Big Trouble

This was a square built of limestone blocks, with an area as large as three basketball courts. There was no dome overhead, only a thick layer of clouds hanging low as if one could reach up and touch them with a simple raise of the hand.

No figures could be seen on the square, nor any unnecessary decorations.

The only exception was the throne standing tall at the end of the square.

The throne, made of limestone blocks, exuded a solemnity and grandeur that were hard to put into words and stood there quietly as if the world's ends lay just beyond it.

A figure clad in silver armor sat quietly on the throne, devoid of any unnecessary movements. Even the breath of this figure seemed barely perceptible, like a god from ancient times.

This godly figure was filled with an inexplicable sense of holiness, but buried beneath it lies an inhuman ruthlessness.

At a certain moment, the godly figure's body trembled slightly, and soon, his sacred emerald eyes, closed for who knows how long, slowly opened.

"Outsider..."

The godly figure spoke softly, yet his eyes still betrayed no hint of emotion.

Raising a hand clad in silver armor, the godly figure made a gentle gesture, and a luminous lance flew from afar, landing securely in his grasp.

"Must be... eliminated."

Lifting the lance toward the sky, a beam of light erupted from its tip, piercing through the clouds in an instant, vanishing without a trace.

Holy judgment had descended.

===

I, Arkhan, a self-proclaimed savior of the world, have been through countless adventures across the vast expanse of countless worlds.

I've faced a descendant of an ancient god, slain a powerful god, and shared laughs with a great hero of ancient Greece.

Life's experiences couldn't be more diverse.

However, I find myself facing one of the greatest challenges of my life.

"Where the hell am I..."

On a barren hill, Arkhan gazed out at the endless desert in the distance, his face filled with profound confusion.

After leaving the Throne of Heroes, he descended to this godforsaken place, and now he hadn't the faintest clue where he was.

Usually, after being summoned, he would have some basic knowledge of the world implanted into his mind beforehand, giving him a rough understanding of the situation in the world he was in.

Yet here he was, still knowing nothing about this world.

Nothing at all!

He didn't even know the name of the barren hill beneath his feet!

Honestly, except for that time when he woke up in the Land of Shadows, it had been a long time since he felt this clueless.

'Hmm... Could it be the Counter Force targeting me?'

Arkhan rubbed his chin, suddenly feeling like this could be a possibility.

Even though he came down through the proper way this time, strictly speaking, he did force and break through the Counter Force's barrier.

Thinking about it, Arkhan couldn't help but feel a little guilty.

However, if he gave up such a rare opportunity so easily, he wouldn't forgive himself.

Shaking his head, with a gentle sweep of Fenghuang Down, Arkhan suddenly felt his emotions improve and calm down.

'Anyway, let's find out my current situation first.'

After careful confirmation and analysis with the help of Fenghuang Down, Arkhan finally realized that this summoning was completely different from the previous ones.

He wasn't summoned by someone; he was summoned by this world.

The evidence lay in the fact that he didn't feel the presence of his Master at all, yet he stood here unimpeded.

The air here was filled with highly active magical energy. Even if he didn't actively absorb them, this magical energy would actively enter his body to sustain his existence.

Without a doubt, it was this world that formed a contract with him this time.

'No wonder I'm so attracted to this place... Turns out it's this world actively pulling me in, huh...' Arkhan nodded thoughtfully.

Any allure from catalysts paled in comparison to the world actively beckoning you with open arms. The difference was like that between a shy and innocent girl and a fiery and aggressive woman.

The former required a great deal of time and effort just to make a small dent, while the latter welcomed you with open arms, offering no resistance whatsoever.

'Still... if this world itself is summoning me... is the crisis of this world really that bad?'

Arkhan looked up at the cloudless sky, realizing without a doubt that if a world could be pushed to such a degree, this world's situation must truly be dire.

Nevertheless, this time he descended with complete confidence. Even if a Beast emerged, he wouldn't fear them. Moreover, if he couldn't win, he could summon his true body.

However, to be safe and prevent a repeat of the previous world incident where his connection with his true body was severed because of Kama's Noble Phantasm, he decided to take a step to establish coordinates of this world with his true body.

Arkhan focused his mind, attempting to contact his true body beyond this world. However, after a moment, his expression froze slightly, a hint of disbelief in his eyes.

He couldn't connect with his true body at all!

He could clearly sense that the connection between him and his true body hadn't been severed, but there seemed to be something blocking it, making his connection with his true body incredibly blurry.

In simpler terms, the signal between him and his true body was being disrupted, a powerful disruption at that!

"Looks like there's truly big trouble in this world..." Arkhan murmured softly, finally understanding why the Counter Force prevented his descent into this world.

It was obvious that this inexplicable disruption not only obstructed the connection between him and his true body but also severely disrupted the activity of the Counter Force. If he were to perish here, the Counter Force would likely have to put in significant effort to retrieve him and return him to the Throne of Heroes.

After all, he descended to this world in his complete form—a Grand Servant.

If the Counter Force couldn't retrieve him, it would be as if they lost a powerful Heroic Spirit for nothing.

'However, if even the Counter Force can't intervene, then something serious must have happened in this world forcing them to abandon it...'

Arkhan continued pondering, silently raising the threat level of this world by several notches. He didn't want this place to go down in flames.

'Better observe the situation first... At the very least, I need to figure out what kind of place this is...'

With a casual gesture, Arkhan opened a spatial hole nearby and stepped into it.