Pax gazes into the void, which appears completely black. He wonders if it genuinely is pitch black. It is distinctly different from the Colosseum. This is not merely a lack of light but rather an artificial darkness. Pax speculates that he may be in some sort of extra-dimensional space, recalling how his dad used to tell tales of individuals who could create such spaces in battle. Pax looks to the center and sees the man of interest, Truth. Truth is sitting with a smile on his face. Unlike everyone currently in the Colosseum, Pax still remembers Truth and the events that occurred. He gives Truth an aggressive stare. Truth looks like he just noticed Pax.

  [Truth: I am not too terribly interested in you, Pax. What I am interested in is the guy behind you. The one who is currently inside of you. It has been a long time since we last met…]

  Pax looks behind him and sees a giant, one-eyed, eldritch being with multiple items of jewelry and two giant arms.

  『Old God of Nothingness, Riga El Menuhyut』

  Pax gives Riga a side eye and starts to speak.

  [Pax: So how do you know this guy? If he is your friend, he has been extremely rude.]

  Before Riga can talk, Truth answers for him.

  [Truth: Apologies for my rudeness. Regardless of my behavior, I have a fondness for humans. It's akin to watching bugs or small animals; they're quite adorable, particularly when they surprise you. Regarding my connection to Riga, here's a brief account: during the creation of existence by the Old Gods, a civil war erupted over power. I chose to stay neutral, and Riga played a crucial role in helping me maintain that neutrality, which is why I hold him in high esteem.]

  *Pax: War buddies, huh?*

  Riga just nods his head. Confirming Truth's whole story.

  [Truth: Still, I didn’t expect to see you here. What’s the story with the boy? Failed New God? You should probably leave his body then.]

  Riga opens his huge mouth.

  [Riga: Actually, he is my vessel.]

  Truth's face twists in surprise. This is the first time Pax has ever seen Truth have a genuinely surprised face.

  [Truth: Woah. Are you serious?]

  Truth is flabbergasted at this information. Pax looks around, confused.

  [Pax: Is someone going to explain what is going on?!? I know that Old Gods made everything. New Gods? Vessels? What the hell are those?!?]

  Truth looks down at Pax.

  [Truth: I suppose you never really received a proper education. Let me clarify. You are correct; the Old Gods are responsible for creating everything in existence. They established every concept in the world, ensuring those concepts could stand alone. In simple terms, if I were to die, the idea of “Knowledge” would continue to exist. Regarding the New Gods, would you like detailed information about them or just a brief generalization?]

  [Pax: Both.]

  Truth smiles.

  [Truth: Great answer! After the Civil War, many dying Old Gods came to Earth seeking to create vessels by implanting their souls into human hosts. This process would ultimately allow them to fully reincarnate by sacrificing the host's body. However, they overlooked an important factor—soul compatibility. Every soul in this world must adhere to specific rules; one such rule is that two souls cannot coexist in a single body unless their compatibility exceeds 95%. The Old Gods, with the exception of the Old God of Souls, were unaware of this. The Old God of Souls kept this vital information hidden.]

  This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  [Pax: So what happened next?]

  [Truth: After their souls were transported into human hosts, the Old God's soul and the human soul merged in an attempt to maintain control. This merging resulted in the destruction of both souls. The fragmented remnants of each soul fused together, resulting in a completely new entity devoid of any memories of being either an Old God or a human. This new existence is referred to as the "New God."]

  [Pax: The simple version?]

  [Truth: The souls of Old Gods merge with human souls, forming entirely new entities that possess the powers of an Old God and a human body. These beings are incredibly powerful, likely second only to the Old Gods themselves. However, they cannot fully access the Old God's powers due to their human forms, which keeps them slightly below our level. Nonetheless, they remain vastly superior to any living race. One commonality between New Gods and Old Gods is that if they are near death, they can transform into Kishikai!]

  Pax looks over at Riga.

  [Pax: So, according to Truth. I'm some sacrificial lamb for your incarnation?]

  Riga starts to talk. However, Truth interrupts again.

