-----

Exerting all her strength, Maria groaned as she pulled more universes—those containing worlds teeming with life and intelligence—toward her.

The Outer Gods targeted them relentlessly. The white void began invading some of those worlds, hungrily trying to devour everything within.

But Maria summoned her own power.

"The System! Michael, Camael! Will you help me?"

"Of course."

"We are here to serve you! And let me say, you make me incredibly proud!"

Both Cosmic Heralds were overjoyed by Maria’s choice: to never abandon her humanity, no matter the cost, and to cling desperately to every spark of hope.

The two merged with Maria’s formation and then with her System. In that moment, an even greater Cosmic System was born, surging outward like a radiant wave of cosmic power across countless universes.

Its purpose was clear:

"Help mortals grow stronger and grant them a glimmer of hope against the endless hunger of the White Void! Assimilate worlds rich with intelligence and evolved life into the Great Beyond!"

It was a desperate plan, but the only one Maria could hold onto as Ginnungagap continued to clash violently against her.

Though events felt swift to her, they unfolded with agonizing slowness.

With every world she assimilated and saved from the maws of the Outer Gods, Maria grew a little stronger. This became her strategy for the moment.

A stalemate took hold.

It was neither victory nor defeat.

Ordinary worlds filled with life were drawn into her System. Mortals across them ascended, growing powerful enough to resist the Cosmic Attraction Force of Ginnungagap—Fate itself—which sought to drag everything toward destruction.

Everything happened so quickly. Once again, Maria and her family found themselves in the midst of war.

Within the Great Beyond’s Highest Divine Realm, Maria and her family’s Cosmic Avatars gathered.

"I’m sorry, everyone. I was stubborn... I did something reckless because I couldn’t bear to give up on everything..."

She sighed, endlessly refining the cosmic sea as a giant castle slowly took shape over eons.

"That’s fine," Emeraldine said gently. "We will spread hope throughout the multiverse."

"I knew you would," Lucifer laughed. "We know you well."

"And we love you for it, Maria," Jonathan added.

"Now and forever," Alma said.

"Let’s fight against fate one last time," Nia nodded.

"Yes... together," Nyx agreed.

"But our child... is not yet ready," Celes sighed.

"I have given her a Cosmic Fate," Maria replied. "Your daughter, Brianna, is destined for greatness. She may... help us finally tip the scales of this war in the distant future."

"Our daughter?!" Nyx asked, eyes widening.

"Wait, Mother-in-law, what do you mean?" Celes asked.

"I was able to glimpse her future through the Hourglass of the Sands of Time," Maria explained. "She is a girl..."

"So her name is Brianna..." Nyx smiled warmly, tears glistening.

"I see..." Celes nodded.

The egg floated gently toward their Cosmic Avatars.

Outside, the Great Beyond trembled ceaselessly. Worlds rapidly merged and refined themselves, forging a greater realm.

Maria granted her allies the power to become Domains, nourishing the Great Beyond. Countless heroes and villains rose and fell through endless cycles, shaping the realm into the greatest within the multiverse.

As this unfolded, Maria looked at her family and friends, then at her daughter and son-in-law.

"Little Brianna carries a greater fate than even I did," she said with a tender smile. "She can help us. But she must be nurtured elsewhere."

"I see..." Nyx began to cry, her tears falling onto the egg.

"So that’s how it is..." Celes whispered, fighting back tears. "Mother-in-law... does this mean...?"

"I’m sorry..." Maria’s voice broke. "I don’t want this either..."

Everyone gazed at the small white egg, pouring their essence and blessings into the child within. Blessed by Maria and every allied Domain, Brianna was granted a Cosmic Fate to shift the eternal war between White Void and Black Void in her grandmother’s favor.

Yet that destiny would demand immense challenges. She would need to awaken her true power while searching for answers.

This was a "Cosmic Myth" woven by Fate and the Will of the Multiverse. Maria had tried to reject it, to find another path.

But it was impossible.

Since the war began, the Multiversal Will had spoken to her, revealing many painful truths.

"Can we choose the world?" Nyx asked.

"I want it to be... a world without supernatural dangers. A world of ordinary mortals," Celes said.

"Yes... a world where she can rise to become a god who brings hope to all," Nyx added with a tearful smile.

"Of course," Maria nodded. "Go..."

Nyx and Celes stepped through the Dimensional Boundary, tears streaming down their faces, and found a universe Maria had already refined. Though the White Void loomed dangerously close, it was safe enough.

They descended upon a parallel Earth on a rainy night beneath a stormy sky.

The egg began hatching as they walked through the downpour, hidden in shadow.

Years had passed since Maria’s victory, yet the egg had never hatched—healthy, but waiting. Now, her parents finally understood the true weight of Brianna’s Cosmic Fate.

