Apocalypse Healer - Path of Death-Chapter 59B1 - Affiliation

The gate to David’s cell opened only a few minutes after he closed his eyes. He opened his eyes to see the dwarf captain from the other days standing in the cell.

David rubbed his eyes and let out a deep groan. He had an interesting talk with Zachariah, one that felt like it lasted an eternity. It had only ended when his mind began churning from all the new intel Zachariah had shared.

“You started the altercation, according to multiple witness statements, so you’re going to stay here for another day,” The dwarven captain turned to Zachariah, who nodded absentmindedly.

From the looks of it, Zachariah hadn’t even considered sleeping. He appeared to have a lot on his mind, which David could understand. The things Zachariah had revealed made his skin crawl.

David was still unsure if he could believe everything Zachariah had said, but the young swordsman spoke with certainty. On top of that, David doubted Zachariah was pretending to nearly collapse several times during their hour-long discussion, especially whenever he delved too deeply into the future. Whether or not David believed him entirely, he couldn’t dismiss the possibility of what he’d heard.

“What are you doing, brat? Do you want to stay with him?” the dwarf captain barked. “Did you two become friends overnight?”

David ignored the captain and walked out of the cell, casting a glance back at Zachariah. The swordsman didn’t return the look, his eyes fixed on a speck of dirt on the ground.

“Let’s catch up later,” David said before turning to the flight of stairs. He followed the dwarf to the Familia’s ground floor, where familiar faces awaited him. Melach and Torb were already there.

“You look fine,” Melach said, studying him from head to toe. His eyes softened. “That’s good.”

“I always knew he was going to make it out!” Torb declared, puffing his chest out until the elf snorted.

“That’s not how it sounded yesterday.”

Torb pressed his lips together and glared at Melach but said nothing. His eyes drifted to David, and he exhaled.

“Whatever! It’s good you’re back.”

The corner of David’s lips tugged upward, but his faint smile quickly faded into a thin line. Even though it felt good to be out of the holding cell, he couldn’t shake his unease.

“I have an odd question,” he said, rubbing the back of his head. “What exactly would happen if the Earthen Union were to transform into one of the aether-densest worlds integrated into the Pantheon?”

Torb and Melach exchanged glances. After a moment, they turned back to David, and Torb tilted his head.

“That’s a weird question. Why would you want to know that? The Earthen Union was aetherless a few weeks ago. Why—”

“Entertain me,” David interrupted. “Please.”

Melach raised a skeptical brow. “I can’t say because I don’t know. I doubt Torb does either. But I can tell you this: worlds filled with aether are highly sought after by the Pantheon, as well as by unaffiliated groups like Bereth—and other organizations.”

“The higher the aether density of a world, the stronger its monsters and inhabitants. You remember what I told you about my people? How we could wield magic even before the Pantheon arrived with the System? That wouldn’t have been possible if we hadn’t evolved over countless generations to adapt to our world’s high aether density,” Melach explained. He cleared his throat. “But there are other races that adapt much faster—races born and raised in worlds with even greater aether density.”

Torb nodded. “I think I’ve heard about powerful families migrating to establish a foothold in other worlds. If I recall, they said something about giving their children a better future—a life where they could grow stronger without enduring the pain and struggle their parents faced to reach great heights.”

“There’s more to it,” Melach added. “But it’s only natural that the strong are drawn to places where they can prosper. In worlds overflowing with aether, you might even encounter a god or goddess. It’s rare, but some worlds can contain the essences of gods. And I’m not talking about a small portion of their essence, but their Origin Essence.” His lips tugged upward, and his eyes twinkled, likely imagining a future where he met a god.

His expression shifted again as he turned to David, tilting his head. “But why are you asking?”

“It’s nothing important,” David said, waving a hand dismissively. “I just heard someone mention the Earthen Union having great potential and got curious.”

The look they gave him showed that Melach and Torb didn’t quite believe him, but that would have to do. Telling them he’d heard all this from someone claiming to be a regressor wouldn’t help anyone. If anything, they’d probably end up labeling him crazy. Then again, they already thought he was a suicidal, crazy bastard.

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Whatever. Zachariah could tell them all about the future if he deemed it necessary.

David had other things to do, including claiming his rewards from the Familia. He and his friends had been on their way there when Zachariah attacked him.

“Have you already received your rewards?” he asked, pushing aside his lingering questions. He had research to do in the future anyway.

Torb and Melach glanced at each other before breaking into vibrant smiles.

