"Alright," Zumi said, stretching as he stood from the bench. "In a couple of hours, we'll head back to New York. We'll visit Bia first, and then meet the Kogane Dragons."
Serafina folded her arms, looking amused.
"Your private army."
Hina giggled. "Bia is probably hugging all of them into submission."
Zumi smirked. "Yeah… that sounds like her."
But then his expression softened.
"Before that, we need food. I know a place… an old friend."
Serafina raised a brow. "A mortal friend?"
"No," Zumi said with a nostalgic grin. "A lesser god."
The chinese restaurant Run by Ethan — Lesser God of Cooking.
From the outside, the restaurant looked like a typical humble Chinese spot: red lanterns, faded menus in the window, and the faint scent of spices drifting into the street.
Inside, though—
It was different.
Warm golden lights.
Clean wooden tables.
A quiet elegance hidden beneath simplicity.
Serafina stepped inside first.
"It's… charming," she said softly.
Hina inhaled sharply. "It smells amazing…"
Suddenly—
A pulse of energy rippled across the room.
Ethan felt it.
From the kitchen, a strong spiritual aura flared. The scent of sizzling garlic paused. Someone turned sharply.
A young man with silver-white hair and bright golden eyes burst through the door — looking exactly like the beautiful chef Zumi remembered from the Monkey kings memories.
But Zumi also saw the truth:
To mortals, Ethan would appear as an elderly man.
To those with divine senses —
He appeared as this youthful, radiant chef-god.
Ethan froze mid-step when he saw the trio.
Then his eyes widened.
And with a trembling voice—
"...Monkey King?"
Zumi grinned. "Long time, Ethan."
The lesser god burst forward and grabbed Zumi's shoulders.
"Three thousand years—THREE THOUSAND YEARS—AND YOU COME WALKING IN LIKE YOU JUST LEFT FOR TEA?!"
Zumi laughed.
"Good to see you too."
Ethan turned his gaze to the women.
His breath hitched when he saw Serafina.
He immediately bowed his head.
"Goddess Serafina… I am honored."
Serafina waved her hand. "Relax, little cook. I'm here to eat, not reign."
Ethan chuckled nervously.
"Yes—of course—right away!"
He hurried them to a table and served dish after dish, each glowing faintly with divine culinary Qi.
Serafina picked up her chopsticks like she had done it for millennia.
Then she tasted the first bite.
Her eyes widened—then softened.
"This…" she breathed out, trembling slightly, "is divine."
Hina laughed. "It's not even his best dish!"
Serafina took another bite, cheeks puffing slightly.
"I love mortal food," she declared.
"Especially this Chinese cuisine."
Zumi grinned. "Told you."
As they ate, Hina leaned back with a smile.
"It's really cool that you're immortal, Sera."
Serafina lifted an eyebrow.
"You sound like you want to be one."
Hina froze mid-bite.
"I—what? Is that… even possible?"
Serafina nodded.
"A Greater God… or a Supreme God… can appoint a Lesser God under them. If they deem someone worthy."
Hina stared in disbelief.
"So someone like me… could become a goddess?"
Serafina opened her mouth to explain—
But suddenly—
Zumi's heart pulsed.
His breath hitched.
His vision blurred—
And the Monkey King's memories burst open.
It was not a system message.
Not narration.
Not Celestia.
It was a memory —
A vision carved into his soul.
Golden clouds.
Vast divine palaces.
Endless starlit halls.
Zumi remembered standing thousands of years ago — a staff on his back, the heavens trembling beneath his feet.
Across from him were the three tiers of gods.
THE LESSER GODS
He remembered them kneeling, rows upon rows.
Creatures of blessings, miracles, storms, songs, seasons, and craft.
Fragile compared to him — yet divine in their own right.
Born from Greater Gods.
Helpers, messengers, overseers.
Bound by level caps.
THE GREATER GODS
He remembered standing beside them in battle.
War, Darkness, Nature, the Ocean, Death, Fire…
Beings like Serafina and Leafa.
Power vast enough to shape continents.
Unable to walk Earth freely without restrictions.
Creators of pantheons beneath them.
THE SUPREME GODS
He remembered them towering above the cosmos.
Not ascended —
Not created —
Simply existing.
Eternal beings who shaped reality.
Like Athena.
Like those who feared him.
Their presence alone warped space.
Their laws governed fate.
Supreme Gods could create everything.
But could not descend freely.
And then—
Another memory flashed sharply.
Zumi remembered it perfectly.
A forbidden cosmic rule whispered by the Star Dragon.
"When a lesser god truly loves, and surrenders to the reincarnated Monkey King… their chains break."
"Their creator loses authority."
"And the mortal begins ascending into a Greater God."
Zumi's breath trembled as the memory ended.
He blinked — the restaurant coming back into focus.
