Max watched as Tanila vanished. Her aura was only slightly less than Rakonath’s. Does that mean he is stronger than her? Only time will tell but if he grows as you do and vice versa, the two of you will quickly become a force to fear. Even more so is the thread that connects you with Sog. He is a wild card in my opinion, yet the demon seems content to throw his lot in with you. He nodded and closed his eyes. The thread that connected him to Rakonath was barely there right now. His dragon’s presence felt so far away that it took effort to find it. “Your time has come, Max Hoste. Touch the crystal and be measured.” He nodded at the dwarf as she spoke. Glancing at the human male who still had not spoken, he felt eyes peering into his soul. Worry not. This next part is something I am anxious about. Taking a deep breath, Max stood before the clear shard. Two years ago, a much smaller version of this had sent his life down a path he never wanted or expected. Now he couldn’t imagine his life without Bob. His fingers brushed up against the crystal, and unable to fight it, his whole hand was pulled against it. Waves of force assaulted him through his arm, trying to beat down whatever walls he had erected around him. [ Divine System Initiated ] [ Scanning Champion - Max Hoste ] Light exploded before his eyes, and thousands of galaxies and other systems flew past his vision. Each beat of his heart felt like someone was pounding a hammer against metal on an anvil and breathing was like trying to lift a mountain. [ System has detected abnormalities ] [ Being possesses stats beyond expected limitations ] [ Being possesses more skills than the current system allows ] [ Multiple System skills present ] [ World Champion Advanced Skills present ] [ Total Item value beyond accepted limits for the system ] [ Unidentified Weapon present ] [ Unique Bloodline present ] [ Entity - Max Hoste is infected ] If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it's taken without the author's consent. Report it. [ Black Skill Detected ] [ Evolved form of Consume Detected ] [ Consume Skill - Abnormality Detected ] [ System Error - Consume Interfering with Assessment ] [ Watcher Presence Detected ] [ Divine System Overridden ] [ Champion - Max Hoste - Assessment Paused ] It took great effort to open his eyelids just enough to see what was before him. The crystal was blacker than black, drawing all light in the room toward it. Every Watcher but one was sitting in their chairs, eyes closed, gripping the armrests so fiercely he was certain they would break. Yet the one in the middle, the human Watcher, had his eyes open. Staring at them felt like looking at the sun, power radiating and illuminating his perfect skin. Yet through it all, Max saw what he believed was a corner of his mouth turned upward. Pain erupted in his mind and his eyes clamped shut. [ Assessment Resumed ] [ Champion Status Re-Initiated ] [ Being has a total power that exceeds the current Divine Tier ] [ Interference Deteced ] [ Watcher Presence Detected ] [ Rule Set Overridden ] [ Consume has Consumed Log ] [ Champion - Max Hoste Registered ] [ Skills Available for Selection ] [ Proceed to Starter World ] Max willed to select yes, yet his mind seemed unable to work. Something or someone had him frozen. And then the choice was made. [ Transporting to Starter World ] No reply came from Bob other than a laughter that resonated within his entire being as a sensation of warmth filled him. His pain vanished as a gentle breeze blew against his face. Blinking, he realized his eyes worked, and Tanila and the rest of his friends stood before him. Near them was a small shard, and glancing down, Max saw a vast ocean below. “What… where are we? Are we flying?” “Home,” she replied. “Our new home. Come, let’s design a world that our child… our daughter will grow up on.” She grabbed his hand, dragging him toward the crystal. Bob… what did you do? I left a surprise for the Watchers and took a pound of flesh from the one who imprisoned me. For now, do not worry. Welcome to your new life, Max. Congratulations on becoming a god. ***Stay tuned for the next arc in the Ultimate Level 1 Series***