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Rumble...

Following a gentle rumble, majestic silver lightning cut through the thick, dark clouds and plunged deep into the ground. The ground exploded, the soil flipping upside down while the nearby trees turned scorched black, their bark showing signs of heat.

"W-where am I... ouch, my chest..." Jason felt a burning sensation on his chest as if he were marked with a flaming torch. He took off his coat and tore his linen shirt apart. In his chest, precisely at the spot where his heart should be, there was a gloomy black mark. It looked like a faded handprint.

As he saw the faded handprint, he remembered what happened before everything turned black. The emotionless face. The white hair resembling snow. Wide forehead with white hair strands slightly hanging in the way. The curvy sidehair. Black eyes.

The feeling of death.

"He... killed me." Jason gasped greedily for air, as if he had held his breath for several minutes. He then rolled over before attempting to climb to his feet. Clumsily and slowly, he stood up. Then, high in the air, the thunder rumbled.

He turned to the sky and almost felt his heart drop to the pit of his stomach. He immediately picked up his fallen backpack as if it had been removed by someone and ran to the woods.

In the sky, something mystifying was happening. It was witnessed by every living being left on the island. The adventurers, all of them, turned to the sky while they were running towards the contact point. No one wanted to stay on this godforsaken island any longer!

The storms were insane!

Atop the cloud layer, the sky turned scarlet-red as if it were lit in flames. Then, the dark clouds quickly scattered away as if they didn't want to be anywhere near that island. At that moment, shocked cries echoed across the forest.

Jason couldn't believe his eyes as he ran past scorched trees. It felt surreal.

The scarlet-red skies extended far into the distance while the ground began to shake. An enormous shockwave fell into the ocean, causing it to explode. From the sky, a flaming meteor with a diameter of Mach Island fell from space. It caused the sky to look like a sea of hellfire.

"Hurry up!" Screams echoed across the air. Everyone hurried to the contact point and immediately tore their translucent tickets. No one dared stay there, even for a moment. Still, the members of the Seven Guilds stayed behind, hoping to see their guild masters arrive.

After a while, they sighed in relief as North, Era Dark Sideray, Percy, the Poet, and Nicholas ran with their lives on the line. Then, they all noticed the lack of bags, as if they hadn't taken anything with them from the tomb. Also, there were two guild masters less than when they came here...

Whenever they saw their guild masters, they exclaimed in excitement. However, members of the Metal Paladins and Scarlet Arrows frowned while looking around. There was no one else coming from the forest.

"Rip the tickets!" Percy shouted as he stepped into the contact point, where over a hundred guild members awaited. He turned to the confused Scarlet Arrow and Metal Paladins members. He sighed and spoke sternly. "Do it. Rip the tickets."

Scarlet Arrow and Metal Paladins looked at their fellow teammates in confusion and slight fear. They realized that something horrible had happened. They took out their tickets, and once they took one last look at the forest, they ripped the tickets and disappeared from the island.

Percy sighed in relief after seeing that. Then he nodded to his subordinates and waited for them to disappear before ripping the ticket in half.

North, Era Dark Sideray, and Nicholas tore the tickets at the same time as their subordinates. Soon, only members from Everlasting Song remained.

However, the Poet didn't wait for them. He took one fearful gaze at the Tomb of the Fallen God and ripped the ticket. His subordinates hurriedly ripped their tickets and disappeared. The contact point was now empty.

However, at that moment, another figure ran from the forest with a bag hanging over his left shoulder. He was panting heavily while feeling the looming threat of the meteor.

As soon as he arrived at the contact point, he didn't dare take another glance at the meteor and ripped the ticket immediately. Jason soon disappeared from Mach Island.

A short while later, not even three seconds passed as the meteor landed on the island, annihilating everything on its path. After the dust cloud passed, the island was a desolate wasteland. However, the Tomb of the False God was still standing in the middle of the island!

It was as if it was protected by an ancient forcefield!

...

Humanity's Realm Station, the main lounge.

Jason fell headfirst to the ground as he lost his balance at the moment of his teleportation. After rising to his feet, he saw the absolute chaos in the Realm Station. There were many injured, with some even carrying their dead companions on their backs. It was a sorrowful sight.

There were still many shouting after companions, guild members, brothers, sisters, and even their lovers.

However, commotion arose.

The members of Metal Paladins and Scarlet Arrow clashed with other members of the Five Guilds. They accused the Guild masters of killing Rosa Ferwett and Ryan Crossword. It was a valid theory since only they were supposed to be in the Tomb. The members of the Five Guilds didn't take those accusations lightly and clashed with the two angry guilds.

However, they didn't draw their weapons just yet. So far, it has only been a verbal fight, as profanities and insults were thrown across the air.

Jason listened silently while watching as the five guild masters left the realm station with heavy-looking faces. There was sorrow, and some even felt fear.

Then, an image of a white-haired man flashed across his mind.

'Did they... also encounter him?' Jason sighed deeply and lowered his head as he walked past the injured and dead adventurers. He left the station without anyone noticing him even being there.

...

Workers Street, inside the Golden Lion's guild building.