"Aeh?"

A beautiful baby girl emerged, fully human in appearance with no draconic features. She had clear skin, black hair, and bright blue eyes that made her parents weep with joy and sorrow.

They hugged and kissed her tenderly.

"I love you, Brianna...!" Nyx whispered, kissing her daughter’s forehead.

"We will always watch over you. Grow up strong and find us one day, my daughter," Celes said, kissing her nose.

They infused her soul with protective gifts, then placed her gently in a warm basket lined with white and blue blankets sewn by Nia. They left her at the orphanage door with a small note bearing her name.

"Aee? Waaahhh! Waaaaahhh!"

Brianna cried, reaching desperately toward her parents as they stepped back. They smiled through their tears and knocked on the door.

A kind elderly woman soon appeared. "What is it? Who... Oh! A baby?!"

She lifted Brianna with care. "Oh my dear, who could have left you here? Brianna, is it? That’s a lovely name. Come now, don’t cry. It’s going to be alright."

As the woman carried her inside, Nyx and Celes returned to the Great Beyond to continue the war alongside Maria and the family, protecting their world and people.

Forever after, two stars—one white, one blue—watched over Brianna.

Growing up in the orphanage was far from easy. Life was filled with hardship, and Brianna was not a sociable child. Yet she possessed an extraordinarily strong and healthy body. She rarely fell ill, healed from injuries with astonishing speed, and left no scars.

Before long, she became known as the strongest in the orphanage. Though quiet, she was deeply kind at heart. However, a series of painful accidents caused her to seal away her strength. Tormented by it, she struggled through her studies and eventually became an ordinary construction worker.

She used her hidden power to lift heavy loads without tiring, earning the admiration of her coworkers. Still, life felt dull and empty. Brianna often wondered about her parents and where they might be, unaware that the two stars shining above her were Nyx and Celes, always watching.

She lived an ordinary life of hardship—one that forged her into someone tough enough to face the coming Assimilation.

When the sky split open and the System arrived on Earth, when monsters poured through gates and evil forces sought to claim the planet, Brianna stepped forward. She became a beacon of hope for countless people, slowly reawakening her powers and uncovering the truth of her divine lineage.

And so, Brianna began her own journey—a path of countless trials—as she sought her parents and fulfilled her destiny.

Maria smiled, gazing at Ginnungagap with renewed confidence.

Her eternal battle would not remain eternal.

Her beloved granddaughter was coming.

And she would tilt the scales once and for all.

The Multiversal Will and the Cosmic Monarchs supported her. The Council of Outer Gods, sensing the ancient conflict intensifying into all-out war, prepared to counterattack with everything they had.

"I will never stop cherishing these connections, these bonds..."

Maria saw countless visions of her humble beginnings and everything she had endured. Her aura surged.

"Precisely because of these bonds, Ginnungagap... you will fall."

The black void sea beneath her churned, rising in the form of countless hands that pushed back against the white void’s pressure.

"The culmination of these bonds—my granddaughter—is coming."

A majestic figure emerged from the black void, radiant with the power of every connection and bond. Maria smiled with overwhelming joy as her parents stood proudly beside her.

"Let’s begin our counterattack."

-----

~~~~

Author’s Note:

Maria’s journey has finally come to an end, and what a journey it was. Full of both action, love, romance, tragedy, and vengeance. I am forever grateful to all readers for reading until the end. This was honestly a very unique take on monster evolution and at the time I had never seen one that featured a ghost protagonist, so it was fun to write until the end. I hope you can continue supporting my other works, thank you.

As you might have already guessed, this isn’t completely the end. Maria’s journey might have ended but this has left open the opportunity for a sequel. It will be named something like "Demigod Class Ascension" and it will star her granddaughter, Brianna, as the protagonist.

It will be an action-packed System Apocalypse Novel where we will see Brianna grow into the Goddess that will one day change the tide of this Eternal War. I have already written around 40 Chapters by now, and I am planning to publish it pretty soon, so please look forward to it.

Once again, thank you for reading, and I would like to recommend my other novels to you all, especially Brand New Life Online and Reincarnated with a Glitched System, both which will perfectly fit your craving for more of this novel until the sequel hits.

As a side note, Brand New Life Online is merging with this universe and parallel versions of Maria and her allies are appearing as new characters, so if you’re interested in seeing something like a What If with them, feel free to check it.

Anyway, that’s all for now and thank you again!

Here’s a Teaser of what’s next.

~~~~

Demigod Class Ascension - 1

-----

Throughout all the Mondays I have lived, I can swear this one is the worst so far.

My usual nightmares kept me awake for most of the night, so I barely slept at all.

A few coworkers did not show up today, forcing me to handle all their work with nothing but an empty promise of a raise.

