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Aric's feet dangled helplessly, but his smile never left his face. Even with his voice strained by Akun's grip, he managed to speak, his tone surprisingly calm. "If you want us to meet so badly, then join the Holy Knights and participate in the war against the demons," he rasped.

"I may not be sure when, but I'm certain we'll eventually encounter each other. As your feats on the battlefield make you known across the world."

Akun's grip tightened, his teeth gritting in frustration. "Do you think I'd just listen to you?" he replied, he could barely contain his anger.

Aric chuckled weakly, his smile remaining even under the intense pressure. "Master, please don't make things difficult for me. I am simply following the orders you gave me from the future," he said, he sounded both amused and sincere.

"If you have anyone to be angry at, it would be yourself. But I'd advise against that. After all, you are such a wonderful person—you are my master after all."

Akun's mind raced, processing Aric's strange words. The idea that he could have given orders from the future was both confusing and infuriating. He loosened his grip slightly, enough for Aric to catch his breath but not enough to let him go.

"What are my orders from the future?" Akun demanded, his eyes narrowing as he searched Aric's face for answers.

Aric took a shallow breath, his smile fading slightly but his eyes still glinting with a strange, knowing light. "Everything will become clear in time," he said softly. "For now, just remember that our paths are intertwined. Your destiny and mine are linked in ways you have yet to understand."

Akun's grip tightened further, the mechanical neck of the puppet starting to creak under the pressure. His voice was low and dangerously calm. "Boy, look, I don't have time for this. I want answers, and I want them now. What is your purpose for coming here? Who exactly are you to me?

How do we know each other? And lastly, what is going to happen that's so catastrophic that I would send someone to the past to handle it, instead of doing it myself?"

Aric, his voice now sounding more fragmented and strained, managed to speak. "Master, you're not making this any easier for me," he choked out. "You know what? Let's make this simpler. Pick one of those questions, and I'll give you the complete, complex truth about it. How does that sound?"

Akun's eyes narrowed further, he didn't belived what Aric was saying. "Are you seriously trying to bargain with me?" he growled, the frustration evident in his tone.

Aric's lips twisted into a faint smile, even as the pressure on his neck increased. "Ah, ah, ah," he wheezed, "time is ticking. You may have plenty, but this puppet doesn't. Its energy is limited, created solely to have this conversation and relay important information to you. If you keep dilly-dallying like this, its energy will run out before you get anything useful."

Akun's eyes flashed with a mix of rage and seriousness. He could sense the truth in Aric's words—this was no ordinary puppet, and its time was indeed limited. He took a deep breath, forcing himself to remain calm. The logical part of his mind told him to choose wisely, to get the most crucial information before the puppet's energy depleted.

Akun, his mind racing with the implications of the puppet's cryptic words, took a deep breath and steadied himself. "Alright," he began, his tone measured, "I want you to tell me about the future. What awaits me that I would have to send someone back to fix things?"

Aric's face seemed to frown slightly with pity as he prepared to reveal the secrets of the future. A slow, almost resigned smile spread across his lips. "The Selection Games."

"Master Akun, you are destined to participate in the Selection Games as the God of Chaos."

Akun's eyes narrowed, "Selection Games?" he echoed, wanting Aric to continue.

Aric nodded, his eyes reflecting a depth of knowledge that transcended the here and now. "Yes, the Selection Games. They are a cosmic event where deities and powerful beings from across the universe compete for dominance. You, as the God of Chaos, will participate in this game. You will engage in battles that reshape the very fabric of reality."

Akun's grip tightened as he listened, the weight of Aric's words sinking in. "And in these games," Aric continued, his tone darkening, "you will kill several Origin Gods, those who are fundamental to the balance of the universe. Your actions will plunge the cosmos into turmoil. Chaos will reign, and the God of Order will rise to restore equilibrium."
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"The God of Order?" Akun interrupted, his voice filled with both curiosity and dread.

Aric nodded again, his expression grave. "Yes, the God of Order. He will see you and everything connected to you as a threat to universal stability. With his immense power, he will hunt you down, determined to erase every trace of your influence."

Akun clenched his fists, a cold expression appearing on his face. "And I couldn't protect everything?" he asked, already suspecting the answer.

Aric's smile was filled with a sadness that seemed too profound for a mere puppet. "No, Master. Despite your power as the God of Chaos, you were not able to withstand the might of the God of Order."

"The future you face is one where you must find a way to awaken your full potential and secure new allies. But more than that, the universe itself will be unstable without the Origin Gods you will have slain."

He paused, allowing the gravity of his words to sink in. "To stabilize the universe, new vessels must be found—beings capable of holding the immense power and authority of the Origin Gods."

"This is why you sent us to the past. We are here not only to ensure that the changes you originally made are maintained but also to protect those who will become the new vessels for these divine †Authorities†."

"They must exist in the future so that you can bestow upon them the powers necessary to bring balance once again."