[God Of Games] 3 – Descent

Left with no options, I decided to skip the other sections of the pamphlet and focus solely on the diagram that provided step-by-step instructions on how to 'Descend' into a Mortal World. The notes alongside the diagram also warned me that newborn Gods, until they gained a follower, would find themselves descending into random mortal worlds. It also noted that mortal worlds came in countless diverse climates, geography, cultures, and sizes, referencing a world by the name of 'Blue Marble' that was considered a Gade '1' planet. However, it didn't specify exactly how these gradings were determined. The highest grading planet, they noted, was 30, and it was theoretically the highest grading a planet could receive before life became near impossible to survive.

My guess was that it was determined by the planet's size, though who knows how else these Gods could or would determine a planet's grading. If that was the case, I wondered where Earth would rank with that grading and how ridiculous that Grade 30 planet looked. If it were determined by size, then likely, if there were some humanoids calling the planet home, they'd more than likely resemble something like dwarves due to the crushing gravity.

It took me hours to get comfortable enough to enter the meditative state, but when I did, it was weird. I felt my mind slip from my body and through a 'wall.' I couldn't exactly see, but I felt like I was seeing stars, countless stars, numbering in the tens of thousands if not countless more. Were each of these stars a planet? 

I tried reaching out, but it took a monumental amount of effort to even move in the expanse I found myself in. So, I reached out for the nearest star, feeling my mind slip into the world. But even then, everything felt fuzzy, like I was experiencing a bad connection. I didn't give up; I began looking around before catching the whiff of something...what is that?

...

Screams and cries of fear echoed out from the city as a horde of Demons and Imps stormed into the city through a breach within the walls. The tidal wave of demons caught peasants, merchants, noblemen, soldiers, and knights and easily slaughtered by the much stronger demons. Imps flew high above, raining fireballs upon their fleeing victims, carrying poor peasants into the air and tearing them apart limb by limb or dropping them from high above in the air. The common demon stormed the streets, broke into houses, rapping, pillaging, slaughtering, and capturing all who they came across.

Yet, despite the clear advantage the demons had over the mix of humans, elves, beastmen, dwarves, and several other races, some small groups of mortals were managing to stand against the horde of demons, even if only for a short time. Throughout the large city, scattered parties of Elite Mercenaries, Soldiers, and Priests managed to fend off the onslaught of the demons, but even then, they were overwhelmed. 

Yet, despite all of this chaos, a lone man, a cowardly man, retreated into the sewers along with many others in hopes of escaping the city alive and the Demons that surrounded the city's walls. 

This cowardly man was known as Otis the Beggar. As his name suggested, he was one of the many penniless beggars who called the city above home and one of the first to recognize that they were outmatched and would be overwhelmed by the Demon invasion, so he chose to flee, knowing that smugglers and criminals often used the sewers to enter and exit the city. 

Then, while he heard screams from the city above, he started hearing screaming echo down the labyrinthian sewers, meaning that the Demons wouldn't be far behind, but unfortunately for him, he came face to face with an Imp, a lesser demon capable of flight and magic, yet easily able to kill the common soldier, and yet he was but a beggar.

"Gods above, please, save me!" Otis cried out. Despite not being a very devout man, his prayers were answered, and words appeared in the air before him—words that he could read despite being illiterate. A God had answered his plea for help.

[The God of Games extends their hand out upon hearing your plea. Do you accept it?]

Without even thinking as the small demon charged him, he said, "Yes! Please!" 

With his simple answer, countless white beams of energy came into existence before pouring into his body.

[You have been blessed]

[You have gained: Status Screen, Heads Up Display, Looting, and Digitalized Body]

"If you want to live. You must fight!"

As if the sudden blessing and words of a god encouraged the man, he, despite being armless, rushed forward towards the Imp, who was in a state of surprise from not only the sudden charge of the human before it but also the Divine Energy that flooded the human before them.

Despite possessing no weapons, the feeble human raised their fist and slammed it into the face of the Imp, sending the creature down to the ground with an inhuman screech.

Grabbing a rock, the beggar lunged toward the demon and began striking the demon's head over and over, coating the beggar's skin in blood.

[You have slain a Level 6 Demon Imp]

[You have leveled up!]

Heaving and breathless, the beggar noticed the floating words above the Imp's corpse.

[Loot?]

Reaching out, the beggar watched with awe as the corpse of the Imp dissipated into bright and white light particles, leaving behind several items.

[Demon Imp Hide - Grade F]

[Demon Imp Claw 6x- Grade F]

[Demon Imp Horns 2x - Grade F]

[Demon Imp Heart 1x - Grade F]

Looking at the body parts on the ground before him, the beggar jumped back.

However, he had more pressing concerns as a message continuously pulsed before him.

[You have leveled up!]

Reaching out to the divine words, he was surprised to find a large screen of words appear before him.

/=======+=======\

Name: Otis the Beggar

Level: 2

Health: 90/100 (10)

Stamina: 37/70 (7)

Strength: 8 - Agility: 6

Perception: 8 - Reaction: 7

Endurance: 7 - Vitality: 10

Intelligence: 6 - Wisdom: 5

Willpower: 12 - Resistance: 13

Control: 6 - Focus: 4

Free Stat Points: 5

\=======+=======/

"Wha...?" Otis began to ask before he heard that unfamiliar ethereal voice drifting into his ear.

"This is my blessing onto you. Use it well," The voice spoke.

"Who...who are you, my lord?" Otis asked, looking around.

"I am Sirus, the Newly arisen God of Games."

Before Otis could ask any more questions, his savior spoke again.

"After this, I will not be able to speak for some time. Invest your free stat points, strengthen yourself against the coming Demons, and flee. I will be watching."

Listening to his savior's words, Otis hastily used the 'free stat points,' placing them all into strength as his God suggested.

However, upon hearing the distant screeches, cackling, and screams that echoed down the walls of the sewer, he rushed away, further into the sewer, not wanting to stay and meet any more demons.

In the meantime, said God, watching over the beggar, couldn't help but facepalm upon seeing what the beggar did with their points, dumping them all straight into strength. 

Due to the beggar's health and physique, his starting stats were already abysmal. All but a few of his stats fell under the average human's, most notable of all being the beggar's mental stats, with the only notable differences being his willpower and resistance.

Sirus could only hope that his first follower wouldn't die from sheer stupidity.