In the Underground Room
The battle between Havil Firlone and the monster created by the forbidden pill still raged on. The sound of impacts and roars echoed off the damp, wood and stone walls of the underground chamber.
"Shadow Weave," he muttered softly.
His figure descended from the ceiling's shadows, landing lightly, like night fog falling without a sound. His expression wasn't angry—it was confused.
"…When did I drop the Aberra pill?"
The Aberra Pill—a terrifying black capsule capable of instantly pushing someone to Rank 3, Tier 1 Spirit User. But the side effects… well, they were enough to make you look like a failed exhibit from a muscle mutation fair. The body would grow up to five meters tall, muscles bulging unnaturally, skin peeling, and worst of all: sanity slowly waving goodbye.
Created by a heretical sect of alchemists, the pill had long been banned by the Supreme Spirit Order. But in war… logic and morality were often thrown out together.
The monster roared again and charged. Its claws had grown larger, now laced with bone-like spears. Havil leapt back, and the shadow beneath his feet morphed into a thin shield that absorbed the shockwave.
Suddenly, a drop of the monster's blood splattered onto his face.
"…Ah, I remember," he whispered. "That... gust of wind. When I closed my notebook, the Aberra pill must've fallen out from between the pages."
His eyes narrowed. "That's odd… there's never been wind in this room before."
He sighed deeply.
"Well, I'll think about it later. Right now, this is getting annoying. I don't want to waste energy on a low-class freak."
Havil continued dodging effortlessly, speaking casually while floating as if out on a leisurely walk. "I'll just leave. With my beloved daughter, of course~. Besides, this monster looks like it'll die on its own from being too flashy."
But when he turned to the corner where Sylphia had been lying—
There was nothing. Only scattered debris.
"…Huh?"
He blinked, then panic struck like thunder.
"WHERE IS MY DAUGHTER!?"
In a flash, Havil appeared at the ruins and began tearing through the rubble piece by piece, yelling Sylphia's name like a parent losing their child in a supermarket.
The monster, still alive—though completely mindless—charged from the side, vicious and wild.
"Haah… such a bother," Havil sighed. He turned slowly and struck the monster with one hand. A mere whisper escaped his lips, but the blow sent the hulking creature crashing into the wall and instantly unconscious.
He returned to the rubble, scanning every inch, only to find a faint trail of Sylphia's spiritual energy.
"This… her spirit trace?" he muttered. "Has she already learned to control it?"
His teeth clenched. Veins bulged in his neck. Rage and fear churned in his gut.
With a voice that rumbled like thunder from deep within his chest, he roared toward the sky:
"SYLPHIAAAA!"
Inside the Absolute Dimension
Sylphia lay still. When she opened her eyes, she was greeted by a strange world—a boundless white space, no sky, no ground, only wind gently blowing from all directions, like an invisible embrace.
She stayed silent, confused. Slowly, she checked herself.
No wounds.
No dirt.
Her once-tangled white hair now flowed smoothly, as if brushed by the wind itself.
Her previously torn and dirty clothes were replaced with a simple white dress reaching her knees. Short sleeves, the fabric light, swaying gently like morning mist reluctant to leave. No flashy ornaments—just a thin silver ribbon tying her hair on the left side. Somehow, it felt comforting. Sacred. Peaceful.
"This is…" her voice was small, uncertain—barely a whisper.
She rose slowly. Her face was blank, but a strange calm enveloped her.
She took small steps through the endless white. With no idea where to go, she kept walking, occasionally calling out softly, as if afraid to disturb someone.
"Is… is anyone here?"
She stopped and stared at her hands.
"Am I… already dead?" she murmured. "Maybe that's for the best."
Then the wind replied.
"No, you are not dead, Sylphia Astheris."
The voice was gentle, soothing. Like the melody of leaves dancing with the wind.
Sylphia gasped. "Who… who's there!?"
She turned, searching for the unseen speaker.
A Few Minutes Earlier – Inside the Absolute Dimension, System Core Area
Reyhan floated aimlessly in the white space, his gaze vacant.
"…So what now?"
The system replied in its usual tone.
[Mission: Acquire First Follower.]
[Current Follower Slot: 0/1]
[Target: Sylphia Astheris]
[Description: Acquire your first follower to begin your path as a God.]
[Status: Incomplete]
[Rewards:]
[+100 Faith Points (FP)]
[Rare Spirit Seed]
[Blueprint: Altar of Origin]
[Passive Skill: Voice of the Wind]
[Unique Item: Core Fragment (1/5)]
[1 Mystery Box]
[Penalty if failed: System vacation for 1 year.]
Reyhan's jaw dropped.
"…Vacation? Are you serious? Is that a vacation or a resignation!?"
He took a deep breath—as deep as one can manage as… wind.
"Alright, alright, I'll do it. But… do I just show up like this? Like some wandering ghost?"
[Host can activate New Form: Windform]
[A semi-transparent manifestation of wind, humanoid in shape, softly glowing with blurred edges like mist. This form bridges the spirit and physical world. Used in the Absolute Dimension or when directly interacting with followers.]
[Activate Windform?]
[Yes / No]
Reyhan sighed in resignation. "Yes. But if I end up looking like some creepy wind spirit luring little girls, you're taking responsibility."
[.....]
Silence.
Then, the surrounding wind began to swirl softly, like morning dew in a spiral. A faint light shimmered in the center, forming a silhouette. Slowly, it took shape—a humanoid figure: a young male, semi-transparent, softly glowing like moonlit mist.
His edges flickered, every movement leaving faint trails of haze. No distinct facial features, only two glowing emerald eyes.
Reyhan looked at his own hands. Though not solid, he felt... like himself.
"Whoa… this is me?" he whispered.
