"How is it even possible?" Talos asked Arnold because he simply couldn't believe it, "With the amount of Xenoic energy the portal had and the amount it was leaking, it should have been at least 10 days before the dungeon broke on its own."

"I know. After all, we were the ones to estimate that. But it's true T," Arnold shook his head before replying, "I better start preparing as well. It doesn't seem like it is going to be an easy battle. It's not necessary, but it'll be good if you wrapped up things and get here as soon as you can. While the enemy has come prepared, we do not have the same luxury. We have to strike first and hard for us to have any hope at finishing the battle early and unscathed."

"Master... you know more about the dungeon than you're letting on, don't you?" 

"In a way."

"Got it, master. We'll try to get there as soon as we're done sorting things here."

Even though the information Arnold had was reliable, he was having a hard time believing it. How come a dungeon of that size break on its own without any outside interference? Moreover, the Xenoic energy in the area had spiked up beyond limits. If anything, the spike in the Xenoic energy after the dungeon disappeared only suggested one thing: Someone or something had interfered with the dungeon's balance. 

He was sure no one was crazy enough to do anything from their side. In case, even if someone wanted to stir sh*t, the Assembly of Nations had already been keeping an eye out for any suspicious activity around the dungeon ever since it grazed earth with its presence and they hadn't found anything. Which meant, someone or something had interfered with the dungeon from the inside. 

The idea seemed absurd even for Arnold's taste. But there was no point in denying that. The dungeon had opened and spawned... something. The newly made Assembly of nations was still trying to figure out the details as Arnold contacted Talos. Yet one fact was undisputed the dungeon had disappeared for sure as they had the satellite images to confirm that. Furthermore, in place of the dungeon was a gigantic piece of landmass.

The dungeon had spawned an island of some sort which immediately became a new source of their worries. Generally, it was the warriors who had to adventure into the unknown but for the first time since the dungeons started spawning all over the world, a dungeon had spawned an unexplored landmass.

Most of them were panicking while some of them were relieved. They were panicking because well... the warriors would have to venture into an unknown place. But her, they always did that! However, this time the enemy would most probably be expecting them to show up and hence might have already set up defences to counter the uninvited guests.

The ones who were relieved were so because now the main problem of fighting over the water surface was resolved. They could just send the warriors in to deal with the issue and be done with it. And in the event of subjugation's failure, they'll be able to freely bombard the place to their heart's content without risking civilian lives. And it was something their hands kept itching to do.

Thankfully, Arnold wasn't as clueless as the others were regarding the matter. System-sama was keeping him updated with everything. Because everything that was going on was supposedly another 'trial' for him to overcome. But to Arnold, it sounded more like a theatre performance for the gods.

"Hmm..." Arnold mumbled before disconnecting the call, "So it's really happening then?" 

[I'm afraid so.]

"Not gonna lie, it's a bit sooner than I expected."

[It's even sooner than my earliest estimations.]

"You were estimating these things?"

[If you go around killing demigods, then I am forced to calculate these things.]

"Haha... you're almost branding me as the bad guy here."

[Aren't you?]

"Ahem... jokes aside." Arnold cleared his throat, "I'm still not allowed to kill someone?"

[I can never stop you from killing someone. But yeah, if you do so, something might happen to you again.]

"Ain't that a bit*h..." Arnold sighed before leaning over the railing of his hotel room's balcony, "Do the other Vassals know about it too?"

His room was on the top floor of the tallest building on the planet. Thus he had the perfect view of the clouds hovering below him, while Scylla enjoyed her time flying over them without any restrictions. Arnold hadn't allowed her outside for a long time, and she was getting feisty as a result. So he decided to let her move her wings for now, and Scylla was happier than ever to be out again.

[I can't say for sure, but their guardians most probably did. You can always ask your kin for confirmation if you like.]

"I think Nicole knows about it already. But I'm wondering what they are planning to do. Even if there is no need for us to fight within ourselves, it isn't like we have a truce amongst ourselves either. I can't say for sure whether they will be hostile towards us or not."

[If they show up and become hostile towards you, they'll be the ones to die first. However, it won't happen by your hands, but 'his'. After all, he isn't someone who likes to share his prey with others.] 

"Right, you already told me this." Arnold smiled, "If Hercules really is here, then well... I think I have a plan to use him and get rid of the other 3 vassals. Then, I'll add him to my army as my elite summons."

[It's a good plan. But I'm afraid it won't work.]

"Why's that?"

[I'm afraid you cannot resurrect someone once they become a Vassal. When someone receives the blessing of a god, their souls can no longer be corrupted using any form of forbidden techniques.]

"Wait, what? Don't gods have the ability to resurrect others?"

[They do. That's why they are called Gods. And unless you become one yourself, you can forget about it.]

"So you're saying there's a chance I can become a god?" Arnold's ears perked up in anticipation of System-sama's response.

[Maybe you will, maybe you won't. The possibilities are endless.]

***

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