"Damn it!" Percy entered his study and slammed the door shut. The flashing images of the pile of gold were still very vivid in his mind. That was enough to raise his blood pressure, but he managed to calm himself down, or at least act like he had calmed down.

"Russell, come to my office!" Percy shouted toward the closed door. He knew everyone in the building could hear his shouting, especially his Vice Guild Master, Russell. He slumped down on his chair and waited until the door opened, revealing a handsome man in his early thirties. He was Russell.

"Guild master?" Russell asked hesitantly. The rumors about what happened on Mach Island were already circulating among the Inner Circle. There were many false rumors, including the ones spread by members of Metal Paladins and Scarlet Arrow, accusing Percy and the rest of killing their guild masters.

"Tell Lucas to come here." Percy narrowed his eyes while striking his open palm with his fist. "I have questions for him."

"What if he... doesn't want to come?" Russell asked, with cold beads of sweat trickling down his face. Lucas, the sole owner of the Adventurer's Guild, wasn't a man who could be ordered around. He worked solely for himself and occasionally for the Realm Association.

"Then you will force him to come with you." Percy spoke with ice-cold eyes.

Russell was about to speak but decided to nod instead. He then left the study with a headache.

'As if I can force him to come anywhere!' Russell felt like crying as he stepped down the stairs.

Inside the study, Percy looked at the ceiling, with myriad thoughts passing by.

'Was the Poet lying?

'What if he killed Rosa and Ryan to scare everyone to leave?

'What if he did this just to go later to Mach Island and get all the treasures to himself? The way he acted before deciding on a team was suspicious. How can someone aiming to become Angel refuse free treasures? It was just too suspicious!

'However, the sudden appearance of the meteor must have ruined his plans. There won't be any tomb left, nor will there be an island to go to. Also, that False God, if there is one, must find a new home after all that.

'I still have to question Lucas and who commissioned the mission. If there was actually False God and that person knew, then...'

Percy's eyes turned cold, and then he shouted for another high-ranked member of his guild. This time, it was an ordinary-looking man with curly brown hair and tanned skin. He was Croc.

"Croc, put trackers after the Poet. Find everything he has done for the past month, and then trail him till I say that it isn't necessary anymore. Also, bring the report to me every morning at 10 a.m. sharp!"

Croc nodded sternly without asking why. It wasn't the first time the guild masters of the Seven Guilds were wary of other guild masters. He soon left the study, closing the door behind him.

Percy opened a drawer and picked up a rolled tobacco before lighting it. As he let out a puff of smoke, rapid footsteps came outside the study. The door was slammed open, revealing a well-toned man with an exhausted Russell following right behind.

"I heard that the mission didn't go well." Lucas spoke coldly and took a seat on a small sofa chair without asking permission. "What happened, and why have you called me?"

"Who commissioned the mission?" Percy asked after a puff of smoke. He put his feet on the table, showing a clear lack of respect. Russell's face paled, and he closed the door after leaving.

Lucas' eyebrow twitched. "You know I can't tell you. It's a trade secret. That person wanted it to stay top-secret. I always honor the agreements."

"I don't have time for games!" Percy extinguished the tobacco by squeezing it with a tightly clenched fist. "That person either knew about the existence of False God or was too ignorant to research the tomb better. Either way, that person deserves punishment!"

"Hahaha!" Lucas let out a roar of laughter. "Aren't you always preaching about the importance of researching the mission before accepting it? Did the possible treasure blind your judgment? Are you actually a world-class hypocrite, mm?"

"Hahaha..." Percy let out peals of mocking laughter. He pointed at Lucas with a trembling finger, hiding his anger extremely well. "The mission was TOMB of False God. Not HOME of the False God!"

Lucas' expression froze. "So, the False God was actually real? I thought Nicholas was shitting me. Who knew."

Veins throbbed in Percy's neck. He grabbed his armrests and glared at Lucas. "Now that it's clear that the person who commissioned the mission gave the wrong mission, he or she needs to be punished. Tomb of the False God is an S-ranked quest, sure. But, visiting the home of False God is at least SSS-ranked!"

"You knew the risks. The blame lies on you and the rest," Lucas spat on the ground and stood up. "The rewards were more than an S-rank quest could ever give. There was a fifty-fifty chance of it being a tomb or home. It was unlucky, that's it."

He buttoned his suit and opened the door. "Do not think you can order me. If you act like my boss one more time, I will kill you."

Slam!

The door closed with a loud slam.

Percy loosened his fists and saw blood flowing down his palm. His fingers were dyed crimson. If he hadn't stabbed his palm with his nails, he would have attacked Lucas.

He rubbed his temples with an uncomfortable expression. "If I were only one level higher. If I were System Champion... I would kill him!"

...

Outer Circle. Northern Borough, 123 Welsh Street.

Jason sighed as he stood in the yard of a cozy two-story building. The garden was quite modest, with a white fence surrounding the building and the area nearby. All the surrounding houses were similar, cozy, and inviting.

He carried his bag over his left shoulder while looking at his home. He had returned after a short but scary trip. The faded handprint was throbbing, increasing his chest pains. However, he didn't mind since the other option was death.

Jason placed his hand on the door handle and exhaled before opening the door.

"Father, I am back!"