ã€ŠFallen God decides to live a littleã€‹


 Universal Foundations (Prologue)

    It started with a spark.

    The universe was created by the hands of the first being.

    It was called the Creator, it had no name but had one purpose and it was to create.

    With intense purpose, it created the first creatures.

    These creatures were more monster-like than creature-like and they contained extreme power and brutality.

    These engines of destruction were called the felbeasts for they had no true purpose but to exist and never die.

    Utterly undying and devoid of physical weakness, the felbeasts adapted in the void.

    Disappointed, the creator continued creating.

    Without having the ability to compare his ideas with other intelligent creatures, he simply allowed hisunfathomable thoughts to manifest, which resulted in the voidlings.

    These creatures had incomprehensible forms and their first act was to try and destroy the felbeasts but these two creatures were too powerful so none of them could be truly erased.

    Seeing their seizing bodies and writhing forms, the creator was starting to lose hope but he persisted.

    He continued.

    The felbeast was the peak of physical capability and the voidling was the peak of mental capability, so this time, the creator would create something within both of them, which is the soul.

    Mixing essence from the felbeast and voidling, the creator formed the life hounds.

    The life hounds were giant monstrous four legged beings that hungered for souls. It had a physical body capable of standing against the felbeasts and minds capable of clashing with the voidlings but an excruciatingly empty vessel. Unlike the past creatures which acted on instinct, the life hounds were simply mad. They hungered for souls and would do anything to devour them from other creatures. Just like the felbeasts and voidlings, the life hounds also entered in an eternal cycle of fighting.

    Utterly distraught, the creator tried to create more but he could not create beautiful and intelligent creatures.

    No matter what it did, it kept creating horrible creatures that all resembled the first three.

    The first three were the strongest in terms of power and ferocity.

    An untold amount of time has passed and the Creator looked at all of its creations.

    They were horrendous and pitiful.

    It created beasts that had no beauty, no purpose and it felt utterly empty so it stopped creating.

    The creator pined for something.

    It wanted to create something with meaning, something with life, something that was worth existing for and something with purpose.

    It knew that it itself was not enough, so with effort, it started to cut itself into multiple parts so that its parts could create something beautiful that they could share.

    With its first action it cut away its mind, giving birth to Branac, whom is presently called the primordial God of Knowledge and Wisdom.

    Branac is the head of the gods.

    The creator then gouged out its eyes to give life to Elyis, the Primordial Goddess of sight and truth.

    Elyis is the omniscient the judge of the gods.

    The creator tore his mouth away and it turned to Mountus, the Primordial God of music and lies

    Mountos is the shadow of the gods and he took care of the horrible acts that the gods must not do.

    With great effort, the Creator then ripped his right and left arm who then respectively turned to Remries and Demries, the Goddess of war and weapons and the Goddess of peace and defense, respectively.

    Remries is the greatest weapon of the gods.

    Demries is the greatest defense of the gods.

    The Creator''s heart which did not have a use was split into two opposing but still important parts.

    The two parts became Azael, the Demonic God, and Ragos the God of mortals.

    Azael gained the aspect of static eternity and order while Ragos gained the everchanging mortality and chaos of the Creator.

    These two would then fulfill the Creator''s wishes by creating the meaningful and beautiful creatures it long so desired.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    Lastly the soul and power of the Creator gave birth to Magnus the Primordial God of magic and power. Magnus was the most similar to the Creator in the way that he wants to create a meaninful existence for him and others.

    He would determine the limitations and powers of the universe.

    Without the main parts, the Creator finally died and whatever was left of it came to fill the universe.

    The torso which didn''t have the power to become a primordial god transformed to the home of the gods, called the well of creation.

    The Primordial gods used the Creator'' bones which held great power to create the most powerful seals which held the first beings created by the Creator within the void.

    The many internal organs transformed into the many planes and worlds of existence. Each plane held different rules. These came to be called parallel worlds but they were mostly ignored by the Primordial deities.

    The most notable one is the mortal plane which consisted of a massive planet surrounded by one sun and 6 moons.

    The Primordial gods used the Creator''s skin and transformed it into a veil which separated the well of creation and the mortal plane.

    With nothing left from the Creator, the Primordial gods went to work.

    With the advice and command of Branac, Magnus fashioned the many laws of the mortal plane, which the other worlds also followed, albeit with some small differences.

    The Primordial gods accelerated time and created a beautiful lush world filled with life but had no inhabitants.

    Azael went first and created a single but powerful race, the demons.

    The demons were similar to Azael. They developed a strict heirarchy birthed from blood and position. They followed strict rules and destroyed those that did not follow or emulate their example. Since Azael only created one race, the demons were absurdly powerful and had innate talent that surpassed most races. It was only stunted by their strictness and crippling order but it was supported by their group effort and their natural immortality.

    Ragos who had great passion, went second and created hundreds of races, each one being unique in their own ways.

    Ragos created the elves first.

    Ragos wanted to make something similar to the demons but he could not, since he was planning on creating multiple races.

    The elves had Ragos'' passion for life and they were to be the caretakers of the natural world. To help them with this, they were given a very long life span and was blessed with great talent in magic.

    He then created the dwarves.

    The dwarves were long-lived and stubborn but they inherited Ragos'' love for creation and they took it in their own hands to mold the world in their own way, which ironically made them a natural enemy of the elves, who wished to preserve the world.

    His last major creation was humanity.

    Humans inherited all the chaos and passion Ragos had but because of this they were short-lived. They were ambitious and dreamt to create and surpass all the other races. Because of their chaos, humanity did not stick to one stereotype and followed many kinds. This variety allowed them to conquer much of the known world.

    Ragos created more creatures but these three are the most important and influential.

    Once the world was filled with creatures, the will to create started to burn inside the other Primordial gods.

    Remries and Demries who had great affinity with combat created the many magical metals that fill the world.

    Separately they created powerful armaments that every nation would wage war for.

    Remries forged powerful and deadly weapons capable of upturning mountains while Demries forged extremely durable and unbreakable artifacts that could catch meteors and leave their user completely unharmed.

    Because of this feat, they gained the title of the Goddesses of the forge. Dwarves lovingly call them the sisters of the forge.

    Elyis created the laws of morality and immorality which had dictated whether the actions of one was either good or evil.

    With Magnus'' help, Elyis also created concept magic. Magic that connected one to a concept they firmly believe in.

    Mountus on the other hand molded a hellish plane of existence that is the counterpart of the well of creation. While Mountus dealt with the distasteful part of godhood, he did it all for the sake of greater good. This hellish plane was punishment and a prison to those who commited great evil in the mortal plane.

    Magnus had a flare for amazing and big things so with his power, he created a race imbued with so much power that they could be called the first mortal gods, the dragons.

    Majestic, powerful and flowing with enormous power, the dragons almost wiped out the world and the Primordial gods had to intervene.

    Limitations were put on the power of dragons. Their power relied entirely on their age but the growth was slowed down. Their original power was absurd and they continued to grow at an insane rate so the Primordial gods had to limit their power. They also put other limitations and made it easier for the bloodlines of dragons to be diluted by other races so weaker variants would appear. Eventually, they were satisfied.

    The Primordial gods created more and more until they felt satisfied. When they were finally done they left the world to its own devices and watched it from the shadows.

    Despite the primordial gods being done with the world, Magnus was not yet done and he still wanted to create more.

    Realizing his mistake from the dragons, Magnus noticed that the other races were significantly weaker than their stronger counterparts. Demons could kill humans by the dozen with a flick of a finger and dragons could destroy nations with a single breath attack.

    To ensure that everyone has a chance of climbing up in the world, Magnus with the help of Remries and Demries created powerful skills that would give them an edge in combat.

    With Branch and Ellis'' genius, Magnus created magic, alchemy, ritual magic, witchery and concept magic.

    But this wasn''t enough, Magnus with the help of the other Primordial gods, created powerful beings that governed lesser concepts and almighty dragons that would protect mortals and even create contracts that give strength and power.

    When everything was done and well, Magnus felt satisfied and happy for his creations, so like his siblings, he went away to watch the world unfold.

    But this happiness didn''t last.

    Magnus felt jealous.

    He didn''t feel jealous of his siblings but instead, he felt jealous of his creations.

    What else was there to do?

    Why did he feel this yet his siblings were not affected.

    Did the Creator set this upon him?

    Or did he inherit it?

    He wanted to feel what It meant to strive for something.

    He didn''t want everything on a whim or in a snap of his fingers but being a god didn''t leave one a lot of options.

    Paired with true immortality and a lot of capabilities such as unassailable power, Magnus was truly a part of the strongest beings in the universe.

    And this is why he finds the mortals, particularly the weaker ones, endearing. Magnus finds that fighting for something was much more meaningful and beautiful than being born with it.

    Despite all his power and anger, Magnus couldn¡¯t do anything about it and for millenniums he continued to be jealous and then angry, then he became absolutely despondent to the point where he lost caring for anything.

    What Magnus didn¡¯t know is that in the next millennium, his wish will be granted but with a very horrible price.

 Chapter 1: The fallen rises up (part 1)

    Within the well of creation, the God of Magic and Power, Magnus, was currently being stared at the eyes by his sister Elyis, the Goddess of Sight and Truth.

    "...."

    It would''ve been completely fine if not for the fact that Elyis'' eyes can pierce through anyone''s mind and see their truest thoughts.

    Sigh... This is going to be one of those days again huh?

    ¡°You¡¯re feeling somber again.¡±

    Elyis spoke as a matter of fact when talking about Magnus'' emotions.

    She''s true... But I''ll never admit it. It doesn''t matter anyway.

    I sink on my comfortable chair while Elyis is sitting up straight.

    ¡°Elyis you¡¯ve been doing this for more than 2000 years, you ask me every day, don¡¯t you get tired of doing the same thing over and over again¡±

    I asked my dear sister the same question I asked her yesterday. But as expected, she replies the same thing she said yesterday.

    ¡°Brother Magnus it is my purpose, I enjoy doing this, you could say that I was made for this very exact purpose."

    Elyis said this while releasing her divine aura.

    You¡¯re releasing your divine aura.

    That isn¡¯t exactly something to be proud of.

    ¡°It is something to be proud of brother Magnus. While I am not currently watching over the mortal plane, I can serve my role as the Creator¡¯s eyes and use it in other ways.¡±

    Elyis continues releasing her divine aura.

    ¡°Well can¡¯t you see that I¡¯m tired of you seeing me.¡±

    I had stressed that out, I¡¯ll die if she doesn¡¯t stop this stupid hobby of hers.

    Well, I can''t really die, primordial gods can''t die.

    ¡°You can¡¯t die, none of us can die¡±

    She repeats my very thoughts.

    It¡¯s true that none of us can die but only Elyis knows I¡¯ve been dying in the inside for thousands of years.

    I find this omnipotent state to be boring and purposeless.

    ¡°You really are the most peculiar out of all of us. Why is it that all of us are satisfied with our own nature and own devices, yet you are always restless. What about the mortals do you envy?¡±

    I perk up from the seat.

    She¡¯s asking for an answer, this is a first.

    Don¡¯t tell me that she did not think of this in the past 2000 years.

    ¡°Can¡¯t you just read my thoughts, you are the Goddess of truth after all."

    I already know the answer, but my answer to her question is so petty, it might seem like a child complaining to his mother.

    ¡°I can only see the surface layer of your thoughts. You are still my brother and I need to respect that, I cannot peer into your inner thoughts without you giving me permission or¡­.. I force myself in."

    That last part sends chills down my spine. I sometimes forget that my sisters and brothers are capable of literally remaking reality at the snap of a finger.

    ¡°Brother I don¡¯t intend to scare you, I am simply stating the facts."

    She¡¯s completely staring at me now, she really wants an answer.

    Sighs

    "I envy¡­. Not their mortality, but I envy the freedom to build something for themselves and to look forward to it"

    Elyis is looking at my face with pity.

    Do I really look pathetic?

    ¡°I do not understand, we are the Primordial gods, we were the first builders and we created the very foundations of the universe, is this not something we should look forward too? After all, we still have to guide them behind the shadows.¡±

    While stifling a groan, I think to myself.

    This is why I didn''t want to tell you. You wouldn''t understand.

    The primordial gods are all extremely complicated beings and each one of us have minds equivalent to the most advanced supercomputers but because of this, we act simple.

    This simplicity is annoying.

    Other than Mounts, every single one of the primordial gods is so simpleminded.

    I guess Elyis is simpleminded too. Even the high gods and lesser ones are more interesting than them.

    Is it because they were once mortals?

    Elyis suddenly frowns at me.

    Oops, she might''ve felt that.

    I snap my fingers and a beautiful female with the most perfect assets come to life and she looks at me lovingly. She tries to seduce me with her actions.

    Elyis takes notice of her but just like me, we ignore her.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    I snap my finger again and this time a beautiful and elegant blade made of the most powerful metals appear. This weapon can already reach legendary levels but I created it with one snap.

    With one last snap, they all disappear once more.

    ¡°Do you understand now?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s to understand, we can already have the finest things in our eternal life, what is to understand about the mortals that have to start from scratch before they reach the top?¡±

    Elyis is shaking her head.

    Disappointing, to think the Goddess of truth can¡¯t see what I mean.

    Creator, why am I so different?

    I stand up and walk away.

    The well of creation adjusts and gives me a beautiful oasis to walk through.

    ¡°Where are you going, brother?¡±

    ¡°I need to take a breath of fresh air¡±

    I really don¡¯t need a breath of fresh air.

    I don¡¯t really need air in general or any bodily functions. I just want some time alone.

    ¡°¡­ Okay, brother, I will excuse myself then¡±

    She finally took the hint and disappears.

    Thank me.

    Elyis disappeared and the space where she was standing on suddenly warped and she disappeared. Space fixed itself once she was gone.

    Okay now, what do I do?

    Tsk, I just realized she¡¯s the only one who was keeping me company and I have no other way to kill time.

    Well, maybe I should watch the mortals once again. It''s not like I''ve got anything better to do.

    I wave my hand and a rip in space opens showing me a kingdom.

    This kingdom, in particular, is my favorite. It was a human kingdom that worshipped many high gods.

    It was my favorite because many heroes were born from there. I recall a previous hero who was blessed by Ragos.

    He was interesting.

    The worship of the Primordial gods is not a common occurrence in the mortal world because unlike the other lesser divinities, we do not need worship to thrive.

    I continue to observe this kingdom.

    Unlike the other kingdoms, this kingdom is huge and proud.

    The kingdom was in high spirits as thousands of humans collect in a massive gathering.

    It seems they''re celebrating something.

    A notable woman with relatively great power raised her hand with a sword on her right.

    It¡¯s beautiful, the energy pulses its releasing are huge, this must be one of Remries weapon artifacts.

    It''s interesting to think that this mortal has managed to retrieve one of his sister''s priced artifacts.

    Remries and Demries usually place their artifacts in large dungeons and dangerous areas.

    Suddenly the image of the kingdom started to blur and the portal started to erratically enlarge, to the point that it could swallow me.

    Most beings would be afraid of something like this but I guess being a deity has some perks.

    Hmmm, something is wrong...

    The rip in space quickly jerked as it exploded in size and it immediately swallows me.

    Before it completely swallowed me, the feeling of destruction, chaos, and panic overwhelmed me and filled my soul with an abyssal chill.

    I look back and see the Well of Creation being filled with hundreds of portals.

    Each portal was small but then arms, tentacles and all manner of limbs grabbed ahold of the edges and ripped them apart.

    Monsters of unfathomable form, four-legged beasts, soul-sucking creatures, and others came crashing in the well of creation.

    The sound of a powerful horn thundered throughout the well but it was immediately quashed by the roars of the monsters.

    [Xudacharen]

    I raise my hand and summon my spear.

    It suddenly pushes forward but before I could destroy the invaders, the portal behind me swallows me whole.

    I didn¡¯t have any time to think as the void quickly surrounds.

    Within the dark and infinite void, I could feel nothing and see nothing. I could only hear the sounds of teeth gnashing at teeth, constant screams of hunger, the burning of flesh, and the painful sound of silence.

    What seemed to be an eternity lasted for only a second as I hit the ground.

    I quickly sat up and saw that I was surrounded by grassy fields.

    My first action was to stand up and dust myself.

    I felt a breeze on my lower body.

    I noticed that I¡¯m naked.

    I¡¯m not wearing my usual apparel of robes made out of atom-sized singularities.

    I flick my finger and try to summon it.

    [Galadhert]

    That''s weird...

    For the first time in my eternal existence, something I wanted didn''t appear with a flick of a finger.

    Never mind that. My siblings might be in danger.

    I start to channel my godly energies to rip apart a gate back to the Well of Creation.

    It would have been more efficient to use a spell but I don''t need to spend any effort since my mana pool is large enough that I can just rip a portal in between dimensions.

    Then a literal hole in the dimension appears... Or so I imagined.

    Nothing actually happened and I was dumbly staring at the empty space in front of me.

    I started waving my hands and tried to reconnect to my divine energy but it doesn''t work.

    Nothing is working!!

    No matter what I do, I can¡¯t use any of my powers.

    Once I realize my weakness, I feel the full blow of my current mortality.

    I try searching once more but my body is utterly devoid of divine mana.

    I don''t even have mana, I might as well be an infant human.

    Scratch that! I recall firmly that even human infants had at least one mana.

    Okay, calm down.

    I start to breathe properly and calm myself.

    I need to find out what''s going on so imagine my Status board within my mind.

    Not a second later my status board appears.

    Name:Magnus

    Race:Fallen God

    Ability Level:1

    Magic Power:0/0

    Max Magic Power:0

    Body Power:10 (5+5)

    Defence:1

    Agility:10

    Resilience:1

    Magic:0

    Magic Defence:10

    Unique Skills:Creation (Ultimate) (Sealed) |Indestructible Essence (Ultimate) |Endless Mana Capacity (Legendary)|All Magical Knowledge (Godly) (Sealed)

    Innate Skills:N/A

    Extra Skills:N/A

    Magic Skills:N/A

    Custom Skills: N/A

    Affinities:N/A

    Resistances:N/A

    Weaknesses:N/A

    Titles:God of Magic (Sealed) | The Fallen God | Dreamer

    Blessings:N/A

    Equipment:N/A

    Items:N/A

    ¡°....¡± Well that¡¯s new

 Chapter 2: The fallen rises up (part 2)

    Within the mortal plane, a poor naked man has been tiredly walking for hours.

    That''s me. I''ve been walking for hours.

    A few hours earlier, I¡¯ve managed to enter the forest after exiting the plains.

    While walking through the forest, I kept thinking of my status board.

    Those effects and traits are bothering me a lot.

    How can I be sealed?

    How can a god be sealed?

    And who or what the hell can seal me?

    I keep thinking of why I got sealed.

    It¡¯s probably one of my siblings, only they have the power to do something like that... But we were suddenly attacked... Was that part of it?

    In the end, my thoughts wander towards my siblings and how they fit in this conundrum.

    I¡¯ve only narrowed it down to Azael, the only stick-up-his-ass god within all of us, but we all swore to be only evil and good to the mortals, not to each other, after all, we are all family.

    But I can¡¯t rule them out, other than my siblings, no one has the power to be able to significantly harm or seal us.

    Well, for now, I¡¯ve got no time to think about that.

    I can¡¯t even use the smallest speck of my power.

    My race has been changed from Primordial God to Fallen God and I can¡¯t sense any of my divine mana or even just mana.

    It¡¯s like my body¡¯s been changed to a mortal''s body. Actually, it''s worse because even goblins have an innate amount of mana, albeit small.

    While thinking, I''ve reached a conclusion.

    If my body has regressed to that of a mortal then I can¡¯t do anything about this seal.

    Unless I find a way to recover my old power, I will never be able to singlehandedly remove this seal.

    I might as well give up trying to go back to the well of creation.

    Despite this massive problem, I can''t ignore the fact that somewhere deep inside me is happy, happy at this horrible predicament.

    Ugh, I feel horrible.

    If my siblings saw me right now they would think I¡¯m the evil god, after all, I¡¯m smiling ear to ear.

    Maybe the Creator is finally having pity upon his caged son.

    I have to admit, to be mortal, the thought is exhilarating.

    Despite my excitement, my mind wanders to my immediate needs.

    I really need to find something to cover my naked body.

    I pick up a rock and start flicking it upward and whatever direction it falls to then that''s where I''ll continue walking.

    It drops to the ground.

    North huh...

    I go north and while walking, I continue to study my status board.

    Every creature in the world has a status board, even the weakest of ants.

    It was a rule I decided was needed since Branac and I wanted to be able to quantify the world.

    I and my siblings can''t be quantified since the numbers don''t matter at that point.

    I guess my stats are more quantifiable now.

    I proceed to study my stats while traveling.

    There are five types of skills and each one of them follows a specific set of rules.

    Unique skills, like the name implies, are unique to the creature. These are very rare skills and most creatures that have them usually went to great lengths just to get them.

    For me to have four of them means that I literally am a black swan, even when they''re sealed away.

    Innate skills are based on one''s race and ability. I''m not showing any innate skills, does that mean this race type is weak? Or maybe they haven''t revealed themselves yet.

    Extra skills are skills learned from external factors. They are usually skills that are outside of one''s ability focus. An example would be a warrior that loves to hunt might develop a skill that allows them to sense wildlife.

    Unfortunately, I never had such skills since before this predicament, I was a god.

    Magic skills are spells that I know and can cast. It only registers spells that you have at least cast once.

    My Magic skills are empty because while I know every single spell written and not written, I have not formally cast a spell with this new body.

    Custom skills have no origin. This is because they have been created by a single person to be unique. Custom skills cannot be copied unless taught by the original owner.

    It seems I don''t have any Custom skills.

    Technically skills have a base rank. A weak and easily learned skill would have a lower base rank and a lower skill cap but anyone can easily increase their proficiency in it.

    All skills are quantified through the ranking system we created and it gives an approximate level of their power.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    The following hierarchy is used to rank skills: Normal, Rare, Unique, Legendary, Divine, Godly and Ultimate.

    Ultimate skills stand above Godly and are usually unique or innate abilities acquired since birth but there are extremely rare cases for blessed heroic-like figures to create a custom skill that can reach this rank.

    Ultimate skills cannot be trumped by any other skill lesser than an Ultimate one.

    It is obvious that they are rare but since I am a god, I was birth into the world with two Ultimate skills.

    Skill ranks can go higher by increasing their proficiency. It usually includes constant practice.

    While I continue browsing my status board, I see a brown object rustling a bush. What is that?

    <hr>

    Inside a lavish and majestic palace, a king and his advisor were watching a knight walk respectfully towards them.

    Immediately the knight kneels and speaks.

    ¡°Your majesty, the reports have come back.

    It seems the Knights have come back.

    The knight who spoke was currently kneeling a few feet in front of the king.

    The king nods towards me and I step forward to receive the report.

    I carefully inspect it but immediately hand it to the king.

    The king declines and orders me to read it.

    I smile.

    It seems the king''s trust of me has risen once more.

    I bow respectfully and start to read the reports out loud.

    Oh... This is new...

    At first, I thought it would be another demonic incursion but it seems that something far more interesting happened.

    The reports claim that the heavens parted and bright light, that made the sun seem dark, appeared.

    That bright light was also accompanied by a huge ball of energy and it came falling down towards the plains.

    This is big news...

    Frowning, I approach the king and whisper its contents to him.

    The king intently listens to my version of the report. I made sure to explain how ''dangerous'' it would be to let the news spread.

    The king frowns upon hearing the news. He proceeds to ask for my opinion.

    "What shall we do then Argentis?"

    "My lord, we cannot allow this information to spread out... I suggest we... silence our informants..."

    The king frowns grimly but he understands and nods slowly.

    He stands up and calls the attention of the knight.

    The knight looks expectantly.

    ¡°Sir Aeroth, your services to the kingdom will not be forgotten..."

    A pause happens and Sir Aeroth is slightly confused.

    "Unfortunately, this matter is not something that can be known to the people.¡±

    The king¡¯s facial expression looks grim.

    Sir Aeroth seems to misunderstand and proudly declares.

    ¡°Yes, your majesty! I will keep this matter a secret even at the cost of my life.¡±

    It seems that knights are truly only good for their brawn.At least, it is amusing to poke fun at the loyalty of fools.

    I look at the king and silently laugh since I know of this poor knight''s fate.

    ¡°Yes and I intend to keep it that way¡±

    The king raises his eyebrow and signals the guards.

    Suddenly, a hidden door opens and a troop of extravagantly armored soldiers goes to arrest sir Aeroth.

    Sir Aeroth''s face suddenly contorts in confusion as he is suddenly held down by a dozen soldiers.

    ¡°Your Majesty! What is the meaning of this?¡±

    The king is silent and he appears distant from the knight.

    Aeroth looks around for help but in the end, his gaze falls to me.

    Aeroth''s face contorts in realization as he finally understands what¡¯s happening. His confusion suddenly turns to rage as he glares at me, who is beside the king.

    ¡°It¡¯s you, you snake! You¡¯ve been poisoning our Majesty''s thoughts."

    Sir Aeroth, who suddenly screamed, looks at the king pleadingly.

    "Your Majesty, please reconsider, do not listen to this snake¡¯s evil words!¡±

    Aeroth''s words fall on deaf ears as the king stares ahead of him while I smile.

    Once Aeroth realizes that the king will not help him, his shoulders slump and he loses the strength to stand.

    The king signals them to leave.

    Aeroth is dragged away without any resistance.

    When the group of soldiers left, the king signals the other guards to leave us alone.

    They left without hesitation.

    Once we were alone, I purr in the king''s ears.

    ¡°My King.¡±

    The king intently listens. His face which was originally stoic is full of stress and fear. When the guards went away, it seems the facade of the king also left.

    ¡°This situation is problematic, according to the scriptures, when the heavens open like that, it means the gods have decided to directly intervene in the mortal world¡±

    I pretend to give a troubled appearance and the king stares at me seriously.

    ¡°When the gods had done this before, it always meant that something big will happen¡±

    The king nods understandingly and looks at me with a grim look.

    Yes... that''s the look I''m looking for.

    I continue to prod the king and make sure that whatever I ask will fall under my wants.

    "This could mean a prosperous age, a new hero or..."

    I purposefully trail my voice to beguile the king.

    This angers the king and he shouts.

    "Or what?!"

    The king is as impatient as ever.

    Chuckling, I continue my sentence.

    "... a catastrophic disaster."

    The king''s face hardens as he hears this.

    In a pleading voice, the king asks for my opinion once more.

    ¡°What should we do Argentis?¡±

    I''ve got him now.

    I relay my plans that will fit with the king''s ideas and my own plan.

    ¡°I shall organize a troop of soldiers, to first scout the area and see if any artifacts are there."

    The king nods.

    "The small troop shall be led by me myself. Should there be any artifacts there, I will present them to you, my king¡±

    I happily place a hand on the king''s shoulder, securing him. He takes my hand and grips it tightly.

    The king is happy knowing that his trusty advisor is doing his best to help him.

    ¡°My king, I promise you, with me around, your name will be celebrated for years and years to come. It will be legendary."

    The king smiles at the thought and he nods happily.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know where I¡¯d be without you Argentis."

    A smile appears on my face.

    "I wouldn''t know where I''d be without you, my lord."

    Within this smile of mine are my true thoughts.

    The king is a fool.

    After the death of his older brother, the true king, and his ascension to the throne, it was an easy task to manipulate the current king.

    He had a weak mind and low self-esteem.

    Just give him a few encouraging words and he immediately drank it like it¡¯s the sweetest nectar he ever tasted.

    When I left the king''s room, I was approached by a knight.

    The knight respectfully bows and asks me a question.

    "Lord Argentis shall I arrange a troop of soldiers?¡±

    ¡°No, I do not trust these kingdom lapdogs to keep even a single copper coin.¡±

    The knight nods and asks.

    ¡°Then Lord Argentis who will we arrange then¡±

    The knight didn¡¯t dare to question Argentis but his curiosity was still rampantly eating him ever since the heavens opened.

    Not only him but every race, and every kingdom, either good or evil, was riled up by the opening of the heavens.

    I reply with a quiet voice.

    ¡°Azael¡¯s Hand.¡±

    The mention of the name sent chills down the spine of the knight.

    ¡°My Lord, why them?¡±

    It was apparent that the knight greatly feared this organization.

    ¡°Silence¡±

    I myself feared this organization due to their horrible reputation but their strength is nothing to scoff at.

    It is rumored that every member, even the weakest ones, is infused with demonic blood making them superhuman.

    With them as my guards, I will be untouchable during the journey and I can suppress any other groups that come from the other kingdoms.

    Hehehehe......

    This will be an exciting expedition.

    <hr>

    Within the forest where I was previously walking, I suddenly emerged from a large concentrate of foliagewith no clothes on.

    I started running.

    Why! Why is it that the first living thing I encounter is a bear, not only just a bear but a hungry one.

    I start cursing as I run but I bear the fast footsteps of the bear.

    ¡°Shit shit shit shit shit shit¡±

    A few moments later, a gigantic pissed off black bear came following through from the thick foliage.

    I quickly cover my ears as it roars.

    Shit, it¡¯s getting closer.

    I suddenly see its gigantic paw, that has enough strength to snap a human¡¯s spine in half, glide towards me.

    I roll forward and managed to dodge getting snapped in two.

    It didn¡¯t discourage the massive bear though.

    It threw another swipe.

    " Urgh!"

    I groan in pain as I fail to dodge the second swipe. I feel sharp claws penetrate my skin and rend my back.

    I fell to the ground groaning from the excessive pain and despite my perilous situation, I¡¯m kind of enjoying this feeling of weakness, it gives me a reason to become stronger and overcome this gigantic and lethal obstacle.

    [Gained Title: Masochist]

    ¡°¡­..¡±

 Chapter 3: Basic necessities and a little bit of extra

    There was a time when I used to create powerful and lethal creatures.

    I enjoyed them but... Whoever created bears, what were you thinking!

    Why couldn¡¯t you just make them clawless and fangless, they¡¯d be so much cuter.

    Ragos!! This must be your fault!!

    I turn around while I''m still on the ground and I see the bear raising its gigantic paw.

    This time, I think it¡¯s going to deliver the deathblow.

    Like hell! I''m not gonna waste my second chance here!!

    I try to stand up even though my body is wracked with so much pain.

    The bear is about to kill me but it suddenly stops. I see its ears flop down as we both hear a powerful roar.

    The bear suddenly drops down in all fours and starts running away at full speed.

    Huh?

    Once the bear was gone, I hear another roar.

    That roar, I faintly recognize it though I''m not 100% sure.

    Whatever it is though, it scared the bear. That means it can kill me.

    Taking advantage of the situation, I force myself to stand up and start running.

    I grind my teeth as I resist the pain coming from my bleeding back.

    After a while of running to the opposite direction of the bear, I see a small cave and move towards it.

    Wait! This is an obvious place where I can get cornered to a very horrendous and most probably painful demise.

    Before I can finish my train of thought I hear something heavy drop down from behind.

    It shakes the ground and I almost fall to the ground.

    I turn around quickly to see a gigantic creature covered with impenetrable scales, a mouth with dagger-like teeth, and eyes that appear to be as sharp as a sword.

    Fuck...

    Before I could react, it roars as if it finally found its master, though I¡¯m sure I misheard.

    Before the creature decides to eat me, I take a full look of its form.

    I¡¯m the one who created them but I¡¯ve never looked at them through the eyes of a mortal.

    What the hell was I thinking when I made them?!! This thing is monstrously scary!

    These thoughts ran through my mind but one word echoed all over my thoughts.

    Dragon.

    No, not an actual dragon but a part of its family.

    Once I accepted my demise from the claws of this creature I immediately notice its body and appearance.

    Its wings aren¡¯t connected to its back but instead, it¡¯s connected to its arm sockets.

    True Dragons have six limbs, not four.

    I take a full look at the size of the creature and compare it to the smallest of dragons.

    This one doesn¡¯t even compare.

    Searching for the term in my library of a mind, I manage to confirm it. It¡¯s not a true dragon.

    It¡¯s a subspecies of the dragon race, more specifically a wyvern.

    As a subspecies of the dragon family and leagues weaker, a wyvern is still a dragon and unless you¡¯re a powerful and capable person you wouldn¡¯t be able to slay one.

    Nothing changed, I¡¯m still going to die but at least it is from one of my children.

    Hmmm, I wonder. Would it have been more painful to die by the bear than this thing?

    After what seems to be an eternity, the wyvern finally moves towards me.

    I know for a fact that I could have somehow survived the bear but I know this thing can easily kill me.

    Instead of trying to dodge or run away, I stand firm in front of this behemoth of a beast with all the pride of a god.

    Come at me!

    The wyvern charges towards me but instead of mauling my small humanoid body with its gargantuan mouth, it starts to rub its rough scaly head over my chest like a puppy.

    That... Hurts.

    Its scales are shredding my chest skin, but I notice it¡¯s trying to control its strength so I don''t pull away.

    It''s obvious this thing is not used to being gentle but the fact that it''s doing its best makes me want to reward it.

    It doesn''t want to kill or eat me.This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

    I see its eyes and it''s practically begging for affection, so I start rubbing its horns and lower jaw.

    Its tongue lolls out like a happy dog and it falls to the ground with a powerful thud.

    I continue pampering it.

    [GainedTitle: Master of the Wyvern]

    The wyvern starts acting like a small dog and it continues to enjoy my ministrations.

    This thing is starting to become adorable.

    ¡°Hey, you¡¯re pretty cute if you go past the scary teeth, large body, and poisonous tail¡±

    I ignore my slightly bleeding chest.

    [GainedSkill: Pain Tolerance I]

    ¡°¡­¡±

    I stop rubbing the wyvern¡¯s head and as a response, the wyvern backs away.

    After backing away, the wyvern sits like a dog, tilts its head and stares at me.

    It really is cute. I wonder, does it understand me?

    ¡°Do you understand me¡±

    The wyvern nods.

    Surprisingly it understands me and how the way it reacted earlier, it must know who I am.

    ¡°Do you know who I am?¡±

    This time I add a small tinge of anger in my voice to test the waters.

    It''s just to ensure my theory.

    I glare at it and almost immediately, the wyvern looks away, afraid of the very thought of me being angry but it answers my question by nodding.

    I release my anger and the wyvern relaxes.

    ¡°I see."

    Hmmm, I might be able to ask it basic questions.

    I mull over the questions I could ask this Wyvern.

    I inquisitively stare at the Wyvern and study it. I notice that it doesn¡¯t have any scars or any recent wounds.

    Its body also seems very robust and powerful. It must be a young wyvern and isn''t old enough to experience any true fights.

    It means I can¡¯t ask it to protect me because a well-placed attack from a relatively strong opponent could immediately kill it.

    I wouldn''t want that. I''m starting to like it.

    Since it''s a young wyvern, I ask it the most important question I have on my mind right now that isn''t too difficult.

    ¡°Where is the nearest sign of civilization?¡±

    The wyvern tilts its head and thinks for a moment. After a while, it turns its head to the west of the forest.

    "Is it far?¡±

    The wyvern¡¯s facial expression contorts in confusion.

    I guess it doesn¡¯t know if it¡¯s far or not, It must''ve had only seen it once and immediately left.

    Well time to move, I can''t keep wasting time like this.

    I start to stand but I wince in pain. My wounds might be graver than I thought.

    The wyvern looks at my wounds with a worried expression and thinks for a moment but it eventually turns around to fly away.

    Hmm, I wonder where it¡¯s going.

    I look behind my back and I see the small cave. It''s big enough to fit that wyvern earlier but small enough that it cannot be a proper living space for it.

    It fits me more.

    I walk towards the cave and enter.

    Once I enter, I notice a small hoard of treasures stacked up in the corner.

    I shrug. All dragons crave treasure no matter what age, rank or species. It''s both a sign of pride and power.

    Sigh... Even dragons can work hard for their treasures.

    I start rummaging through it and realize it probably came from some very unfortunate people.

    Most of the items are of better quality, so it must have belonged to some of the more affluent travelers that were unlucky enough to meet the wyvern.

    Since the treasure is here... I believe those merchants and travelers are dead.

    Well, a dead man''s treasure is another man''s treasure... That was in poor taste Magnus.

    It isn''t all bad. Ifthese items came from a bunch of traveling merchants, there must be some clean and untouched clothing here.

    I start searching through the pile of items and I notice that some of them are still reeking of blood.

    They must have been attacked just a few days ago.

    It''s a pity but right now, I can¡¯t afford to care for others.

    I still need to find a way to patch up my wounds.

    I just realized what I thought.

    I have wounds.

    Once I got out of immediate danger and realized I''m no longer in danger of death, my wounds suddenly flare.

    I immediately groan in pain.

    Shit, this pain thing is really something new.

    I still don¡¯t hate it though.

    Despite the pain, I continue rummaging through the blood-soaked items.

    I eventually found a couple of shirts made out of soft and good material.

    It''s not what I''m used to but naked beggars can''t be choosers.

    After all, it can''t be helped that the clothing of gods is literally another realm above, even my weakest quality robe was made out of dead stars.

    Remries who hated defensive clothing still wore articles that were made out of planet-sized steel ingots condensed to the size of an almond and then molded into something wearable.

    Although these comfortable shirts wouldn¡¯t protect me from the dullest of weapons, there¡¯s just a different feeling if you fight for something instead of having it handed to you.

    Well time to destroy the thing I got.

    I start to rip the first shirt to equal parts, so I can use it to patch both my back and my front.

    After ripping it apart, I go out to find a water supply.

    Fortunately, there¡¯s a small pond just a few feet to the left of the cave. I check to see if it was clean, thankfully it is.

    I go there to clean my wounds and wrap the ripped shirt around my front and back to cover them.

    Sigh

    I breathe a sigh of relief as I feel the cold water seep into my wounds. It''s not as effective as a healing spell but this still feels good

    Once I fix my wounds, I go back to the cave and I manage to find some silk underwear and pants.

    Ooohhh... Soft clothes.

    I dress up and use a pile of soft clothes to use as a bed.

    I didn''t notice it earlier but now that I''m out of immediate danger, I feel extremely tired.

    Where did that wyvern go?

    While staring at the entrance of the cave, I notice that the sun was already setting, so I decided to sleep and let my troubles go away until tomorrow.

    Name:Magnus

    Race:Fallen God

    Ability Level:1

    Magic Power:0/0

    Max Magic Power:0

    Body Power:10 (5+5)

    Defense:1

    Agility:10

    Resilience:1

    Magic:0

    Magic Defence:0

    Unique Skills:Creation (Sealed) (Ultimate)|Indestructible Essence (Ultimate) |Endless Mana Capacity (Legendary)|All Magical Knowledge (Godly)

    Innate Skills:N/A

    Extra Skills:Pain Tolerance I (Normal) [New]

    Magic Skills:N/A

    Custom Skills:N/A

    Affinities:N/A

    Resistances:N/A

    Weaknesses:N/A

    Titles:God of Magic| The Fallen God| Dreamer | Masochist [New] | Master of the Wyvern [New]

    Blessings:Sealed (Indeterminable)

    Equipment:N/A

    Items:N/A

 Chapter 4: A way to protect myself

    The night was very quiet but I was momentarily disturbed when I saw a massive bear outside of the cave

    The only time it was disturbed was when I saw a gigantic bear outside the cave.

    I thought it would come in and slaughter me, but it seemed to be scared of the general area of the cave and it continued to walk away.

    I guess the wyvern is truly a terrifying creature for mundane animals.

    I also remember that creatures mark their territory by using their excretions but the more powerful ones use their mana or racial energy.

    The wyvern is powerful but has no magic so it must have excreted somewhere near here before.

    Once I see the bear leave, I entered my sleeping state.

    Unlike mortals who dream, we gods do not.

    I wonder if it''s going to be different this time.

    I close my eyes and start to sleep.

    When I finally feel sleep grasp me, I start falling into an infinite void.

    Unlike the actual void, this is not dark, cold nor scary. It actually feels very familiar and comfortable.

    My descent lightens as I eventually reach a room with beautiful white marble floors and a mahogany table in the center.

    The top of the table had a tea set made of pure gold with diamond inlays.

    The table had two seats and one of them was occupied.

    Elyis...

    Accompanying the tea set was Elyis who sitting on the other seat.

    When I approached the table, the seat moved for me.

    I sat down and I adjusted it.

    "Elyis."

    "Brother."

    We both greet each other and Elyis pours me a cup of tea.

    Her voice is always monotone.

    You''ve never been one to panic dear sister.

    "There is no use in panicking after all."

    I shake my head. It was obvious that she would be able to read my thoughts now that I am no longer a god.

    ButI didn''t expect that she wouldn''t be this unaffected, considering the events.

    They''ve either fixed everything or she''s pretending to be normal.

    Wait... Is she here to fetch me?

    ¡°I would like to explain some things¡±

    She probably already knows about the predicament I¡¯m in but her next words make my jaw drop.

    ¡°No brother, forgive me but I do not know what the problem is with you, nor do any of the other gods. Even elder brother Branac has no answer for you. This is a completely new and unknown situation."

    Even Branac doesn''t know what to do...

    This means the situation is more dangerous than I thought.

    It seems that I''ll be able to enjoy my time here for a while.

    I give her a frown but truth to be told I¡¯m happy.

    I try to bury those specific thoughts because I do not want Elyis reading them.

    ¡°Brother you cannot hide anything from me. Since your fall, you became near mortal... But our siblings and I convened for a short meeting using our aspects while our true forms are combating the firstborns."

    I nod.

    "What did you and the others meet?"

    "We do not know where the firstborns suddenly came from but we are dealing with them for now. We have decided as your family to let you go and have the adventure you''ve always yearned for."

    I immediately stand up and my chair falls. This is amazing news!

    I was about to jump in joy and fully enjoy the news but Elyis continues.

    "We will not interfere with you or any of your choices but we have a condition."

    I stop to pick my seat up and seat down.

    I resume my calm composure.

    "What condition?"

    "We will not interfere under the condition that you will return to us within 100 years."

    I widen my eyes at that large time frame.

    Sure, it''s short for the gods but it''s long for mortals.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

    "Is that all?"

    Elyis shakes her head.

    "There is one more."

    I nod, urging her to continue.

    "You only have one life. We know that you are familiar with all life and death attribute magic but we forbid you from using anything that would allow you to resurrect. Once you die, you are to come back here even if your time of 100 years isn''t up yet."

    This is a very hard condition but at least I know how important my single life is.

    Elyis finished speaking and I asked her a question.

    "Can I use resurrection magic on others?"

    Elyis nods.

    "Now we''re done with the conditions, I also have news for you. We also cannot find you. It¡¯s like your very existence was hidden from us but, fortunately, I can still connect with you in your dream world."

    Elyis seems a little bit troubled but continues.

    "Brother as you may have noticed and what I said earlier, I am not Elyis herself but her aspect."

    Yep.

    I can barely sense any divine energy from this aspect. Their hands must be full up there.

    I¡¯ve become a fallen god but I still managed to retain some of my godly senses, which are the sharpest lenses in the universe.

    ¡°I am simply a messenger made out of her energy and will. She sent me to warn you.¡±

    When I become silent, Elyis quiets down as well.

    ¡°Continue, I¡¯m just mulling some things over."

    Elyis nods and continues.

    ¡°I told you that my true self is with our siblings concentrating all their efforts to deal with the invasion.¡±

    I nod and recall the menacing sight of the firstborns literally creating holes in space.

    The angels will have a hard time with them...

    ¡°The firstborn are currently roaming in the well of creation. They are nigh-infinite in number and have been rampaging non-stop. We do not know who did it and none of the gods are showing any signs of suspicion.¡±

    Elyis¡¯ face looks grim at the mention of the firstborn.

    My face crunches at the number. The firstborn is extremely powerful and even we can''t kill them permanently, they just reform in the void.

    The reason for this is because the first three creatures created by the Creator had permanence. They could not die or disappear.

    We have a similar ability.

    They are the Creator¡¯s first and out of all of them, the first three were the most powerful. The creator made others and they were powerful but they were nothing but cannon fodder compared to the three.

    Even if one firstborn just one, were to fall in the mortal world, it would require the strongest heroes, oldest dragons and greatest archdemons to stop it.

    ¡°Your train of thought isn¡¯t wrong. Even if one firstborn was released to the mortal world then it will be nigh-unstoppable. That¡¯s why we are trying to contain the firstborn.¡±

    I don¡¯t have any other questions, except for thingsI already know the answer to, so I just stare at Elyis.

    Elyis seems to notice my nonchalance.

    ¡°You do not seem to be affected?"

    Not really... I just trust you guys.

    ¡°I believe in my brothers and sisters. Even though the firstborns are powerful, none of them compares to the power of a primordial god.¡±

    My words are filled with pride, but I also cannot help but feel sad because I cannot help.

    It''s because I lost my power when I needed it the most.

    My siblings will have to make do without me.

    Elyis seems to have a few more questions for me, so I urge her to ask them.

    ¡°Brother, why is it that you do not have any mana?¡±

    Oh that question, I¡¯ve been waiting for her to ask that.

    ¡°Well a primordial god does not use or have any need for mana. We are filled with an extremely copious amount of divine energy."

    Elyis seems to be chuckling.

    I guess my sister is learning to joke as well.

    I continue speaking.

    "I have fallen but technically I am still a god. My divine energy and powers have been sealed turning me effectively mortal. So if I want to be able to use mana, I need to find a way to generate my own just like how a mortal does."

    Elyis replies quickly.

    ¡°It seems you already have a solution, we have been worrying for no reason at all but do you have a way to protect yourself.¡±

    I stop and think.

    Do I have a way to protect myself?

    I weigh my options.

    I can¡¯t rely on the wyvern because if I brought something like that to a city it¡¯ll be killed.

    I can''t let one of my creations be destroyed because of my weakness.

    I need to find a way to protect myself until I can at least use mana.

    ¡°You do not.¡±

    Elyis frowns and seems disappointed.

    I can''t help but be affected.

    I need to cheer her up.

    ¡°Sister, don''t worry about your brother. He can take care of himself. You should stop thinking of me and focus on the firstborns.¡±

    I say that with full confidence even though I¡¯m manaless.

    I am sure with my endless knowledge of the arcane I can easily protect myself.

    I''ll find a way somehow.

    Elyis tenses on her seat but she seems to relax.

    She smiles.

    ¡°Brother it seems I need to go, but please take this.¡±

    Elyis conjures a small black coin and it floats towards me.

    Demries'' energy?

    The coin has no distinguishing features other than having the capital letter D inscribed on both sides.

    Oh... It is from dear Demries.

    ¡°It¡¯s an artifact from Demries¡±

    I reluctantly store the small coin in my pockets.

    This will be very handy.

    Even though I want to be stronger without the help of others, I don¡¯t even have a single speck of power.

    I need something to protect me.

    ¡°It is a one use artifact¡±

    It¡¯s only one use.

    Great.

    ¡°Sister Demries thought that if she gave you a powerful artifact that you could use indefinitely, then your wish would have been for naught, so she only gave it one use."

    I whisper a thankful prayer to my sister. Usually, primordial gods do not hear worship or prayer because our power does not rely on that but I''m sure my sister can hear me.

    "Once activating it, it will protect you from any harm no matter how powerful it is. It can also be used once to resurrect any creature regardless of the time of death and should that person die of natural causes they will be revived to their prime and any diseases will be cured.¡±

    This resurrection ability isn''t really necessary since I can''t revive myself but it might be helpful later on.

