An unfamiliar wind brushed against Riley Carter's skin. The air was thick with floral scents he couldn't name, and the sky above shimmered with colors he'd never seen. The ground beneath his feet was soft and alive, like the earth itself breathed in unison with the sky. Giant crystal-like trees swayed in the breeze, their leaves humming in harmony.
Then came the voice.
"Riley Carter."
He spun around. "Who's there?!"
Out of nowhere, eight figures appeared, seated around a grand circular table made of polished stone and glowing with symbols. Each figure radiated an intense presence, and Riley instinctively took a step back.
A tall woman with earthy brown hair, bright green eyes, and a dress of living vines stood up. Her presence was calming, maternal.
"I am Gaia, Goddess of Creation," she said, her voice like wind through trees. "You have been summoned to our personal divine realm."
Suddenly, her serene face twisted in panic. "I am so sorry!!!!!!!!!"
"Huh?!" Riley exclaimed.
Another woman, graceful with violet hair and glasses, calmly rose. Her dark blue dress shimmered with arcane runes.
"Gaia, he doesn't know what you're talking about. You have to explain it to him," she said.
"Oh! Right, I'm sorry again," Gaia said, taking a deep breath. "You see... I may have made a small blunder. I accidentally dropped some lightning into the world below and... well, you know the rest."
She laughed awkwardly.
"Huh…?" Riley blinked.
Gaia bowed deeply. "I am really sorry!!!!"
Then another voice rang out, amused.
"Sorry about our sister here, she's a little excitable," said a woman with starry eyes and flowing black hair streaked with purple. Her outfit glimmered with the cosmos. "But you gotta admit, it was a little funny to get hit by lightning."
"Nyx, stop that. It's not funny for him—he died," said another. This one had silver hair in a braid and golden, clock-like eyes. Her elegant black and silver dress ticked softly with every movement.
"You're no fun, Chrona," Nyx said with a smirk.
Riley stood dumbfounded. Then he looked down. Or rather, he tried to. He had no body—he was floating, translucent. A spirit.
"Okay, okay. So not only am I dead, I'm literally a ghost?" he said, eyebrows raised.
"Riley, please forgive me," Gaia said, placing her hand over her heart.
"No way. You literally killed me."
"It was an accident!"
"You threw a lightning bolt at the Earth like it was a Frisbee!"
"I sneezed!"
"How does that even—wait, never mind."
They went back and forth, Gaia growing more flustered, Riley becoming increasingly sarcastic.
The other goddesses leaned in to watch like they were at a soap opera.
"Aww, they're kind of cute when they argue," Venus cooed.
"I ship it," Fortuna giggled.
"Hmm. Adversity builds rapport," Sophia noted, adjusting her glasses.
Riley suddenly broke into a chuckle. "It's okay. I mean... apologizing won't fix this. I'm already dead."
Gaia let out a long, relieved sigh. "Thank you, Riley."
Riley raised a brow. "So, who exactly are all of you again?"
Gaia gestured with her hand. "Allow me to properly introduce my sisters."
The one with glasses nodded. "I am Sophia, Goddess of Wisdom. I guide knowledge, logic, and learning."
The cosmic-themed woman twirled her hair. "Nyx, Goddess of Chaos. I bring unpredictability, mystery, and a little fun to the world."
The one with the clock eyes gave a soft smile. "Chrona, Goddess of Time. I govern its flow, ensure balance, and... fix mistakes like this."
The tall, muscular warrior woman smirked. "Athena, Goddess of Strength. Battles, bravery, and fortitude are my domain."
A shy girl in a constellation-cloaked robe gave a small bow. "I'm Selene, Goddess of Magic. I oversee the arcane and hidden energies."
The bubbly blonde waved enthusiastically. "Fortuna, Goddess of Luck! I'm all about games of chance, good fortune, and a little chaos of my own."
The pink-haired beauty smiled seductively. "And I'm Venus, Goddess of Love. Romance, passion, charm—you name it."
