Scott strolled along the familiar pathways of the Endless Bridge. Tarred roads stretched as far as the eye could see, flanked by towering walls that seemed to extend into the infinite heavens. Several days had passed since he forfeited his territory in exchange for the upgradable map, yet he was no closer to reaching his destination or other territories.

  In silence, Scott continued along the monotonous path, his gaze fixed on what lay ahead. Occasionally, he encountered a random champion or group, but apart from exchanging glances, no one actively engaged him in conversation or combat.

  Left alone with his thoughts, he followed the dust-like trail visible only to him. The more time I spend trudging this path, the more I’m convinced the competition isn’t starting anytime soon, Scott mused, munching on dry jerky. But do we really have time to waste in a place like this? He sighed softly, his legs carrying him forward.

  Even if I summoned a million beings from the nihilistic voids, they’d still need years to conquer forty percent of the bridge, let alone the rest of it.

  Thankfully, as the bridge is endless, the number of champions entering it isn’t finite either, Scott thought, tossing another piece of jerky into his mouth.

  Then again, Toi did mention that I have a duty to regulate the number of champions entering through the links in my territory. I haven’t done any of that… will I be in trouble with the examiner committee? He sighed again, swallowing his ration.

  It’d be much easier if I could delegate that task to Orion—or even his clones. I’m sure he’d be fascinated by the prospect, Scott considered. Then, suddenly, he stopped. Wait, is there really any reason he can’t handle it in my stead? He pondered, but no drawbacks came to mind.

  “System, can I delegate my territorial lord duties to someone I’ve shared my territorial lord authority with?” Scott asked aloud.

  Instantly, a system notification rang out, and a flashing blue screen materialized before him.

  Scott grinned, chuckling softly as he read the response. Hell yeah!

  He had never been more excited at the prospect of shirking responsibility. Now that I know it’s possible, I should let Orion know, Scott decided. Then, a stray thought crossed his mind. Will it really be okay to leave it up to Orion?

  Orion wasn’t the most ethical of mages. There was nothing stopping him from doing something maniacal—or utterly insane—in pursuit of his insatiable thirst for knowledge.

  None of the others have awakened yet, and even if they did, I doubt they’d be in the right frame of mind to handle such a task. Fi-Fi is still adjusting to her new form… and White is too busy conquering territories to care. Scott weighed his options. It seems Orion is the only one I can entrust this task to… He sighed again before opening a private channel.

  “Orion, are you there?”

  “I’m here, I’m here,” Orion replied, his voice brimming with excitement—something Scott immediately noticed.

  “You sound more excited than usual,” Scott remarked. “Did something good happen?”

  “You noticed, huh,” Orion chuckled, his tone even more exuberant. “We’re having a party right now,” he revealed.

  “Party?” Scott repeated absentmindedly. That wasn’t a word he expected to come from Orion.

  “Yes,” Orion affirmed with a chuckle. “One of my clones figured out how to make beer from a local plant. We also discovered some new microbes, and we’ve been having a lot of fun with them. It’s almost my turn for limbo,” he giggled. “The loser has to be a live test subject for—”

  “Please don’t tell me,” Scott interjected. “I don’t think I want to know.”

  Orion giggled again before his cheerful voice returned. “So, why’d you call me? Need my help with something?”

  “I need you to assist me with a task,” Scott declared.

  “Oh?” Orion’s tone shifted, unable to hide his curiosity. “What kind of task?”

  Despite not seeing him, Scott could already imagine Orion’s burning gaze focused on him. Is this really a good idea? He shook his head, discarding the thought. I can’t afford to be picky here. I’m sure he’ll do a responsible job… right?

  Wasting no time, Scott patiently explained the duties he wanted Orion to carry out in his stead. Instantly, Orion’s laughter rang through the private channel. “You chose the right person for the job,” he declared between bouts of laughter. “Don’t worry, I’ll do a remarkable job.”

  “Orion, don’t experiment on any of the champions,” Scott stated sternly.

  “Even if they want me to?” Orion giggled in response.

  Scott’s mouth hung open momentarily. Who in their right mind would want… He didn’t finish the thought. If there was one thing he was certain of, it was that countless beings scattered across the infinite timelines had eccentric personalities. It wasn’t far-fetched to think there was someone out there who would willingly volunteer for experimentation.

  “Just don’t do anything that will cause trouble with the examiner committee. That’s enough for me,” Scott managed to say.

  “That should be easy,” Orion replied, then swiftly changed the topic. “With that out of the way, what should I do with the champions?”

  You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

  Scott didn’t answer immediately. That’s true… Left to me, I’d kick all of them out without exception, but some of them might be beneficial to our cause, or could have some use as pawns, he considered.

  Gathering his thoughts, he responded. “Do whatever you feel is appropriate. I don’t mind as long as they don’t interfere with our activities.”

  Orion chuckled softly. “Alright. Loud and clear. I’ve got to go now—it’s my turn.” His giggles echoed through the private channel before the connection cut off.

  “I made the right decision, right?” Scott pondered aloud.

  He sighed softly and resumed his march. What’s done is done. I can only hope he doesn’t go overboard, Scott thought as he threw another piece of jerky into his mouth.

  He crossed another imperceptible barrier—one of many throughout his journey—and immediately came to a halt. His new surroundings seemed familiar: the same tarred road, the same towering walls stretching toward infinity. But this time, there were people. Lots of them.