    I¡¯m sure this artifact would be the envy of kings.

    It¡¯s practically an extra life and it even has the bonus of returning someone to their prime.

    I¡¯m going to need to hide it, I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll have some use in the future.

    My dream world suddenly starts to break down as cracks appear everywhere.

    I look at Elyis and she seems satisfied.

    ¡±Goodbye brother, take care."

    "Goodbye Elyis. Take care as well."

    We bid farewell and I wake up.

    I sit up straight and hear quiet growling. I look around and see the wyvern patiently waiting outside the cave.

    It starts to flap its wings in excitement like a puppy.

    Adorable

    Others would consider this to be terrifying.

    It must have been waiting for me to wake up.

    It''s calling my attention towards something.

    I guess it wants to give me something.

    I stand up, dust myself and walk towards it.

    It spins around happily.

    The moment I approach the wyvern, it brings me a small bottle that has reddish liquid inside it.

    A life potion?

    The purity of the red is quite low and it seems a little bit dull.

    After a fast inspection, it¡¯s obviously a life potion, though a very low quality.

    It''s only enough to heal non-mortal wounds but for my situation, this is perfectly appropriate.

    I look at the wyvern and it seems to be tired.

    It must''ve been flying all day just to get this.

    I rub its spiky head and it falls to the ground satisfied.

    I ask it where it came from.

    ¡°Did you get this from a village?¡±

    The wyvern shakes its head.

    ¡°Did you get it from a nearby town?¡±

    The wyvern shakes its head again.

    I wonder where he got this.

    I down the potion and I feel the fresh wounds on my chest and back close up and heal but since I took it a day later, some scars remained.

    I still wonder where the wyvern got this.

    Well no point worrying about it now.

    I stand up and stretch.

    The wyvern does so as well.

    I look forward to the sky.

    Time to find civilization.

 Chapter 5: The Princess of the kingdom

    Within a beautiful and well-designed room was Elizabeth, the crown princess of Umanies.

    ¡°Princess Elizabeth, the spies have sent their reports.¡±

    A man wearing white full-plate armor was respectfully kneeling in front of a beautifully carved wooden desk while delivering his report.

    He quickly stands and places a folder on the desk but immediately resumes his kneeling position.

    On the other side of the desk was a woman of breathtaking beauty and flawlessness. It would be a sin to not call her a goddess.

    She picks up the report and starts to read through it.

    Sir Aeroth already returned? I didn''t hear of his return... Tch that bastard did something.

    Argentis is becoming more and more rash.

    I drop the report on the desk and stand up. I turn around and head to the window behind me.

    I gaze at my garden recalling all the reports I''ve read in the past few days.

    The heavens opening, and a blinding light appearing. What could it be?

    I temporarily push these thoughts away and turn to look at the knight.

    "Stand."

    The knight immediately stands up after my order.

    ¡°What of Argentis? Any news about him?

    The knight is respectful and speaks with reverence.

    ¡°The spies informed me that lord Argentis was sent by the king to investigate the area where the heavens opened. He is to search for any artifacts or strange occurrences worth reporting.¡±

    Tch... Uncle is truly an idiot...

    The knight reported every word with honest fervor.

    Well, he would be, the woman he is serving is the royal crown princess of the kingdom.

    Elizabeth is extremely talented in swordsmanship and magic.

    She easily broke records that were thought to be unsurpassable, all at the age of 18.

    Her achievements shocked the whole kingdom and she did not stop.

    She had an excellent military mind that rivaled the kingdom generals at the age of 9. With the guidance of her teachers and late father, she managed to excel in almost every field she entered.

    It would''ve been fine if that was all but she was also blessed with divine looks. She attracted both genders and even creatures of other races.

    Any creature would kill just to get even her attention. Unfortunately, no one has entered her sight even once.

    Some would even dare to claim that Elizabeth is a Godblood Human, a rare event solely attributed to legendary heroes.

    Elizabeth continues to think but she notices something amiss with the knight.

    Wait... Is this idiot drooling?

    Elizabeth notices that the knight has some slight drool on his mouth.

    Disgusting!

    "Leave"

    The knight hears my command and he immediately wakes up from his stupor.

    He quickly mutters an apology and stands up to leave.

    Once the knight left, Elizabeth rubs the bridge of her nose.

    Elizabeth calls for someone.

    "Leila, you can come in now."

    Once Elizabeth called out to the room, a woman wearing a red dress walks in while fanning herself.

    Leila sits on the comfortable chair positioned in front of the desk which even the knight wasn''t allowed to sit on.

    Without missing a beat, Elizabeth complains to Leila.

    ¡°Finally, that insufferable man is gone."

    I immediately release a sigh of relief. My shoulders sag while Leila reclines on her seat.

    This appearance is very un-princess-like but my office is warded with anti-spying magic.

    It''ll be hard for anyone to see me like this, except for my main assistant.

    I wanted to start a meaningful conversation but Leila cuts in with an annoying remark.

    ¡°Really? I thought you fancied sir Geralt."

    Ugh...

    I recall the appearance of Geralt and how repulsive he was.

    ¡°No. I am disgusted by that sorry excuse of a human being¡±

    I suddenly remember some unsavory details concerning sir Geralt.

    ¡°I find him rather dashing. Such a young noble, giving up a nobles life just to become a knight."Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

    I sigh and turn around to look at the window.

    I recall Geralt''s background.

    Geralt is a noble that only managed to reach knighthood because of his parents. If my father was still alive, such an act would have never happened.

    It disgusts me, even more, knowing that the sole reason for his knighthood is to come closer to me.

    He wants to marry me and become the crown prince.

    Stupid.

    For men like these, women are just property.

    I share these thoughts to Leila with a calm voice.

    ¡°Then why do you allow him to talk with you and talk about your plans."

    She frowns but asks the obvious question.

    I smile at the confused Leila but I still answer her question.

    ¡°Well, the thing I hate the most are pretentious nobles pretending to be righteous, even though they¡¯ll abuse their power the moment being righteous fails.¡±

    Leila picks up on this and interjects.

    ¡°So if your secrets get found out?¡±

    I continue again.

    ¡°He is a front. If someone finds out about our plans, I will immediately use him as a scapegoat."

    I smile at the thought of Geralt falling from his self-righteous high horse.

    "Everything was immediately prepared the moment I decided to make him a sacrifice."

    I say the last words with a slight edge.

    Leila chuckles and asks.

    ¡°Why him then? He''s still a noble after all. Couldn''t you''ve used a rich merchant or someone else?"

    This is a valid reason. Nobles are very important figures and it would be dangerous for me if others knew that I want to dispose of one but I have a reason why.

    ¡°It is because he is a regular of the slave trading organization¡±

    Leila doesn''t seem shocked but I can understand why.

    It is obvious that nobles are prolific in the slave business but I can''t let such a heartless and cruel person go.

    ¡°What a shame that a knight of his stature is dabbling with such cruelties but a lot of nobles buy slaves, what about him is different?¡±

    I shudder a little remembering those slaves he''s bought.

    ¡°Every time I hire new personnel, I study their background. And in his background report, I found out that he had a lot of purchases from the slave trading organization and every single one he bought is a woman.¡±

    ¡°So? Males tend to be so frivolous nowadays. And it would even be more disgusting if he bought males.¡±

    I grimace and reply with a dark tone.

    ¡°All of them have a bare resemblance to me¡±

    Leila frowns.

    ¡°And after using my spies to look deeper, I found out what he¡¯s doing with these women."

    I continue but I stress every word.

    ¡°He beats them to non-recognition, but not before he tires of violating them. Every time he looks at me, I see a horrendous insatiable lust that promises to destroy me, he wants to do those horrible things to me. I see it in his eyes."

    My chest burns in anger as I recall the reports.

    I''m sure I don''t look princess like but I really want to destroy that piece of shit.

    Leila seems angry as well but mostly disgusted.

    ¡°Well, what are you going to do then?¡±

    ¡°I will kill him, but not before I have his dignity, pride, and his life broken. For now, he has some uses but I already have planned everything.¡±

    Leila stares at me. She''s probably used to my cruel attitude.

    I remember the time when I first took her in, she was utterly surprised to see me act like this.

    ¡°Hmmm, you are not someone to be trifled with.¡±

    Leila smiles.

    ¡°Says you, why do you think I picked you as my personal assistant.¡±

    ¡°I prefer Lady in Waiting, Princess¡± Leila chimes.

    ¡°Whatever, don¡¯t think I haven¡¯t reviewed your background as well¡±

    I stare at Leila, studying her reaction.

    ¡°Whatever do you mean princess?¡±

    Leila asked while pretending to be oblivious.

    ¡°Don¡¯t try that in front of me."

    I chuckle as I recall her background. I go to my desk and open a drawer, retrieving a sizeable stack of paper.

    Leila sees the paper and tilts her head.

    That''s it... Be surprised...

    This sizeable stack of paper is the summarized information of the woman in front of me, Leila Grantz.

    ¡°Leila Grantz, a Diamond rank adventurer, at the Mana sensitive stage, and with her former party managed to subdue a Young Vurm dragon. A year ago, you fought with a demon, a pretty powerful one at that. The demon was not able to use magic, but its combat skills were above a Diamond rank adventurer and slowly approaching Manite. After winning, the demon allowed you to have a contract with him, you being the master. All this at the age of 19."

    I finish the report with arrogance and drop the report on the desk for her to see, then I smile smugly.

    Leila looks at the report for a moment and then towards me.

    She smiles.

    ¡°You seem to have some wrong information princess.¡±

    Her tone became darker.

    Leila raises her right hand and removes the white glove covering it.

    Oh my...

    Leila''s hand was pure black. It seemed to look as if it was made out of a smooth cooled molten rock. It had some runic designs that glowed like magma. At the tip of the fingers were sharp claws that could easily rend steel.

    The room started to fill up with demonic energy.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t make a contract with that demon... I dominated it.¡±

    Leila suddenly disappeared and appeared next to Elizabeth with her claws pointed to her neck.

    The sound of anunsheathed sword surprised Leila, as she saw Elizabeth''s blade pointed at her neck.

    Leila never expected Elizabeth to be just as fast or even faster than her.

    "This is why I picked you.¡±

    I smiled, satisfied by my aide''s skills.

    Her demonic infusion while considered taboo by the church doesn''t matter to me. It will be a great help in the future.

    ¡°Why me? There are so many better adventurers than me.¡±

    Leila slowly retracts her hand and covers it with her white glove.

    The glove momentarily glows and a small rune appears. Her demonic energy was immediately hidden.

    I nod, satisfied.

    ¡°First of all, you are only 19 years old, an extremely talented gem like you should not be ignored and with the proper resources and backing you can reach the highest point."

    Leila seems to agree.

    "Those people you say are stronger than you will be below you once you have my resources. Second is that you¡¯re a woman, I would rather have a female partner than a male.¡±

    This scares Leila.

    ¡°Princess you don¡¯t mean that you¡¯re¡­¡±

    What is this woman getting to?

    ¡°No! I am not what you think, it¡¯s just that every male I meet and partner up ends up professing their infinite love and admiration towards me. I would prefer a partnership that would not have to be awkward when one member professes their love. Love is not a good emotion when it comes to battle. It derails logic and dulls instinct.¡±

    Leila stares at me while looking apologetic.

    ¡°Oh okay, pardon me, princess, I misunderstood.¡±

    I cough to lighten the mood and continue.

    ¡°Third, I am sure you are looking for refuge, due to your... curse. Fourth and lastly, you seem to be capable of resisting truth magic, how you do it is lost on me."

    Leila stares at me with surprise.

    "How... Did you even find out about that?"

    ¡°I found out because when I hired you, the skill I used did not affect you.¡±

    I have a knack of making smiles that aren''t princess-like.

    After all, the innate skills I was born with is... distasteful

    ¡°I could use a partner that will stay quiet about me.¡±

    This time, it¡¯s Leila¡¯s turn to smile horribly.

    ¡°How do you know I won¡¯t tell on you¡±

    I already figured she would say that.

    ¡°My only condition is you submit yourself to me through contract magic and I promise you will see how beautiful the top is."

    Leila stares, remembering I have amazing talent that far surpasses her.

    I stand up and look at Leila with confidence and smugness.

    Leila thought that if she were to be anyone''s underling, it might as well be with me.

    Leila kneels and bows down facing the ground.

    ¡°I submit¡±

    I immediately unsheath my sword and uses its tip to touch both of Leila¡¯s shoulder.

    My sword glows with my magic and our contract is sealed.

    ¡°I¡¯m happy that you have decided to accept my condition."

    She stands up.

    Now I only have one last curiosity.

    "Why did you become my lady in waiting?¡±

    I planned on approaching her during her adventure but she suddenly applied to be my lady of waiting.

    This seems to scare Leila but she still answers my question.

    ¡°Umm¡­ I ¡­. Was hired to kill you¡±

    ...

 Chapter 6: Finally a village andâ€¦.. people

    Once I was done with the cave I started to walk down a road I found. While walking, I hear the heavy steps of a creature behind me.

    I look behind me and see the huge Wyvern still following me with a happy look.

    I rub my head in annoyance so I turn around and talk to it.

    ¡°I told you, I do not need your assistance anymore."

    It''s head droops but it doesn''t go away, so I do my best to console it.

    "Your help will be remembered when I return to my godhood but following me will lead to your eventual death.¡±

    The wyvern doesn''t react. It''s pretending to be ignorant.

    I know you can understand me!

    I sigh.

    I don¡¯t really know why I bother.

    I¡¯ve told it to scram earlier but it didn¡¯t listen.

    It only showed a sad pitiful look while staring at me with puppy eyes.

    It doesn''t understand how dangerous it is to follow me.

    What I said is true.

    If it follows me, someone will kill it or it will die protecting me.

    I don''t want that to happen.

    The wyvern drops to the ground with its eyes filled with sadness.

    It''s practically begging me to stay.

    I give up.

    This thing is too cute.

    Once the wyvern realizes that I have given up, it happily stands up and follows me.

    I continue walking.

    It¡¯s been two days now since I¡¯ve left the cave and it has been uneventful.

    Before I left the cave, I did one last search at the hoard of items inside the cave.

    Since I can¡¯t carry a lot of stuff, I took only the most basic of necessities.

    I managed to find a few nice things

    Strapped at my left side is a long sword made out of iron. It must have been the weapon of a starting adventurer because it looks like it was bought on a thrift shop.

    I would''ve preferred a spear but spears aren''t a common adventurer weapon.

    I now have a way to protect myself but it is crude and near worthless since it looks like a broken sword. I smile recalling my sister''s lines.

    A broken sword trumps empty-handed.

    I still prefer a spear.

    I also found a small leather bag in the treasure hoard which I strapped near my sword.

    I stuffed it with the coins I found at the hoard of treasures.

    ¡°4 gold coins, 35silver coins, and 61 copper coins.¡±

    If my memory is right, I can convert them all to copper coins that are worth 811 copper pieces, more or less.

    I don¡¯t know if that¡¯s a lot, I have never really studied currency before. I just know what their equivalent amount is.

    I¡¯ll just have to see when I go to a place with people.

    I feel a force behind me as the wyvern pushes me down. I fell to the ground and silently curse.

    I didn''t immediately stand up and the wyvern was erratically nudging me.

    I look at the wyvern and notice that its eyes were filled with extreme fear.

    Then I feel it, my god senses are tingling.

    I quickly stand up, leave the road and hide in the bushes just a few yards away from the road.

    The wyvern goes to hide in the bush as well but I order it with a powerful glare.

    The glare meant: ''Fly! We''ll meet later!''

    The wyvern shrank away from my glare but my order forces it to fly away towards a different direction.

    Good.

    This was for the best. It can¡¯t hide in the bushes with its sheer size and I can at least temporarily get rid of it.

    I started waiting in silence and thought my senses were broken but then a group of suspicious individuals appear from the other side of the road.

    These people were led by a small man while riding powerful-looking horses.

    The man leading them looked very lavish and I could sense the armor he was wearing beneath his robe.

    He was wearing armor made out of dragon scales.

    I unconsciously clutch my fingers with anger.

    What is this feeling?...

    I suddenly want to kill this person...

    I recall how I treated the wyvern and imagine someone wearing its scales as armor.

    My blood burns at the thought of it.

    Is this the feeling when someone hurts your children or in this case wear their skin.

    My head suddenly rings as new statuses appear.

    [Recoveredhidden innate skill God senses]

    [Godsenses passively activated]

    [Godsense partially sealed power reduced]

    My anger slightly subsides so I unclench my fingers and try my best to conceal my presence.

    I need to be careful.

    The small man has 5 men, all clothed in black robes and wearing smooth black masks, accompanying him.

    The man leading them is a very dangerous person.

    Dragons are very powerful beings. I made sure of that

    An individual capable of wearing enchanted dragon scale armor probably has a large number of resources.

    There''s no doubt that this person is both powerful and influential.

    My[God Senses] is telling me that this group is dangerous but this leader is not the cause of it.

    While he has the best equipment, the 5 men behind him exude a more dangerous and powerful aura.

    I carefully stare at them and suddenly see the status of the man leading them.

    [Recoveredhidden innate skill God¡¯s eye]

    [ActivatedGod¡¯s eye]

    [God¡¯seye partially sealed power reduced]

    Name:???

    Race:Human

    Ability Level:14

    Magic Power:1020/1020

    Max Magic Power:1220 (Mid Tier Mana Gloves & Mana Pendant) (220 + 1000)

    Body Power:264(Vurm Dragonscale Armor) (200 + 64)

    Defence:140 (Vurm Dragonscale Armor) (60 + 80)

    Agility:24

    Resilience:13

    Magic:22

    Magic Defence:82 (Vurm Dragonscale Armor) (60 + 22)

    Unique Skills:N/A

    Innate Skills:N/A

    Extra Skills:Penetrating Gaze(Normal)| [Hidden Skill]

    Magic Skills:Heal (Middle) (Normal) | Lightning Bolt (Advanced) (Rare)| Lightning Flash (Advanced) (Normal)| Magic Hand (Elementary) (Normal)

    Custom Skills:N/A

    Affinities:N/A

    Resistances:N/A

    Weaknesses:N/A

    Titles:The King''s Advisor | Parasite | Snake Tongue

    Blessings:Insatiable Greed (curse)

    Equipment:Vurm Dragonscale Armor (Unique) | Vurm Dragontooth Sword (Unique) | Royal Cloak (Normal) |Mid Tier Mana Gloves (Rare)| Mana Pendant (Rare)

    Items:Royal Writ

    This mortal managed to train his lightning bolt to rare level. Considering his blessing and sketchy appearance, he probably uses it to torture.

    I take a careful look behind the small man and I notice that all the black-clothed men are at least 4 times stronger than him... Except for one individual.

    One of the black-clothed men was at least 10 times stronger than this small man.

    The strongest man suddenly stares at me and my heart momentarily stills.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

    ... What is this feeling?... Nervousness...

    After what seems like an eternity of staying still, he looks away, uninterested.

    My senses tell me that the strongest man knows I¡¯m here but he doesn¡¯t seem to care as long as I don¡¯t trouble them.

    I continue my secluded state for a few minutes until the group of men is gone from sight.

    I heave a sigh of relief.

    It seems I''m not in danger.

    Once the immediate danger is gone, I study my newly regained skills. Some of my innate skills are still sealed but at least they are not 100% sealed and I can partially use them.

    I wait for a minute just to make sure that the danger is truly gone.

    A minute passes and I go towards the road.

    I quickly check for any signs of the wyvern and I see a large shadow from the sky.

    I see the wyvern appear and it flies down towards me.

    Its face is relieved since I didn¡¯t get harmed.

    It doesn''t really have expression but I seem to have the ability to understand it.

    The wyvern seems to be happy.

    Such an adorable creature.

    I was staring at the wyvern and suddenly had an idea.

    I use [God¡¯s Eye] on the wyvern.

    A status board appears and I read it.

    Name:Magnus'' Wyvern

    Race:Dragon (Wyvern)

    Evolution Points:2,304/25,000

    Ability Level:50

    Magic Power:0/0

    Max Magic Power:0

    Body Power:1000 (630 + 370)

    Defense:184

    Agility:20

    Resilience:60

    Magic:0

    Magic Defence:151

    Unique Skills:N/A

    Innate Skills:Poison Tail (Rare)| Dragon''s Roar (Rare)

    Extra Skills:N/A

    Magic Skills:N/A

    Custom Skills:N/A

    Affinities:N/A

    Resistances:Fire| Poison

    Weaknesses:N/A

    Titles:Magnus'' Servant

    Blessings:N/A

    Equipment:N/A

    Items:N/A

    ¡°¡­.¡±

    Why is this wyvern suddenly my servant?!

    As if reading my thoughts, the wyvern happily bows its head.

    I think for a reason why the wyvern suddenly became my servant but nothing comes to mind.

    I don¡¯t remember casting contract magic. The wyvern doesn''t have magic either.

    Contract magic also doesn''t allow slavery without the consent of the master.

    It¡¯s usually the other way around.

    The title must come from how I treated it.

    Since I was originally a deity, my ability to bestow titles or powers to others must be still in effect but weaker.

    I turn to the wyvern.

    ¡°I don¡¯t consent you being my slave."

    The wyvern does its puppy eyes again and seems sad.

    "But I can consider you as a servant."

    My words send jolts to the wyvern and it practically jumps in joy.

    I smile and start to walk again while the wyvern follows me with a dumb smile on its face.

    Our travel took hours but eventually, I can see the outline of multiple buildings in the distance.

    I was unable to contain my excitement so I started running.

    The image of the village becomes bigger as I get closer to it.

    I finally enter the village or so I thought.

    Wait... What...

    I fell unconscious just a few meters away from the village.

    I don¡¯t know why I fell unconscious, but since I¡¯m in my dream world it means I fell asleep.

    That means I''m not in any danger because death would drag me out of this dream world.

    Elyis is nowhere to be found.

    This time I¡¯m alone so the first thing I do is imagine a library.

    I open my eyes and transform my dream world into a gigantic library.

    The library appears around with me as the center. Multiple floors appear as the library finishes manifesting.

    A chair made out of carved wood appears behind me and I take a sit.

    A desk also manifests in front of me.

    Thanks to my[All Magical Knowledge]skill, my mind contains all the knowledge of magic in the whole universe.

    Perks of being the progenitor of magic.

    I can conjure this library in my mind and the books contained in this library is all about magic.

    Everything from the basics to the most impossible type of magic is here.

    Now to relax and read.

    I recline on my comfortable seat and summon a particular book.

    A book floats towards me from the lower libraries.

    The book lands on my hand.

    I read its title.

    [Mana Generation for Idiots]

    I sigh.

    How the mighty has fallen.

    I open the book and start reading its contents.

    It''s a basic introduction to what mana is and how can one use it.

    Mana is everywhere. It is the life force of the universe itself and it is virtually infinite.

    Any mana used, destroyed or absorbed will one-day reform.

    It is through the laws I fit into this world that allows mana to be used.

    It can be used for many things, magical spells being one of the more common ways.

    All the creatures in the mortal plane have mana pools and through practice and patience, they can expand it to become bigger.

    For magic to manifest, one must have enough mana for the magic used.

    For example, a small ball of fire would only use a small amount of mana while a concentrated beam of force would need a huge amount of mana.

    An individual must also have enough experience and knowledge of magic. It doesn''t mean a creature has a large mana pool, they can cast all forms of magic.

    To become experienced in magic, one must constantly practice or else even the vastest mana pools are a waste.

    Talent, knowledge and hard work is a large determining factor when it comes to a magic user''s ability.

    In my case, I am the most talented and knowledgeable creature in the universe.

    My work-ethic has yet to be seen but I believe I''ll do well enough.

    I easily memorize the book.

    Hmmm... My body is okay now.

    I notice that my body has recovered enough energy from sleeping.

    I can manually wake up now.

    Time to wake up.

    I open my eyes and I¡¯m immediately greeted by a young female human.

    I notice that I''m lying on a comfortable bed.

    I see the young female human tend to my body.

    The pain and fatigue I have been feeling these past few days were gone.

    A gentle touch goes a long way...

    The girl who was tending me suddenly saw me staring at her.

    She suddenly screams and drops the small bucket of water she was using to wet my forehead.

    Ouch...

    That hurts and I groan a little.

    I check my condition.

    Was I sick?

    Why did I fall unconscious?

    I immediately rise to a seating position and I see the girl cowering in fear.

    She bows toward me.

    Weird...

    ¡°So-Sor-Sorry milord.¡±

    The woman looks very terrified but she tries to look respectful.

    I don¡¯t remember being a noble.

    This must be a misunderstanding.

    The girl continues to panic.

    Poor girl...

    I need to help make her calm first if I plan on moving forward.

    I raise my hand to signal her to stop but she covers her head and face with her hands.

    My eyes widen and a sliver of anger burns inside me.

    I see... So that¡¯s how it is.

    The rich and powerful abuse their power to trample upon the weak.

    If Ragos was here, he would have a field day and start punishing the wicked.

    I sigh and use my [God¡¯s Eye]on the girl.

    I look at her status board and see that her name is Kin.

    I can see her name.

    That small man before must have had an item that hid his name.

    Nevermind that...

    I continue to study Kin''s status board.

    She has[Traumatized]under her blessings, which is ironic, but under her titles are[Saintess]and a[Hidden Title].

    Interesting.

    ¡°Calm down.¡±

    It has no effect it seems.

    She¡¯s still shuddering in terror but at least she¡¯s not cowering in fear.

    Her trauma must have deep roots to be affected by something this small.

    Kin slowly calms down and she pretends to smile.

    You cannot lie to a god.

    I sense it inside her soul.

    She¡¯s disgusted by me.

    Well, it¡¯s not my business.

    I don¡¯t have to deal with things like this.

    I want to salvage our conversation but a fat man enters the room.

    ¡°Sir noble you are awake!¡±

    The fat man respectfully calls out to me.

    I wonder where they got the idea of me being a noble.

    I look like a thief that''s wearing well-made but dirty clothes while brandishing a rusty blade.

    In addition to that, I have no guards.

    How can I be a noble?

    I¡¯ll have to clear this up.

    I raise my hand to stop the man and then speak.

    ¡°Stop, I need to clear something up. I am not a noble¡±

    The fat man stares at me like I¡¯m playing him a joke.

    ¡°My lord you are hilarious. Only a noble would have such a dangerous monster as his guardian and mount. A powerful noble if I might add¡±

    The wyvern. It must be the wyvern.

    I rub my face in frustration.

    That wyvern must¡¯ve carried me to the village.

    ¡°Your powerful mount brought you to our humble village.¡±

    I knew it.

    The face of the man is smiling but I can see that he¡¯s shaking.

    The nobles in this world must be abusive people.

    How did the creation of Ragos develop such cruelty?

    Anyway, I need to create a small story for these people.

    ¡°That mons- Wyvern is a precious friend.¡±

    The man¡¯s face shows that he understands.

    ¡°Thank you, for taking care of me.¡±

    I bow my head lightly and I start to stand.

    Familiar words flow into my ears and I look towards Kin.

    [Holy Bonds]

    Magic!

    Kin who was tending to me one minute ago glares at me and a spell flies towards me.

    Suddenly, I¡¯m pushed to the wall near the bed.

    She can use magic?

    My hands and legs are being bound by golden halos.

    She can cast middle-level light magic!

    I quickly check her status and see that her mana is suddenly up by 10,000 points.

    It was 0 earlier.

    How did she suddenly gain anabnormal amount of magic power?

    I start to panic.

    This level of power is not something I can deal with.

    ¡°Kin, stop!¡±

    The fat man urges kin to stop but it does nothing to soothe thepanic inside Kin¡¯s eyes.

    Kin starts to scream.

    ¡°His eyes, look at them, don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t recognize them,¡±

    The fat man notices it for the first timeandhe faints in fear.

    My eyes?

    What¡¯s the problem with my eyes?

    ¡°Um¡­ Sorry for the sudden intrusion but what¡¯s wrong with my eyes?¡±

    ¡°SILENCE!"

    That shout wouldscarepeopleinto silence but as a god, my threshold for fear is very high.

    ¡°Serious-¡°

    I try to continue but Kin cuts me off.

    ¡°I SAID SILENCE!¡±

    Kin raises her fingers and my mouth is clamped shut by a golden light.

    This is starting to get annoying.

    Out of all the gods, except Elyis and Branac, I am the most patient but this person is overstepping her boundaries.

    She¡¯s wrongly accusing me of something that isn¡¯t my fault.

    I glare at her with the meaning that if she doesn¡¯t let me go, I will do everything in my power to make her life hell.

    She flinches at my stare and removes the mouth clamp.

    [Recovered Racial Skill God¡¯s Stare]

    [God¡¯s Stare partially sealed power reduced]

    Kin stares at me curiously and asks me a question.

    ¡°Who are you?¡±

    ¡°Will you please dispel this spell first?¡±

    I notice that her eyes are glowing with a yellow light.

    Reluctantly, she removes the spell.

    I rub my sore wrists.

    I check her status again.

    Her mana is back to 0.

    She no longer has her abnormal magic power and the yellow glow around her eyes.

    ¡°Who are you?¡± Kin asks again

    ¡°Before I answer that, can I ask a question?¡±

    Kin nods.

    ¡°What is with my eyes that you deem worthy enough that you used magic?¡±

    This seems to confuse Kin a lot.

    ¡°You do not know what color your eyes are?¡±

    I shake my head towards this.

    Kin looks confused and horrified.

    Her face twists into a sorry face.

    ¡°You''re not lying?¡±

    Kin confirms one more time.

    "I do not lie."

    Kin¡¯s shoulders sag heavily as she falls to her legs.

    Suddenly she looks back at me looking teary.

    ¡°I am so sorry.¡±

    She kneels and is repeating the words ''I¡¯m so sorry''.

    Well, I think that her hidden title is a bi-magic-polar person because one moment she¡¯s jacked up in magic power and a second later she¡¯s zero again.

    Well, this is how I spent my first time in a civilized place.

    Magnus'' Current Stats

    <input class="spoilerButton" type="button" value="Show">

    <div>

    Name:Magnus

    Race:Fallen God

    Ability Level:1

    Magic Power:10/10 (¡ü)

    Max Magic Power:10 (¡ü)

    Body Power:10 (5+5)

    Defense:1

    Agility:10

    Resilience:1

    Magic:1 (¡ü)

    Magic Defence:1 (¡ü)

    Unique Skills:Creation (Sealed) (Ultimate)|Indestructible Essence (Ultimate) |Endless Mana Capacity (Legendary)|All Magical Knowledge (Godly)

    Innate Skills:God''s Eye (Partially Sealed) (Godly) I God Senses (Partially Sealed) (Godly) IGod¡¯s Stare (Partially Sealed) (Godly)

    Extra Skills:Pain Tolerance I (Normal)

    Magic Skills:N/A

    Custom Skills:N/A

    Affinities:N/A

    Resistances:N/A

    Weaknesses:N/A

    Titles:God of Magic| The Fallen God| Dreamer | Masochist | Master of the Wyvern

    Blessings:Sealed (Indeterminable)

    Equipment:N/A

    Items:N/A

 Chapter 7: My eyes are a problem.

    It was at the 18th apology when Kin started to calm down.

    Finally...

    I was seating on the comfortable bed and yet I felt exhausted the whole time.

    Ragos said that receiving too much kindness was exhausting.

    I guess he was right.

    I don¡¯t really get it though, what¡¯s with my eyes.

    The eyes of a god are golden.

    My eyes should be golden as well.

    Our Irises are golden, while our pupils are a shade lighter.

    Mortals should know through Ragos that the eyes of the gods are Golden.

    Unless my eyes have changed.

    No... it can''t be...

    My inherent body couldn''t have changed that much right?

    ¡°Kin.¡±

    I grab her shoulder and ask with urgency.

    This jolts her from her apologetic stare.

    ¡°Y-yes?¡±

    She stammers but she manages to regain her former seriousness.

    ¡°What color are my eyes right now?¡±

    I''m staring at Kin with widened eyes.

    I need to know what color my eyes are.

    I hope I¡¯m not creeping her out.

    Kin stares at me but she speaks.

    ¡°You¡¯re eyes are a shade of cyan. More on the darker shades.¡±

    Once I heard Kin''s words, I let her go.

    My eyes have been transformed.

    This is disconcerting.

    It''s not because I dislike the color, I actually really like the color cyan since it fits the color of my robes.

    Whoever game me these eyes means that someone wants me dead.

    Dark cyan eyes mean that I am the target of a god or a powerful heavenly celestial.

    If a creature from the heavens were to curse a mortal with dark cyan eyes, it means the mortal has done something to greatly anger them.

    It has many names but it is commonly called [Cursed Eyes].

    The curse will last until death or the cursed one becomes a celestial being themselves.

    Usually getting a god¡¯s favor would be enough motivation to kill a person with the cursed eyes but to motivate people more, the gods made a rule that should they curse someone, the killer will be rewarded.

    I must have a very big price on my head.

    This curse will make sure that my life will be in constant danger.

    Not good.

    [Discovered hidden status Cursed Eyes]

    I pause and stare at the notification in my status board.

    I internally sigh.

    I guess it¡¯s just another problem I need to deal with.

    I stare at Kin and wonder why didn¡¯t she just kill me.

    Most mortals would do anything to gain the favor a god.

    The mortals that had the chance to talk to me fell to their knees and tried to immediately curry favor.

    And even if Kin didn''t want the favor, I would still be considered a dangerous being.

    It would have been safer to just kill me.

    ¡°Kin.¡±

    This woman is weird.

    Kin didn''t answer immediately, she must''ve been thinking.

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    She regained her seriousness it seems.

    I look at this simple girl and wonder where she got that extreme power boost.

    And where the hell is that wyvern!

    I thought it was my servant but isn''t capable of sensing if its master is in danger.

    Well to be honest... Kin would have easily slaughtered it.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you just kill me instantly? I am a cursed person, why spare me?¡±

    Kin must¡¯ve predicted this and looked at me with a serious pair of eyes.

    The mana in the air suddenly vibrates rapidly.

    I take a look at her status and her magic power jumped again.

    I subconsciously tense up and Kin notices.

    "Sorry... I got excited hehe."

    Kin relaxes and her magic power drops back to 0.

    ¡°I don¡¯t really know, my god F-¡°

    A god!

    ¡°Your god?¡±

    It''s not my personality to interrupt others but I can''t help but be surprised.

    It was obvious that her power came from a deity because if her power came from herself, then I could at least see that but her magic power is 0.

    If she is a follower of a god or goddess, she must have been an extremely high ranked one.

    I ask her what rank she is in her religion.

    ¡°Are you an apostle?"

    Kin''s power is not huge compared to some creatures of the mortal plane but for a human, without a shred of magic power or talent, her power is astonishing.

    ¡°No, I am not an apostle or any lower ranking follower."

    I see. She must be an avatar.

    ¡°I¡¯m an avatar¡±

    I knew it.

    ¡°I see¡±

    My nonchalant response left her mouth wide open and even more surprised than my [Cursed Eyes].

    ¡°Wa- Wait aren¡¯t you supposed to be more surprised, scared, shocked or anything?¡±

    I internally chuckle and compare myself to her.

    I can¡¯t tell her that I¡¯m a god myself that used to exist in a higher plane of existence and power compared to her god.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    Kin''s god cannot be compared to me because the difference is too massive.

    She won''t believe that.

    "I¡¯m just a naturally calm person."

    She¡¯s frowning.

    I guess she didn¡¯t believe that either.

    ¡°Really, you¡¯re not surprised?¡±

    I shake my head to her.

    While I''ve been talking to Kin, I notice that I¡¯ve been here for too long and the fat guy whose status I didn¡¯t bother to check is still unconscious.

    I point to the unconscious person and tell Kin about my current plans.

    ¡°You should deal with that. I only went to this village to get information and supplies. I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d fall unconscious.¡±

    She nods and leaves me to tend to the fat person.

    "Well... Sir..."

    "Yes?"

    Kin looks flustered.

    "Umm nevermind."

    I shrug.

    I just realized the reason why I fell unconscious.

    It was starvation.

    I spent 2 days without food and my body gave out.

    I guess I have become truly mortal now.

    I ponder for a while but eventually decide to go.

    ¡°Well, then I¡¯ll excuse myself.¡±

    I stand up to go and leave the room but not before leaving a small thank you to Kin.

    When I went outside, I see an astonishing sight.

    Oh, my poor servant...

    The wyvern is chained to the ground with light magic.

    Gigantic chains made out of the light element are chaining its whole body to the ground.

    I hear a snap from behind me and the light chains disperse.

    I look back and see Kin. She''s going to apologize again so I quickly stop her.

    The Wyvern, noticing it¡¯s free, jumps towards me and looks for defense against Kin¡¯s cruelties against it.

    Poor boy...

    I pat its head and knock Kin¡¯s head weakly.

    "Ouch! Why did you do that?"

    "You try being imprisoned. It''s not a good feeling."

    Kin¡¯s rubs her head and just nods.

    Once the wyvern is free, it obediently follows me.

    "Is it okay if I walk around? My wyvern is here after all."

    Kin nods.

    "As long as I accompany you, it''ll be fine."

    "Then please come with me."

    I say that with a smile and Kin replies in affirmative.

    We start to tour the village while the Wyvern follows us.

    It¡¯s a pretty small village on the outer fringes of the royal kingdom¡¯s border.

    At the center of the village lies a small church.

    It seems that the one who manages it is the village priest.

    I imagined Kin being the one to manage it but I guess it isn''t her.

    I immediately notice that people everywhere are staring at the large scaly monster following me.

    Hmmm... Maybe I should name him.

    We both see the church from the distance.

    Kin smiles and talks about it.

    ¡°That church is where I grew up, and there I was taught to read and pray. That was where the place I met the god I worship.¡±

    Is it Supremas? No... He wouldn''t pick a random human in the middle of nowhere.

    Supremas is the patron god of humanity.

    He was a mortal in the first age that gained Ragos'' favor through kindness, compassion, and strength.

    Because of Ragos, he was elevated into godhood.

    I find him to be a stuck up person.

    If it''s not Supremas, who is the god that gave Kin such a great amount of power.

    I¡¯m interested in that god.

    He or she picked a small human girl with no talent as an avatar.

    I call that stupid.

    Maybe the god fell for her.

    ¡°Who is your god?¡±

    Kin looks at me with worship in her eyes, not towards me but towards the god she reveres.

    ¡°I am the avatar of the Goddess Felina, Goddess of kindness.¡±

    Felina... I''ve never heard of that name before.

    It¡¯s a goddess, and judging from my memories she must be a new god.

    She¡¯s most probably only a lesser god.

    The avatars of higher gods can flick their fingers and a Pioneer country would be destroyed.

    I do find something weird.

    An avatar shouldn''t be stuck in a frontier village.

    I look at Kin who''s trying to get the wyvern to approach her.

    Well, it''s not my business.

    I respect all the higher and lesser gods because they were once mortals but achieved godhood through their own power and effort.

    I recall Kin''s deity and ask her a question.

    ¡°Why did she pick you?¡±

    I¡¯m quite curious.

    Excluding us, Gods cannot intervene in the mortal world without expending a ridiculous amount of effort and power.

    A weakened god is a prime target for other gods, celestials and evil beings.

    To ensure that they aren''t in danger when interacting with the mortal plane, they manifest their power through artifacts, miraculous events, powerful champions and when they need to be serious, the project their power through an avatar.

    An avatar contains 1% of a god¡¯s true power but it can be increased up to 60%.

    Well, synchronized mortals and deities can reach up to the god''s full power.

    Felina and Kin might have really good synchronization.

    It''s a shame that Kin has such a low level. If she had a higher level, she would be able to channel a higher amount of power from Felina.

    ¡°Well¡­.¡±

    She seems to be holding back.

    I don''t want to force something out of her.

    ¡°Stop, you don¡¯t need to say it if you don¡¯t want to.¡±

    I see her relax and we continue to explore the village more.

    Kin explains to me that since this village is a frontier one, there is an encampment set up here.

    A bunch of soldiers... It might be interesting.

    "Can you lead me to it?"

    Kin looks surprised but she nods.

    "Sure just follow me."

    After asking her to lead me to it, we arrive shortly at a large circle of tents with a small amount of lightly armored soldiers.

    I admire their weapons and armors.

    I can''t help but smile about these battle-hardened soldiers.

    While admiring the soldiers, I see a soldier who¡¯s to be wearing leather armor approach us.

    I guess not all of them are battle hardened.

    The soldier looks angry at me since I came here with Kin.

    He clearly likes Kin, after all, plain and simple women tend to attract a lot of people.

    And I can''t deny that Kin is a beautiful but simple appearance.

    What I don¡¯t understand is why is he glaring at me.

    ¡°Oi Kin, why you going around with some brat?"

    Hmmm... Wait... Haven''t the otherworlders I''ve sent to the mortal plane before experienced something like this as well.

    Despite her polite attitude with me, Kin talks to the soldier with a tinge of sarcasm.

    ¡°Calvin what a pleasure, this is¡­..¡±

    Kin is staring at me.

    Oh yeah, we forgot to properly introduce each other.

    ¡°Magnus¡±

    I respond just in time to save Kin from embarrassing herself.

    She mutters a nearly inaudible thank you like a response and turns back to Calvin.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t ask his name, why is this brat with you?¡±

    I don¡¯t like the way he¡¯s calling me a brat.

    Kin ignores him while I check his status.

    I don¡¯t find him impressive.

    Is this the average of the human armies?

    An ant could kill everything if this guy was the average of the army.

    He only has a body power of 20.

    He¡¯s only twice as strong as me, but he has so many openings.

    My sister Remries said never give an opponent an opening not even once.

    If you think about it, it¡¯s unfair if I compare the goddess of war to a mortal soldier.

    ¡°Hey, Kin I told you before that you are my woman. Messing with a brat that hasn¡¯t even stopped drinking from their mother¡¯s breasts, why not come with a real man.¡±

    Calvin looks vicious, are all males of the human race like this.

    I doubt it, but I think I¡¯ll encounter a lot of males acting like this. I hope not all of them are as stupid or weak as this guy.

    I enjoy the challenge after all.

    While thinking of my own thoughts Kin starts retorting to Calvin.

    ¡°First of all, I am no one¡¯s woman. I belong to the Goddess Felina. And since I belong to her, it means I belong to everyone. And let me get this through your thick skull, you sorry excuse of a human being."

    Oh wow... Kin has a sharp tongue.

    "You wouldn''t even know how to respect a lady even if it hits you in the head. Felina''s teaching says I belong to everyone, I cannot give myself to anyone¡±

    That can be misinterpreted in many horrible ways but let¡¯s just roll with it.

    I chuckle. I have to admit, she¡¯s pretty harsh for the avatar of the goddess of kindness.

    Calvin looks surprised.

    He must feel unfairly treated.

    I doubt that this is the first time though.

    I¡¯m sure Kin isn¡¯t the first woman to reject him this harshly.

    Kin looks surprised as if she just remembered that I was here.

    She looks at me and her mouth opens up many times but no words are coming out.

    Adorable.

    Hmmm, where did that come from?

    I turn to Calvin and his silence turns to anger. He starts looking for someone to vent his anger too.

    ¡°YOOUUU!!¡±

    Calvin¡¯s face turns ugly as he points his finger at me.

    ¡°How dare you take my woman?¡±

    Calvin is shouting again.

    Wait... Is this one of those damsels in distress scenes.

    Calvin pulls out a sword from his side.

    He points it to me haphazardly.

    ¡°I challenge you to a duel¡±

    Is this really happening now?

    ¡°If you¡¯re a man accept then, if not then you do not deserve Kin!¡±

    I start to recall that specific otherworlder who experienced something the same.

    Isn¡¯t the good guy supposed to say something like...

    ¡°You will never get Kin, you bastard! For she belongs to me¡±

    I say this with so much zeal that Calvin was stupefied and Kin¡¯s face is grim.

    Eh--- did I do it wrong?

    New Status Update

    <input class="spoilerButton" type="button" value="Show">

    <div>

    Name:Magnus

    Race:Fallen God

    Ability Level:1

    Magic Power:10/10

    Max Magic Power:10

    Body Power:10 (5+5)

    Defence:1

    Agility:10

    Resilience:1

    Magic:1

    Magic Defence:1

    Unique Skills:Creation (Sealed) (Ultimate)|Indestructible Essence (Ultimate) |Endless Mana Capacity (Legendary)|All Magical Knowledge (Godly)

    Innate Skills:God''s Eye (Partially Sealed) (Godly) I God Senses (Partially Sealed) (Godly) IGod¡¯s Stare (Partially Sealed) (Godly)

    Extra Skills:Pain Tolerance I (Normal)

    Magic Skills:N/A

    Custom Skills:N/A

    Affinities:N/A

    Resistances:N/A

    Weaknesses:N/A

    Titles:God of Magic| The Fallen God| Dreamer | Masochist | Master of the wyvern

    Blessings:Sealed (Indeterminable)| Cursed Eyes [New]

    Equipment:N/A

    Items:N/A

 Chapter 8: Overwhelming difference

    Did I do something wrong?

    I look at Kin.

    Kin¡¯s face is grim but she¡¯s smiling.

    I haven''t been with her for a long time but I''ve seen her show a lot of expressions.

    These expressions range from extreme rage to incessant guilt.

    I think this smile is her scariest expression.

    Creepy...

    I think of the consequences of my reaction and forget that Calvin exists.

    While Kin looks peaceful to the outside world, Calvin is the opposite.

    Even though Calvin''s angry, he looks hysterical.

    The soldiers around the camp look at us with interest.

    Even nearby villagers are approaching us.

    My outburst must''ve attracted them.

    While I look around, Calvin fumbles for words.

    ¡°Then if you¡¯re so brave! Come meet me at the center of the camp!¡±

    While Calvin was shouting his throat out, I¡¯ve been thinking.

    What was this village¡¯s name again?

    It¡¯s a frontier village but what was its name again.

    I think I saw a sign...

    It was- ouch.

    I feel someone pinching my shoulder.

    I turn around and see that Kin is heavily pinching my left shoulder.

    She¡¯s still smiling with that creepy expression

    ¡°Magnus, you better back up your words and go to the center of the camp.¡±

    She¡¯s encouraging me to fight?

    Are Felina¡¯s conditions that lax?

    Her next words actually managed to chill me.

    ¡°If you get hurt, don¡¯t worry I¡¯ll heal you.¡±

    Kin''s smile just got scarier.

    Even though I appreciate her offer to heal me, I don¡¯t really have any intention to lose.

    Nobody normal wants to get hurt after all.

    People give way as I follow Calvin to the center of the camp.

    Calvin must have some form of reputation because a lot of people are interested in watching.

    I hear people talk about Calvin and his attitude.

    Some of them try to steer the topic to me and my pet wyvern.

    Wait... Where the hell is that monster anyway?

    I look around and I don''t see it anywhere in the camp.

    Good for nothing wyvern.

    Well, it''s not like I was going to sic it towards Calvin.

    Kin would have stopped me.

    Some of them are actually betting who would win.

    Obviously, a lot of people are betting against me.

    Wait Kin is betting as well.

    She¡¯s betting against Calvin¡­

    Kin seems to have noticed that I¡¯ve been staring at her. She gives me a thumb upwith a reassuring smile.

