Stratos sprang into action. The plan was simple, but execution required precision. He hurried to a small cyber café nearby — one of the few places in the Outer District where a printer still worked reliably.
With careful movements, he fed in his Union Coins. A hundred to print five copies… gone. The coins clinked in his hand one last time before disappearing into the machine.
On the printer, cards slowly emerged — small, sturdy flyers emblazoned with a symbol of a golden wheel, glowing faintly even in the dim light. The title was bold and provocative:
"The Divine Watcher — A god who answers as long as you call his name during prayer and make the blood contract with your divine card."
Beneath it were a few brief instructions, enough to spark curiosity: how to pray, how to focus intention, and a cryptic mention of a blood contract — a concept that could stir awe, fear, or hope in equal measure.
Stratos picked up the five printed cards, feeling their weight. Each one was a seed. Each one was a spark of potential faith.
He pulled his coat tighter around him. The night air was sharp, filled with the stench of the slums and the distant cries of scavengers. Perfect. The harshness would make hope taste sweeter.
He had his targets. He had his tools.
Now, he just had to deliver them.
Striding into the alleys of the Outer District, Stratos Cosminus moved like a shadow with purpose. Each step carried the promise of the Divine Wheel, and in the back of his mind, he began weaving the first threads of what would become a faith, a following… and ultimately, his domain.
...
For Eva, the approach was simple. Stratos spotted a small child scuttling through the narrow streets, eyes wide with hunger and curiosity. With a few coins, he bought sweets — bright little candies that instantly drew a smile.
He handed the child one of the cards, whispering, "Deliver this to Eva Granfield… she'll know what to do."
The child's eyes lit up as he scampered off, the card clutched like a treasure. Stratos watched for a moment, noting the ease with which the first seed had been planted. A small test, yes, but it would reveal much.
For Ethan Gray, the process required a bit more subtlety. The hunter's reputation was well-known; he couldn't just approach him directly. Stratos waited near the fortified entrance to the hunting grounds, observing the watchmen and guards.
When Ethan appeared, flanked by his group, Stratos handed the card to a burly watchman with a practiced, authoritative gesture. "Give this to Ethan Gray… discreetly," he said, voice calm, controlled.
The watchman nodded, taking the card without question. Stratos didn't linger to see the reaction. Instead, he melted back into the alleys, heart steady but mind alert.
Now, the waiting began.
He would see how each reacted, how the first stirrings of faith might appear, and whether his careful manipulations could take root. The Divine Wheel had chosen him, and every moment, every small action, was another turn in its unseen mechanism.
Stratos leaned against the cool stone wall of the Outer District, watching shadows stretch across the streets, and waited.
....
Stratos returned to his apartment, closing the door softly behind him. The city outside settled into uneasy quiet, the distant cries and shuffling of the Outer District fading into the night. He sat on the edge of the bed, legs drawn up, eyes fixed on the faintly glowing sigil hovering in the center of the room.
Hours passed. He waited, the night stretching long and heavy. His mind raced, imagining possibilities — some mundane, some miraculous — but he remained patient. This was a game of subtle influence; he had set the pieces in motion, now he had to see if they moved.
Late into the night, a soft chime echoed in his mind. The system's presence, usually calm and abstract, now felt sharp, attentive.
[Detected that a follower Ethan Gray has begun offering prayers of faith to you.]
[Faith Offered: 3 Points.]
[Random Divine Wheel Amplification Activated — x100,000.]
[Faith Converted → 300,000.]
[Divinity +300.]
The air trembled. A sudden rush of golden light surged through the tiny room, bursting outward like a silent explosion. The candle beside him guttered, then flared higher, its flame bending toward him as if drawn by unseen gravity.
Stratos stiffened, eyes widening as power poured into him. The sensation was intoxicating — a flood of energy coursing through every vein, filling him until his skin felt too small to hold it. The Divine Wheel within his soul spun faster, its rotations ringing like a distant bell.
He could barely catch his breath. Three faith points. That was all Ethan had offered — a simple, desperate prayer. Yet somehow it had been magnified a hundred thousandfold.
When the light finally subsided, he felt… different. His body thrummed with strength. The faint ache of mortality that still lingered was gone. Every sense hummed with clarity.
A slow grin curved across his face. "That's more like it."
The lingering glow in the air hadn't even faded when the system chimed again, its tone sharper — almost jubilant.
[Congratulations! You have gained your first Human Follower.]
[Reward Granted: Divine Blessing Function — Unlocked.]
Stratos blinked, eyes widening as more text scrolled before him in golden light.
[Divine Blessing Function: Allows a deity to grant a direct boon, enhancement, or protection to a registered follower.]
[Cost: Faith or Divinity may be expended to empower followers proportionally.]
[Note: Blessings strengthen the bond between god and believer. Strength of belief directly affects efficiency of Faith conversion.]
He read the words twice, heart quickening.
"So that's how the great ones do it," he murmured.
Faith was a cycle — belief feeding power, and power feeding deeper belief. The stronger his follower became, the more others would notice. A living miracle walking through the slums would do more to spread his name than any flyer ever could.
He called up the new interface with a thought. Ethan Gray's name hovered there, faintly glowing in gold beside the word 'Follower (1)'.
He chose to bless him using the only available option- Minor blessing
Minor blessings, according to the knowledge pulsing in his mind, could bestow buffs, enhancements, or even fragmentary skills.
Stratos smirked. "Then let's make it memorable."
He selected the Bless option, focusing on Ethan's name.
A moment's thought, and he poured a thread of divine energy into the connection.
[Initiating Blessing: Target — Ethan Gray.]
[Bestowing Mortal-Grade Skill — "Enhanced Perception" (Downgraded derivative of Divine Eye).]
The golden thread of light pulsed once, then vanished from sight.
Outer District – Ethan Gray's POV
The night was still. Ethan knelt beside a cracked shrine of stone — once a storage crate, now carved crudely with strange symbols. He had followed the flyer's words exactly, more out of curiosity than belief.
He didn't know who this Divine Watcher was. But when you lived in the slums long enough, you learned to gamble with even the faintest chance of hope.
His calloused hands tightened, head bowed low and he muttered a prayer under his breath-
"O Divine Watcher, unseen but ever near,
You who turn the Wheel of Fate,
Guide my path when I am lost,
Strengthen my hands when I falter,
And let your light see me through the dark.
I offer faith and blood,
So that your gaze may fall upon me.
Watch over me, and I shall follow your will."
At first, nothing happened. Just the sound of the wind whistling through broken metal.
Then—
A pulse.
Warm, deep, and alive.
His vision blurred — then sharpened, violently. Every flicker of movement in the shadows became crisp, every sound split into layers: footsteps, heartbeats, even the faint vibration of distant machinery. His breath caught as golden light briefly veined across his arms, then faded, leaving a lingering sense of vitality behind.
"What… the hell was that?" he whispered, staring at his trembling hands.
Information flashed before his eyes — his status window flickering with a new entry:
[Skill Acquired: Enhanced Perception (Blessed)]
Effect: Greatly heightens spatial awareness, motion tracking, and reaction timing.
Ethan staggered to his feet, stunned. "A blessing…?"
It was impossible but yet, the strength coursing through him was undeniable. His instincts told him one thing: this wasn't a hoax.
He fell to one knee again, heart pounding with awe and something dangerously close to belief....