And right now I am driving a truck through the city, carrying over a dozen steel pipes. I have not even eaten breakfast yet.

I feel hungry, grumpy, and stressed beyond belief.

"Again?!"

I glared at the endless traffic. My baggy eyes felt ready to give out any second, and I probably looked like my soul had been drained from my body. All because I had skipped breakfast, an important meal for someone with a huge body that burned through energy every single day.

Despite my gifted physique, I had always looked like a pretty average woman, not even conventionally pretty: black hair and blue eyes.

Some might say the blue eyes lifted me slightly above average, but so far in my life they have given me no real advantage. If anything, my only true talent was this large body and my unnaturally high stamina.

It was the only thing that had ever helped me. Some people said I looked way too manly, which had always bothered me. It was not like I had chosen to be born this way. I wished people could understand.

My parents had abandoned me at the orphanage the day I was born, so I grew up with little else besides myself and the unruly kids there who only made everything harder.

I still visited as often as I could. Those kids were like my little brothers and sisters, and I had always felt a deep need to protect them, to make sure nothing bad ever happened to that place again.

Opportunities? To be honest, I had never really been given any. My grades were never the best, but never the worst either. Some teachers seemed to see a spark of brilliance in my eyes and often told me that if I just tried harder, I could go far in life.

But I never tried, because I knew they were feeding me lies. I had always believed that in this world, if you were not born into a good family, you were condemned to a miserable life, barely scraping by from paycheck to paycheck.

In that miserable life, being a semi-professional wrestler had been the perfect job for someone like me. Using my gifted physique to slam opponents, take hits, and keep going night after night was my only real talent that actually paid off in today’s society. Barely, but enough.

I loved the ring, the roar of the crowd, the rush of overpowering someone bigger or meaner than me. Yet my usual lack of motivation outside the arena had kept me from chasing bigger titles or fame. To be honest, I was afraid. Every time I won, my opponents nearly died. That was why I had stopped doing wrestling matches for a while now and dedicated myself only to my part-time job at the construction site.

Even then, life overall always felt uninspiring and boring. I had no real family outside the orphanage walls, and the few friends I once had eventually moved on with their lives, leaving me behind.

I often felt lonely, but not exactly sad. If anything, I actually enjoyed being left alone, except when I thought about the kids back at the orphanage who still needed someone strong to look out for them.

Even though I sometimes felt lonely and afraid of my own body or what I could do, those kids really inspired me to keep going.

"Aw, come on. What the hell happened? Why aren’t the cars moving?"

I quickly looked out the window at the highway and noticed that all the cars in front of me were completely stuck, unable to move even a single centimeter.

"Huh?"

In the distance, I saw a huge truck, similar to the one I was driving, probably from the same company. It was not moving at all. People were walking toward it, and I noticed a red liquid covering the ground: the blood of the truck’s driver, most likely.

"Was there a car crash? You have to be kidding me... This is going to take forever, and I have to get back to work in twenty minutes!"

I gritted my teeth angrily and checked my phone. Ignoring the annoying daily news that always popped up, I quickly sent a message to my boss saying I might be delayed due to traffic. Because of my huge fingers, typing on smartphones was always annoying, and if I was not careful, I easily cracked or broke their screens.

"Hah..."

As I sighed and rested my head against the seat, the cops and an ambulance finally arrived.

"Finally. Are they going to clean up or—"

"Aaaaahhh!"

My thoughts were interrupted by a panicked scream in the distance. Glancing behind the truck, I saw a woman running away while the rest of the drivers stared at the scene in awe. She was not running for no reason. Something was chasing her, something that did not look human when I examined it closely.

"What?"

It was about the size of an average human, with green skin, a bald head, pointy ears and nose, and crimson eyes. The creature wore leather clothes and carried a knife made of bone and stone.

I paused for a moment, unable to rationalize what I was seeing, until its appearance quickly reminded me of something.

"...A goblin?"

[Congratulations, Earthlings. Planet Earth has been successfully linked with the {Great Beyond}!]

[Initiating assimilation of all Lifeforms...]

[CRITICAL FLAW DETECTED.]

[Planet Earth has yet to be fully awakened. Incredibly low percentage of Mana in the air detected. Average to weak lifeforms detected. No Divine-level lifeform detected.]

[With the lack of a Divinity to guide Humanity, the System will be assigned the task of taking care of the Awakening Procedure.]

[Initiating Awakening Procedure. Dimensional Assimilation has begun. System Integration has begun. Divinity Channel has opened.]

"What?!"

I looked into the sky and noticed that what I had just heard was not only a voice but gigantic text floating above the city, so huge that the entire population could probably read it.

