The atmosphere turned solemn with Sam's serious expression.

"What exactly did he do there?

"

Noah asked Kumar. She is the only one not too worried about speaking out of line. In a way she is closer to Sam than Kumar, because she understood Sam more than Kumar. They have the mutual respect that created that bond.

With Kumar and Sam, it is typical guy friendship, that developed because they were in the same situation since the start. They do respect each other, but it is a bit different compared to Noah and Sam.

That is also the reason why, Noah acted much bolder with Sam even when the rest of the players were walking on egg shells around him.

Kumar sighed and took out a recording crystal.

Noah played the video of the planet. What she saw made even her, who saw destruction of all proportions to gasp in shock. The whole planet is barren. There is not a sign of vegetation. The video showed different locations on the planet.

The snow fields are not like normal snowfields they are in a state of storm but not with just normal snow, but with the ice elemental energy, wrecking havoc and in the centre of that storm lied the tower that Sam placed.

Then there is the desert. The storm of wind and earth elemental energy destroyed everything, she could see the corpse of a person that got stuck in the storm, he was recently dead and she could see both the energies running rampant over that body.

The forest area is not a forest area anymore. The vegetation is dead despite the wood elemental energy ran rampant.

Volcanoes, seas, everything is just like that. Except for the few cities that housed the whole population the rest of the planet is suffering from constant elemental storms.

Kumar started explained as Noah and Arkiv watched the video.

"The elemental storms became a constant phenomenon. Except for two small time gaps where the storms will calm down, the rest of the time the storms just run rampant. Very few people could barely endure the storm and even they cannot survive it for a long time.

The only place that doesn't have storms is the mountain area.

"

The video changed and they could see the Mountain where the Priestess and her daughter lived along with the rest of the temple's forces.

"The mountain is the only place with vegetation and forests. That is the only source for any form of nutrition available for the rest of the cities and now this nutrition became valuable because the cultivators are unable to absorb the atmospheric energy because of the storms.

Even in that gap when the storms stopped, they are unable to do much.

The energy takes a long time to stabilize, the cultivation level of a whole planet has stagnated beyond repair. As if that is not enough, a new disease became active in the planet. It looked like a form of Energy Poisoning, but it showed symptoms are different to a normal poisoning or corrosion situation

/

They are trying their best to survive.

The worst part is this planet doesn't have any connections to the other worlds. There is only one path and that is currently experiencing a spatial storm that started ages ago.

They have nowhere to go and there is no way to solve this problem. They have to go out and try to destroy the towers, but they were unable to do that too.

"

Noah just kept staring at the video even after Kumar was done explaining the situation.

"What exactly did they do to deserve this?

"

Arkiv asked. He is not asking in a self-righteous tone, as if to question Sam's moral integrity, he knew better than that. And he has done a lot of bad things himself. None of the players are exactly saints.

Sam didn't even get to answer his question before Kumar did.

"They betrayed him.

That was Sam's war with nature planet. The people of this planet got a curse from Olympian gods, the gods used nature as a medium and descended up on this planet to deal with them. Sam stood there and fought back.

There are almost no casualties in that war.

As usual, he passed the test with flying colors.

"

Kumar passed as he looked at Sam with a smile before continuing.

"However, these people wanted to take away Sam's technology and tried to poison him. So, he went ahead and planted these towers before he left.

At least, that is what Karthikeya and Priestess told me.

"

"Who is the Priestess that you are going on about?

"

Noah asked all of a sudden making Kumar smile wryly.

"She is a friend of Karthikeya and she was the strongest person on that planet. She is also only person that didn't have a conflict with Sam because of Karthikeya's information. Sam stayed with her in that temple when he was there.

"

Noah nodded, but still gave Kumar a warning glance.

Sam who stayed silent for a while looked at Kumar and asked.

"So, what is the personal favor that you want? Is it to deactivate the towers?

"

Kumar pursed his lips and nodded.

"Why are you asking this from me? Did Karthikeya put you up to this?

"

"No, not really. We did discuss it because I asked him about your progress. He was a bit distressed by what happened. As I said, Priestess is his friend and it is her home planet, so it is all a bit complicated. He did say that it would be great if you could forgive them, but he also said that he cannot ask that of you.

"

"Well, I did warn them about cross me like that and I did tell them there would be consequences.

"

Sam muttered as he sighed.

"Couldn't you have talked about this after we celebrated? You sucked the joy out of this reunion.

"

Sam complained and then said.

