Chapter 14: Planet Luna

Far in the space in a different dimension, a small planet, quite similar to Earth, was floating gently. The planet was called Luna. From the space it looked like a glowing blue marble surrounded by white swirls. Like the earth it's seventy percent surface was covered with water and only thirty percent of it was land. But it's size was half the size of Earth's. And unlike Earth it's atmosphere was filled with very dense mana and the nature was very pure. Also the continents of the Luna planet were all merged together to form a giant island, surrounded by sea all around.

This beautiful planet Luna was solely the resting place of all the dimensional mercenaries present in the universe. Here the headquarter of The Interdimensional Mercenary Centre was also situated. The mercenaries came here to select various missions or to rest for sometimes after completing missions. This planet was like a safe heaven for them who was always endangering themselves in various planets to complete their duties.

That specific day, the weather was very nice in planet Luna. The sky was deep blue, not even a piece of clouds could be spotted. The birds were singing. The streets were full of various cacophony of mercenaries. The various bars were completely brimming with people. The personnel in the huge european building of Interdimensional Mercenary Centre were as always busy arranging missions and rewards for the mercenaries.

At that time all of sudden in front of the huge building of Interdimensional Mercenary Centre the mana particles started to become restless. The nearby mercenaries hurriedly stepped back. Then a huge spatial crack appeared on the air out of nowhere which was followed by a giant dimensional hole. The dimensional hole was surrounded by a complicated hollow magic circle. Against the infinite darkness of the dimensional hole the golden white shining magic circle was a sharp contrast.

The surrounding mercenaries took a deep breath. Only one thought was circling in their head, ' Another monster has appeared. '

Mercenaries those who were able to create their own dimensional transportation route were always mages of Angel realms. But most of the dimensional mercenaries who were mages, were in archmage realm. Very few among them was able to reach Saint realm. And the mages of Angel realm were so pitifully rare that it could be counted with one hand. In the registration of the mercenary centre such powerful angel realm mages were only three!!!! Yes just three!!! So the other mercenaries, be it mages or fighters, greatly respected and feared them.

On the other hand, the fighters, no matter which realm they reached couldn't create magic circles or use magic spells. After all they might have high mana affinity but their control over mana was very poor. Also fighters in Demon realm were even rarer than mages in angel realm. In the registration of mercenary centre there was only two of them.

Actually, mages in angel realm or fighters in Demon realm were the elites among the elites and were hundreds of years old. If there were no unsolvable complications they would rather maintain their peaceful life and stay in their own planets becoming its' guardians. Thus, it was very rare for them to act as a dimensional mercenary.

So, generally the average mercenaries used a special kind of common public portal arranged by the mercenary centre. Each mercenary was given a special badge which acted as a key to open the public portals placed in different planets. They only able to go to those specific planets which had branches of the main mercenary centres including the public portals. Missions in the planets which didn't have any branch offices, were done by the mages in Angel realm.

..........

Anyway, the surrounding mercenaries held their breaths to see the powerful new mage of Angel realm emerging from the dimensional hole. They widened their eyes and forbid themselves to blink even for one second. At last, a leg came out from the darkness.

The surrounding mercenaries, " Eh??!! Isn't the leg too small for a Angel realm mage??"

Then a hardly 4 feet tall shadow took shape in the darkness.

The surrounding mercenaries, " Is the respected senior a dwarf??!!"

Soon the figure became visible and a seven year old child was clearly seen, coming into light. The dimensional hole slowly closed behind him without leaving any trace. The mana in the air also became stable. The child then faced the stupefied mercenaries around him and smiled sweetly.

The surrounding mercenaries, "........"

Ray just arrived in planet Luna. The transportation magic circle was a success. He absolutely arrived at the right place. But there was something strange about the people here. As a planet solely dedicated to dimensional mercenaries, all of these people should be a dimensional mercenary themselves and as a dimensional mercenary walking through dimensions should be a common matter. ' But why are they looking at me like their jaws are about to drop at the next moment? Strange...'

If the surrounding mercenaries listened to his thoughts they would shout in the sky, "You are the strange one here, your whole family is the strange one. We are absolutely normal!!"

Amongst the stupefied gazes of the surrounding mercenaries Ray, a only seven year old Angel realm mage entered the Dimensional Mercenary Centre.

The huge european styled building was a sight to behold. It was a three storied building. The ground floor was elegantly furnished. Hundreds of officials were busily working in their corresponding sections orderly. Almost all sections were frighteningly full with huge amounts of work loads. Some of the personnel were even openly cursing many gods and goddesses for their irresponsible behaviours in handling their own dimensional mercenaries.

Among those busiest sections, at a corner one section was a sharp contrast. That was the Registration Section. These particular section was so at ease that it seemed like a totally different world from the other sections. When the personnel of the other sections didn't even have the time to breath the personnel of this section was actually sleeping deeply in his work chair. He was even snoring.

