Inside the sanctuary, Clark casually leaned against the balcony of his palace, enjoying the gentle morning breeze. The sweet scent from the blooming peach orchard carried softly through the air, mixing with the faint metallic tang of divine energy lingering from last night's breakthroughs.
The system interface floated silently before him, as smooth and unbothered as ever.
What Clark didn't know, however, was that countless gods, both near and far, were already attempting to probe his existence. Threads of fate, divination rituals, scouting visions—whispers and threads cast across the divine void like unseen fishing lines—were all failing one after another.
Every attempt simply collapsed into nothingness.
"Heavenly Veil," the passive divine skill he had acquired, worked without a trace. Its complex mechanisms silently intercepted every thread that tried to pierce into his domain.
"All fate bindings failed. Subject unknown."
"Divine vision disrupted. Coordinates lost."
"Authority scanning failed. Subject status: Untraceable."
Ancient gods, curious sponsors, rival novices, and secretive factions were all frustrated as their methods yielded only dead ends. Even the most skilled diviners could find nothing but an empty void where the Verdant God was supposed to be.
To them, it was as if the domain simply... didn't exist.
Clark, unaware of the storm outside, exhaled calmly as he reviewed the latest faith generation reports and skill summaries. The world felt oddly peaceful to him—a temporary calm as though nothing unusual was happening.
In fact, he even chuckled lightly to himself.
"So far, everything is progressing smoothly."
He didn't know that his casual remark would have made countless gods gnash their teeth if they had heard it.
While the entire divine world strained to uncover his whereabouts, the Heavenly Veil continued to work in absolute silence, shielding him from dangers that he himself had not yet imagined.
Far beyond his domain, unseen to him, storm clouds were gathering.
In a distant realm where stars shifted like waves across a boundless sea of light, a figure sat upon an ancient obsidian throne. The Ancient God of War, his towering frame wrapped in brilliant red battle robes, gazed intently at the flickering projection of a golden wisp hovering before him.
This wisp was no ordinary one. It was a divine thread, secretly left behind when he first descended upon Clark's domain during the sponsorship ceremony — a small, near-undetectable connection that allowed him to monitor any future sponsorship choices or divine interference within the Verdant God's territory.
Suddenly, the wisp shimmered violently.
Crack!
The connection severed, dispersing into formless light.
The Ancient God of War's eyes narrowed into deadly slits. His aura surged, causing several of his subordinate gods kneeling nearby to tremble.
"Impossible," he muttered coldly. "The Divine Will is impartial—it would not sever my wisp unless another god has laid claim to that domain."
He clenched his massive fist, his killing intent boiling like a silent storm.
"So… you dared reject me," his voice rumbled across his divine court. "Either you have chosen another Ancient God, or some hidden hand shields you."
His gaze grew darker, filled with venomous intent.
"You will regret this, Verdant God. I shall see your flame extinguished."
With a simple wave of his hand, several divine screens materialized before him, displaying lists of emerging novice gods. His fingers slowly scrolled through the countless names.
"If I cannot sponsor you directly, then I shall use another to break your domain for me."
His attention finally locked onto several promising candidates — novice gods, hungry for power, desperate for backing.
"You will become my blade."
With a cold chuckle, the God of War leaned back into his throne, his plot already unfolding while Clark remained blissfully unaware inside his steadily growing sanctuary.
...
Clark, of course, remained blissfully unaware of the storm building in the background. For him, these new acquisitions were simply insurance — a layer of safety as he prepared for the brutal path ahead.
But across the Divine Continent, many were already taking notice of the rising, mysterious god who was moving far too fast, far too efficiently.
....
Clark casually opened the Global Chat interface while sipping on a fresh goblet of sacred spring water. The stream of messages scrolled endlessly — as lively and chaotic as ever.
Today, however, a different atmosphere filled the channel.
Messages from fellow gods were filled with excitement, pride, and in some cases, outright arrogance.
"The Flame Lord has acknowledged me as his candidate! Glory to the Flame Lord!"
"Blessed by the Goddess of Mercy — my divine path is now secure!"
"With the Ocean Tyrant behind me, my domain shall flourish beyond imagination!"
