The Samurai stood triumphantly over the bodies of the weak cultists. Their leader’s severed body bled at her feet as she sheathed her sword and grinned.

“Your turn.” She said, gazing up at the huge golden throne before her.

A voice in her head had appeared when she’d entered the temple and it had claimed to be a god. Naturally she had told it she would kill it.

Oh alright then, I guess you’ve earned a face-to-face meeting. The voice sighed in her mind, like the act of fighting her was a bothersome task. He’d grow to regret dismissing her like that.

She felt a presence and looked to see a handsome man sitting relaxed on the golden throne. He had his head rested on his hand like it was just another boring day.

That really pissed The Samurai off.

He had a large scar across his chest and scales on his cheeks. He was oddly handsome with piercing yellow eyes but his lackadaisical approach to a warrior like her issuing a challenge showed a deep personality flaw that she just couldn’t overlook.

“Well done, that was quite the show you put on.” He said in a cheery, playful voice.

“I did tell you I would kill your followers and I always keep my promises.” The Samurai replied in a stoic voice.

“Ooh aren’t you scary. I love that.”

“Mock me at your own peril.” She replied, she wasn’t quite sure when she’d started talking with such confidence, but she liked it.

“What is it with outworlders and a lack of respect for the divine?” The god mused. “You’re the second one I’ve spoken to this month who lacked respect. I shit you not, the last guy looked me dead in the eyes and told me he was an atheist.

“Can you believe that? I was like dude; I am right in front of you. A living, breathing God. Honestly.” He said, shaking his head in disbelief.

“So, go on then, tell me what your problem is with divine beings.” He sighed, sinking his scaled cheek even further into his hand.

“I hold respect for power. So far, all you have shown me are weaklings.” The Samurai replied, keeping her hand on the hilt of her sword just in case.

“Ah ok, is that all you want, a show of power? I can do that, but first let’s make a little deal.” He replied, finally taking his head off his hand as he sat forward slightly and grinned. “You wanted to challenge me correct?

“Well, just this once, I will allow it. Never say I didn’t do anything for you. You get one strike; I will stand still and take your most powerful hit.

“If you can leave even the faintest scratch on me then I will allow you to take my head and the experience that comes with that – which believe me is a metric fuck tonne more than you’d need to reach the level cap.

“However, if you fail to leave a scratch then you will become one of my vassals, you will work for me and you will denounce all other gods in this world, forever. How does that sound?” He asked with a gleam in his yellow eyes.

The man was obviously deluded. No one could take a hit from her most powerful attack without it even scratching them.

She wasn’t fond of the idea of not getting to actually fight this man child. However, a Samurai never backs down from a challenge.

“I accept.” She said after a moment’s consideration.

She could have said more, she could have asked questions or tried to goad him into a real fight, but she decided to let her blade do the talking.

After all, the man before her had set the terms himself. If he wanted to die so badly, she would gladly help him with that.

“Perfect.” He hissed, standing up from his seat.

He dropped to the ground before her, his green cloak billowing out behind him, and spread his arms wide in a Jesus pose.

“Whenever you’re ready.” He said, gazing at her with a slight air of bemusement.

He would regret that.

She had the perfect attack to use on him. It was a skill that, though only common in rarity, was super powerful.

She’d used it once already in this temple, it was her bread and butter, go to skill. Why mess with the classics?

Midnight Slash (common)

Unsheathe your blade in an instant 10-foot leap to slash through foes. This skill imbues the wielder’s blade with dark mana.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

Activating this skill has a medium mana cost.

She leant forward, placing her dominant hand on the hilt of her blade. One leg was pushed out behind her, bent only slightly. Her forward leg was bent into a deep squat.

She lowered herself to the ground, feeling the tension rise within her thighs. She squatted lower until her front leg became a coiled spring, until the tension was so great that it was harder to hold the position than it would be to unleash the kinetic energy in her quadricep and leap forward.

Then she focused. She reached out with her mana senses, sensing everything around her. The mana was stained with blood, the blood she had spilled when she’d massacred the cultists inside the temple.

It was the perfect mana for her attack.

She focused on pulling it inside herself, she let it build and pool in the very tip of her blade until it was overflowing with her power.

Then she focused on her internal mana as she held it there. It was swirling in her core and she pushed it, forcing it to flow and concentrate in two specific places.

The first was her front leg, the second was her sword arm. This all took place in less than a second as she readied her attack, allowing the system to guide her through the skill.

