For Gideon, it was becoming easier to move about from planet to planet with but a thought. Because of his tendency to hide his power, it was already the second time that he'd abolished his cultivation in exchange for a more soul bound ability like that of his Ten Orders of Magnitude in Gains, as of present, Gideon had two soul-bound abilities. The Ten Orders and Peak Supernatural Condition.
Naturally, Gideon was able to survive, revive, and reconstruct his body from just a drop of blood or even just a cell of his body. He could unleash a force that could easily destroy planets, move at near light speed, and think and process information at even faster rates than quantum computers. And even if he was thoroughly annihilated, his soul power would allow him to slowly reconstruct his body. In a way, Gideon had already achieved a Pseudo Immortal state.
And just like him, his incarnations had also inherited these characteristics. In fact, after Gideon found the colonizers on Mars, he assigned one incarnation to go and put the fear of god in them. He had to get rid of them. Better to nip this problem in the bud than to wait for future troubles to come.
Gideon knew what he was doing was quite honestly cruel. However, otherworlds never think of how cruel it is for their summoning to expose Earth to evil gods as well. So, in order to protect his own side of the fence, he had to this. He had to do evil to prevent evil. Or else, playing righteous after the fact would be hypocritical.
He wasn't a fan of the Avengers. Their primary directive was to avenge the Earth after the fact. Instead of preventing troubles from growing beyond their control.
It was also because of this that Gideon set up a guild that focused on cultivation. So that he would have an army of Transcendence Realm cultivators at his beck and call when the time comes to prevent irreparable damage.
As soon as Alice went for school, Gideon would disappear and help Atreus train his disciples as well as Dom's. As of present, Gideon's two disciples had gathered more than 50 million disciples under them. One can only imagine what 50 million Transcendence Realm Cultivators can do together. Of course, they were still far from achieving this goal. However, with Gideon's help, their cultivation wasn't going to take too long. Give or take, in 100 years, they'd all step into the Transcendence Realm and beyond.
Before his incarnation sent to Mars kill all otherworlders Gideon sent his consciousness to it and controlled its body.
"W-Why are you doing this? We are not hurting anyone! We are trying to live just like everyone!"
The commander of this operation faced Gideon's incarnation. A gigantic wolf that had silky black fur flowing down its body. It looked majestic rather than ferocious.
"Well, trying to live and struggling hard for it, even I don't have a problem with that. What I do have a problem is the fact that while trying to live, you would willingly endanger other's lives for it. There, we have a problem… a big problem."
"W-What… how?"
"It seems you don't know. I once was like you, oblivious to the cost of things. Everything in the multiple universes revolve around one absolute rule. And that is, everything has a price.
"The price for opening up dimensional rifts through summoning and distorting the space-time continuum, is the most devastating. It invites the evil gods towards the start and end of the summoning tunnel created. Which means, when you got transported here, another evil god must have sensed your arrival. It would only be a matter of time before you are devoured by the evil god you yourselves summoned.
"Yet, that evil god will not be satisfied with just that. It will turn to look at our planet. Do you know what happens then? Tragedy, devastation, desolation. And you think you're simply 'trying' to live?"
"I guess that's why they call it a 'dream' because you need to wake up eventually. And I, am your alarm clock it seems."
Gideon bore down on the commander as he stomped on his body. Then, he breathed at it to scatter his ashes after being annihilated.
When this was done, Gideon left the job for the incarnation and let it stay there for observation.
Back on Earth, Gideon opened his eyes again. He was somewhere beneath the surface of the Earth. He was setting up another formation. While his individual skills had been sacrificed for the enhancement of his physique, his improved physique had naturally inherited these skills and in fact were enhanced as well. Creation, Absolute Will, and Absolute Sense were inherited. With but a thought, Gideon set up a formation backed by his own creation, Divine Crystal. It was a crystal that could absorb and release Pure Spiritual Qi after being charged. Of course, Gideon had to use his body to charge the crystals. Although he abolished his cultivation, he could still continue to absorb natural energy and refine it to Qi in his body before releasing it to the crystals. This way, he would be able to avoid triggering his Ten Orders of Magnitude in Gains ability.
