Arianna watched as Cassis stepped out of the car and into chaos.
His students descended on him like a tidal wave, their voices a cacophony of disbelief and excitement. She could practically hear the questions through the closed car window.
"Sir! That was you on TV?! No way!"
"You fought monsters?! You?! Our history teacher?!"
"Can you show us some moves?!"
She exchanged an amused glance with Liam, and before they could get dragged into the madness, he pulled away from the curb.
“Poor Cassis,” she said, smirking.
Liam snorted. “Yeah, yeah. ‘Poor Cassis’—the guy who fought through an apocalypse and became famous as the strongest man in our world. I think he’ll survive a few screaming teenagers.”
Still, Arianna knew how much Cassis hated attention. The fact that he’d been practically invisible in the other timeline had likely kept him alive. Now? He was a symbol of hope, a leader, whether he liked it or not.
Well. He’d handle it. He always did.
For now, she had other things to focus on.
They drove to Cassis’ apartment, a place that already felt strangely familiar despite how little time she had actually spent there.
Arianna let out a long breath as she finally changed into fresh clothes again, relishing the small comfort. Then, without wasting much time, she and Liam left for her usual training spot—the small park nestled between the quiet streets of the neighbourhood.
It was a place that had always felt safe. Isolated. A perfect spot to hone their skills in peace. But today, the park was not empty.
Far more people than before wandered through the open space, lingering near the exercise equipment, the small fire pit, the wooden benches. Some were just sitting there, dazeing, other were practicing with weapons and a few ones were —hesitantly, clumsily—trying to see their mana.
Arianna didn’t miss the way some eyes lingered on them as they entered. She sighed.
"Looks like we’re not the only ones who figured out training is a good idea."
Liam made a thoughtful sound. "Yeah. And you’re kind of recognizable now. You’re probably the strongest woman in the world." They had just made fun of Cassis for this but the truth was that Cassis and her had become famous due to their actions and the videos in the Hall of Fame. And now after the president’s address people were finally coming out of their homes again.
"Ugh." Without another word, she pulled a pair of sunglasses from her bag and shoved a baseball cap at Liam. "Here. We blend in. You’re not quite as bad as me but people will still know you."
He laughed. "Right. Because nobody will notice the two people randomly sitting in front of a fire pit meditating."
"It’s about the effort, Liam."
He just shook his head but put the cap on anyway.
They settled near the stream from before. Liam sat down in the grass, pushing his open hands against the earth, trying to feel his element. He crossed his legs and closed his eyes, diving into his meditation. Arianna sat beside him, guiding him with quiet words when necessary—but for the most part, he wanted to figure it out on his own.
He was an earnest student. Stubborn, even. Arianna had to respect that. Once he found his rhythm, she shifted her focus.
She moved slightly away from him, settling right next to the small stream in the exact spot where she had once deepened her mana sight. The gentle trickle of water was a grounding presence.
But this time, she wasn’t here to meditate.
First, she thought back to the medal ceremony. When they were watching it on the TV and her name had been called she had actually gotten a system message:
[+ 5000 CP (for deceiving the mortal world)]
Then she had felt her inner scare of good and evil shift towards evil. This scale was irritating. She didn’t want to imagine losing balance. It would be terrible. As a chaotic deity she could do good and bad things and earn points from them. If she was limited to only virtuous or evil deeds, she wouldn’t be able to earn many points. She knew this from experience.
But then she also though back to her first day in this world, when she became a fallen patron. Her actions of killing monsters had been deemed evil and so her alignment had changed from virtuous to chaotic. What if she leaned too far towards one side? Would her CP be taken again? Would her alignment change again? Would the same happen again if she did something that was counter to her new alignment. If that really happened, she would be caught in a never-ending circle of shifting alignments. Would her points vanish again and again?
She didn’t want that to happen. She’d never be able to buy the more expensive stuff then. She’d have to manage the scale carefully.
Before she could think and stress more about it she opened her patron status instead.
One particular detail had caught her attention yesterday—but she hadn’t mentioned it to Cassis yet.
He had enough on his plate already. Better to test it first. Her eyes landed on the line that had changed since the last time she looked.
