10 Lonely road to godhood

As Frederick headed back, he suddenly spotted a group of eight men. What surprised him was that they were all dressed in clothes made of woven grass and carried knives crafted from some sort of flint with wooden handles. They formed a tight, well-trained formation with few blind spots, and their level of training appeared impressive.

Frederick hurriedly tried to conceal himself, but the group spotted him before he could vanish entirely. Just as he was about to make a run for it, something surprising happened – all seven of them raised their hands and remained perfectly still.

The group didn't seem very aggressive, but this made Frederick more cautious. They appeared to be engaged in a discussion among themselves. Then, one of them slowly approached Frederick with his hands raised, though he still held a knife. Frederick had the option to run away, but after some consideration, he decided to stay put.

Apparently, they hadn't yet noticed the bloodstains on Frederick's body, which he had hidden in the tall grass nearby in his haste.

Once the man was within a reasonable distance, he suddenly yelled, "My name is Thomas Rouge, I'm a soldier, and these gentlemen are members of my squad. We would like to exchange some information. Is that alright with you if we approach you?"

"Stay where you are and don't come any closer!" replied Frederick, feigning fear while secretly preparing to escape.

"Alright, we won't move any closer. We don't want to harm you. We're just interested in some information," reassured Thomas, attempting to ease Frederick's apprehension.

"... What do you want to know?" Frederick inquired, keeping an eye on the rest of Thomas's group.

"We're interested in stats, side stories, and anything else you consider noteworthy," Thomas stated. Frederick observed Thomas closely, noting his robust and physically fit physique, clearly the result of strict training and discipline. With his neatly cropped hair and a determined, weathered face, Thomas exuded experience and determination.

Frederick didn't doubt that these individuals were well-trained soldiers. It was evident from their tactical positioning and movements.

With thoughts racing about the possibility of escaping if needed, Frederick made a quick decision. "I will tell you everything I know about side stories. This includes possible rewards, and difficulty levels" Frederick paused for a moment, then added, "And how to access them..."

Thomas's eyes lit up with excitement at this offer, but before he could respond, Frederick continued, "I'll even tell you how to obtain food and water. But in exchange, I want one of those knives you guys have."

Thomas's enthusiasm waned slightly, but after some consideration, he asked, "I'll need to consult with my superior. Please wait here." Without waiting for Frederick's response, Thomas hurried back to his group. After a brief discussion among themselves, an older man with white hair accompanied Thomas back to Frederick.

The old man's face bore the marks of years gone by, with gray hair replacing what was once dark, and his hands showed the scars of battles. His demeanor radiated quiet strength and depth of experience. His face held many lines, each telling a story written by time. His jaw was strong, his eyes kind yet marked by life's challenges, and his beard was partly gray, giving him a wise appearance.

Frederick patiently waited until they were at a reasonable distance before instructing them to stop. It seemed they had no intention of approaching closer. The older man introduced himself as Sergeant Markus Hans and requested Frederick's name.

"Frederick Field," he replied, remaining cautious and ready to flee at any sign of trouble.

"Very well, Frederick. We will ask you some questions and then provide you with a knife. Is that acceptable?" Markus asked with a stoic demeanor.

"No," Frederick responded abruptly, swiftly turning around to run away. His sudden move surprised both of them. It was only after he had covered some distance that Markus shouted, "We will give you the knife first, but you must answer our questions!"

Hearing this, Frederick halted and regarded them with a perplexed expression. He didn't need much time to think before agreeing, "Throw it over here, and I will answer some of your questions."

As he finished speaking, Markus looked at Thomas. Seeing Thomas nod, Markus swiftly threw one of the flint knives toward Frederick. In a remarkable display of accuracy, the knife sailed through the air, narrowly missing Frederick. He retrieved the knife, checked it for any hidden dangers, and, after finding it safe, picked it up. Frederick then glared at Markus and shouted, "I will answer your questions for thirty minutes."

He had no intention of spending too much time with them. He still needed to regain Blood Dominion. There was just over an hour before the old lady would reappear, so he couldn't afford a lengthy delay. Although he considered running away after obtaining the knife, he didn't want to become the target of these individuals. Thus, he decided to answer their questions.

"Why do you want a knife in the first place?" Markus inquired.

Ignoring Markus's question, Frederick instead asked, "Don't you guys know that there are monsters around here? They're powerful enough to tear someone apart … easily."

Hearing this, both Markus and Thomas wore grim expressions. They proceeded to inquire further about these monsters, and Frederick provided the best information he could. The more they learned, the darker their expressions became.

They then turned their attention to the matter of food. Frederick informed them about hidden crates throughout the forest that contained bread and water.

Markus contemplated this information before nodding in acknowledgment. He then asked, "Where can we complete these side quests, and what happens inside one? What are the risks and rewards?"

Frederick shared what he knew and explained, "You have to touch a cube, and it transports you to a dark place. Once you're inside, the Chronicle assigns you a 'quest.' The difficulty level and realm it takes place seem to be random. Some quests can be so easy that you can finish them in a single day, while others are incredibly challenging, perhaps even impossible for a human. Regarding rewards, I'm not entirely sure, but the easiest story likely provides food and materials."

Frederick disclosed everything he knew about side stories. He knew that these details were only valuable at the beginning so he didn't mind sharing them.