"If I do this, you owe me big time and I need a massive repayment from that planet. You will be responsible for handling that payment for me.

"

Kumar looked at him in surprise.

"You agreed that easily?

"

"What can I do? I can't have you bitch and whine for the rest of your stay in the Academic realm, can I? From what I can see, we might even stay here for a few decades.

"

"Thank you.

" Kumar replied with a smile.

"Yeah, yeah. I am sure it will helpful for you to kiss Karthikeya's ass.

"

Sam said as he gave a wrist band to Kumar and sent a document. A screen popped in Kumar's wrist band as he looked at the contents.

Those are all the conditions that Sam had.

"What the **?

" He couldn't help but curse out loud as he looked at the conditions.

"You are prepared for this?

"

"Of course, I have long prepared the conditions for their release. After betraying me, that planet has only two options, one is to be useful to be while being alive or be useful to me while being dead.

The poisoning that you saw is one such phenomenon. I won't reveal all the details to you, all I can tell you is that the current situation is basically me grooming them into the final products that I can reap after some time.

Right now, all I did was give them the conditions that should have endured after the disaster stuck. If they want release from it, they better agree to these terms and you will be responsible for making sure all these conditions are met and if they didn't meet any, you should be the enforcer that metes the punishment for them and compensation to me.

"

"But…

" Kumar wanted to say something, but Sam interrupted.

"Kumar, I consider you my friend, but you are the one who brought up the topic of me forgiving someone who screwed me over, so you should be taking responsibility.

Do you think I would have just agreed to leave them alone even with these harsh conditions if anyone else asked me?

I prepared this list only for Karthikeya because he was the only one I would have considered, but our friendship is equivalent to Karthikeya's god status.

You know me. You have seen me grow and you know what I would have originally done. This is the best I can do.

"

Sam didn't talk anymore and just stood up to leave.

"You can have lunch. It is on me.

"

He walked out of the room. Arkiv looked at both of them before patting Kumar's shoulder.

"Think before you make a decision, buddy.

"

He followed Sam out.

Noah and Kumar were left alone there.

"You think I messed up my friendship with him?

"

Kumar asked.

Noah stayed silent for a moment and asked.

"What would you have done if you were betrayed by someone and Sam came to ask you to forgive them? Not just normal betrayal, what if they tried to kill you, would you easily be able to forgive them? What will you think of Sam then? The one who considered your friend is asking you to forgive someone who tried to kill you.

On top of that, Sam actually saved their planet from disaster. You remember the war with nature situation. You know how difficult it is. And Sam has to fight against the gods in that. Be it for the game, but the direct beneficiaries are that planet's people.

They are saved because of him. They almost lost no lives because of him. How do you expect him to react after such betrayal?

In my opinion, Sam has mellowed down a lot.

Do you remember what he did to that clan back in Desolate? The one that kidnapped one of his teammates? He slaughtered all of them with his own hands.

The Black Water Organization? He uprooted it on his own when even an empire had a hard time dealing with it, that is just for the grudge a friend of his held on that organization.

Usain sect, he burned it to the ground because another one of his friends had a problem with it.

He basically changed the landscape of the Desolate, because of his friends, and now some people whom he saved while incurring the wrath of gods on himself tried to kill him in cold blood.

What do you think he would have done if he was just like before?

In my opinion, he mellowed a lot.

He just gave them the disasters that he had taken away from them.

"

"So, I did indeed commit a mistake.

"

"I wouldn't say that. What I would say is that I wouldn't have asked him for such a thing if I were you.

"

Noah sighed as she said it. Arkiv is a friend to them all, but he values Sam more because of how Sam saved his life back in the Palace of Inheritance.

They shared a deeper bond.

So, he decided to leave Kumar and go to Sam in this situation. Noah cannot do that.

She loved Kumar and just one mistake against a friend wouldn't make her leave him. She held him tightly as they sat there for a while before both of them left.

Sam felt a bit disappointed when Kumar placed such a proposal in front of his face. He was in a unique situation. With all the things they have been through, it felt inappropriate to let Kumar go and he even felt maybe Karthikeya prompted him to do that.

However, Kumar should have it in him to not ask Sam about this. But he did anyway. So, he could only do this. He will give him what he wants. And for now, he should have some space between both of them.

Arkiv caught up with Sam and asked.

"So, how are things? That thing called hub, is it your doing?

"

He asked with a smile. Sam also smiled and nodded.

"Who else could make it?

"