Riley blinked. "So basically... the divine girl squad."
"Basically," Nyx smirked.
Fortuna leaned forward, perky and bright. "Sooo, about that world you're heading to! It's called Elyndra—total fantasy land! Think swords, magic, monsters, guilds, enchanted forests, adorable slime creatures with murder in their hearts, and lots of food!"
Riley's eyes sparkled. "Monsters and food? I'm in."
"Of course you are," Sophia muttered. "You're a curious, food-obsessed chaos magnet."
"Guilty as charged," Riley grinned. "Wait—chaos magnet?"
Gaia cleared her throat. "Before you go, each of us would like to grant you our blessing."
Chrona stepped forward first. "I bestow upon you the Blessing of Time—you may perceive the flow of time around you, slow it briefly, and react with uncanny speed."
Nyx followed. "You'll get the Blessing of Chaos—your presence will bend probability, making unexpected things happen in your favor. Sometimes... a little too unexpected."
Sophia raised her hand. "Blessing of Wisdom. Your learning rate will be vastly accelerated. You'll pick up languages, spells, and combat styles just by observing them."
Athena smirked. "Blessing of Strength. You'll possess the might of ten warriors. Physical limits won't mean much to you."
Selene approached shyly. "Blessing of Magic. Your mana will be vast and pure, allowing you to wield all kinds of magic—even those usually restricted by class."
Fortuna spun playfully. "Blessing of Luck! You'll be the luckiest guy alive. Rolls, loot, coin tosses—fortune's got your back."
Venus stepped up last, eyes soft. "Blessing of Love. You'll draw others to you—not just romantically. You'll inspire trust, affection, and loyalty wherever you go."
Riley blinked. "Okay… that sounds OP."
"That's because it is," Gaia said. "You'll be entering Elyndra as a demigod. Among mortals, you'll be the strongest. But that strength will come with responsibility and danger. You must tread carefully."
"So... no pressure," Riley muttered, scratching his ghostly head.
"Try thinking 'Status,'" Selene said.
Riley raised a brow. "Alright... Status."
A mysterious violet screen flashed before him, glowing with arcane symbols.
Chapter 2: Divine Stats and a New Start
Riley stared at the glowing violet screen floating before him. His translucent brows furrowed. "Okay, this is... way more intense than I thought."
He began to read aloud, eyes darting across the ethereal interface:
STATUS
Name: Riley Carter
Age: 18
Race: Demigod
Level: 999 (MAX)
Class: Divine Adventurer
Titles:
Chosen by the Eight
Lightning Survivor
Chaos-Favored
Demigod of the New Age
Blessings:
Blessing of Creation (Gaia)
Blessing of Wisdom (Sophia)
Blessing of Chaos (Nyx)
Blessing of Time (Chrona)
Blessing of Strength (Athena)
Blessing of Magic (Selene)
Blessing of Luck (Fortuna)
Blessing of Love (Venus)
HP: ∞
MP: ∞
Strength: MAX
Agility: MAX
Endurance: MAX
Mana: MAX
Luck: MAX
Charm: MAX
Normal Skills:
Multilingual Mastery – Instantly understands and speaks all known languages, including ancient and magical tongues.
Perfect Cooking – Cook world-class meals from any ingredient. Boosts morale and grants stat bonuses.
Charisma Boost – Enhances natural charm, improving interactions and social influence.
Divine Crafting – Create items, weapons, and armor of legendary quality using divine energy.
Beast Whisperer – Communicate with and tame magical beasts and monsters.
Environmental Adaptation – Survive and thrive in any natural condition—extreme heat, cold, underwater, etc.
Night Vision – See clearly in total darkness.
Divine Tracking – Track anything or anyone regardless of distance or magical concealment.
Legendary Appraisal – Instantly analyze the full properties, history, and hidden potential of any object or person.
Ability Skills:
Auto-Combat Insight – Analyzes enemies and battle situations in real-time.
Predictive Reflex – Automatically dodge or deflect attacks milliseconds before they land.
