The sun burned quietly over Cape Town.
The classroom buzzed with the sound of cheap pens and tired laughter.
Another normal day — at least, that's what everyone thought.
Eren Kael sat by the window, his chin resting on his hand.
Outside, the clouds drifted lazily across Table Mountain. Inside, the teacher's voice droned on about algebra.
Life was… boring.
Predictable.
A routine I could clear like another level in a game.
He was good at everything — grades, sports, even strategy games. But none of it meant anything.
Everything came too easily.
He didn't feel alive.
Then the lights flickered.
A buzzing hum filled the room, like static crawling up everyone's spine. Phones started vibrating on every desk.
Someone laughed nervously, but the sound died quickly.
The screens turned black. Then—
[ SYSTEM NOTICE ]
Act One: The Age of Sponsorship has begun.
Assigning survival parameters to all registered civilians...
Server: SA-07 — Cape Town Sector.
Divine Observation Active.
Make this entertaining, mortals.
The classroom went dead silent.
Then came the screaming.
Desks scraped the floor, students ran for the door — but it was too late. The windows shattered, a golden crack splitting the sky outside.
Something massive loomed beyond it — shapes like giants watching through the light.
Eren blinked.
Then smiled.
Finally.
While others panicked, he just stood and stared at the message glowing above his head.
Observation Phase initiated.
Deities are now watching this server.
Your performance may attract sponsorships.
He could feel eyes on him — unseen, divine, curious.
And then a new message appeared, floating in front of him.
[Hermes, the Messenger God, is observing you…]
[Hermes is impressed by your composure under divine pressure.]
[Hermes offers you a Sponsorship Contract.]
Accept Sponsorship? (Y/N)
A sponsorship?
Eren's lips curled.
"Sure," he muttered. "Let's make things interesting."
He pressed [YES].
Light wrapped around his arm, forming a glowing silver mark— the symbol of a winged serpent.
[Sponsorship Accepted–Hermes, the Messenger God]
[Skill Granted: Summon Boa Constrictor (Rank I, Lv.1)]
[Quest Received: Test of the Messenger]
Objective: Survive the first hour of the Act.
Reward: +100 gold, +10 Faith Points.
A chill swept the room. Then the floor cracked, and from the shadows slithered a massive boa, its silver scales glinting faintly.
Students screamed, stumbling back.
Eren just stared at it fascinated.
"So this is power…"
"Let's see what I can do with it."
He stepped over a broken desk, the serpent coiling beside him.
The sky outside was tearing apart, monsters crawling through the golden rifts.
[Sector SA-07: Locked]
You cannot leave your region until Act One is complete.
Objective: Survive.
Eren looked up, eyes reflecting the chaos above.
"If the gods want a show…"
"…then I'll give them one they'll never forget."
[WARNING]
[WARNING]
[WARNING: Contract Overlap Detected]
[Hermes Sponsorship successfully bound.]
[Additional Divine Links Detected...]
[System Error — Soul flagged as "Shared Property."]
Eren frowns. "What the hell?"
Then several different godly voices echo faintly in his head,each one distinct, arguing like static in his mind.
"Impossible! He's already claimed!"
"That soul can handle multiple links… interesting."
"Mine."
"Stand aside, lesser god."
"What a curious mortal… I must have him."
The system spams more lines of glowing text:
[Multiple Sponsorships Detected]
[Skill Acquired: God Whore (Unique)]
Description: The user may hold contracts with up to 5 divine beings simultaneously.
Warning: Divine influence may cause mental instability or mana distortion.
Eren's smile widens.
"Five gods, huh?"
"Guess I really am the main character in their little show."
— End of Chapter 1 —