Ashok's calm demeanor was no accident. The serenity in his voice was a meticulously crafted strategy, not an expression of genuine submission. He wasn't about to let the System think it had succeeded in breaking him under pressure.
This façade of regret and humility was a calculated move, a way to disarm the very entity that had once ensnared him. Every measured word and every controlled gesture was part of a larger plan to lull the System into a false sense of security.
The System responded with its usual cold efficiency, [As long as you understand, Host], not even caring to notice the subtle shift in Ashok's tone. It remained oblivious to the fire simmering just beneath the surface of Ashok's calm exterior, too confident in its assumed control to perceive the brewing storm.
'Not that I think about it. This system cannot read my mind, or it would have killed me by now. It only responds to my calls, not my thoughts. This can somehow work in my favor.' mused Ashok
"What does your Great Deity seek from me?" asked Ashok with uncertainty in his voice.
[Nothing more than fulfilling the given quests and bringing the best ending to this world]
"I don't think I will be able to do what the Great Deity wants with this worthless body," said Ashok, maintaining his calm demeanor but subtly altering his tone. The words were delivered with a hint of resignation, carefully designed to make the System believe in his growing sense of helplessness.
[But according to the Will of the Great Deity, you should have enough information to fulfill the given quests] the System intoned, its mechanical voice devoid of any empathy.
'It just knows that I possess the foreknowledge. It does not know to what depth do I possess knowledge,' Ashok thought, a subtle smile playing on his lips. This realization was another piece of the puzzle, another advantage he could use.
"My information alone is not enough to achieve the endings. And you can clearly see how absolutely weak this body is compared to the other main characters. It has no skills, spells, arts, or specials. I am a modern person from a different world. I have neither practiced martial arts nor do I know how to control mana, the energy of this world. Without any kind of skill or spell, I don't think I can protect myself when I am in danger," Ashok stated, his voice a blend of sincerity and desperation. He kept throwing out facts, cleverly mingling them with some lies, making them sound like undeniable truths.
Technically, with Ashok's knowledge, he could improve this body's capabilities to ensure he wouldn't die easily. However, no matter what, reaching something like the 'Strongest in the World' was an improbable feat.
To achieve such a status, he would need to alter his race, traits, and bloodline—a task that was incredibly difficult given the limitations imposed on his current body.
[It seems you have ascertained some misconception in your mind, Host. You do not have to fight yourself; that is not what the Great Deity has in mind for you. You do not have to get strong yourself to bring an ending to this World. Your job as His Priest is to simply aid the main characters so that they can achieve the Best Perfect Ending.
The God will grant you His blessings along the way as you complete the quests and succeed in helping the main characters so that they have less difficulty in overcoming their hardships.
These Divine blessings granted by the God will empower you to fight alongside the main characters and assist them in the long run.
See, how benevolent and magnanimous the God is even after you committed atrocities against Him more than once. The God made sure that you, his Priest, do not have to fight. By merely lending assistance to other characters, you will be granted a free wish that you desire. Even going back to your previous world is also possible.]
"HAH!" A laugh nearly escaped from Ashok's mouth. He quickly stifled it, realizing that any display of amusement could potentially alert the System to his true thoughts.
[Hmm?]
"Nothing. I was just thinking how truly great the deity is."
'Just listen to those sugarcoated words. This System should belong to those Evil Cults in the World. Why did it have to be placed inside someone like me? The proposal given by it sounds extremely enticing at first, but it's clearly a trap—a meticulously crafted one. This Deity had gone to great lengths to ensure I had no chance of any kind of retaliation against Him.
He first made me his Priest so that he could monitor me whenever he wished. This shitty body, which was unknown in the game was specifically prepared for me, designed to be devoid of any valuable traits to ensure my growth would be stunted throughout the entire story. The absence of skills or arts, coupled with poor stats, guaranteed that I would never surpass the main characters, not even in the early stages of the game. It's as if every aspect of my existence here was meticulously planned to keep me weak and subservient, preventing any chance of uprising or rebellion.
Even the Unique Soul Trait that I possess works against my job class.
It's as if I am destined to remain weaker than the main characters. He isn't trying to make me his Priest; he's trying to make me a perfect slave to the main characters. How laughable! I a slave to very characters that I once controlled with a keyboard and mouse. Just what sort of grudge does this God hold against me that he went to such lengths just to trap me?
I am also one hundred percent sure that the reward of sending me back to my previous world is a lie. I experienced a heart attack myself, so even if I am sent back, what are the chances I won't just end up back in my dead body? From every angle, it seems I am nothing more than a disposable pawn.'