- - -
Fraudulent God:
You exist as an Overseer who mimics the authority of a true god. You may select individuals and bestow power upon them. As they grow stronger, their progress is reflected back to you.
Though mortal, you accumulate divine feedback through those you mark, granting you god-like privileges without true godhood.
[Path Skill]
Assign:
Place your mark upon an individual to bestow a Path. As they grow through this path, you gain a version of their abilities and earn Arbiter Coins from their actions.
Mark Count: 0/3
- - -
Phantomancy:
You can perceive and manipulate Phantoms left behind by the dead, the lingering imprint of their power.
[Aspect Skills]
Transform:
By guiding Phantoms, you may manifest them as weapons.
The manifested form carries power equal to the deceased at the moment of death. You may choose the form, but poor alignment with the Phantom's nature will weaken it.
Indestructible:
While wielded by you, the weapons are indestructible.
- - -
The ritual continued as Cid reflected on his abilities.
He was in awe of Divine Impact and how it had evolved his abilities.
He was already familiar with the Overseer Path due to the number of times he had obtained it in the game.
It had evolved from a simple Path that allowed him to grow by "blessing" others and borrowing their strength, into something resembling godhood.
'The Arbiter Shop… who would have thought? From a simulation where I needed a Goddess's help to access it, to actually owning it.'
He had expected to bargain with a Goddess to access the shop–but now…
'Let's not even talk about the Phantomancy.'
During his isolation, Cid had tried to understand the power slowly awakening within him because he didn't awaken this in the game.
The evolution had enhanced the forged weapons to reflect the dead at their peak and they would not break in his hands.
He wasn't just borrowing strength—he was wielding the dead's Paths, blessings, and Aspects.
And these were only the base abilities of the Aspect.
"Heh.."
Cid silently chuckled.
All that remained was gaining more stars—and strength would follow.
'I think I'll change my goal and bring down two or three Gods instead.'
His expression shifted to a grin which made a few stares turn his way.
Cid pulled himself back to the present.
Readjusting his expression into a harmless smile, he turned his attention back to the underground hall around him.
The hall resembled a vast, semi-circular cavern lit by glowing plants.
Along the sandy walls, the roots of the Elves' sacred tree spread and intertwined.
Cid was part of the young elves lined up at one point of the arc, watching the center point of the room where the stone of Resonance was positioned.
At the opposite side of the chamber stood the families of the youths, watching intently. Cid's mother and his teacher, a mermaid, were there right now too.
Between them stood the elders, warriors, and important Merfolk refugees.
Then around the stone of resonance stood key warriors and elders.
One figure stood out to Cid. He recognized her from the game.
In the game, she was a frequent constant… either a rising star or a tragic loss.
'But damn, she looks good.'
Cid commented like any bold virgin would.
She had long dark blue hair that partially hid her pointed ear, a focused blue eye, and wore a dress that accentuated her curves and gave her legs enough space.
Anaissia was a warrior with immense potential.
After going through multiple turns of the Proxy War with her, Cid admired her.
At that moment, Anaïssia caught Cid's gaze as she turned from the ongoing ritual towards him.
She smiled curtly before giving him a wink.
Although surprised, Cid smiled back at her with equal interest.
'Her senses are even better than I thought.'
Turning his attention back to the ritual, Cid sighed.
Anaïssia was a warrior with immense potential.
- - - - -
Cid was wrong.
The result of the ritual broke his expectations.
Three youths awakened Paths that should have stood out in the game—but didn't.
This made him think back to the last statement he heard from ThenNowSoon.
"Remember, the game and real life are different."
Cid tried to see the bright side, reasoning that this domain naturally possessed stronger forces than the game.
"Differences with the game so far," Cid noted. "ThenNowSoon communicates less with the elders, and certain awakenings are stronger than expected."
Although the differences were minor, Cid noted them calmly.
If reality diverged from the game, then the game had simply been an incomplete model, one he would refine as he went.
What Cid didn't know was that his own existence had already begun to influence others.
The hall was going rowdy as the Elders concluded their words of motivation for the youths' new upcoming trials as warriors of the Goddess and the Sea Elf race.
Meanwhile, Cid calmly adjusted his expectations. The plan would need refinement, but refinement was something he excelled at after years of experience.
"You look out of place amongst the celebrating young ones," a beautiful voice called him out of his thoughts. "What's on your mind?"
"I've been told I act unlike my age," Cid said, bowing slightly. "Hearing your voice cleared my worries. You look more beautiful and strong than they say."
Anaissia smiled widely.
"What a smooth talker. You'll be under me, so you have nothing to worry about."
She stretched her hand, placing it on the side of his face.
"I can't let anything happen to this bold handsome face. It has piqued my interest after all."
Wearing an appreciative smile, Cid replied, "That's reassuring, miss Anaissia."
"You can call me Anais," she said, retracting her hand.
Looking down on her, Cid mentally commented, 'I would have fallen in love instantly back in the days.'
"Oh, Anaissia, how have you been?"
At that moment, Cid's mother chimed into the conversation.
Behind her stood a young mermaid, staring at Anais.
Her beauty was of a different kind, one that stood comfortably beside Anais rather than beneath her.
She had flowing light blue hair with faint purple patterns, baby-brown eyes, and a gentle demeanor.
She wore a bandeau and a long white skirt that slit from her right thighs down, revealing her scaled legs.
This was Tess, a mermaid that Cid's mother took under her personal care when she was just around the age, 11.
Watching them, Cid thought, 'This place feels strangely hot all of a sudden… and that rarely happens.'