"One year?"
"It'll take one year on Terra for my divine power and the favor of the stars to locate me and arrive?"
Lake stared at the data displayed on the interface and the rough time estimate, letting out a bitter laugh.
What had he spent countless efforts and even ten thousand years trying to achieve by returning to Earth?
Sure.
There was the homesickness of a wanderer in his blood, but more than that, it was because of a saying—an ancient king once said, "Returning home without wealth and honor is like walking in fine robes at night..."
But now?
Not only had he returned to the wrong Earth, but he was being told that his immense power hadn't come back with him and would be delayed by a whole year?
What was this nonsense?
Was this some kind of game? Forcing his max-level character to play the newbie in a beginner's village?
Lake's face darkened, "Agatha, are you sure you didn't miscalculate?"
Agatha replied, "Based on the data recorded in the existing database, there are three known outer universes in Valoran's records. I just calculated it based on the route we took, but this place isn't in the database. Also, sir, your estimate of when you woke up was off."
"...What do you mean?"
"In Terra's time, we encountered the spacetime turbulence ten years ago, not recently as you assumed."
"...Ten years ago? What year is it on Terra?"
"1995 on Terra, roughly between April and July. My database didn't capture information from this period."
"1995."
"Yes."
"..."
Lake lowered his head in thought. 1995. What happened on Marvel Earth that year that could've caused spacetime turbulence?
Wait, didn't the Marvel storyline start in 2008? What the heck was there in 1995?
...Hold on.
Nothing?
Fur?
Cat!
Flerken?
Captain Marvel?
Lake recalled Captain Marvel's storyline, especially the scene where she physically withstood a spaceship. He sucked in a sharp breath.
No need to guess—it must've been that moment. Captain Marvel's attack shook spacetime, and then when the Kree jumped away, it stirred it further. The two actions collided like ripples, ultimately causing him, an innocent bystander, to face a sudden burst of spacetime turbulence.
Great.
Who the heck did he piss off? All he wanted was to return home in glory. Was this really necessary? What was this—a fire at the city gates bringing disaster to the fish in the moat?
Son of a—!
Lake's mind erupted in frustration.
Over by the door, Michaela, who had just mocked Lake for being a weak god, seemed to relax completely now.
After all.
A guy who couldn't even block one swing of her bat—what could he do, even if he was a god?
Michaela glanced at her wristwatch and said to Lake, "Alright, time's up. You should go. I've got class tomorrow morning."
Lake snapped back and looked at her.
Michaela stepped aside, "Make sure to close the door on your way out. If the police show up, I'll tell them you already ran off."
Lake nodded at Michaela, "Thanks."
With that.
Lake prepared to step out.
But...
After opening the garage-like shutter door on the first floor, Lake blinked at the night outside, then turned back to Michaela, who was standing on the second floor, forcing a smile, "Lady, I think I need to borrow some money from you."
Lake felt helpless. Could he be blamed for this? If his divine power and the stars' blessing had arrived with him, borrow money? Please—he'd be sleeping in the White House tonight.
But now?
His so-called divine status was practically mortal. Agatha also needed time to figure out how to bypass the basic rules set by Heimerdinger. If he left now, where would he sleep?
A hotel?
No money.
The streets?
Ha, you're insulting a god. Back in the day, even at his lowest, most desperate moment, Lake had claimed the entire Reese Star for himself...
Michaela, standing on the second floor with her arms wrapped around the baseball bat, laughed, "Aren't you a god?"
Lake said without hesitation, "As my companion just explained, there's been a little mishap. But if you lend me some money today, I'll make you a promise in return—one from a god."
Michaela snorted, shook her head, and turned to head back into her room on the second floor.
Lake, standing by the shutter door, gave a self-deprecating smile. He didn't think Michaela was mocking or ignoring him. He was a god—a great god—not some devil or trickster.
Lake sighed. Fine, he'd take it one step at a time.
"...Wait!"
Lake, half out the shutter door, turned back. Michaela, standing by the second-floor railing, pursed her lips and said, "I don't have money, but if you don't mind sleeping on the couch, you can stay there for the night."
Lake flashed a smile, "Thanks."
"You're welcome."
Michaela tapped the railing with one hand. Just as she was about to turn back into her room, she seemed to remember something and said to Lake below, "By the way, my name's Michaela."
Lake's smile widened, "Lake, Lake Reese, the God of Miracles. When my divine power and the stars shine upon me again, you, Michaela, will ascend to godhood under my blessing."
In the Valoran universe, only three beings could grant blessings and raise others to godhood, and Lake was one of them. He had drunk the dragon blood of the Star Forger Dragon King and received the blessing of the stars. Theoretically, he could elevate as many people as there were stars in the Valoran universe.
After all, the Star Forger Dragon King had gone off to the undisturbed chaos to craft new stars, essentially handing his power over to Lake...
But!
Michaela just shrugged and smirked, "Thanks, but I'm not interested in weak gods."
Lake's lips twitched at her words, a mix of amusement and exasperation.
If the Hand of Noxus heard that, he'd probably have a mental breakdown. There was a time when that guy subjected Lake to three days and nights of the guillotine. In the end, his axe dulled, and Lake didn't lose a single hair...
So, if that guy found out his prized axe couldn't match a baseball bat, would he just collapse on the spot?
Still, thoughts aside, Lake, the God of Miracles, didn't make promises lightly. But once made, he never took them back.
Lake looked at Michaela as she turned away and said calmly, "Time and this day will bear witness. When that moment comes, Michaela, you will shed your mortal form and rise to godhood under my blessing."
Michaela waved a hand without looking back, "Whatever, good night."
A god?
A weakling who couldn't even block a single swing of a baseball bat?
Sorry.
I, Michaela Vicks, have zero interest in becoming such a pathetically weak god!
...