Serafina was watching him carefully.
"You remembered something," she said quietly.
Zumi nodded.
"The hierarchy. The rules. Everything."
Hina leaned forward.
"So… it is possible…?"
Serafina smirked.
"Yes. With enough devotion, enough love… a mortal can become divine."
Her eyes flicked to Zumi.
"And some mortals—like him—don't stay mortal for long."
Zumi exhaled slowly.
Athena.
New York.
His empire.
His goddesses.
His destiny.
Everything was connecting.
And he was just getting started.
Serafina placed her chopsticks down slowly, eyes drifting from Zumi… to Hina.
"Hina," she began, voice soft but carrying immortal weight, "you asked if becoming a goddess is possible."
Hina straightened, heart pounding.
Serafina continued:
"It is.
And because I am a Greater Goddess… I have the authority to make you one of my Lesser Gods."
Hina's breath caught.
Zumi looked up sharply, surprised — but Serafina held up a hand.
"I do not care about you worshiping me," Serafina clarified gently.
"My devotion… my loyalty… my love all belong to Zumi now."
Her crimson eyes flicked toward him, warm and fierce.
"I gave him everything I am — my domain, my essence, my eternity.
If I make you my Lesser Goddess… you belong under him as well."
Hina froze.
"Under… him?"
Serafina nodded.
"Your flames may change. They might carry darkness — purple, like mine."
Her voice softened.
"But you will be immortal. You will never age. Your strength will multiply tenfold. Your soul will no longer belong to death or fate. Instead…"
She touched Hina's cheek.
"…you will belong to our family."
Hina's hands trembled.
She swallowed hard.
Then she turned to Zumi.
"Zumi… may I?"
Zumi cupped her cheek softly.
"If that's what you truly want…
then I support you.
Always."
Hina nodded, tears glimmering.
"I want to stay with you forever… both of you."
Serafina smiled like a Goddess who had just been handed a precious treasure.
"Then kneel, Hina."
Hina slid from her chair to her knees.
Serafina stood, her shadow stretching across the entire restaurant as the air grew cold — lamps flickering, utensils trembling, Ethan pausing mid-stir as he sensed divine power swelling.
Serafina's eyes glowed a deep, violet-black — like galaxies spiraling in her irises.
She placed a single finger on Hina's forehead.
Her voice echoed like thunder wrapped in velvet:
"By my authority as Serafina — Greater Goddess of Darkness — I grant you divinity."
BOOM.
The restaurant shook. Dark-purple flames erupted around Hina, swirling like a cocoon.
Her hair lifted, burning crimson at the roots — but streaks of glowing purple spread like wildfire.
Her aura expanded, divine and overwhelming, but also warm and familiar.
Ethan gasped from the kitchen, bowing instinctively.
"A… a new Goddess is being born…"
Serafina's voice softened, divine power flowing through every syllable:
"Rise, Hina… my Lesser Goddess of Shadowflame."
The purple flames vanished—
—and Hina rose.
Her eyes glowed red and violet. Her hair shimmered with streaks like royal fire. Her aura radiated divinity — fierce, beautiful, immortal.
Hina looked at herself, trembling.
"I… I feel… incredible…"
Serafina hugged her tightly.
"That's because you are a goddess now, dear."
Zumi stepped forward, placing a hand on Hina's cheek.
"You look beautiful."
Hina bit her lip, blushing. "I'm finally… strong enough to walk beside you."
Serafina smirked proudly.
"She certainly is."
Celestia's Secret Message
A golden ripple flashed before Zumi's eyes — invisible to Hina and Serafina.
🔔 PRIVATE SYSTEM NOTIFICATION — FOR HOST ONLY Celestia speaking directly to Zumi:
"A new system function has awakened ahead of schedule."
Gold text spiraled into existence:
🔥 DIVINE LINEAGE — UNLOCKED (Prototype Stage)
"Because Serafina is bound to you, and she has created a Lesser Goddess under her authority, all divine creations beneath your wives fall under you." "You are now the center of a new divine tree." "You are, in essence… the Supreme God of this lineage."
More text formed:
• All Goddesses bound to you serve under your domain • All Lesser Gods they create belong to your lineage • Divine power flows upward to you • Your authority now supersedes the old pantheons connected to your wives
Finally:
"More Divine Lineage functions will unlock when you fulfill the requirements of true divinity."
The message faded.
Zumi exhaled slowly.
He wasn't just gathering goddesses.
He was building a new pantheon.
His pantheon.
Serafina took his hand.
Hina held his other.
"Zumi," Serafina said softly, "your destiny is growing… rapidly."
Hina whispered:
"And we will grow with you."
Zumi looked at his goddesses — one reborn, one newly ascended — and smiled.
"I'll make sure all of us rise together."