Chapter 116: Ch 116 : A new Player
Strategist cleared his throat, the sound a subtle but effective call for silence in the vast, virtual call. "First of all," he began, his voice calm and measured, "it is a distinct pleasure to speak before you all, and especially before you, God Cosmos." He gave a respectful nod, a gesture that immediately captured the attention of the 5.5 billion Gods present.
"My question is a simple one," he continued, framing his words not as a complaint, but as a concern, a concern that every God should agree with. "Many of us in this pantheon lack the vanguard demigods necessary for a direct assault on fortified demonic positions where the treasures are kept. My own demigod, for instance, is a being of pure intellect, not combat. How do we, as a unified force, address this strategic disparity?"
The question hung in the air, a perfect articulation of the fear lingering in the hearts of the four and a half billion newcomers. In response, a wave of quiet, knowing chuckles rippled through the ranks of Sunny’s original one billion followers.
Sunny’s voice, hiding a smirk, echoed through the hall. "A valid point, Strategist. I wouldn’t want to spoil the fun for your seniors, however. I suggest you discuss that particular matter with them after this meeting."
The newcomers looked at each other in confusion, while the "seniors" felt a surge of pride. It was a subtle gesture from Sunny, a way of acknowledging their loyalty and giving them a place of honor. Before anyone else could speak, Zir’s projection beamed, his avatar practically preening.
"You can all just come to me!" he announced with the swagger of a man who owned the place. "I am the right-hand man of the Boss. I’ll get you all up to speed."
"Let’s postpone these questions for now," Sunny interjected, his voice a majestic hum that effortlessly reclaimed control of the meeting. "You will have time for such discussions later. Our focus, for now, is the treasure."
He turned his masked gaze to the void beside him. "Thea, open the map."
[Yes, Master,] Thea’s voice replied, and a new panel materialized before every God. It was a living, three-dimensional map of the Realm of Advancement, a breathtaking holographic display where pulsating red icons marked the treasure locations and shimmering blue threads connected the portals of every world.
"As you can see," Sunny began, his voice resonating with the tone of a commander, which was possible because of his immense knowledge from the combat master talent, "there are approximately one hundred treasures. And there are six billion Gods. It is a masterpiece of temptation. The Demon Lords are not asking us to fight them. They are asking us to fight each other."
He let that sink in before continuing, imparting the wisdom he’d gained from Adam. "Like us, they pay a price for their intervention. Every direct intervention drains their power. It is far cheaper to hand a mortal a knife and whisper poisonous thoughts in his ear than it is to strike the blow yourself. That is their strategy." He paused, his cosmic eyes sweeping across the billions of divine faces. "But now, we are together. I will not say this fight will be easy, but the pressure is far less than it was before."
A palpable shift occurred in the atmosphere of the grand meeting. The anxiety and fear that had been simmering beneath the surface began to evaporate, replaced by a grim, unified resolve. They had a leader, they had a plan, and for the first time, they had hope.
After laying out the initial strategies for scouting and resource sharing, Sunny quietly left the video call. He heaved a sigh of relief, a surprisingly human sound in the divine silence of his God space.
Everything had gone well. He had turned a demonic plot into a catalyst for unity.
But just as a feeling of satisfaction began to settle over him, his intuition jolted him with a violence that made his form shudder. It wasn’t the vast, looming dread of the Demon Lords; this was different. It was a splinter of alien wrongness, a single, sharp note of dissonance in the cosmic symphony. It felt... Wrony. A Calculated lie.
"What... How..."
In a forgotten corner of the Realm of Advancement, in a squalid camp filled with the lifeforms of a God who had foolishly chosen treasure over sanctuary, a boy lay dying.
At seventeen, he was a skeletal figure, his body ravaged by malnutrition and a festering infection in his leg. He looked at the gray, unforgiving sky, his breath coming in shallow, ragged gasps.
Suddenly, a cold, mechanical voice sounded directly inside his skull.
[Interdimensional System #1423, is connecting with host...]
The boy, whose name was Kael, flinched. A shimmering, unfamiliar panel appeared before his eyes. "What is this...?" he whispered weakly, trying to push himself away from the pain that his body felt.
[Host is suffering from critical malnutrition and septic infection. A Full Body Recovery Pill has been gifted.]
A pill, shimmering with a cold, golden light, materialized out of thin air and hovered before his face. Kael stared at it, his mind clouded with the pain and fear. After a moment of desperate contemplation, he realized he had nothing left to lose. He was dying anyway. Why not try? With a final, desperate effort, he lunged forward and swallowed the pill whole.
An intense heat erupted in his stomach, spreading through his veins like fire. Steam hissed from his skin. "What is happening?!" he screamed, a surge of adrenaline so powerful that he forgot he had been too weak to even move moments before. His body convulsed on the dirty ground, the pain excruciating.
[Host, you are currently undergoing cellular reconstruction. Kindly move with caution.]
"Oh..." Kael gasped, the pain subsiding as quickly as it had come. He looked down at his body. The grotesque infection on his leg was gone, replaced by smooth, healthy skin. The gnawing hunger in his belly had vanished. He felt... strong. Stronger than he had ever felt in his life.