Shammus had been working day and night over the past few days. It was a ruthless effort, becoming a war general from just a simplistic solo adventurer. He was the only SSR++ adventurer, well running actively anyways.
He was told to make this venture successful, one that would normally have to take ages to face off against it. Or to return back to even somewhat prosperous. This wasn’t a war, it was a one sided beating, a one sided conquest.
And it was in the hands of Forsivo what would happen to Lirdsuania. In fact, Lirdsuania was given too many disadvantages. It didn’t even have the architecture to move out for a war, unlike the nation to the west of Forsivo, Keriny.
That nation would also be reasonable to war against. Lirdsuania wasn’t even first in the region, it was a mere shadow of the nations that sandwiched it; Forsivo and Linyue. The philosophy that formed from it was interesting, sure, but it wasn’t something unavailable to the nations surrounding it.
Supposedly the only field it dominated was archeology. And Shammus was kind of disgusted. He just didn’t have the will to deny the position. The will to give up power to save hundreds or thousands of lives.
He knew he was just as guilty as the people making these orders as he formulated many successful batteries against the cities, using a collage of mages to launch massive bombardments.
And he kept it up as he watched another city burn under his watch. A city that had no defenders other than untrained adventurers who got lucky and was able to clear a dungeon who were burnt to nothing but ashes and experience points for the mages running the artillery.
49 - Lecture
Heavenly stared in disbelief at the system message in front of him, alongside the angry glare he was receiving from the blonde haired professor that acted like he ran the place. The glasses were chained to his emerald green earrings, and the head admin stared clearly at Heavenly.
[You aren’t meant to be on that floor.]
“Why did you kick me out?” Heavenly heard his own voice, it was lacking the power his words typically had. As if it was stolen. “I coulda taken them out just like that!” As Heavenly snapped, his power was clearly still there as the outside of the window behind the System showed the flareup of green flame.
“Oh, the idiot’s back.” The red haired god walked up from behind Heavenly and patted his back. Painted the World Red wore their odd weapon on their back and set it up outside the window. They called it a ‘musket’.
“Well, Heavenly Dealer of None, I thought I was quite concise with that message.” The System kept glaring at Heavenly. He felt in his gut that the System wasn’t willing to let him do something like that again.
“Now,” The System opened up the five blue screens, to show the level which didn’t change, but the classes all did. “They are all at a far higher point than they should be. That floor was meant to be more so one of politics. Not a brawl.”
“They are all Demigods. Please, Heavenly Dealer of None, remind me your godly rank again?” The System stood up, and walked towards where Painted the World Red was shooting out from their musket, shooting out windows from the odd architecture.
Painted the World Red snickered as Heavenly spoke his own rank. “Why it’s… I’m at Layer 2!”
“Layer 2?” Painted the World Red’s rifle let out a deafening bang as a shrill scream flew in from the window. “Oh, lower I presume?”
Another loud laugh from the third god in the room. This one more shrill from the one who’s hair matched in color with the system messages surrounding the System himself. “Oh, quit teasing the second most absurd man in this room.”
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When Heavenly’s eyes went to face Of All To Choose, he quickly looked away and back to Painted the World Red who was still busy shooting. Didn’t Painted the World Red say that it needed to be reloaded every shot?
“Ah, just shut it already. I’m pissed off enough that-”
“That you were losing? Yes, that’s because you forced my system to boost them unnaturally. They were given a hint of divinity because of your foolishness. And they got the strong domains they will get in the future too.” The system’s eyes bored into Heavenly’s own. And Heavenly looked away first.
“I could just use my personal chronomancy, but you know that my System is designed to give them just barely enough growth to survive. If they’re body’s could take you on already, they wouldn’t have grown.” The System sighs as Heavenly sees another system message.
[Godly Freedom 99 -> God Form 1]
“A debuff for you. You need to learn your lesson, and think about it somewhere else. Painted the World Red’s home isn’t for you anyways, I just had to drag you somewhere that wouldn’t ruin everything I worked for.”
Heavenly glared at the System, but when the System glared back he knew better than to overstay his welcome. He slammed the door behind him, and the fourth god there was just waiting in the hallway.
“Oh, please.” Heavenly’s voice was filled with exasperation. His voice was again torn away from the power it used to hold. “Don’t tell me you're here to chastise me as well.” Heavenly glared at Unfortunate Ends.
“Oh no, you misunderstand my personal reason for being here.” Unfortunate Ends stepped forwards towards Heavenly. He wasn’t able to stand over Heavenly’s unnaturally tall stature, but he was certainly able to act like he was. “I’m here to thank you.”
“Thank me? For what.” Heavenly’s voice was filled with a venom that he tried to play into. His voice was hardly audible when everyone else’s had an actual weight to them.
“For making a Demigod of Life. I finally have something to do on Floor 100, while only the other three had someone to meet.” Unfortunate End stepped towards Heavenly, and he felt his own lifeforce drain just ever so slightly, fall into the cracks of the dollman. Something that used to only happen when he had a God Form he had to activate. “And I suppose Insanity did too.”
Heavenly does a light bow. “Yes, And you are just oh so welcome for that.” Heavenly didn’t feel fear though. He felt his sanity the same as he always did. He was truly insane, and as an insane person, he had no reason to fear death.
As soon as he bowed he walked out of the building, and felt a bullet pierce his side. A minie ball Painted the World Red called those. It pierced his biology, and he let his instinct guide his hand.
He felt his wings refill with power, as he heard Painted snicker from up there. He was strong again, and he flipped them off. Painted the World Red tries to grab everyone else's attention, but he flies to his personal domain.
There, he found a system message waiting for him.
[You are unneeded for now.]
[You are no longer permitted to leave your domain.]
[Time you will be needed; Floor 75]
[Failure to follow through with that meeting, or leaving your domain before then will lead in instantaneous System Removal]
[A light Reminder; The System is branded upon your soul, and the System makes no promises that you will stay whole after removal.]
Heavenly waves those notifications away, but they stayed strong. He tried to leave the domain, but he felt his soul fracturing as he tried. He collapsed onto his bed, in his blank fortress.
He never decorated his domain since he never thought he’d spend any reasonable amount of time in there; especially since as a god he never needed sleep or time alone in there. He spent most of his time with his Vessel or Insanity.
More system messages were in his kitchen and he beckoned them to him.
[You are inable to have anyone else in your domain at this time, therefore the System took the time to replenish your fridge, pantry, and freezer.]
[They will automatically replenish as you take things out.]
[Good luck with your personal retreat until Floor 75.]
Heavenly collapsed down on the couch, and closed his eyes. He never thought he’d be torn down from the sky and his wings clipped like this. But here he was. He knew exactly who to blame for this though.
Clara.
Judine.
Bariton.
Shammus.
Pallad.
