[Year 1]
The village is thriving after the god named Hadro decided to bless their people. For one, they know that the God that blessed them has a certain dominion on a subject.
However, 'Particle' is something they did not know about, when observing the ones the god blessed, it seems to be random yet useful.
It's like God has overseen their needs and is helping them every step of the way. However, that doesn't mean every single one of them would find the right step.
"What does Medicare mean…."
Kavo particularly could not understand, his young mind had set himself a goal. One to get a goal of getting a skill easily letting him know if plants are poisonous, but he got Medicare instead.
[Medicare F]
-Gives the user basic medical knowledge to tend and care for the sick and injured. Makes the user able to identify if one is expired, poisonous, and or medically beneficial.
He doesn't understand why the god named Hadro gave him a medical skill of all things, he doesn't help the injured, he's young and all he knows is how to identify poisonous plants.
But when he looked at his quest, he couldn't help but be more confused.
[Quest]
-identify at least 2 types of poisonous plants and procure them into medicine.
Reward: [Medical Botany F]
He had extensive knowledge of the entire edges side of the forest's flora, from poisonous to edible. Is it possible to have poisonous plants to be medicinal?
Asking that himself. Kavo was just a child, so this thought lingered the most, his mind was full of curiosity. Once Kavo had finished his trip at the edge of the forest he went back to the village.
"Kavo! My son, what are you doing?"
He lifted his head to see his father with a wounded arm come up to him. Thanks to the Medicare skill Kavo had properly applied medical care to his father's wound.
He was planning to have a better skill than this but it was for the better. Besides, what could go wrong with him having the skill?
"I'm picking up plants!"
"But those leaves, aren't they poisonous?"
"Mm! But my quest needs it! Don't worry, I'll be careful!"
"Call your mother Kavo, it's best that way."
"No! Mom is picking up Fruits and Berries, I'm not going to bother her."
"Kavo, at least be cautious. If the God who gave you this quest saw what you're doing don't you think he'll take the quest away?"
Kavo gasped, thinking carefully and then nodded. He would rather have the god help them than not. His ancestors have bestowed them stories about gods who're only interested in either the beautiful or the talented, gods that have forsaken them.
This God has blessed them and helped them, they still don't know what kind of god they're dealing with, but because it's still helpful, they're thankful, hence the altar.
"I'll wait…"
"Good, that's for the better."
Kavo placed his makeshift basket on the floor of their mud house, woven by dried leaves from a palm tree. He started dividing the leaves and identifying them.
'This one is Kapa leaves and this one is Trithorn leaves.' Kavo thought.
He separated two different leaves, one with three spike-like edges on the leaves and the other is a long elongated leaf that is yellow-green.
Kavo know the effects of the following leaves, the Kapa leaves will make one numb if you consume two to three worth of leaves while Trithorn would make you vomit, and the stories who ate them decades ago also say that Trithorn would make the victim have rapid heart rate as described by stories: "... It was like a song used by the women when building the mud houses with their husbands, a song while hitting the mud brick to shape them, a rapid drum. That's how his chest sounded like…"
Kavo wasn't too keen to know if that was true, so he had to wait. He wanted to make this medicine as soon as possible.
He looked at his father's wounded arm, only if they had a bit more… things to work on, maybe he could fully heal his father.
In the end, his mother came back full of fruits and they ate together, Kavo prepared the mat they used as bedding, it was made of dried bark from a tree tied together by the dried leaves of a palm tree.
Kavo sighed while he lay down near his family.
"Kavo, my dear. What seems to be the problem that a young child like you seems to sigh so much?"
A woman, seemingly in her mid-twenties, asked Kavo with a smile, it was dark but the moon was bright enough for Kavo to see her face.
"Mm… a god gave me a task."
"Oh! A task for our young boy. Is it hard?"
"... Yes"
His mother just smiled at his troubles. "If you're having a hard time and sometimes see the task beforehand as impossible, try again another day. Not every time you will find a solution to it."
