Nova wandered the bustling streets of the mortal world, his senses overwhelmed by the unfamiliar chaos. He had no bearings, no sense of where he stood in this sprawling city.
Many humans staggered past, their minds clouded by drink, their laughter loud and erratic. He avoided them, wary of their unpredictability, his divine instincts urging caution.
Night enveloped the city, the date August 20, 2026, etched in the mortal calendar. A crisp autumn breeze brushed against Nova's skin, soothing his newly mortal body. He relished the sensation, a stark contrast to the sterile air of High Heaven.
With no money or acquaintances, Nova faced a harsh truth: he was homeless, adrift in a world he barely understood. He pressed on, his crimson eyes scanning the streets, determined to find his place. Each step carried him deeper into the city's heart, its pulse both alien and intriguing.
His wanderings led him to a peculiar building, its massive silhouette looming against the night sky. Tucked along its side, he noticed its grandeur, a structure too significant to lack a name. Curiosity piqued, he circled to the front, eager to uncover its purpose.
Groups of people, mostly in pairs or small clusters of four or five, streamed toward the entrance. Nova quickened his pace, drawn by their purposeful strides. He faced the building, its facade illuminated by flickering streetlights.
In bold red letters above the entrance, a sign proclaimed: "GUILD OF AMERICA." The words pulsed with promise, marking it as the adventurer's guild for this nation. Nova's heart stirred, sensing a doorway to the mortal world's mysteries.
Nova stepped into the Guild of America, trailing a group of four, his senses flooded by the building's grandeur. The atrium stretched vast and luminous, a fusion of advanced technology and arcane artistry.
Towering steel pillars, etched with glowing runes, supported a domed ceiling where holographic constellations shimmered, mapping realms beyond Earth. Walls pulsed with interactive displays: quests scrolled in vibrant hues, detailing hunts for Beastaria's, the Mythic Realm connected to Earth through dungeons, creatures. The air thrummed with energy, a blend of mortal ambition and latent magic.
Adventurers filled the space, some lounging in sleek, cushioned chairs, their laughter and tales of valor echoing off polished floors. In a corner, a mage summoned crackling lightning, her hands weaving patterns that sparked awe.
Another conjured a whirl of frost, the air chilling around her, while a third practiced telekinesis, lifting a chair with a flick of his wrist. A long line wound toward a gleaming counter, where clerks in tailored uniforms processed registrations on tablets that glowed with arcane script, their efficiency almost mechanical.
Nova, his eighteen-year-old form mirroring the youthful guise he bore in High Heaven, blended seamlessly into the crowd. His crimson eyes, devoid of divine power, scanned the scene, the golden circles on his right hand—bare of pillars—itching faintly.
The guild's energy stirred something within him, a flicker of anticipation for the mortal life he'd chosen. Yet, his attention snagged on the group ahead: three brash youths tormenting a bespectacled boy, his slight frame trembling under their jeers.
The burly leader, his arm slung over the boy's shoulders, leered with menace. Nova's instincts, honed by eons as the God of Destruction, sensed the cruelty in their taunts. He held back, his mortal restraint a new sensation, waiting for the moment to intervene.
The trio's harassment grew vicious, their voices cutting through the guild's hum: "Fuck up again, glasses," the burly one snarled, his breath hot against the boy's face, "and we'll fucking end you. No more chances, you little shit."
Nova's lips curled, a sharp chuckle escaping, loud enough to draw their eyes. The trio spun, their glares locking onto him. The burly leader, his face a mask of irritation, stepped forward.
"What's so funny, pretty boy?" he spat, his tone dripping with disdain as he sized up Nova's lean frame.
Nova's crimson eyes glinted, unfazed. "Nothing much," he said, his voice calm but edged with mockery. "Just that your threats make you sound like a whining child. You know that, right?" His words hung in the air, a deliberate prod at the bully's pride.
The burly teenager's face reddened, his fists clenching. "You think you're tough, huh?" he growled, shoving Nova hard in the chest.
The force sent Nova stumbling back, his mortal body unprepared for the impact. Anger flared within him, a spark of his divine temper threatening to ignite.
This insolent little bitch? he thought, his mind racing. Oh, I wish I had my powers, I would've put him in a infinite death loop. The audacity stung, but Nova steadied himself, his resolve hardening.
"You're a nobody," the burly teenager sneered, stepping closer. "No pillars, no ability. You're just a fucking blank, aren't you?" He thrust his right hand forward, revealing three black pillars bridging two golden circles on his skin.
A D-rank adventurer, his sigil proclaimed, his ability awakened but unevolved. The crowd around them hushed, sensing a fight brewing, their eyes darting between the two.
Nova's jaw tightened, his lack of pillars a glaring vulnerability. I need to awaken an ability, and soon, he thought, frustration coiling in his chest. This little shit needs to learn some respect.
