The troll holding Edmond felt a surge of dread like never before. Just the knowledge that this man had reversed time itself was enough to freeze his thoughts. His knees trembled. His body screamed to flee. Only one instinct remained: Run.

"And where do you think you're going?" the young man asked smoothly. Another troll from the net had begun to move, retreat already forming in its mind.

It didn't get far. Before the eyes of everyone, its body withered, skin wrinkling and sinking into bone. Age ravaged it in seconds, reducing a massive Frostmaw troll into a scrawny husk. Its body crumbled, disintegrating into dust that scattered into the air.

The young man said nothing more. He simply turned his attention back to Edmond. That silent stare was enough to strip away Edmond's defiance. He understood without words what was required.

He began to speak. His voice wavered, but the words poured out. "They… they are invaders to our planet. They took our resources, slaughtered our people. They forced us to hide inside strongholds, our only way to survive being trapped while they tried to wipe us out." His chest tightened, but he continued. "That's the truth of our world."

For reasons he couldn't explain, Edmond felt compelled to tell this stranger everything. Perhaps it was the faint hope that this man, whoever he was, could end the nightmare.

"I see," the young man murmured, then turned his gaze toward the trolls. "And you all. Why are you invading them?"

One of the Frostmaw trolls, its arrogance stripped bare, spoke in a subdued voice. "We were instructed to conquer this world… or our world would be destroyed. Our children taken as slaves."

The young man nodded slightly, his face unreadable. "Hmm. I see." He raised a hand lazily. "You two will come with me. We have more to discuss. As for the rest of you… I don't need you anymore."

Tiny droplets of blood rose from his skin, drifting upward into the air. In a flash too fast for the eye to follow, they shot forward. Each droplet drilled cleanly through the skulls of the remaining trolls, piercing them one after another. The creatures collapsed silently, lifeless before their bodies hit the ground. Not even their icy shards could rise in defense.

"Much better," the young man said calmly, turning back to Edmond and the one spared troll. "Now we can continue our conversation."

---

Aaron's eyes flicked across the translucent system screen floating before him. The notification glowed faintly, updates spilling across its surface.

He had arrived on this planet only moments ago, drawn by the ripple of conflict. From above, he had seen the clash unfold, though "clash" wasn't quite right. One side was hopelessly outmatched. He had almost considered leaving them to their fate. Then the explosion caught his attention.

The human's backpack had erupted, reducing everything to nothing. Aaron might have simply watched. But the system quest appeared, answering the question before him. It demanded his hand.

Without hesitation, he had invoked Origin Point.

[Incoming Quests. Accept?]

[Quest 1: Save the human. Conquer the world through the human. You cannot show your abilities to any other native of the planet until you have conquered the planet.

Note: Auxiliary abilities may be utilized as long as they are not used for direct combat.]

[Time limit: 2 weeks]

[Reward: Eternal Rank]

[Quest 2: Help the Frostmaw trolls defeat their oppressors and conquer this world.]

[Time limit: 2 weeks]

[Reward: God Rank]

Aaron's gaze lifted from the system prompt to the human, Edmond, who had already begun explaining the long war against the trolls. The desperation in his tone was obvious.

"Take me to your stronghold," Aaron instructed coolly. Two weeks. It was more than enough. In truth, it was too long. The quests hardly seemed worth stretching out.

"That…" Edmond hesitated, his composure faltering as he weighed the risks. Bringing this man to their Stronghold was dangerous. Aaron's strength was undeniable

But what about his intentions? Could such power ever be trusted?

"Never mind," Aaron said, almost amused. The ground before them rippled, shadows pulling apart into a vast, yawning hole. Before Edmond could even react, it swallowed him, the spared troll, Garganth and Aaron himself.

Edmond gasped as his vision returned. The world around him had shifted entirely. He blinked in shock, heart pounding. They were standing just outside the towering gates of Stronghold Twelve.

He recognized it instantly.

It was supposed to be safe. Protected by anti-mana fields strong enough to repel invasions. Yet Aaron had simply brought them here effortlessly, as though barriers meant nothing.

A quiet voice broke through his racing thoughts. "What anti-mana field? That can't stop me. I was simply exercising courtesy." Aaron's words crept under Edmond's skin, chilling him. The man had heard his thoughts as clearly as if he'd spoken aloud.

Aaron rubbed his temples, almost annoyed. "If you could stop thinking so much, I wouldn't have to listen to all your noise. It's irritating."

Edmond stiffened, feeling stripped bare once again.

"So?" Aaron said casually, his gaze sharp. "Do you want me to announce our arrival, or will you?"

"I'll do it," Edmond muttered quickly. Letting Aaron handle it felt like inviting disaster. What if the stronghold misunderstood? What if this man lost patience? The risk wasn't worth it.

He stepped forward, standing before the reinforced gates. From his backpack he retrieved a compact device, pressing its control switch. A signal pulsed outward, an electromagnetic wave directed at the walls of the sanctuary. Seconds later, a voice crackled from the megaphone mounted high on the battlements.

"Edmond? What are you doing outside? And who are these strangers with you?"

"Open the door," Edmond replied firmly. "I need to speak with my father. As for the two with me, they're harmless. The human here is an ally. The beast is one I captured with his help." He forced the lie smoothly, stringing it together without pause.

Even Aaron raised a brow in faint amusement at the seamless deception.

"You'll have to wait," the voice replied. "The council must approve entry first. Until then, remain where you are, and do nothing that could complicate the process."

Aaron sighed. "Can't wait here all day." He flicked his hand.

Time shifted.

The world of Astrid lurched forward. Hours of deliberation, paperwork, and council debate raced by in an instant, compressed into the span of a heartbeat. For Aaron, Edmond, and Garganth, time flowed normally. But beyond them, the stronghold moved through hours in seconds.

When the gates finally stirred, it was as though the decision had been made instantly.

Edmond and Garganth froze, minds reeling. To them, not even a full minute had passed. Yet the approval that should have taken hours was already done.

Their faces paled, the same thought carved into both of their minds: This man… we cannot afford to make him our enemy.

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