Chapter 23: Awakening of the God of Metal

The sun was sinking behind the horizon, casting long shadows across the battlefield as Ansh, Kavi, and the remaining guild members fought desperately against the endless horde of monsters emerging from the portals. It had been over three hours since the first portal opened, and despite their combined efforts, the situation had grown dire. Monsters kept pouring through the rifts, their claws and fangs flashing in the fading light as they advanced toward the village boundary.

Ansh's transformation into his God form was still new to him. His body, covered in shimmering water scales, was strong, but his control over his divine powers was shaky at best. His water powers surged uncontrollably, and every swing of his blade took its toll. Even Tara, a mid-rank God heir, was struggling. Her fire had consumed a great deal of her energy, and though she was still fighting, the exhaustion was visible on her face.

Kavi, meanwhile, was near his breaking point. His hands bled, his body ached, and his vision blurred from the constant fighting. Blood dripped from his knuckles, staining the ground beneath him as he swung his metal-bending powers with diminishing strength. Each monster he faced seemed stronger than the last, and he could feel the growing gap between himself and Ansh. While Ansh managed to take down several monsters with each blow, Kavi had to struggle just to fend off one.

The battle had taken its toll on everyone. Over thirty guild members had already fallen, their bodies littering the field. The survivors, though still fighting, were on the verge of collapse. Kavi could feel the weight of the situation pressing down on him. The monsters were now just outside the village, and it seemed like only a matter of time before the boundary would be breached.

Suddenly, Kavi's vision darkened, and his knees buckled. He collapsed onto the ground, gasping for air as his body gave out. But as his consciousness began to fade, he saw a shadow approach him. The figure was faint, almost like a mirage, but it was there. A voice echoed through the haze of his mind, soft but commanding.

"Wake up, Kavi," the voice said.

Kavi forced his eyes open and saw a child standing before him, strange yet familiar. The child beckoned him forward, leading him through a vast, unfamiliar landscape. Before Kavi knew it, he stood before a towering throne made entirely of knives, each one glinting with a cold, deadly light.

"What is this place?" Kavi asked, his voice echoing in the emptiness.This is the Throne of Knives, where the God of Knives waits for you."

Suddenly, Kavi found himself standing before an old, withered man who sat upon the throne. His eyes glowed with a faint silver light, and his skin was etched with scars and marks of ancient battles. The man, who seemed more spirit than flesh, smiled faintly.

"Kavi," the old man said, his voice deep and echoing. "You've come to claim what is rightfully yours."

Kavi hesitated, unsure of what was happening. "Who are you?" he asked.

"I am Tvashtr, once the God of Metal. Now, I am known as the God of Knives. My story is one of betrayal and transformation. I was not always bound to this throne. Once, I was a high-tier God, revered among mortals for my craftsmanship. But that all changed the day the gods rebelled against Oranos, the God-tier ruler. I sided with Oranos, but in the end, we were defeated, and I was punished."

Tvashtr's voice grew heavy with memory as he continued, "They took my powers, but they could not take my immortality. So, they cursed me to this throne, turning my essence from metal into blades. I've waited here for eons, trapped… until

you came."

A figure materialized beside the throne, an ancient being, weathered and weary. The man's face was lined with age, his body hunched from the weight of time. He looked at Kavi with a mixture of sorrow and curiosity.

"You've come far, Kavi," the old man said. "Do you know who I am?"

Kavi shook his head, unsure of what was happening.

"I am Tvashtr, the former God of Metal," the old man said. "And this... this is the throne I was bound to after the great rebellion."

As Tvashtr spoke, images began to flash in Kavi's mind. He saw the rebellion against the gods, where Tvashtr, a god of god -tier deity origins  of immense power, fought alongside his dear friend, God Oranos, against the ruling pantheon. Oranos, a mighty God-tier deity, had been betrayed by the other gods, and Tvashtr had stood by his side in defiance. Together, they had sought to change the order of the cosmos.

"We fought to protect the freedom of the gods and mortals alike," Tvashtr continued, his voice heavy with regret. "But we were betrayed. I was stripped of my powers and imprisoned here, in this throne of knives, never to forge metal again. My punishment was to become the God of Knives, a symbol of the rebellion's failure."

