Marcus stared at the Status Panel for a long moment, unmoving, as though the universe itself was playing a joke in his eyes.
He had expected something ordinary. When the Universal Will first granted its knowledge, Marcus had studied the information obsessively.
The system governing divine beings was structured, predictable, almost bureaucratic in its precision. Every human who awakened as a god began the same way: an F-Rank human bloodline, a weak foundation meant to be purified slowly through centuries of struggle.
That was the rule.
Yet the panel floating before him looked nothing like the expected template.
His gaze locked onto the line that mattered most.
Bloodline: Star Bloodline (EX-Rank → Unique)
For a moment his thoughts simply stopped.
Then they restarted all at once.
EX-Rank.
Marcus had memorized the hierarchy earlier, committing it to memory while the Universal Will flooded his mind with information.
Bloodlines were categorized in ascending order from the lowest:
F → E → D → C → B → A → S → SS → SSS → Divine.
N/B Above SSS there is also EX- rank bloodline which is unique. But its exact order in bloodline ranking differs based on its uniqueness and Innate talents it has; Thus EX rank might mean that the bloodline more powerful than even divine bloodline or the blood is unique but less powerful than even the known C or D ranked bloodlines.
.........
From the information, there was also Bloodlines that had strict inheritance. These are called acquired bloodlines. They required one to have a dull or waste bodies. These are bodies that naturally can never awaken a bloodline.
It is believed that such individuals with dull bodies have too many bloodlines in them that are thin and balanced so there's not a single superior bloodline in them that's greater than the others due to their balanced state, making it difficult for them to awaken naturally.
Such individuals have 100% success rate for inheriting other bloodlines. As long as the inherited bloodline is superior to the existing many bloodlines in them; no matter all courses, the inherited bloodline will awaken.
And most importantly the awakened inherited bloodline has a chance to mutate and become unique.!
Most humans began at the bottom. F-Rank was barely more than mortal heritage touched by a trace of divine essence. Even the most talented individuals would spend centuries purifying their bloodline into E-Rank, perhaps reaching D or C after millennia of cultivation and divine conflict.
B-Rank and above were rarely meant for humans at all.
Those tiers belonged to ancient species whose bloodlines had been refined since the dawn of cosmic history. Dragons, archangels, primordial titans, void leviathans. Creatures whose very existence bent the structure of reality.
And EX-Rank…
Marcus had never seen an explanation attached to it. The classification simply existed at the top of the hierarchy, mentioned only briefly in the knowledge the Universal Will had granted. No examples were provided. No species were listed.
It was less a category and more a theoretical ceiling.
Marcus exhaled slowly, trying to steady the rapid rhythm of his heartbeat. The rational part of his mind struggled to accept what he was seeing. A newly awakened human god, possessing a bloodline that surpassed some of the greatest divine races in existence.
He focused his eyes on the innate talent that came with the Bloodline.
Status Panel.
Name: Marcus Valmont
True Name: ??
Merit: 0
Bloodline: Star Bloodline (EX-Rank - Unique)
Innate Talent1: Star Affinity — All Sacrificial gains and abilities receive the blessings of the stars and are multiplied by a 1000 times.
Innate Talent2:One with Universe — When outside your domain, you are favored by the stars. Void creatures will not actively attack you.
......
Marcus did not move.
Then his gaze was fixed on his innate talents.
He had two of them.
This revelation struck him even harder.
Marcus swallowed slowly.
According to the divine knowledge he had received earlier, a bloodline normally manifested a single innate talent upon awakening. That talent represented the purest expression of the bloodline's nature.
Even the most powerful Divine bloodlines in existence rarely granted more than one ability at birth. In extremely rare circumstances, a second talent might emerge after centuries of cultivation or through exposure to powerful celestial forces.
But Marcus had received two immediately.
From the moment his bloodline awakened.
He Focused on the first innate talent;
Innate Talent 1: Star Affinity — All sacrificial gains and abilities receive the blessings of the stars and are multiplied 1,000 times.
His throat tightened slightly as he absorbed the descriptions.
Star Affinity was almost absurd in its simplicity. It granted the blessing of the stars themselves, amplifying all sacrificial gains and abilities by a factor of one thousand. It simply stated that anything he gained or cultivated and dedicated would be amplified under the influence of the stars.
The second innate talent;
Innate Talent 2: One with Universe — When outside your domain, you are favored by the stars. Void creatures will not actively attack you.
Marcus looked up at the distant void.
The Origin Universe was vast beyond comprehension. The empty space between worlds was not truly empty at all. It was inhabited by countless strange entities, wandering beasts, parasitic creatures, void creatures and ancient horrors older than most civilizations.
Newborn gods rarely ventured into the void alone because they were considered prey.
Yet the talent - One with Universe changed that completely.
It did not grant him invincibility. It did not make him stronger than those creatures.
Instead, it altered something more fundamental.