"Mom, do you think the god who gave me this task knows what I am doing?"
"Surely, after all, almost everyone who was blessed in this village correlates exactly as they were doing."
"Almost…?"
"Yes…" She chuckles, looking at Kavo "Almost." as she patted his head. "You don't have to overthink, My dear, you just have to find it, somewhere, but not today. Have some rest."
Kavo nodded, he closed his eyes knowing he was near the comforts of his parents, sleep captured him and he drifted into slumber. With all of his senses numb, he was placed into a world of white, a room of nothing and a place of everything.
Alone, there stands a man, unclear and vague. "So this is an epiphany, right… '' then Kavo was pulled out of it again, this time a dream, he tried deciding if it was a nightmare. He saw people crushing herbs and then heating them in water, he saw how they process leaves and how they become powder.
He felt like he was having a moment where he knew everything, a moment of brilliance, an… Epiphany! But it was way too short, he was pulled out. 'Just a little bit! A little bit more!' he demanded.
He then woke up, the sun's shining rays blessing his face with warmth. He then sat up slowly and rubbed his eyes. He remembered all of the things in that dream, he needed to test them out!
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***
That was fascinating, Kavo's soul was pulled and placed towards him. Did he see me or was I overshadowed by the number of things behind me?
Nonetheless, the SE expenditure was not a total loss. I manage to put images of my past life in his dreams. I want him to know about some medicinal procedures and how to process herbs properly.
Hopefully, that would take away Kavo's worries and he could achieve his ambitions, meanwhile, I also recreated my clothes, this time I have regained my sacrificed dignity.
After that I floated up, I have seen them before and I want them along with my followers. I walked around the lands near the village. There are signs of irrigation and labour around the land, the reason being its unreasonable flat terrain.
But mostly, this evidence is hard to notice. Thanks to erosion these tracks are almost gone. The dry part of the land is mostly unused because the village is focused on their survival. Only stories are told at night and children only play when they can.
Though, even if the children do have time to play they won't go far away from their village. So the lands aside from the forest are untouched.
So when I floated up I could not help but express my joy, a tribe, or rather a migrating tribe was walking on this very same untouched land, however, their position was way too far.
The other great news is that they have farm animals! A chicken, cow and bull! There's one that looks like a pterodactyl but is covered with vibrant feathers. They also look very emaciated and are rationing their livestock.
Great, I would rather have that livestock in good use.
I went to the village hunters and tasked them to locate the migrating tribe and reach out to them. If the migrating tribe decided to settle near them it would be great.
***
The god had given them another task, and this time it shook the whole village, their god conveyed its message through a task, a quest! They all scurried from side to side, even climbing a tree just to find the migrating tribe.
Arkum who now has a pelt of the Scorn wolf wore it like a trophy, the head being the hood and the pelt surrounding his body.
He is now the most famous hunter after Shavik. After obtaining [Hunter instinct F] started gaining more meat for the village.
"Arkum! Over there!"
The man at the top of the tree said after pointing in the direction of the plains, Arkum had to squint a bit to see moving objects far away.
"Let's go!"
Four of the hunters who were given the quest immediately headed out in the migrating tribe's direction. They were a bit excited, by the fact that their god wanted to seek out other tribes.
Meanwhile, the Kryal Tribe is changing locations once again, that damn deity turned their heads and ravaged them, and the shaman who praised their name became worse.
The shamans could not do a single thing about it. The deity reigned in their anger and showered it on the tribe. They were only late for a day when giving a sacrifice, and now they must pay for such a small thing.
Silas was frustrated and indignant, they were sentenced to walk aimlessly forever as a punishment for only a small act. An unfair punishment laid by a haughty deity.
Not even later on they saw figures, four figures. Running up to them, their kind! The moment they got close they already had a problem.
The language barrier.
