Becoming a God Starts with Acting

The fourth dungeon hosted by Ember came to an end with Erebus gaining a new follower while further spreading his reputation throughout the viewer community.

However, Silvanus had far more pressing matters to deal with. Although he could sense the God Realm continuing to expand after he placed Greed inside it through the mysterious pop-up, the looming danger ahead still weighed heavily on his mind.

Especially the words spoken by that mysterious pop-up.

If Greed was supposedly the weakest and dumbest fragment, yet still possessed the power to rule over an entire dungeon, he truly couldn’t imagine what the other fragments were capable of.

Even more unsettling was the pop-up’s warning that every single one of them wanted to devour him—to feast on his flesh and consume his soul.

Before he encountered those monsters, the best course of action was to expand his own influence as much as possible.

The next step in building his reputation was establishing a guild within the Information Plaza.

After placing first in two consecutive dungeons and attracting an exceptionally impressive number of viewers, Silvanus had accumulated a respectable amount of Credits—at least enough to register a spot in the Guild Tower.

Granted, with both his current rank and his available Credits, he could only afford an office on the tower’s lowest floor.

Still, every great journey had to begin somewhere.

Silvanus gently ruffled Matt’s hair, feeling that his own beginning was shaping up rather well.

So, after spending one night outside the dungeon, Ember received new instructions from Erebus.

Early the following morning, he left his room long before most people were awake.

Even so, the Information Plaza was already bustling with activity.

Ember rarely ventured outside during the intervals between dungeon runs. Lowering his gaze, he tugged the hood of his cloak farther down before slipping through the crowd and heading straight for the Guild Tower.

The tower stretched so high that its peak disappeared beyond sight. Inside, new guilds were founded every day—sometimes every hour—and there was always room for another. The real question was not whether a place was available, but whether they possessed the strength to keep it.

Buying an office outright required an enormous amount of Credits. Even the monthly rent alone was enough to make many people think twice.

Ember wasn’t entirely sure what he was hoping for.

He had tried searching for Adrian on the forums, but to no avail. They hadn’t exchanged contact information before leaving the dungeon, which meant he knew next to nothing about Adrian now. Even if he wanted to, there was simply no way to reach him.

Without adding each other as friends, the odds of them ending up in the same dungeon again were incredibly slim.

As for Adrian...

Ember didn’t have the slightest hope that the man would take the initiative to look for him. That heartless bastard had probably already put Ember out of his mind, even if Ember had been the one who saved his life.

Just then, someone suddenly bumped into him.

The other person was clearly in a hurry, charging forward at full speed. The impact made Ember stagger slightly. His pupils narrowed as his gaze shifted toward the culprit.

It was Nick’s first time seeing someone with such a fierce appearance and intimidating aura. Under normal circumstances, he would have been much more cautious, but he was in far too much of a rush. All he managed to say was, "Sorry," before hurrying into the Guild Tower.

Ember watched Nick’s retreating figure with an icy stare before raising a hand to brush the spot where he had been bumped. His expression darkened to the point where he looked ready to throw away his cloak on the spot. But remembering why he had come, he could only continue onward.

First, he needed to find Adrian.

Surely, Erebus would have the answers he was looking for.

With that thought, Ember unconsciously quickened his pace.

Their guild office was in a brand-new section on the lowest floor of the tower.

Ember stopped in front of the door, his deep gaze settling on a familiar figure.

Nick noticed him as well. For a brief instant, Ember could almost see something shatter across the young man’s face.

What the hell...?

Nick, however, was completely frozen, utterly oblivious to Ember’s disdainful stare. There was only one thought running through his mind.

It’s only been one dungeon... and Silvanus has already recruited another believer for Erebus?

Or... are there even more believers waiting behind this door?

Ember paid no attention to the young man standing there in silent despair. He raised a hand toward the doorknob, but before his fingers could touch it, the door swung open on its own.

A familiar face wearing an equally familiar smile greeted him.

Adrian smiled, his eyes narrowing pleasantly as he looked at the two of them.

"You’re here. Took you long enough."

Ember parted his lips, only to close them again. In the end, he couldn’t hold back the question.

"Are you a believer of Erebus too?"

Looking directly at Ember without the slightest trace of guilt, Adrian blinked innocently.

"No. I’m a little different from you two. But come inside first."

As he spoke, he casually grabbed Ember by the arm and pulled him into the room.

Before Nick had even stepped over the threshold, he blurted out, "If you’re different from us... then are you the same as Silvanus?"

Silvanus?

Another unfamiliar name. Ember frowned.

By then, Adrian had already taken a seat. Instead of leaning back, he turned the chair around, resting both arms across the backrest and propping his chin on them.

He smiled at Nick.

"Silvanus?"

His eyes were filled with curiosity as he studied the young man.

"So you’re the believer Silvanus personally recruited? That’s pretty rare."

Before Nick could say another word, Adrian waved a dismissive hand.

"Don’t ask me about Silvanus. I don’t know anything about him either. If you’re curious, ask Him."

Nick stared blankly for a moment before all the excitement seemed to drain from his face.

"Then... why exactly did He summon us here?"

Before Adrian could answer, Ember stepped between them.

With a fierce expression, he grabbed Adrian by the front of his shirt and lifted him off his seat with one hand.

His icy gaze locked onto Adrian’s.

"Before that," Ember said coldly, "I think we have some personal business to settle."

Adrian: "..."

"Or..." He forced an awkward smile and scratched his cheek. "Maybe we should discuss official business first?"