    Her smile says that if I lose, the church will be losing its funds for a month.

    Why the hell did you bet the church''s money!?

    Felina! Your avatar is a horrible human being!

    I give her a wry smile before I go to the center.

    The center of the camp is a small clearing of dirt devoid of any grass.Stolen novel; please report.

    I see a lot of cuts and holes, that obviously come from sharp weapons, on the dirt floor.

    I guess we aren¡¯t the first people to fight here.

    ¡°I guess you aren¡¯t completely gutless."

    Calvin starts spewing vicious words which I ignore.

    He grabs the hilt of his steel long sword and takes a stance.

    He looks like a great warrior preparing to use his legendary 1 hit kill move.

    That must be his thought process right now.

    I sometimes wonder what people think just before they enter combat.

    Are they thinking the same thing, I''m thinking?

    Before I could continue my random thoughts, the shouts of soldiers and villagers call me back to reality.

    ¡°Go! Calvin!!¡±

    ¡°Calvin I just bet 50copper coins on your ass, you better not lose¡±

    ¡°Oi! New guy, I just risked my lunch for you, if you lose I¡¯ll take your lunch¡±

    I hear a lot of comments and jeers from the spectators.

    I think I hear Kin shouting too but I don¡¯t really want to ruin her image for me.

    She''s the first mortal I met after all, other than my wyvern.

    The jeers and shouts invigorate Calvin, who''s starting to swing and flourish his sword in inefficient ways.

    What is this idiot doing?

    He''s wasting his stamina.

    Instead of getting excited, I''m getting a bit frustrated.

    Is my first round of combat going to be with an idiot?

    Well, let¡¯s get this started.

    I take my whole sword including the sheath and remove it from the strap. I unsheathe the blade and throw the sheath a few yards to my forward left.

    What I did next shocked everyone. I threw my blade to the right just a few yards away from arms reach.

    If I had a spear, I''d show these people how to fight elegantly but unfortunately, I have to use a sword.

    I''m not bad at it. I just really prefer using a spear or anything similar, like a halberd.

    The one who¡¯s shocked the most is Calvin.

    I can¡¯t help but smile at the thought that I¡¯ve been reduced to fighting low-end soldiers, with no hope of rising through the ranks.

    Well, I have to start somewhere.

    Calvin stops his stupid flourishes.

    "What are you do-"

    I suddenly lunged forward.

    Calvin finally comes out of his stupor and fixes his stance again.

    He suddenly unsheathes his blade to cut my head off.

    I predict his attack and I lunge downward, just below his blade.

    I use my right hand to grab his right wrist.

    "Urgh"

    I twist it with a quick movement and he drops his sword as he groans in pain.

    I use my left hand to catch his falling sword and it quickly finds itself nested on Calvin''s neck.

    I add a bit of pressure just to intimidate him.

    ¡°I win.¡±

    I look at Calvin and see his face. He wasn''t expecting this.

    I let go of Calvin¡¯s wrist and give him back his sword.

    He¡¯s still frozen from shock.

    I turn around and walk towards my sword.

    "Ahhhhh!"

    Once I grabbed my sword, I immediately twist my body and parry Calvin¡¯s sword.

    When I parried his blade, I hit his handle hard enoughto make him drop it.

    I catch his blade using my own and throw it up towards the sky.

    I punch him in the gut with all of my strength making him drop to his knees.

    His blade quickly falls down towards us and I catch it with my free hand.

    I use both swords and pin his neck with them.

    ¡°I kind of knew you would do that. You¡¯re a pretty obvious person.¡±

    The only ones more shocked than Calvin was the crowd.

    No one knew who I was and what I could do but nobody expected that I was capable of using my sword so proficiently.

    After proving my point, I throw Calvin¡¯s sword and behind him and walk towards my sheath.

    I sheathe my sword and strap it to my side.

    The crowd suddenly goes wild and cheer, especially the ones who gambled for me.

    I see Kin from behind the crowd looking extremely happy and satisfied.

    She''s holding a thick pouch filled with a lot of silver coins.

    I smile and signal for her to come to me.

    Seeing that I called for her, the crowd goes even wilder and pushes Kin toward the center.

    [Recovered hidden skill Martial Knowledge From the War Goddess]

    [Martial Knowledge from the War Goddess is permanently active]

    [Martial Knowledge from the War Goddess is sealed and its bonuses are lessened]

    I ignore the status notification and focus my attention on Kin.

    ¡°So who were you going to heal?¡±

    Gods are proud not because of petty fights but because we simply are.

    But... This type of pride I''m feeling is something only mortals would feel and it feels amazing.

    Smiling ear to ear, I stare at Kin like how Elyis used to stare at me.

    Adopting a proud pose, Kin retorts.

    ¡°No one, I had full trust towards you, I was just scaring you.¡±

    She ended it with a smile.

    ¡°How much did you win?"

    ¡°Tch¡±

    Kin looks away but recovers easily and faces me with a bright smile again.

    "20 Silver!"

    She shows me a pouch that jingles with metal.

    Some poor lad out there lost their money.

    I don''t know how much that is worth but money is money.

    I stare at Kin and chuckle.

    I¡¯m happy but I am not stupid enough to forget the important things, so I ask Kin quietly

    ¡°When did you cast an illusion?¡±

    Kin doesn¡¯t respond and just smiles at me.

    I guess I¡¯ll have to thank her later.

    Before we could continue our conversation, a dignified shout hushes the voices of all the soldiers and people at the camp.

    ¡°THE PRINCESS IS HERE!¡±

    Princess?

    New Status Update

    <div>

    Name:Magnus

    Race:Fallen God

    Ability Level:1

    Magic Power:10/10

    Max Magic Power:10

    Body Power:10 (5+5)

    Defence:1

    Agility:10

    Resilience:1

    Magic:1

    Magic Defence:1

    Unique Skills:Creation (Sealed) (Ultimate)|Indestructible Essence (Ultimate) |Endless Mana Capacity (Legendary)|All Magical Knowledge (Godly)

    Innate Skills:God''s Eye (Partially Sealed) (Godly) I God Senses (Partially Sealed) (Godly)[New] IGod¡¯s Stare (Partially Sealed) (Godly)

    Extra Skills:Pain Tolerance I (Normal)I Martial Knowledge from the War Goddess (Partially Sealed) (Legendary)

    Magic Skills:N/A

    Custom Skills:N/A

    Affinities:N/A

    Resistances:N/A

    Weaknesses:N/A

    Titles:God of Magic| The Fallen God| Dreamer | Masochist | Master of the wyvern

    Blessings:Sealed (Indeterminable)| Cursed Eyes

    Equipment:N/A

    Items:N/A

 Chapter 9: Annoying Princess

    Why is the princess going to a frontier village like this?

    I still don¡¯t know what its name is.

    I see Kin and the other villagers running towards the center of the village.

    They must be excited to see someone of royal stature.

    I look at my opponent and see that Calvin is still in a daze on the ground.

    I look around and notice that the excitement earlier was immediately doused as every person here wanted to give their respect to the princess.

    Royalty can greatly influence the masses. I guess powerful authority figures will always be a trend...

    Well, I¡¯ve got nothing to do anyway, so I¡¯ll go with them.

    I use my [God Senses] to check out the village.

    The area where the princess is supposed to be has a very powerful person.

    They areat least on the same level as the black men before excluding their leader.

    That person must be her personal bodyguard.

    Now... To find that stupid reptile. It suddenly ran off.

    I use [God Senses] actively to find the wyvern.

    I found it.

    The wyvern is outside the village in a relatively safe place. It''s far away to be considered safe but near enough so that it can swoop in to protect me.

    Very impressive

    The moment the wyvern sensed a powerful individual enter the village, it immediately left and hid but still kept my safety as a priority.

    Should be I impressed or mad?

    Also, what type of servant leaves their master?

    I chuckle and hope it doesn''t run into trouble. At least it¡¯s smart enough to take care of itself.

    I start to think of the amount of traveling I''ll be doing. Maybe I can take it with me then.

    After turning my active [GodSenses] off, I walk towards the large crowd of people in the village.

    When I arrived at the edge of the crowd, I see Kin trying to fit in to get a peek of the princess.

    Kin tries her best to see the carriage carrying the princess but her small height and the thick crowd prevents her from doing so.

    ¡°Hey, ~~ Let me see.¡±

    Kin is getting annoyed while puffing her cheeks.

    Did Felina pick her solely because she''s adorable?

    I tap her shoulder to get her attention.

    ¡°ahh¡±

    It seemed to scare her and she jumpsa little.

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s just you. Jeez, don¡¯t scare me like that.¡±

    This time she¡¯s pouting and looks at me annoyed.

    I smile at her which mellows her a little.

    Felina must have picked her because she can make adorable expressions. Her scary ones can help as well.

    ¡°Is the princess someone impressive that everyone wants to take a look?¡±

    Kin makes a weird face towards my question but she notices that I¡¯m serious and answers.

    ¡°Common people like us are usually curious about royalty. Even though most nobility is horrible, not all royalty is. Especially the previous king and current princess, they were actively improving the kingdom for both nobles and commoners."

    "Previous?"

    Kin nods.

    "The previous king died and his brother replaced him who is kind of... A stereotypical horrible king."

    Oh... Disappointing.

    "But her daughter is continuing his legacy by handling all the projects he started. Even the current king can''t prevent her due to her influence."

    That''s good. At least the princess is a good person.

    I was about to take a look at the princess but Kin starts running her mouth.

    Her eyes sparkle as she speaks.

    "She¡¯s said to be the most perfect human being ever. At the young age of 18, she has an ability level of 50, rivaling diamond rank adventurers. Her magic power is nothing big and is only at 500 but she has the skill[All MainElements].It means that she can use all the 4 main elements. She will easily rise up to become one of the most powerful magic users in the future. Her body power is also extraordinary, it¡¯s at 500. With that amount of body power, she''s 50x stronger than the average healthy human and 5x stronger than an average demon. She¡¯s so amazing that even her current partner is on the same level as her.¡±

    "Uhhm..."

    Kin realizes that she said too much and apologizes. She returns to her normal self and looks towards the carriage.

    I think of the princess and try to form an image.

    A perfect human being? I don''t think that exists.

    Even the strongest mortals have flaws.

    I think about the other strong presence.

    So that strong being with her is her partner, not a bodyguard.

    Looking at the passing carriage, I use [God¡¯s Eye] to study the status of the two persons inside.

    I find the princess and check her status.

    Name:Elizabeth

    Race:Human (Godblood)

    Ability Level:50

    Magic Power:500/500

    Max Magic Power:500

    Body Power:500 (300+200)

    Defense:50

    Agility:50

    Resilience:25

    Magic:50

    Magic Defence:200

    Unique Skills:All Main Elements (Legendary)

    Innate Skills:Magic Affinity IX (Legendary)| Truth Beyond Eyes (Unique)| Genius Mind (Rare)| Innate Fighting Talent (Rare)

    Extra Skills:Rising Phoenix (Unique)| Ultra Slash (Rare)|Blink Lunge (Rare)| Triple Slash (Rare)

    Magic Skills:Hyper Force(Advanced) (Normal) | Heal (Middle) (Normal)| Ground Shake (Elementary) (Normal)

    Custom Skills:N/A

    Affinities:Air I | Earth I | Fire I | Water I

    Resistances:Air I| EarthI| Fire I| Water I

    Weaknesses:N/A

    Titles:Demoness | Royal Princess |Shunner of Men

    Blessings:Hero Egg (Incubating)

    Equipment:Riaglon (Ancient)| Succession (Ancient)

    Items:Royal Writ| Greater Mana Potion | Greater Health Potion|

    I suddenly freeze.

    I recall everything Kin told me about how talented and how great this princess was.

    I understand why she has managed to reach such heights.

    She may be a human but she is a Godblood.

    Godblood humans are blessed with Ragos'' divine blood, giving them the potential to become heroes and make history.

    Usually, I would not be surprised by a Godblood but Ragos created humans differently.Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    The blood of humans dilutes easily. If a human Godblood wants to have children that have the blood of Ragos, they must have a partner who is also a Godblood.

    The moment a human Godblood has a partner that isn''t a Godblood, their children will be a normal human no matter what, wasting the potential brought upon by Ragos'' blood.

    For a human to be a Godblood, there are only two ways.

    The most common way is to have Godblood parents. Any of their children would carry Ragos'' blood, making them extremely talented.

    The other way is to gain Ragos'' favor, which is hard. In all the eras, the amount of Godbloods blessed by Ragos doesn''t even reach 20. This type of Godblood is stronger and even more potent than the normal Godblood.

    This was how Supremas became an influential figure. He was a normal human that gained Ragos'' favor and was blessed with his divine blood which led to him ascending godhood.

    The reason why I am so agitated is that human Godbloods have the highest potential of all the Godbloods in existence, excluding Godblood dragons.

    They even surpass demon Godbloods but demon Godbloods that mate with non-Godbloods at least yields a demon noble.

    I take a quick look at Elizabeth.

    Hmmm, she''s a natural godblood... That doesn''t surprise me.

    If I find out that she was blessed by Ragos, I would have been shocked even more.

    The items she owns are also impressive.

    Her strongest item reaches the Ancient level.

    I can see why she is so talented. Her heritage gave her an extremely high potential.

    The more I check her status, the more I''m getting unnerved.

    Her status says that she has a hero''s egg.

    Well, I''m not approaching this individual.

    A hero egg means that a creature has the potential to become a hero. This potential is usually released when something big happens with them as the center.

    I don''t want any part of it.I don¡¯t want to be the sidekick of a hero. I want my own story.

    I made up my mind of not associating myself with her.

    Once I''m done with the Princess'' status, I use [God''s Eye] to study her partner.

    Name:Leila

    Race:Half - Demon

    Ability Level:55 | 110 (Demon Trigger

    Magic Power:100/100| 250/250 (Demon Trigger)

    Max Magic Power:100| 250 (Demon Trigger)

    Body Power:910 (800+110) | 2000 (Demon Trigger)

    Defence:91| 200 (Demon Trigger)

    Agility:50| 120 (Demon Trigger)

    Resilience:40 | 100 (Demon Trigger)

    Magic:10| 25 (Demon Trigger)

    Magic Defence:40| 100 (Demon Trigger)

    Unique Skills:Single Main Element(Fire) (Rare)| Immune Mind (Unique)

    Innate Skills:Demon Eye (Rare)|Demon Trigger(Unique)| InnateFightingTalent(Rare)

    Extra Skills:Pain Tolerance X (Rare)| Demonic Slam (Rare)| Devil Step (Rare)| Triple Slash (Rare)

    Magic Skills:Summon Flame Darkin (Middle) (Normal)

    Custom Skills:N/A

    Affinities:Fire II

    Resistances:Fire II

    Weaknesses:Light

    Titles:Vurm Slayer| Diamond Rank Adventurer| Mana Sensitive Rank Mage

    Blessings:Demon Infused

    Equipment:HalfPlate Armor (Normal)|Cannon Guard(Unique)

    Items:Greater Mana Potion| Greater Health Potion|

    Kin wasn¡¯t exaggerating.

    Her bodyguard, I mean partner, is quite absurd.

    This Leila is twice as strong as her.

    The princess might have higher potential but her partner is currently stronger than her.

    After skimming through her status, I''ve made up my mind.

    I''m 100% sure that I''m not going to associate myself with them no matter what.

    Without missing a beat, the carriage stops.

    My heart stops as well.

    A moment later, a knight accompanying the carriage dismounts his horse and opens the carriage door.

    The knight steps to the side to kneel.

    The village goes silent when they see the person going down the steps.

    It wasn''t an exaggeration when they said that the princess is a godlike beauty.

    The princess has a head topped with platinum hair, eyes as blue as the clean sea, a body that would shame a demon succubus, and talent that threatens to overthrow common sense.

    All natural Godbloods are like this.

    The princess is wearing a beautiful blue dress properly altered to be usable in combat.

    She is also has a sword strapped to her left side.

    Shit.

    The villagers make way for the princess as she walks toward us.

    She''s going towards us.

    I see the princess staring at me with intense eyes.

    Kin is trembling because she notices that the princess is staring at me.

    She whispers.

    "Hey? Did you do something to anger the princess?"

    I shake my head lightly but I don''t look away.

    The princess reaches our position.

    There are only a few small feet of distance between us, as the princess studiesboth me and Kin.

    She points at me and speaks proudly.

    ¡°You, follow me.¡±

    She doesn''t wait for my reply and immediately walks back to the carriage.

    All the villagers stare at me and Kin.

    She shies away but stays by my side.

    When she realizes what just happened, she drags my clothes and lowers my ears towards her mouth.

    ¡°Magnus, I think the princess saw through my illusion.¡±

    I nod and acknowledge her opinion.

    I think that is the case as well, she had that troublesome skill [Truth beyond eyes].

    I didn¡¯t move from my position.

    I watched her receding back as she returned to the carriage.

    When she goes to ride the carriage, she closes the door.

    Everyone looks confused and Kin proceeds to tell me about it.

    ¡°Hey, Magnus the-¡°

    ¡°Give her a minute.¡±

    Suddenly, the carriage door bursts open and the princess stretches her head out to stare at me.

    Once she sees me, she immediately goes down and walks toward me but unlike earlier, she lost her momentum and is simply brisk walking towards me.

    She seems a little bit annoyed.

    As a princess, she must be used to people falling over each other for her favor.

    ¡°Hey, you!¡±

    I didn¡¯t expect her attitude to take a sudden 360 change.

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    I speak to her with my most polite voice.

    ¡°I said follow me, why didn¡¯t you follow?¡±

    I know she is a princess but I don¡¯t really want to associate myself with her.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡±

    The village suddenly turns cold.

    The knights tense up and I could see them hold the grip of their sword.

    For everyone here, I''m a nobody.

    Who am I to decline royalty?

    Kin looks at me incredulously.

    The princess suddenly smiled mischievously, as she went closer to me and said quietly.

    ¡°Do you really want to be stabbed in the dark? Those eyes of yours are a big ''please kill me'' signal.¡±

    She saw through Kin¡¯s illusion.

    It seems I have no choice but to follow her for now.

    Maybe I can ask Kin to use a more powerful illusion later.

    ¡°I will go but she has to go too.¡±

    I nod towards Kin.

    The princess thinks about it for a moment and then agrees.

    This brought a giant smile to Kin. She must be excited to ride a royal carriage with her idol.

    We follow her towards the carriage.

    Everyone stares at us while we walk behind the princess.

    The carriage has another woman whose beauty is unmatched as well but is slightly inferior to the princess.

    I sit down while facing both the princess and her partner, while Kin sits beside me.

    Kin is uncontrollably shaking.

    I simply enjoy the ride as the carriage brings us wherever they want.

    After a few moments of travel, the princess speaks.

    ¡°I want you to join me.¡±

    I suddenly hear a gigantic crack from the back of my head.

    It sounds like all my dreams were shattered.

    Why does my first adventure have to be with this troublesome seedling?

    Their eyes both stare at me but it seems her partner is mostly curious.

    ¡°No¡±

    I really don¡¯t want to join you guys ok?

    The princess stares at me, while her partner is suppressing a smile.

    Kin is looking at me with a surprised face but doesn¡¯t comment.

    ¡°Why?¡±

    The princess stares at me. She seems to be studying me.

    ¡°I just don¡¯t want to.¡±

    I say that I just really don¡¯t want to be with a future hero.

    Once that egg hatches, she¡¯s going to be given responsibilities and by proxy, I am given responsibilities.

    I just escaped a universal responsibility, I don¡¯t want a small one troubling me.

    What could she possibly want from a cursed person?

    Does she want to kill me for the promised treasure?

    I¡¯m not really sure if she¡¯s going to be given one since I''m sure that the one who cursed me is laying low.

    "You seem to be saying the truth.¡±

    I really am saying the truth, I don¡¯t want to join you guys.

    ¡°Anyway, I want to explain the reason why I want you to join me.¡±

    Please don¡¯t. I don¡¯t really care.

    I start to stop her but she doesn¡¯t seem to care and continues anyway.

    ¡°I saw through your illusion earlier. I know about your dangerous situation. The thing is, 3 days ago there was a situation which rattled the whole world¡±

    I sweat a little.

    Really?! What does that have to do with me?

    I couldn''t have been connected to any world-shattering events!

    Me?! No sir! I''m a good mortal.

    ¡°The skies ripped open and the heavens released something from above¡±

    This time she stares at me seriously. I can guess what she¡¯s thinking right now.

    ¡°A person with the legendary [Cursed Eyes] suddenly appears in the vicinity of the area where the heavens opened. Isn¡¯t that a little too coincidental? For all I know, you could be a being sent by the gods to intervene in the mortal realm.¡±

    Well, you aren¡¯t far from the truth.

    During this time of questioning, Leila doesn''t react and Kin was staring at me as if only realizing now.

    The princess looks at my face to see if I was surprised.

    I wasn''t. It might or might not be my fault.

    No one is sure, not even my siblings.

    So whatever anyone thinks of me does not matter.

    ¡°I know you come from the heavens and one way or another, we are connected by destiny¡±

    Her eyes are sparkling like a child.

    Wait don¡¯t tell me some bullshit prophet prophesized this.

    ¡°In my prophecy ¨C¡°

    Oh no

    ¡°¨C the heavens opened and ¨C¡°

    No no no

    ¡°¨C dropped a being that comes from the heavens ¨C¡°

    No!

    ¡°¨C and he will be a cursed being.¡±

    Shit

    New Status Update

    <input class="spoilerButton" type="button" value="Show">

    <div>

    Name:Magnus

    Race:Fallen God

    Ability Level:1

    Magic Power:10/10

    Max Magic Power:10

    Body Power:10 (5+5)

    Defence:1

    Agility:10

    Resilience:1

    Magic:1

    Magic Defence:1

    Unique Skills:Creation (Sealed) (Ultimate)|Indestructible Essence (Ultimate) |Endless Mana Capacity (Legendary)|All Magical Knowledge (Godly)

    Innate Skills:God''s Eye (Partially Sealed) (Godly) I God Senses (Partially Sealed) (Godly)[New] IGod¡¯s Stare (Partially Sealed) (Godly)

    Extra Skills:Pain Tolerance I (Normal)I Martial Knowledge from the War Goddess (Partially Sealed) (Legendary)

    Magic Skills:N/A

    Custom Skills:N/A

    Affinities:N/A

    Resistances:N/A

    Weaknesses:N/A

    Titles:God of Magic| The Fallen God| Dreamer | Masochist | Master of the wyvern

    Blessings:Sealed (Indeterminable)| Cursed Eyes

    Equipment:N/A

    Items:N/A

 Chapter 10: Pieces of Divinity

    Kin and I continued to ride with the princess in her carriage.

    It was uneventful but we passed by an area that gave me goosebumps.

    It was where I was almost mauled to death by a bear.

    Outstanding.

    I sigh and look at the princess.

    Maybe I should start calling her by her name.

    Elizabeth... Such a common name.

    Once Elizabeth finished telling me about her supposed prophecy, she has been staring outside the window.

    I notice that her partner is stealing glances at me.

    I ignore her.

    Kin is sitting beside me.

    She is currently accumulating an extremely large amount of mana.

    I don¡¯t know what she¡¯s planning but I¡¯ll have to depend on her for safety.

    I activate [God Senses] and use it to look for the wyvern.

    The wyvern is flying overhead and is following us from a safe distance.

    If all of this becomes a horrible fiasco, I can order the wyvern to fetch me and Kin.

    ¡°Excuse me?"

    While I was thinking, Leila called out to me.

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    After answering her call, I notice that Elizabeth is listening as well.

    ¡°Well I have some questions and since we¡¯ve been awfully quiet, I wanted to break the ice.¡±

    Well, the quiet is okay too but I guess Leila is curious about me.

    Am I really an interesting person? I guess my eyes are very interesting.

    ¡°I need to introduce myself.¡±

    While smiling, Leila studies me and introduces herself.

    ¡°I am Leila Grantz, Princess Elizabeth¡¯s personal partner.¡±

    I raise my eyebrows.

    A lot of men are going to cry if they heard that sentence. Then as if reading my mind, Leila¡¯s face darkens.

    ¡°I¡¯ll have you know that I have no interest in the princess."

    Elizabeth smiles and then leans on Leila.

    ¡°Really, you¡¯re not interested in me? Not even one bit?¡±

    She¡¯s saying that whilepretending to look pitiful. Elizabeth pretends to pout and continues to nudge Leila.

    Leila looks stifled. The princess must love teasing her.

    Instead of answering the princess, Leila asks me a question.

    ¡°Anyway, what¡¯s your name? I¡¯ve introduced myself properly, it would be only fair if you introduced yourself."

    According to Elyis'' moral rules, I should introduce myself as well.

    I clear my throat and speak.

    ¡°My name is Magnus.¡±

    Everyone stares at me.

    Wait? Should I have used a fake name?

    Leila takes a long time to nod and Elizabeth¡¯s face is a little curious.

    Considering her intellect and resources, she must be trying to find any connection to my name.

    "Woah?! Your parents gave you the same name as the primordial god of magic! That''s ballsy. If the old church found out about your name, they would have considered your parents as heretics!"

    Oh yeah... the church that Ragos destroyed used to be a bunch of extremists.

    I stare at Leila with disbelief and notice that sheis masking her deeper emotions by exaggerating her surface emotions.

    Elizabeth is calm. She''s trained not to show any emotion.

    Impressive.

    Well, good luck finding anything about me.

    Before I could reply to what she said, Leila drops what she''s been thinking.

    ¡°Are you by chance, Magnus, the god of magic and power?"

    Elizabeth¡¯s composure is a little shaken and is staring at me with her eyes wide open.

    Any mortal would be shocked by such an assumption.

    Leila is looking at me intently.

    Kin is by my side, but her eyes are closed and her consciousness is not with her body now, so I ignore her.

    I look at Leila and calmly focus myself.

    ¡°No, where¡¯d you get that absurd notion?"

    Elizabeth is tightening her lips.

    My [God Senses] suddenly scream at me as I feel apowerful force of energy that starts to invade my mind.

    I look at Elizabeth and see her staring at me.

    A skill!

    She¡¯s trying to rip the defenses of my mind to see what¡¯s inside.

    This is a breach of privacy!

    The current me is very similar to a mortal and I don¡¯t have anything to defend myself from this mental assault.

    My godly abilities are sealed so I feel the full force of her skill.

    It hurts...

    It feels like my skull is being cracked open.

    This is... bullshit!

    Suddenly, I feel the same rage that overcame me when Kin assaulted me and used a spell to shut my mouth.

    My mind seems to blank and I activate my partially sealed skill.

    [God''s Stare]

    The pain suddenly disappears and I see Elizabeth and Leila seemingly back away despite a lack of space behind them.

    A few seconds pass and I eventually notice my appearance.

    My hair is disheveled and I''m a little worse for wear.

    I fix myself and my disheveled hair, then I stare at the two women in front of me.

    Once I finished composing myself, I speak with barely repressed rage.

    ¡°You have no right to do that! I don¡¯t know if the people in your castle get pleasure from getting their heads cracked open forcefully but I do not!¡±

    My words startle Elizabeth.

    Elizabeth looks surprised and apologetic.

    ¡°I-I... I apologize... My skill has never inflicted pain before."

    Huh, then why did I feel so much pain?

    Before I could say anything, Leila suddenly cuts in.

    ¡°Princess Elizabeth is saying the truth. Her skill does not physically or mentally hurt anyone. I¡¯d know, she used it on me before.¡±

    Stolen novel; please report.

    I look at them and they seem to be telling the truth.

    ¡°Magnus you¡¯re mind actually resisted my unique skill. Do you have a unique skill yourself?¡±

    I don¡¯t have one that prevents mind magic specifically.

    I go quiet and think of a possible reason.

    Nothing comes to mind so itmust be because of my godly constitution.

    [Recovered hidden racial skill Infinite Mind]

    [InfiniteMind partially sealed - power reduced]

    ¡°¡­.¡±

    Well, that''s convenient... it appeared when I needed it.

    ¡°Yes, I do have one, specifically against those types of skills.¡±

    Leila doesn''t look surprised.

    Elizabeth is slightly skeptical but she nods.

    They go quiet and start to ignore me.

    I look at Kin and notice that sheis still out.

    I weigh my options and realize that I have no way of escaping these two. And after what just happened, I don''t trust them.

    I don¡¯t trust Kin too but right now she''s the only I can rely on.

    Suddenly, the carriage stops and we hear a knock from the door.

    Elizabeth opens the window. A knight wearing full metal plate armor greets Elizabeth and informs her that we''ve reached our destination.

    This must be the leading knight.

    I recall what the knight said.

    Destination?

    It must be the place where she needed to go to since the beginning.

    Elizabeth acknowledges the knight and issues an order.

    Once Elizabeth orders the knight.

    The leading knight calls to the other knights following the carriage.

    Kin wakes up the moment the door was opened. She goes out first followed by me, then Leila and lastly Elizabeth.

    After we exit the carriage, I notice that the place we arrived at was familiar.

    I look around and shake my head.

    Of course, it''s familiar.

    This place was where I fell when I was deported from the well of creation.

    It was supposed to be an empty field, devoid of anything of note or importance.

    But now... The whole area is alive.

    Everywhere is teeming with life. Plants, herbs and all forms of life are growing everywhere. I even see some rare herbs that do not normally grow in this area.

    While this place is nothing short of a paradise, what truly shocks the eye is the beautiful entity growing at the center of where I dropped.

    The beautiful entity isa massive tree with a golden trunk, leaves made of a gargantuan assortment of precious jewels and branches made of precious metals.

    I use[God¡¯s Eye] on the tree.

    I see that the tree is protected by an extremely powerful magical formation.

    The area inside the formation holds a nigh-infinite amount of energy. All the types of energy are randomly circulating within this formation.

    The formation''s formula is extremely unique and complicated. Not even a lesser god could break it.

    This must be the result of me falling here. My divinity was probably scattered in this area.

    ¡°What is this place? It¡¯s beautiful.¡±

    Kin¡¯s eyes are filled with worship while Leila is smiling greedily at the tree.

    Well, that was expected.

    Elizabeth stares at the tree motionlessly.

    I recall what she told me about her supposed fate. This must have been part of her prophecy.

    While everyone was too focused on the tree, I took this opportunity to use my skill.

    [God Senses]

    An invisible aura of mine spreads everywhere around me and I sense that the wyvern is close but it seems to be a little bit hesitant.

    I have a small guess why. Those black hooded men are in the vicinity.

    Tch, it seems a fight might be inevitable.

    The aura of the hooded men was getting thicker which meant that they are charging up.

    ¡°It seems it is time¡±

    The men suddenly stop. Before I could warn the others, Elizabeth speaks up.

    ¡°There might be no key but I have seen this before."

    I hear her mutter a quiet phrase as she intently stares at the tree.

    ¡°This is my destiny, this is m¡ª ugh!"

    She suddenly emits a very unladylike voice as she''s sent flying by the formation.

    Maybe... I should''ve warned her...

    I remember what she did to me earlier with her unique skill and I can''t help but snicker.

    Leila runs to Elizabeth''s side and helps her up.

    ¡°Are you okay Elizabeth?¡±

    Elizabeth¡¯s face turns sinister for just one moment but immediately returns to her usual look.

    What was that?

    Before I could continue contemplating about her sudden change, I start to hear a strained voice.

    ¡°Why isn¡¯t it working?¡±

    Elizabethgoes nearer to the formation. She clenches her fist and walks forward with determination but just like earlier, Elizabeth is sent flying by the nigh-indestructible formation.

    Before I could do anything, I start to hear whimpering.

    Elizabeth was tearing up. She suddenly screams and her tears burst out.

    ¡°WHY, WHY, WHY, WHY!!!!! Why isn¡¯t it working?¡±

    The black-hooded men suddenly stop.

    They''re probably just as confused as me...

    ¡°I finally managed to findand reach it. It¡¯s right in front of me!!!!! Why can''t I get it... I''ve spent so many resources finding clues, information and I even had to¡­ had to¡­ had too-¡±

    I''m starting to feel pity for her but I know that we''re running out of time.

    Those men are dangerous.

    I look at the formation and walk towards it.

    My feet reach the barrier and I brace myself for a gigantic force throwing me away, similar to Elizabeth, but instead of being thrown away, I feel a wave of warmth and comfort wash over me.

    It feels like home... which makes me think of my siblings.

    I wonder what Elyis is doing.

    I easily enter the field and hear a small gasp behind me.

    I suddenly gasp in pain as an extreme amount of energy attacks my body and forces itself in. Within seconds, I could feel the energy engulfing me and course through my mana veins.

    The energy feels like razor blades are coursing through my veins. The pain is too much and my knees buckle, forcing me to a kneeling position.

    My body starts to move on its own and I raise my hands. All the energy starts to focus on my palms andtransform into seven extremely condensed balls of divine energy.

    Once the balls are fully formed, the pain immediately subsides. I take a look at these balls.

    There are 7 balls in a circular formation with four on the outside circle and three on the inner circle.

    The colors of the outside circle are orange-red, deep blue, white blue and light brown.

    The colors of the inside circle are sun-white, shadowy-black and the last one which was a combination of both.

    Each condensed ball of energy represented an element at the most perfect state. The orange-red represented fire, deep blue represented water, white blue represented air and light brown represented earth. These four were the basic elements.

    The three inside the circle were more powerful elements. The sun-white mass of energy is made out of light mana, the shadowy-black mass is made out of dark mana and the last mass which had a combination of both represented space mana.

    These are... very dangerous objects. A single one of these orbs have enough energy to scorch the continent.

    These balls of energy seem to contain an extremely large amount of energy and a small amount of consciousness...

    All of these came from me... but they only contain a fraction of my divinity. Whereis themost of it?

    Once I finished inspecting them, the balls tremble once more.

    It seems their transformation isn''t fully complete.

    Theseven balls of energy start to condense and slowly transform into gems.

    The gems are rough and deformed but they quickly become more polished.

    Eventually, the process finishes and the finished state are perfect gems with different auras and more pronounced colors.

    The gems are emitting an ungodly amount of mana.

    ¡°Those are the keys!¡±

    I hear Elizabeth shouting from behind.

    Keys? These are pieces of my divinity. What are you-

    My [God Senses] is acting up. The black-clothed men are preparing to act. They might suddenly attack if I go out of the formation now.

    Tsk, they''re interested in these gems as well.

    I look at the floating gems and speak.

    ¡°Hi.¡±

    It wasn''t surprising for me to notice that these gems were sentient. If they carried a single fraction of my divinity, they would have the ability to gain more intelligence.

    ¡°Hi?¡±

    The gems reply to my greetings. Their voices seem to meld into a sweet melody of differing weight.

    "Not... surprised?"

    The gems ask me a question.

    I shake my head.

    ¡°Not really. A talking gem isn¡¯t too horrifying compared to the things my siblings have created.¡±

    Mountus was the one who created mimics.

    ¡°Really! You must have an amazing family¡±

    They are... if not a bit boring.

    I continue talking to the gems and think of a plan that will allow us to escape a fight.

    Before I could say anything, the gems call my attention towards the black-hooded men.

    ¡°Hey, there are a lot of people hiding in the forest. Are they your friends?"

    I shake my head.

    "No those people are not my friends. They''re very dangerous."

    The gems make an ''ooooh'' sound and seem to shake a bit.

    I start thinking of a way out and my mind leads to one conclusion.

    Curiosity!

    It must really be a part of me if it shares the same amount of curiosity.

    I smile and start to create a plan that will be taking full advantage of them.

    ¡°I need you to do me a favor.¡±

    Even though the gems don¡¯t really have a face to show its expression, I can feel its curiosity.

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    Its voice is quiet but I can sense the excitement from it.

    It''s like a child.

    ¡°Do you want to be part of a grand adventure?¡±

    I add some grandeur in my voice.

    ¡°What type of adventure?¡±

    Its curiosity is practically radiating off its body.

    ¡°All of you can create, something you gained from your owner, so wouldn''t it be amazing for you to create a large home where you can just create whatever you want?¡±

    I say that while giving the gems my most salesman smile.

    The gems do not react. It doesn¡¯t seem to understand my point.

    I start thinking quickly. Those black-clothed men have comparable strength to Elizabeth and their leader is even stronger than her.

    Considering all of those, I¡¯m not sure if we can get out of here alive.

    Kin is obviously the strongest being here right now but if she''s killed before she enters her avatar state then there¡¯s no point.

    I need to make sure we won¡¯t be killed here.

    Before I start panicking, an idea enters my mind and I speak to the gems.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to act like a dungeon core?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s a dungeon core?¡±

    I noticed that I seem to have some natural mental connection to the gems, so I pass on my knowledge about dungeon cores to it.

    As if enlightened, the gems suddenly brighten with their colors.

    "What''s happening?!"

    I hear Elizabeth''s screaming from the outside of the formation but I ignore her.

    A few seconds later, all seven of the gems surge up to the sky and split off into seven pieces. The seven gems then fly to different directions.

    Turning around, I immediately walk out of the formation while wearing a surprised face.

    ¡°Those things suddenly flew out of my hand. I- I- I don¡¯t know what happened.¡±

    Kin comes forward to place her hand on my shoulder pretending to comfort me while Leila is staring at the sky.

    Elizabeth looks at my eyes and seems to notice something but instead of saying anything, she stays quiet. I sense discontent from the black-clothed men but they immediately leave. After making sure they¡¯re no longer around, I release my surprised face and resume my normal appearance. Kin removes her hand and speaks ¡°So are they gone?¡±

    Kin saw through me. She''s either extremely sharp or she''s gifted many other talents I can''t perfectly see-through.

    ¡°Yeah, they¡¯re gone.¡± I seem to have underestimated this girl.

    ¡°You made a smart choice Magnus¡± Leila is smiling while checking me out. Did I impress her somehow? It must be her demonic gifts that allowed her to sense the group.

    ¡°Yes, although I don¡¯t have the sensing abilities as Leila, your judgment is impressive. I sensed that Leila was preparing for battle, so I knew someone else is after this.¡± Elizabeth is back to her composed self.

    I wonder who made this prophecy, it couldn¡¯t have been any one of us. While celebrating, I contort my face again. Raising my head, I summon the wyvern. The earth shakes a little as the giant wyvern drops from behind me. All of them except Kin are surprised.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t over, someone else is coming¡±

 Not a chapter! Sorry!

    Hi guys, Sorry I don''t have a chapter for you yet. Anyway the reason is not because of life, I finally managed to hold off that bastard, I''m currently making a glossary for everything. Gods, Races, Realms, etc. Everything because I need to check up on old info just in case I go to the later part of the story. I''ll try to get one out this week. Cheers.

 Chapter 11: A little bit of planning

    ¡°How many are there?¡±

    Leila directs the question towards me. She unsheathes her greatsword while being cautious of her surroundings.

    She knows that I have a skill that allows me to sense the presence of other creatures like her.

    Fortunately for me, I have a more powerful skill.

    I take a look at Leila''s greatsword and notice that it is quite beautiful.

    The sword guard is painted black and spread like a cross, while the hilt is painted white.

    A common design.

    The hilt and guard aren¡¯t made out of any normal metal. It¡¯s made out of manite, natural iron infused with raw mana. The thick blade is made out of the artificial metal Adamant.

    Her weapon confuses me a bit.

    Adamant is an extremely durable material for shields and armor but not much as weapons while Manite is a metal that continuously absorbs mana, making it a great catalyst for enchanted weapons.

    I wonder why she¡¯s using an adamant blade instead of a Manite blade.

    The Adamant would have been better as the guard while the Manite would have been better as a blade.

    ¡°There is a small retinue of soldiers coming here and while that isn''t a problem there''s one who¡¯s quite problematic.¡±

    That¡¯s what I¡¯m sensing as well.

    There are 6 average level soldiers, 4 veterans, and 1 elite soldier coming this way.

    The average ability level of human beings is level 2 to 6 and trained human beings are somewhere in between 7 and 20 while elites range from 21 to 45.

    If that was the case, I wouldn¡¯t worry that much since Leila herself can wipe the group out if she went serious... but the group traveling here isn¡¯t human, they¡¯re demons.

    My mind seems to recall the numbers me and my siblings put on every race.

    The average ability of members of the demon race is 3 times higher than the human race.

    If there is truly an elite by demon standards, then that person might be stronger than Leila or Elizabeth.

    ¡°Really, how problematic?¡±

    While Elizabeth asks me a question, fire mana flows through her dress.

    Immediately, her blue dress transforms into a more combat-oriented look and it takes a more reddish hue.

    Kin stares at Elizabeth''s dress in awe. She must have never seen such a beautiful dress in her whole life.

    She''s a good person, maybe I should get her something nice in the future.

    Hmmm... where did that come from?

    Before I could contemplate my sudden thoughts, Leila warns us about the incoming demons.

    ¡°A group of demons is coming here.¡±

    Kin¡¯s eyes flicker for a moment and sheuses her skill [Avatar Synchronization].

    Thankfully, Kin is playing it smart. She¡¯s only using 30% of her avatar mode''s current capabilities, which is 1% of Felina''s power. Bothher magic power and body power jump to 300.

    The sudden change surprises our two companions but Leila is more shocked than Elizabeth.

    ¡°So that¡¯s why you wanted to bring her along, at least we won¡¯t have to protect her.¡±

    Leila smiles while commenting about Kin.

    She must be thinking that Kin is like her, someone who''s been holding back great power.

    I¡¯d think that too but Kin is so much more stronger than Leila if she were to tap into Felina''s deeper reserves.

    ¡°Magnus, how powerful are you? Not meaning to offend but I can¡¯t feel any magic coming from your body. I feel that your body will explode the moment I punch it or even flick my finger in your general direction.¡±

    Leila asks while concentrating.

    Unfortunately, I don¡¯t have any power at all so I''ll have to tell the truth, so I won''t be a burden.

    ¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t have any mana and my body is nothing impressive¡±

    Elizabeth looks disappointed but doesn¡¯t say anything. I guess she was expecting me to be someone amazing.

    ¡°I have the wyvern to protect me. You don¡¯t need to protect me. Just focus on defeating the opponent.¡±

    Leila nods at my reassurance, though I think she¡¯s not convinced.

    ¡°Anyway, I think we should hide first to survey the area.¡±

    Leila is right, we should hide first and study our possible opponents before we get into any real danger...

    If we''re really unlucky, they might be able to break the formation to get the treasures, though I doubt it.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    I quickly survey the forest so I know where we can hide.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go hide in the forest, but what about the wyvern?¡±

    Elizabeth asks.

    The wyvern is too huge to hide stealthily in the forest so I order it to fly a little higher than usual, just above the clouds so it can¡¯t be seen.

    We immediately run towards the forest, so we won¡¯t be easily spotted unless they have an ability that¡¯s similar to Leila or me.

    I need to remind myself that I must come back here again. The treasures in that formation is too good to pass up.

    The others slow down so I could keep up with them. While running towards the forest, I take a few seconds to study my companions.

    The first I notice is Elizabeth. There''s no better way to describe her other than she''s breathtaking.

    I don¡¯t really know why I¡¯m having these thoughts lately, not only for Elizabeth but also towards Kin.

    Is this mortal body the reason why I''m having vulgar thoughts towards the opposite sex?

    That is a very scary thought.

    Elizabeth is staringat the clearing just near the formation but I notice that she¡¯s sneakily stealing glances at me, studying me.

    I thought the quiet would last but eventually she speaks.

    ¡°Hey...¡±

    I nod at her, as a form ofacknowledgement.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you will become a very powerful person.¡±

    I agree. I can''t stay being weak.

    ¡°In my prophecy, I saw you standing in the front of a battlefield, wounded and had dozens of arrows piercing you...¡±

    She stops for a moment but quickly continues.

    ¡°...Yet, in that image your face did not carry fear or anxiety, it carried satisfaction and happiness; Like, when a tired friend who just finished reading a book finally has the time to go out the house to be with his friends.¡±

    Elizabeth looks peaceful and extremely calm, despite the approaching enemies.

    Her ability to see the future is terrifying. If what she said is true... Then I will be engaged in a war.

    I turn to focus on Elizabeth''s face and see that she is smiling.

    ¡°While you were standing in the battlefield, I heard you mutter something I couldn¡¯t quite make out. It was a quick dream but I could never forget that prophetic dream.¡±

    Now Elizabeth is looking at me with gleaming eyes.

    ¡°So tell me honestly, are you really weak or is there something holding you back?"

    I internally sigh. I am slightly shocked but also exasperated by everything Elizabeth is saying.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m not holding back¡±

    I¡¯m not.

    I¡¯m sealed but I don¡¯t need to tell her that. I don¡¯t know her well enough to trust her. In fact, there isn''t anyone else in this world that I can trust.

    If anything, the only thing I can trust in this world is that wyvern. I should think for a name for it.

    Elizabeth smiles wryly and nods. She resumes looking at the clearing.

    Then I see a gleam in her eyes that I haven¡¯t seen earlier, it¡¯s the eyes of a keen and cunning tactician.

    Well she does have the rare skill [Genius Mind]so I¡¯ll leave it up to her. Although, I could make up a battle plan myself but I¡¯m not like my sister Remries so I¡¯m not sure my strategy of hit them until they die would work.

    After a few minutes, Elizabeth is raising both her hands in an L position in front of her.

    I think she¡¯s calculating the distance.

    ¡°Done."

    Elizabeth mutters one word before she starts drawing on the ground with her index finger.

    Looking over the drawing, I notice that she inscribed a rune on the ground emanating mana infused with earth.

    She¡¯s designed it to release the elementary level spell [Ground shake],a few feet away from us, specifically near the formation. After drawing it, she starts to move and draw multiple runes consisting of the same spell.

    After writing at least 6 more runes, she returns to our area. She gives me a proud look and I semi-understand her plan.

    ¡°They¡¯re near."

    I sense the intruders just a few meters away.

    I internally sigh and think of the things I''ll be doing after. After my current problems, the first thing I¡¯ll do is generate mana.

    Yup! Just sit down anywhere, preferably somewhere soft, then collect mana and relax.

    Elizabeth beckons the three of us to come near her.

    ¡°Lady Kin."

    ¡°Just Kin please, your highness¡±

    Hmm¡­ Kin is quite courteous to people she doesn¡¯t know. I wonder where did she learn that?

    ¡°Okay Kin, what level of spells are you capable of using?¡±

    Elizabeth¡¯s eyes seem to be in deep thought right now, it must be indiscernible to other people but I can see that she¡¯s calculating every move possible.

    Kin thinks for a moment then she speaks.

    ¡°I can use elementary, primary, and middle level magic.¡±

    I can see some spark of excitement in Kin¡¯s eyes. This must be her first time actually using her powers for anything other than gagging the mouth of fallen gods.

    Elizabeth nods in approval.

    ¡°Leila I want you to summon a [Flame Darkin] in the middle of the cannon fodder. Kin can you use the elementary level spell [Blinding Flash]?¡±

    Kin nods towards Elizabeth¡¯s question.

    ¡°Good!¡±

    Elizabeth looks towards Kin once more and says.

    "Kin, once the leader appears, I want you to use[Blinding Flash]with him as the center."

    Elizabeth looks at Leila and continues.

    "Once the enemy group is blinded, I want you to immediately cast[Flame Darkin]in the middle of the group, so confusion will spread".

    Once Elizabeth finishes her basic plan, Kin and Leila nod in agreement.

