The Averze Village wasn't big, and the houses weren't fancy or elaborate. They were all built from the same rough wood the villagers cut down from the surrounding forests.
As Osirs walked back to the village, he saw many children playing in the open fields, their laughter echoing through the air.
"Hello, Osirs! Did you just get back?"
"Oh, Osirs! Already back? Hahaha, you must try this new bread I made. It's really good!"
A few of the older Averze greeted him warmly, their voices kind and familiar. Osirs returned their smiles, accepting a piece of bread from an elderly man who chuckled and patted his shoulder.
But as much as he enjoyed the casual kindness, his thoughts were elsewhere.
He made his way to his small wooden house, pushed the creaky door open, and tossed his sword carelessly onto the floor. Then, he collapsed onto a pile of hay that served as his bed, taking a bite of the bread.
As he chewed, his mind raced, thoughts spiraling around everything that had just happened.
He had met a god. He had gained a blessing. He had the potential to become something far greater than he ever imagined.
The more he thought about it, the wider his grin grew. Until finally, he couldn't hold it in any longer.
"Hehehe…" Osirs chuckled to himself, his voice low and eager.
He tore another bite from the bread, his body feeling warm from excitement more than hunger.
Before he even finished eating, he shot to his feet, his eyes gleaming with determination.
He snatched his sword from the floor and rushed outside, barely noticing the sun dipping below the horizon.
Even as night began to fall, he didn't care.
His entire body buzzed with energy, and his thoughts were filled with a single desire.
"To become stronger…"
He gripped the sword tightly and began to swing it, over and over, his movements growing sharper, faster, and more precise with each strike.
He didn't care about the darkness creeping over the village.
He didn't care about rest.
All he cared about was the blade in his hand and the path he wants to discover.
A few villagers noticed Osirs swinging his sword with unusual intensity. They glanced at him with puzzled expressions.
Wasn't today his day off?
Normally, Osirs would be relaxing or enjoying the peace, not tirelessly swinging his sword until it was time to return to the training grounds.
But Osirs ignored their curious looks.
He swung his sword over and over, his eyes closed, concentrating entirely on one thing, Sword Path Instinct.
The description of the skill echoed in his mind. It would help him find the perfect path for his sword. A way unique to him.
And so, he kept swinging. Trying to feel something. Anything.
Countless swings later, his arms ached and his breathing grew heavy. But he refused to stop.
Finally, he opened his eyes and looked up.
The sky was dark. Night had already fallen.
But Osirs wasn't frustrated. In fact, he was thrilled.
A wide smile broke across his face, and he couldn't help but chuckle as he glanced at his status screen.
[Skill Unlocked:
Basic Averze Swordsmanship (Beginner Level): The foundational swordsmanship of the Averze race, taught to all novice swordsmen as their starting point. ]
Although it wasn't much,just the most basic skill of the Averze swordsmanship,it was still progress.
And until now, he hadn't even reached that level!
"So… why couldn't I feel this Sword Path Instinct before?" Osirs asked himself, his brow furrowed.
He glanced down at his trembling arms, the fatigue finally catching up to him.
"...Haa… let's just think about that tomorrow."
Too tired to continue, Osirs dragged himself back to his small wooden house.
He collapsed onto the pile of hay he called a bed, his body sinking into the rough but comforting material.
But just as he was about to fall asleep…
A familiar sound reached his ears.
Faint. Echoing. Like a ripple in the air.
Curious, he forced his tired eyes open and looked up.
A black and yellow screen floated above him.
It was a status message from the God of Light.
[The God of Light congratulates you on your improvement in swordsmanship!]
Reading the message, Osirs chuckled softly before finally drifting off to sleep.
But while Osirs slept, high above in his God Domain, Oberon lay in the cool green grass, smiling happily at his believer's progress.
"Hehehe, I must really be blessed by Lady Luck to have such a talented believer! Haha!" Oberon chuckled, joking to himself.
But as his laughter faded, his gaze shifted to his status screen.
What he saw made his eyes widen in surprise.
[God System
Godly Name: Oberon
God Titles: The Hope of All Beings, The End of All Beings
Divinity Stage: Newborn God
Soul: 300
Spirit: 300
Body: 400
Vitality: 1000
Believers: 0
Faith Points: 90
Godly Authorities: Absolute Darkness, Absolute Light
Skills:
-Blessing of Absolute Darkness:
Allows the god to bless believers with Darkness using Faith Points. The more Faith Points spent, the greater the blessing.
-Blessing of Absolute Light:
Allows the god to bless believers with Light using Faith Points. The more Faith Points spent, the greater the blessing.]
Although his stats hadn't changed, and he hadn't gained any new skills, something was different.
He had more Faith Points than before.
"Wait… I had 85 Faith Points before. But now, I have 90?"