[ Patron Chat: Open ]
Her heart pounded. This… was new.
Arianna hesitated for only a moment before tapping the open chat option.
Immediately, her screen was flooded with a stream of messages—an endless flurry of discussions, debates, and arguments. The patrons were talking about this new world, some already speculating about who would make good candidates for avatars, others telling them to keep watching as most would die in the second wave. They didn’t want to choose someone weak.
It was structured like a chatroom, complete with usernames and profile details she could examine. Curious, she clicked on a few.
The names were strange, almost theatrical:
Desert Rose. One-Handed Warrior. Allfather. King of Shadows.
Beneath each name, there were titles: Well-Known. Famous. Legendary.
And most importantly, an alignment label—Virtuous. Chaotic. Evil.
Arianna’s gaze swept across the room. Most of them were Chaotic. That… probably made sense. Most people weren’t fully good or evil but something in-between. There were just different shades. That seemed to apply to deities as well.
Feeling a slight unease, she turned to her own profile.
[ Name: Sapphire ]
[ Fame Level: Recognized ]
[ Alignment: Chaotic ]
Alright, everything was ok. Her patron name was used instead of her real name and recognition and affiliation were the same as in her status.
Her arrival in the chat had been marked with a clear notification:
[ Sapphire has entered the chat. ]
At first, the other deities ignored it. But soon, the conversation shifted, and familiar names began appearing.
Cassis. Arianna.
She froze.
They were being discussed—as potential avatars.
At first, it was just a few passing comments.
"That Arianna girl is promising. She has sharp instincts and good mana control."
"Cassis might have potential. He already has leadership qualities."
"Anyone know if they’re still unclaimed?"
Then, a new message appeared.
[ Trickster (Chaotic): Too late. They already have a patron. ]
Silence.
And then, chaos.
A flood of reactions filled the chat.
"What? Already? Who was that bold?"
"That’s reckless. The first wave just ended!"
"Madness or brilliance?"
"Whoever it was, they’ve got guts. Or they’re a fool."
Some praised the mystery patron’s audacity, while others outright mocked them.
Arianna’s fingers tightened.
"They’re talking about me."
She had never heard of these deities before, yet they were labelled as famous, legendary, mythical. Who were they? And why did she feel like she had stumbled into a game where she didn’t know the rules?
A new message popped up, standing out from the chaotic chatter.
[ Timeless Waterfall (Virtuous): Are you new? Just how did you get enough points to claim two avatars so soon? ]
[Timeless Waterfall (Virtuous): If you’re new, go read the New Deity Guide in the forum. ]
Arianna swallowed.
"New Deity Guide."
Her fingers hovered over the chat for a second before she switched tabs, entering the forum section. Sure enough, there was a pinned post at the top.
[ New Deity Guide – Read First! ]
She clicked on it.
New Deity Guide
Welcome, new deities.
No matter your alignment, these are the basics. This guide was created by several old virtuous deities who have witnessed many system worlds and helped newcomers before you.
If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.
- Where do you come from?
There are two types of deities:
- Awakeners from another world who have completed their system’s waves and transcended S-Class.
- Newly born deities from a world integrated into the system, chosen from its own lore.
Arianna’s breath caught.
Neither of these descriptions fit her.
"I’m not an S-Class awakener from another world."
"And I definitely wasn’t some deity from this world’s ‘lore’ before the system arrived."
Her fingers tightened as she continued reading.
- What to do in a new world
If you have just transcended, congratulations. If you were just born, happy birthday.
You have already watched the first wave of this world’s system arrival for free.
During this time, you were able to freely jump from place to place, observing different streams and mortals.
Why?
To find an Awakener to your liking. Awakener: That is what the system calls the mortals who can use mana.
However, now that the first wave has ended, watching is no longer free. From this point forward, you will need to spend points (VP, CP, EP—depending on your alignment) to continue observing this world.
Older deities, like ourselves, have accumulated enough points to continue watching without issue. We have also paid to open this chatroom.
Maybe you have already found someone who caught your eye.
If not, you will need to wait until some awakeners enter a dungeon or the next wave comes to observe again.
Arianna’s stomach dropped as she read the next part.