    Hey, what¡¯s my job?

    ¡°And Magnus...¡±

    I perk up, I don¡¯t know why but this is getting me excited as well. I wonder what will I do, order the wyvern to drop from the sky, or maybe order it to whip them with its poison tail while they are blinded but before I could continue my fantasies, Elizabeth gives me a disappointing mission.

    ¡°I want you to do the bartering with them."

    I become hesitant but I really can¡¯t do anything for now so I nod at Elizabeth¡¯s suggestion.

    ¡°To be specific, I don¡¯t want a fight to suddenly ensue, peace between the humans and demons have always been rough but I don''t want risking injuries or death between my allies. So I want you to appear to them friendly and ask them of their business. I want you to lead them at the place where some of the runes are placed, so you¡¯re safer.¡±

    Well, that part was obvious, but I guess I have to go be bait now.

    When I go near the formation, I sense that the group approaching us is cautious.

    They must be pretty near if they can feel me.

    A few minutes later, a group of humanoid beings emerges from the other side of the forest.

    The one leading them is a tall demon with red skin, white hair, red eyes, and a single upward horn on his forehead.

    It''s a stereotypical look for a demon and admittedly, I can see my brother''s appearance on them.

    The others don''t have anything noticeable about them except maybe a few estranged colors.

    I remember from my brother that demons have a very similar look with humans, except their skin color and a few differences, such as horns.

    If a member of the demon race doesn''t reach the minimum ability level of 50, their appearance is extremely similar to the average human but once they reach a higher level, they start to transform.

    That¡¯s a good sign for us. The four veterans on their side are all below level 50 while the leader is only, wait let me check... level 99.

    Not good.

    ¡°Hello there.¡±

    This is quite stressing.

    I hope that my brother''s descendant is reasonable. Azael has never been one for reasoning but I hope his offspring is different.

    The tall horned demon seems to be deep in thought and after a few minutes, it speaks with a deep and commanding voice.

    ¡°Kill It.¡±

    Nice.

 Chapter 12: Finally

    Hey Magnus here. There are times when I think that life is meaningless, as a god but not so much for mortals, they have a lot to live for despite their frail mortality.

    Anyway back to the story.

    <hr>

    ¡°Kill Him¡±

    The demonic leader orders his servants demons to kill me. Out of the 10 demons accompanying him, a low level female demon, wearing leather armor, stepped forward.

    I take a quick glance at her status and notice that she¡¯s level 6 and the weakest in their group.

    She must¡¯ve tagged along with someone she knows.

    ¡°Lazar, this great one will take care of him."

    I guess she¡¯s with the leader which is not too surprising, considering that demons are a race that enjoys slavery.

    This must be why such a low level demon is tagging along with them. I give the others a cursory glance and notice that the others demon with Lazar are at least in the 2 digit levels.

    The demon who ordered to kill me must be Lazar, as he gives his full attention towards this arrogant girl.

    "Of course little Kayen, this human in front of us is horribly weak. Take your time."

    Kayen huh?

    I have a small guess, she''s his slave.

    The female demon walking towards me is quite small, she¡¯s only at my chest level. She¡¯s also tied her hair into twin tails. She¡¯s currently giving an extremely na?ve smile, like how a child would if you gave them a challenge. Checking her status, I notice that she¡¯s only level 6 and her name is Kayen,not so demonic, unlike her brother. I check his status.

    Name:Lazar

    Race:Demon

    Ability Level:99

    Magic Power:1500/1500

    Max Magic Power:1500

    Body Power:480 (280+200)

    Defence:120

    Agility:80

    Resilience:160

    Magic:150

    Magic Defence:600

    Unique Skills:Single Rare Element (Dark)(Legendary)| Single Main Element (Fire) (Rare)

    Innate Skills:Magic Affinity IIX (Unique)|Pain Tolerance VII (Rare) | Innate Fighting Talent (Rare)

    Extra Skills:King Slayer (Unique)| Ultra Slash (Rare)|Blink Lunge (Rare)| Triple Slash (Rare)| Pain Tolerance X (Rare)

    Magic Skills:Mana Shield (Primary) (Unique)| Dark Flash (Elementary) (Rare)| Shadow Spike (Primary) (Rare)| Shadow Blade (Middle) (Rare)

    Custom Skills:N/A

    Affinities:Fire| Dark

    Resistances:Fire| Dark| Fatigue Nullification

    Weaknesses:Light

    Titles:Prodigy |Siscon |Vurm Slayer| Vurm Eater |Apprentice Alchemist| Exceptional Appearance

    Blessings:Demon Lord Egg (Incubating)

    Equipment:Orichalcum Blade (Unique)| Steel Chainmail (Normal)

    Items:Map of Eldran

    I stand corrected... Kayen is his sister.

    These titles are ridiculous, especially that status. Why do I have to meet people like this all the time? This is just not my day.Hero eggs and Demon lord eggs are naturally drawn to each other, like moths to a flame. He must¡¯ve come here through intuition and by destiny.

    "Hyaaaa!!!"I immediately dodge to my right, as Kayen tries to cut me with her longsword. I am lucky, I trained with Remries before or else I wouldn¡¯t be able to predict any of her attacks.

    Checking Kayen¡¯s status, I see that her body power is only at 50 while her magic power is 70. She''s five times physically stronger and faster than me. The only reason I''m not yet dead is because of myfighting experience.

    When I evaded Kayen¡¯s slash, she stops and appears to be confused, as if her attack has never missed before. Although that¡¯s not my main concern, Lazar¡¯s eyes are a little suspicious, he¡¯d never allow his sister to fight if the opponent is stronger than her.

    I guess he¡¯s surprised to see me dodge Kayen¡¯s attack. Anyone would be, since herbody poweris 5 times higher than mine.

    ¡°Hey!!!¡± Kayen¡¯s shout cuts through my thoughts. Looking at her I speak ¡°Yes?¡± this stops Kayen again; hmm she¡¯s not used to being treated like this.

    ¡°How dare you dodge this amazing ones blade¡± ¡­ that¡¯s surprising. ¡°Hmm speechless I see, you must be stupefied by my beauty and grace. Do not worry this Great one will bestow you a swift death¡± ¡­ she¡¯s making me cringe. Before I can retort, Kayen charges once more, I look for my allies but they¡¯re nowhere to be seen.

    I can search for them using [God Sense] but right now I need to focus on my survival. Kayen jumps and does a downward slash towards me, I move forward so that her back is behind me and I immediately raise my leg throw a back kick just at the moment she drops.

    "Ahh" My kick connects to her back with powerful momentum and Kayen grunts in pain as she drops to the floor face first.

    I back away from her and the group of demons. I see Lazar looking tense and a little worried, he must really want her little sister to win.

    ¡°Hey that¡¯s unfair!!¡± Kayen shouts again while trying to regain her footing. My eyebrows rise up at her irrational thinking. Even Lazar¡¯s soldiers are acting embarrassed but Lazar is still looking expectant and wishful.

    ¡°How is that unfair?¡± What a child, I guess those millenniums dealing with Elyis made my patience near infinite or else I¡¯d be screaming at this girl and have my vocal cords ripped out by her sister loving brother.

    When Kayen stood up again, she grips her sword with both hands and positions it in front of her. Her face is serious but I notice that her eyes are starting to water but she¡¯s still keeping that pride she had earlier. I subconsciously look at Lazar, you pampered her too much.

    Kayen sprints and appears in front of me, and even though there was quite a distance between us, I couldn¡¯t move out of the way, this is where the difference shows. She¡¯s currently too strong for me. Kayen''s blade comes thrusting forwards, towards my defenseless chest.

    I grit my teeth and prepare myself.

    If I can¡¯t dodge it, then I¡¯ll counter it!

    I immediately swing the flat of my blade towards her thrust and it connects. Kayen''s body doesn''t shudder nor move from my blow but with my maneuver and quick movement, I manage to stop her for a moment. While that moment doesn''t even last for a second, for me it was enough. I immediately step forward and turn around, then I immediately grab her outstretched arm and immediately throw her forward. I slam her body to the ground with all her momentum plus some of mine.

    ¡°Ughh¡± I hear Kayen groan in pain as I slammed her to the floor. Kayen stops moving and falls unconscious.

    ImmediatelyI feel a cold force behind me and when I turn around, I see Lazar in front of me staring down at me. Before he could do anything, I use [God sense] so I couldlook for help. They¡¯re gone.

    They¡¯re nowhere to be found. I stare at Lazar¡¯s piercing glare with my own [God''s Stare]. Lazar backs off a little but he forces to stare at me. His will is impressive. I notice that i¡¯m a little out of breath since I forced my body to move a little faster than what I can usually do. I stop taking note of Kayen as she¡¯s not really a threat right now and also she¡¯s unconscious.

    ¡°You¡­.¡± He¡¯s glaring at me but he¡¯s not pissed... instead he¡¯s perplexed? I need to capitalize on this. But before I can even speak, he stares at me with a look that says ¡°Don¡¯t speak or I¡¯ll cut your tongue and feed it to the dogs¡±. I shut up and think of anything to help me escape from this situation, unscathed of course or at least alive.

    ¡°How did you do it?¡± Lazar is still a little perplexed on how I defeated Kayen even though she¡¯s stronger than me by 5 times. ¡°Are you hiding your strength?¡± Lazar takes a menacing growl as he thinks that I¡¯ve been holding my strength and purposefully did it to pick on the weak.

    First of all, the only things I could pick on right now are squirrels and bunnies not demons, second I lack any power at all, and third, actually there¡¯s no third.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m not holding back it¡¯s just that¨C ¡± Lazar¡¯s face contorts in anger as his hand flashes with amazing speed. His hand grabs my neck and raises me up. My[God''s Stare]skill deactivates because I can''t concentrate on it.

    Ughh, I can¡¯t breathe.

    ¡°Who said you can talk?¡±

    Shit this really hurts, the lack of oxygen is killing me.Lazar must¡¯ve noticed that I¡¯m having a hard time breathing, as he slackens his grip a little but not enough for me to escape.

    Lazar must be someone who perpetually commands respect all the time. Anger surges inside me because I have never bowed my head to anyone, what right does this low level being have to tell me when to speak and when not to.

    Level 99 at the age of 200 hah! I¡¯ve met beings that reached an ability level of 20,000 at the age of 500 what right does this child to tell me anything.

    I glare at Lazar reactivating [God¡¯s Stare] making him flinch and remove his grip on me and back away.

    After being dropped down, I start coughing as I start taking in large amounts of oxygen. Ahhhh air, I love you so much.

    After recovering, I see Lazar a few feet away from me sweating as he stares at me with both fear and confusion.

    ¡°W-What are you?¡± Lazar is testing the waters as he asks me what I am. His fear isn''t unfounded. Every being in this realm has an innate fear of the gods, no matter how powerful they are.

    ¡°I am¡­. I am human¡± This answer doesn¡¯t convince Lazar as he¡¯s still far away from me, staring.

    ¡°Believe me, I am human¡± Before Lazar continues, I feel a large concentration of energy behind me where the others are hidden. Suddenly the ground where Lazar and his companions are shake and the sudden movement knocks them off-balance, most of them fall down but Lazar and his second in commandresisted the spell and stayed upright.

    Then I remember the plan, I immediately close my eyes and cover it with my hands for good measure. Within the closed darkness of my hands, I hear a loud flash as I hear the shouts of the demons resonate as the ground shakes once more.

    "Ahhhhhh!"

    "Kill it!!"

    "Fire Elemental!!"

    Opening my eyes, I see a floating giant legless fire elemental rampaging in the middle of the weaker demons. I see its giant claws rending charred flesh as it charges and destroys the weaker demons.You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

    Lazar and the other veteran demons immediately act and charge in to help their kin. Suddenlyemerging from the woods, Leila and Elizabeth charges forward with both of their swords unsheathed. Sensing the sudden change in pace, I order the wyvern to sky drop and help us. The wyvern closes its wings near its body to achieve faster speed.

    Leila immediately engages Lazar while Elizabeth fights the second in command.

    ¡°HUMANS!!¡± Lazar screams as he summons a crimson red blade and confronts Leila in battle. Powerful shockwaves appear everywhere as Leila''s blade hits Lazar''s sword.

    [Triple Slash]Lazar immediately uses a skill and he attacks Leila thrice with quick succession.

    [Devil Step]Leila suddenly disappears and appears behind Lazar. She immediately throws a powerful thrust towards his back.

    [Mana Shield]Lazar reacts with finesse, as a shimmering blue barrier appears to block Leila''s deadly thrust. The shield that Lazar erected is unnaturally thicker than the average shield. He probably managed to raise its levelby constant practice.

    They continue their deadly dance as I slowly and carefully back away.

    I decide that I cannot help the two female fighters so I immediately retreat but the first thing I do is drag Kayen away from the battle since it¡¯ll leave a bad taste in my mouth if I leave someone childlike like her to her death. After dragging Kayen away from battle and into the woods, I meet Kin, she¡¯s smiling as she¡¯s starts to heal Kayen.

    ¡°What happened to you and the others¡± I immediately release the thought that¡¯s been bothering me.

    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t really know, and it seems I¡¯m the only one who noticed it.¡± Kin looks a little troubled but heals Kayen easily.

    ¡°They don¡¯t know?¡± Kin nods towards my question.

    What happened here? Concentrating I sense the residue of an extremely high level spell that occurred here.

    It¡¯s a pretty powerful spell. After concentrating more, I feel that the area contains the space element mana. Someone used space magic, and I think they even went as far as to use space¡¯s sublayer form, time.

    ¡°It didn''t affect you?¡± Kin thinks for a moment and replies immediately. ¡°Since I am an avatar I have an extremely sensitive sense for mana, any type of mana... except for you¡± That last bit chilled me a little.

    ¡°So I immediately activated my avatar''s full power and pushed my power to its limit. I only managed to hold on by 2 seconds before the spell trapped me in its grip. Whoever used it must have greater power than mine¡±

    A person capable of sealing a fully powered avatar... This place is dangerous we can¡¯t stay here any longer.

    This place is attracting powerful forces all over the planet. After analyzing the spell, my caution of this place just got higher because that spell was the forbidden level spell [Time Stop].

    My heart skipped a beat after realizing what dangers this place poses. People who have reached the ten thousandth levels usually aims for immortality, kingdoms, or ascension and this place will be a breeding ground for those types of people.

    This place will be a battleground for continental level beings and right now, I don¡¯t want to be a part of it.

    While I¡¯m thinking of what I should do, the battle rages on as the Flame Darkin shows signs of weakening, as the coordinated teamwork of the weaker demons manage to wear it down.

    Elizabeth is still fighting the veteran demon while her sword is absorbing the fire spells being thrown at her, strengthening her blade even more. Elizabeth continues charging her enemy, constantly absorbing the spells sent against her with her sword. The other spells that she can''t absorb she resists with the help of her battle dress.

    [Fire Scorcher]The veteran suddenly screams and puts his hands together, then he casts a large cone of fire that engulfs Elizabeth. Elizabeth''s eyes suddenly becomes fierce as she activates one of her skills.

    [Blink Lunge]Before the fire completely disappeared, Elizabeth''s form was already no longer in the fire. The veteran demon turns around quick but Elizabeth appears faster from empty space and she lunges forward immediately piercing the veteran demon''s chest.

    "uhh...." The veteran demon falls to its knees and dies.

    Leila already entered her demon trigger earlier, transforming her to look more demon-like. Leila''s demonic state turned her hair into white and her eyes turned red, and is fighting Lazar to a standstill. Lazar might be weaker than her in terms of body power but he¡¯s closing the gap through magic.

    [Dark Flash] Large splotches of shadow-like mass appear at a spot where Leila is. She grunts and immediately dodges away as a black spike made out of the shadow almost impales her.

    [Shadow Spikes]Lazar charges Leila and swings a powerful overhead strike with his Orichalcum blade. Leila manages to block it but behind her, another splotch of shadow appears and a dark spike manages to pierce her body.

    Leila grunts in pain but manages to push Lazar away and escape the shadow spike. Despite the pain, Leila can continue fighting due to her[Pain Tolerance X] skill.

    [Demonic Slam]Leila charges forward with her sword imbued with demonic energies. Lazar immediately activates his mana shield but Leila''s skill shatters it knocking Lazar a few meters away. Lazar immediately stands up, barely damaged, and he continues the fight.

    Lazar¡¯s showcase of magic is nothing short of amazing.His ability to manipulate the field while constantly fighting is truly impressive.

    A second later the wyvern drops from the sky and shakes the battlefield, surprising everyone except Leila and Elizabeth. With my command, the wyvern is alternating in between fights, protecting Leila from the spikes and allowing Elizabeth to gain an advantage against the other weaker demons.

    Despite our advantage, I can¡¯t help but feel something bad is going to happen if we don¡¯t leave right now but right now, with my weak power, I can¡¯t do anything. I look back at the area where Kin is, tending to Kayen. I start thinking of possible ways for me to help.

    I look towards Kin and the mana enveloping the area. The residue of the time mana came from a forbidden level spell, an 8th rank magic,itsresidue is incomparably huge.

    It wouldn''t make sense for the spell to only be in this place. I activate my[God Senses]and spread it as far as I can. Immediately, I start sensing large clumps of mana everywhere. It seems that spell was used almost everywhere, except the area near the formation. The formation naturally cancelled out the spell, preventingme and Lazar''s groupfrom being affected.

    Suddenly a new idea comes to my mind, I sit in a meditating position and start generating mana according to the book[Mana Generation for Idiots].

    Instead of following the book, I add my own knowledge and understanding of magic. In my mind, the book starts to unravel and split into multiple parts. While adding my own knowledge, lines get erased and sections change. Every mistake and every inefficiency is getting replaced by my own knowledge. Slowly the book becomes too different and a newly formed book appears.

    [Mana Generation for Geniuses]

    Using the book I created, I start to generate mana inside me, the first time is usually the most intense since the body is still getting accustomed to receiving mana. Fortunately for me, I removed every wrong and bad part of the original book and my body quickly generates large amounts of mana.

    Of all the beings in the world, no one has more knowledge concerning magic than me. I easily guide the mana from the surroundings into my body while cleansing my mana veins. The mana starts to fluidly move throughout my body through the use of my mana veins.

    "Magnus? What are you doing? Now isn''t the time to generate mana!" Kin''s voice falls on deaf ears, as I start absorbing mana faster. At first, the mana that goes inside my body doesn''t give me actual mana, instead I use it to clean my and reinforce my mana veins. After all, the cleaner ones mana veins are the easier to absorb mana and use it.

    Unfortunately, time is of the essence and I can''t afford to dilly dally by fully cleaning my veins. I need to reserve that for later times, when i''m not in danger. Once my veins are wide and clean enough, I start to generate more mana but instead of absorbing the environmetal mana, I start to take in the mana residue from the spell.

    Usually it would be impossible to absorb mana residue since mana residue still belongs to the owner making it volatile in the body of others, unless the owner causes it to be non-harming but mana residue is naturally volatile and I doubt, this spellcaster made the effort to make his mana non-volatile.

    What I''m planning will kill normal beings but I can never ever be considered normal, such problems are non-existent for me. To make sure that the mana residue doesn''t kill me, I need to purify the residue with my own mana.

    Using the very little mana I absorbed, I start to devour the mana residue little by little as I remove the ownership of the user filtering it out as pure raw mana. Once the mana became raw mana, I start absorbing the extremely large amount of raw mana surrounding the area.

    While continuously absorbing the raw mana I purified, I use the mana I absorbed to purify more of the residue.

    ¡°Magnus¡­¡± Kin¡¯s voice sounds surprised. My eyes are closed so I ignore her. I need concentrate properly so I can¡¯t really waste time with her right now. One mistake and I can ruin my mana veins, preventing me from using magic anymore.

    I start to feel the large amount raw mana coursing through my veins. Any normal being that tries to absorb this much mana, at first, would rend their body to pieces but I¡¯m not just anybody, I am Magnus, the God of Magic, all forms of magic and mystic would beg just for me to use them.

    Despite my best efforts, the large amount of raw mana feels like hot scalding liquid running through my veins.

    This is more painful than I thought. I sense Kin''s worry as I brave through the pain.

    "Magnus!" I start to feel liquid coming from my skin. Is that sweat or blood?

    [Pain Resist I]Kin casts a spell and I feel the pain lessen by a large amount. I release a sigh of relief.

    [Pain Tolerance I]I activate my extra skill and lessen the pain even more but the skill is relatively low, so it only lessens it by a small amount.

    I''m not used to pain but it doesn''t compare to the milleniums spent staring at the mortals striving their way to the top.

    I take in more mana while Kin assists me in reducing the pain.

    [God Sense] picked something, there are more than 10 beings coming this way and something tells me none of them are any lightweights.

    I start picking up the pace, absorbing more mana at the risk of extreme pain, though I said risk, I feel the pain rending my skin.

    Wounds are appearing at my skin and I¡¯m starting to sweat blood. My head is becoming extremely light headed and breathing is becoming a chore to do.

    [Pain Tolerance I (Normal) evolved into Pain Tolerance II (Normal)]

    Not right now skills, I can¡¯t have my concentration broken.

    [Pain Tolerance II (Normal) evolved into Pain Tolerance III (Normal)]

    *Sigh*

    I continue absorbing, and since the pain is being reduced to tolerable levels, I absorb even faster than before.Usually most people would be full of mana right now and wouldn¡¯t be able to absorb any more but I have the skill [Endless Mana Capacity].My body has an infinite mana capacity, unlike normal beings who have to train first to expand their mana capacity.

    I feel that my tank is full but every time I absorb more mana, I feel like my mana tank is expanding more and more.

    That dangerous group of people I sensed earlier is coming here and they¡¯re close, I need to go faster.

    Since I can endure the pain more easily now, I speed up my pace even more, resuming the skin rending and blood sweating activity from earlier but this time I even feel some of my bones shaking.

    [Pain Tolerance III (Normal) evolved into Pain Tolerance IV (Normal)]

    With my newly evolved [Pain Tolerance IV] can endure this pain even more.

    I¡¯m not used to accepting any pain, butright now it¡¯s the rational thing to do, so I absorb even more.

    Almost all the residue is gone and the battle near the formation is also drawing a close. The Flame Darkin wasalready destroyed, as it¡¯s molten body is scattered all over the floor, lightly burning the grass.

    It managed to take down 3 of the demons accompanying Lazar and its dying explosion injured the majority of them.

    *Roar!* I look at one side of the battle and see the wyvern bravely fighting off the demons.

    The wyvern''s left wing is hanging down but it is still fighting. I guess I really need to take care of it now. It''s doing such an effort to fight for me.

    [Rising Phoenix]!Elizabeth shouts a skill as she jumps towards the sky and immediately drops down in a plume of radiant fire, burning the demons around her. Elizabeth immediately slays the demons hit by her skill and she continues to battle the lesser demons.

    Leila and Lazar¡¯s fight is still raging on and it has been escalating with no one to help them.

    Both Lazar and Leila are still unwounded but their stamina and mana tanks are dwindling, Leila¡¯s been switching between her base form and demon trigger to conserve mana while Lazar isn¡¯t using his magic as showy before, only using it at key moments. Their extra skills must be spent as well.

    Once I''m done surveying the immediate surroundings, I stare at the two females in front of me. Kayen is finally awake, Kin must''ve healed her.

    "Magnus..." Kin looks at me with complete shock.

    "What?" I slowly stand ignoring the pool of blood beneath my feet.

    "Let''s talk later. I need to deal with the current situation" I flick both of my hands as I start to cast a spell.

    Name:Magnus

    Race:Fallen God

    Ability Level:???

    Magic Power:100,000/???

    Max Magic Power:???

    Body Power:10 (5+5)

    Defence:1

    Agility:10

    Resilience:1

    Magic:10,000

    Magic Defence:40,000

    Unique Skills:Creation (Sealed) (Ultimate)|Indestructible Essence (Ultimate) |Endless Mana Capacity (Legendary)|All Magical Knowledge (Partially Sealed-) (Legendary)

    Innate Skills:God''s Eye (Sealed) (Godly) I God Senses (Sealed) (Godly) IGod¡¯s Stare (Sealed) (Godly)

    Extra Skills:Pain Tolerance IV(Normal)I Martial Knowledge from theGoddess ofWar (Partially Sealed) (Legendary)

    Magic Skills:N/A

    Custom Skills:N/A

    Affinities:N/A

    Resistances:N/A

    Weaknesses:N/A

    Titles:God of Magic| The Fallen God| The one who wished for more| Masochist |Friend of the wyvern

    Blessings:Sealed (Indeterminable)| Cursed Eyes

    Equipment:N/A

    Items:N/A

 Chapter 13: A new challenger appears

    I always thought that near infinite powerwas boringand there was a time where I actually exercised my will over mortals. I stopped wars, promulgated miracles, cured sickness, spread love, created weapons, and taught magic. At first, I wanted to help all of them but in the end it¡­. got boring. To amuse myself, I started to copy Azael. I punished mortals that did not give proper respect towards me. I started wars over weapons, over women, and sometimes when I¡¯m in the mood, over my favor. Then that got boring too until I fell into a pit of despair while my sister kept staring at me. In a way, being depowered kind of helped the mortals, but if I think about it, Azael does things like that every day. It¡¯s a mystery why he isn¡¯t bored yet. Anyway back to the story.

    Name:Magnus

    Race:Fallen God

    Ability Level:???

    Magic Power:100,000/???

    Max Magic Power:???

    Body Power:10 (5+5)

    Defence:1

    Agility:10

    Resilience:1

    Magic:10,000

    Magic Defence:40,000

    Unique Skills:Creation (Sealed) (Ultimate)|Indestructible Essence (Ultimate) |Endless Mana Capacity (Legendary)|All Magical Knowledge (Partially Sealed-) (Legendary)

    Innate Skills:God''s Eye (Sealed) (Godly) I God Senses (Sealed) (Godly) IGod¡¯s Stare (Sealed) (Godly)

    Extra Skills:Pain Tolerance IV(Normal)I Martial Knowledge from theGoddess ofWar (Partially Sealed) (Legendary)

    Magic Skills:N/A

    Custom Skills:N/A

    Affinities:N/A

    Resistances:N/A

    Weaknesses:N/A

    Titles:God of Magic| The Fallen God| The one who wished for more| Masochist |Friend of the wyvern

    Blessings:Sealed (Indeterminable)| Cursed Eyes

    Equipment:N/A

    Items:N/A

    Kin stares at me with a mixture of fear and awe.

    ¡°Magnus, yo- you¡¯re overflowing with so much power!¡± Kin is stutters a little.

    Yes, my power right now is impressive but there is one problem, my current body power can¡¯t hold this amount for too long, so I need to use this immediately or my body will explode.

    The moment I absorbed the massive amount of mana my body started crackling with visible mana. I''m releasing a powerful aura of mana that constantly circulates around me. Lightning arcs around my body as the mana does its best to try and release itself.

    My body can''t take much of this...

    I quickly recall the basics of magic and the heirarchy of spellcasting. There are 10 tiers of magic and each tier above is stronger and more efficient than the tier below. With my current capability, I''m able to cast 6th level magic and below. The following hierarchy is used to rank spells: Elementary, Primary, Middle, Advanced, Expert, Master, Ancient, Forbidden, Primordial and True. Forbidden magic is usually the peak of mortality and if one wishes to learn and cast Primordial and True magic, they must at least reach the level of a high god. Lesser gods cannot cast 9th level and 10th level magic yet.

    ¡°Yes, but I can¡¯t keep this gigantic amount of power inside me for too long.¡± Kin seems to understand, after all she does have potent power inside her.

    Kayen is still staring at me in awe, amazed, because my body is discharging large amounts of lightning.

    I help Kayen up since she seems to be to stricken to move by herself. The moment she stands up, she distances herself and bows apologetically towards me.

    ¡°I am sorry¡± she¡¯s apologizing?

    ¡°I acted too rashly. I fought an amazing person like you, obviously overestimating myself.¡± she¡¯s speaking pretty fast.

    ¡°I¨C"before I could continue, Kayen speaks again as if sensing my rejection of her apology.

    ¡°Please forgive me, my whole life I¡¯ve been lurking in the shadow of my older brother, and while he is kind to me, he doesn¡¯t understand what I feel. He acts too kind andI''ve never properly learned. I am sure you are a benevolent person, you held back when we were both fighting and you spared me!¡± How is she speaking that fast?

    No, I didn¡¯t kill you for the risk of my own life, don¡¯t get intoany conclusions.

    ¡°Please I will do anything¡± What is this girl talking about.

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± I ask Kayen what she wants to say but I have a clue on what she wants. She seems to light up mistaking my confusion with acceptance.

    Kayen kneels and bows her head to the ground. ¡°Please take me as your apprentice¡±

    ¡­¡­ No.

    I stare down at Kayen, looking grim, but before I can speak she immediately bounces up and iterates all her good sides. ¡°Master¡± Don¡¯t call me master, it¡¯s annoying. Her stupid brother must''ve never properly thought her.

    ¡°Master I can-¡± stop calling me master ¡°cook, umm... I can sing, I am a hardworking person and I¡¯ll definitely follow everything you say. Except um..,¡± Kayen starts to fidget.

    Staring at Kayen, I can¡¯t help but feel that maybe I should have let her cut me earlier.

    The sudden appearance of lightning surrounding me reminds me of the urgent explosive power in my veins. I need to release it safely but I need to get out of here, with my companions. Now let¡¯s see what element my body can use.

    [Gainedskill No element Restrictions (Divine)]

    ...

    Closing my eyes, I browse the millions of spells hardcoded into my mind. I check all the spells I''ve created, developed, enhanced, and even destroyed. I remember every single detail of every single spell, how they work, how they run, what are needed to use them, what are the side effects, and how powerful they are.

    After choosing the preferable element, I pick the preferable level of the spell, and then I choose the most mana efficient spell.

    After deciding, I chose the Master space level spell [Link Teleport], a high level space spell that allows the user and linked targets to teleport to their destination. For us to teleport, I need to know our destination or else the spell won''t work. I remember a part of the forest I moved through earlier, at the base of a mountain. Once I know my target, I cast the spell.

    [Link Teleport]

    Magic Power:92,000/???

    Opening my eyes, I immediately use the spell''s power to link Kin, Elizabeth, Leila and my wyvern to me. Immediately our bodies warp quickly and disappear. The scenery changes from a forest clearing to a mountain base. The mountain base looks clear of any creatures and those monstrous power levels going to that formation is far away.

    Elizabeth is still standing in a fighting stance panting from exhaustion. After noticing that the immediate danger is gone, Leila relaxes. The wyvern roars in pain but when it notices that its enemies are gone, it whines a little, wishing for my attention. Kin is standing a few feet away from me like earlier. She seems dazed from the sudden teleportation.

    The sudden change leaves me a little woozy as well.

    Teleporting is different from Omniport, I kind of feel a little sick. Teleporting feels like you''re in a rickety truck compared to omniporting. Omniporting literally just places you in a spot you want. After shaking the headache away, I notice that the spell only took a small amount of mana and I''m still overflowing with immense magic.

    If I can¡¯t find a way to safely dispose of my mana, my body might explode, worse my mana veins might be ruined. I start thinking of ways to remove my excess power without casting any destructive spells.

    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    ¡°Ugh¡­¡± I hear Elizabeth sit down and grunt from pain. Thw wyvern is tending to its wounds but its natural regeneration is too slow and its wounds might leave a scar. I want to heal it but battle scars will give it a higher chance of developing skills and gaining new titles.

    Oh I forgot, I should heal them first.

    I check Kin first to see if she received any injuries or side effects from the unknown assailant.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me Magnus, I already healed my body, and I didn¡¯t receive any side effects¡±

    I check her status and I don''t see any abnormalities, so I go to where Elizabeth is sitting. She¡¯s currently resting.

    ¡°Did you sustain any injuries?¡± Elizabeth slowly cranes her head to look at me. I thought she was tired but the moment she sees and feels the pulsating power of my body, her eyes immediately brighten and she cracks a childish smile that says ¡°I knew it¡±. I ignore her bright eyes and cast the middle level spell [Heal].

    [Heal]

    Magic Power:91,800/???

    Her small and superficial wounds close and her fatigue slowly fades away as the spell works its magic.

    ¡°I thought you were weak?¡± Elizabeth chuckles and asks, I wonder why she¡¯s like a child when it comes to me.

    Since Elizabeth is barely wounded, I only need to cast it once.

    I leave Elizabeth before she starts to babble on about the prophecy.

    I approach Leila. Leila is currently calming herself. She''s in her human form. When Leila and Lazar fought, Lazar abused his [Fatigue Nullification] resistance and made sure to tire Leila out before dishing out his more powerful abilities. Once Leila started to tire out, Lazar conjured a powerful spell that manage to wound her back.

    Before I could go near her, she raises her hand to stop me. ¡°Sorry Magnus, it¡¯s not you, I just have a preference to heal my body by myself.¡± I would usually stop there and mind my own business but I am very aware of her situation. Earlier in the carriage,I studied her status and I had some ideas about her situation but it was only fully confirmed when she transformed.

    Demons don¡¯t have a human form so the power they have is permanently theirs but Leila can transform and it''s the result of either being a half demon or a human that fused a demon with her body. I know for a fact that she¡¯s the latter.

    ¡°That power isn¡¯t worth it, you know¡± Leila looks at me with slight irritation but something in her eyes tell me that she expected this type of treatment.

    ¡°You don¡¯t know what you¡¯re saying¡±

    ¡°That demon will take over you, becase the demon you fused with is a primal demon¡± The face of Leila is twists with confusion. Even Elizabeth and Kin are shocked.

    Anyone would be, primal demons are to be feared after all. Primal demons are the fallen versions of their more sophisticated kind. It''s not to say that normal demons are good, they''re evil as well but primal demons take this evil to mindless cruelty, a form of evil that even I dislike.

    Demons are naturally in touch with their normal emotions and their dark emotions. When Azael made the demons, he naturally made them to have a balance of both, but there are times when demons become too¡­ depraved. They feed their dark emotions too much and eventually it will eat their soul whole. Once their souls are consumed, they become creatures of pure instinct and pleasure. These demons only exist to do what their pleasures force them to. They¡¯re the reason why humanity has such a bad view against demons, though the normal ones aren¡¯t something to take home either.

    ¡°I¡­ Had to¡± I can¡¯t imagine what forced her to fuse with a primal demon.

    ¡°Leila, you¡¯re out of mana and you¡¯re stamina is drained, if you don¡¯t heal and rest, that thing will take over you and you won¡¯t be able to resist¡± That is one of the few drawbacks. The owner will constantly have nightmares and sometimes the owner will wake up in the middle of the night paralyzed and see the the most gruesome of visions. There are many more drawbacks but this is one of the main reasons why nobody wants to fuse with a primal demon, other than the actual demon part.

    Leila searches her armor for somethingand pulls out a hidden pouch inside her clothing.

    Inside the pouch is a small vial filled with crimson blood. Kin looks little disgusted while Elizabeth keeps her calm. Leila looks at the vial for a moment before removeing the small cap. Once she opens,Leila steels herself and downs the contents of the vial. Once she drinks all the contents of the vial, she simple drops it on the floor, allowing it to break.

    After disposing of the vial, fatigue starts showing its effect on her eyes. Leila sits down and leans her back on a tree.

    Kin shakes her head while Elizabeth looks unfazed.

    I just stare at her.

    Most people would see my face and think I look disapproving but I''m not angry or disappointed, I¡¯m just staring at her soul, studying her.

    Since I gained a lot of magic power, I can fully unlock one of my racial skills temporarily. I chose to open [God¡¯s Eye] full potential. With its full potential open, I can see anything I want, there is no restriction, nothing to hold me back from seeing anything, from the smallest of atoms, to the very fabric of reality.

    It¡¯s like an adjustable arm except it¡¯s stuck in my skull. Her soul appears to look purple. Her purple soul is intertwined with another one, a crimson soul. The crimson soul is moving violently while her soul is holding it back.The purple soul is failingbut thankfully the blood managed to supress the crimson soul.

    ¡°That thing inside you, it¡¯s a forced contract is it?¡± Leila stares straight at my eyes. It¡¯s as if she can see what I can see too.

    ¡°How did you notice?¡± Leila stands while supporting herself with her sword.

    ¡°Is it because of your current condition, you¡¯re empowered by power not belonging to you. That¡¯s a risky thing to do Magnus. With all that power, you could die.If anything, you¡¯re a ballsy guy.¡± Leila stares at me and readies her weapon.

    ¡°Put down the sword Leila¡±

    ¡°What if I don¡¯t want too?¡± Leila¡¯s eyes are demonic as she starts to sweat profusely. She grips her sword as she charges me with extreme speed. My magic power is raised to the extremes right now but my body power stayed the same, so right now she¡¯s 200 times faster than me.

    I easily predicted this happening,the moment I looked through her soul. I raise my hand and cast a spell.

    [Master Telekinesis]I infuse my will with my overflowing mana and hold Leila with the spell.

    Magic Power: 86,800/???

    ¡°Leila calm down¡± I try to speak as calmly as possible. Leila tries to resist the spell but I''m using a master level spell, so she won''t be able to resist it.

    "I don''t want to hurt you" Leila eventually tires herself out but I keep her suspended, just in case.

    ¡°Magnus stop¡± Elizabeth orders.

    ¡°I¡¯m just letting her blow out her steam. This always happen when she drinks blood¡±

    It¡¯s true, primal demons love blood, and when they drink blood, they become crazy and attack anything on sight. If Leila drinks blood, she won''t go crazy like a primal demon but she''ll be more prone to anger and violence. After some time, they get sober and become saggy and quiet for a while. So I just need to ride it out until she returns to her original state.

    ¡°Really?¡± It¡¯s Elizabeth¡¯s turn to ask a question.

    ¡°Yes, really¡± Leila continues trying to resist my spell but with my current level, she can''t do anything but grunt and stare angrily.

    ¡°How do you know?¡± Elizabeth is curious. Time for a little pay back, I peer into her soul and read her thoughts. Unlike her ability, my skill cannot be stopped in any way unless she has a divine skill which I doubt.

    Hmmm¡­ How kind of her, to think of a long term plan for her partner.

    ¡°I¡¯ve had some heavy experience with demons¡± It''s not my proudest moment. I once helped Azael design the primal demons a little.

    Elizabeth takes in that information and seems to be¡­ cataloguing it? My information isn¡¯t that importantbut why is she placing so much importance on everything I''m doing. Peering into her soul, she really places an importance in this proph- no wait... She hates it.

    Then why is she placing so much importance on me. I wonder why, anyway I¡¯ll stop lookingat her soul, it makes me feel disgusted of myself.

    ¡°Anyway you guys should take a rest¡± I healed them already but no amount of physical healing can remove mental fatigue. Only mental healing magic can remove that.

    Eventually Leila calms down and I let her down lightly. She suddenly starts puking.

    ''Oh my...'' It seems, she hates the feeling of being suspended in air.

    ¡°Magnus you asshole that was¡­¡± her rude remark is cut off by another scene of puking.

    ¡°Well, you turned crazy and I don''t want to kill you. Even though I have this power, my body didn¡¯t get any stronger than it already was, so you could have killed me with one attack¡±

    I cast [Stabilize]Leila of her nausea.

    Magic Power:86,750/???

    ¡°Thank you¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re wel-¡°

    ¡°So this is where my power went¡± I drop cold sweat as I hear a nonchalant voice of a person releasing an aura similar to mine.

    I immediately cast[MassTeleport] on Kin, Leila, and Elizabeth to port them to the village.

    Magic Power:76,750/???

    Now they can''t get hurtand I can go a little serious if things go bad. Turning around, I see a man on his late thirties wearing a beautiful ornate robe, that¡¯s exuding a powerful aura, and metal sandals made out of Adamant. The man has long hair as white as snow that''s swaying to the gentle force of the wind and his dead white eyes stare at me.

    ¡°I¡¯ll eventually return this excess mana, so can you please not make a scene¡±I knew that one day I would fight people as strong as this butI would want to fight with my own power.

    ¡°Interesting... to steal my power and make it your own. How did you do it? Was it a unique skill. Maybe you can give my life meaning¡± The dead-eyed man is speaking some very familiar words.Suddenly the dead-eyed man casts a spell and his body suddenly gets infused with mana.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t really done anything dangerous to you!We can solve this problem like reasonable adults." When I see him not responding, I sigh and pose a question.

    "Hey I have a question?¡±

    The dead eyed-man stares at me, urging me to continue.

    ¡°I had a really bad start today....¡± The eyes of the man stares at me ¡°I don''t like such unlucky starts and if I was given the chance, I want to restart but unfortunately that can''t happen. So if you don''t want to die..."

    The man smiles, a very hearty one.

    "...Leave"

 Chapter 14: Surprise

    Magnus here, I remember once that I descended to Eldran for a very short amount of time. In that short amount of time, I disguised myself as an old man that travels the world. I did a lot of random things such as giving a whole continent sea sickness and those in the sea just plain sickness. Needless to say, there were a lot of accidents. Anyway back to the story.

    In silence, I prepare a spell.

    ¡°Me¡­Leave?¡± the man looks at me quizzically then he guffaws.

    ¡°AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA¡± after laughing, the man stares at me and wipes away a tear from his eyes.

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­. That¡¯s amazing, and quite amusing. I hope that baseless threats aren¡¯t your only way of entertaining me¡± The man slowly goes nearer towards me.

    I prepare myself. This person is powerful but not as powerful as some of the people who is currently near the golden tree.

    Yes, that¡¯s what I¡¯m calling it now, Golden Tree.

    Near the Golden Tree are extremely powerful beings and this man in front of me is powerful as well but not anywhere near the top 10. After calculating the strength of the beings near the golden tree, I''m guessing he¡¯s probably the 47th strongest person here. While that is good news, that doesn¡¯t bode well for me. Every single person in that area has ability levels above 10,000.

    This person has an ability level of 12,000. He currently has a body power of 40,000and with that alone, he¡¯s already 4,000 times physically stronger and faster than me.

    And¡­ his magic power is 200,000, twice as big as my temporary power. Yup it¡¯s not a big deal.

    I immediately cast [Equilibrium]and my body fills with massive power as my mana suddenly depletes.

    [Equilibrium]is an elementary death spell. Itimmediately halves the user''s magic power and transforms it into body power giving me a temporary boost. While[Equilibrium] looks powerful, this spell is very dangerous as the sudden change can kill the caster, especially ones with massive magic powers but with my understanding of magic, I easily guide the magic power to safely empower my body.

    Magic Power:38,500/???

    Body Power:38,500

    Shit... Despite the spell, I''m still weaker. I''m kind of regretting being liberal with my mana usage.

    The dead-eyed man raises his eyebrows, surprised by the sudden change in my body. Smiling, he suddenly disappears and appears in front of me. Not sensing any mana, he must have physically moved with just his speed.

    ¡°Interesting¡­ to be capable of using [Equilibrium] without any repercussions, tell me how did you manage that?¡±

    If it weren¡¯t for the immediate danger looming over me, I think I would want to know more about this person. I respond by throwing a super-sonic punch at his face, and even though the gap between our magic power is huge, right now my body power is comparable tohim, so I punch his face without much resistance.

    He reacts just as quick and catches my fist as the two of us suddenly clash. We grip each other''s hands as we start pushing each other with our superhuman strength. Immediately the ground starts to cave as our almost equal superhuman strength tears the surrounding area apart.

    This won''t stop if I just contest with him. After pushing with all my strength, I immediately loosen my grip and trip dead-eye and kick his legs, tripping him.

    [Hyper Force]

    I immediately cast a spell and my hand envelops with powerful air elemental mana. Once done I punch him with all my strength and all the power of my spell. A powerful booming sound appears as my fist connecsts with the man''s chest.

    Boom!

    "Urgh" The man groans in extreme pain as the combined might of my spell and strength sends him flying.

    [Teleport]

    Immediately, I follow up by teleporting above him and cast a master level firespell.

    [Flame Vacuum]

    After the costly spell, I cast an elementary spell and summon small gouts of fire that spread on the forest below us.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

    [Ember]

    First of all, I do not condone illegal logging, nor do I like burning up forests for no reason.

    I see dead-eye falling back to the ground, this time a smile is plastered on his face. His chest is slightly caved in but I guess it didn''t deal too much damage to him.

    ¡°Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaahahahahahahahahahaha¡± I hear the indistinct laughter of a man having the time of his life.

    Dead-eye, wait maybe I should start calling him by his name. Checking his status, I notice he doesn¡¯t have a name¡­ Dead-eye it is.

    ¡°YOU¡¯RE INTERESTING!!¡± Dead-eye raises both his hands while falling. ¡°HEY DON¡¯T YOU DARE DIE ON ME RIGHT NOW¡±

    [Moonsoon Destruction]!Dead-eye shouts as he casts a spell.

    My eyes widen as I see him collect an absurd amount of wind mana. A gigantic ball made of extremely condensed wind energy appears in between his hands. Instead of throwing it, Dead-eye smiles and starts condensing the giant ball of wind even further.

    I prepare a spell to protect myself from the attack. He doesn¡¯t stop until it reaches the size of a pebble, a dangerously lethal pebble. A moment later, he¡¯s creating more.

    Within his right and left hand are equally large balls of condensed wind mana. Smiling, Dead-eye is condensing them like earlier.

    I dash forward with super sonic speed.

    "You think, I''d let you do something like power up!"

    Dead-eye grimaces at my remark and starts laughing again.

    Despite the obvious flaming mark on his chest, Dead-eye is enjoying himself.

    The three condensed wind balls start spinning around his body at immense speeds.

    [Teleport]

    After I cast my spell, I immediately appear in front of Dead-eye and unsheathe my iron sword. I coat it with thick mana and then swing it towards his condensed wind balls.

    It would do nothing to nick someone like him but it would be enough to activate those wind balls. Dead-eye reacts quick and forms a sharp blade made out of mana and catches my blade''s advance. After blocking my attack, Dead-eye pushes his advantage and continues to attack me with his newly formed mana blade.

    At first, I manage to block his attacks but my weakening mana pool is slowly getting thinned out and eventually the mana coating on my blade disappears. I dash besides him and throw a quick slash. Dead-eye easily catches the non-magical blade mid-air with two fingers and unceremoniously snaps it in half.I immediately let go of the handle and brace myself, as Dead-eye commands the three condensed balls of wind to charge towards me.

    "Arghh!" I shout in pain as the small condensed balls of wind mana shoot through me like bullets.

    [Mana Shield]

    Immediately, I erect a thick mana shield to prevent more damage but the bullet-like balls continuously bounce and ricochet off my mana shield, slowly draining my already dwindling mana pool.

    I back away from Dead-eye fast, as I try to find some breathing room but he easily follows me while the bullets continue to batter my mana shield.

    [Mana Pulse]

    I cross my hands and spread them out, casting a spell that releases a powerful energy pulse that buffets Dead-eye and the wind bullets away from me but not enough to hurt him. He¡¯s laughing maniacally now.

    ¡°HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA, is this all you¡¯ve got!!¡± Charging towards me, Dead-eye commands his balls to attack me again.

    [Iron Wall]

    While backing up, I quickly cast a spell and a giant rectangular wall made out of pure iron sprouts out from the ground to block his way.

    ¡°HAHAHAHA, that won¡¯t do anything to stop me¡± The wall suddenly explodes as Dead-eye commands the wind ball to detonate on contact. The condensed wind balls explode with massive power violently throwing me back, crashing over dozens of forest trees.

