Anton waited a minute and then touched the staff, depositing it into his Inventory. Unfortunately, the only thing that had survived the explosion was the Staff. That didn't matter right now because he needed to get back to the group that was making their way toward town.

Anton ensured Stealth was active, adjusted his eyes with his Malleable Body perk to improve his vision in the dark, and then began running back toward the group, making their way toward the city. As long as he kept his speed lower than the range of his Echo Location, he was aware of anything in his path, which he easily moved around. That speed ultimately turned out to be roughly 40 miles per hour.

At 40 miles an hour, Anton made it back to the group in eight minutes. A quick check around the group for any monsters, and he was satisfied that they weren't in any immediate danger. He dropped Stealth and began making his way toward the rear end of the group at a more normal pace.

"He's back!" one of the survivors at the rear of the group called out.

"I see that," a female elf in tattered robes with green eyes and white hair said. Anton noted that for an elf, she did not appear to be young. She actually had a few wrinkles under her eyes, which he wasn't expecting to see. While the group continued to walk toward the city, she altered her path so that she'd intercept Anton as he drew close. When she was within conversation distance, she said, "I am Salanthia. Thank you for saving us."

"You are quite welcome, but I have a feeling that thanking me is not the reason you came over to talk with me," Anton said.

"It is not. A few of the elderly and young were hurt in the giant explosion," she said hesitantly before she asked, "Are they still chasing us?

"No, they are gone," Anton said with a smile, before continuing, "Let me see to your injuries so we can get back to the city before it gets too late."

"If I might ask one more question?" Salanthia asked.

"Of course."

"We saw the sigil above your head, but I am unfamiliar with your God. Might I know who you worship?"

Anton smiled, "My Goddess is new to this realm, but if you must know, I serve the Goddess, Keres."

"Thank you, Servant of Keres," Salanthia said respectfully.

"Just Anton is fine, and you are quite welcome. Let me take care of the others so we can get all of you to town," Anton said as he did just that.

While everyone continued walking through the forest, Anton found those who had been either hurt during the explosion or were otherwise impaired. As he thought about how to help speed things up, he thought about one of the items he'd picked up a while back. His Bracelet of Telekinesis could be helpful. If he remembered correctly, how much he could lift could be modified. He quickly pulled up the description.

Bracer of Telekinesis

Quantity: 1

Durability: 1,000

Rarity: Divine

Psychic Energy Required: 100

Range: 1,000 Feet

Duration 10 Turns, 100 Seconds

Maximum Weight: 10,000 lbs. + Special

The wearer may mentally control any number of items or creatures up to the maximum weight limit. Note: Creatures may be able to break free if their Strength Score is higher than 1,000.

Special: This Divine Bracelet may be dedicated to a God or Goddess with 1,000 Conviction. Once Dedicate Conviction may be added after the initial activation cost is paid. For every point of Conviction spent, the wearer may lift an additional 10 pounds. There is no limit to the amount of Conviction that may be spent.

Note: Once dedicated, This Bracelet's Durability may be repaired at a cost of 100 Conviction per Durability point.

He then checked his Conviction. The amount of Conviction and his Conviction Level had been reset, or more likely, Keres had pulled on his Conviction to fuel and maintain her domain so she could keep his family and the other followers safe.

A quick check of his previous notifications let him know that he hadn't seen the notifications concerning earned Conviction because he'd minimized them a while ago when he'd minimized other information. He hadn't been worried about that resource pool before, but now, it looked like he might need to keep track of how much conviction he had so he could use it. Anton checked the notifications that had been automatically archived.

Congratulations! You have destroyed 278 Hobgoblins in the name of the Goddess Keres.

You have been awarded 100,520 Conviction.

Your Level of Conviction with your Goddess has increased from Level 0 to Level 13.

You have unlocked the following Conviction-based abilities.

At Conviction Level 1, you gain the ability to Summon Sigil.

Summon Sigil

Conviction Cost: 10

Create a Sigil that floats above your head for one full minute. Actions specific to your God's Domain grant Conviction to you and Divine Energy to your God. Awards vary, but the defeat of a creature usually garners 10 conviction per level of the creature or monster defeated or sacrificed to your God.