Weapon Mastery: All – Perfect skill and proficiency with all weapon types.
Divine Endurance – Immune to fatigue, poison, disease, and most status effects.
Elemental Resistance – Drastically reduces all elemental damage.
Flashstep – Move at near-light speed in a blur, useful for dodging or ambushing.
Instant Adaptation – Learn and adapt to new techniques instantly after seeing them once.
Pressure Sense – Detect threats and presences through spatial awareness.
Magic Skills:
Mana Regeneration – Infinite and automatic mana recovery.
Dragon's Breath Beam – Unleash a devastating stream of draconic flame.
Flamefang Strike – Channel fire magic through your weapon for explosive melee attacks.
Phoenix Lance – Summon a fiery lance that pierces through magic and armor alike.
Glacier Spike Barrage – Launch dozens of icy spears from the ground.
Frost Javelin – Precision ice spell that freezes the target on contact.
Plasma Lance – Lightning-charged energy spear that explodes on impact.
Stone Fangs – Earth-based trap magic that erupts jagged rock spikes.
Titan's Wall – Summon an impenetrable stone barrier for defense.
Aqua Cutter – Razor-thin blades of high-pressure water.
Tidal Fang – A massive surge of enchanted water shaped like a biting serpent.
Maddening Whispers – Inflict confusion and fear on enemies through dark psychic murmurs.
Abyssal Howl – A void scream that disrupts enemy magic and causes paralysis.
Radiant Spear – Holy spear of condensed light energy.
Dawnfall Barrage – Light-elemental rain of piercing beams from the sky.
Thornstorm – Summon a whirlwind of razor-sharp vines and thorns.
Unique Skills:
Divine Attraction – Unconsciously draws others toward him on emotional and spiritual levels.
Temporal Slip – Move outside of time for a few seconds to act freely.
Chaos Surge – Causes unpredictable, high-impact magical anomalies.
Love Aura – Emits a subtle aura that boosts ally trust and affection.
Soul Resonance – Sync emotions and power with allies, boosting both sides in combat.
Genesis Shift – Riley can temporarily reshape terrain, weapons, or objects using divine creation energy. A gift directly from Gaia.
Absolute Comprehension – Understand and master any concept, spell, or technique instantly.
Divine Limit Breaker – Temporarily surpass all known limits, even divine ones.
Infernova Break – Ultimate fire-based explosion that scorches reality.
Starcore Exhalation – Channel the burning energy of a collapsing star.
Divine Endbreaker: Celestial Severance – Ultimate sword skill that can cleave through time, space, and fate.
Blinkgate Rift – Create a rift to teleport anywhere instantly, bypassing barriers.
Weapons:
Divine Armament: Starforged Blade (Sealed) – A legendary sword said to cut through anything, imbued with the power of starlight. Currently sealed.
Thunderkiss Twin Daggers – A pair of lightning-infused blades that paralyze on contact. Ideal for speed and combo attacks.
Heartflame Rapier – Blade of Affection – A fiery, graceful weapon that grows stronger the more bonded Riley is with allies. Boosts charm and critical strike chance.
Items:
Beginner's Divine Starter Pack – Contains: Basic divine robes (self-repairing), map of Elyndra, starter currency pouch, divine toothbrush, and emergency teleport crystal.
Eternal Rations (Limited Edition) – Delicious, self-replenishing bento box that always contains Riley's favorite foods. Increases morale and restores health/mana when consumed.
Riley slowly turned his head to the goddesses. "Uhhh… So. This is what overpowered looks like."
His mouth hung open. "Maxed stats? Infinite health and mana? Level 999?! Demigod?!"
He blinked, then grinned. "Okay, this might be the most insane isekai cheat sheet I've ever seen."
He read back over the blessings. "Blessing of Chaos? Love Aura? Divine Attraction? Temporal Slip?! No wonder you all were worried!"
Sophia pushed her glasses up. "These numbers are illogical. He's not just overpowered. He's unquantifiable."