“Our star rating increased, and we earned a small fortune,” Torb chuckled. “I’m thinking about purchasing a magical armament. That’s how much we earned!”

“We reached the Bronze Rank and completed the First Advancement Ritual. The achievements we earned in the fight against the Demon Horde were enough to grant us some powerful classes to choose from,” Melach said, scowling at Torb. “Then again, I never doubted Torb would get something good. He has a Patron, after all. I—”

His smile cracked a little. “Still, I was given a powerful Class with good attributes.”

“That’s nice to hear,” David said with a smile. He didn’t tell them he’d reached the Bronze Rank on the battlefield or how he had undergone the First Advancement Ritual, though he doubted they were unaware. Melach was a know-it-all, and while Torb sometimes acted foolish, he was sharp. Both knew better than to ask questions they weren’t prepared to hear the answers to.

“It’s your turn now,” Torb said, gesturing over his shoulder. “Get your reward, Arc’s savior.”

David winced at the dwarf’s teasing but approached the wooden counter.

The woman of the Tirac race, a humanoid species covered in small, clattering scales, greeted him with a smile. However, her expression quickly shifted when her eyes fell on his left arm. Her cupped hands trembled as she accepted his ID slate to verify his identity and achievements in the battle against the Horde.

“Sir, I’ve updated your ID slate. Your rating has been increased to 3-Star, and your affiliations have been added.” Her eyes bulged as she glanced between David, the ID slate, and a small crystal ball. “After taking everything into consideration, the officials decided to grade the Demon Horde as a Disaster. It would have destroyed Arc. Therefore, given the extraordinary contribution recorded in your ID slate, you will be granted access to the Vault.”

David frowned, watching the receptionist tremble as she handed back his ID slate. Did something hit her too hard on the head? He shrugged and checked the updated information.

Name: David

Updat𝓮d fr𝙤m ƒгeeweɓn૦vel.com.

Race: Human

Affiliation: Bereth (Guard of the Eternal Cycle), Asmodeus (Ruler of Blood, Old One)

Rank: 3-Star

Oh.

The single syllable hung in the air as his eyes narrowed. He didn’t expect the affiliations with Bereth and Asmodeus. Of course, they had granted him a portion of their power for his First Advancement Ritual, but that didn’t automatically create an affiliation. Or did it?

Didn’t they mention something about gods vouching for someone in the Familia?

Whatever that entailed, David was certain he hadn’t sold his soul to them. That was all that mattered.

Ruler of Blood and Guard of the Eternal Cycle sounded nice, but David dismissed them as fancy titles. What intrigued him was the “Old One” part. What did that mean? He mentally added another question to his research list.

“Please press your hand against the Enlightenment Orb, sir,” the receptionist said, placing the crystal ball before him with a stiff smile. At least she wasn’t trembling anymore.

Is that how the Familia aids the rank-up of Skill Runes?

David raised his right hand and grasped the cold orb tightly. The last thing he saw was a dim light. The next moment, the world turned into a blur. A cold stream surged through his palm one moment, and a tidal wave of information swamped his mind the next. David didn’t know what was happening or how to react. Thus, he didn’t do anything and let it be.

His hair stood on end, and he barely registered the blood shooting to his head. His hands and feet felt eerily cold, as if all warmth had been drained. He simply waited, hoping it would end soon.

Blood poured from his nose, the sound of droplets splashing on the wooden counter ringing in his ears as the seconds passed.

That’s some crazy shit.

He cursed inwardly, unaware of how much time had passed. What he did know was that his lungs were screaming for air as the throbbing pain in his head eased slightly. The pain remained, but his lungs’ demands overshadowed it.

He gasped for air as the blurry world cleared.

“That was intense,” David muttered between deep breaths.

“What did you do?” Torb asked, now standing beside him. How long had he been there? David had no idea.

“You nearly killed him! Is that what the Familia’s staff has turned into?” Melach demanded, slamming a fist on the wooden counter. Someone shrieked in response.

“I-I don’t… I don’t know what happened! I only added his reward to the Enlightenment Orb like I always do… N-nothing should have happened!” the receptionist stammered.

David groaned and gave a dismissive wave. “I’m okay.”

He forced a smile and patted Melach’s back, though the elf didn’t look convinced.

“I’m fine. Really. It was just a lot to digest.”

Melach’s eyes widened slightly. “How much did you receive?”

David smiled wryly.

More than half of his view was blocked by flashing system notifications.

“Just a bit.”