They say once you know the grand scheme of the gods, everything unravels, even the fabric of the universe itself.

Death is something everyone knows all too well—inevitable and unavoidable.

What lies beyond death remains a mystery to many, but for those like me, the truth is clear. After death, souls are transported to the Sanctuary. Contrary to its name, the Sanctuary is not a place of peace. It is a realm governed by Vitalis, the god of life, a figure revered across other worlds.

Upon arrival on the planet known as The Sanctuary, souls are bestowed with roles and titles that they must fulfill. Whether it's the esteemed position of Grand Wizard or the revered title of Priest of Purity, each role comes with its own set of responsibilities.

These roles are not merely ceremonial; they serve as a pathway for souls to ascend to higher realms. Through a structured system of tasks and trials, souls strive to earn the opportunity to participate in the trials of the gods and potentially ascend to godhood themselves, ruling over worlds within the vast universe of gods.

However, I am sent to the Sanctuary on my own, not escorted by the great god that rules over it—nothing. The memories of my father's smiling face looking down at me as I descend the stairs, the pain of the bumps and bones breaking, are nothing compared to the painfully gleeful look in his eyes as I take my last breath.

I only know pain, nothing else. I guess that's why I am bestowed with the name Cipher—a person of no importance. To me, it feels like being a ghost. I always sit on the sidelines and absorb the pain of everyone else after any mishap. I am like a fly in the corner of the room, observing their every action, their lives, without ever having a chance to have my own. I hate it. I despise it.

Now, after spending countless years watching others live their lives, exploring, and striving to unlock their final title—the one that will let them transcend into the trials of god and potentially become a god of their own world—I still have no such luxuries.

Stolen story; please report.

From birth, I am destined to become nothing, a nobody, and that is what I become—a soul who somehow finds their way into the sanctuary. Now, I truly become a person of no importance. I have to watch as the beloved god transports other souls to the sanctuary to start their new lives, unlike mine, which will never begin.

Empty is my only emotion after years of being stuck like this. At first, I enjoy looking at others' lives and the trials they go through, but now, as that joy turns to envy and greed, I force it out. Now, all I have is emptiness.

And now, once again, I am here watching another battle unfold.

Looking down at the raging battle unfolding before me, I see two people up against a level three ring beast. Its large body towers over them like a dragon, but instead of scales, it has pristine white fur that clads its body. Golden chest plates wrap around its chest, swirling and going down to its feet, where it clings to the floor like an eagle’s foot.

And like a fly, I hover silently, watching it play out.

"Rellio, I'll go left and you right. We'll do just as we practiced," a girl with red hair says, her fists fastened with gauntlets. They look weak and unsteady due to the many fractures in and around them, a result of their relatively low endurance.

Rellio, the boy, on the other hand, has a staff in his arms.

"They are chi and magic users, unless the girl is using some sort of magical relic," I mutter to myself.

The girl is the first one to go off, heading in her designated direction, slamming her fists together and causing miniature sparks of light. And as if signaling the war to begin, the creature swings its tail, plummeting it straight in her direction. But before it can slam down on her, she leaps into the air, avoiding it by just an inch, and runs up its tail.

Its roar echoes through ring two, cutting through all the other battles happening. Abruptly, green balls form around them, shooting out small beams of light, destroying the very space surrounding it. The shockwave of its roar sends her back, and she grips onto one of the hovering debris, digging her fingers alongside the edges.

"Rellio! Some help here!" she calls out. A bunch of beams connect together, forming one large one, and zip right for her.

"Right at you, Mika!" A burst of water deflects the beam, sending its course to another place and causing an immediate explosion upon impact.

Mika nods, a sign of gratification, holding one of the fallen stones, tightening her muscles in her feet as she launches off, a trail of fire following her fist in pursuit. She grips her hands together and slams them into its head. Fire dances around and explodes, knocking it back, while the boy comes in from the left, his staff pointing at the beast, the tip of it charging up a white light ball infused with a mixture of colors.

It suddenly bursts out a small stream of light, reaching the beast and unexpectedly expanding, lifting the floors around it as it cuts through the very air itself, hurling toward the creature and splitting its head from its long neck.

The feeling of inadequacy lingers in my heart while watching them scream out for joy. Why can’t I be like them? Feel the joy after a long fight, the adrenaline the human body gets? I want it—no, I need it.