Free Web NovelChapter 26: Chapter 26: Cosmos.
"You never cease to amaze me. This is the third time I’ve been genuinely surprised this week."
Roman let out a slow breath as he pressed a hand against the wound in his abdomen.
Although it appeared fatal, it was far from life-threatening.
Magnaris possessed regenerative abilities far superior to those of an average human. Wounds that would’ve been considered mortal on Earth were, to them, merely severe injuries. Given enough rest, even an injury like this would heal completely within a few weeks without leaving so much as a scar.
After ensuring the bleeding had slowed, Roman gradually rose to his feet before lifting the unconscious Gre Ka Chu onto his shoulder. Carrying her with ease, he slowly made his way back through the forest while quietly organizing everything he had learned from today’s experiment.
What he truly wanted to understand was the extent to which her Obsession had already consumed her.
Fortunately, the results were even clearer than he had anticipated.
Roman had mentally categorized a yandere’s condition into three distinct stages.
If Gre Ka Chu had completely lost her composure after seeing nothing more than the shallow scratch on his forearm, she would’ve already fallen into the extreme category. At that point, even the slightest injury inflicted upon him would’ve shattered her rationality, making her nearly impossible to predict or control.
Had she broken down after witnessing the deeper wound on his shoulder instead, Roman would’ve classified her as being in the intermediate stage. Her obsession would’ve already begun overriding reason whenever he suffered noticeable harm, though she would still retain enough composure to think and act coherently.
Instead, she remained relatively calm through both injuries, only losing herself after believing he had suffered a mortal wound.
That meant her Obsession had yet to reach its critical threshold.
She was still within the earliest stage.
"...Good."
Roman quietly muttered to himself.
"That makes things considerably easier."
Being in the first stage meant Gre Ka Chu was still manageable. Roman could gradually shape her however he wished, subtly guiding her emotions in whichever direction best suited his plans without facing the unpredictability of an Obsession that had already spiraled beyond reason.
Of course, that was a matter for the future. It belonged to a much later phase of his plan to accelerate the cultivation of believers.
For now, another objective of this experiment had already yielded results.
Roman needed to know precisely how powerful a Unique Skill truly was.
The answer exceeded every expectation.
He had anticipated an increase in combat capability, but he had never expected something so overwhelmingly lethal.
The transformation Gre Ka Chu underwent after her Obsession crossed its threshold was nothing short of terrifying. Her perception had sharpened to an absurd degree, her focus had become flawless, and the relentless barrage of arrows she unleashed had reduced an entire pack of predators to little more than helpless prey.
"The pain I deliberately endured was well worth it."
Roman lowered his gaze toward the wound in his abdomen before a faint smile slowly crept across his face.
"I’ve gained a truly valuable asset... one that may very well become one of my greatest wild cards in this game."
His gaze drifted toward the unconscious Gre Ka Chu resting upon his shoulder.
"Gre Ka Chu..."
A quiet chuckle escaped his lips.
"Rejoice... it seems your obsession with me has earned you a place in my heaven."
With that quiet murmur, Roman continued marching toward the settlement, his footsteps calm and unhurried as the first pieces of a far greater plan quietly fell into place.
The experiment had concluded.
The next phase could finally begin.
***
"This is... unexpected."
A man clad in a neatly tailored blue suit and an equally immaculate blue mask calmly remarked as he stepped onto the elevated podium, gently placing a tiny chip upon the sleek metallic desk before him.
His gaze slowly swept across the vast orientation hall.
Far more people had gathered than he had initially expected.
"It seems you newcomers have multiplied again..."
He sighed faintly.
"What a headache."
The hall remained completely silent.
Whether out of nervousness or curiosity, every newly Chosen God stared toward the masked man without daring to utter a single word.
"Not that it concerns me," he continued indifferently. "Most of you won’t amount to anything anyway. I’ll simply do my job and leave."
He lazily tapped the chip resting upon the desk before lifting his gaze toward the audience once more.
"You are not here to ask questions."
"You are not here to speak."
"You are not here to whisper among yourselves."
"You are here to listen."
His voice never once rose, yet every word carried an unmistakable sense of superiority.
"Our relationship begins and ends there."
"I speak."
"You listen."