    Standing up in pain, I chuckle and when I realize it''s ready, I cast the spell I prepared before the fight commenced.

    [Super Mana Stream]

    Dead-eye¡¯s face grimaces with surprise as he sees what I¡¯m holding with both my hands.

    Betweenmy two hands is a crackling ball of pure unrestrained raw mana.

    "You should''ve left." I say with grim resolve, then I release the spell.

    Suddenly a gigantic wave of pure raw energy surges from the condensed ball in my hand and it blasts towards Dead-eye.

    The wind balls that didn''t detonate are immediately engulfed and destroyed by the large wave of pure mana. I feel the ripples of space as Dead-eye is preparing to teleport.

    [Space Anchor]

    I cast a spell that locks him place,immediately canceling his teleportation.

    [Flame Vacuum: Activate]

    I activate the spell seal on his chest. Immediately all the flames I caused in the forest suddenly flies up, being absorbed by the seal. Obscene amounts of fire surrounds Dead-eye, as the powerful beam of pure mana and constantly absorbing fire completely devour him and cut of his exits.

    [Diamond Wall]!

    Dead-eye immediately braces himself and casts a spell, summoning 5 gargantuan diamond walls.

    The giant beam of mana crashes with the first wall instantly reducing it to ash, the second wall slowed it down for only a second. The 3rd, 4th and 5th wall got destroyed but each wall took more time than the last until it finally hits Dead-eye.

    Dead-eye manages to take the remainder of power inside the blast and survive but that was what I planned for. Using the last of my mana, I cast one last spell.

    [Hell Pillar]!

    The moment the beam dissipates, two giant pillars of extremely hot hellfire blast out from the ground and appear on both of Dead-eye''s right and left side.

    The scalding heat cuts off his behind as he tries to charge forward. The seal in front of him overloads with the condensed heat and fire coming from the forest. With the Hellfire blasting besides him, the process overloads even faster.

    ¡°Hey!¡± I shout at while panting.

    Dead-eye looks back at me ¡°You should''ve left!¡±

    Smiling, I give Dead-eye one last remark before I teleport away from him.

    [Space Anchor]

    But before I could teleport, I feel magicweigh me down.

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be too cocky¡±

    My eyes widen as all the fire in the area converge on the seal in front of Dead-eye. It starts to show signs of cracking.

    *Crack*

    No... I don''t have enough mana....

    *BOOM!!*

 Chapter 15: Absolution

    Hey guys Magnus here, I¡¯ve never truly experienced a lot of pain before. Being a true god had a lot of perks andI was literally immortal and permanent. Even with immortality and permanence, I shied at every appearance of pain, so I made every preparation to protect myself. So you¡¯ll have to imagine the pain that I¡¯ve been suffering this few days. It has been¡­. very excruciating.

    The darkness is overwhelming.

    I hear the screams of a thousand lost souls being gnawed on by the infinite horrors of the void. I don¡¯t know how long I¡¯ve been here and how much of my sanityhasbeen chipped away. I float endlessly in the void, as I contemplate my very existenc. This void is empty but with my eyes, I can see and hear everything¡­ every torture and every scream.

    I see a large beast in the distance, it¡¯s a felbeast. It¡¯s huge frame and muscular limbs slowly move towards me. At first, it doesn¡¯t know I¡¯m here but the moment it does, it charges. I try to raise my hands to protect myself but I can¡¯t and I only manage to scream as its huge gaping mouth is upon me.

    *Scream*

    I suddenly jolt up as I try to grab the felbeast¡¯s gigantic maw, only to be met with the cold forest air. I lower my hands to feel the ground and I feel the soft prickly touch of the dew tainted grass.

    I look up and see the vestiges of the sky since it¡¯s mostly hidden by the thick concentration of leaves but I see enough to know that it¡¯s somewhere around dawn.

    The last thing I remember was being locked out of my teleportation, running out of mana and then facing the tremendous power of the supercharged flame vacuum.

    To answer my question, I hear a voice right beside me.

    ¡°Hello Lord Magnus¡± I pan my head to the right to see the familiar shine of the black coin that Elyis gave me a few days ago.

    On top of the coin is a small young girl. A child would be a more appropriate description. A small child with brownhair is smiling at me with the most resplendent smile I¡¯ve ever seen. She¡¯s wearing a small yellow dress accompanied with a teardrop necklace and beautiful diamond slippers.

    ¡°Lord Magnus?¡± The small girl asks me again. I must look very confused right nowbut before any more time is wasted, I reply to her.

    ¡°Yes?¡± the small girl¡¯s face immediately lights up and gives me that beautiful smile again. Did Elyis purposefully put that smile in? That¡¯s one dangerous smile. That smile can launch a thousand ships.

    ¡°YES!!! Lord Magnus you¡¯re finally awake and alive¡± did I die? I ask small girl that.

    ¡°Yes and no¡­¡±

    ¡°Then¡­ what happened?¡± I remember distinctly the scathing flames of the spell burning my body to ashes. At least, I managed to severely damage Dead-eye.

    ¡°I saved you Lord Magnus.Well you see Lady Elyis and the other Lords and Ladies told me to keep an eye on you.They are sure that you¡¯re essence and soul is something permanent and forever but we do not know what will happen if you die with your current situation¡±

    A proper judgment, Branac must¡¯ve been the one to propose it. ¡°Elyis gave me the ability to save you once and only once. The moment I save you from impending doom, I will be immediately released to help you on your journey¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I really need help¡± The small child pouts.

    ¡°¡­ YOUU¡¯RRREEE SOOOO MEEEAAAN LORD MAGNUS¡± she starts crying. Did Elyis program this in...

    ¡°.....¡± I start panicking I don¡¯t know what to do. This is a new experience. I have never dealt with any children before?

    ¡°H-Hey... calm down¡± the small girl isn¡¯t calming down, she keeps crying.

    ¡°¡­ YOUU¡¯RRREEE SOOOO MEEEAAAN LORD MAGNUS. I WAS CREATED FOR THIS SOLE PURPOSE.¡± The small girl is crying while shouting at me.

    ¡°Hey it¡¯s not because you¡¯re worthl-¡°

    ¡°YOU CAN¡¯T UNDERSTAND THIS FEELING, NOT BEING ABLE TO DO WHAT YOU TRULY WANT¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    ¡­

    ¡°Huh, Lord Magnus what are you doing?¡± I raise the black coin up to face level so I can stare at her.

    ¡°Lord Magnus please don¡¯t scold me.¡± The small girl is covering her face while stifling her cries.

    ¡°I know how it feels.¡± she moves a finger to peek through the hole.

    ¡°I know how it feels not being allowed to do what I want.¡± This time the small girl is looking at me determinedly.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want that to happen to anyone else, so¡­¡± The small girl is smiling again with that beautiful smile while looking at me expectantly.

    ¡°¡­ I¡¯ll take you up on your offer¡±

    *SQUEELL* the small girl jumps all over the small coin like she¡¯s won an amazing reward.

    ¡°Thank you!! Lord Magnus. I promise I won¡¯t let you down no matter what I¡¯ll do my best to guide you in any situation no matter what¡± Smiling I nod towards her. Surprisingly her slightly incorporeal form is physical and can be touched so I reach out my hand and rub her tiny head.

    ¡°Nyu.. Nyu.. Nyu.. Lord Magnus that tickles¡± hehe this feels nice hmmm is this what it feels to have a child¡­ I¡¯ll have to explore that avenue in the near future.

    I almost forgot I need to know her name.

    ¡°Hey¡± Small girl raises her head and stares at me with anticipation.

    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± The girl ponders for a moment before looking back at me and speaks.

    ¡°My name is Absolution¡± Forgiveness huh? My sister really is a judge, she can¡¯t even name something without connecting it to her. Well I guess I¡¯ll have to call her another name or a nickname because Absolution will become tiring after some time, but before I could say anything.

    ¡°I will not accept any nicknames¡± Huh? How did she know my thoughts?

    ¡°Lady Elyis told me that Lord Magnus might not like the name she gave, so I should deny any orders or requests to change my name¡± ¡­ Clever girl

    ¡°So I¡¯m not changing my name no matter what, I am Absolution!!! The ultimate guide¡± Absolution does a ridiculous pose. I can¡¯t help but think she''s very cute and amusing. It¡¯s quite funny actually.

    ¡°pfft¡­ hahahahaha¡± I start laughing.

    ¡°Hey H-¡°

    ¡°Hahahahahaha¡±

    ¡°HEY!! Why are you laughing¡± Absolution is pouting again with tears in her eyes.

    Calming down, I smile at her. Maybe I¡¯ll like having her around, she¡¯ll be a good stress reliever. Then I feel it a gnawing feeling inside my body a feeling that I¡¯ve never once felt before.

    *GROWL*

    Absolution stares at me with embarrassment.

    ¡°Lord Magnus, my scan says that your body has finally acclimated with your mortal state because of that you¡¯ll need to regularly feed your body.¡±

    ¡°Really, is this the so called hunger?¡± Absolution nods. It¡¯s a new the feeling can be summed up in one word. Uncomfortable, it¡¯s like this paralyzing pain that will stop me from doing anything else unless I sate it with something filling.

    ¡°Lord Magnus you will need to find something to eat or else it will be dangerous towards you¡¯re health¡± I figured but what do mortals eat? Gods don¡¯t intake anything, what should I eat? I look around and see a rock. Do mortals eat rocks? Absolution must¡¯ve seen how I looked towards the rock and immediately said.

    ¡°Lord Magnus rocks are not food, they are in no way edible. We need to find sources of food to sate your hunger.¡± I try using God¡¯s eye on the things around me starting with the rock.

    [Rock]

    - It¡¯s a rock.

    [White Life Grass]

    - Despite its impressive name it does not have any healing properties it is only named white life grass for its white tip and long life.

    After a few more minutes of searching, I notice a difference with God¡¯s eye, its back to being sealed again. After losing the temporary power I had earlier,[God¡¯s eye] was immediately returned to its sealed state.

    That¡¯s disappointing, a full-powered God¡¯s eye immediately shows me everything including what I could do with this rock. I heft the medium rock in my hand.

    ¡°Lord Magnus¡­ Do you have a fascination with rocks?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Absolution¡±

    ¡°Yes Lord Magnus?¡±

    ¡°Where are my clothes?¡±

 Chapter 16: The Fallen rises upâ€¦ again?

    Magnus here, there was once a time where I was asked by an ascended female high god if I prefer young children over mature women. At first, I didn¡¯t really understand why I would have a preference of anything. I was confused but answered mature women. The moment I answered, she teleported both of us in a beautiful bedroom and started undressing. I was so confused at what it meant at the timeand I immediately I pushed her away. I was enraged because my time was wasted and as punishment, I reduced her power to that of a lesser god for a few centuries. I kind of regret that, she was very beautiful and well... very well-endowed.

    ¡°Magnus run to your right, the forest there isn¡¯t as thick¡± I follow Absolution¡¯s advice and quickly curve to my right, so I can easily lose my enemy.

    This is starting to itch. I recall the newly tanned bear pelt I''m wearing, it''s still rough. It took me a week to make it at least wearable.

    I keep running, thinking I managed to outmaneuver my hunter but my hopeful thoughts are immediately banished as i hear the dreadfully familiar sound of grass and stray leaves being crushed underfoot.

    ¡°Magnus, it¡¯s still here¡± I can hear the light and deft footsteps of my hunter.

    ¡°I know Absolution, any more ideas¡± Absolution¡¯s voice rings in my ears as she tells me to jump at the next large tree and grab its branch. After running a few more seconds, I spot the tree Absolution tells me to jump up to.

    I jump and immediately swing from the branch upwards to a higher and larger branch.

    *pant pant* this is tiring, thank god I decided to train with Remries before or I wouldn¡¯t be capable of doing any of these lifesaving movements.

    ¡°Good job Magnus¡± Concerning Absolution¡¯s absence of using the honorific lord, it was because I was getting annoyed of it. It took 3 days of continuous convincing for her to finally stop. I managed to convince her when I said that it would take our relationship as friends to a higher level. I ignored her happy cheers afterward.

    The rough and fast footsteps earlier have disappeared, only to be replaced by thepeaceful silence of a forest morning.

    I scan the immediate area with God¡¯s eye. Apparently it¡¯s too hidden physically, so my God¡¯s eye cannot immediately find it. My senses scream at me as I swipe my head to the left to look at a tree near mine.

    Suddenly I hear a rustling from the surrounding trees, as a giant white wolf jumps from the tree behind me.

    Shit, it tricked me.

    I immediatelyspin my body to face the white wolf. I manage to spin right in time and dodge to my right side.

    "Urghh" I groan in pain as I manage to avoid its lunge but it raked my left shoulder with its sharp claws.

    The wolf''s lunge missed me and it falls down the forest floor gracefully.

    It looks up and stares at me. This wolf has been stressing me out for a few days now.

    A few meters away, I see a fat pig wandering aimlessly, just a few meters away from the wolf. I point at it vigorously and make signs, so the wolf will take notice of it.

    "Hey look at that fat and juicy pig!" I start speaking to the wolf, as if can understand me.

    The wolf doesn¡¯t even budge one bit.

    I bet this thing can smell that pig, a few meters away from it, but chooses to hunt me instead.

    ¡°Magnus, this wolf is pretty persistent¡± Absolution floats just right of my face. At first I thought she would only manifest on top of the coin but eventually she gained enoughmana to be capable of floating a few meters away from the coin. Unfortunately, she can¡¯t manifest if the distance from the coin is too large.

    When I checked its status, it had a rare extra skill, which is surprising since non-magical beasts barely have any skills unless it¡¯s racial.

    Under its extra skills is a skill called [Fearless determination X]. The skill is already at max capability and it''s because of the capital X. If a powerful skill is paired with an X or similar modifier, then that skill¡¯s potency will be multiple times stronger than a skill without it.

    Some skills cannot be paired with any modifiers, such as my [God''s Eye]skill. The fact that this creature has an X level extra skill means that it must have learned it through some event or trauma. It must''ve gained a lower level of the skill and then continuously trained it.

    If only that was the problem, maybe I would¡¯ve been capable of killing it but there¡¯s another problem, this thing¡¯s hide is so hard.

    Flashbacks of broken wooden spears go through my head.

    Apparently, I¡¯m not the first human this thing has fought and it must''ve developed its skill through constant fights with human hunters.

    Unfortunately, the skills isn''t what makes it annoying, this thing has a title and status as well. Its title is called [Human Slayer] and it has a status called [BurningHatred]. The moment it saw me, that status popped up and it immediately received a sizeable buff. Fortunately, my race is fallen god and its [Human Slayer]title doesn''t give it bonuses against me.

    Something traumatic probably happened to this creature to make it hate humans but it doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯ll slow my hand against this thing even for one second.

    The wolf is just staring at me, waiting for me to do the next move. While I think about of what to do next, Absolution starts to show rude gestures towards the wolf and starts hurling insults at it.

    ¡°You dumb overgrown fur ball, why don¡¯t you leave already and sniff your butt or something.¡± I guess she¡¯s a cat person.

    The wolf stares at me, not giving Absolution¡¯s antics any attention.

    I feel that this thing will wait for all eternity just to kill me or unless another human shows up. I don¡¯t really like the idea of using someone else though, maybe I should tame it? I¡¯m not really that fond of wolves.

    "Should I tame it?" I ask the babbling spirit besides me.

    "Ehh? Tame a wild wolf? No!"

    Okay! it¡¯s decided since both of us dislike wolves, I¡¯ll just eliminate it.

    Looking around, I snatch some small branches from the surrounding trees that are near enough to reach. After gathering 10 small branches, I start drawing small and intricate circles on the middle of each branch.

    ¡°Magnus are those¡­¡± Absolution stops from her rude rambling for a moment and stares at the very small intricate circles I drew on the branches.

    ¡°Yes Absolution¡­ They¡¯re Alchemy circles¡± I answer Absolution¡¯s curiosity.

    Alchemy circles is another form of magic I created, it¡¯s for the more intellectually inclined than the talented.

    While magic talent is rare in itself, alchemy is an even rare talent and not everyone can be an alchemist. Out of 100,000 magic users there will be only one alchemist, not because it¡¯s rare but because understanding alchemy means understanding the fabric of reality itself.

    Alchemy, after all, is the ability to change and create reality through science. Even though I make it appear that Alchemy is amazing, the circles I¡¯m writing now are the most basic ones.

    Alchemy revolves around the thinking that every action has an equivalent reaction. That is true and this is the reason why alchemy and magic doesn''t mix. Magic is the ability to create miracles from nothing and Alchemy is the ability to create supernatural phenomenon by changing reality. Unfortunately reality is an extremely persistent object and alchemical changes are usually temporary. It is said, that the end goal of all alchemists is to find a way to permanently alter reality.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    These circle are basic ones and I''m currently inscribing them on wooden branches. These circles have the ability to change the material''s weight temporarily. Eventually the circles will lose their power and return the brances to their normal weight. If that time comes, I need to reapply the circles. The moment I finish one branch, its weight multiplies by 5. I heft the newly inscribed branch and appreciate its heavier weight. With it¡¯s heavier weight, it might be enough to deal damage, lethal damage.

    After finishing the circles, I start to sharpen the edges by using a sharp rock that I found a few days ago. After doing the tedious work of clearing out the bark and sharpening it to lethality, I look down to find the wolf gone.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Absolution... where is the wolf?¡±

    ¡°¡­ I don¡¯t know¡± Absolution is dumbfounded as much as me and I did all that work for nothing. Well at least I don¡¯t have to kill anything but I should at least wait for a few more minutes to make sure it¡¯s gone.

    *5 minutes later*

    ¡°Magnus?¡±

    ¡°Shh¡­ I¡¯m trying to sense if that things is still here¡± Paranoia? I think, but I¡¯m also not sure. After all no one wants to die, even a god. I never truly understood the fear of death, until my pseudo death amonth ago.

    After a few more minutes, I slowly and safely climb down the tree. When I get down, I immediately pull out one of the heavy sharpened branches, turned spears, from my fur clothing. I created a makeshift quiver from a hollowed out trunk, albeit it is very small compared to other trunks, making it the perfect quiver.

    After a few minutes of constantly checking my surroundings, only silence answers my cautiousness.

    ¡°I guess it¡¯s really gone¡± Absolution smiles and agrees toward my statement.

    I imagine something else took the wolf¡¯s attention, that it had to leave me.

    I start walking towards the direction of where I¡¯m currently staying.

    A few hours pass by and the sun is starting to set, I finally managed to get back to my shelter, well not really shelter maybe make-shift cave? Either way this is my home for now. Absolution suggested that I stay secluded in the woods for a while until I can use magic, so I can cover up my cursed eyes with a proper illusion.

    Once inside the cave, I take a good look of my make-shift home. The cave isn''t too small, it resembles the cave the wyvern lived in, minus the small hoard of treasures. Inside the cave is a small rack with strips of meat salted and being dried by a small alchemical circle that is constantly providing low heat. While Absolution guides me in basic survival, like making jerky, it''s my ingenious mind that allows me to survive using my knowledge of magic and alchemy.

    On the floor is a bunch of pelts I''ve collected from the animals I''ve been hunting the past month. I''m using them as a makeshift bed. Besides the pelts are alchemical circles, drawn on the ground, that provide warmth and heat, similar to a heater. Every few hours, I need to reapply the circles or else they lose their power and I can''t stand the cold.

    At first, I had a hard time skinning them and each time I did, blood would spurt out dirtying my body but eventually I learned how to hunt properly and gained the title[Hunter]. While this living style would sound horrendous to other beings, I find it extremely refreshing. I''ve been loving this type of lifestyle and I admit, I don''t miss my powers too much.

    It¡¯s been a month and 3 days since my fight with dead-eye, I can imagine it caused a little bit of commotion since rank 6 spells aren¡¯t common.

    Even though I hit him point blank with two powerful spells, I have the sneaking suspicion that he¡¯s still alive and I¡¯ll probably meet him a few more times.

    I sit down on the warm pelts and enjoy the warmth, my alchemical circles are giving me.

    After a few minutes of relaxing, I browse my knowledge of magic and start cleaning the mana veins in my body. Before the fight with Dead-eye, I managed to clean my mana veins but it was only a quick job because I didn''t have enough time. Now that I have a lot of free time, I can start cleansing my mana veins without any rush.

    Earlier I gave a small explanation of what Mana Veins are but I never went too in depth about them.

    Mana veins are hidden veins that exist within the body of every living being. Basically, Mana Veins are the circulatory system for mana, and just like the circulatory system of the blood, it is important to every creature. If one''s Mana Veins are cleaner, their ability to use magic will be more fluid and easier but this is not easy, because all beings start up with clogged mana veins, preventing them from easily using magic. To use magic, beings will first need to clean their mana veins and the process of cleaning differs for every individuals. Less talented individuals will have a hard time cleaning their mana veins and the process could range from a few weeks to a few years but geniuses like Elizabeth and Lazar wouldn''t have to go through the same hardship as them, their process could range from a few days to at most, a week.

    If an individual doesn''t fully clean their mana veins and start casting spells, like what I did before, the mana clogging becomes harder to remove and it''ll be harder to clean it in the future. This generally weakens my mana usage and it''ll prevent me from reaching higher levels in the future. If I continued generating mana with my mana veins being clogged up, my body would adapt to it, weakening my potential.

    After a month of acclimating to the forest life, I spent 3 days to map out my whole body¡¯s mana vein system. Because of my fight with Dead-eye, I had a harder time cleaning it but I¡¯ve been dilligently cleaning it ever since. The advantage having a cleaner mana vein will result in better mana conservation, better mana ratios, and better mana regeneration.

    ¡°Magnus my scan says that your mana vein system is-¡°I cut Absolution off before she starts saying every known fact about how important and imperative that my mana veins should be cleaned. I already know about them.

    ¡±75% clean, I know Absolution, I can see my own mana vein system.¡±

    I did create the foundation for magic after all, but my mana veins are not the same for everyone that¡¯s why it took me 3 days to map it all. Cleaning it is already hard and I need to slowly melt the solidified mana clogged inside my veins or else it''ll rupture the veins. It took me 3 days to map my mana veins while staying in this forest, I slowly cleaned my veins.

    Despite my horrible living standards and annoying situation, I feel elated. The feeling of working hard for something melts into my bones as if it¡¯s lava.

    That¡¯s a horrible analogy but I¡¯ll take it.

    ¡°Magnus I wanted to ask, what will be your goal once you¡¯ve prepared yourself¡± Absolution¡¯s question breaks my line of thought.

    Staring at Absolution¡¯s floating ghostly body, I ponder what I will do first. I think of my siblings first but I¡¯m sure they can handle whatever¡¯s happening in the heavens. Then I think of the keys I purposefully split up. Hmm¡­ Maybe I should get those first as a form of adventure. My eyes sparkle with excitement as I break a smile.

    ¡°Magnus¡­. Why are you smiling¡± I see Absolution backing away a little bit. Maybe I scared her with my smile. Is my smile that scary? I remember Branac telling me that my smile always seemed to be the smile of a madman.

    ¡°Sorry, I just thought of what I should do first¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± It seems I¡¯m not the only one excited of exploring the world.

    Truth to be told, this cave has grown on me.

    The past month has been quite monotonous. The first thing we did was secure shelter and find a stable food source. Because of that I gained a new title and managed to improve my[Pain Tolerance IV]to[Pain Tolerance V]. I even gained a new resistance called[Hunger Resistance I].

    It was a good choice letting Absolution stay because I absolutely had no knowledge on how to survive and feed myself. The first week was Absolution teaching me how to urinate properly and shit. I never knew mortals had it so hard. I felt extremely triumphant when I finally managed to master my bodily needs, though I didn¡¯t show it to Absolution.

    ¡°Magnus you already managed to clean it by 80%¡± After looking at the status of my mana veins, I nod towards Absolution. In a few more days, I¡¯ll be able to fully clean my veins and I¡¯ll be able to finally start my adventure. At least this time, I won¡¯t be weighed down by anyone else, I kind of miss that wyvern though.

    New Status Update

    Name:Magnus

    Race:Fallen God

    Ability Level:1

    Magic Power:10/10

    Max Magic Power:10

    Body Power:10 (5+5)

    Defence:1

    Agility:10

    Resilience:1

    Magic:1

    Magic Defence:1

    Unique Skills:Creation (Sealed) (Ultimate)|Indestructible Essence (Ultimate) |Endless Mana Capacity (Legendary)|All Magical Knowledge (Partially Sealed-) (Legendary)

    Innate Skills:God''s Eye (Sealed) (Godly) I God Senses (Sealed) (Godly) IGod¡¯s Stare (Sealed) (Godly)

    Extra Skills:Pain Tolerance V (Normal) (¡ü) I Martial Knowledge from theGoddess ofWar (Partially Sealed) (Legendary)

    Magic Skills:N/A

    Custom Skills:N/A

    Affinities:N/A

    Resistances:Hunger Resistance I [New] I

    Weaknesses:N/A

    Titles:God of Magic | The Fallen God| The one who wished for more| Masochist |Friend of the wyvern| Hunter [New]

    Blessings:Sealed (Indeterminable)| Cursed Eyes

    Equipment: Bear Fur Clothing (Normal)

    Items:N/A

 Chapter 17: Another Perspective

    Magnus here, have you ever felt the feeling of being betrayed by someone you looked up to and admired, well not me, but Ragos complained about it a lot. He said that a lot of his handpicked mortals that became heroes usually died young and those that lived long enough usually became a villain. He was pissed because of one specific mortal. He chose her to be the hero of her generation and she was absolutely perfect. She was kind, compassionate, headstrong and beautiful. In the end, she¡­ betrayed him and became a demon lord. Ragos didn¡¯t talk to anyone for 200 years. I don¡¯t want to ever feel that.

    *In a luxurious mansion somewhere in the capital*

    A familiar face was running through the hallways as a hooded figure gives chase. Of all the people in the capital, Sir Geralt never once thought that he would encounter an assassin.

    "Ha... Ha..." Geralt kept running even though he was obviously tired and exhausted. While running, he unsheathes his sword and activates a skill. Even though Geralt obtained his position as a knight through his connections, it did not mean he slacked off in training but it was still pitiful how he did not develop any more skills. In his whole life, he only practiced one skill and he finally managed to raise it from a normal skill to a rare skill, improving his power. In his desperate moments, he activates this skill to save him.

    [Energy Blade]!

    A powerful aura emanates fromGeraltas a powerful wave of energy comes from his blade. The hooded figure immediately reacts and pulls out their hand to block the incoming energy wave. Geralt smiles as the energy wave collides with the figure''s hand and explodes, damaging the hallway and producing a lot of smoke.

    Laughing, he approaches the wreckage to examine the one who was about to kill him.

    "You thought you could kill me!!" Geralt laughs madly, as the elation of using his skill saved him. All those years of constantly practicing didn''t go to waste!

    Geralt''s loud laughter suddenly dies down as he sees the silhouette of the hooded figure in the smoke.

    "Ho- How?" The figure slowly moves out of the smoke, revealing their form.Standing near the hopeless sir Geralt is the hooded figure. The assassin wore a dark red hood and mask that covered her whole upper body. The assassin¡¯s body had beautiful curves that clearly indicate that she is a woman but that didn''t surprise Geralt, what surprised him was the fact that the assassin did not take any damage from his skill.

    Geralt unconsciously drops his sword out of fear, as he sees the hand of his assailant. It isn''t a hand, it''s more of a claw. Its appearance was more demon than any human hand Geralt has ever seen.

    "Wha- What are you?" Before Geralt could speak anymore, the hooded figure quickly moves and decapitates sir Geralt with her claw.

    Sir Geralt''s eyes were staring at the wall, contemplating what to do but his death was so quick, he didn''t even realize it.

    The head falls to the ground and blood starts to pool on the floor as the body slumps down.

    After theassassin kills Sir Geralt, she casts a spell.

    [Flame Darkin]

    Immediately a sudden burst of fire conjures a fire elemental. The fire elemental floats atop the ground without any legs or wings and its giant arms are tipped with sharp claws that can easily rip non-magical metal.

    The assassin orders the Flame Darkin.

    "Burn the mansion"

    The Flame Darkin immediately sets to work and starts casting spell after spell, burning the mansion with its fiery element.

    [Firebolt]

    [Firebolt]

    [Firebolt]

    The assassin calmly walks out of the mansion whileher summon continues to burn the mansion with its magic. Once out, the assassin notices the dead bodies on the floor, more of her work. She ignores them and walks until she reaches the outside of the mansion. Once out, she walks towards the stone road, ignoring the dozens of men and women screaming for help while mansion burns to the ground.

    Eventually at a dark and empty alley, the assassin removes her cloak and hides it beneath a secret compartment beneath the ground. Once she removes her hood and mask, the lady appears to smile.

    It''s Leila Grantz, the female partner of Elizabeth.

    Leila pulls out a small necklace from her clothing and wears it. Once she wears it, she activates the spell enchanted into it.You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

    [Sending]

    A telepathic connection appears in Leila''s mind, connecting with another person within the capital.

    "Leila, is it done?" Elizabeth''s calm voice appears from the other side of the spell. I still can''t properly understand magic but I guess it''s easy for that talented princess.

    "Yes milady, I''ve killed Geralt and burned his mansion. I took the liberties to raid his vault for money and finance." Thank god for that stupid stuck up knight, his vault was barely protected by any magic. I easily stole everything he had. After hefting the magical bag of holding, I felt the heaviness of all the money I stole.

    "Well as long as you didn''t leave any evidence, it''s fine by me" She must be busy. Ever since that event in the forest, everything''s been hectic. The King received both the reports of princess Elizabeth and his advisor, Lord Argentis. The appearance of many ancient beings suddenly rocked the continent and no one''s been sleeping well ever since.

    "Of course, I didn''t. I was an assassin before I pledged to you." If this continues, I might develop a new skill.

    "Return immediately and don''t let anyone follow you" Elizabeth gives me another order. I reply affirmative and cancel the spell.

    I quietly sneak out of the vicinity and return home.

    *In the royal castle*

    Inside a beautifully made study, a hardworking princess can be seen in front of a study desk constantly filing stacks of paper.

    I need to finish this stack before I can rest. Sighing, I stare at the window behind me and think of Magnus.

    When an unknown man suddenly appeared, Magnus immediately teleported us back to the village. Unfortunately, all the soldiers that came with us were killed in the ensuing fight and we had to wait for a while before we could go back in the capital.

    *sigh*

    I''ve been sighing more and more nowadays, everything is so hectic. Leila would scold me for not taking care of myself. I''m sure Kin would give me a sad face, if she were to see me like this.

    It''s been a month ever since that event and when we went back, I decided to take back Kin with me. She showed talent for a person that grew up in a village. She didn''t have any teachers other than the priest and yet, she showed growing talent. She had an extremely close affinity to the light element and her mana veins have a perfect grade but most of all, she was likeable. With all of those, I decided to take her back to serve under my house as the apprentice priest, with the intent of becoming a noble priest.

    At first, she didn''t want to come but after convincing her of the benefits of coming with me, she eventually agreed. Ever since that event, Kin has been spending most of her time in the royal church, being taught by the priests and bishops to develop her magic. Surprisingly, she''s been developing her magic exceptionally and if we found her when she was younger, she might''ve surpassed me.

    "It must feel amazing... having no responsibilities." I sigh and stretch my hands and back. I stare at the ceiling and wonder.

    Why was I created with such a heavy burden? Lord Supremas... why did you choose me?

    "... Complaining about it won''t solve anything!" I strengthen my resolve and start working on my papers again.

    After having Lord Geralt assassinated, Idisseminated the information that Lord Geralt was the one who hired Azael''s hand to explore the forest and since he was caught, the organization opted to kill him. I already ordered Leila to leave evidence connected to the organization, Azael''s hand. Fortunately for lord Argentis, this action will protect him and while I''m not a fan of his antics, I need him to collect more information.

    I stare at one of the reports containing lord Argentis'' current movements. One day, when you''ve outlived your usefulness, I will kill you myself.

    Once I''m done dealing with the papers concerning Argentis and Kin, I start reviewing the papers concerning Magnus. After extensive combing of the woods, my men could not find Magnus. He must be hiding. I refuse to believe that he would die...

    After all... He is needed for his return.

    Eventually I finish my work and I stretch one last time, enjoying the bliss of an empty work desk.

    "Would you like some tea?" Suddenly, I hear the familiar voice of Leila. I sit up and see her bringing tea for me. Smiling, I gladly accept her offer.

    *In the royal church*

    In the deeper sanctuaries of the royal church, there was a beautiful girl that was currently meditating in a room. The beautiful girl had hazel-brown colored hair, beautiful black eyes and slightly tanned skin. She was currently meditating absorbing the mana around her, giving her more power. After a few more hours of constantly absorbing mana, she eventually stops and opens her eyes. This girl was Kin.

    "Whoo!" That was one hell of a meditation!

    I immediately stood up and started stretching. After all, I can''t let my health deteriorate just because I''m focusing on my magic.

    Chuckling, I give a prayer to my kind and compassionate goddess, Felina. After my prayer, I leave the room and go towards the dining room. I haven''t properly eaten.

    While walking down the hallway, my thoughts wander to Magnus. It''s been a month ever since that event and while I don''t think he''s dead, it''sworrying.

    Eventually, I reach the dining room and ask one of the head servants to serve me some food.

    It still feels weird though... In my whole life, I''ve never had anyone serve me, so when Princess Elizabeth told me that the church will fulfill my desires, I was a little dumbfounded. The servants panic when I try to serve my own food and I heard that they might get punished, so I learned to let them serve me, even though I am still not used to it.

    Once my food was set, I started to chow down.

    "Ahhh.... this is the life!" I have to admit, while I dislike being served, the food in the capital is a thousand times better than the food in the village. I''m starting to eat too much. I pinch my stomach to see if I''ve gotten weight.

    It seems I did....

    I need to fast! I finish the last bits of the food, after all it''s a sin to waste food, and promise to fast the following days.

    I leave the dining room once I return the plate to the kitchen, which caused some panic from the servants.

    Sorry.

    I leave and return to my room. I sit down and start to collect mana again. I need to grow stronger, so that I can stop relying on my Goddess.

    I''ve been relying on her too much and I don''t want to stress her out.

    I don''t want to rely on anyone.

    Images of Magnus'', pulsating with power, suddenly appears in my mind. I feel a small tinge of heat wash my face.

    I have to admit... He was rather dashing.

    Anyway! I need to stop thinking of impure thoughts and concentrate on my own!

    *Somewhere in the damned forest*

    A young man in his early twenties is meditating in a warm and cozy cave. Eventually, his eyes open and an undeniable golden hue momentarily appears but is eventually overwhelmed by a cyan color.

    "Magnus! You''re finished?" Absolution asks.

    Chuckling, I stretch my tired body and stand up.

    "My mana veins are perfectly clean." I study my whole mana vein, while ignoring the noisy spirit besides me.

    It seems luck is finally turning my way.

 Chapter 18: My body is too weak...

    Magnus here, I''ve always hated artifact making, it''s never been my forte. Remries and Demries absolutely defeat me in that regard. The weapons they create can make even the most common of men to become heroes and demon lords. Unfortunately for me, I''ve never created anything that''s worthwhile for the mortal race, except maybe the Blade of Longinus. It was a very powerful weapon created from my essence. Little known fact, is that when gods create powerful artifacts they create it with a sliver of their divine mana but when a god creates an especially powerful artifact, we call them divine treasure, we imbue them with our divine essence. High gods and lesser gods can only create one divine treasure but we true gods can create an infinite amount of them, as long as we wait for our essence to replenish. Anyway, I think I babbled long enough about the past, back to the story.

    "Magnus be careful!" Absolution advices me, as I immediately focus on the task at hand.

    Earlier, when I was fighting Dead-eye I realized something, my body istoo weak. I managed to defeat him because of my complete mastery of magic and if it wasn''t for that, I might have died.

    When I realized my weakness, I knew that I needed to strengthen my body.

    "Haaa!" I shout with resolve as I strike a tree with a branch, inscribed with weight changing alchemical circles.

    My hands feel numb, as I continuously strike this tree with precise attacks. I know for a fact that creatures can develop extra skills by continuously acting them out.

    An example of a normal extra skill like this is the[Heavy Slash]. It''s learned by continuously striking with heavier force than usual. Eventually the constant practice will develop a skill that allows the user to attack with an even stronger force than usual.

    I take a look at my status and notice that my body power is slowly growing.

    Name:Magnus

    Race:Fallen God

    Ability Level:2 (¡ü1)

    Magic Power:20/20 (¡ü10)

    Max Magic Power:20(¡ü10)

    Body Power:12(7+5) (¡ü2)

    Defence:2(¡ü1)

    Agility:11 (¡ü1)

    Resilience:2 (¡ü1)

    Magic:2(¡ü1)

    Magic Defence:8(¡ü4)

    Unique Skills:Creation (Sealed) (Ultimate)|Indestructible Essence (Ultimate) |Endless Mana Capacity (Legendary)|All Magical Knowledge (Partially Sealed-) (Legendary)

    Innate Skills:God''s Eye (Sealed) (Godly) I God Senses (Sealed) (Godly) IGod¡¯s Stare (Sealed) (Godly)

    Extra Skills:Pain Tolerance V (Normal) I Martial Knowledge from theGoddess ofWar (Partially Sealed) (Legendary)

    Magic Skills:N/A

    Custom Skills:N/A

    Affinities:N/A

    Resistances:Hunger Resistance I

    Weaknesses:N/A

    Titles:God of Magic | The Fallen God| The one who wished for more| Masochist |Friend of the wyvern| Hunter

    Blessings:Sealed (Indeterminable)| Cursed Eyes

    Equipment:Bear Fur Clothing (Normal)| Wooden Branch (Normal)

    Items:N/A

    I chuckle a little after I notice that my magic stat and magic power grew ever since I cleansed my mana veins.

    Eventually, I tire out and let go of the branch and sit down with my back leaning on the bullied tree.

    This training stuff... is tiring... but it''s so invigorating.

    If soldiers heard me right now, they''d beat the shit out of me. While resting, I notice Absolution floating besides me.

    "What?" I ask Absolution why she''s staring at me.

    "You seem too happy for your situation Magnus."

    "... Yeah, I am"

    "Why? Isn''t your family in danger?" She asks concerned.

    "Absolution, I have full faith in my family. They would never be defeaten by the firstborn."

    "What about the being who managed to do this to you?" She gestures all over me.

    "If they''re able to this to another true god, they would have done it already but it seems they only targeted me..."If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    "You do have a point."

    "Enough, we can tackle the topic once I''m strong enough." Absolution agrees.

    I use my resting period to meditate and increase my magic power. This forest is teeming with living things and the mana here is quite thick but according to my calculations, I''ll start to slow down later on.

    Magic Power:30/30 (¡ü10)

    Max Magic Power:30(¡ü10)

    Magic:3 (¡ü1)

    Magic Defence:12 (¡ü4)

    After 30 minutes of resting and meditating, I stand up and stretch. I pick up the branch and resume my training.

    I start bashing the tree once more with my weighted branch. It''s been a day since I''ve started bashing this tree and I haven''t even come close to earning a skill. I can see that talent truly trumps effort...

    Unfortunately, despite all my talent in magic, I am completely average in my physical talent. If Remries or Demries was in my position, they wouldn''t even bother learning extra skills, they''ll just create custom skills and be done with it.

    A few hours pass and eventually I finish my training. I check my status and notice that my body power grew a little.

    Body Power:15 (9+6) (¡ü3)

    I would love to train more but I''ll need to eat too or I''ll starve to death.

    I return back to my humble abode. I say abode but it''s literally a cold and damp cave that I''ve managed to warm up with alchemical circles.

    At the outside of the cave, I''ve set up a small perimeter of wooden fences, created from a bunch of branches. I tie the intersecting branches using grass fiber I found in the forest. It is only at this time I truly enjoy my companion. She''s helped me survived almost everything.

    Before I enter the cave, I check the rabbit traps, I set earlier, to see if they caught something. Immediately I manage to find one rabbit caught in one of my traps.

    "Sorry, little one. Be proud in the knowledge that your body will be used to sustain a god." I painlessly twist the rabbit''s neck and tie its legs with grass fiber, then put it in on of my fur pouches.

    "Poor little rabbit" Absolution prays for the rabbit''s soul.

    Once I''m done resetting the rabbit traps, I return to my mancave.

    During these past few days, I''ve manage to make the cave a little more cozy.

    I''ve installed pelt carpets on the floor and I created a makeshift bed out of wooden branches, soft pelt and cotton from some nearby cotton plants. The bed is reasonable comfortable and the floor is a thousand times better than before. I''ve set up four drying racks, so I can dry more meat than usual.

    Once I''m done setting my items down, I take the dead rabbit and go towards another rack. It''s a rack that''s meant to hold animals upside down and let them bleed out. The rack has a small wooden basin that I carved from a dead tree.

    I cut the rabbit''s neck and hang it upside down. Since I''ve got nothing else to do, I start tidying up the place. I collect the bones from the many animals I''ve hunted. I already removed all the flesh from the bones and I''ve been drying them under the alchemical circles.

    I take some of the dry bones and start sharpening them with a dull rock. Everytime I finish sharpening a bone, I put them inside one of my pouches. I''ve collected a lot of makeshift weaponry, ranging from, but not limited to, bone knives to sharp wooden spears.

    After sharpening the last of the bones, I lie down on my makeshift bed.

    "I''ve got nothing to do..." I mutter to no one in particular but the spirit besides me immediately replies.

    "Maybe we could hunt Magnus!" Absolution is trying her best to help me kill time but there are days where I''ve got nothing to do. I sigh and stretch my body. I can go and train again but if I hurt myself by overexerting, I''ll be wasting days recuperating.

    Eventually I spend the rest of the day resting and tending to my bodily needs.

    *A day Later*

    The next day, I decide to go hunting and foraging, since a diet based on jerky will surely kill me.

    During my stay here in the forest, I''ve been slowly expanding my territory. Ive been careful enough not to disturb the territories of the alpha predators, such as the white wolf. I''ve realized my mistake and I''ve been avoiding enemies I can''t kill or beat.

    I still wonder why that white wolf left me alone.

    I wander the forest a bit more, exploring the deeper parts of the forest until I suddenly see a road.

    "Wait... is that a road?" I ask Absolution in surprise. I haven''t seen a road in a long time.

    Absolution gasps in surprise as well. "You''re right! That''s a mortal-made road!"

    I order Absolution to hide back in her coin and I start to approach the road.

    I go down the forest and stay behind some bushes, literally a few meters away from the road.

    I study the rough path and realize it''s a commonly used pathway. I see many carriage tracks and horse hooves.

    I study the surrounding area and my[God Sense]picks up a creature close by. I look around and I see the familiar eyes of a wolf staring at me hidden in the foliage.

    It''s that accursed wolf again.

    I slowly back away from the forest, just to avoid that demon wolf.

    While backing away, I hear another familiar sound and I immediately look to my left. On my left, I see a horse trotting down the road while pulling a caravan. They haven''t seen me so I leave and enter the forest through another way.

    I hide in the safe part of the forest, safely avoiding the demon wolf and the caravan.

    When I''m finally clear, I start to walk back towards the deeper parts of the forest.

    Suddenly I hear a bone chilling sound.

    "Ahhhhh" I hear the collective scream of a dozen people.

    I stand still with my back turned around the road.

    I sigh and continue to walk forward, ignoring the screams. It''s not my job.

    "Ahhhh" I stop.

    I grip my hands.

    What are you doing? You''re too weak. You''ll die. Do you think, they''ll give you a chance once they see your eyes?

    You will die.

    I close my eyes and try to block the sou-

    "AAHHHHHH"

    Goddammit.

    I turn around and start running.

    I''m going to regret this.

 Chapter 19: Are we really that unreliable

    Magnus here, I will never admit that I''m a good being, because good or bad doesn''t apply to gods. Is it bad, if a kid starts throwing their toys around? It''s only bad if it starts to inconvenience their parents but in the grand scheme of things, it''s not. So, am I evil? I''ve admitted that I''ve killed thousands, if not millions of innocent mortals and I will not apologize for it. I will not feel bad for it either but after seeing what mortals are capable of and after experiencing being a mortal... Do I really have the right to step on all the efforts of these beings. The question still lingers. Anyway, back to the story.

    In the middle of a road, in between a forest and a cliff, is a caravan surrounded by a dozen dire wolves.

    The caravan has 3 men wearing light leather vests while wieldingshort swords. One of the 3 men was named Carson and he was a hired guard by the caravan''s owner.

    "Don''t let them come close!" I hear the voice of my employer but it barely registers as I see the horse-sized wolves slowly approach us. Dire wolves aren''t supposed to come this far down the forest, usually Dire wolves hunt bigger game. They wouldn''t waste their time hunting humans, especially since humans don''t really give a lot of meat and it could risk a hunting party, endangering the pack.

    Why! It was supposed to be a simple caravan trip! We were supposed to accompany this small refugee group, get paid and go home!

    I feel my legs shaking.

    I can''t die here....

    "Carson! Calm down!" I suddenly snap out of trance and take a quick look at my leader. His name is Jordan, he''s my boss and my friend. He took me in when no one else would.

    Once calm, I remember the time we spent at town and I start to feel better. We went to the guild and checked our statuses. We also purchased basic information from the guild. One of the monsters in the pamphlet was the dire wolf, a common enemy of low level adventurers.

    I start remembering the information about Dire Wolves.

    Dire wolves are apex predators and even the smallest dire wolf is at least larger than a horse, this is the result of magic slowly permeating through nature. Dire wolves do not develop special skills, unless they live long enough and they''reenemies for Iron level parties.

    I''m currently level 2...

    I''m not even a Bronze rank adventurer.

    My heart starts to sink but I shake my head andcling to the last hope I have.

    Jordan was once a Steel rank adventurer but he was injured and he lost some of his strength.

    I look at Jordan and smile, maybe we can make it out of this alive.

    "Ahhhhh"

    Suddenly, I hear an agonizing scream as I see one of my fellow adventurers being mauled on by the wolves.

    How?! We didn''t even hear anything!

    Then I see it. A giant wolf, bigger than any of the dire wolves here, with fur as white as snow and eyes that glow with a reddish hue, like the blood on my companion''s broken neck.

    My jaw was probably hanging. I immediately look at the caravan and see the people in the caravan. I can see my fear mirrored on their faces.

    "AAHHHHHH" Suddenly all the people riding the caravan and the ensuing screams signals the wolves'' charge.

    <hr>

    Why does it have to be like this?

    I quickly run back, as I hear the screams of a dozen people.

    "AAHHHHHH" The new scream forces me to run faster.

    I don''t understand.

    As a God, I was so used to ignoring the screams of the masses, yet... I can''t stand it now that I''m here

    I immediately pull out a small mask made out of fur, from one of my pouches. I put it over my head and manage to cover it.

    I just hope this will be enough to shield my eyes.

    <hr>

    Why! Why! Why!

    Does the gods hate us!

    Jordan is fighting the white wolf and 4 more dire wolves. He''s managing but he''s becoming so tired and the wolves are taking advantage. How did a bunch of beasts become so smart!

    "Carson stop prancing around and protect those people!" Jordan shouts at me and I realize the wolves are slowly approaching the caravan. Jordan ordered me to protect the Caravan while he deals with the wolves.