The stars themselves would favor him.
Void creatures would simply… ignore him.
The ability sounded subtle, but Marcus immediately understood its true value. Safe passage through the void meant exploration. Exploration meant resources, races, artifacts, and opportunities that other new gods could never safely pursue.
His barren planet might not trap him here after all.
Marcus slowly ran a hand through his hair, still trying to process the magnitude of it.
Moments ago he had been preparing for a life of slow, grinding survival.
Now the foundation beneath his entire future had shifted.
....
Just as Marcus was beginning to immerse himself in the joy and disbelief of his new talents, the voice of the Universal Will returned, calm yet absolute.
[All new gods and Demi-Gods have been granted a Starter Rank 1 Divine Chest(Unique)].
[We wish you a prosperous ascension journey.].
[N/B {Divine Chests are divided from Rank 1 to Rank 7.}
.......
The declaration carried a quiet sense of finality, as though a cosmic ceremony had concluded and the true beginning of their divine lives had officially commenced.
Marcus' pulse quickened as a faint glow appeared before him, hovering over the barren ground: a simple chest, its surface shimmering with light and symbols he could not yet read. He could not read the characters, but he instinctively knew they were fragments of divine law.
Starter chests were a universal mechanism within the Origin Universe.
They existed to ensure that newly awakened gods did not perish immediately after their ascension. Even the most barren domain required a minimal foundation before it could begin producing Faith or sustaining life. The contents of the chest were designed to provide exactly that.
Almost instantly, the oppressive sense of limitation that had pressed on him—the barren planet, the lack of life, the impossibility of generating Faith—began to lift. The chest contained resources that could aid him, objects and energies designed specifically to allow a fledgling god to begin shaping even the most hopeless world.
Marcus approached the glowing chest, every nerve alive with anticipation.
He stepped forward and lifted the lid of the chest.
Light spilled outward, the contents rose slowly into the air before him, each item suspended and clearly labeled by the Universal Will.
[Congratulations. You have obtained:
→1 Divinity
→Novice Domain Protection Token (Unique)
→Common God Cultivation Method Token].
Marcus Froze, his eyes locked onto the first item.
Divinity.!!!
From the knowledge he had received, Divinity was not something a newly awakened god could casually obtain.
Even among veteran gods, Divinity was one of the most valuable forms of energy in existence. It was the refined essence of Faith, the condensed power of countless believers distilled into pure divine authority.
Marcus immediately recalled the conversion ratios embedded in the knowledge he had received.
One thousand Faith Points condensed into a single Divine Crystal.
Ten thousand Divine Crystals condensed into one unit of Divinity.
Thus one Divinity equaled 10,000,000 Faith Points!!
All new gods would spend years, perhaps decades, stabilizing life, cultivating primitive races, slowly accumulating Faith before they could even dream of condensing enough Divine Crystals to form one fragment of Divinity.
Yet here it was.
Floating in front of him.
Marcus exhaled slowly, unsure whether to laugh or remain silent. He had no idea whether every new god received something like this from their starter chest, or whether the contents varied randomly between individuals.
Before he could fully consider the question, something stirred within his veins.
His bloodline reacted.
His innate talent Star Affinity activated.
The faint golden thread within his veins flared, and the items hovering in the air trembled as if caught in an invisible current. The single unit of Divinity began to radiate intensely, its glow multiplying, splitting, refracting like a star reflected across a thousand mirrors.
The number flickered.
1. ..100... 500....999..Then—. 1,000
The air around him seemed to compress.
Marcus' breath hitched.
His breathing stopped for an instant.
One thousand Divinity.
The magnitude of it struck him like a physical force.
His mind immediately began calculating again.
If one Divinity required ten thousand Divine Crystals, and each Divine Crystal required one thousand Faith Points, then the number before him represented something almost incomprehensible.
Then one thousand Divinity equaled ten billion Faith Points!!!!
That amount of Faith would normally require enormous civilizations worshipping a deity for a century. Entire planetary populations devoted to prayer and sacrifice.
How long will it have taken for him to cultivate believer so that he can get this amount of faith.
His thoughts stalled. For a moment, he simply stared at the number hovering before him, as if expecting the universe to retract it and declare an error.
But it remained. Stable. Real.!
Slowly, his attention shifted to the next object.
It too began to change.
The Common God Cultivation Method Token.
Even as he looked at it, the faint aura surrounding the token began to change. The gentle energy embedded within the item thickened under the influence of Star Affinity, expanding outward as though infused with deeper cosmic authority.
The label beside it flickered.
The word Common dissolved.
In its place appeared something far heavier.
Supreme God Cultivation Method Token.!
Marcus watched the transformation in silence.
Only the final item remained unaffected.
The Novice Domain Protection Token rotated calmly in the air, radiating a steady defensive aura that did not fluctuate in the slightest.
