Jaswant sat cross-legged on the floor of his room, the gold coins from the previous night scattered around him like tiny stars. The God Store interface glowed before his eyes, displaying the skills he had purchased: The Eye of the Blind God and Crushing Index Finger of the God.
He flexed his fingers experimentally, willing the skills to activate. At first, nothing happened. Then, instinctively, he rolled his index finger across the small objects lying beside him. They moved, obeying his command as if pulled by invisible strings. A laugh escaped him — sharp, triumphant. So this is power. So this is what it feels like to control something without touching it.
But Jaswant knew better than to become overconfident. A single misstep could alert Vihaan or his mother, whose cunning was as legendary as it was dangerous. He had already felt the edges of their deceit. They were skilled in manipulation, experts in concealing their true intentions behind honeyed words. He had to be faster, stronger, smarter — a God in a world where gods ruled.
He activated The Eye of the Blind God once more, testing its limits. His vision flickered, disappeared, and then returned, sharper than before. He could see the faintest glimmers of energy, like threads woven into the air. It was as though reality itself had a texture now, a hidden layer he could navigate.
Every skill has its price, he reminded himself. Every power comes with risk. I must learn to wield them without losing myself.
The hours passed in focused training. He practiced moving objects with precision, lifting heavier items, and directing them with delicate gestures. Each successful action sent coins flashing across the interface — confirmation from the system that he was progressing.
Suddenly, the room shimmered. A notification blinked across the God Store:
"A new challenge awaits. Test your strength against the Minions of the God Realm. Rewards: 50–200 gold coins per enemy. Do you accept?"
Jaswant's heart pounded. This was the moment he had been waiting for — a real test, beyond the practice room of his imagination. Without hesitation, he tapped Accept.
The air thickened. Shadows pooled in the corners of his room, elongating into grotesque, humanoid forms. Their eyes glowed a dull crimson, and their claws scraped against the floor with an eerie, metallic sound.
Jaswant rose, feeling the rush of adrenaline flood his veins. He flexed his fingers, summoned his skill, and struck the nearest shadow with Crushing Index Finger of the God. The enemy's form shattered into a hundred black shards. A coin appeared, hitting the floor with a soft chime: 50 gold coins acquired.
The other minions advanced, faster, smarter. Jaswant dodged, countered, and struck, weaving between reality and the hidden threads of energy only he could see. His senses heightened with each encounter, the skills syncing with his body as if they were an extension of his own will.
Hours blurred into an endless dance of shadows and coins. By dawn, Jaswant stood alone, breathing heavily, the floor littered with coins shimmering in the morning light. His balance in the God Store now read over 800 gold coins. He had leveled up, but this was only the beginning.
As he collected himself, a new thought struck him like lightning. Vihaan and my aunt… they are watching, waiting for me to make a mistake. If I don't become stronger, I will never expose them.
Jaswant knew what he had to do. Training alone would not suffice. He needed knowledge, allies, and insight into the God System that had chosen him. The Soul Essences of the Five Elements remained elusive, but now he had a means to search, to fight, and perhaps — to conquer.
He opened the system again. The God Store glowed, revealing a skill that had previously been hidden: "Divine Perception of the Nameless God". Its price: 300 gold coins. Jaswant hesitated, weighing the cost against the potential power.
With a deep breath, he tapped the skill. "Congratulations. You have successfully activated Divine Perception of the Nameless God."
Immediately, his senses expanded. He could see patterns in the energy flows of the world, the intentions of those around him, even the faint traces of magic hidden in everyday objects. The threads connecting people, places, and power — all became visible.
So this is the first step toward uncovering the truth, he thought, his heart steadying with resolve. Vihaan and Aunt Mandira cannot hide forever. Their deception ends now.
A sudden ping on the system made him jump. A new message appeared:
"Objective updated: Locate the first Soul Essence of the Five Elements. Hint: Seek the Temple of Lost Memories. Rewards: Unimaginable."
Jaswant smirked, a mix of anticipation and determination blazing in his eyes. The journey was far from over, but now he had the tools, the skills, and the vision to confront his past, his enemies, and the mysteries of this new world.
Outside, the world moved on in its ordinary rhythm, but inside his room, Jaswant had begun ascending. He was no longer just a boy caught in conspiracies and shadowed memories. He was becoming something more — a god in the making.
