Apocalypse Healer - Path of Death-Chapter 23B1 - Arc

David’s mind rattled with new information, but he could hardly complain. It gave him a better understanding of the situation, even if some questions remained unanswered.

Unlike the Earthen Union, Aether permeated other worlds, allowing races like the Elves to wield magic even before the system and Pantheon arrived. Still, David was more intrigued by the connection between the system and the Pantheon.

Even though the integration destroyed the Earthen Union as mankind knew it, the Pantheon offered multiple ways to survive. It provided a Class to everyone who fought back, created System Sanctuaries, and rewarded those who exceeded the norms with boons, drops, and sometimes even Skill Runes.

David had experienced all of that first-hand, but it wasn’t enough to satisfy his growing curiosity.

Melach and Torb had been nice enough to answer his questions. They were patient, yet David could tell they were hiding things. He didn’t know what, but he didn’t like it.

Whatever. One step at a time.

He chose to accept the situation for the time being and kept following the unlikely pair in silence. Nobody said a word, but that might have been for the best. David had a lot to think about.

He was certain the Pantheon had a reason to integrate new worlds into their system. Maybe it was for power, but the Pantheon would have acted differently if that had been their sole reason. What was he missing?

David ruffled his hair, ignoring Melach and Torb as they stared at him. Melach and Torb exchanged glances, their voices dropping to hushed tones as they spoke, but David tuned them out. At that moment, he cared little about the benefits they would gain from defeating the Mutating Giant Infected.

If one looked at society, or what it used to be, the strong ruled the weak. It has always been like that, and it will probably be even worse now that mankind has acquired the means to gain supernatural powers—to become gods, just like others did before.

The greed of the strong was bound to worsen, and they would rule the weak with iron fists. Nobody would allow others to rise to great power without gaining something in return.

But was it the same with the Pantheon? It had to be.

The Pantheon wouldn’t heavily invest in an Aetherless world like the Earthen Union for no reason. They wouldn’t watch them for no reason.

Were they bored? David doubted it. They put too much effort into integrating worlds into the Pantheon to brush it off as entertainment. Their actions would have been far more chaotic if entertainment were their goal. Instead, they grant magical abilities and superhuman strength, reshaped the Earthen Union, observe it closely, and rewarded those who exceed their expectations with boons and power.

The Pantheon shared the system with other worlds. It shared its power and willingly accepted new gods into its ranks.

“Boy!” Torb suddenly called out, “You said a god from the Pantheon was interested in you, didn’t ya?”

David nodded slowly. Bereth was probably strong enough to be considered a god. He could also access the system and gift David something.

“Are you thinking of taking a Patron then? Since one of them is already interested in you, it shouldn’t be difficult for you to pick a Patron before your First Class Advancement Ritual.”

“Class Advancement Ritual?” David tilted his head.

“You don’t know that either? Ah, right…newly integrated world,” Torb laughed lightly, though his eyes remained serious. “Once you break through the limits as an Iron Rank, your Basic Class will evolve. If you have a Patron, he will prepare several powerful Classes for you.”

Melach nodded in agreement. “The Classes offered by your Patron God are usually greater than the Classes offered by the system. You do not need to bind yourself to anyone, but the system can be cruel. It uses your achievements, actions, personality, and other factors to make a list of Classes for you to pick from. You can acquire some powerful Classes that way. However, the general knowledge is that Classes offered by Patrons are more fitting. Some Patron Gods create a Class adjusted to your needs using their Essence.”

Being able to change his Class sounded like a great deal, but David didn’t like the thought of binding himself to any seemingly omnipotent being—especially not when they were responsible for turning the Earthen Union upside down.

He was finally free. There was no way he would sell his soul to some god.

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David cursed the gods inwardly while smiling at the pair before him. “That sounds interesting. I will think about it.”

Torb grunted in satisfaction. “Fortress is a great Patron. Maybe you can become a Paladin or a Sacred Knight if you serve him!”

“We’ve arrived,” Melach announced, spreading his arms as the glory of Arc unfolded before David.

