Chapter 25 [Other Supreme God]
As Shreya delved deeper into the mysteries of Lila's race, her mind became a maelstrom of thoughts and questions. She instinctively sensed that Asoka was concealing secrets, and her curiosity was piqued. The Ariya race was unknown to her, both in her current and past universes, making this encounter all the more captivating and enigmatic.
In Asoka's presence, Shreya felt an unsettling vulnerability, as if her very essence was laid bare before him. The man who claimed to be Asoka, the God of Elves, Magic, Wealth, and Contracts, possessed an unknown Primordial Manipulations Aspect, shrouded in mystery. While Shreya was familiar with most gods wielding this aspect, Asoka Walker remained an unfathomable enigma, his true nature and abilities hidden behind an veil of intrigue.
Lost in her thoughts, Shreya forgot that she was exploring a realm where ancient, powerful gods resided, choosing to seclude themselves from the outside world. This place was a sanctuary for deities who preferred to remain uninvolved in the affairs of others.
Shreya's mind raced with questions, her thoughts a jumble of curiosity and skepticism. She posed her inquiry with a hint of detachment, her voice calm and collected, "You mentioned being the God of elves? What are elves, exactly?"
Asoka's gaze met Shreya's, his eyes piercing as he read her expression, deciphering her thoughts without relying on any supernatural abilities. He responded with serene calmness, "Elves resemble me, and I am the progenitor of their race. We are beings of nature, congenial and harmonious with the natural world. Our appearance is similar to humans, demons, giants, dwarfs, and other sapiens, with the distinguishing feature of long, pointed ears."
Shreya's curiosity grew, her interest piqued by the enigmatic Asoka and his mystical realm. Her cold demeanor remained intact, but her mind was abuzz with questions, her thoughts oscillating between Ariya, Elves, and this enigmatic elven god.
As Shreya prepared to ask another question, her gaze shifted to Lila, who had silently appeared beside a table, floating in the air with grace. Lila's movements were fluid and practiced as she set the tea and filled the cup with steaming hot tea. Asoka's voice broke the serenity, "Lila, please attend to Dhurina. She's throwing tantrums again because I haven't taken her to the outside world."
Lila's expression turned unnatural as she nodded and vanished instantly. However, Shreya didn't notice, for she had entered an epiphanic state. Her mind was in harmony with the universe, and her comprehension of Primordial ice-flame Manipulation Aspect began to accelerate rapidly after taking a single sip of tea.
A dense amount of divine energy started to converge toward Shreya, signaling her imminent breakthrough into a high supreme god. Behind her, the silhouette of an ice phoenix manifested, its aura majestic and domineering, like a ruler of the beasts. The phoenix's manifestation began to materialize, transforming from a sky-blue to a deep blue color, symbolizing Shreya's growing power.
As the ice phoenix's manifestation solidified, its presence seemed to resonate with the divine energy converging toward Shreya. The air around her began to shimmer, and her eyes gleamed with an intense, icy light. Her Primordial ice-flame Manipulation Aspect was evolving at an unprecedented rate, fueled by the tea's mysterious properties and her own epiphanic state.
Asoka's gaze remained fixed on Shreya, his expression a mixture of fascination. He sensed the magnitude of her transformation and the potential consequences of her rapid growth. The room seemed to hold its breath, awaiting the outcome of Shreya's breakthrough.
Lila's absence was momentarily forgotten, replaced by the anticipation of Shreya's ascension to a high supreme god. The tea, once a simple beverage, had become a catalyst for her transformation, unlocking secrets of the universe and granting her unimaginable power.
As the Ice Phoenix unfolded her majestic blue wing, she let out a resplendent phoenix cry, filled with the essence of joy and freedom. The cry echoed through the realm, a symphony of triumph and liberation. With one final glance at Asoka, the Ice Phoenix vanished into Shreya's being, merging with her essence.
In that instant, Shreya's eyes gleamed with an intense, icy light, as if the phoenix's spirit had ignited a fire within her soul. The merge was complete, the Ice Phoenix now a fully consolidated aspect of Shreya's being. Her Primordial ice-flame Manipulation Aspect had reached new heights, granting her unimaginable power and wisdom.
Shreya's eyes snapped open, filled with a mix of shock and greed, her gaze fixed intently on the cup of tea. She took a second sip, expecting a repetition of the epiphanic experience, but felt nothing out of the ordinary. The tea only brought her a sense of relaxation and calmness, devoid of any mysterious sensations or breakthroughs. Confusion clouded her mind, as she wondered why the tea's effects seemed to have been a one-time occurrence.
Asoka, seated leisurely, appeared unaffected by Shreya's breakthrough, his knowing expression hinting that he had anticipated this outcome. Before Shreya could voice her questions, Asoka responded as if reading her mind, "The tea is made from the leaves and fruits of the 'Sanchurian sinensis' or 'Indradhanush Petal' plant." He gestured toward a group of plants being cultivated by Ariya, his eyes sparkling with knowledge.
