Looking up from the statue, I turned to face Stardust and Cosmos, both of whom were waiting expectantly for my decision.
"Sorry, guys," I began, rubbing the back of my neck awkwardly. "Pharmacist and I promised Hades that he could choose the blessing the statue gives in order for him to join."
Hearing my words, the two exchanged a quick glance. Their eyes widened slightly in surprise, but instead of annoyance, they simply laughed softly.
"He must be really strong if you were willing to give up something like that," Stardust said, his tone light but clearly impressed.
"Yeah," Cosmos added with a calm smile, resting his elbow on the table. "It's not like he's the only one benefiting from the blessing, he just gets to pick it. I'm fine with that. It's a fair trade if it means strengthening the guild."
Their easy acceptance made me release a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding. "Good," I said with a small grin. "Then let's go through the options."
One by one, I read aloud the list of blessings available: fertility, evolution, strength, speed, and intelligence. The room filled with a low hum as everyone thought through the implications of each choice. But before any discussion could even begin, Hades' deep voice cut through the silence.
"I'll choose the Blessing of Fertility," he said firmly, as if he'd already made up his mind long before the list appeared.
The others looked at him with mild curiosity, but I immediately understood. With more organisms being born on his planet, there would be more souls for his talent to judge, more sinners and saints, more material to shape into warriors and angels. His decision wasn't random; it was strategic, perfectly aligned with his Talent.
Turning back to the glowing statue, I pressed my hand against the smooth surface.
[Blessing chosen]
[Bestowing blessing to the guild members' planets]
[Blessing bestowed]
A radiant light washed over the hall, bathing us all in a faint golden hue before fading away. It was done, the blessing had taken effect.
With that finished, I turned toward the quest board, wondering if new objectives had appeared. The moment I approached, three new pieces of parchment shimmered into view, each carrying a different quest.
[Quest Name: Reach Maximum Capacity]
[Quest: Reach 10 members in the guild]
[Reward: 20 Guild Points]
[Quest Name: Intelligence Is Key]
[Quest: Have every guild member's planet develop lifeforms intelligent enough to worship a god]
[Reward: 10 points for every member]
[Note: Current Progression: 1/5]
[Quest Name: Competition]
[Quest: Beat the other guilds in a competition]
[Reward: 100 Points]
Scanning the new quests, I couldn't help but feel a flicker of excitement. The first two were straightforward enough, challenging but attainable. The third one, though, was more uncertain. I had no idea when the next competition would happen or what form it would take. Still, it gave us something to aim for.
Studying the first two, I quickly realized something. To get the most out of Intelligence Is Key, we'd need to complete Reach Maximum Capacity first. The more members we had, the higher our potential reward.
My eyes flicked to the note about our current progress, 1 out of 5 members had intelligent worshippers. I didn't even have to guess who it was. Cosmos' talent directly enhanced intelligence, so it was obviously his planet. But I could feel that mine wasn't far behind. The lizards had alreadystarted to.show.signs of basic intelligence, they wernt far of getting to the point that they can worship a god.
I turned back to the others, who were also studying the board. "I don't suppose any of you know someone else who might want to join and meets the requirements?" I asked hopefully.
All four of them shook their heads almost in unison.
"I thought so." I sighed, stretching a little. "Then we'll just have to hope someone reaches out from the god chat. The guild's still new, it'll take time to build momentum."
"Yeah," Stardust said with a grin. "But we're growing fast. I'm sure people will start noticing us soon."
"Let's hope so," I replied, turning away from the board. "Anyway, I'm heading back to my area. See you all next time."
"See you," they replied almost in chorus as I made my way down the hall.
Crossing through the glowing door, I returned to my divine space, greeted by the familiar sight of my world hanging before me like a living gem. My planet hadn't moved an inch, still turning slowly beneath the divine light.
It had been about an hour since I'd last checked in, long enough for the Divine Tree to make some progress. Zooming in on the settlement of lizardfolk, I saw it immediately. The tree now towered over everything, its trunk thicker, its canopy vast and radiant. The entire village seemed to worship around it, the center of all life and growth.
Focusing on it, I pulled up its status window.
[System Name: Divine Tree System]
[Points Generated: 834]
[Points Spent: 800]
[Rewards Bought:]
[Height x20]
[Canopy x3]
[Blessing of Intelligence x3]
Reading the system log, a smile tugged at my lips. The Divine Tree had chosen to prioritize intelligence over strength or speed, just as I'd hoped. It was learning, adapting, growing in the right direction. My world was evolving exactly as it should.
"Good, good," I muttered to myself as I studied the settlement surrounding the tree. The lizards still lived in basic mud houses, their simple shelters clustered in random around the giant tree., but something new caught my eye, a group of lizard children playing near a shallow stream.
What drew my attention wasn't their playfulness but the way they moved. Unlike their parents, who still relied on all fours, these young ones were starting to stand upright, walking clumsily on two legs while using their long tails for balance. Their movements were awkward but determined, as if instinct itself was pushing them toward change.
Looking closer, I noticed their front limbs were different too, shorter and more refined than the older generation's, with greater flexibility and precision. Their fingers curled naturally around sticks and stones, experimenting with basic tools, tapping and scratching shapes into the dirt.
It was subtle, but undeniable: evolution in motion. The younger generation was adapting, reshaping themselves for a different way of life. Watching them, I couldn't help but feel a surge of satisfaction. The lizards were evolving.
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Author:
I added character designs in an auxiliary chapter.
Their pretty bad but they give a general idea of what the characters look like.