After sunrise, Riku suddenly noticed a shape appearing in the sky. With the arrival of that sacred being, the surrounding sky turned golden, but its presence was so terrifying that even someone as calm as Riku broke into a sweat.
The being's six white, radiant wings were folded over each other in a creative formation.
The upper pair were bent from the back to the front, their tips touching at the highest point, as if forming a divine shield over its head.
The middle pair folded forward from the sides, their soft, layered feathers draping over its body like a protective veil.
And the lower pair were long but soft, curved inward so that the tips of their feathers approached beneath its waist from both sides.
Like a sacred cocoon that hid its presence from sight. With his limited knowledge, Riku guessed it might be a "Flügel," but a feeling inside him screamed that this being was the newly-born god.
While staring in shock, suddenly—
The cocoon opened.
At that moment, every creature within several kilometers felt a pressure that shook their very existence.
It wasn't just a difference in power; it was a difference in existential level.
This being existed on a higher plane—a level incomprehensible to lesser minds.
Riku suddenly felt those divine eyes upon him.
His entire being trembled. All human lives here were in danger.
Without thinking, he dropped to his knees. The others, too afraid to look up, followed their leader and fell to the ground.
"Your Majesty! I'm sorry!" Riku spoke hurriedly, biting his lip in fear. "I, a wretched one, looked upon you with impure eyes... but please, let your wrath fall only on me! Don't kill the others… have mercy!"
Whether it was a Flügel or a god in the end, it didn't matter. To other races, humans in this world were nothing but lowly apes.
Some races even wondered how such weak beings were still alive. And Riku couldn't deny it.
Humans were pathetically weak.
They died from the slightest injury.
They had no significant physical strength, nor the ability to use magic.
No long lifespans, no special talents.
The only thing they had was intelligence, and even that seemed insignificant compared to other races.
In a world where wars between superior species tore continents apart, and battles between gods destroyed stars, the survival of humans was a miracle.
Every time they encountered one of those species, Riku, as the leader, was forced to sacrifice some so that the rest could live.
Why is survival so hard…? Riku thought, trembling, staring at the ground.
Suddenly—
"I didn't know I was this scary… even cute little kids like you are this afraid of me?"
A warm voice echoed through the air. Riku slowly lifted his head.
Shikama Doji had gently landed on the ground and was now walking slowly toward him.
When Riku dared look at their face, his cheeks flushed red.
Shikama Doji's beauty was inhuman.
They had an androgynous face—neither male nor female, their gender ambiguous and unidentifiable.
A single glance was enough to override human instincts, even causing involuntary physical reactions.
Their beauty was so terrifying that ordinary people had no resistance against it.
Damn it…! Riku realized what he had done. Insulting a god meant death.
He shut his eyes, bracing for punishment—but after a few seconds, nothing happened.
He cautiously opened his eyes. Shikama Doji was just smiling.
"Don't be afraid… I'm not so cruel that I'd punish you just for looking at me."
"My name is Shikama Doji. You can also call me 'the Sun.'"
"Your Majesty… are you… the newly born god?" Riku breathed a sigh of relief, but now his guess was confirmed.
The other humans were still in stunned silence.
They had never imagined they'd one day stand before a god.
"You're smart… yes, I am the new god." Shikama Doji tilted their head. "Every god has a race that worships them… what do you think? Do you want your kind to be under my protection?"
"W-We… we're not worthy of such a thing!" Riku replied quickly. This was an extraordinary offer, but dangerous too. What if they displeased this god?
"Don't worry… I'll never harm you." Shikama Doji smiled. "As long as I exist, no one else can hurt you either."
Riku was speechless. Why would such a superior being care so much for them? He cautiously looked into Shikama Doji's eyes.
Suddenly, Shikama Doji moved toward him.
With every step closer, their existential pressure crushed Riku further. He braced for punishment—
But instead, Shikama Doji embraced him.
The embrace was warm… like a mother's hug.
So warm that even Riku, with all his resistance, couldn't hold back his tears.
All the despair, fear, and emotions he had locked away for years came pouring out.
What a pitiful child... Shikama Doji even felt a bit of pity. Riku, a teenager, was forced to face things far beyond normal human comprehension.
Even for an emotionless monster like them, the scene was heartbreaking.
"M-My apologies, Your Majesty…" Riku pulled away from the embrace in embarrassment and wiped his tears.
It was so shameful—crying in a stranger's arms.
"So, what do you think, child of man?" Shikama Doji asked with the same playful tone.
"We accept!" Riku kneeled respectfully. As a weak race, we have nothing to offer… the only thing we can give is our loyalty.
"Aww, what a naughty little boy… let me give you something in return."
Shikama Doji snapped their fingers—
And suddenly, a massive city appeared from nothing.
A city capable of housing millions.
The surrounding humans stared in shock at the miracle—something that had taken shape from thin air in mere seconds.
---
Invisible in the sky, Shikama Doji watched the humans below with eyes full of amusement. For them, Riku was fascinating—and that was enough reason to take humanity under their protection.
Their instinct told them exciting things were on the way.
Right now, they were the strongest Old Deus—literally absolute. Even Artosh, the god of war and formerly the mightiest being, seemed weak before them.
But why didn't Shikama Doji just wipe everyone out?
Why not attack Artosh?
The answer was simple:
Artosh was a potential and troublesome threat.
As the embodiment of [War], Artosh contained many sub-concepts—since war itself was a complex and multifaceted concept.
One of his most powerful abilities was [Victory]—an irrational power that allowed him to win any battle, regardless of the situation.
Like a cheat in a game—without limitations.
If Shikama Doji attacked him now and failed to completely obliterate him in one blow, Artosh would become infinitely stronger, eventually reaching Shikama Doji's level.
And then, Shikama Doji would be forced to merge again with their other half—and that would ruin all of their plans.
So they had to wait.
With only fifty percent of their current power, although they could destroy solar systems, they weren't sure if they could crush a "cockroach like Artosh" in one strike.
Instead of war, they had to find another way—a spell that could erase an abstract being like Artosh permanently.
But for now, their priority was something else: empowering humans.
Just imagining the reaction of the proud races when the weak humans suddenly became powerful… how hilarious it would be!
"Truly… things are going to get very interesting," Shikama Doji laughed to themselves with a mischievous grin. "Wait and see…"