He straightened, his divine pride refusing to yield. "I accept your challenge," he said, his voice low and steady. "Let's see if your pillars mean anything."
The burly teenager laughed, a harsh, grating sound. "You're gonna regret this, blank," he taunted, his hand glowing faintly as he summoned his ability: a basic earth manipulation, capable of conjuring stone shards or shifting dirt.
Unevolved, as his three pillars suggested, it was crude but dangerous. He gestured, and the floor beneath Nova quaked, a slab of rock jutting upward to trip him.
Nova, his divine reflexes dulled but not gone, sidestepped with practiced grace. He had no ability, no pillars, but his eons as a god had honed his body and mind for combat. Drawing on martial techniques etched into his very being, he closed the distance, his movements fluid. He struck with precision, a palm strike to the teenager's chest, sending him staggering. The crowd gasped, murmurs rippling through the guild.
"You think you can fight without magic?" the teenager roared, recovering. "You're nothing!" He thrust his hand forward, summoning a barrage of stone shards that hurtled toward Nova.
Nova ducked and weaved, his body moving with a dancer's agility, each motion calculated. He countered with a swift kick to the teenager's knee, forcing him to stumble. This mortal's power is raw, unrefined, Nova thought. He relies on his ability, not skill. I can outmaneuver him.
The teenager's face twisted with rage. "Fuck you!" he shouted, slamming his fist into the ground.
A wave of earth surged toward Nova, a crude but forceful attack. Nova leaped, narrowly avoiding the upheaval, but the youth was relentless. He charged, his hand glowing as he conjured a larger stone, hurling it with deadly intent. Nova twisted mid-air, but the stone grazed his shoulder, sending him crashing against the guild's wall.
Pain seared through his mortal body, his vision blurring as he struggled to stand. The crowd watched, some cheering, others silent, as the youth advanced, his three pillars pulsing with smug confidence.
I'm too weak like this, Nova thought, his breath ragged. Without an ability, I'm nothing in this world. His golden circles itched, a mocking reminder of his unawakened state.
A familiar voice cut through his haze, telepathic and urgent. "Nova, this fool dares harm you?" Freya's tone was sharp, laced with divine fury. "I'll erase him from existence, just say the word." Her presence flooded his mind, warm yet fierce, ready to act.
"No, Freya," Nova replied, his mental voice strained but firm. "I chose this path. Let me face it." He forced himself upright, his legs trembling, his crimson eyes locked on the youth. "I won't let this arrogant mortal break me."
The teenager sneered, oblivious to the divine exchange. "Stay down, you piece of shit," he spat, raising his hand to summon another stone. "No pillars, no chance."
He launched the projectile, but Nova, fueled by defiance, rolled aside, the stone shattering against the wall. He sprang forward, his martial prowess undeterred, landing a precise strike to the teenager's jaw. The blow staggered him, but the youth retaliated, his earth ability erupting in a burst of dirt and rock that sent Nova skidding back.
Nova's back hit the wall again, his body aching, barely holding together. The teenager loomed, his three pillars glowing brighter, his ability growing more aggressive. I need power, Nova thought, desperation creeping in.
This human's ability is basic, unevolved, yet it's enough to overwhelm me. I must awaken, or I'll die at this rate. The guild's onlookers watched, some whispering about the blank-circles newcomer daring to challenge a D-rank.
Freya's voice surged again, her tone a mix of worry and indignation: "Nova, you're pushing too far," she warned. "This boy's nothing compared to you, but you're mortal now. Let me end this." Her divine presence pulsed, ready to intervene, her love for him warring with her protective instincts.
"No," Nova insisted, his mental voice resolute despite his pain. "I'll fight, Freya. This is my choice." He staggered to his feet, blood trickling from a cut on his brow, his crimson eyes burning with resolve.
The teenager laughed, conjuring another wave of earth, but Nova ducked, his movements slower but still precise, landing a weak but calculated strike to the teenager's ribs.
The fight dragged on, Nova's martial skill keeping him afloat against the teenager's relentless earth attacks. The guild's floor cracked under the onslaught, dust clouding the air. Nova's body screamed in protest, his mortal limits stretched thin.
He's only D-rank, three pillars, Nova thought, dodging another stone. His ability hasn't evolved past its basic form, yet it's enough to push me to the edge. I need to awaken, but how. This is such a pain.
The crowd parted as a new presence entered, the air shifting with authority. A man strode forward, his frame broad and commanding, his right hand bearing two golden circles crossed by a three black pillar and a perfect diagonal line, which represented that he had evolved, coming from an A-rank, to a D-rank Adventurer, but evolved version.
The Vice Guild Master, his sigil proclaimed, his power far surpassing the teenager's. "Enough!" he barked, his voice cutting through the chaos.
The teenager froze, his attack dissipating, as Nova slumped against the wall, his chest heaving. The Vice Guild Master's eyes swept over them, stern but measured, halting the fight with a single gesture.