And at that moment, I saw something even more bizarre. Cracks appeared throughout the sky, accompanied by the sound of glass breaking and shattering across the entire city. People started screaming and panicking. Cars began crashing, and some drivers abandoned their vehicles and ran.

They were not running from the voice, but from what the voice had brought with it.

"Huh?"

RUMBLE!

The entire highway trembled. The sharp sound of metal being crushed echoed as people screamed and were torn apart. A giant creature charged straight toward my truck. I could only describe it as a massive bull made of steel, with blazing burning horns and crimson-red eyes. While roaring, the monster began crushing cars with its sheer size and strength, seeing my truck as some sort of rival.

"What the hell is that thing?! How is it even moving?"

I quickly tried to get out of the truck, realizing too late that the driver’s door was locked with a key. I began frantically searching for it. My huge fingers made everything more difficult.

"Where is it?! Where’s the key?!"

Half-empty bags of chips, empty energy drink cans, and fast-food wrappers flew into the backseat as I desperately dug through the trash the previous owner had left behind.

[Dimensional Gates leading to Shattered World Fragments have opened throughout Earth.]

[Tier 1 to Tier 4 Lifeforms have started entering Earth, bringing rich Mana for the Integration Process to be as smooth as possible.]

[Atmospheric Mana has started forming. Awakening Process has officially started.]

[Awakening Tutorial: Phase 1 has begun.]

"Awakening Tutorial?!"

Losing my patience, I kicked the window open and shattered it, trying to climb out. But the giant bull reached me before I could jump down and smashed into the truck.

CRASH!

The deafening sound of my truck being pushed back and metal bending filled my ears. I was forced back inside. Angrily, I stepped on the gas pedal and sent the vehicle rushing over the monster with all its massive size and weight.

"Damn it!"

The sound of something being crushed under my truck and the wheels popping echoed as I ran over the entire thing. Maybe that monster could crush cars, but a truck was a whole other adversary.

"Did that do it?!"

I looked behind me. The giant bull’s body was covered in cracks, it’s metallic exterior unable to withstand the total weight of a truck. It was still alive, bleeding, groaning, and twitching in agony. Worse, the truck would not move anymore. The wheels were completely destroyed, and the engine might be damaged too. I had to get out quickly before something exploded.

With a powerful kick, I broke the door open and leaped out of the truck as fast as possible, looking around at the chaos engulfing the city. Just a couple of minutes after the voice appeared, several buildings were burning, cars were crushed and flattened by huge monstrosities, and people were screaming as they were chased by what I could only describe as goblins.

"Man... Worst Monday ever."

Just when I thought it could not get worse, it did.

My eyes flickered as a new holographic window appeared in front of me with glowing letters. I tried touching it, but it felt like empty air. It was both there and not there. No, maybe it was all inside my head.

[Awakening Tutorial: Phase 1 has begun.]

[Objective 1: Survive for 7 Days.]

[Objective 2: Slay a Tier 1 or above Lifeform: 1/1] (Complete!)

[Objective 3: Slay 10 Tier 1 or above Lifeforms: 0/10] (New!)

"I... completed one objective?"

As my eyebrows twitched in disbelief, I noticed the metallic bull I had run over. It had stopped struggling.

[You have slain [Steel Bovine (Tier 2): Lv 7]. You have earned Bonus Experience for slaying a Lifeform above your Tier and Level. You earned 150 Tutorial Points.]

[Congratulations, you have completed Objective 2: Slay a Tier 1 or above Lifeform.]

[You have received the right to Awaken and receive a Starting Class.]

[Please choose your Class. Awakening will begin once you do.]

"Choose? I have to choose now... What the...?"

My eyes widened as a list of classes appeared. There were only five, and they seemed rather basic.

[Warrior]: A Novice Starting Class for Awakeners, specialized in the usage of close-range weapons and great Stamina to endure prolonged battles. Your best friend is your own body. Strength +6, Vitality +5, Dexterity +2, Agility +2.

[Archer]: A Novice Starting Class for Awakeners, specialized in the usage of long-range weapons, provides increased accuracy, dexterity, and senses. Good for those too afraid to get hurt. Strength +3, Dexterity +6, Agility +3, Senses +3.

[Magician]: A Novice Starting Class for Awakeners, specialized in Spell Casting. Grants a deeper understanding of Magic and the Control of Mana. Forcefully inscribes a Rune of Casting into your Right Hand. Powerful magic, but extremely vulnerable to physical damage. Magic Power +7, Dexterity +3, Agility +2, Senses +3.

[Healer]: A Novice Starting Class for Awakeners, specialized in Holy Arts. Control the Lifeforce of your own body or others and accelerate the natural healing process, restoring wounds or even granting temporary buffs. For those who want to help others. Magic Power +5, Strength +2, Endurance +3, Agility +2, Senses +3.

