Chapter 113: Ch 113 : Greatest Choice
In his God space, Sunny watched the interaction between his two subordinates, a faint smirk hidden behind his cosmic mask. Zir’s zealous pride was an amusing, yet valuable, sign of loyalty. But it was Asura, the newcomer, who held his complete attention.
This was a God with an unreadable SS-Grade talent, a mystery that even Thea’s vast analytical power could not solve. Sunny decided it was time to get a clearer picture. He focused his will, and a few thousand of his faith vanished from his reserves as he directed the full, penetrating power of his God’s Eye upon Asura.
The universe of information that flooded his mind was staggering.
[God Name: Asura]
[Planet Name: Kshara]
[Lifeforms: 834 Million]
[Talent: Evildoer (SS-Grade)]
[Faith: 1,210,324,578]
Sunny’s focus immediately locked onto the talent’s description, and for a moment, even he felt a chill.
[Talent Name: Evildoer]
[Grade: SS]
[Description: Faith is generated through the evil deeds committed by the lifeforms in your territory. The amount of faith is proportional to the severity of the evil act. Acts such as murder, betrayal, and causing widespread suffering generate immense faith.]
"A terrifying talent," Sunny thought, his initial reaction cold and strategic. "A double-edged sword. At one moment, you could be earning faith by the second; the next, your world could be a ruin of your own making." He glanced at Asura’s faith reserve. One billion points. A respectable sum. "Did he use it?"
He was not Asura’s judge. As long as a subordinate God did not threaten his empire, their methods were their own. Yet, a deep curiosity, an instinct honed by his own unique nature, took over. The knowledge was worth the price. His God’s Eye delved deeper, peeling back the layers of Asura’s existence, showing him everything.
He saw flashes of Asura’s mortal life on Endor: a loving family, a quiet life, dreams of a peaceful future. He saw the heart-wrenching moment of transmigration, the frantic search for his loved ones in the early chaos of the God Chat, and the crushing silence when he realized they were gone forever.
He witnessed the profound horror on Asura’s face the moment he understood the nature of his "blessing"—a cursed talent that ran contrary to his very soul.
"What a pitiful fellow," Sunny’s thoughts softened, the cold analysis replaced by a wave of genuine empathy. He saw a memory play out with vivid clarity: two of clans in Asura’s world stood on the brink of a bloody war over a fertile valley. Asura could feel the potential faith, a torrent of power waiting to be unleashed by the impending slaughter. He could have become immensely powerful in that single moment.
But instead, Sunny watched as Asura, with a pained expression, sent a subtle divine revelation—a shared dream of a bountiful harvest—that guided the two clans toward peace.
"He didn’t use his talent once," Sunny gasped, a newfound respect dawning. "Not once." He knew that if he were in that position, starved for power and desperate for security, he might have made a different choice.
Asura’s discipline, his unwavering adherence to his own morality in the face of such temptation, was a strength far greater than any talent.
A new plan began to formulate in Sunny’s mind, a way to harness the immense power of Asura’s talent without corrupting his soul.
"The main dish? What is left?" Asura asked, his mind already numb. Safety, a comprehension boost, new talents for his people—what more could there possibly be?
"First, let’s sit," Zir said with a mysterious smile, manifesting two comfortable chairs and a table laden with exotic foods and drinks from the entire cosmos "You’re going to need to be sitting for this."
He started digging into a plate of what looked like roasted celestial fowl, understanding these benifits would take a while. "The first benefit is the Cosmic Shop."
Asura’s brow furrowed. "We already had a System Shop. What’s the difference? A discount?"
"See for yourself," Zir shrugged, gesturing for Asura to open his system panel.
Asura did so instinctively and saw a notification: [Update Available]. He pressed the button, and the familiar icon for the System Shop transformed, its name changing to ’Cosmic Shop.’ He looked at the application’s description:
[A marketplace of wonders, exclusively for the subordinates of God Cosmos].
He opened it. The interface that greeted him was breathtaking. The background was not a simple blue screen but a living starfield of swirling nebulas and distant galaxies.
He navigated to the listings, and his eyes widened in utter disbelief. The items here were on a completely different level from the old shop.
There were Divine Embryos. There were SS-Grade weapons shimmering with unimaginable power. There were rare, otherworldly herbs from every corner of the multiverse, techniques for mana control, advanced technology blueprints, and even an SS-Grade Navigator Orb.
"Is this... real?" Asura whispered, the words catching in his throat. He felt an urge to pinch himself, to check if he was dreaming. Before he could, Zir reached over and gave his shoulder a firm squeeze.
"Ouch!" Asura cried out, the sharp sting of reality confirming he was awake. He was too stunned to even snap back at Zir.
His gaze returned to the shop. He clicked on the [Divine Embryo], priced at thirty thousand faith points, and, on a whim, pressed ’buy’. In the space between one heartbeat and the next, a pulsating, ethereal embryo materialized from thin air, hovering silently before him. It was real. Tangible. The potential for a loyal demigod, a power that others only dreamed of, was now his for a price he could actually afford.
Asura’s eyes became bloodshot with overwhelming emotion. He finally understood. He understood Zir’s unshakable loyalty. The benefits of serving God Cosmos were truly endless.
"So now you get it?" Zir said between bites. "And that’s not all. There’s also the concept of Heaven and Hell. The souls of your righteous lifeforms will find peace in Heaven, while the wicked will be taken to Hell for judgment"
Asura’s mind, already stretched to its limit, simply went blank. He held up a hand in surrender. "Just... just tell me everything at once," he said, his voice weak with awe. "I’ll try to digest it all later." He now knew, with absolute certainty, that his decision to become a subordinate was the greatest choice he had ever made.