A brilliant radiance shone over the plains outside Jellok City.
That light engulfed the land beyond the city, bringing about an earth-shaking transformation.
Towering trees sprouted from the ground, their canopies piercing the sky within seconds as fresh buds unfurled.
A vast sea of green burst into view, crashing into people's vision with an overwhelming impact.
The towering trees cast shadows over the land, instantly enveloping half of Jellok City in shade.
It was as if a god was painting over the world, reshaping reality itself.
Various plants appeared one after another—flowers bloomed wildly, grass spread across the land, fruit trees emerged, and massive trees that required ten people to encircle grew tall. There were even strange plants that seemed to move on their own...
The parched, cracked earth was instantly nourished, as these unusual trees absorbed moisture from the air, revitalizing the soil.
All of this—was completed in just five seconds.
And a vast forest had appeared where there was once barren land.
A deep silence fell over the crowd as all eyes turned to the figure in the sky.
Bathed in soft, divine light, the being descended slowly onto the grand platform constructed outside the city, as if responding to the prayers of the faithful.
Its face was shrouded in ethereal light, obscuring its features, allowing only its divine and noble presence to be felt.
Below, tens of thousands of believers stood, awestruck.
When the "god" stepped onto the platform, not a single person dared to meet its gaze.
Instead—they all prostrated themselves, heads bowed in reverence.
At the center of the platform, Lord fell to his knees, lowering his head to the ground.
With a voice filled with passion, he declared:
"Praise be to our Lord!"
"O Lord, your miracle of life is beyond imagination!"
That single sentence ignited a wildfire.
A wave of shouts and praises erupted, echoing across the plains outside Jellok City.
—A god truly existed!
At that moment, nearly no one doubted the truth any longer.
For this being had merely set foot upon the world, and life itself had revived in its wake.
A forest had covered the plains.
Greenery had filled the cracks in the parched earth.
—No mere human could perform such a feat.
Within Jellok City, the Four Rakshasa Demons stood in utter disbelief as they watched the massive forest sprout from the ground.
"A simple faith-strengthening ritual... actually summoned a true god?!"
"This must be a joke, right?!"
Gozuki, the strongest among them, took a deep breath, his expression grim.
"We need to get to the site immediately!"
Without hesitation, the four figures sprinted toward the city outskirts.
Their hearts were filled with doubts, but even more so, an insatiable hunger for answers.
Upon reaching the gathering, they were greeted by a sight they would never forget.
Atop the grand platform, a frail old man knelt before the radiant being.
He was the most devout believer.
And so, he was granted a miracle.
The god's glowing hand gently caressed the old man's head.
It was as if the divine touch had pulled back the years.
Under the fervent gazes of the onlookers—
The old man's hair and beard lost their gray, his wrinkles vanished, his withered skin grew firm, and his hunched back straightened.
He was growing younger!
Time itself seemed to reverse upon his body.
The years that had passed—came rushing back to him.
By the time the transformation was complete, the old man was gone—
In his place stood a young man, no older than twenty.
The Four Rakshasa Demons stood frozen, their faces pale with shock.
This... was something no Teigu could achieve.
If a Teigu could do this, the Empire's founding emperor would have never died.
This mysterious being on the platform...
Just as the Four Rakshasa Demons tried to push through the crowd to approach the platform—
A blinding light burst forth!
Instinctively, everyone shut their eyes.
The intense light lasted only a second before vanishing.
The gathered believers eagerly opened their eyes once more, longing to witness the divine radiance.
"That was a serious test of my nerves..."
Stepping out of Kurumi's shadow space, Souta peeled off the glowing devices attached to his body, exhaling deeply.
These devices, created with his matter-generation ability, were props to aid in his performance as a god.
Kurumi followed, emerging from the shadows, curiosity and anticipation in her gaze.
"Did you collect the faith?"
"Yeah. It's already flowing into me. Looks like... I've successfully claimed this divine role."
Souta closed his eyes, focusing his consciousness into the divine kingdom within his soul.
—By simply concentrating, he could hear waves of prayers, crashing against his mind like an unending tide.
Golden ripples of faith swirled throughout his divine kingdom, manifesting in a visible form.
With a single thought—
He could convert it into divine power.
He exhaled, murmuring, "Now that I've taken over the faith, I don't have to keep up the act anymore. I just need to expand the religion and keep spreading the faith..."
For the first time since obtaining his divine spark, Souta felt like he had truly ascended.
Kurumi smiled, clearly happy for him.
"Still... I must say, you really came up with an interesting way to use 'City of Devouring Time.'"
Her voice held genuine admiration.
During Souta's descent as a god, the entire city of Jellok had been suppressed by an overwhelming pressure.
No one could even lift their heads.
As if the very presence of a divine being had crushed the city beneath its will.
This was Souta's plan.
He had asked Kurumi to activate 'City of Devouring Time' at the perfect moment, forcing everyone within Jellok to experience an inescapable pressure.
Paired with the tens of thousands of 'Growth Bullets' applied to seeds, a vast forest had instantly sprung forth.
The final act—the miracle of rejuvenation—had been accomplished using Kurumi's 'Fourth Bullet'.
This was the true secret behind the so-called divine descent.
As Kurumi stepped closer, Souta suddenly wrapped his arms around her.
Kurumi blinked in surprise before letting out a soft chuckle.
"Oh my... Hugging me is one thing, but rubbing against me too?"
Souta murmured, "I can't help it. You're just too reliable."
Kurumi smirked, tapping his forehead lightly.
"You're only allowed to say that to me, you know?"
With that, Souta buried his face in her hair and nuzzled against her, savoring the moment.