3. Choosing an Avatar
If you choose an avatar, you may watch them at any time for free.
We do not recommend choosing one immediately after the first wave.
Your first avatar does not cost any points. However, your second avatar is extremely expensive.
If your avatar dies, you will have to pay an exorbitant price to claim another. Most new deities who make this mistake will be forced to sit out for the rest of this world’s system cycle, waiting for a new world to be integrated before they can act again.
If this happens to you, you can try to gather points by completing tasks related to your alignment while waiting.
Arianna’s mind was spinning.
She had already taken two avatars. Cassis. Herself.
And from the sound of it… that was not normal.
No wonder the others were shocked. She exhaled sharply, closing the guide.
Her gaze flickered back to the chatroom, where patrons were still discussing who had dared to claim avatars so soon.
She had so many questions.
And even worse—she had no idea who to ask.
Arianna’s screen flickered as a new message popped up.
[ Timeless Waterfall has invited you to a private chat room. Accept invitation? ]
She hesitated.
After all, she barely understood what was happening, and stepping into a private conversation with a deity she knew nothing about could be dangerous. But Timeless Waterfall had helped her just now, and they were virtuous—that had to mean something, right?
It would feel rude to refuse. And maybe they could answer a few more of her questions. Timeless Waterfall had a popularity that read as legendary. They would have a lot of knowledge if they were old enough to become legendary.
Arianna exhaled and tapped Agree.
The world around her shifted.
She wasn’t in the chatroom anymore.
Instead, she stood in a vast clearing, untouched by human hands. The trees were enormous, their leaves a mix of deep blues, purples, and silvers, rather than green. A lake stretched out before her, its waters impossibly clear, reflecting the sky like polished glass. A waterfall cascaded from a nearby cliff, the rushing current feeding into the lake before flowing out as a winding stream through the forest.
It was breathtaking. Otherworldly.
Arianna’s gaze snapped to the figure sitting beside the lake.
They looked almost human, but not quite. They were not quite a woman but also not a man, something different, in-between.
Their skin was translucent blue, and within it, Arianna could see an actual water current, flowing as though they were a living river. Their hair was a shimmering mist, the kind a waterfall sprays into the air when it crashes against stone. They wore a flowing black toga, shifting like liquid silk.
Timeless Waterfall.
"Come here," the deity called, their voice echoing like thunderous water crashing against rock.
Arianna took a step forward—
—except she didn’t step.
She rolled.
Her breath caught. Something was wrong.
Looking down, she barely stopped herself from screaming. She wasn’t human. Her body was made of water.
A translucent blue current formed her upper torso, head, and arms, but below her waist, she had no legs—just a rolling wave that surged forward whenever she tried to move. Every time she advanced, the water beneath her shifted, flowing forward only to be replaced by another ripple.
Inside her, she could feel the steady pull of a current, similar to the one flowing within Timeless Waterfall.
Arianna felt unmoored, her sense of self slipping.
Was this… was this what she really was?
She finally reached Timeless Waterfall, who might have been laughing at her. It was hard to tell—their face was similar to a human but still too alien for Arianna to read.
"So, you’re a water elemental." The deity’s voice rumbled like distant rapids. "I suspected as much. And your name suits you well—those sapphire eyes make it obvious. You must be a newborn deity of this world. I wonder what kind of lore surrounds you."
Arianna had no idea what to say.
Fortunately, Timeless Waterfall didn’t seem to expect an answer.
"I’m sure you’re confused," they continued, watching Arianna with an almost amused air. "And since we are both water elementals, I know exactly how overwhelming it is to be newly born. So, I will help you."
Arianna felt a surge of gratitude. That was… surprisingly kind. But then she became suspicious. Who would just give out information for free? Still, being polite was always good, especially in this situation.
"Thank you," she said. Her voice startled her—it sounded like raindrops hitting the surface of a lake.
Timeless Waterfall hummed in acknowledgment. "I assume you chose that man, Cassis, as your first avatar?"
Arianna nodded slowly.
