Overlooking All

Looking at the altar I built, I felt an uncanny sense of connection as I silently admired my deliberately messy handiwork.

Now, all that was left was a sufficient ritual — either through a devout practice, a show of faith, or a sacrifice, to appease whichever deity the altar was for. In my case, I could easily appease myself. I just needed to...

"Uh,"

What would appease me?

After a moment of thought, I did not have to care. I just needed to... grant myself my own Gift..?

"...This feels a lot weirder than I thought."

I squinted, feeling as if this entire ritual was redundant. Either way, I needed to use a Mana Stone to activate the connection and I was good to go!

—Flick.

With nonchalance, I tossed the marble-sized Mana Stone at the portal. With a sharp swish, the stone disappeared midair. Then, I felt a connection form in my mind.

Building off of this connection, I closed my eyes. Sitting down in meditation, I grabbed hold of that connection, and my soul felt a tug.

"Mmm,"

With a hum of acquiescence, I let my soul go.

Then, the world shifted.

***

Finding myself in a blank world of darkness, I looked towards the only sources of light. A model globe of the world I had just been in could be seen, spinning between me and a massive glowing throne.

Looking at the four continents for each cardinal direction, I mused to myself.

I really did not think things through now, did I?

"Haha,"

A chuckle resounded throughout this empty space.

I was alone here, overlooking all of creation. My eyes flashed, and the throne room shifted. This time, a crimson planet filled with dark clouds hung between two supermassive black holes in a precarious three-body orbit.

A ruined zone where gods once fought.

Looking at the fractured space, the fragmented worlds, and the unstable black holes, I shook my head. 

The throne room shifted again.

Looking at this planet gleaming with a metallic sheen, I was able to admire Collozius, a Titanic Demon who hugged the world in his slumber. Looking at his horns where two moons were skewered, I couldn't help but laugh.

This particular part of my novel had been birthed through my childish whims — had I not gone through the drawings I made as a kid, I never would have thought of this.

Another laugh of exasperation escaped my lips, still shocked that my words had created a world from... nothingness?

"Utterly fucking insane,"

Massaging my forehead at the sheer horrors this phenomenon would eventually cause, I proceeded with my Awakening.

"What did the gods say upon bestowing their gifts..?"

I looked for that specific memory in my mind.

"Right..."

I straightened up and sat on my throne — a simple gaming chair that I had used in the distant past. Feeling the familiar swivel, I felt a sense of comfort despite my disbelief.

"To Arcine d'Vyde, I have accepted your ritual."

My voice boomed and a mysterious energy began to roil. After a moment of thought, I decided to give myself a god's full inheritance.

Obviously...

"Arcine d'Vyde shall henceforth be my representative in the world of mortals. His words will be mine. His actions shall reflect me. All his enemies will be my own, and mine will be his."

A glowing star emerged from nonexistence, flying into my heart. It instantly nestled itself within the depths of my soul.

"Shall I cease to exist, Arcine d'Vyde shall be my successor. My divinity thus finding its birth within his soul as an embryo once more."

—Hummmmm!

An ominous vow.

However, I had full trust in myself and the words that flowed from my mouth.

"May the world be the judge of your Gift as the successor of a god."

***

—Ding!

[ Awakening complete! Congratulations. ]

[ Displaying Gift... ]

[]=[]=[]=[]=[]

Gift: Level the Playing Field [F-Rank]

Description: Sacrifice one (1) point from all Base Attributes for each minute the Gift is active for a maximum of [1 Minute]. In return, all your Attributes will match your designated enemy. Should the designated enemy die while this Gift is active, all sacrificed points will be returned accordingly.

Cooldown: [24 Hours]

[]=[]=[]=[]=[]

"Interesting," I blinked, finding myself back in my mortal coil, bound by the world's Laws once more.

Being in that throne room was intoxicating. The sense of power I held while I was there...

Oh, I yearned for it once more.

I wanted to return to that room and gaze upon all existence once more.

Once more...

"Sigh,"

Perhaps my next visit to that throne room would be after I became a real god. A long, long way off.

Suddenly.

[ Due to your actions, {Existence} has felt an unknown turbulence. ]

[ IP: 150 -> 1150 ]

A chill ran down my spine. 

"Oh shit,"

My heart skipped a beat as a gaze washed over the world. It was a silent pressure, normally imperceptible to mortals. However, I was just inches away from my own altar.

It served as a satellite dish, warning me of the terrifying gaze.

I was frozen in fear.

The gaze lingered for a minute. A minute much too long for my tensed muscles.

Each second was an excruciating experience, with me hoping that nothing bad would happen.

I prayed.

Of course, my prayers were directed to myself. However, as no one sat on the throne, no one could respond to my prayers.

All it did was bolster my mentality.

Until the gaze disappeared.

—Hmph.

When it did, I fell onto my back, completely drenched in cold sweat. My breathing was heavy and my eyes could no longer see beyond five feet. For some bizarre reason, every muscle in my body was spasming.

Was this a seizure of some sort?

Crazy.

[ > WIL: D-Rank (24/27) -> B-Rank (47/243) ]

"...Fucking crazy."

My favorite curse word was quite clear, wasn't it?

No... more importantly, what was I going to do with all that Willpower when all of my other attributes were at the bottom of the barrel? Other than resisting mental attacks, it didn't have much use.

"...That's how I designed it at least."

I would have to explore its uses now, especially since it was at an absurd level already. 

"Guess that's that..."

Hyping myself up, I dismantled the altar and wiped any traces of my presence here. Then, I went to a hotel near the Hero Academy, Shyveon.

The examinations were going to be held in a few hours.