Master's Room
Most gods are manifested as their followers envision them, with Type 3 gods often possessing strong egos, which can make them difficult to control. Because of this, world masters typically buy a Type 2 god and allow their followers' faith to elevate the god to a Type 3 over time.
Zephry and Clark stood observing in the master's room as two newly purchased gods manifested before them. Vara, the god of strength and hunting, appeared as a massive figure with powerful muscles, a tiger hide draped across his shoulder. Koji, an elegant god adorned with fine jewelry, radiated a regal yet haughty demeanor. Vara, sensing Zephry's strength, bowed respectfully. "Order me, Master," he intoned, his voice like thunder.
Koji, in contrast, averted his gaze, refusing eye contact. Zephry assigned each god a portion of his personal space for overseeing their followers and turned his attention back to the planet below.
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Eastern Continent – The Central Tribe's Dilemma
On the eastern continent, time had stopped accelerating, leaving the central tribe of beastmen facing a dire water shortage. In a large tent made of hides and bone, a young wolf hybrid approached his father, the tribe's chief, who sat on a throne of bones.
"Father, if this keeps up, we'll be out of water in one or two months, and summer's just begun."
The chief's eyes narrowed. "What about the northern river?"
"It's dry—last season's rains failed us."
"Then we have no choice. We must fight."
The young hybrid nodded. "The lake to the north is the only water source left. We'll need to drive the tribe there away if we want to survive."
"Take 300 of our finest warriors," the chief ordered, rising to his feet. "Prepare to march at sunrise."
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Northern Settlement of Escaped Humans
On the northern edge of the eastern continent, humans who had escaped enslavement by beastmen had founded a settlement. Here, the mana-rich environment had transformed them over generations, giving many an affinity to mana. Though their control remained inefficient, they could temporarily reinforce their bodies, gaining immense strength for 10 to 15 minutes at a time, and could even strengthen their weapons. Despite generations passing, their loyalty to those left behind in the beastmen's lake village never waned.
Endric, one of the settlement's hundred mana users, had been scouting as usual, but returned urgently to the chief's hut—a simple structure of stone and wood,
"Chief! There's an emergency," he said breathlessly.
The chief, a gray-haired man with weathered skin, looked up sharply. "What happened?"
Endric reported, "I scouted the lake village and, on my way back, spotted a large group of central beastmen warriors heading for the lake. They're mobilizing for battle, around 300 of them."
The chief's face darkened. "The lake tribe has about 600 warriors, so they'll likely ambush the central tribe at night. But this might be our only chance to save our people."
The chief paused, then issued his orders: "Gather everyone who can use mana reinforcement and set up camp near the lake village. When the tribes are fully engaged, rescue as many humans as you can."
Endric nodded with resolve. Though their village held nearly 1,000 people, only a few could sense and use mana. His mission was a dangerous one, but it offered a rare opportunity to bring their kin home.
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Beastmen Village by the Lake
In the lake village, enslaved humans toiled under the watchful eyes of their beastmen captors. Here, the beastmen treated them as mere tools for labor.
Near a simple hut, a young man named Aric, around 19, comforted his five-year-old brother, Lary, who clung to his arm. They lost their parents to the beast men. Aric had spent his life in this brutal world, teaching himself to survive and shield his brother from the worst of the beastmen's cruelty.
A beastman guard passed by and sneered at Aric. "Why do you coddle the runt?" he jeered, shoving Aric backward. "He'll learn soon enough what it means to work."
Aric held his temper, pulling his brother behind him protectively, but his resolve only strengthened. "Don't worry, Lary," he whispered as the guard left. "I won't let anyone hurt you."
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Nightfall – The Central Tribe's War Camp
As night fell, the central tribe's warriors, each one larger and stronger than most of their lake tribe counterparts, prepared for their ambush. Their leader, a scarred veteran of countless battles, watched the lake village with predatory intent.
At the same time, Endric and his team of mana-reinforced scouts moved into position just beyond the village perimeter, each preparing to act as soon as the battle erupted.
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The Battle Begins
A sudden shout shattered the stillness as the central tribe's warriors breached the lake tribe's defenses, their claws gleaming under the moonlight. Chaos exploded as the lake tribe warriors rushed to counter the ambush, and the night filled with the clash of claws, roars, and the sound of battle.
Amid the turmoil, Aric clutched Lary close, pulling her into the shadows of an abandoned hut. He watched as warriors from the central tribe tore through the lake tribe's defenses, relentless in their assault.
In the cover of darkness, Endric scanned the village, his eyes landing on a small group of humans huddling together, clearly terrified. He motioned to his scouts, signaling them to enter and start gathering any enslaved humans they could find.
Moving silently, Endric approached Aric, placing a steadying hand on his shoulder. "Stay calm," he whispered. "We're here to help. Gather anyone you trust, and follow us when we signal."
Aric's eyes widened, a flicker of hope breaking through his weary resolve. He tightened his grip on his brother's hand and nodded.
As the battle raged on, Endric's team guided groups of captives toward the outskirts of the village. With each step, the sound of clashing weapons grew fainter behind them. Aric and Lary followed closely, hearts pounding as freedom drew nearer. Finally, after years of suffering, the dream of escape was within reach.
For Aric, Lary, and others, this was the beginning of a new chapter—one where they could hope for freedom and, perhaps one day, justice. But they were spotted by a group lof lake tribe warriors who are currently approaching then.