At Conviction Level 3, you gain the ability to grant the Blessing of Keres.

Blessing of Keres

Conviction Cost: 10

Provide the blessing of your God to another. Duration: One Minute. Actions taken within the Domain of your God are 25% more likely to be successful or damaging.

At Conviction Level 5, you gain the ability to Lay on Hands.

Lay on Hands

Conviction Cost: 10

Call on the Power of your God to heal six points of damage with a touch.

At Conviction Level 10, you gain the ability to Cure Common Ranked Diseases.

Cure Common-Ranked Disease

Conviction Cost:10

Call on the Power of your God to Heal any Common Disease with a Touch.

Since he had Lay on Hands and over 100,000 conviction at the moment, Anton decided to utilize Lay on Hands to heal everyone who had been injured. As everyone had only minor injuries, he was only required to use the ability once on each person.

The first person he came upon was an elderly human who had twisted his ankle and was limping along. Anton smiled before he said, "Would you mind if I helped you with that injury?"

The old man grimaced as he stopped and turned to Anton, "No, Sir. If you can help, I'd appreciate it."

Anton squatted and reached out to touch the man's leg as unbidden words came to him, "I make you whole to go forth and spread the will of Keres." Darkness flowed from Anton's hand into the man's leg, coalescing into the Sigil of Keres, and throbbed before fading into his skin. He didn't like the fact that using Conviction gave Keres a level of Divine Control over him, but he was calling on the power of a God, so he wasn't going to complain about it…yet.

The man's grimace faded as he put his full weight on his leg, "Thank you, thank you, Goddess! He said as he made room for the next person to be healed. As Anton continued to tend to the wounded, he also checked his notifications.

You have spent 10 Conviction to Lay on Hands, 100,510 of 100,520 remaining

NOTE: Healing does not fall within the Primary Domain of the Goddess Keres. No additional Conviction earned.

Conviction spent in this way will regenerate at a rate equal to your Conviction Level multiplied by 10 per day.

Current Conviction Regeneration Rate: 130 per day.

NOTE: Conviction Permanently Sacrificed does not regenerate. Any unlocked ability may be activated for one-tenth the Conviction Cost if the Conviction is permanently sacrificed.

Current Sacrificed Conviction: 0

Anton read the notifications and smiled. When he was done healing everyone, he dedicated 1,000 Conviction to bind his Bracers of Telekinesis to Keres. Next, he checked in with the people in front and then began searching the area around the group. As he searched around the group and made sure no threats were close to the group of survivors, he considered his Bracers of Telekinesis. With a weight limit of 10,000 pounds, he could lift 50 individuals who weighed 200 pounds each or 100 people who weighed 100 pounds each. If they had to run, he could pick up almost half the group and hopefully stay ahead of whatever attacked them. With no threats around, though, he probably wasn't going to have to worry about it.

Anton ran off into the woods and conducted a perimeter check, extending to about a thousand feet. After he returned to the group, he moved to the front and continued to keep an eye out for any monsters or beasts that might be try to sneak up on them. Over the next three hours, he walked at the front and performed a perimeter check every five to ten minutes.

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As it turned out, he need not have worried. The group reached the edge of the forest and continued down the road, coming within eyesight of the city wall. When they were 500 feet from the wall, a globe of light appeared above their heads, illuminating the area around the survivors. A moment later, a voice from the top of the wall called out, "HALT!"

The group halted as Anton stepped to the front and yelled back, "I am Anton. I left earlier today. I have returned with Survivors of a Hobgoblin Camp, not ten miles east of the city. They need Shelter, Food, and Water."

"Anton, step forward. Someone will come out to talk with you," a man who resembled the guard he'd talked to when he left the city called out.

Anton walked toward the gate as it cracked open, and the guard came out onto the road to greet him before it closed again. As the guard drew close, the light above the gate and the party made it easy for each man to recognize the other: "It is you! Who is everyone with you?"

"I found some prisoners in a Hobgoblin camp."

