The incarnations had spoken, and continued to do so. Some were strongly influenced by imposing and possessive deities. Hansung had managed to see certain stars, albeit few, shining over the heads of some of those present. Points of light of different shapes, sizes and colors. Surprisingly for him, he had observed that two of the incarnations had up to five, a sign that one had grace and charisma that he couldn't make out in the dimly lit darkness.

"First there is the desire, but that's nothing without knowing how to start making such a feeling of longing come true", commented a voice that was beginning to leave behind the sound evidence of her youth, but how she had said it did not bring fun with it. or pessimism. "I, Blackscale Dragon, second the motion, but only if there is a rational plan behind it."

Two other figures followed him.

"I, Anubis, second the motion."

"I, Loki, second the motion."

The proposal ended up being supported by six of the thirteen present. The discouragement began to become noticeable in some of those who had been positive. Hansung was one of those who did not stand up; he couldn't, not with his legs shaking and his fingers fidgeting with each other under the table. The scene itself had only the dreadful resemblance to when the cold blades of the snowmen threatened to end his short, dying life.

(Everyone around me doesn't look like a rookie; they speak with authority and experience. What about me, five years as a D-grade hunter adventurer? Don't make me laugh, not now, not ever again.)

The minor deity "Knight of Nottingham" sympathizes with you, saying that only in moments of fear can one have courage."

(Courage, is that it? My extra drop of rationality is the only thing that has given me advantage over others, but madness in essential moments has been the weight tied to me. The thing with the mutable dungeon was just that, madness, nothing more no less.)

Silence had settled in the room in such a way that the almost shadowed faces were the only means of contact.

Worth in moments of fear. Just a single ray of light in the dense and vast darkness. Hansung felt that absurd and unimaginable impulsive feeling, but he jerked back while remaining seated and crossed his arms over his chest.

Someone else spoke.

"If we don't deal with the main problem, that means we'll resort to hiding in a world that doesn't belong to us waiting for them to come to us... or the outer incarnations," it was again the grown-up boy whose few body parts were displayed in the light of the fire were revealed partially as scales. "Many of our incarnations were antagonists in the mythologies not by choice; they were born with a destiny from which they had no choice but to follow. My question is, will we follow that imposed destiny, the escape of which seems to be invisible to our eyes."

There were murmurs.

The deity "Daunted Knight" praises the oratorical skill of the incarnation of the "Black Scale Dragon".

(I feel strangely jealous of not being the center of attention. What does it matter? Staying out of it is the best and only thing I've known how to do my entire life. Maybe I'll even survive the longest.)

He decided to ignore the scene that was happening around him and plunged into thought with no answer found yet. Fresh images of the world bathed in red inhabited by endless monsters and amorphous creatures flashed through his mind.

(As a person of logic, it's like me to think it was a dream, but so would be to doubt them when the musty, rotten, and bloody smell was rampant. There's a chance it was a sign from my sponsor ...)

The "Typhon" deity raises an eyebrow and the corner of his lips in a pleased manner.

(It's almost gross that even my privacy of thought no longer exists.)

The "Typhon" deity inadvertently pressures you to manage stat points.

The deity "Daunted Warrior" seconded the motion.

(This bastard...), he cursed internally wincing as his gaze locked on the tiny stars floating above his head. (Let's just end this wisely, I'm sure with the duration of the life and death discussion session I'll be able to pass the time productively.)

"Hansung... Hansung," Loki called repeatedly until he jerked him out of their private discussion. "The meeting ended about ten minutes ago, everyone left while you stayed here frozen. Do you need an embalming and mummification from Anubis?"

"Now I begin to understand why most people don't like you."

"Ouch? I really don't know how I should feel about it. Anyway, the slow Nix is requesting an audition with you", she warned disinterestedly while he adopted a smiling and exhausted expression as he headed out of doors open, through which a warm light filtered.

Hansung followed him worriedly.

"An audition? Why would I want to audition with…with…?"

"With a newly awakened incarnation that needed support to escape and didn't say anything during the Ragnarok council meeting because he was muttering frantically like a lunatic? Yes."

The boy was startled by Donsuk's confirmation question, but without stopping the pace of advance.

"Muttered?"

"If what you're worried about is that they caught something of what you said to yourself, then don't worry; I just saw you move your lips."

His mind turned to the skill points he had finished administering a few minutes ago. (I just hope I've done the right thing. But why do I feel like I'm missing something?)

Strangely, the two of them soon emerged from the fortress to a gorge pass whose railing partially prevented those who passed through it from fully risking falling down the abyss that led into a gloomy and, at first glance, evil land. The dark domains had no visible boundary, only a border that distorted and blurred. Hansung looked away, forcing herself not to look down as long as she didn't panic because of his phobia.

A few meters away, the same woman who had starred in the recent meeting was waiting for him, now looking at the dark place that lay hundreds of feet below her. Two heavily armored warriors at the other end of the pass gave off a mist like firebrand, a face hidden entirely within the helmet, no eyes to be seen. By the time Hansung Park looked over his shoulder he saw Loki, but further away he saw two more of those mysterious men.

(They were easily twins in another life, or are. No, if I keep thinking about these things so deeply I'll end up losing my mind.)

"Hansung incarnation of Typhon."

"Aah, I really don't know how to address you; I don't even know your name."

"And there is no need, believe me. I am grateful to the incarnation of Loki for bringing him back safe and sound, mostly. A new entity from Greek mythology will always be welcome to me.

(In the end it's all about power. A measly 7% power and 5% stats, although being several, that would be another broken point to count in the sponsored system."

"But the state it is in is not very advantageous for us, the Ragnarok Alliance. Do you know the twelve labors of Hercules? I suppose so." he confided without once looking at him, always looking out over the valley of winter trees, muddy ground and plentiful mist in places. "We're in the emergency room, and time is the last thing we have to go on the offensive. Do you know what that means? Do you know what this place is?"

"Umh, it's hard to tell. Guess? Yeah." (There is only one realm that holds the world tree that looks similar to what I have in front of me.) "Niflheim."

Nix chuckled.

"This is not that foolish and impulsive boy you told me about, Loki. He sure has quite a few stats in intelligence and perception." He turned to the center of the conversation. "I suppose in the end he will survive the test."

(Proof?)

Loki was silent behind him with a look of pity.

"Test? What do you mean by that?"

Nix placed her hands on Hansung's shoulders, giving him a stoic look with expressionless eyes.

"Nothing in the universe is free. You have to earn your place."

It was just a push, a light one. It seemed that he had barely moved, but that movement was enough to throw the stranger overboard into the realm of the dead of Norse mythology. There was no scream. There was no surprise or regret from the culprits. Only Loki was doubtful.

"Are you sure he'll survive?"

"But what do you say? Well, 50/50. It's all up to him."