The ascent into Heaven was blinding.
Not metaphorically.
Not spiritually.
Physically blinding.
Charlie stepped through the portal without hesitation, wings fluttering comfortably in the divine atmosphere.
Max stepped through and immediately squinted like someone had thrown a sun at his face.
"Jesus—!" he hissed. "Who designed this lighting? It's like a truck full of holy LEDs!"
His suit shimmered under the pressure of sanctity. The fabric reacted like a living thing, adjusting, resisting, refusing to burn.
They walked through a hallway of white-gold marble so polished it reflected futures that didn't belong to them. Every step echoed like a promise being recorded.
At the center chamber waited Adam.
Feet on the table.
Food in hand.
Radiating chaos like an overcaffeinated frat angel.
He squinted at Max.
"So," Adam said, chewing. "You brought a sinner into Heaven. How the hell'd you manage that?"
Charlie opened her mouth—
Adam stood up.
Music hit.
"Oh no," Max whispered.
"Please don't—"
Too late.
Adam burst into song.
Backup angels materialized from nowhere. Choreography erupted. The room filled with smug energy so dense it could suffocate.
Max stood there deadpan.
Charlie clapped politely.
Of all the memories he'd retained, Max thought bitterly, I really hoped I'd skip the damn songs.
But something was wrong.
His memories blurred.
Two lifetimes overlapping like mismatched film reels.
His temples throbbed.
Reality shimmered.
Then he noticed the angels.
In Adam's shadow, several had broken formation.
They circled silently.
Halos tilted.
Blades drawn.
Only a handful of angels knew the truth about him.
These weren't those angels.
A sword hovered inches from his spine.
Time stopped.
Adam froze mid-lyric.
Charlie froze mid-breath.
The angels locked in place like statues carved from light.
The air bent.
A figure descended.
Radiance shifting through colors that didn't exist.
Wings unfolded in numbers that refused to stay counted.
Forms layered over forms.
Impossible.
Familiar.
"…God?" Max whispered.
His body flickered. His true form pushed against the edges of reality before he forced it down.
The being smiled gently.
"Hello, Max," God said. "Officially, it's been a very long time for me. For you… a few days, I think?"
Max swallowed.
"You know."
"Of course I know," God said, conjuring a chair and sitting like this was a casual meeting. "This timeline was altered without my approval. Reincarnation administrators are supposed to file paperwork before inserting souls and rewriting continuity."
Max's eye twitched.
He remembered the administrator saying he wanted to get fired.
This tracked.
"So," Max sighed, "you're here to delete me. Reset everything. Fix the damage."
He summoned the harem contract, fingers tightening like he meant to tear it.
If this wasn't earned, he didn't want it.
His hands wouldn't move.
God laughed softly.
"No, no," he said. "You misunderstand. Yes, I could erase you. Instantly. I chose not to."
Max blinked.
"Why?"
God leaned forward, smiling.
"Because I like the idea of having a brother."
The words landed heavy.
"You aren't trying to conquer Hell," God continued. "You're trying to live. To love. You're engaged to my granddaughter. Regardless of how you arrived here, your feelings are real. You experienced them. You earned them."
A scroll materialized between them.
"So," God said, "I have a deal."
Max stared.
"A deal. With God."
"Don't sound so nervous," God said, amused. "It's a good one. I'll formalize what the administrators tried to give you. I'll add a portion of my power so we're equals in essence. True siblings. I'll fabricate a contract explaining your Overlord status and your abilities."
He tapped Max lightly on the forehead.
"And I've removed your true identity from every mind in creation. Except Bee. She liked you the way you were."
Max exhaled shakily.
"So what do you want?"
"Nothing dramatic," God said. "Don't overthrow Heaven. Don't derail the main beats too much. Adam and Vox are fair game — they ruin everything anyway. But let certain events breathe."
His grin turned mischievous.
"And I want a wedding invitation. No exceptions. It's been ages since I attended a family event."
A pen appeared.
Max laughed breathlessly.
"Fine. Deal."
He signed.
God brightened instantly.
"Perfect. Now — your gifts."
A glass orb formed in his hands.
Galaxies rotated inside.
Possibilities screamed silently.
"The administrators asked me to deliver this," God said. "The one who reincarnated you was fired, by the way. His gifts came with glitches. Since they weren't formally assigned… they can't be revoked. But as a gift to replace your lost wish, you get the powers of Anos and all from his universes"
He handed Max the orb.
Power exploded.
Timelines poured through him.
Universes layered over his bones.
Every version of himself echoed at once.
He gasped and forced his mind back into a single body.
"This is… too much," he whispered. "It's incredible, but—"
"You'll adapt," God said gently. "And here."
A document appeared.
"Your Overlord contract. Immunity to angelic weapons while in heaven, divine force, and Heavenly law. A perfect explanation."
God stood.
"I should go. Enjoy yourself, Max. And remember the invitation."
Light folded inward.
God vanished.
Time resumed.
The angel's blade completed its swing.
It struck Max's back—
—and shattered like glass.
He straightened slowly as divine light broke across him like water.
He smiled.
Calm.
Certain.
"Alright," Max murmured.
"Now it begins."