The formation was a defense and illusion formation that combined both to achieve a greater effect. Even evil gods would be confused by this illusion before dying to other defensive measures that Gideon set up.
With the threat of otherworld invading for the same reason as the commander on Mars, and the items sent to Earth by another, Gideon felt the pressure.
"These damn selfish bastards. If I had known this before, would I have agreed to help them? Fuckers." Even Gideon felt some animosity towards the goddess that granted him power after learning the truth.
Feeling that it wasn't enough even after this, Gideon entered the Divine Realm with his body of flesh.
With his appearance, the whole Divine Realm trembled slightly. This happened only once, when the Son of God, such a grand title, had ascended some 2000 years prior. And now the second time was when Gideon visited the Realm.
The difference was that Gideon wasn't restricted to go back.
As soon as he opened his eyes, Gideon felt all the gods and goddesses in the Divine Realm just as certainly they did as well.
In no time at all, many curious ones gathered to see who it was.
"I see! It's that Gideon guy!"
"Hey! Shut your mouth! What if he feels insulted by calling out his name?!"
"What? It's not like he can kill us in the Divine Realm?"
"Idiot! No one would think you're dumb if you just keep your mouth shut!"
Some of the gods who knew or heard or have seen Gideon reacted.
Then, a presence that did not lose out too much from Gideon appeared.
"Why have you come, young one?"
It was a wizened old man with a flowing white beard.
"YHWH, It's good to see the very person I aimed to visit."
"Is that so?"
"Yes. I need some advice."
"Advice?"
"Yes."
"Well then, let's go to my domain."
"Okay."
They both disappeared from the place. The next instant, they appeared in a place which was filled with singing of hymns and the choirs.
"Your domain really is as described by that best selling book even today."
"You flatter me. I merely gave my own chosen people the hope and help they needed. After all, I initiated a one-sided covenant with them. It is my dignity and integrity on the line."
"Yeah. I heard. Anyhow, I already destroyed the afterlife I created sometime ago to prevent confusion. I think I should I think I should I think I should just let nature run its course."
"I noticed. However, are you visiting me to ask for advice regarding this?"
"No. I was just admiring how your afterlife is well designed, even birth and rebirth."
"Ah, again, you flatter me. I stole ideas from predecessors, you know. In these matters, no one is automatically knowledgeable."
"Not unless we have direct access to the Akashic Plane."
"Right."
"Well, that's that. Shall we move on to the main business?"
"Gladly."
The two had tea and some cookies as they conversed. When the conversation moved on to the main subject Gideon was here for, they both turned serious.
"Can you impart to me your method for maintaining the dimensional protective barrier that keeps otherworlds from just opening up rifts to steal our people away?"
"Oh? You intend to reinforce our barrier to prevent cases like yours to happen again?"
"Yes. Especially the aftermath. I don't want what happened to Earth then to repeat."
"I understand. If it's to help reinforce and maybe make it more times stronger than before, then I'll gladly impart to you the method. Whether you decide to adopt it or not, is up to you after learning of it."
"Yes, sir."
"Sir? You're even more powerful than me, why are you calling me sir?"
"Well, it is only right for me to call you that at least face to face. Since, one of your incarnations also became a god with the same fleshy body."
"Ah. I see you're one of those who've heard of him."
"Yes. Even more, I followed his precepts before being taken to the otherworld."
"What a coincidence. Anyhow, let's get to it."
YHWH touched Gideon's forehead and transmitted the method to maintain the dimensional barrier of the world.
"???"
Gideon raided an eyebrow as he learned of the method.
"So that's why it is powerful enough, but also weak enough for stronger deities from otherworlds to just breach temporarily. It is connected to your own existence."