[Rogue]: A Novice Starting Class for Awakeners, specialized in stealth and surprise attacks. Lower your own presence and hide from enemies to strike from their backs or wield poisonous weapons to weaken them over time. Not for the impatient. Strength +3, Vitality +2, Dexterity +3, Agility +7.

"How am I even going to read all of this right now— Ah!"

I panicked, noticing something lurking behind me. Call it a sixth sense or whatever, but I could just feel it. I turned around and saw a goblin slowly trying to sneak up on me, carrying a knife already covered in the blood of an unfortunate victim.

"Gryaarrr!"

The moment the goblin realized I had noticed it, it shrieked loudly and leaped at my face, aiming its knife at my eyes. I panicked and stepped back.

"Why you little...!"

With a furious roar, I swung my right arm down and crushed the goblin’s head with my fist. The creature slammed into the ground, its skull flattened against the pavement.

"Huh?"

I looked at my own hands, realizing how strong I had become. No, had I always been this strong? Since I was a child, I had struggled to socialize because of an accident, something I did that I still regretted.

When I was only six years old, I accidentally broke the arm of a twelve-year-old boy who took care of the younger kids at the playground. Seeing the splattered brains of the goblin brought that memory back.

That was why I had stopped caring about making friends. I was afraid of myself, of what I could do to others. I had always held back my strength, making sure I would not hurt anyone with even a simple handshake.

"...Why do I feel happy?"

But the scariest part was that I was smiling. My body was sweating, I was breathing heavily, and my heart was racing. The adrenaline, the thrill of crushing a monster with my bare hands and finally letting go of my fears, made me smile.

"I have to quickly choose a class and get out of here..."

As I looked at the class descriptions, I considered that I was already strong enough to crush goblin heads. What if I got wounded? I should choose Healer for my own safety at least. And I could use these powers to become useful to other people. If we were really in an apocalypse, people who could heal others would always be valuable.

I took my herculean physique into consideration and found Warrior appealing at first, but in the end I decided to prioritize my own safety and the added bonus of being useful to others. Something I had always strived for while unconsciously trying to find a place to belong. That tempted me to choose Healer, a fairly balanced class stat-wise.

[You have chosen the Class: [Healer]!]

[You can now Level Up. Calculating EXP you have gained so far. Applying stored EXP.]

[You have gained Magic Power +5, Strength +2, Endurance +3, Agility +2, Senses +3.]

[You gained the Skill: [Healing (Tier 1)]: Manipulate Lifeforce to accelerate the natural process of regeneration, healing minor wounds by spending Mana.]

[You gained the Skill: %%%###$$$$]

[Level Up!]

[Level Up!]

[Level Up!]

[Lev### U%%!]

[###$$%%%&&q1122]

"What?"

As I started getting excited about gaining something to protect myself from wounds, the holographic window began to glitch rapidly, showing incoherent numbers and words.

[ERROR.]

[System Integration has failed.]

[Scanning the issue...]

[Scanning success.]

[Traces of Divinity have been found within the user’s Soul.]

[Restarting System Integration Process using the Divine System...]

Bright light surged from my body, and countless rune-like tattoos appeared across my skin, glowing with blue and golden light and constantly shifting in form.

"Divinity?! Me?"

[Divine System Integration halted.]

[Unable to properly determine what the user is.]

[Restarting using both the Normal System and the Divine System.]

I suddenly felt a sharp pain deep in my soul. I fell to my knees, grasping my chest and nearly losing consciousness.

"A-Ahh...!"

Then the pain vanished, replaced by relief. Deep down, it felt like something within me had been unsealed. I saw six different chains containing something of immense power. One of those chains was broken.

"What was that?"

[Integration Success. It has been determined that the user is a lifeform possessing sealed divine power.]

[To create a class for the user, all five starting Classes have been used as materials.]

"No way..."

I watched in disbelief as all five class screens mixed together, glitched, and ultimately re-emerged as a golden screen with a class I never thought possible.

[The {Special Class: Demigoddess} has been created.]

"I’m... a demigoddess?!"

Despite what this could mean for my strength, I did not feel joyful at all. There was something that impacted me far more.

"My parents..."

My entire life I had wondered who my parents were. I had spent most of my teenage years searching for them online. And now, at the age of twenty-three, I finally had a clue.

"My parents were gods."

[You can now Level Up. Calculating EXP you have gained so far. Applying stored EXP.]

[You have gained Strength +10, Vitality +10, Magic Power +10, Dexterity +10, Agility +10, Senses +10.]

[You gained the Skill: [Pseudo Divine Weapon (Tier 1)]: Manipulate your own Mana and Divine Power and materialize it into a Pseudo Divine Weapon that embodies your true self. If imbued into a physical weapon, the vessel can evolve and gain more power.]