    I''m shaking, my legs feel weak.

    I grip my sword, in the vain hope that I''ll somehow survive.

    "Hey! Protect us already!" A stupid refugee behind me suddenly shouts at me.

    Stupid refugee! If you hadn''t exist, if you just died from whatever you survived from, I wouldn''t be here!

    I glare at that noisy refugee and they shut up.

    *Grrrrr* I turn around and see the dire wolves slowly closing in. They''re a few feet away and I''m sure they''ll kill me.

    Why gods! Please! I''ll do anything.

    I stare at the wolves with fear as I feel something wet slide down my cheeks.

    "Arghhh"

    Suddenly, I hear a pained scream as I see Jordan tumble down and the white wolf lunge towards his neck.

    *Snap*

    *clink*

    I dropped my sword... It''s over, Jordan is dead.

    The white wolf stops and stares at me with hatred practically leaping out of its eyes.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    Please Gods Help me.

    The white wolf lunges forward and I tumble back and cover my face with my hands in complete fear but I don''t feel any pain.

    I slowly remove my hands from my face and I see the white wolf staring at me a few meters away.

    It''s not moving.

    Has the gods saved me?

    In between me and the wolf, I see a sharp object protruding from the ground.

    It''s a dagger made from a bone?

    From the side of my eye, I see a figure standing above a tree overlooking us and the wolves.

    The Gods have saved me!

    <hr>

    I made it just in time! I study the situation while above the tree. I see two dead bodies and give them a small apology.

    Despite the two deaths, I can''t allow their deaths discourage me, there are other people to save.

    I see the white wolf glare at me with unbrindled rage.

    *Sigh* I finally managed to avoid it, yet I''m here seeking trouble from it.

    I look down from the top of a huge tree. The wolves stare at me and I see the people hopefully looking at me.

    Wait, is that guy crying?

    I guess I seem to be a savior to them...

    I immediately jump down and catch a branch then swing down with finesse.

    While midair, I open a pouch and immediately pull out my bone knives.

    Time seems to slow down, as my mind starts to process information a thousand times faster than a normal person can.

    I start to take in every opponent and calculate every move.

    When I finish, I quickly move my hand and fling three objects.

    "Awooo"Suddenly a dire wolf whines in pain as the three objects hit its body. After taking a quick long, the dire wolf has three sharp bone knives protruding from its back.

    The white wolf growls at me.

    The moment Iland on the ground, the wolves immediately rush forward.

    I rush forward and I momentarily activate a skill, then immediately turn it off.

    The wolves suddenly stop in their tracks for a single moment.

    That moment is all I need and I reach the first paralyzed wolf.

    I quickly pull out a bone knife and enter the wolf''s reach. It manages to react but...

    "Too slow!"

    While there may be a large difference between me and the dire wolves, knowledge is still the sharpest blade.

    The wolf tries to dodge but i quickly move my knife and pierce its eye, jamming the knife as deep as I can.

    It whines in pain but I immediately silence it once I turn the knife quickly.

    That''s one dire wolf down.

    I take a look at my work and check the surroundings.

    The other wolves are now encircling the edge of my reach, cautious of my weapons.

    I see the white wolf staring at me, its eyes shine with intelligence.

    I slowly circle around, holding a bone knife in my right hand, careful not to let my guard down.

    I take notice of the caravan and they''re watching me intently.

    Why aren''t you running?

    Then I see the reason why, the white wolf has been carefully guarding them and no matter how fast they run, they''ll be hunted down.

    I shake my head and focus on the situation.

    I breath slow and feel the tenseness that lingers in the air.

    The wolves are not attacking, I need to break their circle.

    "If you won''t attack, I''ll go first!" My shout catches the wolves off guard and I charge straight to the white wolf.

    As expected, a dire wolf runs to block my path.

    They''re protecting their leader.

    "You''re in my way!" I untie my weighted spear from behind and throw it with all of my strength above the wolf blocking my path.

    The wolf looks shocked as it turns its head to see where the spear will go. The spear lands behind it and doesn''t hit anything but I already achieved my goal.

    It turns to look at me but I''ve already reached it.

    It growls and immediately claws at me.

    I see its giant and bone-rending claw approach me with quick velocity. I use my skill earlier again and the wolf momentarily stops.

    I take advantage of the pause and charge forward. The wolf tries to back away but I pull out an object from one of my pouches and throw it on the wolf''s face.

    The wolf closes its eyes and starts to sputter, as the object I threw was sand.

    The wolf blindly attacks its front but I''ve already managed to go to its side. I reach behind it and grab the spear, then spin around and stab the wolf in the back with all of my strength.

    A painful yelp fills the area, as the increased weight of the spear and my extra strength pierces the wolf''s tough hide. It goes limp as I skillfully hit its spine, breaking it.

    I mutter a quick apology because I couldn''t kill the wolf painlessly.

    2 down.

    I immediately turn around and see 3 wolves already charging towards me.

    I take a quick look at my mana.

    A spell forms at my mouth and I instantly raise my hand.

    [Blinding Flash]!

    Golden light explodes from the palm of my hand, temporarily blinding every creature near me.

    I charge towards one of the blinded wolves and pull out my sharpened rock. I stab it in the eye and start wrenching it, killing the poor beast.

    3 down... 9 more to go.

    The two blinded wolves recover and all the other dire wolves manage to surround me.

    Shit... this is exhausting...

    I take a quick look at my magic power.

    Magic Power:20/30

    Damn it! I haven''t even killed half of them and I''m almost spent.

    *Growl*

    The wolves start to growl with anger after seeing their fallen family.

    I start to weigh my options.

    If I run, they will die.

    If I don''t run, I might die.

    If I keep fighting, we both might die.

    I take a quick check of my items.

    I''ve got 3 more bone knives, a half-empty pouch of sand, and a stupid noisy coin.

    Absolution has been talking to me through telepathy but I forcefully blocked her off, so I could concentrate.

    Maybe I can lure the wolves away.

    No, that''s stupid. I take a quick look and the white wolf is still watching over the fighting.

    With that leader, I doubt they''ll chase me, they''ll kill the people first, then chase me.

    *Sigh*

    I guess there''s no other way.

    I steel my resolve and charge towards the wolves.

    The wolves prepare their formation and attack me.

    I quickly dodge their attacks based on advanced predictions but if I''m late by even a second, I will die.

    I strike the closest wolf at their weak spot with a bone dagger but I hear a large growl from behind me and the wolf properly dodges.

    I take a quick look and notice the white wolf staring at me.

    ... It''s ordering them?

    This thing is far more dangerous than I thought.

    I continue evading the coordinated attack of the wolves and try my best to find opportune moments.

    *thud*

    "Tch"

    I managed to attack a wolf but it moved its body quick, so I hit its thick fur, instead of its weak spot.

    "... I need a better weapon." I mutter. These knives are not cutting it for me.

    I remember the two dead guards and their... weapons!

    I turn my head and see the dead body of a guard.

    They have a sword!

    Well, I''m guessing had, instead of have.

    The white wolf notices that I''m staring at dead guard and it immediately orders the wolves.

    I start running and do a perfect dodge, avoiding the pincer attack of the wolves and rush straight towards the dead guard.

    Suddenly, I feel a hot feeling invade my back as a wolf suddenly lunges from behind.

    I wince in pain and roll forward. A wolf managed to wound me but I continue running.

    The wolves start to make a formation in front of me without any space.

    They''re planning on blocking me!

    [Equilibrium]

    I immediately cast a familiar spell and my measly magic power halves and transforms into body power.

    Magic Power:5/30 (15¡ý)

    Body Power:30 (9+21) (15¡ü)

    I jump with enhanced force andsomersault towards the dead guard. The wolves couldn''t predict my jump and they try to reach me but failed to jump with any momentum.

    I land gracefully near the dead guard and immediately dodge, as a wolf lunges towards me.

    Thankfully, the spell that''s strengthening me is increasing my stamina as well and I manage to dodge the incoming attack.

    I see the sword!

    I do a quick roll and easily grabthe sword.

    I immediately stand up and take a stance.

    *Growl*

    Suddenly I hear the white wolf growl with anger.

    I notice it''s starting to move. The other wolves almost avoid it, fearing its anger.

    "I guess, it''s back to you and me."

    The other dire wolves encircle the both of us, to ensure that I don''t run away.

    I''ve been ignoring it for a while now, but I''ve been hearing the people in the caravan mutter prayers to different gods but there is one voice that shouts differently.

    It was a young child.

    "You can do it!"

    Instead of praying to the gods, a child, somewhere around the age of 8, was cheeringme on.

    Inconceivable, relying on other beings instead of the gods.

    For a moment, I ignore the wolf and look towards the other people.

    They''re all praying... yet... they''re not doing it for a miracle, they''re doing it because it''s the only thing that can comfort them at times like this.

    I close my eyes for a moment and I remember cold dark feel of the void.

    Is this what those poor people felt when they''re at death''s door?

    Only the cold and none of the warmth we should be giving.

    Are we really that unreliable?

 Chapter 20: Growing Strength

    Magnus here, I admit that while I am the progenitor of magic, I never truly had the talent as a warrior. In my long time living, I''ve never developed any form of combat skill and ever since I got tired of life, my skill in magic stagnated as well, despite being already at the top. My two sisters, Remries and Demries continued to battle, fight and develop new skills. My other siblings grew stronger... and I... I stopped growing. Back to the story.

    The rough looking man with a cool mask is wounded. I''ve been watching him from the caravan and the big white wolf is faster than him.

    Like really really fast!

    "You can do it!!" I cheer him on again and I hear my mother mutter prayers to Supremas, the patron god of humanity.

    Each time I cheer the man on, he somehow tenses but I believe he''ll win!

    He''s strong and he seems more unhesitating than those mean guards.

    "You can do it sir!" I don''t know how to address him but I remember my father telling me that I need to call impressive people sir.

    The fur man starts attacking the white wolf but his attacks can''t pierce the white fur. Why is that wolf''s fur so hard?

    Is it magical? I heard from Elliot that magical monsters can''t be killed easily.

    That being... what is it called.

    Oh! Are you up?

    Yes... all this noise woke me up

    Sorry, I didn''t mean to wake you up.

    Silence... I cannot concentrate... I''m hungry

    Can we wait until we reach the new village we''re assigned to?

    No... I must feed now

    But I don''t have any food right now.

    What are you talking about... There''s pest in front of us now...

    What are you talking about?

    Those four legged monsters look delicious.

    What! I''ve never eaten a dire wolf before.

    Dire wolf? It sounds perfect for my palate.

    We can''t do that! We''ll be caught!

    ... You''re right... We will wait when everyone is dead.

    What if we die from the wolves?

    We won''t...

    How do you know?

    That person is strong...

    Yeah! He''s amazing!

    Yes... He is delicious...

    Unfortunately, I didn''t hear the voice in my head say that last part.

    "Wait, why is he attacking that way?"

    <hr>

    I grip the iron sword tight with both of my hands.

    The white wolf stares at me with extreme hatred, after all, I killed some of its kin.

    "Can''t we speak on more reasonable terms?"

    The wolf doesn''t reply to my joke but instead, it roars with powerful force asits skill activates.

    [Beast Roar]!

    While animals can''t speak, my mind naturally translates all forms of languages, and skills are not an exception. I can''t speak to animals unless I cast a spell but skills are a language created by my two stubborn sisters and they will always be translated.

    I try to remember the description of the white wolf''s skill and a small summary appears.

    [Beast Roar]is a skill that can be learned by beasts or creatures that have lived similar lives to beasts. The user roars with beastly intent, empowering themselves and nearby beasts. Has a low cooldown.

    I see, so it''s a buff...

    Immediately, the wolf charges with supernatural speed and the ground beneath it cracks, as its newfound strength combined with its natural strength suddenly burst with overwhelming power.You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

    I immediately use a skill.

    [God''s Stare]

    The white wolf is highly resistant to fear effects due to its powerful resistance but it''s not immunity. For a moment, the white wolf stops in its tracks and I immediately dodge its attack by the slimmest of margins.

    The wolf lands behind me and stares at me annoyed.

    In fact, I''ve been abusing that skill ever since the moment I fought the wolves.

    While[God''s Stare]can be resisted by strong willed beings, the momentary fear inflicted by this skill can paralyze even the strongest wills for a single moment and for me, that single moment is all I need.

    I charge the white wolf with a prepared stance. Once I reach the wolf, it quickly moves but I quickly activate my skill, stopping the wolf''s advance.

    [God''s Stare]

    The wolf freezes in place and I swing my iron sword with all the strength I have. The wolf''s eyes stare at me with the smallest amount of fear, as my sword swings accurately towards its body. The wolf doesn''t try to dodge but instead it activates another skill.

    [Fortify]

    *Thud*

    My mind registers the translated skill and my eyes widen at surprise, as I see my sword hit the fur but not even scratch it.

    Goddamn Skills!

    I quickly back away but the wolf charges at me with unparalleled speed.

    I managed roll backward but not before getting raked in the chest.

    I wince in pain, as I manage to make space in between me and the wolf.

    I won''t be able to do anything if I keep waiting for it but... I need a plan.

    I stare at the wolf with focused determination and then move.

    I attack another time and pause its movement with[God''s Stare].

    I hit the wolf''s body head on with an attack.

    *Thud*

    Despite not using[Fortify], the sword barely nicks the wolf''s fur.

    It seems to be smiling as it swipes at me ripping a part of the bear fur.

    I groan in pain, as I see my skin shredded by its steel-like claws.

    [Pain Tolerance V]

    I activate my skill and reduce the pain. Unfortunately, this skill only reduces the pain you feel, not the actual damage I take.

    I grit my teeth and take another stance. The same stance with before.

    The wolf seems confused as I''ve already done this stance already.

    I charge again.

    [God''s Stare]

    The wolf freezes just as earlier and I arrive at it just as earlier. I swing my sword at the same position and at the same strength.

    *Thud*

    A small nick appears again just like earlier.

    The wolf growls and attacks me again.

    Like earlier, I manage to dodge but still sustain some damage

    [Pain Tolerance V(Normal) evolved into Pain ToleranceVI (Rare)]

    I ignore the status bar updating my new skill.

    I activate a skill and feel my eviscerated skin, feel less painful.

    [Pain ToleranceVI]

    I take another stance, same as earlier.

    The wolf takes the initiative and attacks me. It''s still keeping it''s guard up but that''s what I want it to do.

    I rush the wolf and swing my blade once more.

    *Thud*

    Just like earlier, the wolf was barely damaged.

    The wolf claws at me again but unlike earlier, I manage to dodge perfectly without a single wound on my already bleeding body.

    *pant* *pant*

    I''ve been losing stamina ever since the battle started and my[Equilibrium]spell already ran out.

    In truth, if anyone else on my level fought this monstrous wolf they''d die.

    It''s speed and strength naturally trumps mine and its intelligence isn''t something to laugh at either but that''s where normal beings and I, differ.

    My mind has been running overdrive the moment I arrived here. Each dire wolf here is more than capable of killing me but my mind has been compensating for a body that can''t compare.

    I''ve been straining my body the moment I entered the fray and my mind has been calculating the enemy''s ability, skill, and movement.

    The reason I''ve been attacking it the same way over and over is because I am developing a fighting pattern fit for this creature.

    I''m finally done.

    I move forward with extreme confidence and attack the wolf again.

    The wolf dodges quickly and attacks me but I predicted its pattern and I easily dodge.

    Once I dodge, I quickly thrust my sword and hit the part, I constantly nicked earlier.

    I pull back and notice that the part I constantly attacked was already starting to bruise. A few more and I''m sure I''ll be able to break its skin and deal it a dangerous blow.

    I start to attack the wolf once more.

    In the middle of my charge, my body pushes itself to the limit, as my muscles strain and rip to defeat this monster.

    My eyes glow eerily and I shout out with all of my strength, as a skill activates.

    <hr>

    In the middle of a largetraining room, two beautiful women are fighting with so much intensity, the room is starting to quake.

    Skills are being constantly activated and thrown around.

    Eventually the battle ends with Elizabeth being the ultimate victor.

    This is tiring... Leila''s strong but... she''s growing too slowly.

    "Elizabeth, I''ve noticed something."

    Yeah, I noticed something too.

    "What?"

    "My growth has slowed and while I''m stronger than most people of my age, will this continue?"

    I hope not.

    "I''m not sure..."

    "I''ve been learning less and less skills."

    I think, I know what''s her problem...

    "Well it''s because the earlier parts of levelling up is always easy. I''m not saying it''s easy to reach your level at that age but the first dozen levels are the easiest. This is according to the teachings in the royal palace."

    Leila listens intently while wiping her sweat away.

    "How will I deal with it then?"

    I think for a while and then answer her confidently.

    "There is no safe way to easily increase your level but if you''re desperate enough, there are three ways to continuously increase one''s level. First, you can intake powerful medicine to boost your rate of growing at the expense of slowing down in the future. Second, you can try and absorb the strength of others boosting your own but this is considered taboo."

    I go quiet and think of the third way.

    "What''s the third?"

    "Third and last... You can continuously put yourself in danger and force your body to grow."

    <hr>

    [Limit Break]!

    My body overflows with newfound force and power, as I charge forward with great strides towards my target.

    The wolf notices my speed and it seems to panic, despite my speed still being slower.

    It tries to dodge.

    "No! You''re not going anywhere!" I scream with force and momentarily activate another skill.

    [God''s Stare]!

    The wolf freezes in place, as the momentary apperance of fear stops it.

    I raise my sword and charge.

    "Go!"

    In the middle of my charge, I hear the child''s cheer pushing me onward and unlike before, when I was getting beaten, this time I feel excited and motivated.

    The wolf must notice the grimace on my face, as my sword swings down with great force. I suddenly feel the accumulated practice and constant training condense at my sword. A small ding appears on my status.

    [Gained skill Heavy Slash]

    Just in time!

    [Heavy Slash]!

 Chapter 21: Wolf be gone

    Magnus here, I recall when Ragos started creating the first mortals in the world, there was something he added in that well all decided to pitch in about. It was called evolution. It worked wondrously, especially since at first there was only one type of each creature but because of evoltion thousands and thousands of variant creatures appeared. For example, I know it''s basic knowledge but dogs are the domesticated form of their ancestors, the wolves. Just like how the Vurm Dragons appeared, they were also a product of evolution, albeit a horrible one.

    [Fortify]!

    A familiar skill translates again in my mind as my sword swings with almost supernatural strength. My eyes focus on my target''s weakened point and I immediately bring down my sword towards it.

    *Clang!*

    The sound of two metal objects hitting each other booms throughout the area, as my blade accurately hits the wolf''s weak spot.

    *Drip*

    Sweat starts to drop from my forehead like bullets.

    I knew it...

    My blade is on the spot where I continuously attacked earlier. With my enhanced strength, I thought I''d be able to finally pierce it but...

    It didn''t work.

    The spot has a small wound. I back away immediately and I stare at the wolf with caution.

    The wolf charges with the same speed as before.

    I use[God''s Stare]again but...

    [Fear Immunity]

    It seems I''m not the only one who learned a new skill.

    The white wolf charges at me with great ferocity while ignoring my skill.

    I try to back up.

    I grown in extreme pain as my body is literally snapping in two.

    The repercussions of[Limit Break] is appearand my body is starting to tear itself in two.

    The wolf lunges towards me and knocks me prone. I hear an imaginary crack as my bones start to shake under the pain.

    *Howl!*

    The white wolf stares at me, as the other wolves howl proudly.

    For a moment, we both stare at each other.

    The eyes of the wolf appear different and instead of a beast, I see another mortal soul.

    Were we unfair?

    I can''t help but ask myself that.

    That moment lasts for only a second and the next thing I see is the large opened maw of a horse sized wolf.

    *Crunch*

    "Ahhhh!" My shout fills the area, as I feel large and sharp teeth pierce and rip my skin apart.

    The wolf continues to grind, bite and rip my skin with its extremely sharp teeth.

    My vision slowly fades as I feel my strength leaving my body.

    "Ahh... I... Don''t... want to go yet."

    I can''t believe this... I feel so weak...

    *Howl!*

    Suddenly, I hear the dire wolves howl in pain and the grinding teeth frees my shoulder.

    I weakly open my eyes and see the wolves ferociously charging towards a different direction.

    I pan my head as slowly as I can and see a group of people clashing with the wolves.

    No... I can''t stay here...

    I try to move my body... but it feels so heavy...

    The last thing I see is a heavily armored person approaching me.

    <hr>

    He failed...

    Yes... he did... a shame...

    I can''t help but feel slightly depressed after seeing the fur man getting eaten.

    I expected too much... He''s not a worthy meal

    I told you, we can''t eat humans!

    I... Don''t... Think... It''s human...

    What? That''s impossible... But you have never been wrong before...

    <hr>

    I can''t feel my body.

    Everything is so dark.

    *Gnash*

    *Grind*

    I hear the gnashing of teeth and grinding of claws.

    ... They''re so close

    A large claw appears in front of my face and it quickly lunges towards me.

    "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH" I suddenly sit up with my hand outstretched, as I try to block the claw going towards me.

    Immediately, I take notice of my surroundings and notice that I''m sitting on a wooden caravan.

    What?

    I look around and see the other people riding the caravan go away from me.

    I must''ve scared them.

    Before I tend to the scared people, I need to check my situation.

    I touch my face and thankfully they haven''t removed my mask.

    I look at them and they flinch.

    I must look savage.

    I cough and start to speak but find my throat dry.

    With a husky and pained voice, I call towards the people.

    "Water... Please..."

    Once my voice reach the other people, they start to move.

    An older woman goes forward and gives me a small cup filled with slightly dirty water.

    It''s not like I''ll get anything better, so I take the cup and drink it.

    "Ahhh" I sigh in relief as I down the water.

    "Thank you"

    The woman and the others smile. It seems they''re thankful.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

    "What you did was nothing short of amazing" I hear a cheery voice besides me and see a young man sitting on the caravan as well.

    I take a quick look at his apparel.

    He''s wearing leather armor and has a steel longsword besides him. On his armor, I notice a small iron taghanging from his neck.

    I activate[God''s Eye]and check his capabilities.

    He''s level 16. He must be an adventurer.

    He must be one of the people who saved me.

    I touch my shoulder and find that it''s completely healed, ignoring the fact that it''s caked with my own blood.

    "You were bleeding a lot, so we had Aria fix you up" The man says with a cheery attitude after noticing that I''m checking my wound.

    "Did you manage to kill that stupid white wolf."

    The man shakes his head.

    "It escaped with some of its pack members. We brought the dead bodies with us so we can sell them at the market. We''ll gladly compensate you for your work!"

    I nod.

    I remember that I don''t have any funds, nor do I look presentable in any way, so the extra money will help.

    "Hey what''s your name?" The man happily asks. "You''re obviously not an adventurer but you seem too articulate to be a savage."

    "A savage?"

    "Yeah, they''re another offshoot of the human race. They lived too closely to beasts and they''ve gained beastlike abilities." I nod and keep that in mind.

    I can''t believe that there''s more than one type of human...

    "My name is Jonathan Carthus" Jonathan introduces himself and stretches his hand towards me.

    I takehis hand and shake it. Despite my hand''s dirtiness, Jonathan ignores it and gives me a strong handshake.

    I can''t help but smile. This is a very good man.

    "My name is Magnus." Jonathan mulls my name and nods.

    "Well Magnus, you''ve shown me that heroes do exist. You jumped in that battle despite being weaker than that wolf and saved everyone."

    "Not... everyone" Me andJonathan turn to look at another passenger.

    A young man is tiredly sitting while tending to the bodies of the dead.

    "Well... it''s a dangerous part of the work. Sometimes, people die" Jonathan says weakly. He apologizes to the young man.

    "Are you one of the guards?" The young man looks at me and nods. "What''s your name?"

    "Carson..."

    I quickly take a look at his status and notice that he''s a level 2 person. He''s weak.

    I agree with Jonathan''s sentiment. I think I gained a little more appreciation towards adventurers now.

    "Why did you take the mission?"

    Carson looks startled by my sudden questioning. Jonathan nods, interested as well.

    "Well... the mission pays well and my leader... Jordan-" He takes a quick look at Jordan''s body and continues "Was a former steel rank adventurer, so I thought we''d be okay."

    I nod and add.

    "Will you still be paid?"

    Carson nods.

    "If you don''t want to continue risking your life, take the reward and peacefully enjoy life" Carson looks at me with slightly angry eyes but he relents.

    Jonathan agrees and says.

    "He''s right Carson... Some are not fit for this type of work" Carson doesn''t reply and just stares at the bodies of his dead friends.

    "Where is this caravan heading?" I ask Jonathan.

    "It''s heading towards Barkenvall."

    I tilt my head in confusion.

    "Where''s that?"

    Jonathan looks confused but realizes something.

    "Oh, sorry. I didn''t realize you might not know about this type of stuff. Barkenvall is a village and these refugees will be living there."

    The refugees look a little worse for wear and they seem a little down once they remember their situation.

    "I see... What happened to them."

    Jonathan looks uncomfortable but the older woman earlier gave him a go signal and he smiles.

    "Well... their village was ransacked by demons and they''re the only survivors. The kingdom assigned them to Barkenvall."

    The faces of the villages look grim, as they remember the past. I give them a small apology and take note of Barkenvall.

    "So you and your party is going to Barkenvall?"

    Jonathan smiles and nods earnestly.

    "Yeah! That''s where I grew up and my party will be visiting."

    "I see." It must be a momentous event.

    "Also Barkenvall is reputed for producing great blacksmiths!"

    Oh! That could be good.

    Unfortunately, I never learned blacksmithing the proper way. Usually I''d have Remries create a powerful vessel for me and I''d do the enchanting.

    This could be a good time to learn to smith!

    Jonathan smiles proudly "I actually come from a reputed line of blacksmiths and I can... help you get a weapon you need. After all, that iron sword doesn''t really belong to you."

    I laugh and nod.

    "Yeah, you''re right. So you''re a blacksmith?"

    Jonathon''s face suddenly becomes gloomy, as he covers his face.

    He practically sobs as he says.

    "I''M NOT!"

    "Ummm?"

    "Hey Jonathan! Stop Crying" I hear a muffled voice beside the cart and notice a heavily armored person riding a horse.

    "I''m not crying! I''ve got sweat in my eyes!" Jonathan laughs as he wipes his tears away.

    "Sorry about that. Jonathan is a crybaby when it comes to blacksmithing. He has no talent at it." The person on the horse says with a slight chuckle.

    "Hey! At least I''m a talented warrior!"

    "Yeah but blacksmithing is a more profitable and safe profession!" Jonathan gives up and sighs.

    I smile and appreciate the camaraderie between the two adventurers.

    "Hey!" he calls to me and I look at him.

    "The name''s Aria" The heavily armored man is not actually a man but a woman. Aria removes her helm and she reveals her face, a brown haired girl. She has a very simple and kind look.

    She''s definitely the type of many men, just like Kin.

    I raise my eyebrow and she must''ve sensed it.

    "It doesn''t mean I wear plate armor, I''m a man!" she says chuckling. I notice that she has a shield behind her a mace on her side.

    I take a careful look at her and study her appearance.

    Weirdly enough she doesn''t shirk from my attention. She seems to be proud of herself.

    I notice an insignia on her breastplate.

    She smiles and says proudly "I am a trained paladin of the church of Supremas."

    Ahhh, so that''s why. She''s an adherent of the High god Supremas, the self-proclaimed god of humanity.

    I can''t help but frown. I always thought he was a snotty brat.

    Always thinking he''s above others. He only chooses to be responsible because he believes it''s his divine right to rule humanity.

    Aria frowns at my reaction and says "I understand, not everyone believes in my lord''s infinite compassion. But I believe, as a follower of his divine will, that I must educate others."

    Kin wasn''t this pushy when it came to her belief.

    "Also, I removed my helm to introduce myself."

    Is she suggesting I remove my mask?

    "Why don''t you remove your mask?"

    ...

    I start to panic a little.

    I don''t have enough mana to cast an illusion and keep it running.

    A sudden idea pops up in my mind.

    "I cannot..."

    Aria frowns a little.

    "Why not?"

    Jonathan is interested and is listening as well.

    "I am a follower of another deity and one of his tenets is to forever keep ourselves masked."

    Aria looks unbelieving, so I continue.

    "We, his disciples, act as an extension of his will and we must remain masked, lest we be venerated instead of our god."

    Aria nods. "Who is your deity then?"

    Well, I haven''t thought of one yet.

    "My lord''s name is Gardinal and he is a deity that wishes to protect the weak, downtrodden and defeated."

    I start adding a little bit of zeal im my words, as I pretend to enter a fervent state of belief.

    I manage to convince Aria, as she seems to be listening intently with very intense eyes.

    Aria starts to speak but a voice behind me speaks up.

    "Ei, don''t start now!"

    I turn around and see a bald man manning the caravan.

    He''s wearing light leather armor like Jonathan but instead of a sword, he has a bow beside him and a quiver full of arrows.

    "Ello there mate! The name''s Pep"

    He turns around just to take a good look at me. He has a toothy smile and a very bright face but I believe he''s not a very bright person.

    I ignore his accent and try to piece together his words.

    I nod and introduce myself.

    "I''m Magnus and like earlier, I am a follower of-

    "Ta ta ta-" Pep shushes me and I raise my eyebrow.

    "I understand you have yer fancy religion and stuff but you don''t have to tell me that. I believe that yer only worth your salt if yer strong."

    I take a long hard look on Pep''s face and notice only one thing.

    This man has experienced so much hardship that he''s almost insane.

    Aria sighs and says "Ignore him Magnus. Pep is not a man of faith or any religion but he isundoubtedly a good man."

    Aria seems slightly dejected at that.

    "Of course! I ain''t no stinkin sack of horse turd to believe in any selfish god."

    Aria frowns a little and Jonathan just laughs. The other refugees seem a little peturbed at Pep''s way of words.

    I have to admit, I''m slightly disturbed as well.

    I take a good long stare at Pep one more time and for a moment, he loses his smile.

    "Yer a diffrent fellow are ya?"

    Pep just nods and returns to his post.

    A quick look tells me that Pep is level 14.

    Jonathan seems silenced by Pep''s sudden change.

    "That''s not usual..." I hear another different voice and notice a young male riding a horse beside the caravan.

    He has very deep and simple eyes, yet they shine with the brightness of a genius.

    I take a quick look at his status and notice that he has a[Genius Mind] skillunder his innate skills.

    He takes a look at me and says "Pep usually doesn''t give up on just one sentence... What did you do?"

    Very inquisitive.

    "I did nothing. He must not find me interesting."

    He doesn''t reply. He just stares at me and suddenly looks back to the road.

    "Sorry about that. Viktor is a very quiet person and he usually prefers his studies over any social interaction but he is definitely a good person!" Jonathan says trying to convince me.

    I take a look at Viktor and notice that he''s already level 18 and he''s growing fast.

    I take a quick check and notice that there''s no other party member to be introduced, so I make my evaluation.

    They must be an upstart adventurer group that formed when they finished their official training from whomever they learned, except Pep.

    I sense that, despite his lower level, he constantly trains.

    I continue chatting with the trio, since Viktor decided to keep quiet.

    I''m going to miss that cave. I almost made it my home. Thankfully, the alchemical circles I put there will prevent it from being ransacked by animals.

    While enjoying the presence of the adventurers, I remember to ask them a question.

    "Is there an adventurer''s guild in Barkenvall?"

    Jonathan smiles "Yeah, it''s common practice now for every city, town and village to have an adventurer''s guild branch. After all, adventurers travel a lot. We just finished a misson and since we have business in Barkenvall, it''s easier if we just submit our mission there."

    I start to think of adventurers. Their profession is so risky, yet they all do it. Mortals are truly a fascinating and exhilarating race.

    I wonder... Would it be better if I become an adventurer, or should I stay as a wanderer?

    Well, that''ll be a question for another time, I guess.

    "Hey Magnus, does your belief''s tenets say that you should wear animal fur?"

    Aria approaches me and starts asking questions about my false faith and I start indulging her.

    Me and the others continue to chat and talk, as we safely travel towards Barkenvall.

    I just hope we continue this trend of safety.

 Chapter 22: A New Profession?

    Magnus here, I remember a special hero that appeared in the world, her name was Thaumiel and she was a vurm dragon, specifically a half human and half dragon mortal. Unlike other heroes, she didn''t have an incubating hero egg in her. She created her own egg. It was history''s first non birthed hero, even Ragos was astonished. Ragos was so impressed, he offered her to be his champion, he offered her to be humanity''s strongest hero, the savior. She refused and well... That''ll be a story for another time.

    "What do you mean you can''t let us in?" Aria is currently asking a guard that''s in front of the gate, leading to Barkenvall.

    The guard looks like he''ll faint.

    "Mi-Miss, we can''t let anyone out or in. An incident happened earlier night and we''-"

    "What incident?!"

    Are people of faith this scary? I guess Kin was a little bit scary herself.

    I take a look at my companions and notice that Jonathan agrees with my opinion.

    Viktor is too engrossed in reading a small book and Pep is... Well he''s trying to catch a bird.

    I continue to check the village itself.

    I believe that it''s progressing its way into a town and the large palisades is definitely improving my overall opinion on it.

    I check the guards and the citizens passing through with[God''s Eye]. I notice that the average level of human beings is 1 to 2 and that only a few and adventurers are exempt to that.

    Why did Ragos make the human race so weak? That''s a question for another time.

    I listen in on the conversation of Aria and the guard.

    "Well... For the past few weeks, our cattle has been disappearing and at first, we thought they somehow managed to escape but one of our herders got fed up and stayed up all night to guard them. The next day he was gone!"

    The guard sighs and another guard adds.

    "We''ve been looking for him since but there''s no sign of him, it''s as if he disappeared."

    Arialistens well and when they''re done, she speaks again.

    "We can try and help!"

    The guard is put in a difficult position.

    "I told you miss, we can''t simple let anyone in"

    Aria reaches in her armor and pulls out a small metal tag.

    The guard focuses on it and says.

    "You''re an adventurer?!"

    "Yep! And a devoted paladin of lord Supremas!"

    The guards suddenly lookembarrassed as one of them asks.

    "Umm... Why didn''t you just show it to us earlier?"

    Aria suddenly stops and Jonathan rubs his forehead.

    "Sir we just need to report to the guild and we can start helping out." Jonathan finally intervenes and the whole problem was resolved.

    I guess people of faith are stupid at these type of stuff.

    Hmm that''s ironic, after all they need to swindle people to believe in their faith.

    Aria turns around to stare at me.

    "Hey. You just thought of something bad, did you?"

    I smile and ignore her.

    ''Magnus? Is it safe to go out now?''

    I hear a child-like voice inside my head.

    ''Oh Absolution I almost forgot you were here.''

    ''...''

    ''I''m kidding''

    I hear Absolution sigh a little but she continues.

    ''I''ve been watching since earlier and you''ve made some friends... Also! That incident with the wolf was a little too close for comfort!''

    Absolution complains a little but thankfully she isn''t too naggy.

    ''Magnus what is your plan, now that we''re near civilization?''

    I puff up my subconscious chest and say proudly.

    ''We''re going to sign up as adventurers!''

    ''I thought you wanted to stay as a wanderer?''

    ''At first, I wanted to but while travelling with these four mortals, I''ve managed to gain more knowledge about adventurers from them!''

    I feel Absolution nodding in my head, slowly taking in the pros and cons.

    ''I still don''t think being associated with mortals or their organizations is a good thing Magnus.''

    I start to reply but Jonathan finally manages to finish talking with the guard and the caravan starts to move.

    "Hey Magnus"

    I pan my head to look at Jonathan.

    "We''ll be staying at my father''s home. Won''t you come with us?" Jonathangives me a bright smile.

    I don''t have any money or anything, so I''ll have to trouble them more.

    "Yes that would great. I don''t have the money to stay anywhere."

    Jonathan nods while scratching his head.

    "Umm... Also my father is a little hard headed, so you might encounter some problems."

    My father''s head became my brother.

    "I don''t think I will."

    "Perfect, that''s the attitude he wants. He doesn''t want a wimpy man to show up in his house."

    I give him an appreciative nod.

    Once we''re done talking, Aria adds something.

    "Before we return to our lodgings, we should go to the guild and submit our mission."

    Everyone agrees with Aria, so we head to the guild first.

    Little did I know, this would be my new profession.

    <hr>

    "Yes... Thank you ma''am"

    Carson thanks the receptionist and immediately leaves the guild branch once he receives the money.

    I overheard the amount of money he recieved and it''s quite a huge amount.

    Apparently, multiple villages are being attacked by demons all over the country and these refugee escorting missions have been piling up. High ranking adventurers focus on repelling the demons and middle ranking ones can''t be bothered to waste time on such a relatively low paying mission, so low ranking members are the only ones taking it.

    Carson recieved a much more hefty amount of money from the guild branch and since he''s the only survivor, he also got the share of his deceased companions.

    I watch his lonely back, as he leaves the building.

    Once he''s gone, my mind returns to the building itself. It''s quite a prominent building and the adventurer guild didn''t spare any expense on creating it.

    Its huge size and amazing design screams adventure.

    I notice that the building is not the only thing that''s catching attention.

    It seems people are staring at me as well.

    My appearance must look savage.

    I ignore them.

    "Hey boy!" I see Pep approach me.

    "Oh Pep, you''re done talking with the receptionist?"

    "Nah, talking ain''t my style. I just leave it to them"

    I nod and continue looking around.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

    "You wanna be an adventurer too?"

    Do I really want to be? Absolution did give me some thoughts to think about.

    "I think so."

    Pep points at a counter.

    After going down from the caravan, I finally had some time alone to think of it.

    Do I really want to be an adventurer and be held down by the laws of the kingdom.

    "If yer not yet sure, you can always come back again but you can go ask bout it."

    I give Pep a smile and I approach the counter.

    Once I reach the counter, instead of a beautiful young woman, I see a robust and young man.

    Well I guess I had my fair share of females lately...

    That sounded wrong.

    He doesn''t notice me immediately, as I see him focused on a piece of paper.

    I take a quick look and notice that it''s a design of a mechanical object.

    A very advanced mechanical object...

    "Ah! Sir!"

    The young receptionist looks up and notices me. He stands up quickly and almost scrunches up his paper.

    I take a quick look with[God''s Eye]and notice that he has a unique skill on him...

    [Mechanical Prodigy]

    I widen my eyes a little and surprise him.

    "Sorry, sir is there a problem?" he starts checking his body for any problems or dirt.

    "No, it''s nothing" I give him a smile despite my mask covering the majority of my face.

    He fixes himself, so he can look presentable and properly help me.

    With a trained voice, he asks.

    "How can I help you sir? My name is Garret Teldon and I am a proud receptionist of the adventurer''s guild."

    Smiling, I start asking him questions.

    "I am thinking of signing up as an adventurer."

    Garret nods knowingly.

    "And you wish to know more about the pay, benefits and risks?"

    "Correct. Also, I would like to ask about adventure ranks."

    Garret nods and starts to list off an imaginary list.

    He must be completely used to this. I use[God''s Sense]and take in my surroundings.

    A lot of people are taking the time to look at me. I guess this fur clothing is too much.

    ''Yes too much'' Absolution starts to study Garret.

    ''But why isn''t the receptionist asking about it then?''

    ''Like you said, he''s probably used to it.''

    ''I didn''t say that.''

    ''But you narrated it. Who are you talking to anyway?''

    ...

    Anyway! I need to focus on the person talking to me.

    "An adventurer''s pay is based on the missions they get and succeed in, since the missions are commissioned by the public. Level of missions depend on the adventurer''s rank and level. So if you want high paying jobs, you need a higher rank."

    "I can assume that you raise your rank by raising your level and rank."

    Garret nods and adds.

    "You have an individual rank and if you form a party, the party''s rank is averaged out depending on every party member''s rank."

    I nod.

    Once settled about payment, Garret continues.

    "Your benefits also depend on your rank. A bronze rank adventurer isn''t too important to the guild and unless you rise to the higher levels, you basically have no benefits other than a consolation letter when you die." Garret adds the last part a little jokingly.

    Is death a commonly joked subject? He must be bored.

    ''I agree. I feel that he''s only taking the job because he doesn''t know how to release his genius.''

    "I believe the risk is very obvious sir, 8 out of 10 adventurers die and most of them thought that they would be the lucky ones."

    I nod.

    "Can I know about the ranks?"

    Garret nods and pulls out a crystal board. He sets it down and starts explaining.

    "The ranks are usually decided by level and there is no exception, unless the individual signs up while already having a higher level but even then, those people must first at least do 5 missions of their rank before they can try to rank up through rigorous testing."

    "Hmmm so even if a level 50 individual appears, they''d start at the lowest rank?"

    Garret nods.

    "Yes, they will need to complete 5 bronze missions before they can try to reach iron rank and then steel rank, so on and so forth."

    "There are a total of 10 ascending ranks and each rank''s requirement is obviously higher than before. The following ranks are in ascending order: Bronze, Iron, Steel, Gold, Diamond, Manite, Mithril, Orichalcum, Adamant and lastly Divinium."

    "They use Divinium as the last rank?"

    "Yes, it is the hardest metal known to mortals. It was given to the founder of the adventurer guild as a gift by the Primordial Gods."

    Hmmm so that''s what they call us.

    I take a quick look at my status.

    Name:Magnus

    Race:Fallen God

    Ability Level:3 (¡ü1)

    Magic Power:30/30(¡ü10)

    Max Magic Power:30(¡ü10)

    Body Power:33 (18+15)(¡ü21)

    Defence:5(¡ü3)

    Agility:14(¡ü3)

    Resilience:9(¡ü7)

    Magic:3(¡ü1)

    Magic Defence:12(¡ü4)

    Unique Skills:Creation (Sealed) (Ultimate)|Indestructible Essence (Ultimate) |Endless Mana Capacity (Legendary)|All Magical Knowledge (Partially Sealed-) (Legendary)

    Innate Skills:God''s Eye (Sealed) (Godly) I God Senses (Sealed) (Godly) IGod¡¯s Stare (Sealed) (Godly)

    Extra Skills:Heavy Slash (Normal) I Pain Tolerance VI (Rare) I Limit Break (Unique) I Martial Knowledge from theGoddess ofWar (Partially Sealed) (Legendary)

    Magic Skills:Blinding Flash (Elementary) (Normal) I Equilibrium (Elementary) (Normal)

    Custom Skills:N/A

    Affinities:N/A

    Resistances:Hunger Resistance I

    Weaknesses:N/A

    Titles:God of Magic | The Fallen God| The one who wished for more| Masochist |Friend of the Wyvern| Hunter

    Blessings:Sealed (Indeterminable)| Cursed Eyes

    Equipment:Bear Fur Clothing (Normal)| Fur Mask (Normal)| Iron Sword (Normal)

    Items:Bone Knives (Normal) | Absolution (Legendary)

    I grew a little due to the fight I had with that demon wolf and was perplexed by my increased stats.

    It seems fighting increases body power while magic power must be increased through proper generation.

    According to my level, it''s perfectly fitting for me to be a bronze rank adventurer.

    I''ve only got a limited amount of time to stay here...

    Maybe it won''t be so bad.

    "I wa-"

    Before I could finish, I hear Aria calling towards me and Pep.

    "Magnus! Pep! We finished registering the refugees. We can go to Jonathan''s house and rest."

    Pep chuckles and goes toward them.

    I look apologetically towards Garret.

    "I''ll be coming back later to finalize everything. I''ll take a rest first, as I do not want to inconvenience my hosts."

    Garret gives me a trained nod and tells me to take care.

    <hr>

    "So... This is your home?"

    I take in the home of Jonathan.

    It''s massive.

    A huge stone building with large exhaust pipes, leading towards the sky, that constantly release plumes of smoke.

    A large stone wall surrounds the building and guards are patrolling everywhere.

    *Clang!*

    Even from the outside of the gate, I hear the powerful sound of metal clashing against metal.

    I look at a sign in front of the gate.

    *Carthus Blades*

    I take a look at Jonathan and the others.

    Jonathan smiles at me proudly. He''s enjoying the look I''m showing even though I''m wearing a mask.

    Aria, Pep and Viktor is showing no reaction. They must already know about this.

    I never noticed properly but their weapons, while mundane, is well maintained and properly cared for. Jonathan''s blade is made out of industrial steel with mixed adamant, making it tougher than a normal steel blade.

    "You''re from a family of blacksmiths?"

    Jonathan laughs and says proudly.

    "Yes! And I am one of the chief''s children!"

    ''Lucky!''

    I ignore Absolution.

    "So you didn''t bother to tell me this?"

    Before Jonathan could reply, I hear a sudden shout from inside the gates.

    "Jonathan!" the gates are slammed open, as a muscular man, taller than and looks familiar to Jonathan, appears.

    Jonathan suddenly loses his smile as the man charges him.

    Jonathan tries to dodge.

    *Thud*

    I see the man hit Jonathan''s head with his steel-like fists.

    "Ouch!" Jonathan winces from the pain.

    "You ungrateful son! How dare you leave again without my permission!!!"

    Oh... He''s the father.

    "I''m an adult! You can''t dictate my life!"

    The others laugh at Jonathan while watching him get pummeled by his father.

    "You ungrateful brat! I raised you with these very fists!" The father punches Jonathan again.

    He gives Aria a quick look and his vicious looking face becomes gentle.

    "Oh hello Aria, nice to see you as always. You''ve become such a beauty!"

    Aria smiles and bows at the man.

    "Thank you uncle Darius, you flatter me too much"

    Darius gives her a bright smile, similar to Jonathan''s smile. Once he returns to look at Jonathan, his face becomes vicious again.

    "You impudent child! You are wasting your time wandering the world!A man ought to labour with his feet planted firmly in the earth.

    Not roam around like a flirtatious vagabond!"

    Jonathan resists Darius'' punches.

    "I am not a wanderer! I am an adventurer and I want to explore the world. I don''t want to stay in one place my whole life!"

    When Jonathan screams Darius stares at him.

    "You darn brat!"

    Darius punches Jonathan so hard, Jonathan is knocked unconscious.

    Pep laughs while Aria is giggling. Viktor is obviously not interested but slightly annoyed by the noise.

    Once the noise disappears, Darius immediately notices me.

    "You!"

    I remember that Jonathan said his father doesn''t like wimpy people.

    I need to give a proper response.

    I look at him and give him a strong response.

    "Sir!"

    "Oh! Anotherrambunctious brat!"

    Brat?

    "Did Jonathan pick you up somewhere and told you, I''d give you weapons? Bah! I will not give you anything!"

    The others seem to look away and the guards are staring past us, ignoring me.

    Thankfully, Aria approaches Darius.

    "Uncle Darius, this is Magnus. He is a person we met during our travels and he is hero "

    Darius looks at Aria and smiles.

    "Really? What did he do?"

    "Uncle, I don''t think this is a good place to talk about it."

    Aria gestures around and Darius notices that dozens of people are staring at him.

    Judging by their reactions, it''s not uncommon for him to act like this.

    Darius calms himself and resumes a more tranquil appearance.

    There, he looks better now.

    "Yes, you''re right we should talk somewhere more private."

    Darius looks at me.

    "You look savage.Have you bathed?"

    ...

    I admit that I''ve been suppressing my stink through alchemical circles sewed on my fur clothing.

