Nothing in particular to feel, the party Leonard had joined dissolved. He just watched as their faces darkened while they bid their farewells. It seemed like they had already accepted the fact.
He didn't know why Brian had suggested it. Even if the party didn't disband, Leonard would have still left to begin his
A sigh escaped from Fred, lowering his shield to his chest as he slightly bowed. "Sir Leonard, Sir Zeus, Jane, and Brian. During the short time we've been together, I felt the safest and happiest. If we have the chance to meet again and journey together, I'd be even happier."
Jane and Brian remained silent.
"I have no words. I planned on heading to the capital."
***
The party disbanded shortly after. There was no drama, and they accepted it immediately. By common sense, they should have felt some attachment, but it seemed they didn't.
The party was at risk the moment they let Leonard join. No one spoke up or complained, not knowing how Zeus would react. Even if they had tried to remove Leonard, the party would have disbanded anyway.
They didn't harbor ill intentions toward Leonard. With some logic, they might feel a slight pang of guilt for blaming him for their bad luck.
Sighing, Leonard gazed up at the vast bright sky, lying down on a large stone platform.
"Athena." Leonard mumbled, calling for her connection, and it passed smoothly. She appeared next to him, adorned red kirtle under it was chemise fitting this era.
"Yes, Leo?"
Leonard raised his upper body, glancing at her.
"Where have you been? You didn't respond to my summon earlier."
Though he sounded serious, Leonard remained calm. He recalled his entitled attitude toward Zeus before and had adjusted his tone. Leonard wanted an equal relationship with his summons.
Athena, standing beside him, gazed at him with a thoughtful look. Noticing how different his eyes were, she couldn't hide her smile. There was something different about him, but not in a negative way.
"It was a test, Leo. Father Zeus tasked me with observing how you used your brain. But we made sure you'd be safe."
Leonard sighed. He shook his head as fragments of the earlier event flashed in his mind. An awkward smile curled up his lips, turning sarcastic. He had thoughts in mind, wanting to complain and argue about why they did it, yet he remained composed.
"I see."
Athena was slightly taken aback, her mouth parting slightly at Leonard's change. She had some ideas but kept them to herself.
'Leo must have faced a dilemma where he had to use his creativity. Although lacking, he remained safe earlier. His deductions were on point, luckily.'
"I have prepared a training program for you. Also, I've studied the system—better than my father."
Glancing at Zeus, the earlier dark atmosphere faded as Leonard chuckled, almost snorting.
"Are you saying Zeus was slacking?" Leonard asked.
Athena shrugged. "I don't know."
Zeus remained silent, vigilant, maintaining his power output.
"So, what was it?"
"The system that Players have is similar to a game from Earth. You must have noticed it too, and thought it could be inspired by that. But it isn't. This system dates back to ancient times, when the universe was still immature. A stable method for intellectual beings to grow was needed, leading to the creation of the system."
Leonard noticed how serious Athena had become, as if this had been her sole focus since she was dismissed. He wasn't wrong.
After being dismissed, Athena had gone straight to their archives and convened a meeting with her affiliates from various realms. She had speculated on the world's location and had found the exact coordinates based on her shared connection with Leonard. However, the path to this universe and realm was sealed, making it nearly impossible to cross through the barriers and restrictions. Thus, if someone were summoned there, it meant the world Leonard came from was higher and more powerful than her own. Higher beings, more powerful than them, protected and guarded that world.
"So, you're saying this world has beings capable of bringing gods and goddesses like you from different universes and realms?"
Athena nodded.
"The universe is a composition of different realms. Each realm consists of dimensional signatures, which could be likened to layers of worlds. Think of it like Olympus, the Underworld, and Earth being in the same realm, but on different worlds."
Before Athena could continue, Leonard interrupted with a question. "So, I overrode you to be my summon, despite being mortal. And my
"Could be, but I assume not. Even though you have the ability to summon us, there are boundaries set to ensure we don't bring destruction to this world. We can't decide on our own, depending on the situation."
Leonard nodded. It made sense. Of course, there had to be limitations to everything. He hadn't thought about it much before, feeling lucky to have gained this ability. Although his motivation was fueled by a sense of adventure and the wonders of the world, he realized the need to take things more seriously after learning this.
The chill of the starless night began to seep into his body, with only the crescent moon casting its lonely light upon him. The breeze felt foreign, unlike the warmth of the bonfires he had camped by in recent days. Now, there was nothing to keep him warm except a simple cloak.
"I'll continue discussing this world, but I'll focus more on the Summoner Class," Athena said. Leonard nodded eagerly.
"There are different ways to grow stronger through the system. The most common is by slaying monsters inside or outside the tower. Years ago, the towers scattered across the world, connected by their entrances, didn't exist. Monsters lurked everywhere, constantly threatening humanity. Despite those who had the potential to grow strong, it wasn't enough. However, when the towers mysteriously appeared, half of the monsters vanished, and there was also a strange epidemic that caused countless deaths."
Leonard, intrigued like a child hearing a bedtime story, crossed his legs, his eyes sparkling with excitement. The backstory of this world, rich and full of mystery, ignited a hidden passion within him.
"This epidemic infected almost all of humanity, pulling them mindlessly into the ominous towers. After what seemed like countless years, those who entered the towers—losing their minds—returned to the surface. Some were recorded as dead, but those who did return… brought something with them."
"It's the system…" Leonard murmured.
Athena nodded. "Yes. The system is a creation of an ancient civilization. As for why the towers appeared, no one knows, but I suspect it's connected to the regulators or perhaps another level of 'gods' governing this universe, realm, and world."
"So… when did this happen?"
"Approximately ten thousand years ago," Athena replied.
'Yet, there hasn't been any technological progress?' Leonard thought. 'But it's understandable. Their lives revolve around the system and magic. Their path of advancement might be different from Earth.'
"In all these thousands of years, what happened to the Summoner Class? Why haven't they become strong?" Leonard asked, deeply curious, momentarily halting Athena's explanation.
Athena had anticipated the question but wasn't fully prepared. She sighed before sharing her findings. "I focused on the Summoner Class, but I found no evidence of them gaining importance in this world. In fact, all traces of them vanish after the third floor of the tower."
Though Athena's methods of studying the world were mysterious, Leonard was already satisfied with what he had learned. The knowledge was refreshing, especially since it revolved around the wonders of the world.
To think there were different universes and realms—the potential for adventure was limitless. At that moment, all Leonard could think of was… adventure!