Unique items existed outside the ordinary amplification rules of divine systems. Their properties were fixed by law and could not be altered.
The interface updated once more.
[You have obtained:]
→1,000 Divinity
→Novice Domain Protection Token (Unique)
→Supreme Cultivation Method Token
Marcus remained motionless above the cracked surface of his tiny world.
Only minutes earlier he had been a newly awakened demi-god standing on a barren planet with no followers, no resources, and no clear path forward.
Now he possessed enough Divinity to reshape entire landscapes.
The cold stone beneath his feet no longer looked like the graveyard of a failed god.
It looked like the beginning of something vast.
.....
The Novice Domain Protection Token (Unique) rotated slowly before him, radiating a steady barrier-like aura. From the information embedded within it, Marcus understood its purpose immediately.
It would shield his domain from external invasion until he advanced to Planet God.
N/B {Divine Ranks: Demi-God, Planet God, Solar God, Domain God, True God, Galactic God, Cosmic God, Universal God, Celestial God and Supreme God.}
No foreign gods would be able to invade his territory. No wandering void creatures could descend directly onto the surface of his planet. Even powerful higher beings would be unable to casually erase his fragile world during its earliest stage of development
For a newly awakened Demi-God, that protection was not convenience. It was survival.
The Origin Universe was not a peaceful place. Countless divine beings competed for resources, territory, and believers. Weak domains were often swallowed by stronger ones before they had any chance to grow. Entire newborn gods vanished within days of awakening, erased by predators who hunted for unguarded worlds.
With the protection token active, Marcus would not need to worry about that—at least for now.
...
His gaze slowly shifted back to the other item hovering before him.
The number still glowed steadily.
1,000 Divinity.
Marcus studied the figure in silence.
Divinity was not simply a resource in the ordinary sense. It was the refined essence of divine authority itself, condensed from unimaginable quantities of Faith. Every god relied on it to perform actions that exceeded the limits of natural reality.
Divinity fueled breakthroughs in cultivation. It strengthened and stabilized divine laws. It allowed gods to expand their domains, forge artifacts, transform environments, and reshape entire ecosystems. In the hands of truly powerful beings, it could even ignite stars and construct entire worlds from cosmic dust.
Without Divinity, a god was limited to slow growth and minor influence.
With it, reality itself became malleable.
Most newborn gods spent decades gathering Faith before they could condense even a single fragment.
Marcus possessed one thousand.
He lowered his gaze toward the barren world beneath him.
Moments earlier the planet had felt like a dead end, a silent stone drifting through endless darkness. Now, however, he could see its potential clearly. If necessary, he could channel Divinity directly into the domain and reshape it by force.
The cracked crust could be reforged.
The thin atmosphere could be condensed and stabilized.
Oceans could be carved into the surface.
Primitive life could be seeded into the soil.
In theory, he could transform the entire world within a short period of time.
Marcus inhaled slowly and forced himself to remain calm.
The temptation to act immediately was powerful. The idea of using his newfound strength to reshape the planet into something thriving and alive pulled strongly at his instincts.
But reckless decisions were dangerous.
One thousand Divinity seemed like an enormous amount, yet it was still a finite resource. Spending it blindly in the early stages of development could cripple his long-term growth. Gods who mismanaged their resources often stagnated permanently, unable to recover from their early mistakes.
Marcus steadied his thoughts and chose restraint.
Instead of acting impulsively, he shifted his attention inward.
Several new interfaces had appeared within his perception since the moment his bloodline awakened. They hovered quietly at the edge of his consciousness, waiting to be accessed.
Three primary panels revealed themselves.
→[Personal Panel.]
→[Domain Panel.]
→[Region 1 Divine Chat.]
Marcus had already examined his personal status earlier. There was nothing urgent there that required immediate attention.
The Domain Panel, on the other hand, would allow him to manage the development of his planet directly. Through it he could shape terrain, distribute divine energy, and monitor the growth of any future lifeforms.
But that system required planning.
If he began altering the world without a clear strategy, he could easily waste enormous amounts of Divinity.
So Marcus temporarily set the Domain Panel aside.
His focus settled on the final interface.
→[Region 1 Divine Chat.]
A network of communication linking newly awakened Demi-gods.
Marcus hesitated for only a moment before opening it.
The effect was immediate.
A torrent of messages flooded into his consciousness.
Lines of glowing text streamed past at overwhelming speed, each one carrying the voice of another newly awakened deity somewhere within the vast region assigned to them. Thousands of minds were speaking simultaneously, their thoughts colliding in a chaotic storm of words.
Confusion dominated the flow.
Questions appeared again and again as gods tried to understand what had happened to them.
Others expressed excitement, marveling at their newfound divinity.
Some spoke with arrogance, already boasting about the strength of their domains or the quality of their bloodlines.
But mixed among those voices were others far less confident.
Fear.
Doubt.
And quiet threads of despair...
.....