  A cacophony of chatter, clinking metal, music, and bestial grunts filled his ears. His gaze swept over a mix of crudely constructed stalls and more professionally assembled ones. A host of items—foodstuffs, clothing, weapons, potions, and other wares both familiar and foreign—were displayed for eager champions perusing the marketplace.

  They built a market here? Scott instinctively summoned the map. The glowing projection revealed his location within the endless expanse. Oh… No wonder. This place is the border between five different unclaimed territories. He stowed the item away, shifting his gaze between the champions crowding the market. Beings of every imaginable race bartered, observed, or simply loitered.

  Who’s keeping this place in check? Scott pondered.

  One thing he knew for certain: beings with power rarely followed laws unless something—or someone—with even greater power was enforcing them. Following the dust trail, he moved forward at a languid pace, cautiously observing the champions as they bartered, argued, and haggled over goods.

  Occasionally, he glanced back at his starting position, noticing even more champions arriving. Many wore expressions of expectation, while only a few seemed surprised to stumble upon the market.

  I wonder what serves as currency here, Scott mused, stopping before a makeshift cart loaded with purplish vegetables. They resembled cabbages but were lined with thorns dripping honey-like liquid.

  “I’ll only trade the honey wraps for Nightgale Venom. Do you have any?” the stall owner asked, a dry smile plastered across his canine face.

  Scott studied the merchant briefly. Oh, so they use a barter system here, he realized. It made sense—value differed across races and timelines.

  “Well?” the canine pressed, his brows creasing in annoyance.

  “I’m just looking,” Scott replied.

  “Then fuck off,” the vendor snapped. “Don’t hog space from paying customers.” He spat on the ground, shooing Scott away with a flick of his paw. “Humans, always window-shopping,” he grumbled.

  Scott merely chuckled, shaking his head as he walked away. My control over my authority is improving. It seems others can now perceive me as I choose, he noted with a smirk, continuing forward.

  He passed by various exotic and bizarre items, never stopping long enough to admire any. The further he walked, the denser the champion population became. Stalls grew more refined and extravagant, and the nature of the champions themselves underwent a remarkable shift.

  The vast majority walked in large groups, proudly displaying banners or sigils of their factions. Others wore plain clothes or unmarked armor, seemingly intent on hiding their affiliations. Yet, despite the bustling activity, Scott still couldn’t determine who—or what—was maintaining order.

  The thought that there might be no law enforcement crossed his mind, but he quickly dismissed it with a chuckle.

  Ignoring the unfamiliar stores and champions, Scott followed the path the map had set for him, moving deeper into the market. Contrary to his expectations, the number of stalls dwindled the further he walked. And more curiously, the nature of the champions around him changed.

  Throngs of people walked side by side, neither speaking nor acknowledging each other, yet bizarrely in sync as they marched deeper into the market. Scott, his brows creased, accompanied them, still following the hidden trail guiding his path.

  The further they walked, the more the space before them widened. The distant walls seemed farther away, and the number of champions in the area increased by the second. While the majority swayed like mindless zombies, Scott recognized a few within the crowd who retained some semblance of sanity. However, they all wore stern and guarded expressions, especially those in large groups.

  Why do they all have the look of someone walking into a forbidden area? Scott pondered. He recalled his brief perusal of the map, noting the market’s placement between five unclaimed regions. From the looks of things, we’re definitely approaching somewhere dangerous… his gaze lingered on those walking beside him.

  Though none bore the same lucidity his eyes carried, they were all heavily armed. Anyone observing the massive group without context might assume they were an army marching toward conquest.

  They walked further still, and even more champions joined the massive crowd. Giants, titans, cyclops, ogres, trolls, and other colossal creatures became part of the procession, all walking in sync toward the same location.

  Scott, maintaining his position, continued following the stardust trail. Apart from the clinking of armor and the synchronized march of boots, no other sound echoed in the expansive space.

  I’m really curious to see what’s going on here, Scott thought. It doesn’t look like they’re under the effect of any authority. Could it be drugs? He pondered.

  At that moment, he subconsciously halted, mirroring the reaction of every single member of the massive procession. With heads raised, they all stared at a gigantic being clad in a simple yet luxurious white toga. A massive instrument hung around its neck, its fingers resting gently on the strings.

  Scott studied the behemoth. Aside from its simple attire and the instrument slung over its shoulder, it had no head. Instead, where a head should have been was a spinning vortex—a portal of some kind.

  Scott glanced at the surrounding champions, his brows furrowing slightly. They’ve all recovered, he noticed. The absentminded daze that had gripped them had vanished, replaced by something far more primal—fear.

  Averting his gaze from the champions, he focused on the stardust trail. It swirled into the air, drifting all the way into the ominous portal above the creature’s neck.

  This is supposed to be the safest route? Scott thought with a wry smile.

  At that moment, system notifications rang out across the area, and the familiar blue screen materialized before Scott.

  Scott read the notification. The same message appeared beside the champions standing near him.

  Scott’s features steeled. This is going to be fucking difficult… Anytime the system wished them good luck, something outrageously difficult followed.

  Suddenly, the gigantic being’s fingers glided across the strings, releasing a melodious echo akin to a zither’s song. One by one, without their own volition, champions began to levitate in rhythm with the haunting tune. Then—the portal swelled several times over, and a new notification appeared.