Galaxy's First Ruler

Earth

The people were as busy as they were ever.

Doctors were still attending to the patients. Waiters were still serving the customers. And mothers were still waiting for their children to come home. Millions of people fell in love, and more had yet to understand this word's meaning.

Only a minor group of people in the world were cowering behind the prayers and wealth.

It was then that a piece of strange and terrifying news had surfaced on the internet and local news channels. The top Dreamers and big shots of the Governments knew it was impossible to hide such an event from the world. With the presence of the community of amateur astronomers, spread throughout the world, it would have been a foolish task.

Unfortunately, it was already too late.

2 days was the estimated time when the Asteroid would hit the Earth, wiping out all the viable life and the planet itself. This time wasn't even enough for this devastating news to reach all the ears and contemplate over what to do next. Those who understood this time's gravity were only a handful.

The World's powerful countries had come together to deploy a central team of scientists. The primary purpose of which was to see the continuation of the human race outside the planet, in the shortest time possible. Many hearts and minds were on the verge of breakdown with every passing second.

*

"Why have you come here, Baron Edmund?"

Edmund looked at the aged Director of the Thousand Faces Guild. He felt a weird sensation upon hearing the question, which seemed to compel him to answer it. Edmund had heard about Mr. Edwin, but he didn't find any outstanding qualifications about him. Contrary, the reports stated that Mr. Edwin was a normal man.

The fact of him being the Director of a Guild, with Masked Menace as its chairman, was alone worthy enough to throw those reports in the trash.

"I have found out that the Masked Menace and Boomie are raiding this Dungeon right now. I need a word with him."

The choice of Dungeon by the newly formed Guild had shocked Edmund. A memory of a common fist impacting his Class-specific Skill flashed through his mind. Edmund believed that with the help of Boomie, the weird Dreamer could complete all the Quests easily. But the itch in his heart couldn't wait for them to come out.

The moment he got to know the location, Edmund had come to New York and chanced upon Mr. Edwin, already waiting there.

"Word? You can pass on the information to me, Mr. Edmund. I would let the Chairman know about you."

Edmund shook his head and eyed the tall statue of the Bellerophon and the green pillar of light around it.

"I need to speak with him privately."

Edmund saw a slight smile on the old man's face. The black-suited Director went to the table at a corner and picked up a cup of black tea. An irresistible urge took over Edmund's emotions that made him go towards the table too. But his steps faltered, hearing Mr. Edwin's next words.

"Hmm! Is it related to the '31 Aroma'?"

"You…?"

The astonishment in Edmund's eyes was genuine and comical at the same time. Edmund could process the fact that somehow a hidden ace of the Masked Menace had found out about the asteroid. But even among the astronomers, the name of the asteroid was a puzzle.

Not because of the mystery behind the asteroid's origin, but because of the variation in its size. The 200 km wide Minor Planet had been enlarging as it rushed towards the Earth. It was near impossible to pinpoint its real name for anyone.

"How... How do you know about '31 Aroma'? It's classified information."

Edmund heard the low chuckle and found out the classified information wasn't as important to this old man as he thought it was.

"It's my job to know."

The explanation was simple, and that's why it was unordinary and unbelievable. Edmund took a deep breath and approached the old man, whose existence was becoming a mystery in his eyes with every moment.

"If you know about it, then why are you here and not with your family?"

"Baron Edmund, what good being with my family would do to me?"

Edmund himself couldn't find any point in spending the last period of his life with his family. It was time for him to do or die. But the old man in front of him, sipping the tea, had more to speak.

"You might think that you are here for answers, young man. But that might not be the case."

Edmund's mouth gaped, hearing the words out of Mr. Edwin's mouth, but before he could ask anything, the green pillar around the statue shook. He looked at the familiar scene as the pillar regained its original muddy-yellowish appearance. The space under the statue rippled as a blue portal opened up in front of the two men.

Edmund looked at the Masked Menace. The infamous Dreamer was carrying the previous 'Wall' of the Blazing Royal Guild on his shoulders. Edmund still couldn't get a read on the Masked Menace Rank. But the fluctuation of Mana originating out of Boomie reminded him of the top Dreamer in the entire world, Masumoto Sho.

'Baron...? How is this possible?'

Edmund saw an emerald glow flashing out of the eyeholes of the mask of the terrifying Dreamer. The surrounding air became as dense as mercury as it contorted his muscles. The shivers in Edmund's spine made his sight go blurry.

Edmund felt the change in the might of the Divine Sense that scanned him just now. The Masked Menace seemed even stronger from their previous encounter. His eyes couldn't help but fall on the Statue, and an absurd thought came upon his mind.

Edmund felt a hand on his shoulders and found Mr. Edwin standing by his side. The reverence in the old man's eyes, seeing his chairman, didn't go unnoticed by Edmund.

"Mr. Edmund, we both are here for the same reason...

... Because this is where Hope lies."