Rantaro froze, his brush still in hand, as a glowing, translucent window appeared in front of him. The text within it was crisp and clear, hovering in the air as if projected directly from his mind.

"You are now able to operate God's Blessings System. Do you accept? Yes or No?"

He blinked several times, half-expecting the vision to disappear. But the window remained, pulsing faintly as if urging him to respond.

“What is this?” Rantaro shouted, his voice cracking as he turned to the demon, who was now observing the strange apparition with an expression of mild annoyance.

The demon sighed and crossed their arms, their cold features twisting into a frown. “It seems our dear Creator has decided to meddle in our arrangement,” they said, their voice laced with disdain. “Typical. They can’t leave well enough alone.”

“Wait,” Rantaro said, gesturing wildly to the glowing window. “What do you mean? Is this... real? Am I hallucinating?”

The demon rolled their eyes, stepping closer to inspect the shimmering text. “Oh, it’s real, alright. It’s the so-called ‘God’s Blessings System.’ A pathetic attempt to balance the scales when mortals make deals with beings like me.”

Rantaro’s head spun as he tried to process the information. “So... what happens if I say yes?”

The demon's smirk returned, but it was laced with a hint of irritation. “If you accept, you gain access to certain ‘blessings’ designed to counteract my influence. A safeguard, if you will. But don’t be fooled—using that system comes with its own set of consequences. Divine interference is rarely free of strings.”

Rantaro stared at the glowing window, his mind racing. On one hand, this could be a way to level the playing field, a chance to reclaim some control over the pact he had made. On the other hand, the devil’s warnings sent a chill down his spine.

“Why would God offer me this now, after I’ve already made a deal with you?” he asked.

The demon chuckled darkly. “Because they love a good redemption story, don’t they? A desperate mortal clawing their way back from the brink, even as they’re entangled in darkness. It’s amusing, really.”

The window pulsed again, the options glowing brighter.

"Do you accept? Yes or No?"

Rantaro’s hands trembled as he hovered over the options. He turned to the demon one last time, their expression unreadable.

“What should I do?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

The demon shrugged, their smirk returning. “That’s entirely up to you, mortal. But remember this—once you let the divine into your life, you’re playing by their rules. And their rules are just as twisted as mine.”

Rantaro stared at the glowing window, his heart pounding like a war drum. The demon's words lingered in his mind, a cocktail of warning and derision that only added to his confusion.

The window pulsed again, the words shining brighter.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

"Do you accept? Yes or No?"

He swallowed hard, his throat dry. Every fiber of his being screamed that this was too much, that he was meddling in forces far beyond his comprehension. But he had already summoned a demon. What harm could one more leap into the unknown do?

“I...” he began, his voice shaky, “I don’t know what to do.”

The demon chuckled softly, their presence towering despite their casual stance. “Mortal indecision,” they said, their tone dripping with mockery. “It’s almost endearing.”

Rantaro clenched his fists, frustration bubbling beneath the surface. He hated being mocked, hated feeling powerless. He turned back to the window, his finger hovering over the “Yes” option.

“What if I accept?” he asked, his voice firmer this time.

The demon tilted their head, their glowing eyes narrowing. “If you accept, you’ll gain access to powers that tilt the scales in your favor. Blessings, divine influence—call it what you will. But every choice comes with consequences. The divine is as transactional as the infernal. You think I ask for much? Wait until you see their price.”

“And if I refuse?”

The demon’s smirk widened. “Then our pact remains unchallenged. You’ll have me, and only me, by your side. No meddling, no interference. But you’ll have to trust that I’ll keep my word. Do you trust me, Rantaro?”

Rantaro froze. Did he? The demon had given him the inspiration he craved and the companionship he longed for—albeit with a price. But could he truly trust a being born of manipulation and cunning?

The window pulsed again, demanding an answer.

"Do you accept? Yes or No?"

Rantaro took a deep breath, his hand trembling as it moved toward the glowing words. His mind raced with possibilities, fears, and hopes.

Rantaro’s trembling hand hovered for a moment longer before he pressed “Yes.” The glowing window flashed brightly, momentarily flooding the room with a blinding light. He shielded his eyes, his heart pounding with equal parts fear and anticipation.

When the light faded, the window dissolved, replaced by a series of floating text boxes and icons that hovered in midair.

"God’s Blessings System Initialized. Welcome, Rantaro Hoshi."

"You have been granted access to Divine Boons. Use them wisely."

The text disappeared, and a new screen materialized, listing what appeared to be abilities, stats, and locked options.

* Current Boons: 1

* Blessing of Creation (Active): Enhances artistic output beyond mortal capability. Removes fatigue during creative endeavors.

* Faith Bar: 0% (Requires consistent moral actions to increase).

* Divine Challenges: Unlocked after Faith Bar reaches 25%.

“What... what is all this?” Rantaro murmured, staring at the information before him.

The demon, now leaning casually against the wall, let out a theatrical sigh. “Congratulations, mortal. You’ve just become a player in God’s game. You’ll find it’s not so different from ours, except with more rules and a lot of guilt.”

Rantaro ignored their comment, focusing instead on the glowing text. His eyes locked onto the Blessing of Creation. He could feel it, a subtle but undeniable shift within him—an energy humming beneath the surface, urging him to pick up his brush.

He stepped over to his easel, staring at the canvas. Without hesitation, he dipped his brush into the paint and began to work.

As the colors spread across the canvas, his movements felt guided yet natural, like his soul was speaking through his hands. The scene he painted was divine and surreal—an endless horizon of golden light, with figures ascending toward the heavens. Every detail was perfect, every stroke purposeful.

When he finished, the painting glowed faintly, as if imbued with the divine essence he had tapped into.

The demon clapped slowly, their smirk tinged with something almost resembling respect. “Impressive. I’ll give you that. But how long before this new power starts to weigh on you?”

Rantaro turned to them, a glimmer of defiance in his eyes. “I don’t care. I’ll handle whatever comes my way. I just want to create. To be something more.”

The demon’s gaze lingered on him, their smirk fading slightly. “We’ll see, mortal. We’ll see.”

As Rantaro basked in his newfound ability, he couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that both divine and infernal forces were watching closely—waiting to see how far he would go.