"Hobgoblins, you say? The guard answered as his eyes locked on something behind Anton.

Anton shifted his position so that he could keep the guard in his eyesight and see behind himself, and noticed that one of the younger human females and two young men who had stayed near her while they were fleeing were approaching the guard and him.

Before either Anton or the guard could speak, one of the men with the woman called out, "Captain, if you'd please, identify the woman with us," in a voice that left room for argument.

The guard, or Captain, focused his gaze on the women, and then his eyes widened. He turned over his shoulder and yelled out, "ROYAL ESCORT, NOW!" before he turned back to the three, Anton forgotten. "Princess Vara, I apologize for not recognizing you. We'll see you safely within the walls immediately."

The demeanor of the woman in rags, covered in dirt, mud, and filth, shifted ever so slightly as her voice carried out, "Everyone is to be within the walls in the next few minutes. Perform your checks from the safety of the city. Everyone's needs will be seen to, and shelter will be provided. As for this man," she said, indicating Anton, "You are to see to his needs and then provide him with an audience token for me."

The Captain nodded as he started barking out orders to the men that were rushing up, and calling orders back as they moved to the group and began ushering them toward the city.

Before Princess Vara turned to walk into the city with her escort and the two men that had stayed with her, she looked to Anton and smiled, "Once you're done answering the guard's questions and get some rest, please come to my estate, the guards will show you where. I should be ready for visitors by early afternoon tomorrow."

As Anton watched, Princess Vara turned and walked through the gate into the city. His thoughts were interrupted as a man in a uniform that reminded Anton of an Imperial Officer's uniform from Star Wars, the white version, complete with ribbons and medals and a rank insignia with four red squares and one blue one that looked a lot like what he remembered from the various Star Wars shows and series he'd watched. As Anton was considering the fact that the uniform seemed awfully familiar, the Imperial Officer walked up and asked, "Anton?"

"That's me. You are?"

"I am Lieutenant Colonel Pierce. I am the Regional Liaison for The Empire. Additionally, I am also a Servant of the God, Conflict."

"Lieutenant Colonel Pierce, I'd ask why you look like someone wearing an Imperial Navy officer's uniform for Emperor Palpatine, but I don't think you get the reference."

"You know of Palpatine from the holy scriptures?"

Anton was shocked and speechless as thoughts raced through his head. Someone or something had decided to create a society based on Star Wars, or was this a religion? He'd have to tread carefully until he figured this out. Wary of saying too much, Anton smiled wistfully as he answered, "Not as much as I would like. How may I help you, Lieutenant Colonel Pierce?"

"If you would accompany me, I have questions about the people you have brought back to the city and the bright light that filled the night sky a couple of hours ago."

"As you wish," Anton said as he followed the Colonel out of the makeshift staging area that had been set up. Once they were out of easy earshot from the survivors, Anton asked, "What will become of them?"

Lieutenant Colonel Pierce didn't slow as he answered, "The Princess has decreed that they will be taken care of, so they will be taken care of. They'll be fed, bathed, and then given comfortable quarters to sleep. Tomorrow they'll be questioned, gently and then released."

"And me?"

"As the individual who led them to the city, we are going to a conference room where food will be provided. Some questions will be asked, then you'll be allowed to bathe and sleep, and then in the morning, we'll continue asking questions."

Anton wasn't really sure what he should say, so he stayed silent while he followed the Lieutenant Colonel down the street. About 20 minutes later, he was led into a two-story building and upstairs into a conference room on the north side of town. Instead of a desk with only two chairs, Anton was led into a plush meeting room with a larger table that comfortably seated eight people. In the center of the table was a fruit basket with oranges, bananas, apples, and even grapes. On a small table against the wall, a pot of coffee and some clean coffee cups had been set out. If his nose wasn't lying to him, the coffee was relatively fresh.

Lieutenant Colonel Pierce gestured toward the coffee and fruit on the table, "Please feel free to help yourself, this is a casual debriefing."

