Level Up Legacy

"Who are you?" asked Astraeus with a frown after regaining his composure. His chiseled face was not as calm as earlier. "A man who could oppose Devaheim should not be in such a place. Are you an incarnated god?"

"I am a human, whether that shakes your understanding of the world or not," said Arthur with a carefree attitude. Then, he turned toward the bed where he killed that man. "It might take a while for him to regenerate."

Astraeus did not seem keen on talking but observing instead. Then, he removed his necklace, a circular pendant that opened. The god gazed into his artifact, then at Arthur, looking more confused by the second.

"No matter who you are," said Arthur as he turned toward him, "you tried to kill me earlier. I\'m not so forgiving when it comes to those who threaten my life, even if they fail."

Arthur then grabbed his dagger again and raised it against Astraeus. The long-braided man kept looking at his pendant before closing it. Then, he looked at him with a different expression from earlier. It was solemn and grave.

"Every creature in the universe can inflict a certain amount of chaos on the natural order. Gods and insects alike would cause chaos. This artifact can measure how much a creature can inflict chaos."

Astraeus carefully clasped his pendant and gently let it dangle around his neck. With a soft sigh, he slowly lowered his hands, his deep azure eyes, the very essence of the vast sky, ascending to meet Arthur\'s gaze. It was a moment where time seemed to hold its breath, tension turning into a wall between them.

"I have measured the chaos of gods and demons but never met someone like you. I fail to understand… what you are," confessed the god without his earlier arrogance. However, he still received no reply. "Answer me."

"And what should I answer?"

"How can a creature, a human no less who broke the natural order of this dimension, be capable of inflicting no chaos at all?" asked Astraeus with a frown. "You either do not exist… or a ghost."

"Or I might be a good person."

"This is not about goodness," said Astraeus with a shake of his head. "Even leaves that fall from a tree impact the world. A butterfly could bring the end of a world. Everything in this universe should have the capability to bring chaos."

"And what am I supposed to say?"

"Let me understand what you are."

"A god asking a human for help?" laughed Arthur at the irony. "You said I should blame myself for being born a human."

"You are not a human," said Astraeus before raising his fingers and forming a circle with his thumb and index finger. He looked at him through a glass that appeared between his fingers. "As I expected, I cannot see what you are."

"And here I am again, looked at through the eyes of doubt and suspicion," said Arthur as he raised his dagger and walked forward. "Answer my question, Astraeus. Do the gods control our fates?"

"Devaheim is a higher realm, not concerned with mortal matters. However, nothing happens without our approval. In a sense, we dictate greater matters and let the lower creatures fend for themselves."

"Lower creatures fend for themselves?" muttered Arthur as he strolled toward the god. "If the gods knew about our struggles and allowed it, they deserved to die. You are one of them, too, Astraeus."

"Gods cannot be killed. If you eradicate my existence, the universe will create me again because I became a natural aspect of its structure."

"I will reform the universe then," said Arthur, raising his dagger high while walking toward Astraeus. "You tried to kill me because it was fair to let that bastard go. I will not, ever again, let another being decide my fate."

"Know your limits," said Astraeus without being offended or sounding arrogant. "Gods are not creatures to be opposed. We must be feared rather than hated because if a god wanted, they could eradicate your entire race."

"A god tried to kill me a few minutes ago but failed," replied Arthur without a change of expression. "Many self-proclaimed gods tried to kill me before, but I am alive and breathing. Most of them cannot say the same."

"My words are not a threat but advice," said Astraeus while remaining unmoving, even as Arthur raised his dagger. "The moment you used your powers to break into this room, Devaheim knew about your existence."

"…what makes you tell me so much?" asked Arthur as he stopped, staring at Astraeus with a frown. "You came here to kill me, not give me advice."

"My mission here is to eliminate you, but I must understand why the Chaos Mirror claims you would not cause any chaos. I must be sure before eliminating an anomaly."

"That means nothing to me," said Arthur as he pointed his dagger at him. "I am still going to kill you here."

"Do not rush fate," said Astraeus with a warning gaze. "Once I leave, someone else will take care of the anomaly. At that time, they would not have a Chaos device to measure whether you are an anomaly."

"Another god?"

"A different god."

Arthur could tell that Astraeus was hinting that the other god would be different from him and not reasonable enough to talk. Furthermore, he could tell this god no longer wanted to fight him.

"You changed your mind about me."

"My name is Astraeus, the Imperative God of Order," he replied, "I shall never kill a creature unless it breaks the natural order. This is the first time that I became indecisive."

"And what happens now?"

"I shall leave, and we meet again once I know what you are," said Astraeus before raising his hand to the sky, summoning a pillar of light connected to the universe. "Remember, Arthur Silvera. I am the most reasonable god you shall meet. If you want to oppose us, then get stronger first."

Arthur watched the tall man walk into the pillar of light before disappearing with it. The two disappeared as if everything was a fragment of his imagination. The infinite universe still rested above him, twinkling with infinite stars.

This encounter made Arthur realize he was just an ant compared to these entities. Even more, it seems that even the gods had a bone to pick with him. The seven families called him the outsider, and the gods called him the anomaly.

"When would I find a place that would not reject me?" muttered Arthur as he gazed into the infinite, chilling loneliness overtaking his body. Ironically, his time in Alka has turned out to be the closest to his heart because of Diana.

As the memory of her sleeping face appeared in his mind, so did the longing for another second in that peacefulness. Then, it was followed by the rage of what that man said about her. The gods forsook him because he revived as soon as his wrath reappeared.

"Please… no more…" said the man as he fell on the bed, looking at Arthur with fear and looking for Astraeus for help. "I died twice already, please… just forgive me…"

"I cannot kill you and prevent the tower from reviving you," said Arthur as he walked toward the man. "You sent countless men to their death and dared speak ill of the woman I love. Even if I am being cruel, you deserve it."

"Please… I repent… I will be your slave, just don\'t kill me anymore. Please, no more, no more…" begged the man as he sobbed, tears and mucus streaming rivers down his face. Arthur stood at the end of the bed and looked down at him.

"You disgust me, and I cannot bear to look at you for a single second longer," muttered Arthur, making the man look at him with hope. "I will kill you a few more times and then take you to the demon."

"No! Please! No! Don\'t take me there. Kill me all you want! Just don\'t take me to the demon!" said the man in a snap, as if regaining his will to live. Arthur stared at him with amazement.

"Although you disgust me, I cannot help but marvel at your will to survive," Arthur said before raising his dagger. "I will let your men decide your fate, just like how you decided theirs."

Then, the screams echoed inside the room again.