"..."

"Ehem. So where were we again? Right, I'm starting to talk about the Main Mission.."

"..."

[[[[MAIN MISSION: ESTABLISH THE TRUTH ABOUT THIS WORLD, AND HELP A RELIGION TO BECOME THIS WORLD'S DOMINANT RELIGION. TIME LIMIT: 30 YEARS. REWARD: 1,000 YEARS OF LIFESPAN AND A KEY FOR THE TRANSCENDENCE ALTAR.]]]

[[[BONUS MISSION 1: KILL THE OTHER TRAVELERS. REWARD: 1 TRANSCENDENCE SHARD FOR EVERY TRAVELER KILLED]]]

[[[BONUS MISSION 2: COLLECT THE TRUE GOD STATUES. REWARD: A FRAGMENT OF A HALF-STEP TRANSCENDENCE ARTIFACT FOR EVERY STATUE COLLECTED]]]

[[[BONUS MISSION 3: DESTROY OR PROTECT THE CORRUPTION PODS OF THE ABYSS REALM. REWARD: TO BE NEGOTIATED WITH THE ABYSS REALM ITSELF.]]]

NOTE: TAKING BONUS MISSION 3 WILL AFFECT BONUS MISSION 4 AND BONUS MISSION 5.

[[[BONUS MISSION 4: DESTROY OR PROTECT THE PURIFICATION PODS OF THE HOLY ORDER REALM. REWARD: TO BE NEGOTIATED WITH THE HOLY ORDER REALM]]]

NOTE: TAKING BONUS MISSION 4 WILL AFFECT BONUS MISSION 3 AND BONUS MISSION 5.

[[[BONUS MISSION 5: DESTROY OR PROTECT THE ENLIGHTENMENT PODS OF THE GOETIC ORDER REALM. REWARD: TO BE NEGOTIATED WITH THE GOETIC ORDER REALM.]]]

NOTE: TAKING BONUS MISSOIN 5 WILL AFFECT BONUS MISSION 3 AND BONUS MISSION 4.

[[[BONUS MISSION 6: FIND THE WORLD SOUL OF THIS WORLD AND SUBJUGATE IT. REWARD: THE REWARD WILL DEPEND ON THE TRAVELER'S FINAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE WORLD SOUL.]]]

"There, that's the Main Mission and the Bonus Mission. Since I'm done saying it, I can go back to eating already.." Once Asteria was done speaking her turn, she did not linger in her place anymore. She quickly flew back to Alina's storage, as if she had no interest on staying in the air. "If you want anything from me, just call me."

".." As much as Alina was irritated with Asteria's sudden departure, she did not stop that latter, as there was no need for her to prevent Asteria from leaving.

After all, Asteria had already told them what they needed to know. As for the items that they can buy, Alina knew that there is no need for them to buy any items for now.

They already bought so much items back in the Traveler's World, that buying an item in this world will just be useless.

************

At the moment that Asteria disappeared from their sights, Alina quickly tried to analyze her situation, something that she knew Alex was doing too.

"Judging from the contents of the Main Mission and the Bonus Mission, it seems that this world is a place where there are countless religions vying for dominance." Alina muttered to herself as the keywords 'religion' and 'dominance' flashed across her mind.

She slightly frowned on these words, as if she was trying to make more sense of them. "Hm.. whether these religions are related to True Gods or extremely powerful beings are still unknown to us at this point. However, the fact that our Main Mission is related to religions is telling us something. We just had to know what it is.."

Because of her upbringing in a scientific and esper-heavy world, Alina had no notion of religion at all. It was only when she joined Alex on his adventures that she discovered the concept of religion, and everything attached to it.

Surprisingly, Alina actually became engrossed on the concept about religion, to the point that she will spend her free time doing research about it.

Such zealousness was used by Alex and the others to tease Alina before, but today, this knowledge appeared to be of great help to Alina.

"All religions all focus with one thing. And that is the worship of the Divine. Whether this 'Divine' is a tangible, powerful being or someone who cannot be seen nor felt, it is this 'Divine' that holds a religion together." Alina thought as she began pacing around the crater.

She ignored her rocky surroundings, with some of the rocks tumbling towards her kicked out of the way.

"All the religions that Alex and I have ever seen all follow this pattern, and I doubt that it will be different here. If that's the case, then for us to succeed on the Main Mission, we have to find a religion whose 'Divine' support is powerful enough to make it dominant."

"The only problem that we have right now is on how we can actually look for this religion. Even if the Main Mission implied that this world has numerous religions in it, there are only bound to be a few powerful religions here. Of course we wound want to go there, but since other Travelers are already here, I doubt I will be that easy..."

At the mention of the other Travelers, Alina could not help but frown a little as she felt some kind frustration, which is to be expected given their current predicament.