They could not talk to each other but that was immediately solved. An old woman walked forward, her legs were thin and it seemed to be barely usable. However, her fleeting voice and accent spoke languages that two tribes could speak.
"You speak our tongue!"
"Yes… when I was a child, my grandfather taught me this language, not knowing where to use it. I didn't expect it to be used here."
"You remembered that language?" Arkum spoke in surprise.
"Of course I do! I'm not senile yet you disrespectful young'in!"
"T-That's not what I meant." Arkum was flustered
Shavik seems to enjoy Arkum's predicament but that wasn't why they're here. Their quest has yet to be satisfied.
"Sorry to intrude in your conversation but what happened? Why is your tribe migrating?"
The old woman looked at Shavik with her already worn-out sunken brows. She seems frustrated and angry. Indignant about her situation she rubs her legs.
"The deity in our lands banished us and made us walk forever until we cannot do so." The old woman sighed "All because we made a sacrifice a second late. It was a disaster back in our settlement."
"Wait, how long were you all walking?"
"... For a few months."
"Months?!" Shavik expressed worry.
The hunters looked together, it seemed they were worried for fellow tribe members.
"Why? Is the order of punishment still not over?"
The old woman sighed "We have no idea that the deity has this much anger in it even though we have done what it pleases." her tone lies indignity.
"Well…" Arkum hesitated, "We managed to come here because of our god."
"Your god?" The old woman was about to scoff "Why? Does it need something from us?"
"We have no idea either, he just gave us a quest to meet up with you."
"Your god… what kind is it?"
her eyes are filled with a tiny ember of hope but the tyranny that she endured along with her tribe is deeply ingrained.
Arkum looked at his fellow tribe members and back at the old woman, a bit of confusion evident in his voice.
"We have no idea, he just helps us."
"Why are you confused?"
"Well… we have been being helped, however, his messages are cryptic, two children in our tribe received a skill we have no idea how to use."
"Your god… isn't benevolent or malevolent? Does it ask for any sacrifices?"
"As of yet, it hadn't asked us for any, we do give offerings in our altar."
"This altar, was it asked of you?"
"No, it was made after one of the children in our village had her System awakened."
The old woman nodded, and she started relaying the message to her tribe's people, some relief and some harbouring grudge. But they understood that a God and Deity are different. Deities are mana creatures that are powerful enough to alter reality at their disposal, whereas a God has reality as their tool from the start and can do more than a Deity ever could.
"Can… Can your god help us?"
"I hope that's why we were sent here."
***
I tried to give them a blessing, however, the migrating tribe already had a different system, and there was only a little information within my Abyssal info.
The system is given by a deity. Gods and deities are two different things. A deity is similar to a demigod, the only difference is that Gods are born gods from the start while someone or something has to work to become a deity.
The problem with the migrating tribe is the deity, considering their worth to my followers I have to sever their ties from the deity somehow.
If they migrated near my current tribe it would be great, I feel like building Rome, but whatever. I have checked where they came from and it isn't good.
They came from a marshland settlement, I could still see some people living there. If I go there I will need more SE, my current SE isn't enough to give me protection.
SE allows me to use power as a god and enough with it I could do something more, but I lack that right now, and I need more.
I checked the marshland settlement from above, good enough as I saw the deity that was oppressing the remaining tribe members. They aren't really happy there, the shamans became puppets and the people became livestock.
The Deity, persay is a catfish and worm hybrid, or maybe just an eel. The body is very scaly and the whiskers are very long. Its face is very developed because I could tell its having fun by the looks of it.
I went back to the tribe. I need more information. The hunters and the migrating tribe have finished talking and it seems that they're walking to the settlement of my hunters.
I need them to hunt me some animal, but if the migrating tribes are willing I will need some willing offering. Since the hunters finished their task I might as well give them a new one.
Offer me a sacrifice, one for a raise in stats. I need the SE. Fast. Well, I didn't write it as that but it's close enough to the actual meaning.
