I Hate Systems

"But, doesn't that still mean you're allies for now?" The Apostle asked, "Wouldn't revealing your cards to each other make it easier to deal with your enemies?"

"It would indeed," Peddler nodded, "But there's no point in doing that."

"Essencer and Invaderon are my enemies. He helped me a little with Essencer. And similarly, I helped him a little for the Beast God." He continued, "That's the extent of our cooperation."

"I don't wish to reveal even a fraction of my powers beyond what is necessary." He said, "He already has a good idea of my foundation. But I behaved like I had no idea about Essencer and the rest before this, like it was hard for me to find out their information."

"But you were aware of their movements from day one." The Apostle retorted.

"Yes, you're right." Peddler nodded, "But the God of humanity doesn't need to know that."

"I'm going to deal with my appointed foes and act like I've been crippled as a result, that I paid a large sacrifice for his sake. It's the only way I can get some brownie points with him." He said, "I might have burnt the bridge between us for survival, but for the same sake, I'm ready to build a sturdier bridge."

"I understand." The Apostle bowed and took his leave, "I'll begin preparing for the next phase."

"Alright, keep an eye on our finances. Let the team of accountants work overtime to ensure nothing goes awry in our plans." Saying so, Peddler turned around and revealed a wide grin toward Invaderon.

He then used his middle finger like a magic wand and flashed the other party, constantly getting on his nerves. Deities had exceptional sight, so even his action of flicking the booger was captured by Invaderon in high definition.

Even though Invaderon was a master of invasions, Peddler was someone that would readily make out with death just to survive. Their base values could never be compared. Heck, Peddler didn't even have a bottom line.

For him, anything goes as long as he could survive.

'Now, what's your response, Invaderon?' He thought and trained his senses over a wide network, intending to counter any action taken by Invaderon, intending to trap Inron for as long as possible.

The moment the people on Inron begin to starve was when the countdown toward Invaderon's death starts ticking.

…

"Grandma! Where are you going?" Once the ceremony for the election of the new Town Lord was completed, the Town Lord shouted at the one that had just stepped down from the position, Pneua.

"I've overextended my stay in this world, brat." Pneua smiled wryly, "My Lord is summoning my services. So, I should head to pay my respects."

"B-But, I need you." The Town Lord's eyes reddened, "Didn't you promise to stay until I have a child?"

"You always boasted about seeing your great-grandchildren!"

"Haah…" Pneua's eyes moistened as she extended her hand and gently brushed past her adorable grandson's cheek, just as she did over the years. But then, her hand extended further and grabbed his ear, pinching them as she said, "Brat, you're the Town Lord now."

"You're not a child anymore. So stop acting like one."

"Then," He glared at her, "Stop calling me a brat then. Stay for a few more years and see how much of a successful adult I become."

"I would love to, if only I had time." She sighed upon seeing his stubbornness, saying with a wry smile, "You see…I lied."

"Lied?" Her grandson's eyes widened in surprise, "Lied about what?"

"I'm not perfectly healthy." Pneua said as she gently placed a hand over her chest, "My heart has grown weak over the years due to overwork. I've actually layered a part of my shadow over it to help lessen the load."

"And by now, most of the pumping of my blood is being done by my shadow heart. My actual heart has grown too weak to function on its own anymore." She sighed, "The God of Humanity hasn't once said no to whatever I asked him. Whether it be knowledge, experience, or even his blessings."

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"Even the load borne by my mind to endure his faith has been subsisted by him somehow. That's how an old lady like me could maintain my shadow heart for so long."

"And now, my Lord wants me by his side. So," She patted her grandson's head and turned around, no longer pausing at his cries, "I'll be taking my leave. Don't be sad."

"I'm the proudest grandma thanks to your very existence. Always am, and always will be."

Pneua closed her eyes, focusing on her ears as she could still make out faint sobbing from her grandson, praying in her mind, 'Your Lordship, can you give me two more minutes?'

"Take your time."

Came the reply from the other side, causing her to tear up, "I've been blessed to an enviable extent."

An experience related to improving her ear muscles flowed into her, allowing her to hear her grandson's voice for a couple more minutes as she walked slowly. Eventually, she walked beyond the hearing range, nodding calmly as everyone from Shukagat Town arrived at its entrance to bode her farewell.

Sporting a calm smile, she made her way up the mountain, disappearing from their sight as she slowly hiked, creating a shadow stick to balance her footing and trek better.

She eventually arrived before a boulder, staring at the human-sized hole before it, one where moss had taken over. She recalled the past like it had just happened the previous day, of one where she and Pnolli came to the region and discovered the God of Humanity.

It was their thoughts that had awakened the Deity and changed their lives for the greater good. "I'll be joining you now, Pnolli."

She sat before the boulder and closed her eyes, praying to the God of Humanity for giving her a blessed life to live as she retracted the shadow heart, breathing her last.

Her figure turned into a stone, for in her final moments, the entirety of Shukagat Town was actually praying towards her and not the God of Humanity.

After all, her feats were legendary, for she singlehandedly had been the biggest reason for their town's development. The blessings she could obtain and retain far outclassed everyone else, so the majority of the decisions taken to better their lives were by her.

And as a result, in the final moments of her life, Pneua became a Deity.

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