The temple was deathly silent, the air thick with tension as everyone bore witness to an event that defied all logic and belief. A new statue had emerged within the sacred temple—an unknown god now stood alongside the revered Seven. But what shook the very foundations of the gathered nobles and priests was not merely the appearance of the statue, but the divine gifts bestowed upon a single individual. Not one, not two, not even seven, but eight gods had acknowledged Zephyr.
A wave of murmurs spread across the grand hall, whispers of awe and disbelief rippling through the assembly. The system window reappeared before Zephyr, illuminating the truth for all to see:
[Awakening Successful]
Thanks to your titles, you have successfully revealed the existence of the God of Shadows, the one who rules over Shadow, Death, and who once devoured every god.
As those words burned into Zephyr's mind, something inexplicable happened. The statues of the Seven Gods began to shift, their forms altering ever so slightly, as though acknowledging the presence of a long-forgotten entity. The God of Creation, the God of Life, the God of Space, the God of Fire, the God of Water, the God of Light, and the God of Wind—all of them bore subtle changes, their divine essence resonating with the sudden revelation.
Then, before the gathered assembly, the newly appeared eighth statue displayed its title for all to see: God of Shadows and Death.
Zephyr's system window flickered once more, bringing forth another message:
Due to their fear of the God of Shadows, the other gods have granted you their blessings as well.
Gasps filled the temple. The implications of the system's message were nothing short of terrifying. The nobles exchanged bewildered glances, their minds struggling to comprehend what had just transpired. Fear, reverence, and curiosity wove together into a chaotic storm of emotions.
Then, the hushed murmurs were broken by a panicked voice.
"I-It can't be! There must be some mistake… or—y-yes! Zephyr must have made a contract with demons!"
All eyes turned toward the speaker—Zephyr's eldest brother, his face twisted with denial and desperation. But before he could utter another word, their father's thunderous voice cut through the hall.
"Silence, you fool! Every god has acknowledged Zephyr. If he had truly made a contract with demons, no god would have blessed him! And yet, not only have all seven gods given him their blessing, but a new god—one we never knew of—has emerged."
A heavy silence followed. The reality of the situation weighed upon them all.
"A-An eighth god?" the eldest brother stammered, his voice laced with unease. "No one has ever heard of an eighth god before. The world has always known only seven. And yet… the God of Shadows and Death? What does that even mean?"
It was then that a high priest stepped forward, his expression grave yet composed. His voice, though calm, carried the authority of one who had devoted his life to understanding the divine.
"Every god has their role in this world. Just as the God of Creation forged existence and the God of Life sustains it, there must also be one who governs the end—one who rules over death. Perhaps we simply did not recognize this truth until now."
A noblewoman in the crowd hesitantly spoke. "That does make sense, but… why has this god revealed himself now?"
The priest closed his eyes for a moment before answering, "Who can truly understand the will of the gods?"
Another murmur spread through the temple, but this time, it carried more acceptance than resistance. The fear in the air remained, but so too did an undeniable sense of wonder.
The priest then turned to Zephyr, his expression filled with a mixture of expectation and reverence. "Zephyr, if the gods have chosen you, we must witness your blessings firsthand. Please, test your gifts."
Zephyr hesitated for a moment, then raised his hand. He decided to test fire first, as it was an element he was already familiar with. Summoning his power, he conjured flames in his palm with ease.
But something was wrong.
The fire was not its usual vibrant orange or red. Instead, it burned with a deep, unnatural black hue, tendrils of dark energy licking at the air like shadows given form.
A collective gasp filled the temple. The nobles recoiled in shock, while the priest scrutinized the flames with narrowed eyes.
"This… This has never happened before," someone whispered.
The priest, after a moment of contemplation, nodded. "Perhaps the first gift Zephyr received from the God of Shadows and Death has influenced the blessings of the other gods."
But Zephyr alone knew the truth. This fire—it did not belong to the God of Fire at all. No, this power originated solely from the God of Shadows.
He clenched his fist, extinguishing the dark flames as he considered what this revelation meant. If his blessings were truly influenced by the God of Shadows, then how much of his power was different from what others had received before him? Was he meant to be something more than just another chosen? What did it mean to be acknowledged by a god who had been forgotten—or perhaps erased—from history?
The nobles and priests continued to discuss among themselves, their voices a mixture of fear, curiosity, and reverence. Some called Zephyr a blessed child of the gods, while others whispered their doubts, afraid of what his powers could mean for the balance of the world.
But one thing was certain—Zephyr's fate had changed forever. And with the emergence of the eighth god, the world would never be the same again.