And the Nameless God had only just begun his reckoning.
Next day, early in the morning
The morning sun had barely touched the horizon when Jaswant stepped out of his room. The cool breeze against his skin was a stark contrast to the digital glow of the God System he had just mastered. His mind, however, remained sharply focused — every movement, every glance calculated. The streets of his city looked ordinary, yet Jaswant now perceived threads beneath the mundane: the hidden energies that pulsed like veins through every building, every living being.
He had learned one crucial lesson: power was invisible to the untrained eye. Only those who saw could act.
As he walked toward the outskirts of the city — the direction the God System hinted at — he felt a subtle vibration in his mind. A notification from the system:
"Objective: Locate the Temple of Lost Memories. First Trial: Test your control over the Crushing Index Finger of the God. A guardian awaits."
Before he could react, the air thickened. Shadows rose from the alleyways like smoke come to life. Their forms were humanoid but grotesque, their bodies twisted as if forged in nightmare. One of them, larger and more grotesque than the others, stepped forward. Its eyes glowed an ominous crimson, and its claws scraped the ground, sending sparks of energy flying.
Jaswant smirked, recalling the skill he had purchased. Raising his index finger, he whispered under his breath: "Crush."
The creature froze. Then, as if obeying his command, it shattered into pieces, black shards clattering to the ground. Coins appeared, shimmering gold in the dim light. Jaswant felt the satisfaction of a god testing his power — yet he knew this was only the beginning.
The smaller shadows attacked in waves. Each one fell beneath his precise, controlled movements. His fingers danced over the invisible threads, sending objects and energy hurling with devastating precision. With each kill, the God System updated, coins piling at his feet like a tangible score of his growing might.
Hours passed like minutes. The shadows ceased, leaving a trail of coins and shattered illusions. Jaswant wiped the sweat from his brow, breathing steadily. His vision, enhanced by the Eye of the Blind God and Divine Perception, had revealed more than just enemies — it had shown him the hidden paths that the ordinary world concealed.
Then, the system pinged again. A new message:
"Hint: The Temple of Lost Memories lies where the forgotten converge. Beware the illusions, for not all is as it seems."
Jaswant's lips curled into a half-smile. Illusions were familiar to him; one year of surviving his aunt and Vihaan had taught him that reality could be bent by cunning minds. But this… this was different. These were not humans hiding deceit — these were the very fabric of the world testing him.
Following the threads of energy, he reached the outskirts of an abandoned district. Buildings decayed, windows shattered, and the streets silent. Yet beneath the silence, he sensed something ancient. A power waiting, watching, alive.
A sudden gust of wind carried whispers — unintelligible at first, then forming words in the very air around him:
"Turn back… you do not belong here… power is not for you…"
Jaswant's heart did not waver. Power belongs to those who claim it, he thought. And I will claim mine.
A sudden portal shimmered ahead. The Temple of Lost Memories revealed itself: an enormous structure of black stone, inscribed with glowing runes in a language he could now read thanks to his Divine Perception. Its gates opened silently, inviting him.
He stepped inside, and the air changed. Memory fragments — his own past intertwined with visions of others — floated like ethereal ghosts. He saw Vihaan laughing cruelly, Aunt Mandira whispering plans, and flashes of the year he had spent recovering and learning about the Soul Essences.
But one vision stood out: a radiant figure, the goddess who had appeared in his darkest memory, smiling down at him. She extended a hand, a faint glow emanating from her palm.
"Seek the Essences… or remain lost," her voice resonated in his mind.
Jaswant clenched his fists, determination burning brighter than ever. He had come this far, survived shadows, and claimed his skills. Now, he would confront illusions, traps, and guardians — and begin the quest for the Five Soul Essences.
From the corners of the temple, a chilling sound echoed: the first guardian had appeared. Its form was massive, like molten rock fused with shadow, its eyes blazing with intelligence and malice.
"Your trial begins now, Nameless God," the system intoned.
Jaswant took a deep breath, feeling the surge of all his acquired skills and powers. He had trained, survived, and observed. Now it was time to fight.
The Nameless God had entered the temple. And nothing — no illusion, no enemy, no plot — would stand in his way.