Screenshots of sponsorship contracts, divine seals, and even glimpses of minor god projections flashed across the chat as countless new gods proudly displayed their newfound backers.
Some gods bragged about minor gods taking them under their wings, while others flaunted sponsorships from mid-tier gods—most of whom were already Rank 4 or 5. These sponsors offered guidance, knowledge, and in some cases, advanced resources to help their protégés rise faster.
For most novice gods, sponsorship was seen as both protection and an accelerated route to power.
Clark calmly watched the spectacle unfold, his expression unmoved.
While others were celebrating their new patrons, few of them truly understood the price of such sponsorships. Loyalty oaths, restrictions, future obligations — in exchange for rapid growth, they were slowly binding themselves under another god's authority.
Clark, however, remained free.
Thanks to his Heavenly Veil, not a single divine sponsor had even managed to locate his domain, let alone make him an offer.
"They are tying themselves to others already..." he thought silently. "At this stage."
For a brief moment, he glanced at the sponsorship rankings—his own name, the Verdant God, was completely absent. Hidden. Unseen.
Unknown to him, his absence was already a mystery stirring whispers among the higher powers.
....
As Clark continued to observe the endless stream of excited gods boasting their new sponsors, a soft chime echoed in his private message tab.
It was from his only friend in this chaotic world — the ever-naive Green Goddess.
"Verdant God, Verdant God!"She seemed unusually excited.
Clark opened the message, replying calmly."What happened?"
"I finally got a sponsor!" she responded quickly."Really? That's good news. Who is it?"
"The Goddess of Life herself!"
For a brief moment, Clark's pupils narrowed. His fingers hovered slightly above the interface before continuing."The Goddess of Life... Are you sure?"
"Yes! She personally descended her will and contacted me. She said my Burst Growth talent is valuable, and my unique seeds caught her attention."
Clark remained silent for a moment, processing the weight of her words. The Goddess of Life — not a minor god, not a guardian, not even an ancient god boasting influence from earlier eras.
She was Monarch Tier. Rank 17. One step below the Elder Tier! . A true ruler among gods.
(Refresher Gods ranking: Ascendants (Rank 1-5), Guardians (Rank 6-11), Monarchs (Rank 12-17), Elders (Rank 18-21), Supremes (Rank 22-24), Apex/Classified(Rank 25.) Each rank is divided into low, mid and high tier).
While countless gods called themselves ancient, most barely touched Rank 6 to Rank 11. Those who reached Monarch status stood far above — presiding over law, order, and primal dominion. The Goddess of Life was one of the oldest and most stable authorities within the divine order, revered across countless planes of existence.
The Goddess of Life had existed since the dawn of divine civilization. Her name was recorded in every scripture across countless planes of existence. She presided over vast pantheons, entire multiversal domains of thriving mortal races, and was one of the most untouchable existences below the Supreme and Apex tiers.
Her mere name held weight that could suppress most Guardian-tier gods without effort. Compared to the Guardian(Ancient Tiers), the Monarch Tier was entirely separate. Their existence itself was law.
The Green Goddess, however, remained as naive as ever.
"She said I was so talented and cute with my Burst Growth talent! And that my unique seeds are precious!! "
"I don't even know why she chose me, but she said I'll be safe and protected from now on "
Clark could almost see her bright, innocent face sparkling through the screen.
She had absolutely no understanding of just how rare and valuable her sponsorship truly was. Most gods would sell their souls for even a moment of the Goddess of Life's attention, yet here she was, blissfully chatting as if she had simply adopted a kind master.
She continued excitedly, unaware of how monumental this was."She said she'll guide me from now on and provide protection. She's so kind! I even saw some of her divine attendants, they looked so beautiful..."
"You are fortunate." Clark finally replied.
"Really? You think so?"
"Of course. The Monarch-tier gods rarely take interest in new gods. You've caught the attention of one of the highest authorities. It means your path ahead will be... much smoother."
"Hehe, I'll work hard!" she said innocently.
"Good. But remember — always remain cautious. The higher you rise, the more eyes watch you."
"Understood!" she answered with cheerful energy.
Clark closed the chat window, his face calm, but his mind fully aware. While Monarch-tier gods were already making moves, thanks to his Heavenly Veil, his existence still remained concealed from their sight.