Nyx laughed. "That's my kind of chaos!"
Chrona smiled faintly. "He is... well beyond mortal potential."
Venus giggled. "Of course he is. Look at that charm stat. A heartbreaker already."
Athena crossed her arms, approving. "With those stats, he could challenge gods."
Fortuna twirled her hair. "Luck's off the charts. I love it. Feels like he's got a jackpot aura."
Selene blushed. "His mana is... breathtaking. He'll master every form of magic."
Gaia placed her hands together, eyes bright. "This is our collective apology. A proper restart. The skill Genesis Shift is my personal divine gift to you. Use it wisely."
Riley chuckled. "Well, starting life in a fantasy world at my age is a little... wait, 18? I'm 18 again?"
Gaia nodded, grinning. "Of course. It's part of our apology startup campaign. We wouldn't want you to begin your new life as a 40-year-old man, now would we?"
He laughed. "Thanks for not making me start over with back pain and taxes."
Gaia stepped forward and touched her hand to his forehead. "Now, with your new body, I will etch this world's common language and knowledge into your soul."
A warm light enveloped Riley as symbols and sensations filled his mind.
The divine hall shimmered with silent awe as the eight goddesses took one last look at Riley's status screen.
"His stats are... beyond divine," Sophia whispered.
"A walking anomaly," Chrona said, arms crossed thoughtfully.
"Hot and maxed out," Fortuna winked.
"Reminds me of when I was young," Venus added with a sultry smile.
Athena smirked. "He could win a war alone. Impressive."
Selene blushed. "I... I can feel his mana radiating even now."
Nyx burst out laughing. "This is the best mistake we've ever made."
Gaia smiled warmly. "He's ready."
Riley gave a sheepish grin. "Starting life in a fantasy world at my age is a little... wait—18?!"
Gaia giggled. "It's part of our apology startup campaign. We wouldn't want you to begin your new life as a 40-year-old man, right?"
She stepped closer, lifting her hand to his spirit form. "Now, with your new body, I will etch this world's common language and knowledge into your soul... and give you your new form."
Riley blinked and smiled softly. "To be honest, I've always wondered what it'd feel like to start fresh... But getting a new body too? This is next-level."
Gaia tilted her head with a maternal gleam. "Are you ready for your new body?"
Riley nodded. "Yeah. Let's do this."
The eight goddesses glanced at one another and nodded. They raised their hands together, and radiant golden and violet magic circles formed beneath and above Riley's spirit.
What's about to happen? he thought. This is wild... I'm actually being reborn like some epic RPG.
A flash of divine light engulfed him, and a system voice echoed:
[Rebirth Sequence: Initiating Demigod Embodiment]
As the light faded, the goddesses gasped. Riley's body was taking shape before their eyes. He stood tall at 6'2", with a lean, muscular physique. His abs were well-defined, and his arms strong and toned, the body of a warrior forged in divine energy. His hair was striking—half jet-black, half white—slightly messy but effortlessly cool, with a natural shine that caught the divine light. His eyes glowed a piercing gold, with faint divine patterns dancing inside them. His skin was smooth and lightly tanned, made resilient by his godlike endurance. His face was chiseled with a sharp jawline, high cheekbones, and a straight nose, naturally handsome with a slightly roguish smirk. A single faint scar ran across his left eyebrow, giving his calm, confident expression an extra edge of mystery.
Riley opened his golden eyes, looked down at his new form, then looked up at the goddesses.
"So... how do I look?" he said with a confident grin.
"Like a celestial model," Venus sighed dreamily.
"A divine Adonis," Fortuna gasped.
"I approve," Athena said simply.
"You're... beautiful," Selene said, wide-eyed.
Gaia clasped her hands together. "You turned out even better than I imagined."
Sophia nodded. "Though I will note, the symmetry of his body is flawless. Clearly a product of divine-level crafting."
Nyx smirked. "I didn't think you'd give him that much muscle, Gaia. Feeling a little guilty?"
