"Do not be afraid, young man. Your talent is indeed remarkable. Since I see that the girl has chosen you, I shall grant you a small gift."
After saying that, the golden-haired middle-aged man raised his finger, and something shot toward my face. I tried to dodge, but the light was too fast — it struck me squarely and entered my body.
Suddenly, I felt the power within me surge rapidly. Shocked, I immediately sat down on the ground, closed my eyes, and focused on the rapidly growing energy inside me.
After a minute, I had successfully increased my strength to High-Stage Silver.
"Wow…"
According to my calculations, I would have needed at least two more years to reach this level of power. I lowered my body and bowed deeply to the man in gratitude.
"Thank you."
"It's nothing. Consider it… collateral."
"Collateral?"
I was confused and was about to ask what he meant, but then I saw the middle-aged man's body turn into an illusion and begin to fade.
"You…?"
"Do not worry, young man. My time has long passed. This is the era of the younger generation — of people like you. Enjoy it."
And with that, the golden-haired man completely vanished from this world.
"Ah… looks like I've gained a massive benefit."
I remained seated on the ground, waiting for Chelsea to return. Only after two hours did something finally happen.
The large stone began to tremble and crack, and after a while, it exploded, sending a bright light soaring into the sky. A tremendous pressure spread across the area.
At the center of that light was Chelsea — but she had undergone several changes.
Her silver hair now carried a golden hue, and her blue eyes had developed a vertical slit.
Her already beautiful face became even more stunning. But the main changes were these:
Name: Chelsea
Gender: Female
Age: 13
Species: Half-Dragon
Talent: 9/10
Power: High-Stage Grandmaster
Title: The Little Thief
Love: 100%
"Damn…"
She had just jumped from being powerless to someone whose strength could not be ignored in this world — and I was sure her growth wouldn't stop here.
"I'm kind of jealous…"
All Chelsea had to do was awaken her bloodline to become this powerful, while I had to risk my life to gain my strength. The only comforting thought was that a girl this powerful was mine.
When the light faded, Chelsea collapsed into my arms, unconscious. At that moment, a man appeared before me.
He had golden, narrow eyes and silver hair. The moment he stood before me, I felt an immense pressure crush me, forcing me to my knees. It felt as though a mountain had been placed upon my body.
But before the situation worsened, the pressure vanished — and Chelsea was suddenly in his hands.
Shocked and furious, I tried to attack him.
"Give her back!"
But before I could do anything, I was pinned down by an invisible force.
"Calm yourself, boy. I am Chelsea's father."
"Chelsea's… father?"
I replied in disbelief. Seeing my expression, the man looked equally surprised. He then glanced between Chelsea and me.
"You didn't know?"
"Know what?"
"Ah, damn it… forget it."
"What were you going to say?"
"Nothing."
The man sighed and shook his head. It wasn't his place to meddle in his daughter's affairs.
"Young man, take this."
As he spoke, he tossed me a golden token.
"That is my gift to you — a token of gratitude for protecting my family. When you need help, simply pour your mana into it, and I will come to your aid."
After saying that, the man disappeared, leaving me alone, sitting on the ground.
"Hah… that was close. Things almost got very troublesome for me."
It was truly difficult to keep up appearances in front of a dragon. If I had let my guard down even a little, disaster would have struck.
I smiled and lay down on the grass. I was sure Aunt Tera had also been taken by that man. With that, my goal had been achieved.
I stood up, stretched my body, and looked up at the sky.
"There's still so much I have to do."
Three Years Later~~~
Now, in the city of Lide, I was walking along its bustling streets. Over the past three years, I had accomplished half of what I had planned.
I was on my way to my inn. Once I arrived, I headed to the dining hall. Many people of different races and backgrounds were eating there, and the atmosphere was lively and warm.
"Hmm… not a bad vibe."
That was when I saw her — or more accurately, a girl — sitting by herself. The sight of her made my body freeze.
She didn't look particularly special. She had an average face, brown hair and eyes, and freckles scattered across her cheeks. She looked around sixteen or seventeen.
I activated the system's reading function:
Name: Aurora Vernietiging
Gender: Female
Age: 5000+
Species: Goddess of Destruction
Power: High-Stage Goddess
Titles: Witch of Destruction, Goddess of Destruction, Curse and Misfortune
Love: 0%
Description: The first human to ascend to godhood, but cursed with eternal loneliness, unable to interact with humans. She seeks the one destined for her.
Difficulty: F-
"What is a goddess like her doing here?"
"Wait… why is the difficulty rating so low?"
I had never seen a difficulty rating below F. And as for the woman before me — I knew her quite well. In fact, not just me — everyone in this world knew her.
A human who had successfully become a god — the living embodiment of the impossible. She was one of the Three High Goddesses in the Demon Territory.
There were countless legends about her. During the War of the Gods, she appeared as a sorceress of immense power. All mages revered her as the founder and creator of the Destruction Element. But all that power came at a terrible price.
Aurora was cursed. She should have died from the Destruction Element, but the Goddess Megicula took interest in her and helped her ascend, making her one of the three High Goddesses of the Demon Realm.
Though she survived and grew stronger, the price she paid was severe — she could no longer make contact with humans, and she lost the ability to feel.
In other words, she could no longer see humans or other species in any normal way. All she could perceive were floating black lights in the air.
Worse still, if she touched anyone, that person would disintegrate into ash.
She could no longer feel love, warmth, or any form of physical contact.
She became the Goddess of Destruction, Curse, and Misfortune.
She gained power — but in return, she lost everything that was truly precious to her. I had encountered her several times in the game. It seemed that, during her free time, she liked to wander from place to place.
She would pull pranks or mischief, just for the chance to feel physical contact with others. In the game, players could encounter her in disguise — and if they left a good impression, they could gain significant rewards.