"I watched him as well," the deity mused. "He showed promise, but the woman—Arianna—was a close second. You likely didn’t know what you were doing. Perhaps you simply felt, ‘I want to help him.’ He is quite handsome, after all. That’s fine. You chose a strong one. He will likely survive. If not… well, you still have Arianna and if that also doesn’t work out just wait for the next system world."
Arianna stiffened. The casualness of that statement unsettled her.
"You’re Chaotic, so you have plenty of ways to earn points," Timeless Waterfall continued. "After all, we are immortal, as long as we maintain at least Recognized status."
Immortal? Arianna felt like she’d been punched in the gut.
She had just come to terms with being a … water elemental?, but now she was something immortal? The thought was as fascinating as it was terrifying.
Before she could voice any of the dozens of questions burning in her mind, Timeless Waterfall pressed on.
"This Arianna is your second avatar. You shouldn’t have enough CP to claim another. But…" They tilted her head slightly, her water-like body shifting. "There have been exceptions before. I assume her elemental affinity is water?"
Arianna nodded again.
"That would lower the cost already. And since she is also a unit with your first avatar, that would lower the cost further." The deity frowned. "But even then… you shouldn’t have had any CP at all. No matter how low the cost, you should have been at zero. Did anything… special happen?"
Arianna hesitated.
A lot of special things had happened.
But she wasn’t na?ve—no matter what Cassis and Helen thought—she couldn’t just spill her secrets to a deity she had just met.
Still… Timeless Waterfall was giving her valuable information. Perhaps offering something in return would earn her more knowledge.
So, she carefully chose her next words.
"Yes," she admitted. "Arianna is a unit with Cassis. When she spoke to his family, she referred to me as her patron, too. That’s when I got a system message: ‘A mortal has declared themselves your avatar without being one.’ I was given two choices—smite her or accept her. I like Arianna, so I accepted her as my second avatar."
Timeless Waterfall listened intently, their swirling form oddly still.
"Ah," they finally said. "Now that makes sense."
Arianna exhaled in relief.
"The system sometimes rewards certain behaviours in mortals or awakeners as they are called," Timeless Waterfall explained. "Which means… the system rewarded Arianna, not you, for something. It granted her a patron instead of rewarding you with another avatar." They let out a thoughtful sound, like rushing rapids. "Yes, that fits. The system is biased toward its awakeners, after all."
Arianna frowned. Biased?
She didn’t feel particularly blessed by the system. If anything, it had been nothing but unfair to them. Timeless Waterfall must have read her expression.
"Ah, you don’t know yet, do you?" The deity sounded vaguely amused. "Mortals are granted far more freedom within their world. Deities… are not."
Arianna blinked.
"The system considers us too powerful to act freely. We are restricted to watching and occasionally offering boons to our avatars. The more followers we have and the higher our fame level the more freedom we are granted in the mortal but also in the divine world. But if we break the rules, we are punished."
Her voice darkened like a storm.
"Some become fallen patrons, forced to claw their way back to transcendence. Others are enslaved, bound into service as artifacts or spirit companions for awakeners."
Arianna felt a chill despite her watery form.
"If we serve long enough, we may return as deities," Timeless Waterfall finished bitterly.
Then they fixed Arianna with an unreadable gaze.
"I will warn you now, Sapphire," they said. "Do not fall in love with a mortal—especially not your own avatars. Many deities have fallen that way."
Arianna didn’t react. Because it was already too late. She had already fallen in love with Cassis. But… she was already a fallen patron. The rules didn’t seem to apply to her, anyway.
Timeless Waterfall exhaled, standing up. "It is time for you to leave. My points, though plentiful, should not be wasted. I wish you well, Sapphire."
Arianna nodded, smiling—or trying to, at least.
"Thank you," she said. "Ever since I woke up, I’ve been confused."
They exchanged farewells—
—then Arianna was thrust back into her own body.
"Okay, that was... strange," Arianna mumbled, running her hands over her legs, just to make sure they were there again. Solid. Real. Human.
A system message came up.
[+ 1000 CP (for successfully deceiving an ancient deity)]
Arianna shuddered. Ancient. She had the feeling that the only reason this deception had worked was because what was happening to her was so strange and rare that even an ancient deity didn’t think it possible. Just what did that mean for her?
All of a sudden, her necklace burned hot against her skin.