Anton took him at his word and poured himself a cup of coffee, grabbed an apple and a couple of grapes out of the fruit basket, before he took his seat opposite the Lieutenant Colonel. As Anton sat down, he felt a sensation, not unlike the sensation of magic, as it rushed through his mana channels before it cut off. It wasn't directed into him. No, instead, the magic resonated within something within him, and a Status Window appeared between the two men, hovering over the table.

Anton was about to ask what that was when Lieutenant Colonel Pierce said, "You are within the domain of my God, Conflict. I requested a scan of you from our Acolytes. It's not as thorough as the spell Analyze is, but it does provide us with your Class, Level, and Titles. That information is then provided to everyone in this room.

Anton noted that the information did list his class, the one that he had selected to show, and its level as well as his effective level, whatever that was. Finally, it listed his titles and their descriptions

Anthony Nicholas Thomson

Class: Acolyte

Level: 26

Effective Level: 65

Really Freaking Old

Awarded during Conversion from 9th to 10th Iteration. 10% of your attributes at the end of the 9th Iteration are awarded by this title as a bonus.

Fate's Arbiter

As an Arbiter of Fate, you will receive specific quests and direct guidance to ensure SYSTEM cohesion. To facilitate your new role, Constitution, Willpower, and Luck have received +10 and a +100% Efficiency bonus.

Hijacker of Divinity

You have stolen something of a divine nature from another entity that has left a trace of that divinity upon you. +25 to all base attributes and +10% Efficiency to all attributes.

Note: Divine Creatures you encounter will know that you carry a trace of divinity within you.

Scourge of Anubis

You have destroyed the primary weapon and symbol of Anubis. All attacks against the servants and minions of Anubis receive +10 to hit and + 10 to damage. As the Scourge of Anubis, The God, and any clergy or celestial dedicated to the god Anubis automatically recognize you as a hated enemy on sight. Should Anubis destroy you, their Divine Prestige will increase, although attempts and failures to do so can chip away at their Divine Energy. Should a member of the clergy or one of Anubis's celestials destroy you, their reward of Conviction is increased tenfold.

Divine Pilfer 2 of 10

In addition to the original benefits of Hijacker of Divinity, you now gain an additional +25 to all base attributes and +10% efficiency to all attributes.

Additionally, any time you assimilate anything with the Divine Energy of a sufficient energy level, this effect may be increased again. This can only happen a total of 10 times. Both Hijacker of Divinity and Divine Pilfer count toward this maximum.

Note: This Title will automatically evolve once you become Divine."

Goblin Slayer X

Congratulations! You have earned the Title Goblin Slayer X for killing 600 Goblins. Your natural aura will automatically cause Goblins to become terrified in your presence

55,000 XP granted

+50% to all Intimidation Challenges

+10 to any damage you cause to a Goblin

Augmented Cores

You channeled far more psychic energy through your body and core than your body could handle. Doing so forced energy through the channels that would one day hold your cores, causing them to expand and burn out like a fuse just before you died.

The ability Immortal has rebuilt you to that physical configuration. Your energy channels have remained expanded.

Normally, the three cores that an individual ranks up require a single core. Each Core requires ten shards of the new rank to form and either an initial slot or evolve. You forced Master-ranked energy through the energy channels of three nonexistent cores. You have permanently damaged and expanded the locations where your Primary, Evolutionary, and Class Cores would reside within your Soul Space.

You are changed thusly.

Instead of one core per slot, you now require the equivalent of six cores to energize each core location fully. While this requirement may slow down progression, it should be noted that the limit of one core per slot only allowed ten shards to be combined, which limited possible core upgrades and perks that could be unlocked to ten. With six cores, up to sixty shard combinations for each Core location are now possible. This will allow for unique class, evolution, and core perks.

Additionally, all Core bonuses will be six times their normal values. As an example, when the Common Primary Core is fully slotted at the Common Rank, all attributes will receive +60 attributes instead of +10; at Uncommon, +600 instead of +100; at the Rare Rank, +6,000 instead of + 1,000; and so on at every additional rank.

This is true for your Primary, Evolutionary, and Class Cores."