Then, all at once, she unleashed that energy and slashed the stomach of the overconfident god standing before her. His overconfidence would be his downfall.

Her movement was instantaneous. One moment she was charging the skill, the next she was in front of the self-proclaimed god with her blade running across his naval.

The walls shook as it happened, the magic in the air pulsed with a terrified condensed feeling of power.

It was a physical force; much more powerful than the version she’d used to kill the cultist leader. The corpses on the ground shook with her power.

As her blade made contact with the man, it snapped.

She stopped moving, a shiver went down her spine as a momentary cold sweat tickled her skin.

She looked down.

“How?” She said, aghast at the sight of her precious weapon shattered on the floor.

She looked up and saw that not only had her blade not scratched the god, it hadn’t even ruffled the bandages he had wrapped around his stomach.

What kind of power is this? She wondered, stepping back, and looking the god in the eyes.

He stared back impassively for a moment, still in his Jesus pose with his arms spread wide.

“It’ll show you.” He said in a sudden and very serious voice.

Then she understood.

He unleashed a fraction of his mana for less than a second and the image shocked her. She had the ability to sense a person’s power when she looked at them.

She could see the strength of their mana in the form of a semi-visible aura that surrounded them.

When she’d first spoken to him, the god didn’t have any aura surrounding him. She had taken that for weakness, but it was clear now that he held a level of control over his own power that was far above her comprehension.

As his power was unleashed for that fraction of a second. What she saw blinded her senses.

His aura was fully visible, tangible even. It oozed out of him casting a shadow larger than the massive throne behind him. It blotted out everything else in her vision.

It was terrifying. It was magnificent. It was… everything she’d ever wanted.

“I understand now.” She said, after taking a moment to compose herself. She took a knee and bowed her head. “You have bested me and as we agreed, I will become your vassal and denounce all other gods in this world.”

“Yeah, I know you will.” He replied, changing back to his playful and carefree voice. “You should stand up though, I don’t really care for all that ceremonious crap.”

She did as he instructed and looked at the god as if they were equals, though she knew she was far from being able to call herself that.

“I’m Chrysus by the way.” He said, offering out his hand.

She paused a moment and then shook it. She felt a tremble of his power as their skin touched. It was incredible.

“So, now we’ve got that out of the way I have a job for you. I actually offered this to the last outworlder I met but sadly, he turned me down… oh well, his loss is your gain I guess.

“I take it you’ve heard of The Celestial Map? Well, I want it. I am the god of wealth for a reason and since no one really knows what the map is, it means I want it. It is my right to own everything of value in this world.

“You’re going to help me get it. I’ll explain the specifics some other time, but for now the main thing you need to know is that I am currently without a high priest.

“I know!” He continued in faux surprise. “Me, a god of overwhelming power with no priest to call his own. I have a tournament starting soon to choose a new one. You’re going to enter it and if you win you get to be my new right hand.

“How does that sound? Promoted from vassal to right hand in a matter of months. It’s like when a guy’s parents tell him he’ll be running the company soon when he gets his first job.

“Except I’m not just blowing smoke. You win this and I will reward you with a serious power boost. Oh, and you’ll be needing these.”

He held out his hand and the pieces of her broken blade reformed in the air. It was like rewinding the video on their fight as the sword fragments merged back together.

The completed katana floated gently back into its sheath. She welcomed the feeling of the sword’s weight at her hip.

Then he floated a small piece of paper towards her which she plucked out of the air and opened.

You have been granted the honour of being allowed to compete in the high priest’s tournament.

The winner will become the next right hand of Chrysus, God of Wealth.

The tournament will take place in six months’ time.

Do you accept?

Y/N

“Good luck. I’d advise you to gain some more levels between now and then.” Chrysus said casually, and then he disappeared without fanfare.

A new notification popped up on her interface which she couldn’t ignore.

Quest Complete:

Red Robe, Brown Pants

The Adventure Society has received reports of cultist sightings in the nearby southern oasis.

Traverse the Kalhatchi Desert and investigate.

P.S. Investigate is code for mass murder.

Objectives:

Locate the cultist lair 1/1

Eliminate all cultists 1/1

Defeat the cultist leader 1/1

Reward: Honour is the only reward a Samurai needs

…

Only joking, it’s really a weapon rarity upgrade token.

She smiled as she read the notification and pulled the invitation into her inventory.

“Well Pocco, looks like we’ve got a new goal.”

The wolf familiar cocked its head to the side as its blood covered ear twitched slightly.