Kavi felt the weight of the old god's words settle over him like a shroud. He could sense the immense power still locked within Tvashtr, waiting to be released.

"Why are you showing me this?" Kavi asked.

"Because you are the one to carry my legacy," Tvashtr replied. "You have the potential to become the new God of Metal. This child led you here for a reason."

As Tvashtr spoke, Dhara, the earth spirit who had been guiding Kavi, appeared beside him. "The time has come to reveal the truth, Kavi," she said. "We spirits were born from the merging of Earth and Satal, and we chose Shiva as our God. He sent us to protect you."

Kavi stood in stunned silence as the revelations washed over him. The spirits, the merging, Shiva—everything began to make sense. He was not alone in this fight; the spirits were with him, and they had chosen him for a reason.

"We are not just spirits," Dhara continued. "We are the embodiment of this new world, and now, our power is yours."

Tvashtr stepped forward, his frail hand reaching out to touch Kavi's forehead. "From this moment on, you and I are one, Kavi. My knowledge, my power, all that I once was, is now yours. You are the not God of knives but a  new God of Metal."

A surge of energy coursed through Kavi's body as the spirit of Tvashtr merged with him. The knives on the throne began to melt, transforming into shining gold metal that wrapped around Kavi's body. The throne itself disintegrated into golden dust, which swirled around him before settling into his skin, infusing him with divine energy.

Kavi's body began to glow with a radiant light as his mortal form was cast away. His bones shifted, his muscles tightened, and his skin took on a metallic sheen. He felt the weight of his mortality lifting, replaced by the strength of a god.

Tvashtr's voice echoed in Kavi's mind one last time. "You now possess the power to oppose even the God Order. You are no longer a low-tier god, Kavi. You have become a God-tier deity, one who can shape metal and bend the very fabric of creation."

As the transformation completed, Tvashtr's form dissolved into golden dust, which swirled around Kavi's hand, merging with his divine aura. Kavi looked down at his hand, now glowing with a soft, golden light, the power of creation flowing through him.

The battlefield around him had changed. The monsters that once seemed unbeatable now appeared fragile, their bodies weak against the might of his new power. Kavi could feel the energy of the earth beneath him, the metal in the air, the strength of the world bending to his will.

Without hesitation, Kavi lifted his hand, summoning a massive wall of metal from the earth. It surged forward, crashing into the oncoming horde of monsters with devastating force. The monsters recoiled, their advance halted by the sheer power of Kavi's will.

The remaining guild members, who had been on the verge of collapse, watched in awe as Kavi unleashed his new abilities. The ground beneath them trembled as metal spikes erupted from the earth, impaling the monsters that had dared to approach the village.

Ansh, who had been fighting valiantly despite his exhaustion, turned to see Kavi standing tall, his body radiating divine power. For the first time, Ansh felt a sense of relief wash over him. Kavi was no longer just an ally; he was a god, a being of immense strength who could turn the tide of battle.

With a roar, Kavi charged into the fray, his newfound powers obliterating the monsters with ease. Each swing of his hand sent waves of metal crashing into the enemy, cutting them down with precision and grace. The battle that had seemed hopeless mere moments ago was now turning in their favor.

As the last of the monsters fell, Kavi stood at the edge of the battlefield, his chest heaving with exertion. The golden glow around him began to fade, but the power within him remained. He was no longer the Kavi who had struggled to survive. He was now the God of Metal, a force to be reckoned with.

Behind him, Dhara and the other spirits appeared, their ethereal forms shimmering in the fading light. "You have done well, Kavi," Dhara said. "But this is only the beginning. There are greater challenges ahead, and you must be ready."

Kavi nodded, his mind racing with the possibilities of what lay ahead. He had been given a gift, a power beyond anything he could have imagined. But with that power came responsibility, and he knew that the fight was far from over.

As the night settled over the battlefield, Kavi looked toward the village, where Tara and the others were still holding the line. He had become a god, but his duty was not yet fulfilled. The portals were still open, and the monsters would keep coming.

But now, with the power of Tvashtr and the spirits by his side, Kavi was ready to face whatever came next.