Chrona raised an eyebrow. "He truly embodies the balance between mortal potential and divine gift."
Just then, Riley raised a finger. "Wait—just one thing."
Gaia tilted her head. "What is it?"
With a deadpan expression, Riley pointed to himself. "I'm naked."
The room froze.
Gaia blinked. "Wait. What?"
"I. Am. Naked," Riley repeated.
All eyes turned to him.
Nyx burst out laughing. "Oh this just gets better and better!"
Venus smirked. "Well, I can't say I'm disappointed."
Selene's face went bright red as she looked away, flustered. "T-this is embarrassing..."
Athena covered her mouth with her hand and looked away, trying not to smirk. "Unbelievable."
Fortuna grinned. "Ten out of ten divine booty. No complaints here."
Sophia sighed. "Gaia. Seriously?"
"I—I was distracted by the stats and the ceremony and the flow of energy and—"
"So you just forgot clothes?!" Riley exclaimed.
"I was multitasking!" Gaia defended, cheeks burning.
"You're a goddess of creation! Making a shirt is literally your job!"
"I was making your soul, not your socks!" she argued back.
Riley threw his hands in the air. "At least give me divine boxers or something before my grand exit!"
The two bickered back and forth while the other goddesses watched like it was a comedy show.
"You two argue like old lovers," Nyx teased.
"Just give me some clothes already!" Riley shouted.
"Okay, okay!" Gaia said, laughing awkwardly and sticking out her tongue. "Sorry, I got carried away!"
With a graceful snap of her fingers, divine energy wrapped around Riley. A moment later, he was dressed in sleek black pants that hugged his build perfectly, a fitted white shirt with a slight v-neck that brought out his golden eyes, and a stylish black and gold fur-lined jacket embroidered with symbols of the gods.
Riley looked himself over and nodded. "Now this feels like a fantasy protagonist. Thanks."
"You're welcome," Gaia said warmly. "Now, are you ready to begin your new life?"
Riley took a deep breath. "Yes. I'm ready."
The eight goddesses raised their hands, forming a large golden magic circle beneath him.
Riley looked at them all and smiled. "Goodbye. Hope I see you again someday."
"Goodbye, Riley," Gaia said.
"Stay lucky!" Fortuna called.
"Fight smart," Athena added.
"Don't break too many hearts," Venus teased.
"Or limbs," Nyx added, grinning.
"Good fortune to you," Chrona said.
"May magic guide you," Selene whispered.
"Learn everything you can," Sophia said.
The light engulfed him—and in a flash, he was gone.
They stood in silence for a moment.
"He'll do great," Gaia whispered.
"I kind of miss him already," Fortuna sighed.
"Let's hope Elyndra's ready for him," Athena said.
A golden magic circle glowed in the middle of a quiet forest clearing.
With a burst of light, Riley appeared. The circle faded beneath his feet, leaving him alone.
He stood silently as the light faded, taking in the stunning view before him. Towering trees with sparkling emerald leaves rustled in the soft breeze, their branches woven with glowing vines that pulsed with ambient mana. Colorful birds flew between them, leaving behind trails of glittering light. Flowers bloomed in strange, otherworldly colors—luminescent blues, radiant purples, and golden reds. The air was warm, crisp, and fragrant with wild herbs and arcane energy.
A crystal-clear stream flowed nearby, its water sparkling like liquid diamonds. In the distance, majestic mountains rose under a soft blue sky dotted with floating islands.
Riley inhaled deeply, the scent of magic and fresh earth filling his lungs.
"This place is... beautiful," he said softly.
He stepped forward and felt the soil respond under his boots, like even the land acknowledged his divine presence.
He raised his hand, watching as faint glimmers of power danced across his fingertips.
"I can feel it. Mana... magic... life force. I feel alive."
His eyes wandered the horizon. "So this is Elyndra... my new home."
Then he smirked. "Alright. Let's start this adventure off right."
To be continued...