Chapter 200: Lower Realm of Power
As soon as Tessa stepped through the gate, a strange sensation washed over her. The air felt dense, vibrating with an energy that made her skin tingle. Before she could gather her bearings, three old men, each emanating an aura of overwhelming power, rushed toward her like children scrambling for a prized toy.
"I got to her first! She will join my sect!" one declared, his bony fingers pointed at her like a claim of ownership.
"Preposterous! You lying scoundrel! I chose her first!" the second bellowed, his eyes blazing with indignation.
"If I elbow you two buffoons back to the abyss, she'll come with me!" the third interjected, rolling up his sleeves as though preparing for a brawl.
The three old men descended into heated bickering, their attempts to grab Tessa growing more frantic. Despite their aged appearances, their grip was like steel, and Tessa struggled to free herself, her enhanced strength barely holding up against their otherworldly might.
Suddenly, a commanding voice cut through the chaos like a blade. "Let her be."
The three old men froze mid-motion, their faces contorting as though they'd witnessed a thief stealing their favorite meal right before their eyes. Their expressions quickly shifted to thinly veiled disdain as they turned to face the newcomer.
"Hovi," one of them growled, "this is the Lower Realm of Power. You can't just do as you wish!"
"Exactly, Hovi!" chimed in another. "We saw her first. Just because your father is in the Higher Realm doesn't mean you can come and go as you please!"
The third man, clearly the weakest of the trio, suddenly softened his tone. "Ahem... Hovi, you can have whatever you want."
The sycophantic response earned him disdainful glares from his companions.
"Ass-licker." "Boot-licker."
Hovi smiled at their words, but ignored the three old men altogether.
Tessa, still caught in the middle of the bizarre scene, turned toward the newcomer. Her confusion deepened. The man called Hovi strode forward with an air of supreme confidence. His green skin glistened faintly in the strange light, and two small horns protruded gracefully from his forehead. Despite his alien features, he was disarmingly handsome—like an Adonis who had borrowed traits from a celestial ram.
"Hi," he said, his deep voice laced with charm. "I'm Hovi. You must be wondering why you're here and what all this is about, right?"
Tessa nodded, still at a loss for words. Her mind racing to make sense of the surreal encounter.
"Alright," Hovi began, "I'll keep this simple and tell you all you need to know. By the way, your parents were here once too—your father and mother. They performed admirably and ascended to become Higher Gods. No pressure, but I hope you can make them proud."
The mention of her parents left Tessa even more bewildered. She opened her mouth to question him, as her mind raced with questions, 'How did he know who she was? How did he already know her parents...?' However before she could speak, Hovi raised a hand to forestall her.
"Let me explain," he said gently, noticing her growing frustration. "I got your information from the gate keeper..." Hovi began as if reading her mind and then continued, "This is the Lower Realm of Power. It's the first of three realms: Lower, Middle, and Higher. Every mortal destined to inherit a godly legacy must pass through these realms. Think of it as a rite of passage."
He gestured at their surroundings. The land was surreal, a vast expanse of dark, metallic soil under a swirling sky alive with shifting patterns of light. Glowing rivers of energy crisscrossed the plains, their currents humming with latent power. In the distance, towering spires of pure light rose into the heavens.
"Before you ascend," Hovi continued, "you must undergo evaluations to determine your realm limit. If you succeed, you progress to a higher realm. If you fail..." He paused, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Let's just say failure here isn't forgiving. Many are forced to accept limits far below their ambitions—or worse, banishment into obscurity."
Tessa's wide eyes reflected her growing unease as Hovi's calm, reassuring tone carried on. "Now, let me break down the hierarchy for you," he said. "Contrary to what you might believe, the so-called 'forbidden god level' is far from the pinnacle of power."
Her unease shifted to shock as Hovi continued.
"Most newcomers find this hard to process," he said, a faint smile playing at his lips. "The elites rarely speak of higher ranks because knowledge about them is restricted in realms like Earth and Kaelria. The information flow is deliberately limited."
Tessa leaned in, her curiosity now outweighing her apprehension.
Hovi clasped his hands behind his back and began pacing slowly. "Here's how it works: At the base of the hierarchy are the Lesser Gods—made up of those who barely pass through the Lower Realm of Power. Above them are the Higher Gods, they are revered but still confined to their limits. Then, of course, there are the Forbidden Gods, powerful enough to obliterate a planet but still not the ultimate authority."
Tessa's jaw dropped, but Hovi wasn't done.
"Beyond the Forbidden Gods are the Xanthex—beings like me," he said, gesturing to himself with a touch of pride. "After them, the Imogi, whose very presence can distort reality. Higher still are the Cosmos Gods, whose essence embodies galaxies, and at the very peak, the rare and nearly mythical Time Gods. There are only three of them in existence across all galaxies. Each has the power to create entire universes within their being."
The sheer magnitude of the hierarchy left Tessa speechless. She repeated the ranks in her head like a mantra, trying to comprehend their enormity:
Lesser Gods
Higher Gods
Forbidden Gods
Xanthex
Imogi
Cosmos Gods
Time Gods
"As you progress through the realms," Hovi continued, "your limits are set based on your performance. Fail in the Lower Realm, and you'll be confined to the level of a Lesser God. Pass, and you advance to the Middle Realm, where the stakes rise dramatically. Fail there, and your potential might cap at higher gods level, forbidden level or Xanthex level or even Imogi level, depending on how well you performed."
Hovi paused to let the gravity of his words sink in. "The Higher Realm is the final frontier. Only those with extraordinary potential can achieve the status of a Cosmos God. And a Time God? Virtually unattainable. To reach that level, you'd need the potential to hold an entire galaxy within your body."
Tessa's breath caught as she tried to process everything. Moments ago, her ambition was limited to reaching the Forbidden God level, just enough to resolve the crisis on Earth. But now, a spark of something greater ignited within her.
Her voice was steady when she finally spoke, though her eyes betrayed her newfound determination. "Can we start the evaluations now? I'm ready."