"Re-opening of the Explorer Association?"

With Van's lazy voice whispering throughout the entirety of the throne room, Sarah was the first to react to his words. As one of the core members of the previous Explorer Association back in the Old World, the nostalgia that waved through her entire body was something that she couldn't quite explain.

It made sense-- she thought. For her, the last time she heard someone mentioning that was when she first arrived in this fantasy-like world, which was already thousands of years ago. But for Van, it should still be fresh in his mind.

"Yes," Van nodded as he let out a long and deep breath before walking away, "I'm a bit tired from running around, so I will let you handle everything with the Association, Miss Sarah."

"...Me?"

"I see no one else qualified to create it your grandfather was its earliest member, after all."

"But System Holders like us are almost extinct, kid," Sarah quickly waved her hand, "And the ones that are left are mostly trapped in Midgard or part of the war. Currently, the only System Holders we have in the Realm are me, Ms. Elton, Gerald, you, and Latanya

...and I don't think you and the vixen count since both of you are special."

"I'll leave you to solve it, chairwoman."-- was Van's last words before suddenly leaving the throne room.

"S sorry," Vanya then awkwardly chuckled, the monotonous tone she previously had years ago was now completely gone, "It would seem my father passed another responsibility to everyone again."

"All hail King Van, as they say," Gerald also let out a chuckle before turning to Sarah, "I'm not really doing anything, so I might as well help you in establishing it."

"...I guess we have no choice in the matter," Sarah then let out a long and deep sigh before nodding her head, "Let's just announce it so we could get our first core members. Can you help us, Ms. Elton?"

"No," Angela quickly said before disappearing into thin air.

"I'll come with you."

So, instead, it was Vanya who volunteered, "we still need to test if the floating branch idea would work."

"Perhaps I could also help in that regard," Skylar, who had been keeping quiet from the start, also let out a curious hum as she followed beside Vanya, leaving only Athena and Latanya alone in the throne room.

"..."

"..."

"I do not appreciate you making moves on King Evans, Latanya."

"Is that what it looked like?" Hearing the slightly cold and irritated tone in Athena's voice, Latanya could not help but let out a small giggle, purposely exaggerating the bouncing of her colossal breasts, "I was just giving a suggestion, after all, there must be a reason why Master Van is out so very often."

"What are you getting at?"

"You're smart, so you must know what I am about to say next," Latanya once again giggled, "A man that is not satisfied in bed, can not be found on the bed. He probably feels that running around the expanse of space is much more satisfying than lying with you. But of course

...what would I expect from a hundred thousand years old virgin."

"Be careful with your words, Latanya," Athena muttered as her eyes started to twitch, "I punished people for doing less."

"Why? Compensating for your inadequacy?" Latanya then said as she once again showcased her breasts, grabbing them and letting them freely bounce after.

"I can shapeshift to any form I want, but anything as big as that is already unnatu--"

"I beg to differ," Latanya chuckled once again as she slowly made her way out of the room, "I happen to have almost seduced Master Van before with these melons. I'm just warning you, Athena

...don't be so shocked if you find Master Van resting on them in the near future."

"C

...Come back here!"

"Haha! The only one coming on my back is Master Van."

"..."

And with those parting words, silence once again filled the entire throne room. But it would seem even though brief, the discussion they just had made a huge impact on Athena; as a few hours later, she found herself in front of Van's room-- her breasts, slightly augmented.

"K King Evans," she whispered as she knocked on the door, "May I come in?"

"..."

"..."

"..."

"King Evans?" Athena once again knocked on the door, this time, her words were clearer and more pronounced. She was deliberating on whether or not to enter since Van seemed to be truly exhausted from his adventure. Of course, she was only expecting to accompany him with his rest and was not expecting to do anything more. But after a few more knocks without any answer--

"I am going in," Athena then took in a long and deep breath as she gently opened the door, "I would like to discuss more as to what happened during your absence, but I will wait until you wake-- King Evans?"

Athena then blinked a couple of times as the person she sorely wanted to see was actually nowhere to be found in the room.

***

Silence. A deep, almost deafening silence whistled through the air. It was a weird silence-- Van could hear his body speak, but not in the way one would expect. Every part of his body seemed to be involved and working together like an orchestra-- devoid of any outside interference.

Rather than hearing them, perhaps it was more appropriate to say that he could feel the smallest vibrations his body made, as it was the only hint of a feigning sound in the place he now found himself in-- space.

Devoid of any sound, a cold that wrapped around his entire body, as well as a pressure that seemed to embrace every part of his body. Ever since he learned how to survive in space from Athena, he found himself more and more attracted to it.

It was the illusion of freedom in the rawest sense. Letting your body aimlessly glide; no restrictions whatsoever-- it was the perfect place to rest and sleep.

And then suddenly, a crack.

"!!!"

Van could feel the space itself shivering, breaking the ceaseless and endless silence that he so cherished. He then quickly opened his eyes, only to see a familiar set of floating words that he had not seen since forever.

[The Gods wish to send you a Gift.]

"..." What? Van thought. Even in the Old World, the number of times a message like this popped up in front of him could be counted in one hand-- and they only appeared at earlier times. But something was different this time the previous messages always mentioned that it was the 'Gods of Olympus' that was watching or wanting to send him a gift

...But now nothing specific was mentioned. Athena had already told him that no Olympian was capable of summoning or creating a Portal and there was now one in front of him.

Could it be because he already knew that Olympians couldn't do this the message became different?

Does this mean that there really was a hidden god somewhere in this universe, watching and controlling him from the shadows? So all this time there was another player intervening with the path he was taking?

"..." Van then furrowed his eyebrows as he stared at the Gold Portal in front of him. This was quite near his Realm, so he could just come back and ask someone to check it out with him but since this was a Gift from the so-called hidden god, then it was probably only meant for him.

He could still remember what happened with the first Portal with the human-spiders; Nisha and the others were there with him, but when they reached the Boss Room, he was sent to a completely different place.

"..." And so, with that in mind, Van didn't think anymore as his eyes started to let out streaks of golden lightning. He then summoned his shield, before grabbing something from his waist-- the small hammer he received from defeating Thor.

Whatever was inside, it was best not to take it lightly. And with that, Van left a blur as swiftly but carefully entered the Portal.

[???]

Van then took in a long and deep breath as soon as air once again wafted through his face; his thirst for air did not last, however, as the weird but familiar smell of chemicals entered his nose.

"Fuck" He then muttered as he quickly spat on the ground. Van did not even mind the set of words that appeared above his head as his eyes quickly scanned his surroundings. There was not much to check, however, as his vision was filled with a tunnel of rocks seemingly stretching endlessly.

"...A cave?" Van started to walk, his steps echoing throughout the darkness. He then raised his hammer in the air, before shaking it repeatedly-- and as he did so, the hammer started to light up, causing the cave to brighten up.

"..."

"..."

"There's nothing here," Van then whispered. He was careful not to use his speed since he was surrounded by darkness, and any wrong move might cause the cave to collapse but after almost an hour of walking, he decided he had enough.

Even if the cave did collapse, with his current STR, he would have no trouble surviving it anyway.

And so, a whistle traveled through the entirety of the cave as Van suddenly turned into a blur. It did not last long, however, as he quickly found himself in front of what seemed to be a gate made of gold.

"..." And without even any hesitation, Van quickly pushed the gate in, causing a tremor to reverberate in the air.

"My, my Why so violent?"

"W what?"

"It's been almost an eternity, and yet that's how you greet me

...cute little one?"