Conqueror

"You're... the god of war." I couldn't help but be shocked by this revelation. "You're the first god that I saw in this world since I came here. The one who invited me in this battle royale game has his form hidden."

"Interesting." Ares chuckled. "You discovered my true identity before your own host god? HAHA! None of this was supposed to happen. You were supposed to stick to the script. You win, I give you some things and you leave. But you went ahead and changed the direction of the story."

"What was supposed to happen?"

"After all this, you were supposed to receive my blessing."

"Blessing? What?"

"Well I guess you wouldn't understand it. I expected too much of you. The trial held in the sky island is a trial for finding the finest warrior. The first stage being, how will you fare against bigger number than yours, second trial, what will you do in the war with your allies under your command, third trial, what will you do when you're being mind controlled, will you overcome it with your mental strength? Fourth trial, the elemental dragon, what would you do against a being that's completely powerful and a monster that might be out of your grasp, and the final battle, everyone should know it by now, last man standing. But you both, smashed all those trials like it was nothing."

"What do you mean?"

"You defeated countless monsters in a single sweep, you just rampaged in the battlefield swinging your great strength against others. You defeated the basilisks before it could even bring out its trump card which is mind control, you defeated the elemental dragon with ease and you were both unscathed. And the final trial, you were both holding back. You all completely eliminated everything I have planned. Now between you two, I don't know how to evaluate you. How are you so strong in this stage of the battle royale? But it really matters not. This is just a generated event by the gods above and me. So you'll still receive your rewards."

A message then popped up in front of me. 

[God of War's Blessing, leveling up will grant a permanent +500 Strength.]

"Good. Are there events like these in other places?"

"Absolutely. I'm not the only event holder in this planet. Right now you're in the Sky Island Trial Event wherein the recommended level is 80-150. But there are other events which I'm not allowed to tell you because that'll be interfering with the game itself."

"Then I have two more questions."

"Go on."

"Tartarus. What exactly is it?"

"You... wanna go in the Tartarus?"

"I want to CONQUER, Tartarus." I couldn't possibly tell him about overthrowing the entire gods so this should be a suffice answer. "I'll end the reign of monsters in this world."

"Haha... HAHAHAHAHA! YOU? CONQUERING TARTARUS? INTERESTING! Absolutely interesting mortal. Sure. I will tell you everything you want to know."

"Then I want you to confirm or deny this, is Pandora's Box in there supplying this world with monsters?"

"You... HAHAHA! YOU MAKE EVERYTHING INCREDIBLY INTERESTING! How did you know? But since I'm not the one asking questions, don't answer that. But anyway, you're right. Pandora's Box is open in the Tartarus."

"So it's the supplier for the monsters in this world?"

"Yes."

"Then why is Tartarus producing such powerful monsters more than the average monsters in the overworld?"

"Tartarus simply releases monsters. But these monsters are obsessed with greed and power. That's why monsters kill each other. That's why monsters continue to grow stronger and stronger. But the monsters who wish to be with a group, gets released into the outside world and they begin to populate this world. The most rarest monsters here in the overworld such as basilisks, dragons, eyeball illusionist and so much more are simply common inside the Tartarus."

"I see. Why is Tartarus releasing giant monsters monthly? For example we fought the thunder bear, Umibozu, dragon, basilisk and that eyeball illusionist. My companion told me that they're monsters released from the Tartarus."

"It's simple. Tartarus is overcrowded. It's releasing monsters since the tower itself couldn't hold it."

"That's... impossible... Then that means that the Tartarus itself is swarming with monsters. Monsters that we haven't even seen or heard of. This is absolutely outrageous."

"You want to conquer Tartarus? Very interesting. Do you know why the level requirement is 10,000 when you enter it?"

"Why?"

"Because the monsters' levels there are unknown. Not even us know. Pandora's box is a deity's item. It's protecting and it created Tartarus by itself. Level 10,000 is the bare minimum that you have to have if you want to even enter the first floor."

"This is becoming even more difficult the more I know. Okay, that's enough. Now for my final question, it's not about Tartarus anymore."

"Speak."

"Tell me. Who is Ouroboros?"

"W-"

After Ares answered all of our questions, we suddenly got teleported back at the overworld from where we entered. The giant gate that was there in front of us disappeared and the compass key that forged as we destroyed, simply disappeared into nothingness. 

"Dispel. Gazer Form." I changed back to my Gazer Form and Zeta also did the same. He took off the armor that was unknown to me and changed back to his Gazer Form. We flew to the sky to clear our heads.

"Zieglind..." Zeta called out to me. "How... is that possible."

"I don't know. I absolutely do not know." My mind is still boggling with the answer Ares gave us. "Damn it. DAMN IT! HOW!?"

"Ouroboros is a type of monster that we didn't expect. How could he do that. He has appeared in the countless events that has happened to us. Even in Greta's memories. My master."

"Yeah. Herold's story and my own side. We still haven't met him but thousands of questions appears in my head trying to figure out what's happening in this goddamned world."

"Who is he? I didn't think it was possible."

"For now let's clear our heads. Let's go back to Izgoy and resolve Greta's condition first."

"Got it."

We flew silently as we headed to Izgoy. As soon as we got there, we first went to Lam and showed him the potion that the god of war forged for us. 

"I asked him."

"Oh, this magnificent shining bright light in all its glory. Yes! This is it! This is the Zeratria's Blessing!" Lam was in awe of the flower. "Forging this potion should only have taken one petal. Where's the rest?"

"Here. Inventory!" Zeta pulled out the Flower of Zeratria from his inventory and it illuminated the whole area.

"Let's use the rest of the petals later. For now, go on to lady Greta's side and simply drop the Zeratria's Blessing." Lam ordered us.

"Thanks."

We flew right to the castle at Izgoy and we were welcomed back by the others but we simply casted them aside for now and they understood what we wanted to do. Zeta rushed to Greta's side. "Please work..." Zeta then dropped the Zeratria's Blessing on Greta's head and a blinding light illuminated everything. A projection of what Greta is experiencing inside her mind was suddenly in plain view for everyone to see. "What is this..?"

"It seems to be a gate." I replied to him. "Try entering it."

Zeta put his hand on the projection and his hand was suddenly sucked in. "It is a gate. Zieglind. Thank you. I'll be going now."

"You better be back here with Greta. That's an order."

"Yeah. Thanks. I'll be back soon." Zeta then jumped inside and both Zeta and the projection of Greta's memories suddenly disappeared.

"There's that. Let's just hope for the best. Precia, go observe them for a while. I'll be contacting someone."

"Got it." Precia replied.

I left the room and went into the conference room. My questions needed to be answered.

"Telepathy, Herold." I connected through him. "Herold are you there?"

"Yeah. I'm here. What's up? Something wrong?" He replied.

"I met a god."

"Wha- who?"

"It's Ares. The God of War."

"You completed the Sky Island Trial?"

"You know of it?"

"Yeah. We finished the sky island trial in the previous battle royale and used the Flower of Zeratria to strengthen our weapons. But why would a god show himself? I'm pretty sure that they're not allowed to do that."

"He showed himself when I exposed the unnatural uses of his power. But that's not important. As he revealed himself, he gave us a reward that we can ask him any questions."

"So? What did you ask?"

"Questions about the Tartarus. But that's not the main point. I asked him about Ouroboros."

Herold's voice suddenly got deeper. "...And?"

"How can a winner of the previous battle royale do that?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"When I asked the God of War about Ouroboros he simply said..."

"What?"

"Who is Ouroboros?"