Chapter 21: The Stairs of Fate
Seiichi looked toward the direction of the voice. He saw the elderly man standing there, dressed in the simple robes of a priest.
"Who is he?" he wondered, his gaze fixed on the old man.
"It's good to see you, Old Man Grey," Arthur said lazily, scratching his head as he looked at the old man, his eyes half-lidded.
"It is also good to see you, Demi-God of Space," Grey replied, his hands clasped behind his back as he held their gaze without flinching.
Seraphina looked at Grey and smiled. "It is good to see you are still healthy since the last time I saw you."
"I am grateful for your concern, Demi-Goddess of Life and Creation," Grey said, bowing his head slightly.
He lifted his head and looked directly at Seiichi, a small smile touching his wrinkled face. "I believe I know the reason why you are here." He shifted his gaze from Seiichi to Aron. "By the looks of it, you are also here for the same reason, correct?" He looked Arthur in the eyes.
"You are as sharp as always," Seraphina complimented, a small, gentle smile on her face.
Arthur said nothing and merely nodded lazily. Aron, however, brimming with determination and confidence, spoke up. "You are right, old man. I am here for the Vow Ceremony, and I will be sure to achieve S-rank. I will be the first in nine hundred years to become a Demi-God." Aron clenched his fist, his face alight with cheerful pride.
"I admire your confidence," Grey said, his voice low. "You are also very intelligent to know that there have been no new Demi-Gods in the past nine centuries. I do not wish to dampen your determination, but there are already seven Demi-Gods for the seven Almighty Gods. Therefore, you would first need to become a Demi-God candidate, like someone else here." He glanced at Dómvalka. "Then you must wait for an existing Demi-God to pass on—but that is only if you are able to achieve S-rank." Grey's tone held a hint of challenge, testing the resolve of the determined boy.
"I do not care. If I become a Demi-God candidate, then I will simply kill the existing Demi-God myself," Aron declared, his knuckles turning white as he clenched his fists.
Grey chuckled softly. "I hope your dream comes true. But I also hope you do not become the Demi-God candidate of… those three." His eyes locked with Aron's.
---
Seiichi, who had been quietly observing, moved closer to Lumine and whispered in her ear, "Who is that old man?"
Lumine leaned toward him, her voice a hushed murmur. "That old man is the one who maintains the entire Vow Ceremony. He is also a Demi-God for the Almighty God of Fate, with full control over the concept of fate, just as Mother controls the concepts of life and creation, and Arthur, her childhood friend, which I believe you didn't know about until now, controls the concept of space itself."
Seiichi's eyes widened. He never would have guessed that an elderly man like Grey was a Demi-God. There was no air of grandeur about him, nothing to betray his divine station.
Lumine placed a hand on Seiichi's shoulder and whispered again, "Seiichi, what do you think of Aron?"
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, do you not think he could be your rival or your friend? He has the same determination as you. I believe his willpower is strong, and he might even become a Demi-God candidate, or at least gain control over fate if he does not reach S-rank."
Seiichi thought for a moment. "Only time will tell. I will decide after the ceremony, though I do not have much faith that I will even achieve B-rank." He looked up at the crimson sky and smirked, narrowing his eyes as if his gaze could pierce the heavens themselves. He could feel unseen eyes watching him. He averted his gaze and looked back at Aron, still glowing with resolve. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Azariel staring at him intensely, a silent challenge to prove himself.
Seiichi smiled to himself.
---
"Well, I believe it is now time for the ceremony to begin," Grey announced. "If you will excuse me." He bowed slightly before turning away.
Seraphina smiled to herself, then looked at Arthur. "Arthur, I have a proposal."
Arthur regarded her with his usual tired, relaxed posture. "What is it?"
"Since our sons will be taking their chances today, how about we let them compete with each other?"
"I see." Arthur smiled. "I think I know what kind of competition you mean."
"So, what is your answer?"
"I accept. And I am certain you plan to enroll him. There is only one place I can think of right now."
"It seems your laziness has not dulled your intelligence," Seraphina said, her smile taking on a subtle, almost sinister edge.
"What are you both talking about?" Aron asked, confused.
"It is nothing. You will find out in a few days. Just wait," Arthur replied.
Aron fell silent, but an unexplained shiver ran down his spine.
As they spoke, a sudden shockwave swept through the entire realm, silencing the crowd. Everyone turned toward its source.
Grey stood on a raised platform, having created the shockwave with a mere snap of his fingers. From his vantage point, he could see the nearly million people gathered below.
He spoke, and though the crowd was vast, his voice carried clearly to every ear. "The Vow Ceremony is about to begin. I ask all of you gathered here to pay close attention." He cleared his throat softly. "I believe most of you know how the ceremony works, but there may be newcomers, so I will explain."
Grey extended a hand toward the monumental staircase. "These are the Stairs of Fate. There are one hundred steps. Once you climb thirty stairs, your true challenge begins, for that is when your ranking starts. Ranks begin at F and ascend to S. For every ten stairs you climb, you rank up. Reach the fortieth step, and you attain E-rank, and so on."
"But it is not easy. From the moment you take your first step, a heavy pressure will bear down on you, gravity ten times greater than normal. With each step, the gravity multiplies by ten. On the second step, it is one hundred times greater, and so on. Yet that is not all. Once you reach the seventieth step, where you may gain control over probability, the first form of mastery over fate, the gravity multiplies by one hundred with each step. Upon the ninetieth step, it multiplies by ten thousand per step until the hundredth step and the gravity will also stack on each other while being multiplied."
"From the seventieth step to the hundredth, you will find altars where you must pray and make a vow. Once you make a vow, you cannot turn back. For example, if you vow never to back down from a fight, you must keep that word. If your life is in danger and you try to flee, you will find yourself unable to run, bound by your own oath."
"If you reach the altar on the seventieth step and make your vow there, you will gain B-rank control over fate: the power of probability. At the eightieth step, you may achieve A-rank: the power to see infinite timelines and alter them at will, in addition to controlling probability. At the ninetieth step, you may attain S-rank: the power to command miracles themselves, along with control over both possibility and the future."
"However, if you reach an altar at the seventieth, eightieth, or ninetieth step but choose not to stop, and yet cannot advance further, halting, say, on the seventy-first step, you will be disqualified and gain nothing. Therefore, choose wisely."
"Finally, should you reach the altar on the hundredth step, you must make a vow worthy of acknowledgment by the Almighty Gods themselves. If you succeed, you will become a Demi-God or a Demi-God candidate. Let me be clear: achieving S-rank does not make you a Demi-God. There is a difference between a Demi-God and a Demi-God candidate."
"A Demi-God gains full control over the concept governed by the Almighty God who chooses them. I, for example, was chosen by the Almighty God of Fate, and so I command the concept of fate itself. While a Demi-God candidate also gains control of the concept, their control won't be as strong and proficient as the Demi-God.
Grey paused, allowing his words to settle over the silent crowd. "Now, I believe everyone understands. Let the ceremony begin."