The first thing David noticed was the lack of noise. Earlier, he’d heard some Infected but hadn’t seen them. They didn’t attack their group either. However, as they approached Arc’s perimeters, the undead’s snarls and groans ceased.

It was almost like they were back in peaceful times. Dreadful, boring times.

The damaged city’s outer perimeters gave way to the System Sanctuary. The cracked concrete roads transformed into narrow, cobbled streets connected to stone pathways that wound behind buildings with stout stone bases and rustic timber frames.

David smirked at the sight of the medieval structures.

That’s almost too cliché to be real.

His eyes drifted across the buildings unfolding before him. Not every structure followed the same medieval style. Various homes and shops featured modern touches. A few buildings had glass windows framed with subtle metal, and some rooftops discreetly integrated structures that reminded David of solar panels.

The presence of technology in the System Sanctuary surprised David but pleased him. If they had something resembling solar panels, the sanctuary might have functioning showers and toilets, too!

That felt like a dream to David.

He followed Melach and Torb with hurried strides as they entered the perimeter. Some guards stopped them, but they stepped aside when Melach flashed a thin, hand-sized stone slate. David barely noticed the exchange, his gaze lingering on the buildings and the wide variety of people strolling around.

There were humans—quite a few, actually—but David also saw men and women of other races he couldn’t identify. Aside from the dwarves and elves, none resembled anything from fairy tales.

The journey to Arc's center was brief, but the sights along the way left David marveling at the intricate blend of eras. The center featured a bustling market square filled with wooden stalls and vendor carts selling all manner of goods.

To his left, David noticed merchants at a stall brimming with metal armaments—shields, maces, and more like the ones Torb carried. On his right, a small vendor offered modern essentials like toothpaste and toothbrushes.

Near the market square stood a massive stone watchtower. Its moss-covered walls bore deep claw marks, speaking of countless battles. Though ancient, the tower now served a new purpose.

Atop the watchtower, David spotted what looked like an antenna engraved with glowing letters. It didn’t interest him much, but his gaze lingered on the illuminated etchings.

“We call them ‘enchantments,’” Melach explained. “They act like Skill Runes, but they’re engraved on objects. You can activate them, regardless of Class, as long as you have Aether. You’ll see them on magical equipment and other essentials.” He sighed. “We can’t afford any enchantments. They’re expensive.”

Melach pulled out the small crystal they’d acquired earlier, cradling it carefully. “Fragments of Power can be ground and concocted into an enchantment tincture,” he explained.

“A tincture?” David repeated, blinking as he tried to follow.

Melach nodded. “It’s…complicated and expensive.”

“So money is a thing here,” David murmured. “That makes sense. You were talking about it earlier.”

Torb flinched at the comment, but David waved dismissively. “Relax. I won’t take your money. If not for your help, I wouldn’t have found Arc—or even entered it, for that matter. I’d probably have stayed prejudiced and avoided anything related to the Pantheon and foreign invaders for as long as possible.”

Torb visibly relaxed, but Melach snorted. “You saved our lives.”

The dwarf glanced at Melach, whose gaze bore into him. Torb’s shoulders slumped slightly as he looked at the ground.

“Of course,” Torb mumbled. “He cleansed my infection and helped us defeat the mutant. He’ll get a share.”

“A fair share,” Melach corrected firmly.

Torb winced but nodded. “A fair share.”

David smiled, letting his eyes wander over Arc once more.

To his left, a long, wide cobbled street stretched away. The first building at the corner of the market square resembled a library, its thick stone walls and arched doorways lending it an air of quiet dignity. A large sign bearing a book symbol hung above the entrance, its animated pages flipping while glistening sparks shot in all directions.

This place is nuts, David thought.

His gaze followed the long street, narrowing as he noticed various stone statues lining the path.

“The Panthea, the street of the gods,” Melach said, following his line of sight. “You’ll find the Pantheon’s temple and statues of the most prominent gods down that street.”

Torb added sourly, “The Panthea looks the same in all System Sanctuaries, but none of them ever include a statue of Fortress!”

“What’s the temple for?” David asked, his heart pounding like a war drum. “Can I talk to the gods there? Will they respond to me?”

A plan was already forming in his mind.