"I accept your offer. I will become your hero."

His decision was not emotional. He had already considered the practical advantages long before reaching this point.

First, becoming a hero would dramatically increase his opportunities to grow stronger. More importantly, it would place him directly at the center of the approaching storm instead of leaving him powerless at its edges.

He would have justification to involve himself in the matters of the gods, and it would thus save him a lot of trouble.

Second, the Council’s missions would inevitably revolve around opposing demons and the Underworlds, which aligned with his personal goal of revenge; already, he could fulfill his own agendas under the guise of missions.

And third...

William’s eyes darkened slightly.

He had no intention of allowing the gods to treat the people of the Scarred Realm as expendable pawns forever.

If possible, he wanted to elevate the realm itself, to strengthen it to the point where higher existences could no longer casually impose their will upon those they considered inferior beings. To achieve that, he would need to know the ins and outs of beings called "gods" and to also bring the whole world on the same page, and that included other continents.

There were other reasons as well.

One of them was his father.

Deep down, William knew that there was a chance that Rudra was alive.

Sunchaser had already revealed the truth to him when he had found out about him being the descendant of the Sun clan; he had told him that demon lord Amon had taken away Rudra’s severely injured and unconscious body with him, but William had deliberately hidden that information from his mother.

He could not bear to give her false hope only to watch her break again if things went wrong. More than anything, he never wanted to witness another tragedy caused by his own helplessness.

This time, he intended to bring his father back himself. Only then would he tell her the truth.

William released a long, exhausted sigh as countless thoughts churned within him.

"Were gods always like this?" he asked quietly after a while. "Willing to sacrifice mortals and lower existences simply to save themselves some effort?"

By now, he had slowly lowered himself and sat on the ground. A strange dizziness had begun settling deep into his body, making his thoughts feel heavier and slower.

[It’s time for you to return; your soul can’t take any more strain of being anchored to this realm] Orion’s voice sounded in his mind.

Nir disappeared from her throne and reappeared beside him.

She sat much closer than before, close enough that William normally would have felt awkward, but his dulled senses barely reacted anymore.

"Yes," Nir answered calmly. "Every living being in this cosmos prioritizes itself first. Gods are no different."

Her gaze lifted toward the stars.

"People worship gods because they receive blessings, protection, or guidance in return. But gods also gain something from that relationship. They absorb faith from their followers."

Her expression became thoughtful.

"And faith is an extraordinarily powerful force. The greater the faith a god possesses, the higher that god can ascend."

Nir then gave a faint, bitter smile.

"So, gods were never truly meant to be selfless beings like many people in the Scarred Realm imagine. Devotees offer their hearts and souls through worship, while for the gods it is merely a transaction."

William turned toward her with visible confusion.

"But aside from the Church, I do not remember many factions worshipping gods with blind devotion. Even the Titans treat worship rather casually; maybe once a month, they pay respects to the rivers."

Nir nodded immediately.

"That is precisely why the Aris Continent was once called the Land of Blasphemy... or the Land Forsaken by the Gods."

William’s eyes widened slightly.

The moment she spoke the word "blasphemy," another memory surfaced within William’s mind.

He remembered Xythia’s words about the blasphemy curse.

The curse placed upon his mother and aunt had been called a Curse of Blasphemy.

Was there a connection between that curse and the reputation of this land? Had the natives of Aris always possessed a history of angering gods?

As questions rapidly surfaced within his mind, Nir suddenly manifested two books in her hands.

She handed the first one to him.

The book possessed an entirely blank cover.

"This will serve as our communication medium," she explained. "Important notices regarding quests will appear within it automatically. Every hero receives one."

William carefully accepted the book while listening.

"Through this, you will be able to contact me whenever necessary. However, understand this clearly: every conversation conducted through the book will be monitored and recorded by the Council. Do not discuss secrets that could endanger either of us."

Her eyes narrowed slightly in warning while William nodded silently.

"You may use it to request assistance, ask questions about being a hero, or report situations involving hostile demon gods and similar threats."

She then added, "Simply write your request beneath the appropriate section."

William nodded.

Nir then handed him the second book.

Unlike the first, this one possessed a title written clearly across its cover.

A Complete Guide to the Scarred Lands.

"Since you have remained isolated from the rest of the world," Nir said, "this book will help you understand everything unfamiliar to you. It contains detailed information regarding important resources, locations, civilizations, historical events, and many other subjects."

A faint smile appeared on her face.

"I wrote it personally for you, so you may trust the authenticity of its contents."

William stared at the book for a moment before quietly accepting it as well.

"Both books will be stored within your storage ring once you return."

After a brief pause, William suddenly remembered another issue.

"How exactly am I supposed to leave Aris?" he asked. "There is no known route out of the continent."

Nir smiled mysteriously.

"The gateway will open soon," she replied. "Several children are already on their way to break the seal surrounding the continent. You might need to stop them from doing so if you want to get the land ready for the challenges ahead; of course, you will still be able to travel outside through the seal without breaking it using the hero mark that I will place on you.

A projection instantly appeared before them.

William’s expression changed the moment he saw it.

Ethan, Galeion, Desmond, and Maximus. And most unexpectedly of all—

Alfred Draconia.

The group was approaching a massive gate resembling the entrance to a deep underground labyrinth.

William immediately shook his head. Of course, he needed to stop them.

The continent was nowhere near ready to open.

Now that the Primarchs were dead, Aris stood dangerously unstable. If the seal broke while the continent remained divided, powerful external factions would flood into the land like predators scenting blood.

Before anything else, he needed unity from everyone on the continent.

Nir observed his expression and chuckled softly.

"I hope we meet again soon, William."

William smiled back at her sincerely.

"I hope so too."

What happened next caught him entirely off guard. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Nir suddenly leaned forward and wrapped her arms around him in a warm embrace.

William stiffened in surprise for a brief moment before slowly relaxing. He awkwardly returned the gesture, patting her back lightly as his body gradually began fading from the space around them.

The final thing he saw before consciousness left him was Nir’s bittersweet smile and moist eyes lingering beneath the endless stars.