21. After Leaving that World

Location: Seth's Rock (too big to be called a rock but whatever)

In a white throne room, Seth watched the things happening in his realm through a myriad of screens.

He saw his robots maintaining many places in his realm. This would have been monotone if it weren't for the occasional strangers coming out of portals, sometimes carrying gadgets and even caged creatures.

Looking at this he recollected how all of this transpired.

—

Time: A day after the previous chapter

"So what do you think? About my report?" Seth asked.

"Your journey was a bit more cheery than I expected. Though your report on your soul does raise concerns." The ball spoke.

"Of course, a change in personality, clairvoyance, and now this ring. No matter how you put it, this is not normal."

"Our check-ups say there is no problem with your physical body, but the same couldn't be said for your mind and soul. Plus that ring, those were just our mass-produced teleportation ring, Now it changed into this enigma."

"You don't say," Seth commented as he stared at his missing ring and finger. "Anyway can I see the latest report on my ring?"

A stack of paper descended on Seth's hand, he quickly read it and said, "My guesses are right."

The ring Seth originally received was supposed to be a boring grey metal ring with no gems on it, now it became platinum with a dark purple gem on top. The same applies to Aqua's ring, the same gemless grey metal ring now became an elegant silver ring with a blue gem. 

"Anyway, can I join in your research on this ring? You know I'm capable and I'm in a bit of a hurry to solve my ring. My feelings for her have gotten stronger."

"I don't think it's that bad, love is hard to come by among us gods."

"Yet this love is artificial, I don't like how forced this feeling is" 

"..."

"And I don't want to dream about her 24/7." 

With an understanding sigh, the ball created a portal, "Go ahead, I'll bring you there."

—

Seth stared at the ring on his finger. Only one supposed solution has been found since that day. As for what it was, he received a pamphlet. 

'FAMILY PLANNING PROGRAM! ZEUS EDITION' This was its title, bold and loud.

Gods while all-mighty and powerful, have a very well-known trait, a very low birthrate. It may seem odd to hear that since Zeus existed, well too bad, he was an outlier.

Many mythologies may have hundreds if not thousands of gods in them, but it needs to be remembered that they took thousands of years to reach that number, maybe even more. Comparing that to other races who could achieve that number in less than a hundred years shows it.

To offset such low birthrates, the gods are technically immortals and can live through eons or more. Given the chances, they could see dozens of generations of their godly offspring before kicking the bucket.

"So the other solution is to marry Aqua… They say the rings will stop influencing our minds when we do the deed. But still…" Seth read the pamphlet. It was filled with the best child benefit and childcare assistance program he had ever read. 

Everything the baby ever needs will be fulfilled. While the parents, especially the mothers, will be taken care of to the point they become royalty. Seth analyzed the pamphlet.

Seth also thought. Having such a system also has its consequences, if a god ever impregnates anyone, even if that person is not a god (i.e. a human), then he has to take full responsibility and custody of his child, no questions asked. They also have enforcers so no one can run from this. 

The last sentence on the pamphlet was, 'The price for raising your child will be free! We will even pay you to have more!' Seth felt that this pamphlet reeked of desperation, yet again he understood. 

"GRAOOR!" A monstrous shark-octopus hybrid (let's call it the shark-topus) Appeared on one of the screens, having escaped its cage and causing havoc. 

Seth flicked his hand, and a hole popped under the rampaging beast, swallowing it whole. He then glanced at another screen where a hole appeared on top of a blue sea. The shark-topus fell through, splashing into the water below, clearly confused.

Watching this, he found himself reminiscing about why the creature was here in the first place.

—

Time: Three days after the previous chapter

"So let me guess this straight, they finally approved my plan to turn my realm into a multiversal destination?" Seth inquired inquisitively.

"They did." The ball nodded.

"Even though I haven't recruited any employees."

The ball nodded, "We've signed collaborative endeavors with other worlds and pantheons. We will approve of your proposal as long as we can use your realm as our collaborative hub with those worlds." 

Seth's galaxy eyes glowed with interest, "go on."

"You can make a variety of facilities of the highest degrees, from conservation centers, training dojo, laboratories, hospitals, and more. We intend to use your facilities to fulfill those collaborative partnerships. Suppose you allow us to use them. You'll get to outsource employees from them, both intern newbies and veteran professionals."

Seth instantly caught on, "It's a win-win situation. We will have a dependable workforce, less troublesome management, and a reason for people to visit my realm. Of course, all so I could do 'business' and provide service with them." Seth spoke with a sly grin, knowing the ball shared his sentiment.

—

The last question he asked at the end was "Why did it take you guys so long to approve this obvious move?"

The answer he got was 'bureaucracy'. 

Looking back, Seth chuckled at such an answer, "Some things never change."

With that, He returned to watch the shark-topus wonder in the very clean yet empty sea. He found it quite joyful to watch the beast's bewildered expression as it explored its new home. 

He was happy to accept this collaboration, a multiversal powerhouse of a civilization his organization collaborated with wanted a place to store and research their collection of creatures. Since Seth has an always modifiable realm that could always adjust to the creature's needs and habitats, they instantly agree to it. Seth and the organization even got permission to use these creatures for profit, of course with the clause they can't harm and stress them out.

I have a zoo now and I could use this to attract visitors. One of Seth's initial attractions/destinations is finally taking shape, and with this, he is getting closer to opening his rock/realm.

Wonder why he opened his realm?

