Sam took his time and considered his answer very well before voicing it.


    "Either you create one yourself, or steal it from someone who already did."


    Selene didn''t offer ament and continued applying pressure, her smile unfaltering. He wondered if his answer wascking, but in the end, all he could do was wait for her evaluation.


    "You''re mostly correct."


    Heaving a sigh, the mysterious woman snapped her fingers. Just as he began to wonder what she had done, the nearly empty cups in front of them were refilled. Raising hers with graceful movements, she drank some of the golden brown brew before cing it down.


    "Primordials are strange beings." She spoke. "Though they possess the power to rule over the residents of their Realms, most choose to wander the nes without a care. The only time they show interest in anything is when a great number of Souls is harvested. In the end their hunger for Aether is the only thing that sways their thoughts."


    "..."


    Sam was sure he understood everything she said, however a part of it left him quite troubled. Usually, Primordials never involve themselves with anyone unless a great disaster takes ce in their dimension, or Realm, as the mysterious woman has called it. When such an event happens, the monstrosities would head for the devastated world with the intention of devouring the Souls of its deceased.


    Hearing her describe the annihtion of billions with a word such as harvest, Sam was reminded that the thing sitting in front of him wasn''t a human.


    "Trying to chase after them is a fool''s errand. That leaves one option for those who wish to hunt them;y the bait and wait." Locking eyes with him, a smile touched the white-haired woman''s lips. "And I''m sure you already know where to get such bait."


    Sam kept his silence, prompting her to take it as a confirmation. The Ritual was the process of gathering the Aether from the Souls of dead humans, concentrating it in one spot to hasten the pace of the visiting Primordial. One or two Souls would hardly catch the attention of the monstrosities, which is why a great disaster is needed, one that wipes out therge majority of thriving civilization.


    "Now there are several ways to go about creating said bait." Selene continued the exnation, only stopping to sip her tea. "One could spend a few dozen millennia slowly umting the necessary Aether, but as we all know, no one has the patience for such an arduous process, unless they have no intent on winning the race. In that case…"


    The look in her ruby eyes seemed to ask for a continuation from him so, after a moment of thought, he finished her sentence.


    "Their only choice would be to cause a genocide."


    "Correct." Selene''s smile broadened a little. "I see you didn''t shy away from saying it."


    "I don''t see a reason why I should," Sam replied.


    "Really now? I believe you should." Her eyes narrowed ever so slightly. "After all, you''re a participant in this race."


    Sam kept his calm and stared her in the eyes.


    "Not sure if I''m following." He said. "Are you insinuating that my only choice is tomit such heinous acts just to get ahead in this race?"


    "Are you against it, Doctor Sanderson?"


    His answer came without dy.


    "As I said before, my goal is to ensure the stability of my-"


    "For the time being, is what you said." She interrupted. "To refrain from making any big moves until your people regain their strength, such a statement can mean you have some ns."


    "Committing genocide isn''t one of them," Sam replied. "I for one like to learn from the past. After surviving all those horrors, what kind of monster would I be to inflict the same on anyone else?"


    "I see." Nodding once, Selene held him with her eyes again. "Unfortunately, many such monsters exist everywhere. Their goalse first and foremost, and if it''s to reach that ce, they''re willing to do whatever it takes. Are you sure you have what it takes topete with them?"


    "A positive answer would be in arrogance. Currently, I know far too little to make such bold ims." Sam lowered his gaze and took a moment topose himself. "Still, it is far toote to remain on the sidelines. Our enemies won''t simply ignore us if we say we don''t wish to fight."


    "Indeed." Selene nodded. "Your camp is too much of a threat. Most would seek to take you under their wing. If not, your demise is a much-preferred oue."


    "That leaves us with no choice but to fight, then."


    The truth has always been that Sam had no interest in something like Akasha. He didn''t have a godplex like Zeus, nor did he have some grand ambition like Loki. All he wanted was to bring his beloved childhood friend back home and enjoy his harem of Valkyries. If he could have those two things without fighting an inter-dimensional war then he would have done so in a heartbeat.


    Things never turn out to be that simple, however. Even if he were to defeat Loki and bring both Alices back, it was highly unlikely that he would be able to live happily ever after all while knowing some maniac out there is trying to y god.


    ''Reviving B3 alone requires taking down some big names…''


    Silence filled the room once more. The pressure permeating from the mysterious woman refused to subside as she kept her eyes on theb coat wearing man. He began to wonder if it was the same as those interrogations, the ones where a policeman or a detective keeps stressing their captives to get them to spill the beans.


    ''Come to think of it, She has yet to reveal anything about herself…'' He recalled that her name was the only thing he knew about her, and even that was a fake. ''So much for trust…''


    Just as he began preparing to ask his own questions, Selene closed her eyes and sighed, the pressure she emitted fading the next instant.


    "As the leader of a Realm that has just undergone its first Ascension, it is far too early to tell whether you''ll stick to your ideal. Still, humility is a rare trait, unlike the greed birthed by the prospect of unlimited power."


    The sudden change in tone confused Sam. Gone was the subtle condescension that apanied each word she said, though that only made way for more wariness.


    "This is nothing more than a spection on my side, but…" Pausing for a moment, Selene regarded him with her ruby eyes. "Doctor Sanderson, reaching Akasha isn''t your goal, nor is it a means to an end."


    "..."


    "This mighte as a surprise to you, but not everyone who learns of that ce seeks to reach it to satisfy their selfish desires." She heaved a sigh. "Just like you, many fear the future where some madman gets his hands on Truth. They''re willing to do whatever it takes to prevent such an oue, so much so that they join the race, thinking it''s the only way."


    The mysterious woman hit the nail on the head. Sam was aware that his position wasn''t unique to him; he understood that there could be others who held no interest in obtaining Truth but were forced to join the race anyway, even if it was only to stop anyone else from getting their hands on it.


    There is one problem with such an ambition, though. People have the tendency to do the bare minimum to stop evil from prospering, and history is littered with examples of humanity failing to quench it before it''s toote.


    "Doctor Sanderson," Selene spoke again. "We are far from the inception of Existence. Did it ever cross your mind how absurd it is that no one has reached that ce?"


    Sam thought for a moment before answering.


    "The hierarchy of Realms suggests that some worlds have Ascended long before the others." He said. "I did ask myself that question before, but the only answer I coulde up with was that the participants keep sabotaging each other''s efforts, preventing anyone from winning the race."


    To open the gates to Akasha one needs ten Aether Keys, but gathering them was easier said than done. There were many things that stood in the way of meeting that condition.


    "Stealing Keys is another way to obtain them so in a way you''re correct." Closing her eyes, Selene allowed the smile to return to her lips. "But that isn''t all."