Astra's Abode

Celestia, the Realm of Gods, as the name suggests, is a world where gods reside.

Lands that extend over millions of miles, forests, grasslands, mountains, and various other ecosystems, some of which look ethereal and heavenly while others look deathly and serene.

Dragons, Phoenixes, Qillins, and numerous other mystic beasts reside in this land.

Legendary herbs and rare minerals are found all over the place, just like grass and stones.

Because of its enormous size, Celestia is actually split into smaller realms, each one governed by its respective gods.

One such realm is the Astral realm, ruled by Astra, the Goddess of Craft.

....

Location- Astral Realm, Celestia.

A city that extends over hundreds of miles in every direction, with massive structures rising hundreds of meters tall, shining and shimmering, dazzling the entire city.

The streets were bustling with people. As you walk through, you can hear the rhythmic clinging sound of hammers scuttling the anvil.

The heat radiating from the forge, the smell of the molten metal and the aroma of the burning charcoal, there is a reason why they call this place an Artician's heaven.

Walking down the street was a man wearing a worn down white golden armor, holding a broken sword in his hand.

Black hair, brown eyes, and a strikingly beautiful face adorned with cuts and bruises giving him a slight menacing and yet comforting aura.

His steps were steady and he was radiating an unwavering confidence, making his already handsome face even more charming.

As he walked by, the crowd stepped aside, making way for him to walk through. A group of soldiers was following him, which was clearly not necessary, as no one was stupid enough to pull a stunt here in the Astral realm, unless they had a death wish.

" Ugh.... So embarrassing, why do you have to build the portal so far away from the tower? " Ruth muttered as he glared at the redhead walking beside him.

" hehehe.... " Hearing this she giggled.

Ignoring her giggles, he proceeded with his words. " Can't you build one near the tower? "

" One.... If I wanted to, I could build a hundred in the span of a night. " With a smile on her face, Aria spoke confidently.

" Then why? " If he hadn't been in public, he would have probably rattled her to the core when asking this question.

Every time Ruth arrives in the Astral Realm, he is faced with a crowd of individuals gazing at him in awe, respect, and whatever else.

Walking through the crowd in this worn and torn condition is not only super embarrassing, but it makes him feel like a hero returning after defeating the demon king. Well considering the fact he actually is one it's actually not strange.

" Hehe... well, aren't you the hero? You should have gotten used it by now. " Aria said with a bit of giggles.

" This isn't something I can get used to. " Gazing at the crowd once more he continued. " Is there a reason you why always make me walk through the crowd? "

" Hmm... Well, there are quite a few reasons as to why, but mainly it is to spread influence. " If she wanted, she could probably give him an hour-long lecture on why, but instead she decided to keep it simple.

" What influence? " Honestly, he had little to no idea what she was speaking about.

Upon hearing this, Aria sighed.

" Politics, isn't that what humans call it. " Giving him a mocking smile she said.

" I kind of regret not paying attention in social studies class " As he said that he sighed and shook his head.

" If you want, I can be your PERSONAL tutor. " Aria said while stressing her last words, making it sound quite erotic.

" No thanks, I am fine with being an idiot. " Ruth was not stupid. Never in his life would he trust this cunning fox.

" You know, there are people out there ready to trade their life just to get an opportunity to share words with me, and here you are straight out rejecting me " Saying that in a slightly serious tone, she glared at him.

" Huh.... Well, what can we do? The world is full of stupid people after all. " As he said that he sighed and shook his head.

" hehehe... You are right about that " Even though Ruth was actually making fun of her, she still couldn't control her giggles.

...

Astra's Abode

Residing in the heart of the city was a colossal skyscraper towering high above all other buildings.

Instead of being constructed as a single building, it was made by intricately fusing four segments into a single enormous structure.

Whether it was its complex and intricate designs or its enormous size it was clearly not something currently achievable by humans.

" So when can I meet her? "

This was the first question Ruth asked when he entered the tower.

" You aren't actually planning to meet the goddess in this worn and torn condition " Glaring at him Aria asked.

"If walking through the city in this worn and torn condition is okay, then I don't see how is this not. "

" Alright... alright " Not wanting to hear his rants, Aria decided to quickly slip out of there.

" Get yourself cleaned up. I'll check on Astra until then. "