    "I haven''t."

    "Follow me, I don''t want you stinking up the place."

    Aria gives me a ''good luck'' look and Pep just laughs.

    Jonathan is dragged in the house by Aria while the others follow her.

    They must''ve come here before.

    We all enter the huge entrance of the building.

    The guards give us a stern stare, warning us not to do anything stupid.

    Once we get inside, we are greeted by a large stone path leading to the main building.

    I look around and notice that the main path splits into other paths that leads to other buildings.

    Large plumes of smoke rise from metal chimneys that is on top of all the buildings.

    Pep looks at me with a smug face.

    I''ve got to admit, I''m impressed and it shows on my face.

    I have seen the creation of kingdoms and mountains but I have never seen it in a way like this.

    I guess even something simple like this can show one''s effort. It''s amazing.

    "The baths are here"

    I follow Darius through another pathway.

    "Good luck boy"

    Pep chuckles as they enter the main building.

    I just noticed this but these bastards have better weapons compared to people of the same rank.

    They must''ve received it from Darius.

    *stupid... son... worthless... talent*

    I hear Darius mutter some grievances.

    I remember looking at Jonathan''s status and there were some things that didn''t add up.

    "Was he always like that sir?"

    Darius looks at me with a furious look but he mellows out.

    "Yes."

    "I''m guessing he didn''t want to follow the family business."

    Darius nods while walking.

    "He... used to love smithing."

    Something changed then.

    I wait for Darius to continue but he doesn''t.

    Once we reach the baths he teaches me how to properly use it.

    When he''s done, he leaves me be.

    "I''ll wait for you."

    "Don''t you have servants?"

    He smirks.

    "You''re a guest of my stupid son, I need to show you the works."

    I nod and he leaves me alone.

    I undress and enter the bathroom.

    I leave my items on a basket.

    I scan the bathroom and take in the objects scattered all over it.

    ''Okay... Absolution how does one bathe?''

    ''I''m checking right now Magnus. It seems you need to submerge yourself in water.''

    I look around.

    There''s no deep water here.

    Mortals have to go through the trouble of bathing? I''m starting to pity them.

    I start fiddling with the objects in the bathroom.

    *Flush*

    ''Wow, mortals have advanced so much. Look at this sorcery''

    ''You''re right! What is this!''

    Eventually though trial and error, I finished bathing.

    It is a refreshing experience.

    Once I exit, I see Darius waiting for me.

    He''s studying the bone daggers I made.

    Idon''t bother entering a stance, Darius is level 80.

    Darius takes a long good look at me and asks.

    "Do you smith boy?"

 Chapter 23: New Rules

    Magnus here, I''m sure I told you this before but I really don''t have any skill when it comes to blacksmithing. I''m excited by the prospect though. After all, deep inside my core is a creator.

    It''s been a week now ever since we travelled to Barkenvail? I''m pretty sure it was called Barkenvail or was it Barkenvall?

    Whatever.

    Currently, I''m on top of a tree just a few meters away from that noisy adventurer''s big house.

    I can''t remember his name...

    *Clang!*

    I hear the sound of metal clashing with metal from the big house.

    I take out a metal scope that I borrowed from one of the adventurers.

    You stole it child.

    Shhhh...

    "Marc! Child where did you go again!"

    I hear my mother''s voice calling for me.

    I start to climb down.

    Child... we are watching the godblood... stop moving.

    I stop and think about what I''m going to do.

    Go to my mother or... listen toDarky.

    "Marc! You still need to help old man Hendrikson with his planting!"

    I stay on the tree.

    There child!

    I resume ''stalking'' the ''godblood'' and immediately pull out the metal scope.

    I don''t know what a godblood is but Darky told me that person who saved us from the wolves is a godblood.

    I remember my teachings from our village priest before.

    Gods are omnipotent beings that constantly watch over us blah blah blah...

    They''re these benevolent beings that gave us mortals the world.

    Darky told me otherwise...

    My mother prays to Supremas daily for fortune but I stopped doing that when my dad died in the demon attack.

    *Clang!*

    I''ve followed Darky''s suggestion on watching the godblood and... Nothing has happened!

    I am wasting my time here!

    Quiet boy...

    Why are you so interested in a godblood? What''s so special about them anyway?

    You would not understand...

    Try me! I''m a smart person!

    I hear Darky grate his teeth.

    They smell delicious...

    *Sigh*

    You can''t eat a person.

    This one is not a person... It''s a godblood...

    I still don''t know what a godblood is.

    "What is this! It''s horrible!"

    *Thud*

    I lose focus for a moment and see a massive bear-like man slam the godblood on the head... with a steel hammer...

    "Why is this piece of metal all bent and curved?! I told you to make a simple dagger! Why are you so incompetent! Even my talentless son could make a dagger!"

    *Thud*

    I hear the godblood contesting with the man about circles?

    What does circles have to do with metal? Or was he trying to make a circular weapon?

    That''s stupid.

    Everyone knows that greatswords are the best weapons!

    I continue watching the beatdown happening in the building''s forge.

    <hr>

    *Thud*

    Another headache inducing blow hits my head and I hear my status ding.

    [Pain Tolerance VI (Rare) evolved into Pain ToleranceVII (Rare)]

    Tch...

    I used to try dodging his blows but Jonathan said to take them head on or else he''ll just swing stronger.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

    "This metal is utter garbage!"

    "Dariu-"

    "Sir! You will call me sir!"

    I give Darius a stoic face as he berate me about my failures in molding metal.

    In fact he''s been bashing my head every time I failed in his teachings...

    Why did I even accept his proposition?

    *Thud*

    "Are you listening to me boy!"

    "Yes sir!"

    I answer strongly.

    Ever since I went under his teachings I had to address him respectfully...

    This is humiliating.

    *Knock* *Knock* *Knock*

    Somebody knocks at the door behind us.

    Darius immediately takes a clean cloth behind him and throw it at me.

    "Quick, hide your eyes boy."

    I immediately nod and start covering my eyes up.

    A burly man enters and starts to talk with Darius concerning their sales. They both leave and Darius gives me a glare.

    *Finish your work!*

    Yes yes, I know.

    Once they''re gone, I remove my cloth again and silently thank Darius.

    The reason I accepted was because...

    <hr>

    "Do you smith boy?"

    I wanted to run but Darius'' stare was too deep and too strong to be the stare of a simple blacksmith.

    His eyes revealed a madness that only a few people carry.

    It was a being who wanted to learn the deepest secrets of metal.

    I sigh.

    If only those knuckledhead sisters were here, he would be the happiest man alive.

    "I don''t sir."

    Darius stare wavers for a moment then he asks.

    "Do you want to learn?"

    I take a deep look on the bone knives I created.

    What''s so special about them that he''s asking me these questions.

    They''re just normal alchemical circles.

    I return my stare at Darius.

    "I do."

    "Then I want to teach you."

    "Why?"

    Darius activates a skill and tightens his grip on the knife.

    [Mountain Grip]

    The knife immediately turns to dust through sheer force alone.

    "This knife despite having no obvious enchantments had different properties. It wasn''t just a normal bone knife. It''s as if the very material itself changed. It still has the hardness and thickness of a bone but the weight differs... This technique can be similarly done through smithing."

    Darius stares at the bone dust scattered all over the bathroom floor.

    "... And the most perplexing part... Is the fact that the bones returned to their original properties when destroyed..."

    Impressive... He discerned all of that within a few looks...

    He levels his eyes to stare at me.

    "Learn under me."

    The thought of learning something from someone literally the junior of my junior''s junior is a little aggravating but...

    I want to learn how to properly smith and my current level isn''t enough to help me survive out there.

    A measly wolf almost killed me.

    I give Darius a look.

    "You do know that I will not stay here and eventually I will leave. Just like your son, I will travel the world as well."

    Darius looks a little disappointed.

    "Does that mean you''ll do it?"

    I nod and a devious but extremely bright smile drops on Darius'' face.

    <hr>

    And that''s basically it.

    For a whole week, I did everything Darius told me to, excluding menial chores.

    Jonathan kept giving me a sympathetic look while Pep just laughed when I showed up at dinner with bruises.

    Thankfully Aria decided to heal my bruises which removed the pain from my body and increased her overall usage of it.

    At this rate, she''ll increase her spell''s skill level to a higher rank.

    But the main reason why I allowed myself to join that madman, is because he knew about my eyes and didn''t react horribly.

    He made me remove my mask and I complied.

    Instead of attacking me like Kin, he just nodded and that sealed the deal for me.

    Once I''m done contemplating I stare at the circular metal on the table.

    I remember Darius'' words and remember his teachings.

    Blacksmithing itself is a new lesson that I''ve been taking to heart, especially since I''m enjoying myself.

    I''ve been trying to mix my magical knowledge with mundane blacksmithing.

    And to be honest it''s not working.

    I''ve tried adding alchemical circles to the metal ores before melting it but the added properties doesn''t mix well with the blacksmithing process.

    Once the ore starts melting, the circle loses its effect.

    I pull out a rough iron dagger with an engraved alchemical circle on it.

    Earlier Icreated a rough iron dagger and engraved it with an alchemical circle after the blacksmithing process but like all alchemical circles the circle loses its power once enough time has passed.

    I''ve been trying to permanently imbue the weapon with an alchemical effect.

    It''s proving to be very hard.

    And the ironic part is that I was the one who set the rules concerning alchemical circles.

    While I did set the rules concerning magic and similar laws, they''re not 100% foolproof. I made sure that if a magic user was ingenious enough they can develop a branch of magic that belongs only to them. After all, I appreciate beings who strive to make something of their own.

    I''ve tried before and after...

    I should start doing it during the forging? But I don''t trust my skill to be good enough to make it.

    *sigh*

    "Magnus? Are you okay?"

    I hear the little voice of my mini helper.

    "Absolution? No I am not."

    "Hmmm you are not happy... I thought doing these would make you happy? Wasn''t making something of your own effort your wish?"

    I hear Absolution repeat Elyis'' words and feel a kick in the gut.

    "At first, I enjoyed learning blacksmithing but now that I''m facing an obstacle, I''m actually having a hard time."

    "... Are you holding yourself back?"

    ...

    "I guess I am. How did you figure it out?"

    "You are the nigh omnipotent creator of magic. I''m sure you already found the loopholes you put on alchemical circles."

    I already did but that solution includes me using magic.

    "I did and I realized something during my time here."

    "What is it Magnus?"

    "I made magic to be an extremely convenient source of power. If trained well enough, one can destroy mountains with a flick of a finger and level cities with a bat of an eye. I made magic too cruel for mortals."

    I haven''t been entirely honest with myself. Ever since that wolf incident and that kid, I''ve been thinking about it constantly.

    I saw the fear that those mortals showed. It was practically a scent that tightly clung on the air.

    They all prayed for the gods to come and help them but knowing my family... they would never come.

    ... I would never come as well.

    While I lament my mistake Absolution speaks up.

    "Cheer up! Loss like this is common!"

    I take a serious look at Absolution.

    "Don''t take death too seriously Magnus. Isn''t death what makes mortals so much more than just mortals?"

    That''s a nice way to look at it.

    "Whille it is true that gods tend not to help mortals one by one, isn''t their combined effort and strength what made them special in your eyes in the first place."

    I nod.

    "While mortals die like insects, every once in a while a mortal will burn brighter than any star surpassing those that was before them. Isn''t that what makes mortals extremely special?"

    I sigh.

    "You''re correct but what brightness warrants such unneeded suffering. For every 1 exceptional mortal, must millions die for him or her to appear bright?"

    Absolution doesn''t answer.

    "I''ve killed millions upon millions of mortals with the flicker of my mood. What is their point in this meaningless world? Is it to serve us?... Nevertheless I need to focus. If I keep on this dark mood of mine, I will not be able to progress."

    Absolution answers me with a great smile.

    "Then once you ascend back to godhood, maybe you should make it easier for mortals?"

    I give Absolution a look and think, that is a good idea.

    "I will think about it. After all, there isn''t only one type of mortal."

    Absolution nods.

    "In my eyes, all is equal from the lowliest of ants to the highest of dragons."

    Once I''m done with my thoughts, I shove them deep into my mind and start heating up the forge.

    I hear Absolution ''ooohhh'' and ''aaahhh'' from the burning forge.

    I was impressed at first as well.

    We''re going to change the rules and create something new but this time, as a mortal.

 Chapter 24: Plans for the future

    Magnus here, I once created a creature that was almost like a god. You could practically call it as something similar to my child. It was a creature fused with the energies of the void and my own essence. It was an extremely powerful and nigh unstoppable creature and I let it loose in the world as an experiment.... Not the best choice... I watched it for a while but eventually I left it alone and it disappeared. What was it called again? Hmmm I got it, it''s called Keter. They''re a ten piece set. I created more but Keter was undoubtedly the strongest with absurd abilities that would make the strongest heroes and demon kings look puny. I wonder what became of it.

    *Clang*

    In this mortal world and many other worlds, we true gods created metals that came from basic elements.

    *Clang*

    Through constant fusion and mixing, we''ve created many powerful metals that is malleable, like gold, and metals that are almost unbreakable, like adamant.

    *Clang*

    If we created all metals from the same material, then that means that if mortals were smart enough, they could one day replicate our process.

    *Clang*

    And that''s exactly my plan.

    *Clang*

    We gods allowed all the worlds to be malleable.

    *Clang*

    And I will take advantage of that.

    *Clang*

    If given enough time, I can eventually recreate the process through hard work and mortal ingenuity mixed with a little divine intervention.

    *Clang*

    The sound of metal being shaped by a sturdy hammer resounds all over the room.

    *Clang*

    My hammer used to feel so heavy but after the amount of constant practice, it has become lighter.

    I have to admit my body power has been slowly increasing throughout the whole time I''ve been here.

    Body Power:50 (30+20)(¡ü17)

    With the increase of my body power, my level rose.

    Ability Level:4(¡ü1)

    I''ve decided not to use magic during my stay in the mortal world. I want to hone my combat skills and learn more things that I would''ve never wanted to know during my time as a god.

    It seems stupid of me but I will focus on the things that I don''t have.

    After all, I already know everything there is to know about magic.

    And if it comes down to it, I''ll use magic when I truly need it.

    "You should at least increase your magic power."

    I hear Absolution''s last request. When I told her about my original idea, she was incensed.

    "For what?"

    "What if your enemy can teleport?"

    "If my enemy can use teleport now, I doubt I''d last a second."

    "What if a future friend or ally dies?"

    "Resurrection magic is the realm of gods and even if I start generating mana now, I doubt I''d reach that point easily."

    "But magic is extremely potent and flexible!"

    "That''s the point! I already know how to cast every spell at their best form. Even if I cast an elementary level spell, its skill level would at least be[Divine]or if I take my time perfecting it, it''ll even reach[Ultimate] which gives me an extremely unfair advantage over everyone. What I wanted was a fair start not an overwhelmingly easy start."

    "But isn''t the knowledge you carry already a cheat?"

    "Yes that''s why starting today, I will limit my usage of magic. I will not use magic for combat. Maybe for blacksmithing and enchanting but not combat."

    Absolution sighs and gives up trying to convince me.

    "Your will is my command oh great lord of magic. "

    Absolution says in a very drawn out voice.

    I ignore her and focus on my work.

    I continue hammering the hot metal.

    This work takes a lot of stress on the body yet the more I''m getting closer to the end I feel more refreshed.

    I notice that the metal is starting to cool and reheat it again to make the metal flexible then continue hammering it.

    I''ve been drawing the sword for hours now while ignoring my setting fatigue.

    Eventually I finish its form and I finally have the looks of an actual blade.

    The metal I used is steel but I''m not satisfied with it and that''s why I plan on changing it.

    I start on the process of strengthening the metal through annealing.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    I repeat it over and over and use[God''s Eye]to ascertain the metal''s structure.

    Once I''m satisfied with it''s flexibility and sturdiness I start to spin the wheatstone.

    Slowly I touch the hot metal on the spining wheatstone and the sound of metal being grinded fills my ears.

    I continue the process, molding and slowly forming the sword.

    "You learned quick Magnus."

    I ignore Absolution as I give my full attention on the sword.

    Currently it''s steel but if I manage perfect this, I''ll be able to permanently change its composition.

    The sword is almost done.

    "Magnus how will you make the alchemical circles permanent?"

    I asked myself that as well but I realized that normally, it is an impossible task but due to the generous loopholes I created for the magic system, I might be able to make a permanent alchemical circle.

    "Magnus? Hello?"

    "Shhhh, I''m focusing"

    Absolution rolls her eyes and she floats away.

    Eventually the sword finishes and I inspect it.

    I slide a piece of wood against he blade to check its sharpness and start to smoothen it out.

    Once done, I hold the blade aloft and check if anything is wrong.

    "It looks amazing Magnus."

    "Yes... I''m done but-"

    [Heavy Slash]!

    I immediately swing the blade towards a training dummy in the room.

    The training dummy is immediately cut in half but I notice that the sword was nicked.

    Frowning, I go towards the back of the room and open a wooden closet.

    "Another failure?" Absolution asks.

    I put the sword in the closet filled with dozens of other steel swords.

    "Yep."

    I close it and contemplate on my mistake this time.

    For the past week, I''ve been doing this over and over. I''ve been constantly experimenting and while Darius is still forcing me to make worthless items like daggers, I''ve already been at this stage.

    I have tried dozens of ways to incorporate alchemical circles and while some of them worked amazingly none of them are permanent and the sword eventually return to its non magical state.

    I start checking off a list in my mind.

    "So out of a possible thousand solutions, I''ve already done 80+ and I haven''t found the proper one yet."

    Absolution tilts her head.

    "What do you mean Magnus?"

    "Oh... Sorry, I''ve already made a few thousand solutions to this problem but I''ve been checking off the ones that don''t work. After all, this is a new field I''m trying to make."

    "What? I thought you were in the dark?"

    I take a surprised look at Absolution and can''t help but laugh.

    "Why did you suddenly think that?"

    "Well... it''s because you don''t look like you''re taking anything seriously except when you almost died."

    I stare at Absolution... She''s not wrong.

    "I guess, you''re right. But I am serious, this is just how I deal with everything."

    Absolution sighs.

    "Well, will you start on the new sword then? We''re almost out of metals again, this might be your last before we need to ask for more."

    I shiver a little, remembering Darius'' face when he found out I was literally chewing through his supply.

    "I don''t want to get hit again so I''ll put the last sword off for now. Let''s go out to get some fresh air."

    "Finally" Absolution releases a sigh of relief since she''s been stuck in here with me for literal hours.

    I check my eyes to see if they''re still covered and notice that they''re

    I exit the blacksmithing room and traverse the large building''s hallways. I greet the people I meet and weirdly enough, there''s a lot of gazes that seem to contain anger and hate.

    Absolution already entered my mind and she seems to dislike the people around me.

    ''Magnus these people are being rude.''

    ''Ignore them. I don''t know why but these people are too inconsequential for me too worry about.''

    I immediately exit the building but not before I inform the guards that I will be taking a walk.

    The last time I went out without informing Darius, it caused me a few dozen punches.

    Once the guards were notified, I left the building and started to wander Barkenvall.

    "You stupid kids! Give me back that rock!" I hear a familiar voice and see Pep running like a madman chasing a bunch of kids that were laughing and carrying a smooth rock.

    The kids pass by me and Pep notices me.

    "Magnus? Yer here? I thought you''d be hammering away like some idiot."

    Chuckling, I nod towards Pep.

    "I needed some air. I think I spent too much time being hit by Darius."

    Pep laughs and slaps his knee.

    "I knew you''d break! Anyway where ya goin?"

    I shrug.

    "No place really. I just want to explore."

    "Well don''t stray too far! I ain''t there to help you!"

    I give thanks to Pep and leave him be.

    I start walking towards the town gate.

    ''Magnus, a presence seems to be following you.''

    ''Leave it be, the child has taken the liberty to watch me for the past week. I haven''t shown any dangerous aspects to him and unless he starts to endanger us, we will leave him be.''

    ''You noticed him?''

    I nod.

    ''Why didn''t you tell me?''

    Chuckling, I tell her with nonchalance. ''Well it was just a curious child.''

    ''You''re too proud Magnus. Don''t forget that while you''re a mortal, you''re susceptible to a dagger in the dark.''

    Absolution''s words ring true and I apologize.

    Once I reach the town gate, I see Bosen, the guard that stopped us a week ago. I''ve met up with him a couple of times due to me going out every once in a while to get a breath of fresh air.

    "Magnus? Are you going out?"

    "Yeah Bosen, I just needed some fresh air."

    "Ummm Magnus you don''t have a weapon. It''s dangerous to go outside without any form of protection."

    "Don''t worry, I can protect myself"

    Bosen doesn''t looks convinced but he lets me go out.

    I go towards the path and once I''m far away from the town, I immediately turn left and enter the forest near the path.

    I walk calmly as I retrace my steps.

    Eventually through careful movement and proper avoidance of dangerous animals, I reach a clearing in the forest.

    ''Magnus since you''re not going to fully use magic, how will you raise your physical stat and skills? You don''t have a talented body after all''

    ''Well I do have an idea. It is risky though.''

    ''What is it?''

    ''I can use my knowledge of chemical alchemy to quicken my growth.''

    ''Won''t that slow down your future?''

    ''Well it might, If I was any simple alchemist. The reason why medicines slow down growth is due to the impurities imperfect medicines have. In my case, I''m sure I can make medicines that are at least Divine level.''

    ''Hmmm if that''s the case, wouldn''t it be easier if you just constantly drank medicines?''

    ''While chemical alchemy will help my stats increase exponentially, it will not help my skills or my abilities to grow. That means the way I''ll swing a sword will be the same when I''m a higher levelled individual.''

    Absolution appears besides me and sits on my shoulder with her tiny tiny body.

    ''That is true... Shall I research for suitable medicine that can be used for body strengthening?''

    ''You-''

    I immediately turn around preparing to fight if needed.

    ''Magnus?''

    ''... Sorry, I thought I felt someone behind me.''

    I continue walking deeper into the forest.

    ''You should look for common ones. I doubt any rare and blessed herbs will appear in a place like this.''

    Absolution nods and asks me another question.

    ''Since you''re already planning for the future, what is your goal with smithing?''

    ''I want to make my own weapons.''

    ''I see but why are you insistent on making a new weapon? It''s not a problem to settle for a normal quality weapon for now.''

    I pass by some trees and notice that some of the branches hang lower than normal.

    ... Weird.

    ''Well it''s because I want a good and strong weapon. I also want to learn skills that I would''ve never learned as a god.''

    Absolution nods.

    While walking, I start noticing a lot more weird situations.

    There is an extremely scant amount of animalsappearing within my[God Senses]. That means that at least a 10 kilometer radius around me is... extremely scant...

    Only extremely powerful creatures that can mask their presence can escape from my[God Senses] so that means, that all the creatures here are either gone or dead. Or... someone else is here with me scaring everything off.

    I don''t have a weapon with me...

    This might be bad.

    I sense a creature running towards with me with full speed.

    I look behind me and glare at a bushy tree with a prepared stance.

    *rustle*

    A bush nearby the tree starts to move and I prepare to attack.

    Suddenly a creature rushes out and I imbue my hand with[Heavy Slash]but I stopped midway.

    ... It''s a rabbit...

    I let my hand down but I keep my guard up.

    I give the rabbit a small treat from my pockets and I continue on my way.

 Chapter 25: Water Spring

    Magnus here, during my earlier days I used to visit the void. The scary and dark empty place where these nigh unstoppable creatures live in. I don''t have much of an opinion about it other than these creatures being really weird. They''re not weird because of their looks but because they, the creatures itself, is just plain weird. The laws surrounding them was naturally weird. The felbeasts ignored all forms of physical damage, Voidlings were just as durable and magic almost had not effect on them while Lifehounds could regenerate almost any form of damage even when they were reduced to atoms. As far as I know, these three have been with us since the beginning and I''m sure that a single one of these, if given enough time to become stronger, they can wipe out all the life in the planet.

    A large and beautiful waterfall comes into view as I reach my destination. Beneath the waterfall is a clear and fresh spring that''s filled with fish that swim about. I start to undress and then put my clothes inside a hollow tree trunk near the spring.

    Once I''m undressed, I enter the pool and submerge myself until only my head is left above water.

    "Ahhhhh" I can''t help but sigh in pleasure as I feel the fresh water clean my sweaty body.

    I have to admit, these pleasures were dulled when I was a god. Or was it dulled because being a god had a different perspective.

    Either way, I stop thinking about that and focus on the fresh water.

    I recall a story of heroes that were travelling to slay the demon king of that time and during their travels, they stayed in a place called a hot spring?

    Ragos told me that hot springs are famous for their rejuvenating effects or was it because it felt good?

    "I need to try out hot springs then.."

    Absolution hears my muttering

    ''Will you listen to a suggestion then Magnus?''

    I look towards Absolution who''s just above the water and being constantly attacked by fishes.

    Thankfully her body is purely spiritual... holographic? I don''t know but either way, she''s not taking any physical damage.

    ''Why don''t you heat this spring?'' She says nonchalantly.

    I laugh and shake my head.

    ''I told you, no magic. If I break my commitment on small things how can I commit on big things. Also the fish will be in danger if I heat the water too much.''

    While Absolution looks downtrodden, I start to meditate, slowly generating mana.

    ''So you''re still going to increase you''re mana pool?''

    ''Yes, it''s still a good idea to increase my mana, since mana has a direct tie to magic resistance growth.''

    Although you can raise magic resistance through other ways, increasing your mana pool is the safest way.

    Absolutions nods.

    ''I''m glad to see that you''re not fully nonchalant.''

    ''Pfft... Please Absolution, I''m not that carefree''

    I continue meditating.

    <hr>

    Boy... What is the godkin doing?

    ''He''s bathing.''

    I''ve never seen you bathe before.

    ''... We don''t have the luxury to bathe everyday and when I do bathe you''re asleep,''

    What is that pest?

    ''What pest?''

    That...

    I see a sharp claw stretched forward besides me and it points towards an area where the fish are conglomerated.

    ''That''s a...''

    I barely notice it but I see a small female person? She''s transparent and... being attacked by fishes.

    ... It smells delicious.... It''s... energy... but... it''s pure energy.... di-

    ''What are you talking about?''

    THAT THING IS MADE OUT OF D-

    Darky suddenly becomes quiet.

    ''Darky?''

    Someone is coming...

    I take a quick look around from my hiding spot and see a group of men and women walking towards the spring.

    I immediately scramble to find a hiding spot.

    Darky told me before that he has an ability that can hide my presence from any magical abilities in the universe but it doesn''t make me invisible, so I''m lucky that the godkin can''t sense me.

    I manage to find a good hiding spot but I take one last look at the godkin before I leave.

    ''What''s he doing?''

    <hr>

    Magic Power: 70/70 (¡ü40)Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    Ability Level:6 (¡ü2)

    .... That''s fast....

    I stare at the spring water while watching the fishes.

    ... It''s so damn fast!

    ''Magnus? Are you okay?''

    ''Hyeee''

    Absolution recoils as I look at her.

    ''Magnus! You look frightening!''

    I look again at the spring and see a very pissed off face.

    It''s my face.

    *sigh*

    I calm myself down.

    After a few seconds of deep breathing, I start cursing myself.

    Why is my mana growth so quick! It''s been only a few minutes and my mana pool doubled!

    But my body power''s growth is literally a stunted child!

    ''Grrrr''

    No, calm down Magnus, it''s fine. You''re just not talented at physical things.

    ... Still that is disheartening but at the same time reassuring.

    It''s annoying that I have no talent at physical skills but knowing that magic is literally presenting itself to me is just aggravating.

    Sighing, I continue my meditation.

    ''Magnus look!''

    I look towards Absolution and notice that the fishes have been visiting me more lately.

    I wonder why.

    ''They''ve been doing that for a while now haven''t they?''

    The fish are starting to congregate near me, despite the fact that I sometimes pick one of them for lunch.

    I shrug.

    ''I''m not sure why they do that.''

    Eventually I finish my bath and dry off using a clean cloth I brought along.

    Once dressed, I start the walk back home.

    <hr>

    A group of randomly equipped humans are exploring the forest.

    3 of them are men wearing leather armor, with swords, daggers and a bow. Their stance and movement, whether good or bad, signifies their skill in combat.

    Behind them are two women wearing beautiful clothing that fits their position. One of the women is wearing an extremely extravagant purple dress with a slit and the other is wearing a chaste white dress. Their staves and clothing denote their position with the extravagant woman being a wizard while the chaste woman being a priestess.

    "Lady Karim, we are near the magical spring." A young man wearing leather armor with a bow addresses the woman wearing a beautiful purple dress.

    Karim nods and looks at the priestess besides her.

    "Priestess Laira, we are near the magical spring."

    Priestess Laira looks absolutely divine and her priestly attire gives her a kind and caring nature.

    "Good. Lord Supremas has contacted me through my dreams and has shown me the path."

    The others show looks of reverence and even the wizard can''t help but be amazed.

    They continue their travel and enter a large clearing.

    A beautiful spring appears to be in the clearing with a large waterfall filling it with water.

    "LadyKarim this is the magical spring."

    The tree men kneel and bow their head while Karim gives space for Laira.

    Laira approaches the edge of the spring.

    *gasp*

    Karim immediately approaches her.

    "Is there a problem Priestess Laira?"

    Laira approaches the one that guided them to the magic spring.

    "This spring... How did you know it was magical?"

    The man looks nervous but immediately answers.

    "Priestess, I''ve found this spring a few days ago during one of my exploration days."

    The man shivers a little remembering what happened.

    Laira kneels and holds the man''s shoulder.

    "Answer me my child. I am here for you."

    The man raises his head and sees Laira''s divine smile.

    Somehow her smile gives the man a compulsion to tell the truth despite his shivering fear.

    "Y-Yes, well Priestess I was travelling but... I was attacked."

    "You were attacked?"

    Laira asks.

    "Yes... It came from the air, it was a huge creature. It had a gigantic wing span and scales like armor. It came down besides me and it flap its wings knocking me back. Thankfully I managed to hide when I hit the trees. It was a wyvern, it felt like it was looking for something. The force of being knocked back broke some of my bones. When the wyvern disappeared I crawled away and eventually I reached this spring. I reached in for a drink and the moment I did... My body healed itself and I was back to full health"

    The man sweats a little after recounting his experience.

    ''A wyvern? That''s probably the reason why there aren''t many animals here.'' Laira remembers that she didn''t see any animals on her way here.

    ''Also healing?''

    Laira looks confused.

    "You have done well my child. You have my gratitude for helping me reach this spring but I am confused. Mana pools are not capable of healing."

    The man looks tongue tied.

    Laira shakes her head and goes towards the spring.

    "Karim"

    "Yes Priestess?"

    "A knife."

    Karim nods and hands over a dagger she hid under her clothes.

    Laira makes a sizeable slash over her palm, wincing at the pain.

    A few drops of blood falls to the ground. She kneels down and dips her bleeding hand in the pool.

    Once her hand is sugbmered, it doesn''t immediately show any change but a few seconds later, Laira notices that the blood is floating in the water is slowly going back inside her. A few seconds later, the hand fully heals and if she wasn''t so sure of herself, she thinks she became slightly stronger.

    Laira stares at her hand, stunned.

    Karim goes asks her if there is a problem.

    "Everyone!"

    The three guards and Karim immediately straighten up.

    """YES"""

    "The knowledge of this spring must never be leaked out!"

    Everyone seems to tense from Laira''s imposing voice.

    Despite her meek appearance earlier, she looks extremely intimidating right now.

    "As long as this never leaks out, we can start using the pool to increase our own powers."

    Suddenly the three men show menacing smiles.

    Karim''s eyes sparkle a little, showing signs of excitement. She adds her own idea.

    "And we can use this as well for money!"

    Laira nods smiling.

    "Mana pools are famed for their ability to imbue magic to mundane objects over a period of time and natural mana pools are the best but this is the first time I''ve heard of a mana pool that can heal. This is the first one to appear in Eldran. Ever since the comet hit Eldran, weird and new things have appeared everywhere in the kingdom and all of them have mostly been treasures."

    Laira points at the spring.

    "This is our treasure!"

    The three men cheer and Karim can''t help but immediately start planning.

    Laira''s eyes look back at the pool with a smile.

    "It seems everything will proceed faster than expected."

    <hr>

    *Achoo*

    ''Magnus, are you okay?''

    I wipe my nose with a clean cloth.

    ''Yes I''m okay. I just sneezed. Hmmm someone must be talking about me.''

    ''That is just a superstition Magnus.''

    I chuckle with a very amused face.

    ''Why are you so amused Magnus?''

    ''Nothing.''

    I admit that while it is a superstition, I recall fully that I was the one that created that superstition.

    Even some of the high gods started to become paranoid when I inflicted them with sneezing even though gods do not need to sneeze.

    I continue my way home feeling refreshed.

    While walking back, I start to remember the sword I''ve been working on for a week now.

    I''ve tried a lot of ways on trying to make the sword a constantly changed weapon without having to refresh the alchemical circles but I haven''t found success yet.

    I already created a thousand solutions because the mind of a True God is technically faster than a quantum computer but unlike a god''s true body, I can only try out a few solutions every day until my body gives out.

    I wonder if there''s a way to make my body''s energy inexhaustible...

    Like a... perpetual motion machine...

    ''Magnus are you thinking of stuff way out of this world''s technological time?''

    ''Oh, sorry. I got carried away there Absolution. Being a multidimensional being takes a toll on the mind once they lose their ability to interact with them. After all this world is slower in terms of technological advancement due to the amount of difference to, let''s say, a dragon dominated universe.''

    Absolution seems to understand my point and nods.

    ''It is still dangerous to apply technology that''s too advance to a world filled with beings that can literally tamper with time and space.''

    I nod, that is dangerous.

    ''Although it would be fun if we applied the theory of relativity in this world.''

    Absolution gives me a deadpan look and I drop the subject.

    I return to my original thought.

    ''Perpetual Motion Machine...''

    ''Perpetual...''

    ''Perpet-''

    "THAT''S IT!"

    Absolution looks at me with surprise.

    I break into a run and leave her alone.

    ''Wait Magnus! What are you talking about!''

    "I ALREADY FOUND A WAY!!!"

    ''Use your inside voice Magnus!''

    "NO!"

 Chapter 26: Many Perspectives

    Magnus here, I recall a very powerful dragon that once tried to ascend but stopped midway. It opted to keep its mortality and stayed in Eldran. Well it''s not really bad a choice, dragons are fundamentally immortal and their strength grows as long as they age. The oldest dragons become so strong that their breath attacks start to break physics. The current oldest red dragon is named Argorath and his fire breath is a concentrated plasma breath whichis so hot the sun seems cold.And that''s when he''s holding back. Now back to the story.

    *Yawn*

    I start to stretch and wiggle my wings.

    *Huff*

    I huff a little, releasing a lot air.

    I stare at the exit of the cave.

    I smell the scent of prey and I crawl my way outside.

    Once I''m outside I stretch my wings and let it all out.

    Cave is warm but cave too small.

    *ROAR!!!!*

    (MASTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

    *Flap*

    Once I call out for master, I flap my wings and fly up.

    I still need to look for him.

    When master started to glow with bright light, he was gone.

    Did master dislike me?...

    No! He probably wanted to take care of me...

    He never seemed to be mad at me.

    "AHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!"

    While flying, I hear a girly scream below me.

    I see a shivering man almost pee himself from fear.

    What a wimp.

    This isn''t master but he probably knows where master is.

    I land down and flap my wings so I don''t get hurt.

    *ROAR!*

    Do you know where ma-

    Wait where did the man go?

    I smell his scent hiding just behind the trees.

    I ignore the pissing man.

    The pissing man probably doesn''t know where master is.

    I flap my wings and fly up again.

    I soar through the skies and start to explore a new part of the forest.

    Master wasn''t in the other forests, maybe he''s in this forest.

    I see a forest in the distance with a lot of mini box trees.

    Their forest has wooden leaves.

    Would master stay there?

    No, master would never stay in a stupid forest with wooden leaves. He like caves like me.

    I like master.

    I hope master likes me as well.

    <hr>

    In an infinite white void, a formless humanoid is floating inside the bright expanse.

    At first the humanoid was inert but eventually eyes formed in its face.

    Then their nose, then their lips and then every other facial part.

    The humanoid appears to be a man.

    Confusion settles on the man''s face as he starts to look around.

    Di-... Did I die?

    After Confusion, then denial.

    Wait, I can''t be dead...

    Then Rage.

    I can''t be dead! My life just started to look up! I was finally talking to that girl down Elm''s street!

    Then Bargaining.

    God, please if you can hear me, I promise to be a better follower and worshipper. I beg that this all be a dream.

    Then Depression.

    "Please.... I don''t want to die yet... I still have so much to live for."

    Then Acceptance.

    "Whe-... Where am I!!"

    Then Acceptance...

    "PLEASE LET ME GO!!!!"

    ... Accep-

    "GOD HEAR ME OUT!"

    Ughhh.

    "Shut up!"

    A powerful disembodied voice echoes throughout the void shaking it, tempting to destroy it''s very existence.

    Despite the defeaning power of the voice, the man picks up a feminine voice.

    The man quiets down, obviously afraid of the supreme being speaking.

    "Finally...And here I thought I''d finally get a decent individual but you otherworlders are so disgustingly fragile."

    The man tries to look where the voice is coming from but it seems to be coming from all directions at the same time and loudness.

    After a few seconds of defeaning silence, the man speaks.

    "Who are you?"

    "Well I am the goddess of all the worlds."

    The man goes pale at her words and he tries to prostrate himself but he can''t move his body.

    Chuckling, the goddess suddenly laughs.

    "HAHAHAHAHA, no no... I''m kidding HAHAHAHA"

    The man is speechless as he hears a bright laughter echoing through the void.

    "Sorry.... I just wanted to do that. But I''m not the goddess of all the worlds, that would be my father."This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

    "... Okay... But why am I hear, goddess of?"

    "You don''t need to know who I am but due to one of my siblings physically interacting the world, I''ve decided to join as well."

    The man suddenly looks confused but asks respectfully.

    "Then why don''t you go down yourself great goddess?"

    The goddess laughs again.

    "I can''t go down without destroying reality itself, are you an idiot? So instead of that I decided to put down my own champion."

    The man''s jaw drops as he hears the word ''champion''.

    "You mean me?"

    "Yes you."

    "But why me? I''m a loser with no life. I''ve literally lived my whole life playing games, following waraxe 59k and taverns and leeches."

    "Why do I feel that those are poor non-copyrightable games. Either way, I chose you because it seems you are a repressed youth."

    "Uhhhh?"

    "You have the burning fire of imagination that will be able to assist you in this world. In this world, you can become strong through effort and you can be at the top if you become strong yourself. You have a chance to be less pathetic than the time you were in the other world."

    The man quietly listens but quickly resolves himself.

    "I''ll do it."

    "And you''ll have a chance to make a better life for y-."

    What?

    The man suddenly seems to get fired up.

    "I will succeed! I will become strong and unstoppable. I will be a hero!"

    The man could feel amusement from the goddess.

    "It seems I picked an interesting one."

    The goddess thinks for a moment.

    "Okay since you''re quite fired up, I will give you a gift."

    The man''s eyes widen.

    "What is it! Is it a cheat ability?!"

    "I don''t know if this is a cheat ability but I don''t know the strength of most mortals, so you can have it."

    "My Goddess!"

    "Yes?"

    "Can I have a request!"

    The goddess stays quiet for a while contemplating.

    "Depends. What is your request?"

    "Can I have a sure-kill skill!"

    "Pftt! Hahahahaha"

    Bright laughter rings through the void as the goddess slowly reigns herself in.

    "Well you''re an amusing one... Well since you''ll act as my chess piece, I might as well give you some gifts. I don''t want it to be unfair to my siblings so I''ll give you one gift..."

    Unknown to the celebrating male, the goddess happily speaks to herself.

    I''m sure he''ll find a way to block it.

    The goddess mutters those few last words and the man couldn''t hear it.

    "REALLY!?"

    "Yes! I have chosen you as my knight, my chosen one and champion, so you better be good."

    The man tries his best to nod but his position doesn''t allow him.

    A bright light appears from nowhere and it enters the man''s chest.

    The man seems to pump himself up, as he is obviously excited.

    "Before I let you go, what is your name child?"

    The goddess asks.

    The man breaths in fresh air as his body starts to form flesh and matter.

    "My name is Michael Grace! But in this world, I''ll be called Darksoul!"

    "..."

    The man shouts one last time before he disappears.

    Once the void is quiet again, the goddess sighs.

    "Another weirdo..."

    <hr>

    In a beautiful library filled with thousands of ancient grimoires that would make even the oldest of liches look like an idiot, a man with a heavenly disposition is currently reading a book.

    Suddenly a portal opens and an awe-inspiring woman comes through. With red hair and bright crimson eyes, the man stops for a moment.

    "Sister? Are you done with your choosing?"

    The man''s voice comes out to be very calm but also very deep.

    The woman nods but doesn''t react too much.

    "I took one that died because of a stroke but he''s a little... eccentric. I wonder will this even provide a challenge towards Magnus?"

    The man shrugs.

    "He has access to knowledge so far beyond any mortal, I doubt anyone could beat him..."

    The man suddenly smiles.

    "That''s why we gave our candidates a lot of cheats."

    The woman chuckles.

    "I wonder how Magnus would beat above-hero beings."

    The woman and the man laugh as they remember their other siblings'' summoned heroes.

    <hr>

    In the middle of the night, a large and powerful hammer swings with rhythmic blows and hits the metal seated upon a metal anvil. The man swinging it wasn''t wearing a shirt and his body was so covered in sweat and dirt it would be a divine sin to call him clean.

    This disgusting man was none other than, me, Magnus.

    I momentarily stop my hammering and look out a window.

    ''Did... something happen?''

    Absolution doesn''t reply since she''s outside playing with whatever animal she can find.

    Fortunately for her, my mana pool increased and because of that she can go farther from me now, so she''s been exploring a lot.

    Once I return my focus, I start hammering the hot metal once again.

    I continue to mold it.

    Then I cool it in ice cold water.

    Once cooled, I heat it up again, repeating the process over and over again.

    Eventually I reach the blade''s peak form and start heating up again for my final addition.

    Once the blade is malleable enough for me to engrave alchemical circles, I stop.

    I remove my blacksmithing gloves because I''ll need the full attention of my fingers for this strenous task.

    I activate my[Pain Tolerance VII]skill and reduce the pain I feel from the blistering heat but unfortunately I don''t have any way to reduce the heat itself.

    I get theperfectly made steel dagger besides me and start imbuing it with mana.

    Magic Power: 69/70

    67...

    64...

    61...

    58...

    52...

    45...

    My mana pool starts draining quickly but I continue to imbue the dagger with a suitable amount of mana.

    If I don''t imbue the dagger with enough mana, it won''t cut the blade properly. And if I imbue it with too much mana, it''ll cut through like butter.

    I finish filling the dagger with mana but I have to act quick because I didn''t enchant the dagger so it''ll lose the mana quick if I don''t use it.

    I close my eyes for a split second and my mind immediately starts processing every alchemical circle there is in the world.

    Without the split second ending, I open my eyes and grab the dagger with quickness.

    I raise it with practiced motions and bring it down on the heated blade.

    I use the dagger''s sharp edge and start carving the blade with precise slices.

    Sparks fly as the two metal clash but the dagger creates indentions on the blade.

    The effects of alchemical circles can affect each other if they''re fused together into one bigger circle but doing that takes an extremely tremendous amount of skill to do.

    I continue carving.

    The reason why it''s hard is because every part of the circle has an effect, so that means the two circles has to stay intact so that while they''re fused, they''re also separate.

    I carve an extremely small circle on the blade but inside the circle are even more intricately carved runes and formulas.

    Once the alchemical circle was finished the blade changes properties and when I used[God''s Eye], I ascertain the change to make sure I didn''t err.

    I lift the blade and stab it on the ground.

    It easily pierces it without much effort on my part.

    Smiling, I raise the blade and check if there is any damage.

    I chuckle as I study the blade''s form.

    It''s perfect.

    The alchemical circle I carved on the sword was<Sharpness I>. Alchemical circles are ranked the same way as skills and<Sharpness I>is considered a normal level circle but ultimately still useful for someone of my level.

    It''s an alchemical circle that makes the edges of an object, if it has edges, sharper by a large margin. If you put this circle on a ball, it''ll have no effect but even a fork can become a deadly weapon with this circle.

    I would like to enchant this blade with a higher level of<Sharpness>but the material is not capable of sustaining an extremely powerful alchemical circle. It''ll most likely crumble from the extreme change. Once I successfully apply the next circle, I''ll be able to up the sharpness level.

    This is another reason why alchemical circles aren''t mainstream like magic. They take too long to master, you need to have a reasonable level of skill in blacksmithing and weak alchemical circles don''t last long and the math is practically torture for anyone who''s mind isn''t a quantum computer.

    Why learn alchemical circles when you can just enchant weapons with magic. I chuckle remembering the main difference between the two styles. Creating powerful items through Alchemical circles barely have any expenses!

    Yes that''s right! If one thinks about it, enchanting powerful items through magic is both time consuming and expensive while alchemical circles only take time and it''s extremely cheap!

    I laugh internally, ignoring the wasted swords hidden inside the closet.

    Yes! It''s practically free!

    I continue to ignore the wasted swords.

    I return to my project and imbue the dagger with mana once again.

    Magic Power: 45/70

    41...

    34...

    28...

    22...

    15...

    I feel slightly drained as my mana starts hitting rock bottom but once the dagger reaches its best state, I start carving the blade again. I place the circle just a few inches away from the other circle.

    My eyes and hand move quick with precision just as sharp as before.

    Once the circle is finished I use[God''s Eye]once more and ascertain the change on the blade.

    I lift the blade and stare at the constantly abused training dummy that''s in the corner of the room.

    If I wasn''t tired, I''d start to think that the training dummy is trying to hide behind the pillars.

    I stand up and approach the training dummy.

    I raise the sword and swing it with all my force.

    [Heavy Slash]!

    The training dummy explodes as its upper body is literally ripped off.

    I smile satisfied.

    While a sword is meant for slashing and piercing, a sword should not be able to rip a large part of an object with a slash.

    But I didn''t slash it, I bashed it.

    Yes, I literally bashed the top of the training dummy with the flat of the blade.

    I look at the flat of my blade and nod, satisfied at its toughness.

    I study the second circle. It''s<Tough III> and just like its name, it improves the overall durability and ability of the item to take damage or inflict more blunt damage. That''s right this sword is more of a mace than an actual sword due to the higher tough property than the sharpness property.

    Once I increase the sword''s toughness I reheat the blade again, then I start filling the dagger with the last bits of my mana.

    Magic Power:15/70

    11...

    7...

    2...

    0...

    I suddenly feel a large amount of fatigue as mana drain hits me.

    [Limit Break]!

    I use my unique skill and immediately lose my exhaustion.

    The next and last circle doesn''t need much of my mana but it''s the most crucial one of them.

    I start carving the blade once more, applying the last circle on the middle of the two circles.

    Once I apply the 3rd circle I start to connect all three through carving, enhancing the overall effect of the circles.

    I use[God''s Eye] and study the sword.

