"Do you think he’s already dead?" Philip’s friend asked him.
"Maybe he’ll last a little longer, but he’s not making it back alive," Philip, whose arms were crossed, replied firmly.
"What if he does?" the guy who told them about Godfrey said. His voice drew Philip and his friend’s attention. Both of them turned, looking at the guy with raised eyebrows.
"You don’t even look certain," Philip snickered. "Honestly, we’re not even looking down on the guy here. We placed all his cards on the table and made a bet. You chose him clearing the dungeon; we said otherwise. A bet is a bet, don’t even think of withdrawing."
Philip’s friend tapped the guy’s shoulder. "He’s not surviving a purple gate. Tell me one person you’ve heard of that survived a purple gate of his own tier? And this purple gate is powerful enough to shut down phones, signals, and vehicles. How do you ex—!"
The man he was speaking to already regretted his bet. He had placed his bet because of Godfrey’s past feats, his shock factor, but maybe he overhyped the whole thing.
Maybe he...
The guy’s eyes suddenly went wide, and he brushed the arm of Philip’s friend off his shoulder. The collective gasps of the others made Philip and his friend turn.
A massive, swirling purple mass reflected in their eyes. The purple gate had appeared, and it wasn’t too far from them.
"It’s not been that long, is he already dead?" Philip muttered. His eyes slowly widened until they reached their limit as the reflection of a silhouette behind the gate appeared in his irises.
Before their eyes, Godfrey walked out of the purple gate. His hoodie was down, and his eyes were a striking shade of ocean blue, not the intimidating black sclera and golden irises.
But those blue eyes lost their softness and became sharp, making those who stared at him feel the hairs on their bodies rise as a strange chill enveloped their skin.
’What happened in there?’ Johan thought as Godfrey approached him, brought out a Titled god core from his bag, and placed it in his hand.
"A deal’s a deal. I suggest you absorb it fast and hide before you lose your head. News spreads fast," Godfrey whispered into Johan’s left ear.
He forced a smile at Lotus and Charles before walking away.
"I don’t think he came out of that dungeon the same," Falco gazed at Godfrey’s departing figure.
Charles squinted. "That means whatever he faced there would have wiped us out."
Falco looked at Lotus, who was silent, and pursed his lips. "I heard we will all receive a boost after the Ruination. I’m pretty sure my level might rise, but the question is, if a Titled god dungeon is already this dangerous, do we have hope of surviving the Ruination?"
He looked at Johan.
"We do. One day, this darkness will clear, and we shall see the sun," Johan clutched the core tight.
Falco lowered his eyes to the core, then looked away and tucked his hands into his pockets.
’It’s obvious he doesn’t have mana. A powerful nineteen-year-old Titled god summoner, one of the most infamous ones, is completely vulnerable at this moment. If we gather ourselves, killing him won’t be a problem.’
Godfrey noticed the claws too, and Arthur’s eyes were different, like a dragon’s.
"The man that stands before you has completely lost his humanity." Arthur drew closer, then stopped four meters away.
The sunlight from the tall window behind the desk flooded the room, creating a dividing line between both of them.
"How?"
Arthur closed the gap, tapped Godfrey’s shoulder, and left the room. Godfrey followed him to the walkway as they both went toward the main living room.
"Let’s say I was convinced by Gwen."
Godfrey frowned.
Arthur chuckled, tucking his hands back into his pockets. "She had valid points. Selection of Titled gods might as well be over. You know your limit in this world is what the mana tree decides for you, and it has decided I remain in the Age of Origins. And truly, I’ve been at the top for quite a while. Unfortunately, to continue my work, I couldn’t remain weak. Gwen might not be trustworthy, but becoming a Titled god has at least made me relevant. Although, if I had other choices, I wouldn’t have chosen one that made me lose a dear friend."
Godfrey knew Arthur meant his summon. It was like having a best friend for several decades and ending up killing him.
"Then... how do you still sound so calm? When your wife almost died, you barely flinched. When Isolde died, you showed little emotion. How do you manage it?"

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