"That's right. As long as I am alive, well eternity had that kind of effect, the barrier will never dissolve completely. Although it can be breached and torn, it will heal in time."
"The problem is, it is also connected to your own strength. People who believe in you described you as omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent, however, are you really?"
"Truth be told, I am not. To mortals, my power may be described like so, but to us all, I am but one of the stronger existences in our own strata."
"I see. Would this still if I took over?"
"It should. However, you'll forever be bound to it unless you pass it on to someone willing and capable enough."
"That's not a problem."
"Then, I'll trust and entrust to you the protection of our world from now on."
"Thank you."
Like that, Gideon took over the role of YHWH of protector and reinforced the dimensional barrier to prevent even the goddess that summoned him and those with the same strength from breaking in.
"Just from this, I can see how you are worthy of divinity, Gideon. I hope you'll continue to deliver our world from those that try to harm it in the future as well."
"Now, you're the one flattering me." They both chuckled and had small talk before Gideon left the Divine Realm.
…
Alice had been going to school for a month now. On the first week, she joined the Magic Engineering Club to enhance her pursuit of using magic to help the weak become strong, especially her father.
Her relationship with Selene and Jill had grown stronger. The little sessions they had then helped Jill and others have a better grasp of their magic.
By the end of the month, they were all able to cast spells faster with better control. This change was as expected by the instructor after learning about Alice's tutorials after class.
"Some of you have greatly improved and today's sparring session has proven this. I congratulate those who've worked harder than anyone else and encourage you to continue this effort.
"Those who have barely improved, let me give you fair advice: talent for magic makes up only 1% of success while 99% requires hard work."
"That will be all for today, you are dismissed." The instructor dismissed the class after a show of good improvement for those who attended Alice's tutorials.
Jill was so happy that she hooked her arm around Alice's shoulders and said, let's all go for some fun after school. My treat!"
"It's to thank Alice and Selene, these two genius girls who went out of their way to tutor us! Do you guys agree?!"
"Yeah! Let's celebrate and thank them!"
"Then, we only need both of you to come. Okay? We'll meet up at XX in an hour!"
"Eh?" Both Selene and Alice were dumbfounded. They didn't even agree. How come they were forced into this. They needed to ask for permission to do so!
"Sigh. Let's just go and ask our parent's permission first then. See you later?"
"Y-Yes!"
Alice also went home while skipping because of her good mood. Seeing this and knowing about her mood, Rebecca simply feigned ignorance and kept a poker face while Gideon also did the same.
"Papa, Mama! I'm home!"
"Welcome home, my little angel! How was your day today?"
"It was good, papa! I enjoyed my time with my classmates! We did this, and that…"
Alice recounted her day to Gideon while Rebecca also listened and chimed in from time to time to let them know she was part of this conversation while cooking dinner. In fact, she did not include Alice's portion this time.
"So that's what happened! My little angel sure is a genius! I'm sure you're the top dog of the class right?"
"Papa, what's a top dog?"
"A top dog is someone who everyone wishes to follow or be under as their boss. Someone who stands at the top!"
"Really?" Alice then recalled her memory of being in class. Everyone referred to her for every little thing when the teachers went away.
"I guess this word suits me, Papa!"
"Oh, I know it does. I know it does."
"But Papa, can I ask you something?" Alice finally went for the main topic.
"Yes, dear?"
"It's like this…" She told Gideon about her friends who wanted to celebrate their improvement and thank her for her tutorials.
"Is that all? Then of course you can go! However, you remember our rules right?"
"Yes! Avoid crowding with unfamiliar people. Always stay with friends.
"Always keep phone's GPS on when outside."
"Enjoy the freedom that's given without violating any rules."
"That's right. Make sure to remember it okay?"
"Yes, Papa! Thank you! Mama, also!"
"Aww." Rebecca's heart also melted.
Then Alice left home to their meeting place. She wasn't late but she also wasn't early.
"Selene!" Alice called out. She saw Selene was already there, and she felt better.