"That is the privilege afforded to lesser beings standing before someone above them."
A faint chuckle escaped beneath the blue mask.
"Think of it as an act of mercy."
He casually picked up the chip once more before pausing, as though something had suddenly occurred to him.
"Oh..."
"Right."
"I suppose introductions are in order."
He tilted his head ever so slightly.
"I am one of Godcraft’s Exclusive personnel."
"My Godname..."
"...is Cosmos."
The instant those words left his mouth, the previously silent hall erupted into complete chaos.
"C-Cosmos?!"
"Did he just say Cosmos?!"
"The Cosmos from the Second Universe?!"
"No way..."
"That’s impossible!"
"Isn’t he ranked within the Top One Hundred of the entire Godcraft Multiverse?!"
Disbelief spread across every face as countless pairs of eyes remained fixed upon the masked figure standing calmly at the podium, while the man himself merely observed the commotion with quiet amusement, as though he had long grown accustomed to such reactions.
Cosmos suddenly burst into hearty laughter as if something genuinely amusing had just unfolded before him.
"Hahaha..."
"This..."
He slowly adjusted his mask.
"...is my favorite part."
His voice remained calm as he casually raised a finger.
"Siri."
The moment the word left his lips, a small spherical drone descended from above. Its metallic shell unfolded as a soft blue light illuminated the hall, and it silently hovered beside him beneath the bewildered gazes of the newly Chosen Gods.
"Have I made my rules sufficiently clear?"
The drone remained silent for a brief moment before a gentle feminine voice echoed throughout the hall.
"You instructed the participants not to ask questions, not to whisper among themselves, and not to speak unless addressed."
"Assessment complete."
"The instructions were conveyed clearly."
A faint smile formed beneath Cosmos’ mask.
"So..."
"Were they breached?"
"Yes, Master."
The drone answered without the slightest hesitation.
"Approximately three hundred Lesser Gods whispered among themselves."
"One hundred and four loudly exclaimed your Godname."
"Two hundred and seventeen produced involuntary vocalizations consistent with surprise."
"Total violations recorded."
"Six hundred and twenty-one."
"I see..."
Cosmos slowly nodded, sounding almost pleased.
"You know what to do."
The drone’s blue light flickered brightly.
"With pleasure, Master."
The surrounding Lesser Gods instinctively exchanged confused glances.
An uneasy silence spread throughout the hall.
None of them knew what was about to happen.
Siri’s mechanical eyes gradually shifted from a soft azure to a deep crimson.
[Commencing disciplinary measures for violation of the established regulations.]
The announcement had barely finished before brilliant arcs of electricity erupted throughout the auditorium.
"AAAAAAAHHHH!!"
More than six hundred Lesser Gods convulsed simultaneously as violent currents coursed through their bodies. Agonized screams echoed throughout the hall, accompanied by the acrid scent of scorched fabric as countless figures collapsed onto their knees, desperately trying to endure the unbearable pain.
Some instinctively cried out in protest.
"W-What is this?!"
"This is insane—"
Before another word could leave their mouths, fresh bolts of electricity surged through their bodies, silencing every complaint beneath another wave of agonized screams.
Cosmos watched the spectacle unfold without the slightest change in expression. His eyes remained indifferent, almost bored, as though what lay before him was nothing more than a routine procedure he had witnessed countless times before.
After several long seconds, he lazily brought his hands together.
Clap.
The single sound echoed softly throughout the hall. freewebnσvel.cøm
Immediately, the electricity ceased.
The screams vanished.
Only ragged breathing and the occasional groan lingered within the suffocating silence.
Cosmos slowly swept his gaze across the trembling audience before speaking in the same calm tone as before.
"Allow me to repeat myself."
"Not a single sound escapes this room without my permission."
"If you wish to learn from me, then sit quietly..."
"...as though your very existence isn’t even here to begin with."
He paused briefly before letting out a faint chuckle.
"Then again..."
"I suppose that isn’t entirely fair."
"You’ve only just arrived, and I’m already expecting discipline from complete strangers."
He shrugged indifferently.
"So I’ll offer each of you a choice."
"If you genuinely believe you lack the ability to follow something this simple..."
"...feel free to fuck off."