Big Bada Boom

In one explosive attack, you destroyed more than 10,000 beings and yourself that you purposely set off.

Your spell Fireball has evolved. The cost to cast this spell has been reduced by one rank.

Modified Casting Cost 10,000 Psychic Energy

Range: 100,000 Feet (18.9 Miles)

Damage at epicenter: 100,000

Warning! This spell will inflict damage, which reduces the further away from the epicenter it travels. At master rank, the blast wave will reach 24.8 miles, if not blocked by terrain, barriers, or structures.

Fons Genesis Knowledge

At the End of the 9th Iteration, the Labyrinth folded in upon itself as the primary consciousness created this seed before transcending and leaving physical existence behind.

Typically, the seed is laid within the first Dungeon of the new iteration and waits to be ignited. When the Dungeon reaches a certain point, those within it will "accidentally" free the seed, which will attach itself to the Dungeon and eventually absorb it as it forms a symbiotic attachment to the first Dungeon of the iteration. That first dungeon will lay the foundation for the Labyrinth.

That did not happen

The attached Dungeon has been completely absorbed by the initial Dungeon and incorporated into the first entrance to the Labyrinth.

A link between the Labyrinth Genesis information and you was briefly established. A basic description of all known creatures and spells has been imparted to you. This information will allow you to recognize most creatures on sight, as well as their typical rank and well-known strengths and weaknesses. Please note that there are an infinite number of monster types within the multiverse, and the imparted knowledge given to you is not a substitute for Perception, Analysis, identification skills, and/or spells. A creature you recognize might not display the strengths and weaknesses you expect.

Additionally, this is an Iteration and system first. All monetary rewards for killing monsters within the Labyrinth are doubled.

Finally, you are granted 10 Skill Slots.

Anton munched on the grapes and Apple while he also enjoyed his cup of coffee as he remained quiet while the Lieutenant Colonel read over the information. After only three minutes, he asked, "Was that your fireball that we saw from the city?"

"As I was less than the 24.8 miles listed, I expect so, though there were a lot of trees, which is why the blast wave didn't reach the city. It detonated near ground level. The light would have been bright in the night sky, though."

"It was. May I ask you a question?

"You've seen my titles, I expect you have lots of questions," Anton offered.

"The Holy Scriptures point to a Galaxy Far Far Away and you are from the previous iteration…"

The Lieutenant Colonel was cut off as a man, someone who seemed familiar, but whom Anton didn't recognize, appeared in the room. With a wave of his hand, everyone and everything around Anton froze as his eyes zeroed in on Anton, "I am the God, Conflict. Once, I was known as Brandon J. Parker, and I never was able to thank you for releasing me from that stasis bubble back in Washington D.C."

Anton was shocked and quickly searched his notifications for Brandon J. Parker.

Brandon J. Parker has accepted a Divine Class. Brandon J Parker has accepted all prerequisites.

Brandon J Parker has been transferred.

Anthony Nicholas Thomson will replace Brandon J Parker as the subject of Stasis Bubble as adjusted for innate resistance to magic.

"Damn, that was you, and you're still around. Wait? Are you the reason these people are dressed like the Imperial Navy?

"We'll talk in a minute, I can't hold this Time Stop for very long, please play along until we're by ourselves," Conflict said as time resumed its normal flow.

Lieutenant Colonel Pierce noticed Conflict, stood, and dropped to a knee with his eyes firmly on the ground, "Lord Conflict, I am honored by your personal interest in this matter. How may I serve?"

"I will be taking this man with me. All information gained from his scan is to be deleted and forgotten by anyone who has seen it."

"Yes, Lord."

Conflict leveled his gaze at Lieutenant Colonel Pierce.

"Yes, Lord, I will see to it personally."

"Good." Conflict looked at Anton and said, "With me, we have much to discuss," as he waved his hand, and a portal appeared in the field with a beautiful sky above it.

Anton stepped through the portal, followed by Conflict. Once Conflict was through the portal, it closed, and his demeanor shifted. Brandon smiled as he pointed off to his right, "My home is off this way. Come along; we have a lot to catch up on."

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