Ray walked towards the Registration Section. Because of his short stature and the cancellation of his equal amount of angel and Demon realm aura, the already busy officials didn't notice him at all. Ray knocked at the registration table. The sleeping official was disturbed. He didn't opened his eyes and said a few statements impatiently in a practiced manner.

" Please, ask for information in the information department. This is the Registration department. Thank you." Then he began to snore again.

"......"

Ray knocked again. The sleeping official was again disturbed and forced to open his eyes. To his surprise a barely seven to eight year old cute boy faced him across the table. His irritation immediately vanished like it was never there. He unconsciously softened his voice and said, " Child, are you lost?"

Ray who came to register as a dimensional mercenary, "....."

Then he sighed and helplessly said, " No. I came here to register. "

The official as if heard the biggest joke of his life, laughed out loud, " kid, your sense of humour is really too high...ha..ha.."

Ray was really speechless by the development of the situation.

The official's loud laughter soon attracted many worker's irritated gaze for disturbing their already jammed up work schedules. But like the lazy official, they were also surprised by this cute little child. Then they heard the cute child say very seriously, " Sir, I actually came here to register. Didn't the goddess of Astra notify you? "

The whole ground floor was silenced immediately. Suddenly the head of the Information Department stood up in surprise and asked with widened eyes, " No way??!!! You are THE RAY STRONGHOLD!!!!!! The one who have the ultimate union between light and dark, angel and Demon!!!!!"

Ray said calmly, " I don't know about the ultimate union between light and dark or angel and demon but yes, I am precisely the Ray Stronghold "

Well about his last name the goddess informed him with those cultivation information at their first meeting.

As soon as Ray said those words hundreds of officials gazed at him with horrifying expressions as if they had seen a monster. They had been informed about the Ray Stronghold about a week ago. A freak who was both a fighter and a mage. And on the top of that he was both in angel and demon realm. But never in their dream they had imagined he would be a seven year old boy. Really the world had gone crazy.

After a while The head of the information department woke up from his daze and shouted towards the registration department official, " Karl, what are dazing for?! Hurry complete the registration!"

Karl jolted out from his stupor and hurriedly said," yes, yes..... right Phil."

The information department head Phil then looked at Ray and said, " Umm.... what should I call you? "

Ray said nonchalantly, " Just Ray would be fine."

" Well then Ray, after completing Registration, please kindly come to my office. The goddess of Astra has arranged a mission for you. And it is rather urgent."

Ray smiled. "Alright." He said sweetly but inside he was boiling.

' Damn I wast to go home first. Damn you goddess.'

But Ray didn't know that he won't be able to go home for a few more years to come.

After that everything went smoothly about the registration. At last he was asked to choose a codename for himself. Ray paused. Ray recalled his last life. ZERO, this codename, he was so used to it that sometimes he would actually forget his real name. But he didn't really hate it. On the contrary this name gave him a little bit assurance of his utter existence in the entire Earth.

All of a sudden Ray smiled and asked Karl a completely unrelated question, " Mr. Karl, I have been wondering for a while now that how can you understand my words when I am speaking a completely different language than yours? "

Karl laughed, " Well, it's because of the translating magic spell that the supreme God has installed across the entire continent of planet Luna. This spell will convert any language to your own native language as soon as the other spoke, without creating any inconveniences while communication. After your registration you will be given a special artefact which will convey the information of different languages of different planets into your brain while conducting missions. So there was no need to ponder over language problem."

Ray then said, " Hmm....Mr. Karl I have thought over my code name. Please write the word ZERO in Earth's english language."

Karl was startled.

" Earth....Earth?! Isn't that a mana lacking world which depended on Science?!"

"yes"

"Then, why?!"

" Well that planet is kinda ...second home for me now."

"???"

"I am sure of my choice. So please write down the name."

"Well then, give me a moment."

From start to finish Karl didn't feel like he was talking to a child.

After the registration was completed, Ray was about to leave for the Information Department but Karl stopped him.

" Ray, about the codename...err...you have to go through a mana imprint on your body so that we can always pinpoint your location. It is like doing a tattoo although it will be more painful than it."

Ray didn't make a fuss about it and said politely, " Alright, please lead the way."

Ray engraved the world ZERO on his right forearm in deep black colour. When Karl Said it would be painful he really meant it. Ray had to grit his teeth to endure the pain which left Karl dumbfounded. He had seen many cases of mana imprinting where even the toughest mercenaries would lose their consciousness under the intense pain. Karl looked at the seven year old child and thought, ' What could he have gone through for him to build up such determination.'

After leaving the Registration Section Ray went to the Information Department to meet up with Phil. There he received his mission and finally left the Dimensional Mercenary Centre.

As he walked through the streets of planet Luna, his stomach made a strange noise. Only then Ray remembered, he no longer breathed or ate mana particles. He now could eat meals like a normal human. The goddess had left a good sum of gold coins for him in the information department. He targeted a restaurant and decided to eat a light meal there. As he walked towards the restaurant door Ray thought of his upcoming mission,

" Save Prince Sigrid of Wynn Empire"