Markus didn't say anything for a moment as he was lost in thought, but he quickly returned to the matter at hand. "Then do you know where we can find one of those cubes?"

Frederick fell into a momentary silence as he contemplated whether revealing the cube's location would be beneficial for him. After a very brief moment of consideration, he realized that sharing the town's location could have both advantages and disadvantages. He then ultimately decided to provide the location of the town. "Walk about a day after in this direction after you pass the forest, and you will eventually find some candidates building a villag-" Frederick immediately stopped as he noticed his mistake. He had shared too much information about something he wasn't supposed to know. Frederick quickly wanted to correct his mistake but he stopped as he saw Markus smiling but still with a neutral face.

There was a silence. Thomas wondered what happened for both of them to suddenly stop talking. As he was about to ask, Markus suddenly asked "How did you come to know the precise location of the cube? Even if the puppet provided you with some information, it couldn't possibly have revealed the existence of a town being constructed by candidates, especially when we all arrived here at the same time, correct?"

Frederick had hoped they wouldn't notice this mistake, but Markus's statement shattered that hope. In that fleeting moment of carelessness, Frederick realized that he wasn't yet seasoned enough in the arts of scheming and manipulation with words.

Seeing that Frederick didn't plan to answer, Markus added, "If we add the fact that it has only been under 2 hours that we came in the Main Hub World, you couldn't have traveled a whole day right? So it only leaves two logical conclusions. One is that you came from the town, and your authority allowed you to somehow travel here. However, it is pretty far-fetched, as even a slight use of our authority exhausts us at our level. The second possibility… is that your authority provides information."

Frederick could've tried to deny it, but he realized the real reason why they sent Thomas first, why Thomas immediately believed that Frederick wasn't lying when he said he had information. Frederick also understood why Markus had waited for Thomas's nod earlier.

He probably had an authority that could detect lies. Frederick then decided to remain silent, as speaking would likely worsen his situation.

Noticing Frederick's hesitation and his readiness to flee once more, Markus rushed to make an enticing offer. "Please, Frederick, just hear us out. We genuinely don't wish to harm you. In fact, your ability could be a lifesaver for all of us! How about joining forces? I can see you're very clever, and your extraordinary authority, while probably lacking in offensive or defensive capabilities, could be mutually beneficial. We'll protect you, and you provide us with crucial information. As a sign of goodwill, we can even establish a contract using an authority right now."

'All of this because of a dumb mistake' Frederick thought, berating himself silently as he stood there, tension hanging in the air. He couldn't help but replay his careless words in his mind. In the precarious world of the Chronicles, where every mistake could be a matter of life or death, such slip-ups were unforgivable.

He cursed himself for letting his guard down and not thinking through the consequences of sharing too much. Ultimately, he knew that he couldn't undo his earlier mistake so he moved on.

As the soldiers watched him intently, waiting for his response, Frederick took a moment to regain his composure. His mind raced, weighing the potential benefits of their offer

Frederick pondered the proposal and found it enticing. He thought for a moment and inquired, "What is this authority you speak of?"

Relieved that Frederick was showing interest, Thomas and Markus shared a glance, fully aware of the incredible value Frederick held in this dire situation. Thomas explained, "Sophiane, a member of our squad, possesses an ability known as the Authority of Covenant Binding. It enables you to establish contracts."

Thomas continued, explaining the specifics of the Authority of Covenant Binding. "However, it's crucial to understand that if we were to break the contract, it wouldn't be fatal, but it would significantly weaken us as we would receive a penalty of minus two in every stat except for constitution for a whole year."

Frederick carefully contemplated the offer, weighing its risks and benefits. The notion of securing a protective contract with these soldiers held undeniable allure, yet he couldn't shake the persistent fear that it might conceal a hidden trap.

Nevertheless, he diligently compared the potential advantages and perils within his mind. Even if they were to eventually discover that his power didn't align with Markus's assumptions, they would still do something for free.

Frederick found himself momentarily speechless, recognizing the prospect of this encounter as a potential blessing in disguise. However, he refrained from hastily taking a decision just because it sounded fair.

"No…" he murmured to himself, "That mindset could have served me in my previous world, but it doesn't apply here in the Chronicles. Accepting this offer means gradually surrendering control of my life and death to them. If I agree, I'll gain protection, but my growth will be stuck in their shadow."

'In this world, your personal strength is what truly matters. The Chronicles' main goal is pretty clear: to give birth to a god. While teaming up with others can make things easier and safer, can you actually become a god by relying solely on your group? Having control over others may seem like a form of power, but it's unstable, easily gained but lost as easily.'

Frederick thought about it further and realized that this approach was a dead end. "It won't work," he admitted. "I'll never be able to keep up with the others." As he pondered, Frederick also realized that his authority prevented him from joining any group. If he joined, his level would inevitably fall behind theirs, and he would eventually be discarded. His authority forced Frederick to take a solitary path, one with high risks and high rewards. It is his only way to keep advancing…

However, Frederick wasn't the least bit disturbed by this revelation. In fact, he found satisfaction in it. His journey toward godhood would be far more arduous than others, but in that difficulty lay safety. He was determined to succeed, even if it meant dying millions of times. As long as he persevered, victory was inevitable.

'Now... How do I prevent them from chasing after me?'