***
Every emissary fulfilled their mission given to them by their gods.
In India, leading officials met with Devika, representative of the Hindu pantheon.
She possessed four arms like their goddess Saraswati, and lotus flowers bloomed wherever she walked.
"The dharma of cooperation benefits all."
Her voice carried the gentle authority of flowing rivers.
"Help us locate the one who will restore balance, and the blessings of the devas shall flow to your people."
***
Japanese leaders received Akira, emissary of the Kami.
He appeared as a young man whose shadow contained multiple forms… a fox, a crane, and a dragon.
All shifting depended on the angle of view of the one who's looking.
It was an absurd sight to see.
"The spirits offer harmony between old and new."
He declared, cherry blossoms materializing around him as he spoke.
"Aid our search, and your nation shall know prosperity beyond measure."
***
But not every emissary came representing light and order.
Reports of darker visitors making their own offers have also begun.
A figure calling itself Malachar appeared to several African leaders, promising power in exchange for soul contracts.
"You can finally live the life you want and become strong."
The being whispered with a voice laced with temptation.
Those who have suffered with trauma from the past… their memories of being suppressed and bullied resurfaced as they made a contract.
While there are those who have lost their precious ones and are seeking revenge.
"That's right, embrace the darkness, for the light has abandoned you. Let your power consume your enemies, dying in regret. All we ask is loyalty... and a few sacrifices."
***
In South America, officials encountered Nil, Emissary of the 'Void'.
The creature appeared as a humanoid figure made of living static.
Like its figure was consciously blurring those who saw the being.
"Resistance is futile and painful,"
It declared with the power of nihility, its words accompanied by the sound of electronic akin to a zapping.
"Join us willingly, and your transformation will be... less unpleasant."
***
The European leaders received visits from entities calling themselves the Crimson Court.
Vampire-like beings with aristocratic mannerisms and an unsettling charm.
"Power, immortality, dominion over the weak,"
Their representatives offered, their smiles revealing fangs like polished ivory.
"All this can be yours. We ask only for... recruitment opportunities among your population… and a few livestocks."
The world had become a marketplace for souls, with humanity as the commodity being traded.
Some governments accepted offers from the light factions, hoping divine protection would see them through the crisis.
Others, desperate for any advantage and with personal goals of their own, made deals with darker powers.
A few attempted to remain neutral.
Although neutrality was becoming increasingly impossible as the enhanced beings among them chose sides.
***
In her humble abode that existed between dimensions.
"..."
The Seer observed the unfolding chaos through multiple viewing screens at her side.
Each of the factions, pantheons, and other major and minor powerhouses of Fantasia were moving with different goals in their minds.
But as the Seer glances, she keeps her main attention on the images in front.
They were the people present on Earth.
To be specific, those who have abnormal growth, amongst others.
And they are those who the Seer predicts to be potential candidates for being the Protagonist.
Each display showed different humans who had gained significant abilities since the dimensional merge.
"The awakening proceeds faster than anticipated."
She murmured while watching the rapid development of different significant individuals across Earth.
The first screen showed a woman standing on top of a damaged skyscraper in Seoul.
Heena Min-Jeowon, 32 years old, a former structural engineer.
Her ability, Universal Gravitational Dominion.
She could manipulate gravity on a massive scale, though currently limited by her mana reserves.
For now she could create localized gravitational fields within a five-kilometer radius,
She could crush monsters into a compressed pulp juice or make entire buildings float effortlessly.
She's currently using her powers to rebuild collapsed infrastructure by suspending city blocks in zero gravity while she reconstructed them.
The Seer could see her potential once she grows.
Once her mana capacity increased, she could theoretically create black holes or manipulate gravity on a planetary scale.
'Being able to control a part of the law itself… If she's given enough time and growth, she could most likely reshape continents.'
The Seer noted her, her gaze then turned to the next candidates.
The second display is a teenager in São Paulo.
Carlos Rivera, 17 years old, a former mechanic's apprentice.
His unique ability, Reality Rewriting.
He could break down and reconstruct anything at the subatomic level within his current range of fifty meters.
His mana consumption was enormous, limiting him to reconstructing a few buildings per day before exhaustion.
Today he just converted a pile of rubble into a functioning power plant.
Though after that it left him vulnerable for 6 hours.
He'd also created small amounts of entirely new elements, but only for minutes before his mana depleted.
The Seer could also perceive his true potential.
'With sufficient mana reserves and proper application, he could rewrite matter, energy, even abstract concepts like distance and time on a universal scale… Aside from the Heavenly Father and the First Evil, he could become the third being capable of true creation.'
The Seer took a special mental note as her gaze shifted to another candidate.
On the third screen is a man in London.
William Fordsmith, 45 years old, former physics professor.
His ability, Absolute Temporal Sovereignty.
Currently, he could manipulate time within a 30-meter radius for up to 10 minutes before his mana ran dry.
He could slow, accelerate, or briefly rewind local time, though such extensive manipulations drained him rapidly.
He'd been using this power to rescue civilians by rewinding disasters in small areas.
By the time monsters attacked, he had aged them into grandpas within his range.
Though larger creatures required multiple attempts that could leave him exhausted.
But the Seer saw his terrifying potential.
If given enough time to grow and a large mana pool, he could manipulate timelines and temporal loops or rewrite main history itself.
'He could unravel causality itself once his power matures,'
The Seer observed with growing concern.
The Seer continued cycling through dozens of humans that acquired astounding unique abilities.
'They are the few humans chosen by the system after they killed their first monster.'
Although it says 33.2% had managed to kill their first monster, only less than 1% have been chosen by the system to choose their own abilities based on their desires.
The Seer continued to observe other significant beings.
A woman in Sydney who could rewrite genetic codes with a touch, currently limited to small animals.
But she has the potential capable of reshaping entire ecosystems once her mana capacity expands.
A man in Cairo who could bend fundamental forces of physics and mana within a limited area.
The Seer could also see he would eventually reshape reality through pure scientific manipulation.
A teenager in Berlin who had developed omnilingual telepathy across a city block.
Each displayed abilities that were currently constrained by mortal limitations.
Each represented a potential future deity if their power continued growing.
Each of the possessed abilities that could make them gods among mortals once fully developed.
But as she watched each of them, her gaze paused on a certain image.
A man in his late 20s, unremarkable in appearance, with statistics that were embarrassingly low compared to the other individuals.
His physical statistics barely registered above baseline human levels.
His combat capabilities appeared minimal.
Nero Walker, 28 years old, location: North American survivor camp.
Listed ability: "Waifu Summoner".
"... W-Waifu?"
The Seer is confused by the term.
But considering there's a word "summoner", she knew it was most likely an ability to summon an individual probably stronger than him to be his loyal companion.
But what's interesting is that unlike others who require a large amount of mana to activate their unique abilities, his ability seems to use a different type of currency or item to activate…
"How peculiar…"
It's an ability that doesn't directly help one's self or give any major power-up unlike others.
The Seer was, of course, intrigued but not enough to keep her astounded.
'Well, let's just see…'
But nonetheless, she's curious about the term "Waifu".
'Is it some sort of biological weapon?'
As she made an interested expression, the Seer's otherworldly eyes mysteriously glowed, wanting to pry deeper…
But as she did,
"!!!!"
Her pupils suddenly constricted as her whole being trembled in shock.
S-She couldn't believe it.
Her ability…
The Eyes of Truth.
The ability to see through EVERYTHING and even creation and the system itself…
Her all-seeing eyes…
"W-Why…"
A feeling of terror crept up her body, as her usually serene expression finally broke in panic.
"W-Why can't I see through him?"
***
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