Shreya's thoughts swirled, trying to comprehend the significance of the plant and its connection to her epiphany.
([Indradhanush means: Rainbow in Sanskrit word])
Shreya's gaze fell upon the vibrant plants, adorned with small, colorful leaves and fruits resembling berries, each approximately 3 cm in size. The leaves and fruits displayed a kaleidoscope of colors, limited to the 7 hues of the rainbow. Asoka explained, "The fruits are categorized into 7 grades and 3 tiers. The mortal tier consists of 1 to 3-grade fruits, bearing 1 to 3 colors, beneficial only to the mortal realm. The God tier comprises 4 to 6-grade fruits, displaying 4 to 6 colors, offering significant benefits to gods."
Asoka paused, his expression hinting at the significance of the highest grade. "The 7th grade, or divine tier, possesses all 7 colors of the rainbow. Its benefits are... substantial."
Asoka deliberately omitted the benefits of the seventh-grade fruit, aware that its revelation could spark a catastrophic multiversal war. This coveted treasure held the power to because this grade of resource can lead to a universal war, not a universe war but a multiversal war. This grade of treasure can push any mortal or god to the next evolution. Their talent, aspect, comprehension, ability, body, soul, energy, strength, and overall, their existence will become superior, and Advance like a superior rebirth. This resource provides an overall increase in your existence.
"Shreya's face fell, her eyes clouded with disappointment. "So, what grade of fruit was used to make the tea? And why didn't I experience any benefits after taking another sip? Does it only provide a one-time benefit in a person's lifetime?" she asked, her voice tinged with dismay.
Asoka set the cup down, his expression solemn. "Yes, you're correct. Each grade of fruit offers a single benefit per lifetime. This tea was made with a 5-grade fruit, and you won't receive any further benefits from it in this life."
He continued, "The growth probability of each grade is as follows: 65% for 1-3 grade, 20% for 4-grade, 10% for 5-grade, 4.9% for 6-grade, and a mere 0.1% for 7-grade fruit. Every one harvest yields approximately 500 fruits every 3000 years. This plant takes 800 years to mature and 2000 years to produce ripened, colorful berries."
Asoka couldn't help but feel like a "shameless god" as he spouted exaggerated numbers, thinking to himself, 'What, Thousand years, eight hundred years, 0.1% growth rate... it sounds like nonsense.' In reality, these statistics were normal for the resources within the garden, where mythical herbs were abundant. This plant, considered a rare treasure in the outside world, was merely "normal grass" here.
Asoka's intention was to convey the difficulty and time required to cultivate the fruit without arousing suspicion or greed from other gods. He knew that if he didn't downplay the significance of the berries and instead claimed to possess many, he would become a target for those "righteous greedy gods" who would question his wealth. Asoka wasn't afraid of them, but he preferred to avoid unnecessary attention. He thought, "No one asks why you have less, but everyone questions why you have more."
...
Shreya sipped her tea, her eyes gleaming with a hint of curiosity as she gazed at Asoka, her expression a mask of calmness. She hesitated for a moment before speaking, her voice measured, "Thank you, Mr. Asoka, for this opportunity. I owe you a debt, Mr. Asoka. You may call me Shreya."
Asoka's response was serene, "You don't have to thank me, Shreya. You're my guest."
Shreya's eyes narrowed slightly as she continued, her tone neutral, "Before exploring this uncharted area, I heard intriguing news. Five Apostles of the supreme gods and goddesses in the world of Alpha rulers have been kidnapped. The perpetrators' identity remains unknown, but their unique trait is described as two long, pointed ears." Her gaze drifted to Asoka's ears, her expression unreadable. "Rumors also claim that the young generation of this race, led by a pink-haired girl, defeated the five Apostles."
Shreya's eyes lingered on Asoka's ears, her mind racing with connections. She was aware that the race in question was the Elves, and the god sitting before her seemed utterly unfazed, his expression a masterful mask of calmness.
Shreya's eyes had already sparkled with understanding when Asoka shared the details about the Elves and himself. She had pieced together the connection, and her mind was racing with the implications.
Shreya's mind raced with thoughts, 'For the sake of all that's holy, you're provoking the five supreme gods of the godly Counsel,' she thought, incredulous.
Asoka's curiosity was piqued, and he asked, "What do you think they will do?"
Shreya responded with confidence, "Currently, they have no plans, but they lack information about the Elven race. I believe they will dispatch representatives from the mortal dimension to gather intelligence on the Elves. They'll aim to uncover details about their limitations, traits, personalities, weaknesses, strengths, number of powerhouses, and potential threats to the gods. They'll also investigate how the Elves have remained hidden for so long and their worship practices."
Asoka listened intently, his expression unreadable, as Shreya continued, "The gods will utilize the mortal dimension organization to unearth every detail about the Elven race."