She frowned, fingers instinctively wrapping around the familiar sapphire pendant.
Just what is going on?
The thought struck her like lightning—
Was it possible?
Her necklace wasn’t just some beautiful trinket. It was powerful, undeniably so. And if what Timeless Waterfall said was true, deities could be punished—forced into servitude as artifacts or spirit companions.
Was her necklace... a fallen deity?
Her grip tightened.
"Are you a deity?" she whispered aloud, holding the pendant between her fingertips.
For a moment, nothing happened.
Then—
The sapphire glowed.
A soft, eerie light pulsed from within, warming her fingers—
—then faded.
Then it turned cold.
Arianna’s breath hitched. Was that a yes? Or something else entirely?
She tried again. "Can you understand me?"
No response.
"Are you trapped?"
Still nothing.
Frowning, she asked a few more questions, but no matter what she said, the necklace remained cold and unresponsive.
Great.
With a sigh, she let go, letting the pendant rest against her collarbone. Maybe it only reacted in specific situations—or maybe she was completely wrong. Either way, she wasn’t getting any more answers right now.
She glanced at her watch.
…Not much time had passed.
Actually, maybe no time at all had passed since she entered the private chat with Timeless Waterfall.
Arianna exhaled. That was useful.
She could gain valuable information without missing anything in real time. But—what were the rules? There hadn’t been a thread about them in the forums.
Would the system warn her if she was about to break one? Or would she only find out after she had already been punished? Like what had happened when she first awakened. She had killed the goblin, then awakened. And then the system had informed her that she had become a fallen patron.
Could the system even punish her any further?
She was already a fallen patron, yet she had never actually been a deity before. Just a normal human.
Her head throbbed with unanswered questions.
"Hahh…" She huffed, rubbing her temples. Thinking in circles won’t help.
She needed to focus.
Arianna settled into a cross-legged position, straightening her back. If her thoughts were a storm, then meditation was her way to calm the waves.
With practiced ease, she willed her mana to flow.
The swirls, streams, currents, and waves of her pattern spread through her body. The sensation was almost… harmonious. Balanced. It still took effort to hold it everywhere, but she was improving.
One thing was clear—her mana was easier to shape than before she got her advanced class.
Cassis might not believe her, but she could feel it.
Even if she couldn’t maintain the pattern for long yet, she could hold it for longer than before. And while it was active—
Her mana regeneration skyrocketed.
Even just maintaining the pattern in her torso drastically boosted her passive mana recovery. With it, she could cast her healing spell almost endlessly.
That reminded her—
Her Heal spell.
Arianna had a nagging feeling.
If she understood the human body better—how it healed naturally, how she could support that process—she could make the spell even more efficient. Faster. Stronger. Less mana wasted.
She grabbed her phone.
A quick search later, and she was skimming through medical articles on wound healing, tissue regeneration, and cellular repair.
Thankfully, this world’s internet worked the same way as her old one.
She kept reading, absorbing as much information as possible, until—
Her eyes flicked to the clock. Cassis would finish school soon.
She locked her phone, pushing herself to her feet. Across from her, Liam was just opening his eyes, stretching his shoulders. His expression looked... satisfied.
Arianna smiled. "How was it?"
Liam exhaled, rolling his shoulders. "Good. I finally got my Mana Control to Beginner."
Arianna grinned. "That’s great! Your ambient mana absorption is improving too, right?"
Liam nodded, his dark eyes gleaming with quiet pride. "Yeah. It’s getting easier."
"That’s amazing," Arianna said sincerely. "I’m proud of you."
Liam looked a little caught off guard, but he nodded in thanks, even blushing a little.
They grabbed their things and headed out, slipping into the car.
It wasn’t long before Cassis stepped out of the school gates.
He spotted them immediately, his golden eyes narrowing slightly as he walked over.
With everyone settled, they set off, weaving through the city streets toward Ben Ranislav’s house.
Cassis had already talked to Ben at school, giving him a heads-up about the visit. Ben, in turn, had called his parents, making sure they’d be home for the job offer.
Arianna leaned back in her seat. Soon, they’d see if Ben’s family would accept their offer.