Reborn With the Infinite Gods System

Trisha's grip on Axel's hand tightened as she glanced at the swirling red portal in the distance. The swirling light pulsated ominously, its crimson hue casting eerie shadows on their faces. She clenched her jaw, her eyes betraying a mixture of anxiety and something else—something deeper, almost primal.

Axel turned his head slightly, catching her tense expression. "Is anything wrong?" he asked, his voice betraying only mild curiosity, though inside, his thoughts raced.

"Shut up," she shot back, her tone sharper than he expected. "I can sense your heartbeat. You're scared."

Her words sliced through Axel's calm façade like a knife, and his expression quickly shifted from composed to a tight, nervous stare. How could she tell? Was his guard slipping? Axel, who had faced monsters, kaiju, and the wrath of dimensions themselves, now found himself disarmed by a simple observation.

"What do you mean by that?" he managed, still trying to suppress the anxiety rising in his chest. "I'm just curious about the mission, that's all."

But his thoughts were elsewhere. *This can't be happening.* His mind kept circling back to what the Fates had told him. Was this mission part of the prophecy? Did it align with what was meant to unfold? He hated how it all seemed to click together, but still, some part of him refused to believe it. The army had to have ulterior motives.

After all, why explore unknown planets if there wasn't more to it?

A smile forced its way onto Axel's lips as he gently pulled his hand free from Trisha's. He made his way toward Loki, who stood in a corner, detached from the group and immersed in his own thoughts.

Waving lightly, Axel called out, "Do you feel it too? This... weirdness?"

Loki furrowed his brow, looking at Axel as though he had just asked an impossible question. "Weird? You'll have to be more specific. I have a long list of weird things about this mission."

"The mission," Axel clarified, his voice lowering. "What do you think of it?"

Loki's previously relaxed demeanor instantly shifted. His gaze darkened, his shoulders tensed, and he cast a quick glance over at the others. "I see," he began, his voice dropping to a murmur. "Don't let it bother you too much. You're not the only one who feels like this. Most of us suspect something's off, and that's why Kyota handpicked us.

But whatever it is, I'm sure the country leading these planetary raids has their true motives hidden deep. We'll find out soon enough, I'm sure of it."

But Loki's words lacked the conviction he tried to convey. Axel could hear the hesitation behind the confidence. Even Loki wasn't certain, which made Axel's unease all the more suffocating.

"Listen up, everyone!" a booming voice called out.

Commander Asher, standing in the middle of the room with a permanent scowl etched into his face, commanded their attention. His dark eyes flicked to the swirling portal behind him. "Before we enter, there are a few things I need to go over."

The room quieted as all eyes turned toward Asher. He pointed toward the portal, and its glow reflected ominously off his uniform. "This portal may be stable, but there are risks. If any glitches occur, you could be thrown off-course. If that happens, you might end up somewhere not too far from the facility on Rika Zero, but it could complicate the mission."

He gestured to a guard standing near the door. The man immediately approached with a black case in his hands. Without a word, the guard opened it, revealing rows of sleek metallic watches inside.

"These are your tracking devices," Commander Asher continued, lifting one for the group to see. "Each of you will wear one. These watches serve two purposes: tracking your location and uploading all the data we've gathered on Rika Zero. They're vital to the mission. Additionally, you will be operating under military protocol. I expect strict obedience.

This isn't a guild assignment anymore. You are soldiers now, and you'll behave as such."

Axel saw Thor stiffen at the words. The powerful hunter wasn't used to being commanded like a subordinate. He wasn't the only one. The others exchanged uncomfortable glances, clearly disliking the way Asher spoke to them.

"Also," Asher continued, his voice growing colder, "this portal operates on time displacement. The speed at which you enter will affect how long it takes for you to reach the other side. Walking through will delay you by five minutes. Running, however, will make the transition almost instant. I expect all of you to come through within the next five minutes."

Without further explanation, Asher strapped the watch to his wrist and dashed into the swirling red light. He vanished in an instant, leaving the rest of them standing in uneasy silence.

Josh Roark, the SS-ranked hunter, was the first to move. He put on the watch, his face unreadable as he followed Asher into the portal. One by one, the others began to follow—some more reluctantly than others. Axel stood back, watching the scene unfold. His heart raced, his instincts screaming at him to be cautious. Something was wrong.

He couldn't shake the feeling.

Everyone had gone through the portal now. Axel was the last one left.

*Velerium,* Axel called out mentally to his ancient companion, the being bound to his very soul. *Did you sense what I did? That energy from Josh Roark when he walked through the portal?*

Velerium materialized beside him, his ethereal form flickering as he stroked his chin thoughtfully. "I sensed nothing out of the ordinary," he replied, his voice calm yet tinged with uncertainty. "If it's there, it's beyond my perception."

Axel frowned but accepted Velerium's response. Still, doubt gnawed at him. Strapping the watch to his wrist, he crouched low, bracing himself before sprinting at full speed toward the portal. His heart pounded in his chest as the red light enveloped him, blinding him momentarily.

When the light faded, Axel stumbled into an unfamiliar atmosphere—a sterile, futuristic room made entirely of gleaming metal. Soft silver lights lined the arched ceiling, casting an eerie glow across the space. The room was quiet. Too quiet.

Axel's eyes were drawn downward, and dread instantly flooded his veins. Bodies. Scattered across the cold, metallic floor were the motionless forms of his comrades. Trisha, Thor, Loki… even Josh Roark, the legendary SS-ranked hunter. All of them lay unconscious, their powerful bodies limp and defenseless.

Axel's breath caught in his throat as his eyes darted around the room, scanning for any signs of an enemy. He could feel his heart hammering in his chest, his muscles tensing as he prepared to fight.

But before he could react, a sudden tightness gripped his lungs. The air seemed to thin, and Axel struggled to draw in a breath. His vision blurred, the edges of the room fading into darkness.

The last thing Axel saw before his world went black was Commander Asher standing at the far end of the room, a white filtration mask covering his face. The mask gleamed in the dim light as Asher calmly surveyed the scene, untouched by whatever had rendered the others unconscious.

"We've captured th—" Asher's voice became muffled, indistinguishable, as Axel's consciousness slipped away.

*Damn... I didn't see it coming. I should have trusted my instincts from the start.*

Axel's last thought before everything went dark: *We've been betrayed.*