First things first, Seth's realm has evolved from a rock to a city with every possible cool thing imaginable. At first, he was proud of his creation, but later on, he realized a problem.

This place's freaking empty! With no one else other than him in this realm, his mighty city is no different than a life-sized city-sized display. With no one frolicking around, he felt alone and bored. This was why he requested his rock's opening for the public, to liven it up.

for some reason, his divinity also urged him to do this. Not out of boredom, but to earn faith through fame or notoriety. Luckily as long as an individual knows and recognizes you as a god, you will earn that faith, even if it's a minuscule amount.

The quantity route it is. Seth reaffirmed his path. He had no concrete reason to turn his realm into a multiversal hub, but deep down he found it very fun and intriguing.

*knock-knock* A knocking sound was heard.

"May I come in, sir?" A child-like voice was heard.

Seth waved his hand, "Come in."

A tiny fairy made out of clouds brought a stack of papers, "Your list has arrived, sir." It cutely replied.

Seth politely accepted the papers and checked, it was a list. 

Seth remembered why it brought him this. It must be the list of isekai applicants the ball mentioned before. Previously, the ball had explained their plan for his internship in the isekai department. But due to being stuck in that world with Aqua for a month, their plan had been derailed. 

Originally, Seth was supposed to isekai people for a few weeks, but he missed all of it. The organization initially considered skipping his internship and moving straight to the next event. However, the prophets and oracles dictated that Seth must isekai a few before they proceeded. 

This is why the list was delivered—to allow him to use his clairvoyance and choose quickly.

His star-spangled eyes turned void dark, he focused his vision on his list of papers. His clairvoyance worked, but it pointed at 60% of those on the list.

Not enough, how to get it stronger…? Suddenly, he remembered something from when he first started. With his pitch-black clairvoyance eyes still on, a surge of power arose.

*WHOOSH!* Air pressure burst across the room. A pulse was released as his whole body glowed.

"Eep!" squeaked the poor fairy as it was almost flung across the room. 

Metallic white armor manifested, equipping itself onto him. Pauldrons and gauntlets appeared over his body, specks of stars decorated his trousers, and finally, a white-grayish starry cape adorned him. This was a form Seth had achieved when the ball triggered his divinity (chapter 2).

I never had any reason to use this when I was stuck in that world. It's been a while. He thought.

 "I think this transformed form deserves a name, I'll just name it 'god mode' for now," he spoke to himself. 

He looked at the list again and was relieved that it worked. His clairvoyance became more accurate, but it only reduced the number of applicants from 60% to 30%, which was still too many.

"Eek! Sir! Sir!" a cute screech was heard. Causing Seth to snap out of his train of thought.

"Ah! Forgive this self, little one, is there something wrong." he turned his face towards the fairy.

The fairy bawled in tears, it was curling itself into a ball as it received his direct gaze, "Sir Seth! Please don't look at me! Your face! Your eyes!"

Hearing such claims, Seth conjured a mirror to inspect himself, what he saw made him gasp.

His eyes were replaced with something he could describe as swatches of the grotesque flesh itself. As if his eyes were an entity of their own, tentacles of darkness spread out from his eye socket and invaded his skin and face as if an eldritch infestation was happening to him.

No wonder the timid fairy almost wets its pants. Insidious energy was leaking from it, giving off the 'void stares back at you' kind of feeling.

This must have been what the fairy felt. He felt bad for the fairy.

He brought his hand near his empty eyes and one of the tentacles latched to his finger. With it, a piece of information entered his mind.

"I see, I've only gone halfway in my transformation. The partial transformation reacted horribly with my activated clairvoyance, causing this appearance. Then could I go further?" Seth took a deep breath and searched for something deeper within himself.

The hunkering fairy asked, "Excuse me sir but could I–" Too late, the room shook again as Seth pushed his transformation further.

Violent, godly energy lashed out, filling the room with an overwhelming force. The fairy covered its eyes in fear, weeping and crying out in its mind, "Mama!", it curled and prayed for the ordeal to end.

A dozen seconds later the room calmed down, and with this newfound calmness, the fairy dared to peek. Whoa… It thought. its supposed boss look has changed again.

The fairy could only describe Seth's current look as the embodiment of cold space in human form. His skin had transformed into a pitch-black void filled with countless specks of stars, and even his hair had receded into the void itself. 

The human features that remained were the anthropomorphic body shape and the two gigantic swirling galaxies that should be his eyes. The trousers, armor, and cape also still existed as reminders of his humanoid form.

"Forgive this self for subjecting your mind to such a harrowing experience; compensation would not be granted, but the tasks related to the applicant's list have been fulfilled." Seth declared, extending his hand, an indiscernible hand-shaped cosmos clad in armor. 

As the fairy stood before Seth, it felt something it never felt before–existential dread. Seth didn't appear menacing, but every inch of his body exuded the weight of reality itself.

To the fairy, Seth appeared as the cosmos in human form. Being in his presence felt like facing the vastness of the universe—not a direct threat, but it caused the fairy to realize its own emptiness and insignificance.

"The way to leave this place has been opened right by your side," Seth spoke, a small portal opened next to the fairy.

The fairy, holding the list, exited absentmindedly.

Seth in his mighty form went back to sit on his throne, "To think this fancy way of talking came back." He contemplated.

"For this form that shows the essence of my previous omnipotent self, I currently don't have the moniker it deserves, maybe the previous 'god mode' will be relegated to this form, while the partial transformation I used before, the moniker 'regal mode' could be considered," Seth mused, but inside he also found his speech overly wordy.