

Torb didn't seem to mind David's appearance as much. "What happened to you?"

David didn't put on new clothes right away, waiting instead for his flesh and skin to heal first.

"The Sanctuary is not under attack," he said with a shrug, cracking his shoulder. "I was at the temple. Had a nice talk with my buddies."

Melach's eyes briefly widened as he focused intently on David, creeping closer. "How did you acquire divine energy? No, you didn't acquire it. It was… forced inside of you?"

"Is that what pure holy power is called? Divine energy… I like the ring to it," David chuckled.

"You talked with some gods?" Torb asked incredulously.

"It was more of a one-sided chat," David grumbled. "They're not a very talkative bunch."

Torb cocked an eyebrow. "Savage bastard. You provoked them, didn't you?"

"He's just like the other idiots. Why am I even surprised?" Melach sighed.

So that's why everyone ran out of the temple.

It didn't surprise David, but he wondered what had happened to the others. Were they dead, or had they survived the Divine Tribulation? Maybe they'd stopped provoking the Pantheon after getting zapped once.

He laughed inwardly, assuming the gods overseeing the Pantheon temples had fragile egos if they punished everyone who provoked them in broad daylight.

"Either way," David asked, waving his hand dismissively, "what are we doing now?"

The day was still young. He was a bit tired, and the Divine Tribulation's aftermath forced him to keep casting [Cure Wounds]. Still, he was in a new place with foreign races and unique magical armaments—a place created by the Pantheon with a mixture of fantasy and science, medieval and modern age.

Trob snorted and threw a small pouch filled with tinkling coins. "You should search for a place to stay. Arc is not yet at full capacity, but you want a decent place to stay, don't ya?"

David opened the leather pouch, revealing small slates made of different metals. There were a few dozen iron and some bronze slates. "How much is a decent room in the Sanctuary?"

He counted 73 iron slates and four bronze slates.

"Since we sold the Fragment of Power as well, you won't have any issues paying for a nice room," Melach said calmly. "A room shouldn't be more than ten iron these days. But we cannot say how long that will be the case. Once more natives and Protectors arrive at Arc, the demand for housing will only increase. If you plan to stay in Arc long-term, lease an apartment for a small upcharge or consider purchasing a building."

David raised an eyebrow at that. Everything Melach said felt too much like the old Earthen Union.

"On a good note, you won't have to pay for a room if you sign up to the Familia—for the first ten days, at least. Natives are given a boon for working alongside the Familia against the threat consuming the newly integrated world," Melach added.

That doesn't sound suspicious at all.

The Familia, a construct created by the Pantheon, hands out freebies to work with them against the very problem they created.

That stinks!

"What do I have to do to sign up?" David asked out of curiosity. "I doubt the Familia will pay 100 iron without demanding anything in return. What would my responsibilities be once I'm a member of the Familia?"

"First, I should tell you that one bronze slate is worth 100 iron. 100 bronze is the equivalent of one silver slate. You won't need more than a few iron to purchase daily necessities. Even if you feast on meat until you're sick, it shouldn't cost you more than ten iron. Of course, there are also expensive meals—Aether-infused dishes from other worlds or meat from mutated animals of the Earthen Union. They can benefit you, but they're not worth your attention. You—we—are not wealthy enough," Melach explained curtly.

David did a quick mental calculation. If Melach's words could be trusted, one Iron was equivalent to one or two Credits.

Meanwhile, Torb answered his earlier question. "The only responsibility as a member of the Familia is to protect it when the Sanctuary is in danger. You can do whatever you want as long as you don't harass, attack, or scam anyone. Thievery is also forbidden and will be severely punished, but I think that's obvious."

There didn't seem to be a problem with protecting the Familia, but David was nosy. "What if I don't protect the Sanctuary when it is attacked?"

Torb shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe they'll throw you out and blacklist you. That way, you wouldn't be able to enter any System Sanctuary until you're taken off the blacklist."

That was understandable.

David rummaged through the pouch filled with slates again to count it once more.

"I assume the Fragment of Power was worth quite a bit. If everyone got the same share—and I wouldn't blame you if you took a bigger share—we earned almost 15 bronze for defeating a single Infected. Of course, it was an Anomaly, but still…"

"We could have earned a lot more than that," Torb said, clicking his tongue. "It would have been better to sell the Fragment of Power to an Alchemist, but we had to give the Familia the Fragment as proof."

Torb clicked his tongue again before a thin smile spread across his face, his earlier annoyance seemingly forgotten. "But, on a good note, we were generously compensated for the Familia's mistake. Their information network was wrong, and they detected the mistake in the issued danger level too late, which nearly killed us. The money is great and all, but two skills of mine ranked up… so I guess I shouldn't complain too much."

Skills level up by completing missions? That's neat. You earn money, which can be reinvested in equipment, while your Skill Runes and Rank increase as well.

"What do you say?" Melach asked. "Are you ready to be reborn?"

David froze, his eyes narrowing to tiny slits.

"What?"