Current time, Exploration City Farpoint, Tristan (aka StarCaster). 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

The delegation's mission was a success. They could build things in the Wyvern tribe's region now. The duel had worked a bit too much in their favor. The Wyvern king had agreed to let them build a sanctum branch shop and Astraea's temple with a monument.

This job Damian had forced on him was eating away at his precious training and research time. The pay was so good that he could not resign though. Access to all dungeons in the Sanctuary database, a personal Axiom ship that he could take anywhere, a fixed quantity of liquid mana, and he could take 10% of all dungeon loot and monster kill materials that people in Farpoint take part in.

He was essentially the Mayor of Farpoint, just without a title.

Such an important job would never be given to a person of another kingdom, but Sanctuary was different; Damian was just something else. No one was happier than himself seeing the growing closeness of Eldoris and Sanctuary over the years.

He had to put everything he did today in his reports. Damian did not ask them often, but he himself needed to keep everything in writing, in case they missed something.

The Wild Continent was massive. And Tristan was in charge of foreign relations. The ultimate goal was to establish a connection between the two continents. They didn't need anything from this place other than manpower. But achieving the goal was not the most important part of his job.

It was to try to maintain the population and establish positive relations. Then, with influence and subtle power plays that did not spill too much blood, they would connect the two people.

Building schools and other institutes in these lands was essential for that plan. A plan Tristan, Damian, and a few others had come up with. Their goal was not to conquer or establish dominion or spread religious propaganda here; it was simply to gain access to their manpower.

They needed people. All else they had more than enough.

Damian and Sanctuary did not care who called himself king or emperor in this place as long as their people were part of their workforce and economy.

Looking down from the tall building placed in the center of this explorer city, Tristan could only see Axiom ships, structured buildings, and people in uniform walking around. There were some tribesmen mixed in as well. They had placed waygates in some tribes where their relations were good.

Farpoint had several merchant shops, including sanctuary shops as well. They traded with monster and mana beast parts. Of course, they did not sell weapons. Just a few life-essential and simple, convenient things. The beastmen tribes did not have metal runic tools at all. Their mages used animal hides to make runic scrolls, but the rune shaper class did not exist among them.

Suddenly, the runic alarms placed near the teleportation and landing zone started going off loudly. Three low rings. Signal for unscheduled teleportation opening.

Tristan used a wormhole and jumped out of the high transclucent building, flying towards the landing zone. Seraphina was in her ship near the landing zone as well.

Recognizing the people coming out of the waygate made him blink twice.

'Where the hell did they come from? And is that metal golem changing colors with every step?'

"What's going on?" Seraphina asked Lady Vidalia and the group of lost Highswords beside her.

Tristan landed near them as well.

"We don't have time to explain. Tristan, can you bring our Highsword friends up to speed? They have missed the last two decades." Sam ordered while fiddling with his receiver. Tristan had to follow. "Contact Damian. Give a message to all exploration crew to gather here. I will send the Empire and Faerunian ships to that unknown workshop location and deactivate the ships remotely."

"My lord..?" Tristan could not help but show uncertainty.

Just at that moment, he heard a melodic voice in his head.

'Ask the boy to explain right now, or the whole city he is standing on will become dirt and rubble in a moment.'

Tristan's eyes widened! God.. Goddess Astraea speaking to him directly?

Why not Lady Vidalia? What was happening?

'Say it!'

Tristan was shaken while standing by the angry voice.

"Goddess Astraea is saying she will destroy the whole city if you do not explain things right now." Tristan relayed the message.

Now, the shock he felt a second ago was shared with everyone present around him. Except for the few people to whom the words were addressed. Neither Lady Vidalia nor Sam seemed to care that the goddess was speaking to them.

Tristan didn't know how to feel about this.

Sam sighed, and they changed the location to the building in which Tristn resided. Only the members of Highswords, Seraphina, Sam, Lady Vidali, and Tristan were present. When they moved, Tristan sensed the mana signatures of the newcomers more individually and realized the metal golem had a unique mana as well. And..

'No, how is that possible?'

The Golem was a transcendent. At least that's what his mana sense told him. And the eyes, ears, and moving metal looked uncomfortably human.

'What's that abomination?' The Goddess asked.

"She wants to know about the.. golem?" Tristan was not sure what to call it.

Sam glanced towards the metal man, then at Lady Vidalia, and exhaled.

"Sanctuary is unprotected. I must leave. Sun God is beyond pissed. Sea God seems to be in a similar mood."

Just as he said, they heard a commotion outside the closed doors. Tristan's house guards were shouting while restraining someone.

'Let them come. It's Sea God.'

Tristan's heart was beating rapidly. How many such shocks can he endure?

They allowed the second-ranker captain of the exploration team inside the room. Tristan had no idea the man was a follower of the Sea God; he knew the captain, a good guy who never cared for nationalities or religions. More than that, the captain's eyes were completely white.

Tristan's heart sank when he realized he was.. being controlled.