He raised a hand, and a swirl of wind formed in his palm, dancing lightly as if greeting its master. He floated slightly, just above the ground, and realized: this body was light. Too light.
"Dang… this feels like being a genie. But not the kind that pops out of lamps—more like the kind that floats out of ancient scrolls."
He spun around in midair. "Okay, okay… this is cool. Elegant. Serene. Dignified. Like those gods in anime or donghua… just need some dramatic lines and theme music…"
He cupped his chin in thought. "We have another problem, System."
[What is it?]
"I have zero experience talking to people. Let alone trying to convince a little girl to follow me. Won't I come off like some creepy cult recruiter?"
His eyes widened in dread.
[Oh, that…]
Reyhan's expression lit up with hope for a helpful answer.
[Not my problem.]
It felt like getting smacked by a boulder straight on the head. "Okay, fine. I'll figure it out myself," he muttered sulkily.
Reyhan began to float toward Sylphia.
[Wait.]
He paused. "What now?"
[Just wondering… aren't you going to ask who I am? Why you're here? Who brought you into this world?]
The atmosphere suddenly grew serious. Reyhan glanced at the system with a sharp gaze. "Thought you'd ask something else. Nope. Not asking those annoying questions. You wouldn't give straight answers anyway. I'll find out eventually."
The system gave a faint smile.
[Correct.]
"Alright then, anything else?" Reyhan puffed up proudly. That line made him feel pretty cool.
[Wait.]
"What now?I just had my cool moment" he grumbled, grabbing the system screen and shaking it.
[You were flying west. She's to the east.]
Reyhan turned his gaze to the east. Sure enough, Sylphia was there. He nodded slowly, then spoke firmly,
"I'M SORRY, SYSTEM. YOU'RE A GOOD AND PATIENT ONE! AND THANK YOU!"
He looked like an employee who had just messed up and was apologizing to his boss. He then swiftly drifted toward Sylphia...
Back to the present.
"Wh-who's there?!"
Then, Reyhan's semi-transparent form appeared before her.
Sylphia took a step back, hesitant. But there was no fear—only... curiosity.
"W-who... who are you?" her voice trembled.
The being—Reyhan—was silent for a moment. He tried to smile but forgot that his mouth now... well, was kind of blurry.
"I'm... the wind," he answered, trying to sound mysterious. But after three awkward seconds, he sighed—or at least tried to.
"Sorry, that sounded weird. What I mean is... I'm the one who brought you here."
Sylphia frowned, then narrowed her eyes. "...Are you a god?"
Reyhan fell silent. A tough choice. Should he nod confidently, or admit that he just 'came to life' in this world three months ago?
"...Something like that."
"Then why did you bring me here?" Sylphia asked flatly.
Reyhan lowered his head. His voice softened and grew warmer.
"Because you survived until now. And that already proves you have a 'reason' to keep living in this rotten world, doesn't it?"
"But I'm tired. I don't know if that 'reason' is enough to keep me going," she said with quiet resignation.
"It's enough. That's more than enough. I'll help you survive with just that 'reason' alone," he said, this time more firmly, yet still gently.
Sylphia looked up at Reyhan's majestic figure. As if making up her mind, she asked,
"Are you sure you can do that?"
Reyhan replied cheerfully,
"Of course. You can even call me Father—oops."
He quickly covered his mouth with both hands.
Reyhan had forgotten that Sylphia had trauma tied to the word 'father'.
Her eyes widened instantly. Her breath hitched. It was as if that word was the most cursed thing she could hear. Her legs trembled.
"F-Father?"
The girl bowed her head sharply, her small hands clenched. Her body trembled faintly.
"Fathers are... cruel. They yell. They abandon. Fathers are... monsters."
Reyhan raised a hand, not sure what to say.
[So Host is a bad guy, huh?]
'Shut up!' He had completely forgotten about that due to his excitement.
'System, do something!' he pleaded in his mind.
[Sorry, no available feature can help.]
'Ughh, useless system,' Reyhan panicked internally, until he thought of one desperate option.
He groaned inwardly.
Then, with slow, hesitant steps, he moved closer—bowing slightly toward her small frame.
And without overthinking—perhaps driven by a feeling he didn't fully understand—Reyhan embraced her.
"Not all fathers are like the ones you knew," he whispered softly.
His wind-like body enveloped the girl like a warm mist. But then suddenly...
"What are you doing?! Let go! You'll freeze!" Sylphia tried to push him away, but she couldn't—he was wind.
[WARNING: Host's body is beginning to freeze due to Sylphia Astheris' Eternal Ice Curse.]
"There are still kind fathers in this world. And I will be one of them—for you."
[Activating Emergency Spiritual Protection.]
Reyhan's body slowly turned white, freezing, transparent ice creeping up his shoulders. But just before he was completely frozen, a glow shimmered from the system—and the ice cracked apart instantly.
Those words were like sunlight slowly melting the ice around Sylphia's heart. Unconsciously, she let her tears fall into Reyhan's embrace.
"It's okay. Cry. Cry as much as you want. Daddy will always be with you," he whispered gently, stroking her hair.
"Fa... Father." That was the last word Sylphia uttered before she broke down and cried her heart out.
[Mission: Obtain First Follower]
[Status: Complete]
[Target: Sylphia Astheris – Confirmed as First Follower]
[Description: Gain your first follower to begin your path as a God.]
[Evaluation: Mission completed with high emotional resonance.]
[Reward Received:]
[+100 Faith Points (FP)]
1x Spirit Seed (Rare)
1x Blueprint: Altar of Origin
Unlocked Passive Skill: Voice of the Wind
1x Unique Item: Core Fragment (1/5)
1x Mystery Box (Please open via System Inventory)
New Title: The Father
[Current Follower Slot: 1/1]
[New Slot will unlock at the next Devotion Level]