CHAPTER 88: NOT THE EXPECTED

The portal that warped Liam, reopened in another dimension. He then walked out of it with that glee on his face only to find himself standing in the last place he could have possibly imagined.

Before him stretched a grand palace hall, but one that had been ravaged by time and destruction. Snow drifted through massive arched openings where windows had once been, settling on debris filled floors, which were also flooded with dark water that reflected the gray, overcast sky above.

Broken columns lay scattered like fallen giants, with their marble surfaces cracked and weathered. Fallen masonry and rubble littered the space, with several scattered skeletal remains giving it that extra eerie feel. Proof that some ancient catastrophe had befallen this place.

Liam surveyed the ruins with growing confusion. This wasn’t what he had expected at all. Where were his contracted monsters? What was this desolate wasteland?

A familiar blue notification materialized before his eyes, its text glowing against the dim surroundings:

[Welcome to the Fallen King’s Divine Domain]

[The Divine Domain needs to be rebuilt]

[Reach Level 10 to start rebuilding]

"Huh?" Liam muttered, running a hand through his hair. "Divine Domain?" The concept was entirely foreign to him. He had assumed this would simply be where his contracted monsters were housed, some kind of storage dimension.

But this talk of divine domains and rebuilding left him thoroughly puzzled. Deciding to explore despite his confusion, Liam attempted to fly down from the ruined palace hall. However, as he approached the boundaries of the space, an invisible barrier stopped him in his tracks.

And at that moment when his body collided with the field, another notification appeared:

[Cannot access this area until Level 10]

Utterly frustrated at this point, Liam tried again, pushing against the barrier with more force. The same message flashed mockingly before him:

[Cannot access this area until Level 10]

"Tsk." He clicked his tongue in annoyance, abandoning his attempt to bypass the restriction. If he couldn’t go down, perhaps he could find another way out. Then he turned around and toward what appeared to be the main entrance, making his way across the debris-filled hall.

The pathway leading out was a grand staircase, though it too bore the scars of time. Fallen stones, rubble, and debris were scattered untidily across the steps, evidence of the building’s gradual deterioration. In some areas, patches of moss and small vegetation had begun to grow among the ruins, nature slowly reclaiming what had once been magnificent architecture.

Liam descended the stairs carefully, stepping over broken masonry and avoiding the larger pieces of debris. But just as he began to hope for escape, the invisible barrier blocked his path once more.

[Cannot access this area until Level 10]

He sighed heavily, with the weight of disappointment settling on his shoulders. This wasn’t what he had come for—this wasn’t why he had entered the portal in the first place. All he wanted was to find his contracted monsters and understand more of how this whole system worked.

Instead, he was trapped in a ruined palace with no clear way out. How was he supposed to get out of this place and explore further? And more importantly, where exactly were his summons?

...

The morning sun cast long shadows across Director Grey’s office as he sat across from his Assistant, Jim Kent. They had been talking for some time, about half an hour, with their conversation punctuated by long silences as they waited for Liam or any feedback at all from him.

Grey leaned back in his chair, his fingers drumming against the desk. "Any word from Liam?" he asked, though his tone suggested he already knew the answer. They had been expecting the young man to show up for further briefings regarding the operation he himself desperately wanted to go on.

Kent shook his head as no words were needed to confirm that he had received no communication from Liam since their last meeting.

Grey sighed, a furrow forming between his brows. He couldn’t shake the worry that Liam had embarked on his mission without waiting for further directives. Perhaps he really went on with using google to do the job instead of deciding to wait on them.

The young man had been too eager anyway, and Grey feared that eagerness might have led him to act in a way that would just complicate matters more.

Then, a sharp knock at the door interrupted his brooding thoughts, cutting through the tension in the room. "Come in," Grey called, his voice carrying clearly to whoever waited beyond the door.

The door opened to reveal a young man with blonde hair, dressed casually in jeans and a simple shirt. He stepped into the office with a confident smile, and this was Vaiden Quillforte, though he wore the face of someone else entirely.

