Otherworldly Message in a Bottle

Once Jiang Hao changed his approach, his thoughts grew clearer.

"There are many ways to get others to work for me. The best way is probably to establish an organization."

Sitting in his egg chair, Jiang Hao sorted through his ideas. "It won't need strict rules. As long as its members follow the principle of fair, voluntary exchange, I can get them to work for me."

If he wanted a book kept in some secret organization's collection, for example, he could ask a member to find it. That would save him time and spare him any danger involved.

All he would have to give in return was a resource that meant little to him.

"To establish an organization like that, I'll first need a secret place for meetings and trades."

"A dimensional space hidden between the folds of space would be perfect."

He rose from the egg chair.

The radiance of divine power surged from his body.

In an instant, he became a man wearing white ceremonial robes embroidered with gold, a crown upon his head.

"If mages of this world want to create a dimensional space of their own, they first have to find a relatively stable dimensional node. Then they draw elemental power from the Four Elemental Planes through the Weave to form the space, stabilize it with Lain Stone from the void beyond this world, and finally use a Dimensional Anchor to fix its coordinates so they don't lose contact with it."

"But I'm different. Someone with the authority of Creation knows how to create worlds by nature. It's as easy as drinking water. I may only occupy that authority rather than command it, but all I need to create right now is a tiny dimensional space."

"Creation!"

Jiang Hao invoked the authority of Creation.

A ring of silvery-white light suddenly appeared before him.

Inside it, earth, water, wind, and fire burst outward in every direction.

The elemental forces spread rapidly and soon struck the ring. Unable to break through, they bounced back and pressed against one another.

Jiang Hao raised his right hand and condensed a drop of divine power.

With a flick of his finger, he sent the drop into the ring.

The drop merged with the space inside. With a snap, the four elemental forces fell into order.

Within minutes, a dimensional space with wind, water, sunlight, and land was born.

"Now I have a secret place for meetings and trades. Next, I need to choose the members." Jiang Hao, still in the form of Amenominakanushi, thought rapidly.

"This world has many gods and many organizations tied to them. Churches and divine-blooded families are closely connected to the gods. They hold secrets even demigods don't know. Perhaps one of them has information about what the 'recognition' needed to command an authority actually is."

"My first members should come from those organizations. Only they can access secrets unknown to outsiders."

Jiang Hao pondered for a moment.

"I should rule out their prodigies first. Prodigies may have easier access to secrets, but they're also the rising stars of their churches or families, key members being groomed for the future. Many people watch them. The gods themselves might even be watching. Bringing them in could expose my organization, and I can't afford to abandon it before I learn what 'recognition' really means."

"I should rule out the stragglers too. They're looked down on, sometimes ignored or cast aside, and given no resources. That makes them easy to attract. But they aren't valued within their organizations, so they can hardly access secrets unknown to outsiders. If I gave one resources and helped him grow stronger, people would notice. Anyone with half a brain would wonder how someone abandoned for lack of talent had suddenly improved so quickly."

Thoughts flashed through Jiang Hao's mind until he settled on those who were fairly ordinary.

"Ordinary means common. It also means inconspicuous. Even if they grow stronger a little faster than expected, they won't draw much attention. And being ordinary doesn't mean they can't access secrets. After all, this world has people with powerful parents."

Still wearing his ceremonial robes, he went out and returned with a scroll.

It was a Wishcraft scroll containing a single spell that would grant the user's wish.

Of course, if the wish was too great—if the user wished to become a god, for instance, or wished for three more wishes—the result would deviate from what they intended.

The greater the wish, the greater the deviation.

If someone wished to become a god, Wishcraft would most likely turn them into the written word "god."

As Jiang Hao held the scroll, his intuition told him that a wish to learn what "recognition" meant would certainly go awry.

He tore the scroll gently, and it turned into a streak of white light that flew away.

"Does this count as an otherworldly message in a bottle?"

Sixth Avenue, Noble District, Kishinuel, capital of the Violet Kingdom.

"A set of coordinates?" Fiona Russell blinked, intrigued. The unknown coordinates had appeared out of nowhere, stirring in her the sudden thrill of an impending adventure.

"I'll ask my teacher for a Projection spell scroll and send my projection through. That way, even if I run into danger, I won't actually be harmed."

On the Blood War Battlefield in the Bottomless Abyss, Ieta Cavendish rested under the protection of a group of knights in silver half-armor. He wore white clerical robes, and despite the mountains of corpses and seas of blood around him, they remained spotless.

"Coordinates from the Main Plane?" Ieta Cavendish reached up and shook the crown on his head.

"Prophecy!"

A moment later, he murmured, "No danger... I can take a look."

Church of Knowledge headquarters, Graycastle.

Avram Krell rubbed the white light in his hand, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly. "The light of Wishcraft. Coordinates to a dimensional space..."

He stood, took a book from the shelf behind him, opened it to the fourth page, and tore the page out with a rip. He folded it into the shape of a little person.

When he released it, the little paper figure vanished into space with a whoosh, traveling toward the dimensional space marked by the coordinates.