"Who are you?"
I seemed to be lost in my thoughts when I was pulled back to reality when the Deity, raised itself and faced me. Oh, how big it was.
"And why would I answer that?"
"Tsk! You gods have always been arrogant!" with the whiskers down it seemed to have frowned "You always have your heads above the clouds. Now that I am a deity I could exact vengeance on you and your kind." it said with a hiss.
"I don't even know who you are."
The moment that words left my mouth the Deity opened its mouth and decided to eat me. I clicked my tongue with that primal response, the Deity seemed to have a grudge against gods considering its animosity towards me.
I immediately flew out of its mouth's way, I immediately flew down near some trees.
"You came near me, and attacked me for no reason, it would be fair if I attacked you back, no?"
"Tsk! I dare you! I could sense that you're just a new god in the making! Probably made from a few followers but that's it!"
The Deity scoffed with a malevolent hiss before launching towards me from the skies. When it was near enough I immediately flew to the side as it crashed near some trees.
The Deity flew up, its face contorted in anger, I didn't do anything but dodge away from its attacks. It was slow enough for me to dodge but not fast enough to hit me.
"You abominable pest!" it bellowed.
I could do anything at the moment, I have yet to receive my SE. I am completely on defence here, not that I mind, I can do this all day since I am not bound by the weakness of the flesh anymore.
"Stop dodging!"
I suddenly felt power rise within me, checking my status I saw my Se has been raised to 120. I had everything in the alter turn into SE since I have no use for an offering in its base form right now.
I looked around and saw a secular rock with a sharp edge. With enough SE I made it float up.
The Deity saw this and sneered, continuing to launch itself towards me, I then felt another surge of SE being poured on me. I then imagined a rail gun, expelling a bullet with a set of magnetic pulses.
The Deity opened its maw, the semblance of a sea creature going to its prey. But I just stood there, imagining my first attack. Then the rock launched at high speed, like a bullet out of its gun but there was no sound.
Just the piercing sound of rock through scale and flesh. As it split into pieces as it travelled at speeds it is not meant to travel.
The supposed Deity landed and started crashing into the ground, only stopping its momentum in front of me.
"I did it!"
I laughed to myself as SE poured towards me. All the SE that the Deity was harvesting was now mine. After that, the Deity whose physical body is now dead is still in front of me.
"This is a colossal waste if I leave it here."
I flew to the village where the dead Deity was oppressing its followers, there's a lot of them—Oh, I couldn't help but feel bad some of them were unfortunately dead.
The survivors, seemingly distraught, are having a hard time finding what to do. Their people suffered and seemed to be asking for guidance. Thinking that whatever they have done to garner the wrath of the heavens.
I sighed, the people were piling up bodies to burn. Now that I'm near I could see the damage that deity did. It may seem not threatening at all but the humans here are against a deity. It's more physical than a god is.
"Oh, heavens! What did we even do to deserve this…!!"
The intensity of the death is just saddening. I looked at my SE, and it's about 4,620 even though this is a happy moment for me I couldn't celebrate. The SE probably came from the people here.
In the end, I gave them all a system, my system. The reactions were a mix of surprise and sorrow, I gave them a task directing them to where their old deity stood. Giving the damn fish back to these people is the best way to make it useful once again.
"Wha- what?!" Some people screamed in anger "That Deity is dead?"
Some in relief and some in confusion, but considering that the system that the deity had given disappeared and a new one was overtaken, the confusion didn't last long.
Soon after
And to my surprise, they instead offered it to me. I gave them a new task. Eat the damn fish, do you even know that my villagers had to find food in the forest!? Take it for pete's sake.
The people seemed to like it a lot and they started sharing, nonetheless, there's still a lot of fish in there.
I wanted to inform the villagers but it's quite far, oh yeah I could just task the villagers to inform the other tribe that the marshland village is now free from oppressive hands, or whiskers. Whatever.