[???]

A storm of emotions raged in Alden's heart as he tried to recover his breath.

Fear. 

Anxiety.

Dread. 

They clashed tumultuously kicking up a turbulent storm. 

'Monarch of the Depths…' 

Alden silently repeated the Asteron's name with a hint of astonishment. 

Why had one of the Divine Sovereigns sent a "curious gaze" towards him? 

They were the first Asterons who had lent a helping hand to Arkanis. 

Subsequently, they were also the most powerful. 

How had he managed to pique the interest of such an entity? 

Alden chewed the inside of his cheek.

…Was it related to his Magic Class? 

That would certainly explain some things. 

Like why the Monarch of the Depths had singled him out right after he awakened. 

Alden took a deep breath and closed his eyes. 

Just minutes after his ascension he had inadvertently attracted attention from the very beings he was wary of. 

He cursed. 

Just great. 

Fantastic. 

Wicked. 

Alden cursed again. 

He ground his teeth together anxiously as he recalled the chaotic ravings that had engulfed his mind. 

Only one word could describe them: 

"Harrowing." 

Indeed, they were extremely disturbing. 

Was the price the Asterons had to pay for possessing such power madness? 

Alden couldn't help but wonder. 

'There's probably more to it than just that…' 

Shaking his head, Alden ignored the tremor that ran through his body as he sat up. 

It seemed his bones still remembered the echo of the troubling experience with the Monarch of Depths. 

Releasing a stressed sigh, Alden glanced towards Ignia to confirm she was well - at the back of his mind, he had heard her release a few anxious cries after sensing his panic and pain - before he turned his attention back onto the cerulean screen. 

His brows rose. 

A subtle change had occurred. 

At the bottom, beneath the skills section, a new message read:

[The following Sponsors would like to enter a contract with you: 

> [Yawning Void] 

> [Monarch of the Depths] 

> [???] 

Failure to choose will result in imminent expulsion from the System. 

Time remaining: 5 minutes ] 

Alden rubbed his eyes to check if he had seen wrong. 

The message remained the same. 

'Blasted Asterons!' 

There went his hopes of not choosing an Asteron to contract with. 

'What kind of penalty is that?' 

A dark expression appeared on Alden's face. He bit his lips almost to the point of drawing blood. 

Being banished from the System was not ideal. 

Alden had heard of individuals rejecting a contract with an Asteron before. However, he didn't know that they were expelled from the System. 

No wonder they were so mediocre… 

Those select few still had access to the powers of their Magic Class, so it wasn't like they were defenceless. 

But… it was undeniable that they were much weaker than a Champion.

They also had less potential as well. 

Other than the fact that these people were missing crucial information regarding their Magic Class, Skills and Titles - aspects critical to one's survival in this world - it would also place them at a great disadvantage, having to rely heavily on intuition and instinct - which both took longer and was more likely to get a person killed - instead of having the knowledge right at their disposal. 

Alden could not allow himself to fall behind. 

It would be immensely detrimental to his ultimate goal of settling down with Celeste in the future, and making sure none of the Asterons' schemes came to pass. 

For either of that to happen, he would need strength.

Power… that would not be achieved if he was expelled from the System. 

If anyone else had been in his position, they would have been ecstatic beyond belief. To have a Divine Sovereign wishing to make a contract with you was no small thing. 

Alas, Alden was far from happy. 

Instead, he felt a hint of despair. 

Was he really going to have an Asteron as a sponsor?

A sense of repulsion rose in his chest. 

He did not want anything to do with those otherworldly beings. 

[Time remaining: 3 minutes]. 

Unfortunately, as he stared at the time he had left, Alden knew he would have to make a choice. 

If he looked at the situation from a different perspective, spying on them from the inside… could perhaps be a good idea.

Scratching his head absently, the young man sighed and reviewed his choices. 

'The [Yawning Void] sounds powerful, but I don't know if they had any involvement in that vision. The [Monarch of the Depths] is a definite no… just the fact that they're a Divine Sovereign rubs me the wrong way. They probably knew what would happen to Celeste and still let it happen. Or, in the worst case, they actively participated in her death…' 

Alden's eyes turned frosty as he thought about the first two Asterons.

He would never forgive them for what they did to Celeste… even if that event had still not happened yet. 

His gaze eventually roved to the last and most mysterious Asteron. 

[???]. 

'Why are their only question marks? What's that supposed to mean?' 

Alden felt confused. 

Why was the System unable to give the Asteron a name? 

[Time remaining: 1 minute]. 

He gritted his teeth, a hint of panic sprouting at the sight of the quickly decreasing time. 

[Time remaining: 45 seconds]. 

Alden gritted his teeth harder… 

[Time remaining: 30 seconds]. 

And harder… 

[Time remaining: 15 seconds]. 

And harder still… 

[Time remaining: 10 seconds. WARNING! Failure to choose will result in immediate expulsion…]

Alden muttered a curse. 

He cursed the System, the Asterons, and the whole world. 

With his heart full of anger and hatred, Alden closed his eyes and made his choice. 

*** 

Name: [Alden]

Race: [Human]

Title(s): [Preserver of Flame]

Magic Class: [Abyssal Entropy]

Stage: [1/5]

Rank: [Apprentice]

Skill(s): [N/A ]

Sponsor: [???] 

Staring at the new addition to his status screen with a dark look, Alden sensed a mystical connection sprout within him that traced back to the sky. It blossomed in his soul, both irresistible and unavoidable. 

He knew it eventually led back to one of the countless celestial bodies amidst the sea of stars that blanketed the heavens at night. 

His mood was very foul. 

Grinding his teeth, Alden tried to calm down. 

However, the fury simmering in the depths of his heart seemed impossible to put out. 

It was like a raging inferno that boiled and seethed, stroking his anger further with every second. 

Barely keeping his rage at bay, Alden braced himself to read the description the System had made for his Sponsor. 

He slowly inhaled and read after tapping on the screen: 

[Sponsor: [???] 

Description: An anomaly… a singularity in the flawless tapestry… this being will help shield you from the prying eyes of other Asterons.] 

'Eh…' 

Suddenly, the inferno raging in Alden's chest stilled. 

He blinked multiple times. 

'This…' 

"HAHA!" 

Alden erupted with laughter. 

He couldn't quite believe his luck! 

This was almost too good to be true. 

A vicious grin bloomed on his face. 

Raising his head, Alden sent a cold gaze beyond the ceiling. 

While his fury remained as savage and immolating as ever, it was now suppressed by a more powerful emotion… 

Glee. 

Alden released a derisive laugh. 

His eyes held a mocking light. 

With his sponsor's powers, he didn't have to fear being spied upon by those reprehensible Asterons. 

With this, he could slowly build up his strength in the shadows. 

With this… 

…he was free.