"Since Asteria said that there are 5 other Travelers in this world already, that means that they have arrived here much earlier than us. That is not good, as those Travelers surely had a way to establish themselves now." Alina added as she tried to keep her scowl down. "That will make it harder for us to make a contact with other religions, as if we make an action, that might expose us to other Travelers.."

"Since that was the case, then what should we do now? If we stay in this place for much longer, we could be attacked by another clan. But if we leave, where should we go? We cannot just go randomly, as that might put us in more danger. If we have to leave, we must go to a place that will give us maximum benefits..."

As much as Alina was trying her best to analyze her situaiotn, she found herself in a dead-end on what they should do next.

There are just too many unstable variables in their current situation, that making one wrong move will be catastrophic for her and her allies.

Alina and her allies has to take account on where they have to go and on what kind of religion they should support. And this is already a problem on its own, as they still do not have the complete information about this world.

If they make one wrong move, the original residents of this world might do something on them. Or their enemy Travelers might catch wind of their tracks which will make things worse.

"Ugh, what to do..."

It was during these times that Alina will usually go and ask Alex for his opinion, as she knew that only someone like him has a solution for this kind of problems. And that is what she did, as she gave Alex a look that implored him to start talking.

"Alex, we have a problem here. We are stuck-"

"Alina, I know that we are stuck, and that each move that we make could bring us to danger. That is bad by itself. However, it is not yet the time for us to worry." Alex seemed to have understood Alina's look, as he began answering her question even before she can ask it.

"Alina, even if we don't have a full knowledge of this world, I have a plan that will let us start the Main Mission without placing ourselves in immediate danger." Alex added, this time with a hint of assurance in his voice. "So don't overthink things. I already have a solution for our problems..

"What, Alex? You already have an idea on what we should do next? Are you sure about that?" ALina had expected Alex to give some kind of positive answer, but for him to say that he already found a way to start the Main Mission without placing themselves in any harm? Even Alina finds that hard to believe.

But Alina's All-Seeing Eyes say otherwise, as she can see that Alex was not lying at all.

"..Alex, I can see that you are telling the truth. But can you explain to me what are you planning to do? I just find it hard to fathom.. what we can possibly do in this situation." Since Alex was confident on having a plan, then Alina has decided to hear him out. "But don't expect me or Queen Mother to follow your plan immediately. Who knows, it could be a doomed plan at the start.."

In the context of the previous worlds, there is a high chance that Alex's plan could work. But even if this was the case, Alina would still want to analyze Alex's offered plan first.

Who knows, Alex might have neglected something in his plan, and if it did, Alina will do her best to supplement it..

"I know that look, Alina. You're doubting me again. Sigh, when will you fully trust me? Aren't I your lover?" Alex seemed to be miffed by Alina's doubt, and he made that obvious with his complaint. "I know that we are in danger in this world, but still.."

"Alex, it is because you are my lover that I am doubting you. I just don't want you to form a plan that will endanger your life. You are important to me Alex, so I don't want you getting hurt again!" Alina might have looked calm as she gave this reply, but she was inwardly angry, as what she said made her remember of Alex's former condition.

She remembered the life-threatening experience that Alex had in the Traveler's World, and all the consequences that it gave to him.

She also remembered her fear and anxiety at that time, which only worsened when she saw Alex's condition after he woke up from his coma. She knows that something was wrong with Alex at that time, and it was making him suffer greatly.

Whatever happened to Alex during his coma had twisted something inside him, a fact that made Alina feel extremely hurt.

She could literally see the pain that Alex was going through right now, but she found no way to help him, as the man himself chose to not say what he was going through.historical

Alex just.. acted as if things were fine, although Alina could see that it was not.

These unfathomable events are making Alina feel extremely terrified for Alex's life, but what can these feelings of hers do? Can it make Alex speak, even if he does not want to?

"Alina.."

"Alex, you already placed yourself in so much danger when you fell into a coma in the Traveler's World. I don't want that happening to you again, so please, please make sure that your plan in this world will work!" Tears threatened to spill out of Alina's eyes, making it harder for her to speak out her words.

She had to even use her own power to prevent herself from crying, an action that she was not happy on doing. "Alex, if you dare place yourself in danger again, I would not hesitate to stop you! So please, make sure that your plan will not be risky.."

"..." Whether Alex noticed Alina's impending tear fall was unknown, as he kept his composed attitude in front of her. But he stayed silent for a few seconds, as if he was weighing on how he should say his next words.

"..."

".."

".."

This silence lasted for a full minute, and it was only when Alina was beginning to feel signs of more worry that Alex started to talk.

"Alina, my plan is simple. Since our problem is finding a religion that we can assist, then the solution for that is to just find one. Luckily for us, there is one religion that technically, we can help. And that religion is.. the one that the Abyss Realm is trying to spread in this world."

Alex sounded extremely confident as he said these words, making it appear as if he was sure that his plan of his will succeed.

But when Alina has fully heard what he said, she immediately flared with raging anger.

"What? The Abyss Realm? No! Anything but that, Alex!"