Zeus asked, "Astron, you've finally awakened from your slumber. It's been eons. What is it about this world that has stirred you?"
Poseidon said, "Yes, what could possibly interest you here, enough to join us once more?"
Astron remained silent for a moment, contemplating his response. Finally, he simply said, "Nothing that would interest you."
Astron gazed down at his main body on the first floor of the tower. A flicker of irritation crossed his mind as he experienced the dual perspectives, but he quickly adapted to the dual consciousness.
Meanwhile, his main body on the first floor continued to explore. After looking around for a while, Alden found a group of goblins and decided to test his powers on them. He noticed glowing labels above their heads: [Lvl 2 Goblin] and [Lvl 1 Goblin]. Facing the snarling creatures, he felt the surge of power from his skill and mana that he could feel within him after awakening. It was time to see what he could do.
A goblin wielding a club charged at him. Alden raised his palm to meet the attack.
"Absorb!" Alden said.
The goblin's club struck his palm, but instead of causing damage, the energy of the attack was absorbed into Alden's body. The goblin was surprised that his attack didn't cause any damage and was caught easily. Alden then extended his fist onto the goblin's chest and gently placed it, which confused the goblin for a second.
"Rebound," Alden said.
The absorbed energy rebounded back into the goblin, causing it to explode, its body disintegrating and disappearing after being defeated. The power felt intoxicating, and a sinister smile played on Alden's lips.
These skills are so cool. I can absorb energy and turn it against my enemies. I need to test the limits of this ability. How much can I absorb at once? How long can I store the energy before using it? And what's the maximum damage I can hold?
Alden noticed the goblin's disintegration and disappearance, a normal phenomenon for monster corpses in the tower. He observed the same thing happening to the second and third goblins he defeated, confirming this behavior.
Alden then checked his mana and felt slightly drained after using his skill. He realized that each use of Absorb and Rebound cost 10 mana, which he could regenerate after resting or leveling up.
So I could use it about ten times at level 1. Good to know.
With this in mind, Alden proceeded to clean up and finish off the two goblins left. He repeated the process, absorbing their attacks and rebounding the energy back at them. Each goblin was swiftly dealt with, showcasing the power of his newly acquired skills and noting the same disintegration pattern.
Using his god's gaze from the 100th floor, Alden could view the entire floor below. He scanned the floor and identified a safe zone hidden behind a wall of illusions. He moved towards it confidently, leaving the goblins behind.
As Alden approached the safe zone, he encountered a commotion. A young man with short black hair and brown eyes was valiantly fending off a group of goblins using angel wings. You could see two feathers levitating, attacking and defending. Despite his best efforts, it was clear he was nearing his limit. All the while, he was protecting a frightened young woman.
Really? Playing the hero in this messed-up situation? What is this, some kind of cringe 8th grade syndrome?
Alden watched as the young man directed the two feathers from his wings, sending them flying with precision to strike down the goblins. The woman clung to him, her fear palpable.
Breathing heavily, Hiroshi muttered, "This situation is bad. I'm about to drain all my mana."
What intrigued Alden was Hiroshi's power. It was interesting—perfect hero material. Yup, I've decided. Let's make him the hero and the shield to face the public. I don't think the people back on Earth would welcome us back as protectors after clearing the monsters that roam around but as threats to society and uncontrollable factors.
Alden decided to wait and let them reach a desperate situation. The more desperate they became, the more grateful they would be for his intervention.
As the goblins' numbers increased and the situation grew more dire, Hiroshi's mana depletion became evident. His movements slowed, and he struggled to maintain control over his wings. The goblins' relentless attacks began to overwhelm them, and desperation set in.
Just as Hiroshi and the woman reached their breaking point, Alden decided it was time to make his move. The perfect timing for our side character meeting the hero for the first time perfect debut.
He stepped in and swiftly absorbed the energy from an attacking goblin and rebounded it back, causing the creature to collapse in a heap. The young man looked at Alden with a mix of relief and admiration.
"Are you guys okay?" Alden said.
Hiroshi nodded and said, "Yeah, thanks for the help. Let's quickly make a run for it."
Suddenly, a group of goblins charged at them. Hiroshi's eyes glowed with determination as he raised his hand.
"Seraph's Wings!" Hiroshi said.
Hiroshi conjured magnificent angelic wings, and the two feathers from his wings began to move at his command. He controlled the feathers with precision, directing them to pierce through the attacking goblins.
Wow, this guy's skill is something else. It's leagues above mine. Perfect meat shield, Alden thought.
"Let's head in this direction," Alden said.
As they ran, Hiroshi and the woman introduced themselves to Alden. "I'm Hiroshi Nakamura, and this is Eva," Hiroshi said.
"I'm Alden," he replied, smiling gently. "Nice to meet you both."