The Gap
1056 Words
He stood tall, letting his gaze sweep across the chamber with steady authority. Silence pressed against the hall until Sur, the Golden God, rose from his seat. Light shimmered along his robe, growing brighter with every step he took toward the center.
Then it hit.
A crushing, malicious wave surged toward The Lord. His instincts flared—he stepped back instantly and released his aura to counter Sur’s rising presence.
[Strength Authentication… Failed | You are Bound (Movement Restricted)]
[Agility Authentication… Failed | You are Slowed (Reaction time reduced by 90%)]
[Endurance Authentication… Failed | You are Shattered (Internal integrity compromised)]
[Intuition Authentication… Success]
[Divinity Authentication… Failed | Divinity Temporarily Locked]
[Target passed Aura Authentication]
[Target passed Divinity Authentication]
It was an aura clash—and he had lost decisively.
The air thickened. Sur’s light expanded like a rising sun, suffocating and merciless. The Lord’s limbs stiffened to stone. His thoughts dragged painfully slow. His divine core quivered as if it might collapse entirely. He braced himself with the Overarch’s Blade, barely stopping himself from falling to one knee.
“Enough! Both of you, stop.”
The Judge-God’s voice cracked like a whip, absolute and commanding.
Sur’s golden blaze died instantly. The Lord pulled back his aura as well.
[All debuff suspended]
The Lord exhaled shakily. “That power… his aura alone almost crushed me. How can a gap like that exist?” He forced his breathing to steady, mentally recording the encounter.
Sur walked to Kealan, now mostly healed, and lifted him onto his seat.
“What is your name?” the Judge-God asked, his gaze unblinking.
“I am The Lord,” he replied, voice strained from the remnants of the binding.
For a moment, only stunned silence.
Then the murmurs erupted.
“The Lord? Lord of where?”
“That name is outrageous!”
“Unacceptable! how can we address him like that?”
“Silence!” the Judge-God thundered, restoring order. “You lack a true name. Who are you?”
“I am that I am,” The Lord answered. “I was nameless for so long that even I forgot my own name. But now, I am The Lord.”
He leaned subtly on his blade, letting his posture reflect both exhaustion and unwavering resolve.
The Judge-God studied him long and hard. This nameless newcomer had defied two sovereigns on his first day. Finally, the Judge spoke:
“I accept your name for recognition. Welcome, The Lord, to the Council of Gods.”
He raised his crystalline scepter.
“The Great Contest begins now. First trial: The Trial of Creation.”
The hall exploded in outrage, but the Judge-God slammed his scepter to silence them.
“For this trial, you must demonstrate mastery over life. Using any resources at your disposal, you shall forge a living entity—one being with sovereign will and a true spark of life.”
The Lord’s eyes narrowed. A living creation… his first.
“The trial will be judged on three criteria,” the Judge continued:
Stability – Can it maintain existence without constant divine support?
Efficiency – How little divinity does it require to sustain itself?
Ingenuity – Unique or innovative abilities embedded in its nature.
“Anything may be created,” he added. “A monster, a godling, a celestial—your choice. Is that clear?”
Sur stepped forward, voice sharp and arrogant.
“This is ridiculous! We’ve been sovereign for ages. How can we be judged beside someone who barely exists? You expect this… fluke… to create anything of worth?”
The Lord met his gaze and smirked faintly.
“What’s wrong, Golden God? Afraid? You all swore I wouldn’t beat Kealan—yet here I am. Worried I’ll outperform you again?”
The hall stirred at the boldness.
The Judge-God struck his scepter once more.
“The edict stands. The Lord is sovereign now. If he fails, he fails. The trial begins in thirty days. Council dismissed. The Lord, stay behind.”
Shock rolled through the room. A new City God, summoned privately by the Judge? Some glared with envy. Others whispered conspiracies. A few watched cautiously, suspecting divine intrigue.
Slowly, the chamber emptied. While waiting, The Lord opened his system.
[Calculating Mission Rewards…]
[11,000 Points 1500 Skill Points 1 Golden Skill points 1 Golden Attribute Points]
[Opening Mission Bonus: You lacked two skills while completing your first mission. [Choose one to master in]
[Evasion or Blocking?]
The lord thought for a while
Blocking relied on brute force and Endurance, which was his weakest defensive stat. Evasion, however, maximized his existing SSS Agility and focused on avoidance
“Evasion” the lord selected with his mind.
[Skill Name: Evasion]
[Type: Active (Movement)]
[Rank: Basic]
[Prerequisite: None]
[Effect: Allows the user to execute a short-range, rapid movement to avoid an incoming attack. Requires focused attention on the threat.]
[Note: At Basic rank, frequent use leads to stamina drain and carries a 25% chance of stumbling or misjudging the dodge distance if used consecutively (cooldown 1 second).]
[This skill is too low for your level, would you like to use cumulative level up? Yes/No]
The Lord chose yes without second thought
[Cumulative Level-Up: Basic-Proficient-Advanced-Divine]
[Cost: 15000 points, 18 Skill points, 1 Golden Skill Point]
[Insufficient Balance]
[Cumulative Level-Up:: Basic-Proficient-Advanced]
[Cost: 10500 points, 12 Skill Points]
[Upgrade: Yes/No?]
“Yes” he chose
[Skill Name: Evasion]
[Type: Active (Movement)]
[Rank: Advanced]
[Prerequisite: Agility A]
[Effect: Allows the user to execute a short-range, rapid movement to avoid an incoming attack. Requires focused attention on the threat.]
[Note: At Advanced rank, frequent use leads to stamina drain and carries a 5% chance of stumbling or misjudging the dodge distance if used consecutively (cooldown 0.2 second).]
It cost a lot but the Lord was happy to see the changes. He wondered how efficient the skill would be once it reached Divine Rank.
[Evasion: Advanced to Divine]
[Upgrade Cost: 8000 points, 10 Skill Points, 1 Golden Skill Points]
[Upgrade: Yes/No]
“Shit.” He winced.
“It was cheaper before… rookie mistake.”
Still, the system’s potential excited him far more than the loss bothered him.
A calm voice echoed from the judge’s throne.
“Now then, The Lord,” the Judge-God called, “I asked you to stay behind for a reason.”
- Writer