    Magnus'' Steel Sword

    <Sharpness II>

    <Tough IV>

    <???>

    I put down the sword and let it cool.

    Then I shout at the top of my lungs.

    "IT WORKED!"

 Chapter 27: Annoyances

    Magnus here, I miss my robe of infinity. It''s literally the most powerful magically enchanted cloak in the whole multiverse. It had the ability to absorb any attack no matter how powerful, even the kinetic force from a god''s physical attacks rendering them worthless and a plethora of other abilities but that''s not the reason why I miss it right now. All this blacksmithing, moving and literally being a mortal accumulates a lot of dirt. I wish I could clean myself faster. Then I''d have more time to do other stuff.

    *Inside Magnus'' Room*

    Inside my room, I''m lazily sleeping on my bed.

    While sleeping, I suddenly sense danger and immediately wake my senses.

    I almost don''t notice the incoming hammer going for my head.

    *Swing!*

    I immediately open my eyes and dodge.

    *CRASH*

    The top of my bed breaks under the force of the hammer as it collides with the bed.

    I manage to land on the floor with a prepared stance.

    Before I could prepare to dodge another attack, I see Darius holding a hammer over my bed...

    "Darius?"

    "Where''s your work..."

    A hoarse but definitely livid voice comes from Darius.

    "What?"

    Darius'' eyes look crazy as he shouts with force.

    "WHERE''S YOUR WORK?!"

    He charges me with his hammer and swings it with extraordinary speed.

    Not this again!

    [Limit Break]!

    With my enhanced speed, I barely dodge Darius'' superhuman blow.

    *CRASH!*

    I ignore the destroyed furniture as I make distance from Darius.

    *Sniff* *Sniff*

    I stare at Darius as I smell an acrid odor in the air.

    Alchohol?

    His face is a little red underneath all his bushy beard.

    He''s been drinking.

    "I SAID WHERE''S YOUR WORK!"

    He charges me again and I dodge but he''s getting closer and closer.

    I need to finish this before he starts bashing my head in with that hammer.

    *Swing*

    I dodge again and immediately rush towards my destroyed bed.

    I dive and shove my hands beneath my bed.

    *Swing*

    I feel the wind behind me rush towards me but I manage to turn around with my hand in front of me.

    I see the hammer stop just a few centimeters away from my outstretched hand.

    Whew.... A second later, and I would''ve become a cripple.

    The crazed eyes of Darius suddenly mellow as he sees the object in my hand.

    It''s a dagger.

    I made it from the leftover materials I got from the swords. After I finished the alchemical blade, I stayed up the whole night to replicate the process with the dagger.

    I succeeded.

    "You finished it?"

    "YES!"

    I answer immediately just in case he changes his mind about hitting me.

    He stares at it for a while admiring its form and design, then he takes it with a gentle hand and his eyes water for a moment.

    "..... It''s beautiful."

    He runs his fingers on the dagger''s blade and caresses it.

    The dagger has two mini alchemical circles embedded onto it.

    The first one is<Sharpness II>while the second one is the new circle I applied yesterday.

    I practically had 0 mana the whole night but after a few minutes of meditation, I managed to recuperate all of my mana.

    I admit that I was a little surprised at how fast my mana regenerates. I recall that an average magic practitioner would at least need 24 hours of relaxing rest to regain their expended mana but it only took me a few minutes.

    I stand up and dust myself then I see a shocking sight.

    Darius is hugging the dagger and quietly sobbing.

    I look surprised as I see this old man sob.

    I start panicking.

    I''ve never been in such a situation like this.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

    I''ve had people cry for my name and for my mercy but never like this.

    I stiffen and I open my mouth over and over but no words come out.

    I settle by putting my hand over his shoulder and let him cry his heart out.

    After a few minutes he stops sobbing and he wipes his face.

    "Magnus... I''m sorry you had to see that... It''s disgraceful of me as a teacher to show such a weak side of mine."

    I shake my head.

    "No sir, there is no such thing as weakness in weeping."

    I don''t pry because I respect Darius'' will.

    Despite my age, this man has taught me a lot unlike my stupid sisters.

    Their skill in blacksmithing obviously eclipses anything Darius can do but Darius is undoubtedly a better teacher.

    That''s why I''m thankful and respectful towards this old man.

    Darius nods and he looks at the door.

    I study him and notice his knuckles are slightly swollen again.

    He must''ve been hitting Jonathan again.

    "Jonathan must''ve been assigned another mission. That means they''ll be leaving again?"

    Is it time for me to leave?

    I dwell on the thought of exploring but resign myself to the fact that I''m not strong enough.

    So no, I''m not going to go with them, not yet.

    Darius doesn''t answer but his rough looking expression says it all.

    Darius stands up and leaves the room.

    Once he''s gone, I start cleaning up.

    I tried to salvage everything that wasn''t fully demolished by Darius and throw the ones that can''t be saved anymore.

    I finish up and leave the room.

    I see people staring at me again.

    I start walking towards the living room.

    "Hey!"

    I hear a voice behind me and I turn around.

    I see an unfamiliar man approach me. I study his appearance. His gruff look, callus filled hands and dirty overall, I''m guessing this person is one of Darius'' apprentice or workers.

    Although, I''ve never seen him before.

    Or have I? I never took notice.

    Once he''s near me, I nod to give him acknowledgement.

    Hmmm his forehead has a bulging vein, he should have that checked up.

    "Is there a problem?"

    After I asked the man, he immediately replies.

    "Yes there is. You are the problem."

    The man says that with an extremely angry tone.

    Absolution starts a fit once she hears the rude fellow.

    ''He''s being rude Magnus! Show him that no one should mess with a god.''

    ''What are you talking about? I''m not a god right now. I can''t just go an offend everyone that finds trouble with me. If you ask me, anyone that offends someone that''s too strong for them is stupid.''

    I recall a summoned hero that was too arrogant for his status as a hero and a dragon king destroyed him.

    Instead of being a stupid idiot like those individuals, I''ll tread carefully.

    "Why am I a problem?"

    I ask him respectfully because it seems the man was somehow incensed for reasons I am not aware of.

    I find mortals confusing.

    They''re too emotional if you ask me.

    "Yes you''re a problem! You''re a fucking parasite!"

    What?

    I must''ve looked confused because the man suddenly grabs me by the collar.

    I reflexively slap the man''s hand because my body starts to hurt a little.

    "What?..." He looks surprised as I make space between us.

    I feel some aching due to[Limit Break]but not enough to prevent me from fully functioning since I only used it for a very short amount of time.

    Once the pain disappears, I speak.

    "First of all, I did not ask for this. I did not ask to be here nor did I ask to be a student. I was brought here because those people wanted to thank me and I became a student because Darius saw that I had talent. If you''re displeased by my appearance then you should ask Darius."

    I stretch my back a little and leave, ignoring the rude man.

    "Hey! Come back here you!"

    I sense the man approaching me again and I sigh.

    I prepare to intercept him.

    "What are you doing?!" The man suddenly jerks back as I hear the voice of a familiar acquaintance.

    I turn my head and see Jonathan, Darius'' rebellious son, coming towards me with large swollen lumps on his head.

    The man earlier scowls as he sees Jonathan but immediately pretends to look happy.

    Hmmm people around here don''t seem to like Jonathan... I can understand that but why do they dislike me?

    Ever since I started smithing, I haven''t wasted any materials although those other swords I made were obviously not up to standard for me.

    Are the standards here higher than mine? If that''s the case, I just need to better myself.

    Maybe I''m not good enough yet.

    "Jonathan... You''re here. I thought you were going to leave?"

    Jonathan immediately joins my side and says.

    "What do you think you''re doing?"

    Despite the man''s respectful words towards Jonathan, his next words are laced with poison.

    "Jonathan, I''m just giving advice to my junior. It is not something you would understand since you''re not a blacksmith."

    Jonathan''s face becomes grim and I immediately see him tense up with anger.

    Before Jonathan could retort, I push him away.

    "Is your problem a lack of attention? If so, what is your name?"

    The man looks confused.

    "My name is Gardo! And I am the head apprentice of Darius. If you think you can start acting arrogantly just because you were pitied upon by master, then you''re wrong! I''ll have you know that once you become an actual apprentice here, you''ll have to fill a quota and since you''re not really learning anything, you should you leave."

    I can feel Jonathan slightly angry behind me but I speak before he says anything.

    "I always found that insecurities are the loudest."

    I turn to Jonathan and ask him to lend me his blade.

    "Magnus! You can''t kill someo-

    "Quiet, I don''t plan on spilling blood in the home of a good teacher."

    Jonathan goes quiet and nods.

    He hands me his blade and I hold it in a way that showcases its whole length.

    An idea suddenly appears on the top of my head and I internally laugh.

    Istudy the sword and notice that it is a well crafted sword but compared to my other garbage swords, this blade falls short.

    Jonathan must''ve bought it somewhere.

    The others look at me with disdain while I''m holding the sword.

    "Stop trying to look at that sword too much, you''ll never reach that level."

    I ignore him and ask Jonathan.

    "You were planning on leaving right Jonathan?"

    Jonathan is suddenly put on the spot as I ask him.

    "Y-yes why?"

    "Then you''ll need a new weapon!"

    Jonathan''s face becomes pale and the others suddenly start laughing.

    I raise an eyebrow but ultimately ignore the jeering primates.

    "You mean to tell me that you plan on surpassing Jonathan''s weapon?!"

    I take a look at Jonathan and ask.

    "Jonathan, you still have time right?"

    Jonathan weakly nods but he shakes his head quick.

    He pulls me away, so that the others can''t hear his voice.

    In a quiet voice, he says.

    "Magnus, what are you thinking?"

    I give him a smile.

    "I don''t like being pushed around and I can''t properly show my gratitude to Darius, if I don''t show any improvement."

    I think my craft isn''t that good yet but I don''t say it outloud.

    "But you want to surpass my current sword?"

    Jonathan says this with urgency.

    I don''t understand the reason for panic. I can easily replicate and even make a better sword than what Jonathan currently has.

    I nod nonchalantly.

    Jonathan sighs.

    "I don''t suggest that Magnus-"

    "Hey! Are we doing it or not?"

    I turn around and hear Gardo calling me out.

    "In a week from now! Our annual blacksmithing competition will be held here in Barkenvall. You will join and meet me at the finals."

    I raise an eyebrow.

    "What if you don''t reach the finals?"

    Gardo laughs and everyone else.

    Jonathan sighs besides me.

    "Me?! Not reach the finals?"

    Gardo laughs again as one of his lackeys taunts me.

    "Gardo has always reached the finals and he hasn''t lost even once! He''s one of Darius'' most talented apprentices!"

    Hmmm... It seems It''ll be harder than I thought.

    "It''s okay."

    I give Jonathan a reassuring smile, unfortunately it''s effect is lost upon Jonathan.

    I look towards Gardo and his retinue of annoying servants.

    "Let''s meet at the finals then, it''ll be a month from now right? We''ll be making the weapons in the event itself correct?"

    Gardo chuckles.

    "Of course! Are you an idiot?"

    I ignore his tasteless jeers and nod.

    "We''ll meet there then."

    I walk away with a quiet Jonathan following behind.

    <hr>

    Child the god-kin is going out.

    Darky is this really necessary?

    Yes! Once we absorb the god-kin, you will be able to do anything you ever want.

    Even bring back my father?

    Of course...

    I recall my father''s face just before the demon attack and I steel my resolve.

    I pull out the dagger I stole from the adventurer that used to protect us.

    He''s spending all his time in the tavern, drinking his sorrows away.

    Do not pity the weak child! You''ve lost so much more and you will continue to lose more. Such is the way of life.

    Pushing my emotions down, I nod.

    ''You''re right. Let''s do this.''

    I start to stalk the God-kin with my weapon prepared.

 Chapter 28: The Power of Magic

    Magnus here, I''m afraid I don''t have much to share this time, except maybe our servants, the angels. A species of heavenly creatures only second to us, the true gods. They''re supremely powerful with the weakest angels rivalling the strongest mortals while the highest angels even trump the high gods. My siblings will send summoned heroes for now but if the situation becomes too dire... They might start sending angels.

    "Priestess Laira! The effects are working!!"

    The sexy and beautiful sorceress, called Karim, is calling out to Laira, who is currently meditating while her body is submerged in the water spring.

    Laira opens her closed eyes with a refreshed feeling on her face.

    She stands up revealing her bare body. Karim smiles and retrieves an expensive-looking robe neatly folded on the ground.

    She hands them to Laira with a respectful gesture.

    Once Laira receives them, she starts to cover herself despite not wearing any clothes beneath it.

    "Thank you Karim. Now show me, how are the effects manifesting."

    Karim nods and leads the way.

    While walking the two engage in small talk.

    "Milady, you''ve been spending the whole day inside the spring. Are you okay?"

    Laira stretches and accidentally reveals her beautiful and stunning body.

    Despite her position as a holy woman, she is truly a jaw dropping beauty.

    "Yes Karim. I feel extremely refreshed. The mana pool has raised my magic power by leaps."

    Karim nods hiding the jealousy within her. She admits that while she serves Laira, she wishes to increase her power as well.

    They continue their walk in the forest, eventually reaching a nearby cave they found.

    "The transformation is going very well and the spring water is allowing the process to move smoothly... unlike before..."

    Karim shudders, while remembering the time she was subjected to the transformation. She was with 50 other people and she was the only survivor.

    To think that this water will allow the transformation to go without any problems.

    Karim subconsciously frowns.

    ''Why are these worthless servants allowed to gain power without suffering!...''

    "Karim calm down... I know it seems unfair but with the help of the water spring, we''ll be able to make more powerful servants like you."

    Karim loses her frown and bows.

    "Yes Priestess Laira."

    They enter the cave with Karim in the front.

    The cave is lit with torches hanging on the cave walls.

    As the two women go deeper, sounds start to reverberate through the tunnel walls.

    At first it''s an indistinguishable sound but as they go even deeper, the sounds become distinct.

    The animalistic sound of men and women moaning in pleasure is now all around Laira.

    The sound of meat slapping on flesh is everywhere.

    They reach a wooden door separating them from the loud noise within.

    Karim opens it but immediately wrinkeles her nose as the smell of sweat, blood and dirt waft towards them.

    Laira ignores it and goes in with a beautiful smile.

    Inside is a large room with dozens and dozens of men and females, engaging in immoral acts.

    Karim follows behind Laira, ignoring those around her, especially the ones who''re trying to invite her and Laira to join.

    Laira reaches the end of the room.

    At the end of the room is a skeleton-like creature sittiny on an obsidian throne and around it are many women and men servicing its body.

    Laira and Karim kneels.

    The skeleton-like creature quietly moans in pleasure as the people around it start to service its body.

    It speaks.

    "Laira... my loyal servant... you''ve returned."

    The other servants notice Laira and many of them voice their annoyance but the creature orders them to leave.

    Once Laira and Karim are alone with the creature, Laira greets it reverently.

    "Lord Supremas... I-"

    Supremasraises its hand to stop Laira.

    A moment later, it gestures for her to come to him.

    Laira stands and approaches the throne.

    Supremas'' skeletal face momentarily shows a smile and Laira happily approaches him.

    She goes to bow but Supremas keeps her standing by holding her cheek with its bony hand.

    Laira gently carresses Supremas hand, clearly enjoying his attention.

    "My dear Laira, the water you have provided me has granted me great vitality... It truly is a miracle. I feel my divinity coming back to me."

    He lets go once he feels her face properly.

    Laira enjoys the praise and recalls Supremas form before the water spring.

    While Supremas already looks bony and undead, he used to look worse. He was once a skeleton with a barely talking head but due to the water, he has managed to form a body and has already been using it towards his servants.

    At first, Laira was very angry that she was losing the attention she craved from her deity but came to the conclusion that a deity''s love belongs to everyone and not just to one individual.

    "It''s been only three days since you found the spring... yet I feel rejuvenated."

    Laira recalls the three days of people continuously heaving water from the spring and submerging her lord under it.

    At the first day, lord Supremas'' body didn''t regenerate but he could finally talk and his voice was like sweet honey towards his followers.You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

    After that, the followers continued to pour water upon him. On the second day, Supremas'' body started to show signs of regeneration.

    With his command, we submerged his body 24/7 under a large vat of spring water.

    The next day his current body has appeared and he''s been using it a lot, like how a man who hasn''t eaten in months eat.

    While Laira has been deep in thought, her master''s voice pulls her out.

    "How are your preparations Laira?"

    Laira recalls their plan of giving Supremas just a small amount of divine power through worship so that he could once more ascend to his heavenly realm. He just needs a small amount so he can use it to enter his realm once more and regain his power there.

    "Yes my lord." Laira nods respectfully.

    Supremas looks towards Karim and acknowledges her before returning his gaze towards Laira.

    "Tell me... how will we go about our plan."

    Laira nods and continues.

    "Near our makeshift lair is a town called Barkenvall. Inside there are devout followers of you my lord yet they follow the false deity that took your name."

    Supremas grips his hand as he recalls the grievances he had to suffer during his time.

    "What shall we do then my faithful servant?"

    "My lord, once you have regained your former glory, we will go there and make the people see your glory!"

    Supremas shows a toothy smile.

    "What about those that do not follow?"

    Laira''s peaceful and calm look suddenly shows a viciousness that wasn''t there earlier.

    "We will use their lifeforce to strengthen you my lord. Their sacrifice will be for the greater good!"

    Supremas nods satisfied.

    "Are there no dangerous individuals there?"

    Laira shakes her head.

    "Barkenvall is a place for failures and people who didn''t succeed in their endeavors retire there. The only problem there is the relatively high levelled blacksmith. I heard that he''s somewhere around level 120 milord."

    Supremas scoffs at the low levelled mortal. He doesn''t find it strong enough to stop him.

    "I see. Once I regain my power, I''ll be able to crush him like a bug if he resists but if he does not, we will be able to have a blacksmith create weapons for us."

    Laira smiles and bows.

    "Yes my lord... You truly are a genius."

    Supremas chuckles as the two continue their planning.

    <hr>

    "Magnus what were you thinking!?"

    I ignore the annoyed Jonathan following behind me.

    While I continue walking towards the exit of the town, I see Pep, Viktor and Aria.

    Aria waves at the two of us to join them. Her chestnut brown hair is beautiful to look at and despite her status as a paladin, she keeps her appearance immaculate similar to a priest.

    Despite her cheery way of calling to us, she''s wearing full plate armor and her visage is absolutely terrifying if not for the fact that she''s not wearing a helmet.

    Viktor is reading a book while ignoring us and Pep is waving at us as well but he is obviously preoccupied by other thoughts.

    I take a quick look at their levels and they raised it by a little except Viktor who raised it by a lot.

    Pep raised his level from 14 to 15. This man is truly unfortunate. He just isn''t talented.

    Jonathan raised his level from 16 to 18 which is relatively good.

    Aria raised her level from 18 to 20, the same rate with Jonathan but a little bit better because it gets progressively harder to level up as you become stronger.

    The big shocker is Viktor who raised his level from 18 to 24. I guess he truly is talented although not as talented as Elizabeth or Leila...

    I can''t really say that Kin is talented, most of her power comes from Felina.

    Viktor stares at me with a very inquisitive look but I ignore him.

    Once we reach them, I speak before Jonathan can say anything.

    "Jonathan here took the initiative to become one of the blacksmith competition''s judges. He will be judging along Darius on the result of the smith''s work."

    Jonathan''s face becomes pale.

    Aria screams in joy.

    "Really?! Are we finally going to stay during the competition. I''ve always wanted to see the new weapons being made but every year round, we''re coincidentally... On... A mission"

    As Aria finishes her sentence, it trails off at the end. She stares at Jonathan with a slightly angry look.

    Pep shakes his head already knowing what thr situation entails.

    Viktor ignores us but I notice he''s still taking looks at me.

    Hmmm I wonder why.

    For now I ignore him and listen to Aria.

    "No it''s just purely coincidental Aria!"

    Aria grabs Jonathan''s collar and pulls him close.

    "Don''t lie to me Jonathan! You mean to tell me that everytime we go here to celebrate your birthday with your father, we''re suddenly with a mission?"

    Jonathan goes quiet.

    I nod with approval.

    When I challenged that noisy pest earlier, I didn''t just want to show off my skills, I also want Jonathan to spend more time with Darius...

    He doesn''t have much time after all...

    "I knew it!"

    Aria screams and lets Jonathan go.

    Her eyes are pretty scary right now.

    Pep comes up besides me and tells Jonathan two words.

    "Run boy"

    And run he did.

    Jonathan starts running towards his house with a pissed off Aria, with her longsword unsheated, following behind.

    Pep laughs loudly and looks towards me.

    "Thanks kid, that youngin doesn''t know what hit him. I just hope he and old man Darius get some time together. I feel that something bad will happen."

    I nod smiling, I hope Darius feels a bit better.

    Viktor approaches me once Jonathan and Aria is out of sight.

    "Magnus... can we talk?"

    Pep looks surprised that Viktor initiated a conversation with me and he backs off.

    "I''m outta here, the kids need one of them swings, so I''ll snap up one for them."

    Once Pep has disappeared from view, I return my attention towards Viktor.

    "Viktor?"

    Viktor gives me a quiet look and nods.

    "Follow me."

    I already know what he plans on talking about, so I follow him.

    I was supposed to go to the spring for mana generation and physical training but I might have to postpone it for now.

    Me and Viktor take a small walk and eventually reach an inn.

    Why an inn? I recall Viktor staying in the Carthus household as well.

    He leads me inside and into a private room. The room is quite lavish and it''s obvious a lot of effort has gone to it.

    I thank Darius in my head because I''ve been wearing my fur clothes the whole time I was alone and the moment I accepted his offer, I was given new clothes and a cleaner eye cover.

    Once inside, Viktor stops and turns around to look at me.

    He stares at me for a while without breaking the silence. Most people would feel awkward from this type of serious but I can''t help but be nonchalant about it.

    Between me and Viktor, the two of us have a secret.

    During my stay here, I''ve spent some of my free time talking with the others and I may have unintentionally given Viktor some advice.

    Absolution started ripping me off after that, saying I might give away too much information.

    I apologized to her afterwards.

    It was after my blacksmithing session and just before my spring meditation. After creating my 7th sword, I was slightly getting annoyed because despite my efforts I was having a hard time making the alchemical circles permanent.

    While travelling towards the spring, I unintentionally saw Viktor in the forest practicing his magic.

    As I said before, Viktor has the[Genius Mind]innate skill. This skill is usually received at one''s birth and it generally increases a person''s IQ by a large margin.

    It isn''t common for people with the [Genius Mind]innate skill to have an average IQ of 140+. But a higher IQ doesn''t mean they can immediately solve their problems. I recall individuals with IQ that reach 200+, yet they have difficulties with trying to find out new and original methods.

    Viktor was such an individual. He was a genius in understanding new concepts and knowledge but he had a hard time in application.

    I admit that I watched him for a while. I forgot that I was no longer a god, and I didn''t need to watch a mortal to get my satisfaction.

    I could do it myself!

    *sigh*

    Mortals are truly an interesting bunch.

    Anyway, I continued to study the lonely genius and noticed that he was reading up on magical spells and tried to cast them through rote memorisation.

    While one might say that such a phenomenon is not worthy of mention, the main reason why I was interested in Viktor''s magic was the magic type he''s casting.

    He was using dark magic. A magic that he doesn''t have natural access to.

    Every creature in the planet can use magic and it can be learned by any diligent enough mortal.

    But there are exceptions. Creatures with the unique skill that allows them to use an element means they already have a head start. A prime example is Leila who has the unique skill Single Main Element(Fire) (Rare). She was either born with an extremely great affinity to fire or she received that from the demon inside her.

    Since Leila has that skill, she can learn fire magic with great ease. She can still learn other forms of magic but she''ll never learn as fast as her fire element and she won''t be as efficient on using other elemental powers as well.

    Viktor has the unique skillSingle Main Element (Wind) (Rare). His ability in using wind magic is greatly increased compared to others without any talent. If that is the case, why is he practicing dark magic.

    In fact, I beli-

    "Magnus."

    Oh... I rambled for a bit there. I focus my look on Viktor.

    "Magnus, I have to thank you for what you taught me."

    I nod.

    "You''re welcome."

    Once I''m done accepting his gratitude, I turn to leave.

    "Wait!"

    I hear Viktor''s panicked voice and turn around.

    "Why are you leaving already?"

    "I already recieved your thanks."

    Viktor''s face was filled with confusion.

    "Are you not interested in a reward?"

    I raise my eyebrow.

    A reward?

    I shake my head.

    "What I told you was just a slip of the tongue. Rewards are meant for impressive feats. Although I do respect teachers."

    I continue to walk out as I am very busy today.

    Thankfully Viktor didn''t force me to do anything.

    "Wait!"

    Ughhh what now.

    "Can you help me?"

    *sigh*

    "On what?"

    Despite the constant back and forth between me and Viktor, due to his weak social skills, he manages to talk properly. I''m guessing magic is truly his forte.

    "Well... I almost succeeded with your advice. Can I ask you to help me?"

    I recall his practice. He almost tried to kill me once I found out but he stopped once I start giving him advice.

    Sighing, I nod.

    His usually calm and unperturbed face shines with slight brightness despite the lack of a smile.

    He immediately exits to lead me out.

    "It''s in the forest, hidden. So we''ll need to go there."

    Perfect, I was going there anyway.

 Chapter 29: Being Gutless will kill you

    Magnus here, I learned that in Eldran, I am the host for a multitude of titles with God of Magic being the most common. I''ve heard that I''ve been called the Lord of Creation (It''s a common title for the true gods), Force of Nature, Emperor of Undeath, King of destruction and many similar titles... It''s weird but I feel slightly excited for my titles. Anyway back to the story.

    It''s been a few minutes in the forest and Viktor has been walking in circles but it''s not because he''s lost, it''s because he set an intricate path that would allow us to reach the secret hiding spot of his without being seen by anyone.

    Thankfully my[God Senses]is always active and I can sense where large concentrations of mana is located.

    A few more meters ahead is where Viktor usually trains his magic.

    After a few more minutes of walking, we reach a small clearing that''s near a small cave.

    "Here."

    Viktor points at the cave.

    "I set the... cadaver inside."

    Chuckling, I ignore his pale face and enter first.

    For someone who''s aspiring to be a necromancer, Viktor is prettysqueamish.

    *Drip*

    *Drip*

    *Drip*

    The sound of water droplets falling from the ceiling echoes all ove the cave.

    I unconsciously sniff and smell a mix of damp water and moss.

    Fortunately, I don''t smell any decaying smell.

    Viktor must''ve followed my advice and applied the spell [Remove Scent]to the corpse.

    Once we reach a deeper part of the cave, I hear the untimely sound of a groan.

    "Viktor... how many bodies are there?"

    Viktor looks away.

    "... 9"

    *Sigh*

    I reach my hand out towards the empty space in front of me.

    ''Absolution, give me my blade.''

    ''Aye aye captain!''

    I grip my hand and it holds tight onto a handle.

    I ignore Viktor''s gasp of surprise as I pull out blade no. 1 out of Absolution''s pocket dimension.

    I brandish its sheathless blade as it reflects the scant amount of light that pierces the cave''s dark interior.

    "Viktor, a new lesson. If too much unburied and unblessed bodies are piled up in one place, a lot of death mana will appear. Didn''t they teach you this at magic school?!"

    "No! They don''t teach necromancy at school!"

    "Isn''t necromancy common knowledge?"

    Viktor shakes his head.

    *Sigh*

    The educational system here is shit. Necromancy wouldn''t be as big as a problem as it is, if people were to freely allow it instead of forbidding it.

    If it was freely allowed, it would be easier to control!

    ''Yar right my matey.''

    Absolution what is with the pirate dialogue?

    I hear the girl chuckle in my head.

    ''Just having fun Magnus. These books are amazing after all.''

    I just remembered, I allowed her to stay in my mental library. She''s been reading ever since.

    *Groan*

    The timely groan from the very undead cadavers brings me back to reality.

    Within the dark cave, I see the figures of the undead.

    4 pale and rotting humans shamble their way towards me.The rigor mortis just barely keeping them immobile while the death magic infused in their veins force them to hunt the living.

    These creatures are the undead.

    Slow and heavy, they are becoming closer as I ready Blade no. 1.

    I always wanted to try it anyway, so this is a good test run.

    I move with quick steps as I deftly raise my weapon.

    [Heavy Slash]

    *Rippppp*

    My blade comes down quick and unhindered as its industrial steel and alchemically induced sharpness, along with my activated skill, cuts through the unfortunate zombie like how a hot knife cuts through butter.

    *Thud*

    The creature''s body hits the floor dead.

    [God''s Eye]

    I use my skill to check for the mana in the creature''s body.

    The mana disperses into air and returns to its normal state.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    ''Nice Blade.''

    I praise Blade no. 1

    ''Ummm Magnus... Undead?''

    Oh right.

    I quickly dash in between the undead and slash towards their head, easily lobbing one of them off with one quick swipe.

    [Heavy Slash]

    Immediately, I activate my skill again and quickly bring down my blade on the zombie close to me.

    *Shreddd*

    The sound of flesh being shredded with deadly precisionresonates around me as I quickly rush towards the last one.

    *Swing!*

    The last one''s head drops to the floor.

    Once all four are dead, I look towards Viktor.

    "Do you have gasoline? If so, we can burn them."

    Viktor shakes his head.

    I raise my eyebrow but shake my head.

    I guess not every adventurer is the same.

    I look towards the dismembered corpses.

    Thankfully the spell is in effect and I don''t smell any decaying scent.

    I ignore the bodies and Viktor follows me towards the other non-zombified bodies.

    A few feet away from the dead zombies are the also very dead corpses.

    I take note of the crude magical circle a few feet away from the corpse pile.

    The inscribed circle is obviously the work of an amateur and it''s very inefficient but it''ll work.

    I look towards Viktor, who is currently standing on the other side of the circle.

    "So what do you need my help for?"

    Viktor stammers a little.

    Once I found out about Viktor''s dark secret, his original cold demeanour disappeared and this shy undeveloped child took his place.

    "Well... umm I tried casting the spell but it''s not working. The reanimated body doesn''t respond to my commands or will."

    I nod my head.

    "Try casting it, I''ll watch. While I cannot cast death magic-

    ''That''s a lie!''

    I ignore the noisy spirit in my head.

    "- due to the lessons from my teacher, I have the basics of magic in my head."

    Viktor nods hopefully.

    He goes towards the non zombie pile and drags a corpse towards the magical circle.

    Once the body is inside the circle, he takes position in front of it and he takes out a clean steel dagger from inside his robe.

    He puts the sharp edge of the blade on his palm.

    *Slice*

    He winces in pain as the edge cuts into his palm.

    I notice that despite cutting his palm, he isn''t too peturbed. Judging by the hidden scars under his robe, he must''ve done this a lot.

    Once the blood hits the rotten but scentless corpse, Viktor starts to chant.

    Chanting magic huh?

    Well that is expected, he doesn''t have a unique skill when it comes to death magic after all. So he must learn chanting before he can casually cast it.

    Chanting is the most efficient way of learning magic that isn''t naturally yours, other than years of constant rote practice.

    Mana starts to coagulate towards the corpse.

    "Oh great Lord of Darkness, King of Nihility, Emperor of Undeath, Noble Demiurge of the Void, heed the call of this humble servant and answer my wish. This poor begotten child of yours have been taken before the void''s call and deserves a humble respite from the empty blackness that is not your void."

    [Create Undead]

    Once Viktor casts the spell, invisble mana seeps out from his body and slowly drips towards the dead body.

    At first the body shows no reponse but suddenly the smallest movement happens.

    The corpse''s finger twitches.

    *Groan*

    A barely audible sound escapes its decaying mouth as the magic works its way into the corpse''s very being.

    "It seems to work? What''s the pro-"

    *GROAN*

    The corpse stands with supernatural speed as it goes to attack Viktor.

    *Swing*

    *Thud*

    The head of the zombie falls to the ground as I lobbed its head off.

    "See? I told you."

    Viktor seems annoyed. He must not be used to failing.

    I nod.

    I recall Viktor''s chanting spell.

    It wasn''t a bad chant but it was too long making the spell stronger than usual.

    He must not be used to chanting magic since he''s an adventurer.

    Adventurers need to cast spells on the fly after all, lest they get attacked.

    I recall the 3 types of magic.

    Chanting magic. The strongest but also the most risky magic. One can increase spell''s power through chanting but it also leaves the caster in a dangerous spot.

    Rote magic. The most common magic. It includes somatic symbols such as hand signs and verbally calling out the spell.

    Lastly, Silent magic. This is the most costly form of magic but it has the most utility. It''s used by extremely talented and trained magic casters.

    "Magnus? You there"

    I cut my train of thought and return to Viktor.

    "Are you implementing the commands while chanting?"

    Viktor''s lips form a thin line.

    "I''m guessing not?"

    He nods.

    I sigh.

    Viktor looks like he was visibly harmed by my sigh of disappointment.

    For a talented kid, he sure is weak-willed. I guess it''s better than being too proud.

    "Repeat the spell then."

    He nods obediently and removes the decapitated body off the circle. Once gone, he drags another corpse from the pile.

    Once he drips blood from his hands once more, he repeats the chant except this time he shortened it.

    "Oh great Lord of Darkness, King of Nihility, Emperor of Undeath, Noble Demiurge of the Void, heed the call of this humble servant and answer my wish. Give thy servant a slave upon I can enact your will."

    [Create Undead]

    The earlier process repeats with the body not moving for a long time.

    Due to the lower amount of death magic, the corpse doesn''t immediately move.

    But.

    *groan*

    It does move eventually.

    "Stand up servant. Your master calls for your service."

    The undead stands up twitching and groaning.

    It stands up slowly and faces Viktor.

    It doesn''t go to attack me or Viktor.

    Hmmm he must''ve included me in the do not attack list.

    Good, I don''t have to defend myself then.

    I hide blade no. 1 for now.

    I study the deceased and frown.

    It looks ugly.

    Were undead always this ugly? Why did I even allow necromancy to exist?

    As I ponder more about the disgusting look of undead, I hear Absolution speak.

    ''Magnus... This kid doesn''t have any natural talent with death magic. Why is he practicing it and why are you teaching him? It''s pointless. Mortals should not try to learn things that aren''t gifted to them by the gods!''

    ...

    Absolution what is it this time?

    I hear the girl within me giggle.

    ''I can''t believe that some divine beings actually believe this!''

    I recall some of my siblings.

    ''Azael believes in that.''

    Absolution suddenly goes quiet and sweaty. She looks around and breaths a sigh of relief, knowing that Azael is not watching.

    ''Don''t say that Magnus! Does Lord Azael truly believe that?''

    I nod.

    ''He created the demons with a strict hierarchy with the demon lords above most beings. While humans have royalties, it is fleeting. A few assassination plots later and a king is dead. The royal bloodline can be usurped but for demons, blood cannot be tricked. A demon will always know if another demon is royal blood or a demon lord.''

    Absolution nods fearfully.

    Smiling, this girl is scared out of her wits.

    ''Do not worry I will not tell him about it.''

    Some measure of fear disappears from Absolution. She thanks me.

    ''I do not believe that mortals should only do what is given to them. They are given gifts that come from us and as long as they do not ignore or go against our direct orders, they can do what they want with it.''

    Absolution nods happily.

    While talking, I notice that Viktor''s eyes is glowing, filled with the joy of a child.

    This is while he''s staring at the undead.

    I chuckle.

    ''After all... It''s when mortals go off the path that they truly shine.''

    *groan*

    The corpse turns back looking at me.

    Viktor freezes and I prepare myself.

    Then I realize, it''s not looking at me.

    I turn around.

    I see nothing and sense nothing with my[God''s Sense] but the zombie is sensing something else.

    Hmmm[God''s Sense]is failing to sense something which means whatever it is can fool magical sensing abilities but not physical sensing abilities.

    But that doesn''t make sense.

    It must be because my godly abilities is sealed.

    I look towards the area where we came from.

    "Viktor be prepared."

    Viktor nods and readies his staff.

    He orders the zombie with the giddiness of a child.

    "Gutless. Go there and check"

    Gutless?

    I ignore the name.

    Gutless the zombie goes towards the place where we came from.

    *Slice*

    *Thud*

    The moment Gutless approaches a large rock that can hide a person, his head gets sliced and drops to the floor.

    Viktor prepares himself but due to his weak body power, he didn''t see what happened.

    I did.

    I saw a normal kitchen knife with lightning speed cut through Gutless head.

    It was a normal knife enhanced by dark powers.

    I pull out a mundane steel longsword from absolution''s space.

    I look towards the cave and prepare myself.

 Chapter 30: What the hell is going on?

    Magnus here, there are a 7 skill levels with normal being the lowest and ultimate being the highest. Normal skills range from hitting a bit harder like[Heavy Slash]and resisting harder hits a bit more like[Fortify]. Ultimate skills on the other hand tend to encompass a lot of combinations, it doesn''t just fall into let''s say offensive or defensive abilties. Ultimate skills do a lot of things at the same time with unparalleled efficiency. Technically one can evolve a normal skill to reach higher levels but there becomes a point where a skill can no longer be evolved. A normal level skill usually can only reach rare level and the more versatile ones can reach unique while a few ones can possibly reach legendary level. A prime example of this is[Heavy Slash], it''s a normal skill that can only be evolved to rare level. The user can technically use it better as experience piles up but it''ll never get stronger than what it is. To get more use from it, the individual must find a way to improve or add upon the skill. This is the only way to actually evolve a skill that already reached its peak. You lose the skill but you exchange it for a better one.Hmmmm that''s too much of an info dump. Back to the story.

    ''Darky! I didn''t know you could do this''

    I look at the rusty kitchen knife in my hands and stare with awe.

    I start waving around the kitchen knife while dark colors follow it around guiding me.

    Hmph... this is taking a toll from my powers. I didn''t want to do this yet... my powers are dwindling fast but once we kill the godkin, I''ll be able to feed... and you''ll be able to do what you want.

    ''Darky he''s deeper in the cave right?''

    I feel a pulse of agreement from Darky''s weakening state.

    Yikes, this must be taking a toll on him more than is expected.

    I need to finish this quick.

    I brandish the knife with renewed vigor and stalk the God-kin through the cave.

    <hr>

    ''A knife?''

    ''Magnus, that energy... I can''t feel it.''

    Absolution gives me a grave look.

    It''s a look that says, if I''m not careful we might die.

    Well not really die but she''s scared since she doesn''t know what we''re staring at.

    "Whoever is there. Come out and we can talk."

    I try and activate[God Senses]but it only shows Viktor and a couple of cave animals.

    I ready thelong sword in my hand.

    "Magnus?"

    I nod towards Viktor.

    He continues.

    "That dark energy? It must be the work of dark magic... but I can''t feel it''s mana."

    "Yes... I''ve never seen anything quite like it as well."

    Before Viktor could reply, the cave temperature, which was already cold in the first place, suddenly drops to a bone-chilling level.

    *slice*

    *thud*

    My vision suddenly shifts as my head suddenly falls to the floor.

    I''m inclined to scream but the moment I do I''m back at the cave.

    ''Magnus are you okay?''

    Absolution asks me what happened.

    ''I... I don''t know.''

    I subconsciously grab my neck and find it still comfortable attached to my body.

    Was... it an illusion? If it was, I should''ve felt or sensed the change in the mana flow...

    And I''m immune to most illusion magic due to my mental capabilities.

    I notice that my hands are starting to shiver.

    ... Don''t tell me... what happened was just all in my mind?

    I shake my head. Those are questions for later.

    Suddenly my instincts scream at me as I quickly back away.

    *slice*

    I see the sharp edge of a knife quickly rip through the air just where my neck was.

    *step*

    Then I hear the quick footsteps of a small creature.

    *thrust*

    "Magn-"

    I instinctively raise my right hand blocking my face with my sword.

    *crack*

    The sound of metal splintering hits my ears as I see a dark creature wielding a black kitchen knife pierce my steel longsword effortlessly.

    I let go of the handle.

    [Limit Break]

    With renewed speed I back away, making space in between the creature and me.

    "Viktor, cast protective magic! This thing is too fast for you."Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    Viktor nods and his seriousness returns.

    I allow the new quickness of my body take over as my mind starts processing the situation several thousand times faster than any mere mortal could.

    It''s not normal, that''s for sure.

    Nothing below a divine level skill can block or hinder[God Senses]and I refuse to believe that a creature with a divine skill is having a hard time killing me.

    *slice*

    I dodge another slash as the knife cuts through the cave walls with ease.

    ''Absolution!''

    ''Yes Magnus!''

    Two steel long swords appear from thin air and I grip both of them.

    I focus myself and see the dark creature approach me with frightening speed.

    [Fleet Footwork]

    Body Power: 150(30+20+50+50)

    The spell increases my body power by 50 points, effectively increasing it but only its speed.

    My[Limit Break]increases my overall body power by 50%, increasing the spell''s even further.

    I face the creature with increased speed and swing my left arm bringing down the sword towards it.

    As expected, it raises its knife to block my sword.

    *break*

    The sound of glass shattering comes from the impact of the knife and the sword but I was already prepared.

    I let go of the broken sword''s handle and grip the other sword with two hands.

    I maneuver quickly behind the creature while spinning then use the force of my current body power to slash the creature.

    [Heavy Slash]!

    The skill activates as the longsword quickly reaches the creature.

    *crash*

    The combined force of my skill and body power sends the creature pummeling towards a cave wall.

    I hear Viktor gasp and say.

    "Is it done? It''s too fast, I can''t properly see it."

    I''m not sure myself. I can''t sense it so I don''t know if it''s dead or not.

    I look towards the sword I used to attack it and shake my head.

    It''s broken and only the handle is left.

    It corroded the moment it touched the creature but thankfully I still hit it with that much force.

    I dismiss the sword and the handle returns to my space.

    I summon two more and wait for the creature.

    Instead of using my skills to sense the creature, I focus on my physical senses and start feeling the movement of the area, the wind currents in the cave and the vibrations hitting the earth.

    While I''m not as talented as my sisters in doing combat, I can at least do the basic combat senses developed by fighters all around the multiverse.

    I deactivate[Limit Break]and let my body rest but I prepare my mind the moment the creature attacks again.

    <hr>

    ''Darky! Are you okay?!''

    I lift myself up from the rubble. Thankfully the dust and smoke is keeping me away from the god-kin.

    .... This will be harder than I thought... My power while weak is far more superior than the god-kin... Yet we''re losing...

    ''Yeah... He''s strong...''

    We must retreat... If the god-kin catches us, he''ll kill us...

    ''I don''t want to die!''

    .... My power is dwindling... All those months of resting and feeding... Gone to waste...

    We failed... I feel guilt as I try to focus... I failed Darky''s expectations.

    Do not blame yourself child... This person is just... Strange... We were no match from the beginning... Right now we need to retreat...

    ''I''ll start running sir.''

    I get up and use the last bits of Darky''s power and dash out of the smoke.

    *slice*

    I manage to duck with Darky''s power as I dodge a wind-like blade coming towards me.

    I move even faster but pull back as the god-kin throws a sword just in front of me blocking my way.

    "Magnus! It''s cornered! It doesn''t have much darkness left."

    A shrill voice comes from the mage and the god-kin nods in acknowledgement.

    I move quickly as I dodge the barrage of wind from the mage but each movement is draining Darky''s power.

    Dodge!

    Within the barrage of wind was something I didn''t notice.

    A blade.

    My eyes widen as I see the blade late flying along with the magic.

    *crack*

    The blade hits me on my chest and pushes me back.

    *thud*

    I hit the wall hard but thankfully Darky''s power saved me.

    But... He''s running out of power.

    I try to stand up but i''m getting tired as well...

    *pant pant*

    I slowly gasp for air, waiting for the god-kin to move.

    Looking up, I see the god-kin holding another sword from his right hand.

    ''Darky... He has so many swords''

    Boy... I think we are in trouble... We underestimated the god-kin...

    I ignore Darky for now and prepare my next move. I let go of the knife and the darkness leaves it.

    The knife crumbles to dust the moment it touches the ground.

    Despite the god-kin''s eye covers, I can feel him staring at me with great focus.

    ''Darky... I''ll make a run for it. Can you give me a boost?''

    I... Have no choice... Be ready...

    Darkness enshrouds me once more as I prepare moving.

    The god-kin notices and prepares a stance.

    The mage starts chanting a spell but I ignore him.

    *break*

    The cave ground cracks as I shoot forward with great speed.

    <hr>

    "Viktor here he comes!"

    I shout at Viktor and prepare myself for the quickly charging dark creature.

    The creature quickly approaches me with breakneck speeds.

    I immediately activate[Limit Break]and charge forward, with my long sword in front of me.

    I swing it upward and bring it down with[Heavy Slash], increasing its speed and power.

    The creature goes to block it.

    I inwardly smile.

    I expected that.

    The blade clashes with the creature but instead of breaking or cracking, the blade-

    *slice*

    -cuts!

    The darkness gets ripped apart by Blade no. 1''s sharp edge.

    It''s tougher body resists the corrosive effect of the darkness and the sharpness manages to cut through its defenses.

    Suddenly with the darkness gone, I see the bare skin of a human.

    ''What!?''

    The blade is already too close and I couldn''t move it away.

    *slice*

    *stab*

    Blood spurts from me as my blade is blocked by a shadowy hand that manifested from the creature''s shoulder and a shadow-like claw impales me on my shoulder.

    "Magnus!"

    I pull away and the creatu-

    - two creatures allow me some space.

    When I make some space, I see that the dark creature has created a bigger doppleganger.

    Wait... It''s not a shadow creature, it''sa human.

    These thoughts run into my head as the shadow creature I fought starts to weaken. Eventually the darkness leaves it, leaving an unconscious child in front of me.

    ''What!''

    "What!"

    I hear Viktor''s surprised voice. He''s just as confused as I am.

    In a gutteral voice I hear something from the coalesced darkness in front of the child.

    "Let...the child...go"

    "What?"

    I''m utterly confused.

    I use[God''s Eye]and the dark creature is not registering.

    It''s a creature that is not affected by my identification skill.

    It simply means... It''s an alien creature.

    Wait the only creatures that can confuse my senses are those things that come from the void.

    No... It can''t be... There has never been a creature from the void to be in Eldran without the notice of the gods.

    No it must be connected to my fall.

    Thankfully this thing is not one of the big 3 or else, I would''ve died the moment I saw it.

    Now, I shake my head and focus.

    Kid first.

    "Did you take control of the kid."

    In a pained voice, the creature replies.

    "Yes"

    "I see."

    I raise blade no. 1.

    Should I kill this thing? It''s a void creature, albeit one of the lesser ones. It could prove to be a very powerful ingredient.

    ''Absolution, tell me what are the applications of void creatures.''

    Absolution seems quiet and says ''Not much Magnus but they are a massively powerful source of energy. Felbeasts are the most physically strongest creatures and can destroy almost everything while lifehounds can provide a nigh infinite amount of energy''

    I nod.

    ''Good, this abomination can serve us we-''

    "WAIT!"

    Huh?

    I see the kid slowly standing up.

    The dark creature screams to the kid.

    "Sit down child!"

    The kid flinches but bravely goes in front of the creature.

    "Don''t hurt Darky! I will fight you god-kin!"

    My jaw drops and I look towards Viktor who is looking at me with a slack-jawed expression.

    What the hell is going on?!