Chapter 31: Ch 31: 2nd DemiGod Umbra

As Sunny queried the System about the recent talent change, the answer came swiftly: [Talents of mortals, when they come into contact with a God, transform into Divine Talents, thus enhancing both the God and their Lifeforms.] Sunny nodded, a wider grin spreading across his face as delight filled him. "Doesn't that mean every talent I acquire in the future will also enhance itself?" he mused aloud, already envisioning himself wielding powerful magic. Using magic had always been Sunny's greatest wish, and now, it was within his grasp. Initially, Sunny intended to continue trading to fully exploit the 50% discount he had just obtained. However, the allure of magic quickly became his highest priority. He began to practice the latest magical techniques developed within his own world. This time, he finally noticed profound changes within his divine form. Unlike mortal mages who drew upon mana, Sunny found his precious faith points being consumed with each second he practiced. "The expenses just keep on rising," Sunny sighed, a hint of weariness in his tone. "Only my Title of God of Manifestation and the faith generated by my lifeforms are truly reliable sources." Despite this, Sunny currently possessed a formidable reserve of over 23 million faith points. Driven by his newfound ambition, he resumed his magical practice. After little more than an hour, Sunny felt a significant breakthrough, ascending to Grade D in magical proficiency. "A D-Grade magician from absolutely nothing in just one hour! This speed is truly unheard of," Sunny marveled, fully cognizant of the immense difficulties associated with achieving breakthroughs in any profession. Even for the S-Grade elven leader, it had taken more than two arduous years to reach D-Grade. Sunny's satisfaction, however, was fleeting. His gaze drifted to Veridia, and his mood instantly plummeted. Thorn, a seasoned C-level fighter, was locked in a desperate struggle against a B-level magician and was clearly at a severe disadvantage. "What is happening down there?" Sunny demanded inwardly, immediately activating his God's Eye on Thorn. The entire 70 years of Thorn's life flashed before Sunny's eyes, a rapid cascade of memories. Though Thorn was indeed 70 years old, he miraculously retained the appearance of a vigorous 30-year-old man. This was a testament to the power of breakthroughs, as the lifespan of lifeforms inherently increased with each transcendence of their limits. Sunny swiftly began to ponder the best course of action. A deep-seated rebellion was currently afflicting the humans of Veridia. While Sunny desired to aid Thorn, ultimately, all humans were his devout believers, and he harbored no desire to be perceived as a biased God. He resolved to intervene subtly, projecting his divine will onto Veridia, for he could not afford to waste precious time and allow Thorn, his first chosen one, to perish. Thus, he quietly manifested a Divine Embryo, instantly molding it into an ethereal form: a shadow. In terms of its immediate abilities, Sunny hadn't had sufficient time for elaborate conceptualization, so he chose Shadow Affinity and Magic Affinity as its foundational talents. As it was a creature of pure shadow, direct physical or magical damage was deemed unnecessary for its primary function. Consequently, there was no inherent need for robust defenses. Drawing inspiration from the vast Knowledge of Divine Buffs, Sunny conceived and endowed the shadow with a unique talent: it could directly increase a person's strength by a full level (up to the highest SS-Grade) simply by connecting to that individual. He also added another crucial talent, allowing this Shadow to bestow two different Buffs upon a person simultaneously. With these four synergistic talents, Sunny was now confident that this complex issue would be resolved with far greater ease. Sunny named this nascent shadow entity 'Umbra'. With a single divine thought, Umbra sprang to life. Responding instantly to Sunny's silent command, Umbra shot like a silent arrow towards Thorn, who was still desperately fighting the B-Grade magician. If not for Thorn's 70 years of battle-hardened experience, he would undoubtedly have already fallen. "I can't die like this! I am the first chosen one of the God!" Thorn roared, his voice hoarse with defiance, utterly reluctant to fall. He desperately wished to live up to the unspoken expectations of his God. He was, by now, a retired leader; his son, Anaske, had graciously relieved him of the burdens of a fighter or hunter. However, just a week prior, Anaske had embarked on a mission to confront a monstrous creature causing havoc at the site designated for the fourth city's construction. This location was strategically chosen near the sea's shore, connecting to the central continent. This new city was being created to become the hub for the development of fast ships, an endeavor vital for fulfilling God's command to reach the central continent as swiftly as possible. This critical mission necessitated Anaske's absence from the capital to eliminate the A-Grade monster by the shore. Anaske had departed full of confidence, armed with his formidable SS-Grade sword. But back in the capital, one of the council leaders, a powerful B-Grade magician, had launched a treacherous rebellion, ruthlessly slaughtering many of Anaske's loyal followers. Thorn, despite his lower grade, resolutely decided to fight until his last breath; his extensive experience and his SS-Grade spear were not something that could be easily bypassed. Thus, the desperate fight had raged for half a day. Suddenly, Thorn felt an unseen presence loom over his entire body, and his strength abruptly surged drastically. The chasm of potential was not something that could be easily broken; no human among all of Veridia had ever transcended their inherent limits in such a manner. Yet, Thorn currently felt his strength increase, and he was aware of this profound phenomenon. "A breakthrough? No," he immediately denied the notion, knowing full well that he was not even among the top C-Grade fighters. Thus, a true breakthrough in battle would not be possible. The only conceivable reason he could conjure in that desperate moment was "God." A profound reverence swelled within him for their divine patron, reinvigorating his will to fight back against the traitor. Currently, Umbra was linked to Thorn, and it swiftly utilized its specialized talent to upgrade Thorn's combat grade. Umbra also simultaneously cast powerful speed and strength boosts upon Thorn. Empowered by these combined abilities, Thorn could now even contend with Anaske for a round or two. Thorn, his newfound power surging, immediately defeated the traitorous magician and rushed to aid the remaining loyal followers of his son. After all the bloodshed, his eyes now welled with tears, for out of his 21 cherished children, 14 had tragically perished.