Grey’s expression remained neutral as he studied the unexpected visitor. "Good day, Director," the stranger said, offering a slight, courteous bow.

"Good day," Grey replied curtly. "And you are?"

"Brian," the man answered with just a moment’s hesitation. "Joe Brian, sir." He completed, trying to be a bit more mannered.

Grey frowned. "I don’t remember scheduling anything with a Joe Brian." He then turned to Kent, who responded with a subtle shake of his head, confirming that he too had no knowledge of any such appointment.

"Oh, I didn’t realize I needed to request a schedule," Joe said, his smile never wavering. "I came to apply as an agent. Your website states that you’re accepting all willing and capable visors."

Grey leaned back in his chair, studying the young man more carefully. "Pardon me, but we don’t often get people walking in here unannounced. Most applicants prefer to join factions instead." He paused, then asked the crucial question: "Have you been evaluated? Do you know your Tier?"

At this, Lysandra’s words echoed in Vaiden’s mind. "I’m S-Tier," he replied.

The effect was immediate as Kent straightened in his chair, visibly taken aback, while Grey’s eyebrows rose slightly. "An S-Tier?" Grey said slowly, leaning forward. "That doesn’t happen every day." His voice carried a note of skepticism mixed with intrigue. "Tell me, why would an S-Tier be here applying to USOV instead of top-tier factions like the White Hunters or Hollow Demons?"

It was a fair question. Generally, factions offered better compensation and promised a more luxurious lifestyle, especially for high-tier visors. The choice to come to USOV was... unusual.

"It’s not about the luxury for me," Joe replied, his expression shifting to something more serious.

"Then what is it about?" Grey pressed, genuinely curious now.

Joe’s face then took on a carefully crafted solemn expression. "I used to live overseas—the United Kingdom, to be precise. I lost both my parents to monsters." He paused, as if gathering strength to continue. "Ever since then, I’ve vowed to do everything in my power to protect others from suffering the same fate."

The office fell silent, and Grey studied the young man for a few seconds, then finally, he spoke. "Come back tomorrow with an ID. You’ll also need to be officially evaluated."

The dismissal was polite but firm as Grey had more pressing matters to attend to.

Joe nodded, with that smile returning to his face. "Thank you, Director." He stood and made his way to the door.

As soon as the door closed behind him, Kent turned to Grey. "That was unusual," he said simply.

But Grey had already dismissed the encounter from his immediate thoughts as More urgent matters demanded his attention. "Get me information on Liam’s whereabouts, quickly," he ordered, "We need to know if he’s already moved out."

Kent nodded and rose from his chair. "Right away, sir." As Kent left the office, Grey remained seated, staring contemplatively at the door through which both men had exited.

...

Meanwhile, a portal warped into existence in Liam’s living room, and he stepped right through, with his face a mask of obvious frustration and confusion. "That was complete bullshit," he muttered, shaking his head as he moved toward a couch.

But as he settled into the worn leather, something caught his attention. It was bright morning sunlight streaming through his windows.

"What?" Liam shot to his feet, striding quickly to the nearest window. The sun hung high in the sky, casting the unmistakable light of mid-morning across the cityscape.

"How is this possible? I was only in there for a few minutes." His mind raced as he tried to make sense of the situation. The last clear memory he had was of checking his statistics in the evening, then stepping through the portal into that desolate domain.

The entire experience couldn’t have lasted more than an hour, and certainly not long enough for an entire night to pass. With growing alarm, Liam pulled out his phone and the screen displayed information that only worsened the growing confusion: ’Thursday, 10:00 AM’.

"This makes no sense," he whispered, staring at the device as if it might suddenly correct itself. His original plan had been simple: return from the private space, change clothes, get some rest, and then wake up to Grey’s mail before launching his operation against the House of Somnahira.

But now, the morning he had been waiting for was already here, and over ten hours had somehow vanished without his awareness. Then he realised, that time flowed differently between dimensions.

As his phone’s wifi connection reestablished itself, a text message notification appeared on his screen. The message was from the previous day: "Report to the Office tomorrow."