  [Truth: Wait. I have a question for Riga as well. That’s all a vessel is supposed to be—a vehicle for incarnation. Finding a soul with 95% or more compatibility is basically impossible, as proof of that. Pax, you are probably the only natural vessel in existence, which makes it even more baffling. Riga, what the hell is this contract? According to this contract, incarnation through Pax is impossible. Do you realize that by making this contract, you are forfeiting your chance at another life? Also, you survived the Civil War. How the hell did you manage to get on the verge of death?]

  Riga looks perplexed about explaining himself, but he starts.

  [Riga: I'm making a bet. A bet on revenge. Regarding my near-death experience. It was against a human named Zane. Out of every possible future, I looked through. I couldn’t beat Zane in a single one. So, I made a bet. Originally, I was going to turn either his dad or mom into a New God and hope my desire for revenge stayed in the body. However, once I sensed Pax, I opted for him. I could tell him of my revenge, and he could help me carry it out.]

  While Riga explains his reasoning, Truth looks even more dumbfounded.

  [Truth: No disrespect, Riga, but you sound dumb. A vessel gets no special powers unless you provide them. Even then, it’s more limited than a new god. You probably would have done better making a New God and hoping they run into Zane naturally. After all, if you, an Old God, can't beat it. No shot a human can—another thing. You are not the strongest by Old God's standard, but you should still be well above any human. It is disgraceful that you lost.]

  Truth takes a deep breath.

  [Truth: I still do heavily respect you. Riga, just say the word. I will deal with this “Zane” myself.]

  Riga laughs.

  [Riga: True, you might be able to win. You would definitely do better than I did. I don’t doubt you, but I would rather do this myself. As I have already made the bet, I would like to see it through. This human has the potential to achieve the things I cannot. To that end, I will support him with everything I have. A human is the one that defeated me, so I will get him back with another human!]

  Pax is looking up at Riga. [Riga…]

  Truth sighs.

  [Truth: I'm not getting to you at all! Vessels can’t go Kishikai like us or New Gods, so you really are taking a bet, Riga! You probably won't listen to that anyway, so never mind. On another note, I met with a little girl called Mimiko before I met with you guys. She kept brushing me off, so I just let her go. Riga, did you sense it as well?]

  [Riga: Yeah, that little girl. She is probably…

  『The New God of Life.』

  ____________________________________________________________________________

  The man with the supposed “God Eye” is currently tied up. He is also blindfolded. His hands are tied up as he is brought into Truth's domain.

  [Truth: Ok! Time to talk to you!]

  The man looks up and smiles.

  [???: Can you at least take the blindfold off of me?]

  Truth looks perplexed.

  [Truth: You know I can’t do that. I can’t risk you using your God Eye. “The Eye of Opportunity” is very powerful. Previously held by the Old God of Fortune. The eye allows you to see and capitalize on any opportunity, even ones that are extremely unlikely. You also can create opportunities out of nothing. So, as long as you are looking at something, it will go in your favor. Therefore, I can’t risk having you remove your blindfold.]

  The man relaxes back.

  [???: Ah, I see. That is true.]

  [Truth: The Old God of Fortune fell in the Civil War. Their body was destroyed entirely. So, how did you get those eyes? Ah, well, you probably won’t answer that. That is not what I am here for anyway. I just wanted to tell you to keep that little girl safe. Nothing better happen to her. You are her protector, right?]

  [???: Yeah, I am. Why do you care about her so much?]

  [Truth: No reason, really. Just a word of warning, though. Don’t ever let her get near death. If you do, she will transform and kill you.]

  The man gives a nervous smile.

  [???: What the hell are you talking about?]

  Truth just looks up, bored.

  [Truth: I don’t feel like telling you any more about her, so I won’t. Another piece of advice! What you are looking for is not here. Check north from here, and you might just find what you are looking for.]

  The man quickly breaks through the ties on his hands and removes his blindfold. Revealing his star eyes.

  [???: Are you serious? Then I better get going! Or so I would like to say.]

  [Truth: I know that orb is the most important item in the world to you. Yet you stay?]

  The man gives a big grin.

  [???: I will stay for one more round. After all, it is my future wife's turn next!]

  ____________________________________________________________________________

  [Announcer: One hour has passed! We will commence round 2, Selene Rivers vs Ragnar Vale, shortly!]

  To be continued…