EchoThe rain in Astraea didn't smell like the earth; it smelled like exhaust fumes and wet concrete.
Twenty-year-old Dev stood under the rusted awning of a closed tea stall, shivering in his thin, faded cotton shirt. In his hand, he clutched a single, crumpled letter and a small, smooth stone from the Aranya Temple—his only connection to the mountain forest he called home.
"I'm sorry, Grandpa," Dev whispered, his voice cracking.
He looked at the letter again. The ink was smeared from the humidity.
"Dev, my son, do not worry about the temple. The 'Golden Leaf Corporation' has offered to buy the land. They say the Gods have moved on, and only progress remains. My cough is better, don't spend your food money on medicine for me."
Dev knew it was a lie. The Old Priest, Mahadev, was dying, and the "Golden Leaf Corp" were vultures. They didn't want progress; they wanted to build a casino over the spot where Dev was found as an infant.
"Hey! Move it, beggar!"
A sleek, silver luxury sedan splashed through a puddle, drenching Dev's worn-out trousers. The window rolled down, revealing a young man about Dev's age wearing a watch that cost more than the Aranya Temple's entire history.
"This is the entrance to Astraea University," the rich student sneered. "Dropouts and charity cases aren't allowed to loiter here. Go back to whatever hole you crawled out of."
Dev didn't respond. His eyes remained calm, a habit learned from years of watching the steady flame of the temple lamps. This silence only angered the student.
"Look at you. No money, no family, no future. In this world, Wealth is the only God. And you? You're an atheist." The student laughed, floored the accelerator, and sped away.
Dev reached into his pocket and pulled out his very last possession: a 1-rupee coin. It was old, the edges smoothed by time.
If wealth is a God, Dev thought, looking up at the gray, oppressive sky, then why is the world so poor in spirit?
He closed his eyes and visualized the stone lingam in the heart of the forest. He didn't pray for a car or a watch. He prayed for the strength to protect the only man who loved him and the Dharma that the world had forgotten.
"Om Namah Shivaya," he breathed.
Suddenly, the world didn't just go silent—it froze.
The falling raindrops hung in mid-air like diamonds. The roar of the city traffic vanished into a hum that sounded like a thousand monks chanting in unison.
Inside Dev's mind, a screen made of pure, liquid gold flickered into existence.
[DING!]
[SOUL SCAN COMPLETE: Purity Grade - EX]
[COGNITIVE ALIGNMENT: Favorite Son of Earth Detected.]
[The World has forgotten the Eternal Path. Greed has blinded the Heavens.]
[Initiating the WEALTH GOD SYSTEM...]
[Current Objective: Revive Sanatana. Restore Balance. Cleanse the Earth.]
Dev's heart hammered against his ribs. "What... is this?"
[Host: Dev]
[Level: 0 (Mortal)]
[Title: Candidate for Sovereign of Earth]
[System Gift: The First Seed of Prosperity]
[Balance: $10,000 (Converted to Local Currency)]
[Daily Passive Income: $0/sec]
| Followers: 0 | Strength: 5 (Weak) | Dharma Score: 100/100 |
[New Task: THE FIRST DISCIPLE]
Description: A Wealth God cannot stand alone. Find your first 'Employee' who shares a spark of Dharma. Hire them to begin the cycle of wealth.
Reward: Unlock 'Sci-Fi Wristband: Level 1' and First System Building.
The gold screen faded, but the weight in Dev's pocket changed. He reached in and pulled out his hand. The old 1-rupee coin was gone. In its place was a stack of crisp, high-denomination notes and a strange, metallic card that shimmered with an inner light.
The rain began to fall again. The world started moving.
Dev looked at the money, then at the towering skyscrapers of Astraea. For the first time in his life, he didn't feel like a victim of the city. He felt like its Owner.
"The Golden Leaf Corporation wants to buy the temple?" Dev's eyes turned cold, reflecting a sudden, sharp intelligence. "By the time I'm done, I'll buy their entire bloodline."
He turned away from the University that had rejected him and started walking toward the slums on the edge of the city. He didn't need a degree anymore.
He needed an army.