[You gained the Skill: [Sacred Healing (Tier 1)]: Manipulate Lifeforce and Mana and channel your inner Divine Power to heal larger wounds and to recover from poisonous toxins and curses more easily.]

[You gained the Skill: [Pseudo Divine Blessing (Tier 1)]: Use your Divine Power to bless a target, allowing them to awaken to new power. As this Blessing grows within them, a part of their Power and Earned EXP is shared with you, and their loyalty may increase. Limit: 0/3]

"They’re still Tier 1..."

[Because of your lack of Divine Power, you cannot be assigned a High Administrator yet.]

[However, a Novice Administrator will be assigned to you to aid you in developing your Divinity.]

"Hm?"

A small silver-colored cube with an eye-shaped red jewel appeared in front of me, staring silently.

"..."

"..."

In the middle of explosions and screams, an awkward silence settled between us.

"You’re... a Novice Administrator?"

"...I was honestly looking forward to being assigned to a God, but to think you’re just a human."

"Of course I’m just a human. What else would I be? ...And you can speak?!"

"Naturally... However, unlike lesser lifeforms, I do not require a mouth. My words are transmitted directly into your brain through psychic waves."

"Okay... Uh, can you explain to me what’s going on? I’m so confused... Like, ten minutes ago I was just delivering metal pipes and now... What the fuck is going on?!"

"...The Awakening. Your planet has been assimilated into the {Great Beyond}, and due to its lack of Mana, it has been given the opportunity to develop Atmospheric Mana and Awakened Individuals."

"Why is that necessary?!"

"Isn’t it obvious? To survive. Every planet that has lived for at least five billion years goes through the same process..."

"Who... who’s behind this?!"

"I am only a Novice Administrator, ma’am. I cannot answer more than that..."

"Where are my parents? I’m somehow a demigoddess, so are they gods?"

"They should be... Your Divinity seems minimal. It appears to have been sealed long ago."

"...Sealed?"

"Yes. I would assume your parents were Gods from the Great Beyond and decided to leave you here for whatever reason, sealing your Divinity in the process. Perhaps for your own safety."

"My own safety? That’s bullshit..."

"It might seem that way to you, but it is not. We are only at the beginning stages... Things will only get more chaotic as your planet is assimilated. The Apex Rulers of other worlds might start to invade new land. If you do not carry the power to defend yourself or those you care about, you will perish in this endless game for supremacy."

"...Jesus Christ."

I sighed, suddenly wishing for a cold shower.

SPLASH!

Out of nowhere, cold water splashed over my entire body.

"Wha...?!?"

I looked around and noticed a blue magic circle floating above me, slowly disappearing rune by rune.

"Excellent, master! It seems you have naturally awakened your Magic! Could this be the Element of your Divinity? Water!"

"Water? Seriously...?"

[You have awakened your Divine Power even further, learning the Skill: [Aqua Hand (Tier 1)]: Manipulate Mana and Divine Power to conjure Water Attribute Spells at will, without requiring the manipulation of Runes or Chanting. The intensity and strength of this Magic increases based on your own proficiency and the Spells you develop.]

"Hah... Hahaha..."

I gave up. The entire situation was so ridiculous that I could not help but laugh. The Novice Administrator stared at me silently, though it soon noticed something approaching and urged me to move.

"Master, you must first prioritize your own safety and find shelter. The Awakening is always a chaotic process! There are several dangerous lifeforms here. I would advise you to run away."

"I’m tired of running away..."

"Master? They’re coming!"

I was surrounded. Five goblins had reached me, carrying an assortment of bone and stone weapons. They glared at me with bloodthirsty eyes and anger after noticing the corpse of one of their own on the ground.

"Ah, sorry. Was he your friend? He shouldn’t have tried to stab my eye then."

"Gryaaarrr!"

The goblins roared furiously and rushed toward me. Three leaped at my torso, while the other two aimed for my ankles.

"How do I even use this— Ah."

As I thought about it, my hand began glowing with blue and golden light. The light rapidly formed something long and sharp with three pointy ends: a trident. I punched one goblin away, swung the trident like a club to smash another’s head, kicked one aiming at my leg, and grabbed the one that had crawled onto my back.

"Agh!"

I felt a knife stab my back, but the goblin’s eyes widened in shock as its blade barely scratched my skin.

"Gryaaack?!"

The creature let out a shrill noise as I grabbed it by the neck and strangled it, breaking its delicate bones with a powerful grip.

CRACK!

"Master, to your left!"

"Shit!"

I noticed the last goblin stabbing at my leg.

"Agh, damn it!"

