'Things have changed, huh.' Ross wasn't particularly surprised. 'How long has it been since I went into seclusion?'
"Come on," Alex said as he waved his hand to clean the wounds on Ross and himself. "Let's head back."
Alex and Ross appeared in Earth's orbit as they looked at the beautiful planet they called home. Even from where they stood, they could hear the various sounds echoing in the cities, schools and marketplaces.
"How long have I been in seclusion?" Ross asked, turning to look at Alex's side profile. "I don't think that many years have passed."
"Months, not years." Alex replied, surprising Ross. "It's been a little over 6 months since you went into seclusion."
"Six months?! That's too short a time!" Ross was genuinely shocked but then a realization hit me. "Wait, how come I am at the A-Tier in 6 months?" The redhead really needed answers.
"Do you know what a blessing is?" Alex asked instead, receiving a nod in return. "Good. That was what I granted you and Julia. Your talents for climbing the levels are unmatched and at the same time more condensed than anyone else. At the same level, no one is your match."
Ross swallowed hard as he thought about what that meant. The power he felt flowing through his veins was incredible, to say the least. He didn't know if that was how all A-Tiers felt, but with Alex's words, he finally understood.
But that was not the end. Ross just arrived at the A-rank and was already at the peak of that level. Moreover, he could break through to the S-Tier with Alexander's help at any time.
"Here." Alex raised his right hand and conjured a transparent energy orb. "This contains everything you need to know in those six months. Just will it and the orb will do the rest." He passed the orb to Ross.
The redhead took the orb in both hands, staring at it with a somewhat lost expression. With a sigh, he willed the orb as it floated and disappeared into his forehead.
Ross' eyes lit up a bright white a moment later, his expression distant. Like a video tape starting from when he decided to go into seclusion, Ross experienced and saw all of it.
From the arrival of the alien scouts, his battles and interactions with them to his journey to the universe's core and his ascension to godhood. Of course, Alex made sure to remove the deep stuff to spare Ross the headache.
Finally, it concluded on what Alexander did once he completed his evolution and what may likely come in the future. It was a surreal experience for the redhead.
"Wow." That was the only thing Ross could mutter. "T-this is really… something." He opened his eyes to look at his friend.
Alex revealed a small smile seeing the kind of expression on Ross' face; not that he could be blamed. The dude had seen his friend reach the level of an actual god. That was the stuff of myth.
"A fucking god, huh."
Alex shrugged and said nothing, waiting for his friend to process everything. For the normal person--awakened included--it was a lot to take in.
Without one being at the Immortal and above level, grasping some of these things were difficult. Simply calling someone a god just because they could traverse and move the heavens was a weak image of what that level actually meant.
"So what kind of god are you?" Ross asked after several minutes of contemplating. "You have a title or something, right?"
"You could say I have a lot of titles among the people." Alex said with a chuckle. "But most people don't know I'm an actual god. They just know I put a stop to all the cosmic madness and made the universe the way it was meant to be.
"As for the kind of god I am… Let's just say that in this universe, I am the ultimate entity." Alex smiled as he looked back at his friend. "There is nothing I cannot do… No abilities I cannot use… No material I cannot create." He decided to keep anything related to life and death to himself.
He had the power to create life--all forms of life--a power no mortal god should possess. Fortunately, Alexander was no longer a mortal nor a mortal god. He was the administrator of the universe; he was the universe itself.
Ross was left speechless. The way Alex spoke such things invoked a strange feeling in his heart; feelings he didn't quite understand. Had Alex stood beside Ross with his universal body, Ross might have already been on his knees showing reverence, and Alex could not have that.
"So we humans can also reach that level of prowess, just not like Veilwalkers, huh."
Ross muttered, going over the things Alex included about reaching godhood for other awakened humans. Becoming a flame god sounded enticing, but Ross also knew he was a long way from reaching that level.
"You have all the time in the world, buddy." Alex placed a hand on Ross' shoulders. "And I'm right here with you." The redhead nodded with a resolute expression.
"I guess we should now call ourselves explorers more than hunters." Ross decided to change topics. "There's still a lot of things to discover in the universe, creatures to fight and treasures to find." Looking Alex in the eyes, he added.
"No problem." Alex replied, knowing very well what Ross meant by that.
"Julia's awake as well." Alex turned to face planet Mars, prompting Ross to do the same. "And she's having an outburst." He added with a chuckle.
A scream echoed in the void as Julia abruptly appeared before the two. Her eyes immediately fell on her beloved as she practically appeared in his embrace.
She had received the message Alex left behind about going to the centre of the universe and she thought it was some kind of goodbye if things went south.
But she quickly felt his presence not far from the planet, and only after holding him in her embrace did she sigh in relief.
"Alex!" The Knight princess buried her face in Alex's embrace, holding him so tight that it could snap a man in two. "I thought you had disappeared!"
She took in Alexander's scent, and that was all the assurance she needed. The feeling of having Alex in her arms made her feel whole again.