Oberon frowned, his mind racing to figure out how that happened.
"What did Osirs do…?" he muttered aloud, replaying the recent events in his mind.
"He just trained, right? Nothing special."
He fell silent for a moment, his eyes narrowing as his thoughts pieced together a theory.
And then, his eyes widened with realization.
"Wait… if a believer feels grateful to me, I gain Faith Points?"
He leaned back, chuckling to himself as the revelation sank in.
"So, Osirs was happy about his improvement in swordsmanship… and he must've believed it was thanks to me."
Oberon grinned.
"Is that how it works? Faith isn't just about worship… it's about gratitude. Admiration. Maybe even obsession, if it's strong enough."
He laughed, his voice echoing through the darkness of his Domain.
"Interesting… so just by making my believers feel grateful or inspired, I can earn Faith Points?"
Oberon's grin grew wider.
"Then, all I have to do is give them enough reasons to believe in me."
The more Oberon spoke aloud, the more certain he became of his theory. Faith Points were directly tied to how his believers felt about him. Gratitude, admiration, respect.It all contributed.
He nodded to himself, his mind already spinning with plans for Osirs. How could he help him grow stronger? And how could he earn more Faith Points in the process?
Since Osirs was clearly a talented swordsman, Oberon spent the next two hours scouring the endless Faith Store.
He scrolled through countless items,divine sword arts, secret techniques, special body constitutions, and more. Each of them looked incredibly useful.
But all of them were far beyond his budget.
"Haaa... I really am a broke god," Oberon sighed. "But... wait, what's this?"
At last, he found something he could afford. Something simple, but effective.
A grin spread across his face.
"Hehehe… System, buy it!"
The purchase was complete. Oberon couldn't wait to see the results.
Satisfied, he closed his eyes and settled into the soft grass of his Domain, patiently waiting for dawn.
Finally, morning came.
Oberon's eyes snapped open, and he immediately activated the believer livestream. The familiar black-and-yellow screen appeared before him, showing Osirs sleeping peacefully in his small wooden house.
But Oberon didn't just want to watch. He wanted to test his new plan.
He grinned, eyes gleaming with excitement.
As the first light of day seeped through the cracks in the wooden walls, Osirs slowly opened his eyes.
He stretched, yawned, and got dressed for his training.
But just before he left the house, a status screen suddenly appeared before him.
[Challenge: One Week to Become the Strongest!
Challenge Description: The God of Light has noticed your rapid improvement in swordsmanship and has grown interested. He wishes to challenge you,to become the best swordsman in your training class within one week!
Challenge Reward: A mysterious item that will help you awaken your spirit.
Challenge Punishment: You may lose the interest of the God of Light.
(Do you accept this challenge? Yes / No)]
"A... challenge?" Osirs muttered aloud, eyes scanning the glowing message.
The words caught his attention immediately. His fingers trembled with excitement.
"One week?" He chuckled, his lips curving into a grin. "That's more than enough time to fully master the basics of the Averze swordsmanship!"
Without hesitation, he shouted, "I accept it!"
The moment he spoke, the status screen faded away, leaving Osirs with nothing but his own determination and the echo of Oberon's challenge.
Osirs's grin widened. Excitement rushed through his veins, igniting his spirit.
He grabbed his training sword and practically ran to the training ground of his village.
After only ten minutes of walking, Osirs finally arrived at the training ground. About ten other Averzes were already there, sitting on the grass in small groups.
Four females and six males chatted among themselves, their voices a gentle murmur carried by the morning breeze.
Osirs didn't pay them much attention. He wasn't the most social person and, while he was kind, he wasn't skilled at making strong friendships.
After offering a few polite greetings to those who acknowledged him, he sat down on the ground, placing his sword beside him.
His excitement simmered just beneath the surface, his fingers itching to begin training. But he forced himself to remain calm, knowing that patience was part of the process.
Finally, the teacher arrived.
Like all Averzes, he had long, pointed ears and cross-shaped pupils. His face bore several scars—signs of battles fought and survived.
He wore the usual worn battle outfit of their race,a thick beast's fur reinforced with leather, sturdy and practical. The teacher's sword rested at his hip, swaying slightly with each step.
Clearing his throat with two firm coughs, the teacher addressed the novices with a faint smile.
"Alright, everyone. We begin with the usual routine," he announced, his voice steady and strong. "Start with stretching your bodies, then proceed to your basic sword stances."
With that command, all eleven students stood up from the ground and began their warm-up exercises.
They stretched their limbs in various angles and positions, ensuring their bodies were loose and ready for the rigorous training ahead.
Osirs followed along, but his mind was already focused on more than just the basic routines.
He was thinking about the challenge. About what it would take to become the strongest in his class within a single week.
And he was ready to push himself to the limit.