With painful anger, I raised my leg and crushed its head, splattering it onto the ground.

"Haah... Ugh."

I quickly pulled the knives from my back and leg, noticing purple liquid oozing from the wounds.

"Hey, Cube. How do I use the healing magic? Do I just will it or—"

FLASH!

A bright golden light covered my wounds, purifying the poison and healing them rapidly.

"So it responds to my will? That’s easier than I thought... I should use Aqua Hand alongside this trident. Maybe I wouldn’t have gotten stabbed twice..."

"Impressive! Your body is truly herculean, master. You’re definitely not a normal human. I am shocked the system was unable to detect your divinity before the integration..."

"What would have happened if it did?"

"You would have been given the task of awakening the planet instead and..."

"So a lot of annoying things. No thanks. Let’s go, Cube."

"Wait, master! You should loot the goblins! The interior of their bodies contains Magic Cores, which you will need for the growth of your Class, the creation of equipment, and the evolution of Skills."

"Can’t I just level up?"

"No, well maybe, but it won’t be enough."

"...Fine."

While grumbling, I used the goblin’s knife to open their chests. The foul smell of their innards almost made me vomit.

"Is this the thing you told me about?"

I pulled out a small blue pebble attached to several veins and fleshy tendrils, emitting a faint aura of mana.

"Yes! These are crystallized accumulations of mana. The stronger the monster, the bigger they are."

"Huh. Where do I even store these?"

"I would suggest you use your Tutorial Points and purchase a Small Bag of Holding! That will help you carry up to fifty items."

"Thanks. You’re really useful, like a tutorial guide..."

"Well, I am honored, young lady! This is my given task, so I must naturally try to excel at it!"

[You have slain [City Goblin (Tier 1): Lv 3] x6. You earned EXP. You earned 60 Tutorial Points.]

[Level Up!]

[Level Up!]

[Level Up!]

[Special Class: {Demigoddess} has reached Level 5. Stat Points have been allocated; you gained 5 Free Stat Points.]

"So I’m level 5... I thought I would be higher."

"Special Classes usually require much larger quantities of EXP than the Novice Classes, master."

"Hm, noted. How do I restore Mana?"

"You can wait until it restores automatically or eat those pebbles... As a Demigoddess, I doubt they would kill you. Or you could synthesize them using Alchemy Magic and create Mana Potions, but that requires much more work."

"Interesting... Where should I even go now?"

I started thinking, looking around. Using a car was not ideal right now, but the orphanage kept flashing in my mind. Those kids must be terrified. I had to reach them, protect them, save them.

"I should try to get back to the orphanage at least... The kids there are the only family I’ve got. Unlike other people, they’re the ones waiting for me."

It was ironic. My powers would be perfect for protecting a family, but until now I had never had the strength to do it right. If I could get strong enough, I could heal the little ones, bless the caretakers, and keep the whole place safe from whatever nightmare this world had become.

"Hey, Cube."

"Yes, master?"

"My parents... Do you know where they might be?"

"Probably in the Great Beyond, past the Dimensional Walls."

"Could you help me find them? You’re an administrator."

"...I think I could. If I can increase my Rank, I will be able to access a greater amount of data and information."

"How do we do that then?"

"As you grow stronger, I will also be promoted, eventually."

"I see. So in the end, it all boils down to growing stronger... Fine. I need that strength anyway, to save the orphanage."

I quickly walked along the highway, past the crushed cars, trying to stay at least a little sneaky even though my huge body made it difficult.

"S-Someone...! Please...! Someone please help me!"

I heard a cry nearby. A blonde girl was crushed under her own car, bleeding heavily and probably at death’s door. Strangely, the monsters were not paying attention to her, as if they only enjoyed hunting those who were still alive and moving. In the distance, other people begged for help, some dismembered, a few missing legs. Goblins were everywhere, sadistically cutting limbs and stabbing faces and eyes, leaving their victims alive to suffer a slow death.

"Master, I suggest that you do not intervene. This highway must have become a Goblin Nest. Perhaps a cave was formed somewhere and—"

"You said I have to grow stronger, so it does not matter if I end up helping some people along the way, right?" 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

I saw this as an opportunity. I was not planning to take care of these people forever, but I was definitely going to crush the goblins. They sickened me. And I wanted to test my healing magic further so it could grow stronger through use, strong enough that when I reached the orphanage I could heal anyone who needed it.

I quickly sneaked around the area, moving behind the cars, and approached another large group of goblins.

"Gyeeheheh!"

They were laughing while people screamed in agony as they were stabbed and dismembered.

"These damn bastards..."

I gritted my teeth, manifested my trident again, and aimed.

Before Cube could stop me, I fired the trident forward with more accuracy than I had expected. The three-pointed weapon pierced through the heads of four goblins in a row, blood and innards splattering everywhere, before exploding in a burst of water against the fifth.

