Ayla sat cross-legged on her bed, her eyes locked on the shimmering blue screen floating in front of her. The room was dim, lit only by the glow of the status panel and the soft ambient light of the academy dorms. Her mind buzzed with a dozen questions, but none as pressing as the one she had already asked—and received a carefully worded answer to.
So... he did buy the faith energy from the System. And yet, 91% purity... she mused, fingers lightly tracing the edge of the screen in thought. Even copied faith energy from devout believers reaches such heights? Just how powerful is this system?
She glanced at her world's tab again. A pristine Earth-sized planet, lush and untouched, waiting for its stories to be written. Waiting for life to bloom.
Her heartbeat quickened.
"I need to get stronger," she whispered to herself. "If Keshav could reach that level so quickly... I have no excuses."
She returned to the [Shop] tab and hovered over the [Faith Energy] option again. The hesitation was still there.
"I could buy it… but that's not the path I want to take yet." She dismissed the window for now and opened [Merge], curiosity glittering in her eyes. "Let's try building something of my own first."
---
System POV (observing quietly):
Interesting choice, the System thought as it monitored her behavior. She resists temptation… ambitious, but cautious.
The System adjusted a few internal parameters silently. No nudging. No interference. Just observation—for now.
Let's see how far she can go before the next divine exam cycle...
----
Ayla tapped on the [Merge] function. The interface shifted—two large empty slots appeared side by side, along with a faint shimmering frame for the result.
> [Merge Interface Active]
Select two compatible techniques or concepts to merge.
She blinked. "Okay, let's try something basic first…"
She opened her free starter technique archive—basic skills given to every new god:
[Lesser Fireball]: A simple ranged attack.
[Flame Skin]: A low-level buff that protects the user with heat-based armor.
She selected both.
> Confirm merging [Lesser Fireball] + [Flame Skin]?
Cost: 10 EP
Estimated Result: [Intermediate – Fire Domain]
Result Type: Offensive / Defensive Hybrid
Her eyes widened slightly at the preview. This thing is no joke.
"Confirm," she whispered.
The blue screen pulsed.
> Merging…
A swirl of radiant light spun between the two technique panels, and then:
> [New Technique Created]: Ember Wreath
Type: Hybrid (Active)
Description: Wreath the user in a storm of embers. Increases resistance to physical and magical damage while burning nearby enemies. Can launch firebursts in short range.
Tier: Early-Intermediate
Compatibility: Fire-type believers, martial acolytes, warpriests.
Ayla's breath caught. "This… this would've cost me over 50 Creation Points on the website." She sat back in awe. "And I made it for just 10 EP…"
She immediately queued the new technique to her world's divine instruction beacon, making it available to her top fire-adept believer. She could already imagine the look on their face when the divine inspiration descended.
---
System POV:
The System noted the result silently.
She understands the utility of Merge fast. Good. Very good.
A slight flicker of background calculation began as it started generating potential future Merge suggestions based on her world's dominant faith archetypes and combat styles.
Let's see if she dares go deeper into synthesis.
-----
Keshav sat cross-legged on the soft, crescent-cushioned platform in his room, his eyes half-open. He was deep in sync with his god domain, watching the flow of civilization below like a silent overseer.
17 days outside… 170 years inside.
His world had transformed beyond recognition.
He observed massive cities glowing with a mixture of mystical and technological energy, golden temples dedicated to him towering at the center. Spiritual academies, martial sects, and research institutions spanned his domain, while vast military academies trained millions. Multiple generations of devout believers now lived, learned, and died for his glory.
His screen flickered—alerts from the believers who received the merged techniques.
Keshav leaned forward, fingers steepled, a faint smile touching his lips. "Good. They've started mastering the techniques I gave them."
He reached for the Terminal, scrolling through the Creation Website, checking prices and potential resources. He had already exchanged more EP for Faith earlier and converted that into Creation Points. Now, it was time to feed his world again.
But even while his mind focused, he couldn't help but feel it.
A shift.
Someone… was catching up.
He didn't know who. But the rate at which faith generation accelerated in the shared statistics bulletin of the academy system? He wasn't the only rising god anymore.
Still, he felt no threat. Not yet.
After all, the System was his. Or so he believed.
He glanced at the faint System panel beside the Terminal, then focused on his believers again.
Keshav murmured, "Let's prepare them for the next test. I'll push them to the edge."