BOOOM!

Their victims stared in shock, too stunned to process what had happened. But before they could speak, they heard loud footsteps. A huge woman with her shirt torn off emerged from the chaos. My aura, my appearance, and my eyes made it clear I was not a normal person at all.

[You have slain [City Goblin (Tier 1): Lv 3] x5. You earned EXP. You earned 50 Tutorial Points.]

[Level Up!]

[Special Class: {Demigoddess} has reached Level 6. Stat Points have been allocated; you gained 1 Free Stat Point.]

"W-Who...?"

"Thank you...!"

"Please help me... please..."

The people were crying, completely devastated. Some were slowly convulsing from blood loss.

I quickly helped those who still had a chance. The salaryman whose legs had been stabbed was healed first.

"Oh my god, thank you so much! Can you heal?! Is this real?!"

"Calm down. It’s real. All of this is real. Have you awakened yet?"

"N-No, I have no idea what’s going on! What do you mean awakened?!"

"You have to kill a monster, and you will gain power like me."

"Really?! Ah! Please save her! She’s my sister! Vivian!"

"U-Uugh... R-Ralph?"

I noticed a red-haired woman around my age. Her arms were gone and a knife pierced her stomach. She was slowly dying.

"I don’t know if I can help her, but I’ll try. Don’t blame me if she dies anyway, okay?"

"I-It’s fine, just try, please!"

My Sacred Heal covered her body as I pulled the knife from her stomach. Her arms did not regenerate, but she seemed stable.

"It’s... done. I cannot regrow her arms."

"T-Thanks..."

Ralph hugged Vivian, who slowly opened her eyes, looking confused.

"Thank... you..."

I did not know what else to say. I had always strived to help others and be useful, but I had never truly formed bonds with people, even though I probably always wished to. Especially with the kids back at the orphanage.

But was this really the right place to start forming them? Taking care of other people was taxing and would diminish my own resources. It could even stop me from pursuing my goal of finding my parents and growing strong enough to save the orphanage. People might become too dependent on me, which would end up being very annoying.

"You’re on your own now. I did what I could. Leave this place and hide inside a building or something... Wait, Cube, do you know of a safe space?"

"There is one to the northeast, approximately seven hundred meters from here, inside a mall. A Safe Zone was created. Monsters do not enter those places. They are made as shelters for people."

"Go there then."

"Are you not coming? Please come with us!"

Ralph begged, but I walked away.

"Sorry, I can’t... I have things to do."

"Things to do...?"

"Leave her be, Ralph... She already saved us. What else do you want from her? Let’s go."

"B-But your arms...!"

"I’m fine! I’ve got legs. Let’s walk."

As I watched the two walk away, my eyes narrowed. The probability of them making it there was very low. Was I helping them for nothing, an act of goodwill that would never be repaid?

Well, I had never cared about being repaid for my help, as long as I could get back to the orphanage and protect the kids.

"Master, there’s more coming... They have truly infested this entire place!"

"Alright."

Noticing more goblins approaching, I quickly used Aqua Hand. With a single thought, my right hand glowed with blue light as water emerged and swirled at my will.

"Why is it so easy for me to use these Skills? Surely it is not the same for everyone, right?"

"It must be your innate Divinity. You are much more acclimated to supernatural powers than normal people, master."

"Hmm..."

As I nodded, I avoided an incoming arrow, grabbed it with my right hand, and imbued it with water, making it float.

"Freeze."

With a mere thought, the water froze into a frost arrow. It seemed I could not only manipulate the water’s form but also its temperature.

"Cool."

Literally.

I smiled lightly and fired the arrow at the Goblin Archer, hitting its forehead and killing it instantly. At the same time, I kicked two incoming goblins, rushed toward another, and crushed its head with a powerful stomp. The last one tried to crawl away and hide, but I reacted faster, creating a small water bullet and firing it through its head.

"Gaack!"

With a hole in its skull, the goblin dropped dead.

"Hm?"

I found no moment of respite, however, as I heard the loud steps of something enormous approaching. Quickly hiding behind a car, I glanced into the distance and saw a large, monstrous goblin.

"Is that even a goblin?!"

Twice my size, with huge muscular arms and carrying a massive wooden club, it was clearly no ordinary goblin.

"No, that is a Hobgoblin, master! A Tier 3 monster...! Be careful, it is too strong for you yet...! It luckily has not noticed us. We should sneak away while it eats the other people."

"...No. This is perfect to test how strong I am. The goblins are too weak. Don’t worry. If things get too hard, I’ll escape."

Cube sighed, seeing me walk recklessly into danger once more.

But I could not stop.

It was way too fun.

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