Translator: HunterW
Editor: RED
Six people, two from each guild, were gathered around an expensive round table.
“First off, I would like to thank everyone for coming,” said Lahul, the guild master of the Sahtashwi Guild, as he stood up from his seat.
“It’s not a problem. If it means the future of India, I wouldn’t mind meeting like this every day,” said the guild master of the Behi-Kinant Guild.
“I would have to agree with you,” the guild master of the Labi Guild added.
“Good. I’m sure you are all busy, so I’ll get straight to the point. I’m sure you have all heard the rumor floating around recently?”
“Yes, about the descendant of the god of destruction…”
“I heard that as well, but it seems more people are calling her the Descendant of Shiva. There’s also the rumor that she is a Dalit [TLN: the untouchable caste]. ”
“That’s right. The problem is that all of those rumors are true. A Dalit deva obtained the random skill known as The Descendant of the God of Destruction.”
“But that random skill’s effects haven’t been revealed yet, have they?”
“He’s right. There’s a chance that it isn’t anything much ,and the masses are in a frenzy over nothing.”
Lahul laughed at what the Kshatriya guild master just said. “Do you… really think that’s it?” He turned to his chief of staff, who then stood up and handed out a document to each person at the table.
“Take a look at the report.”
The other four picked up the report they were handed.
==[Descendant of the God of Destruction (1/1), (Passive) – Activating (71%)
Obtain the Power of Destruction.]==
The skill’s description was very simple.
“We had to pay each of the informants a hundred million golden rings for that information. I can attest that it’s all correct.”
“But is this all?”
“That’s the entire skill description. However, the skill’s effects… well, turn to the next page and see for yourself.”
==[Upon successfully activating Descendant of the God of Destruction:
First activation – Successful attacks have a 1% chance to activate Absolute Destruction. (Absolute Destruction: inflicts instant death upon enemies.)
Inflicting at least one point of damage has a chance to activate Absolute Destruction. Absolute Destruction will kill off current opponent regardless of HP remaining.
Second activation – Killing enemies have a 10% chance to activate Source Destruction. (Source Destruction: Incurs a permanent death penalty.)
Death Penalty Restoration gems do not work against this effect. Incurred death penalties cannot be restored whatsoever.
Third activation – Killing enemies have a 100% chance to activate Normal Destruction. (Normal Destruction: Killing an enemy will remove 1-5 Stat points from one of the enemy’s five stats.)
Lost Stat points cannot be restored.]==
“Is this…all true?”
“This is for real?”
“It’s all true. We have double-checked and triple-checked. I could barely believe it myself and personally checked with each informant.”
The other two guild masters could not hide their shocked expressions.
“Don’t think that’s all there is to it. Those effects only deal with the user’s enemies. The descendant has abilities of her own.”
They turned another page in the report.
==[Upon successfully activating Descendant of the God of Destruction:
All Stats increased by 2000 points.
Obtain double Stat points upon leveling up.
When receiving damage from attacks, inflict 10x the damage back to the enemy.
All buffs, debuffs, and heal spells do not work on user.]==
“Ten times the inflicted damage…?” That part was more shocking than the Stat points part of the skill.
“Even if debuffs don’t work, heal spells and buff spells won’t work either… well, it’s still not that bad.”
“I think so, too. If you ask me to choose between debuff immunity and heal immunity, I would obviously choose the former.”
“This is… way too overpowered.”
Those from the other guilds turned to look at Lahul in disbelief, everyone expect for Lagus.
“It is overpowered. It’s obviously overpowered. That’s why all of the Shudras are practically worshipping her right now,” Lahul said, nodding. “Now that you all know what we’re dealing with, can you still sit by and leave this so-called Shiva’s Descendant alone? Can you accept that a Dalit has this skill? That barbarian?”
“…”
“…”
No one said anything to reply. They could only stare at the report in front of them. They knew what Lahul meant, anyway, about the danger Shiva brought to them.
The Hindu trinity of deities consisted of Brahma the Creator, Vishnu the Preserver, and Shiva the Destroyer. Vishnu was the deity worshipped by the Brahmins and the Kshatriyas, and Shiva was the deity worshipped by the Vaishyas and the Shudras. The lower castes believed that Shiva would return and undo the caste system.
“They believe that this descendant of Shiva is their Messiah who will bring about a new social system in India. Will you truly sit by and let that happen when it is painfully obvious that they will challenge our new formed order?” Lahul’s words hung heavily in the air.
“Then what do you suggest we do, Lahul?” Lagus asked after listening quietly the whole time.
No one chastised him for butting in at an inopportune time. They all acknowledged his strength. The only reason the Vaishya caste guild was at the meeting was because of Lagus.
“Obviously…we must rip the problem from the roots.”
“Even though she is called the Descendant of Shiva?”
“That’s the more reason we must take action. We must quell this rebellion before it starts.”
No one dared to interrupt Lahul and Lagus. The subject was Shiva’s Descendant, the herald to a new beginning.
“You can’t possibly believe that she is actually the Descendant of Shiva, do you?” Lahul asked Lagus skeptically.
“That isn’t…”
“He’s right. There’s no way she is…” The others tried to, but couldn’t fully deny it, except for Lagus.
“I believe differently.”
“…And what’s that?” asked Lahul, frowning. He felt that Lagus wasn’t in this from the start.
“I don’t believe that whether or not she is actually Shiva’s Descendant is important. But, since many already believe that, shouldn’t we watch what happens first? As fellow Indians, of course.”
“You’re actually saying that when we’re faced against an absolute skill? It’s absurd to think that she is.”
“That’s why I’m saying we should wait and see. We should give it some time and see if they truly accept her as Shiva’s Descendant. If we get rid of her now, we could expect to see some severe retaliation.”
“Must we go through all that work? Once she fully activates her skill, we won’t be able to stop her. I don’t want to see that happen.”
“It seems to me that you believe that she is Shiva’s Descendant more than anyone here.”
“…” Lahul didn’t say anything back, but his face was angry.
—
Back at Oosara Falls’ hidden dungeon…
[You have eliminated a Golden Slime, a Silver Slime and an Ash Slime in order.
Congratulations! You will receive 1 extra Stat point.]
“Yes! That’s the thirtieth one now.” I killed the 100th Ash Slime and plopped down. I had thought that the rewards were completely random, but I confirmed the truth after hunting for a month straight.
The extra Stat point reward came out thirty times a day. The other rewards came out randomly in between.
“Thirty a day is still great!” Thirty a day meant nine hundred in a month!
“In two months, that’s 1,800 free Stat points, not including the Stat points I get from leveling up.” I was so happy on the first day that I had completely forgotten about the Sunbin Guild. Before I knew it, I had already spent a month in the hidden dungeon. But as the days went on, I did wonder if I should be telling the Sunbin Guild about this.
I watched as the slimes slithered past. There were so many in here that quite a few people could easily hunt together.
“I’m such a greedy prick…” I said to myself. I knew I couldn’t clear the dungeon completely, and yet I didn’t want to share it with anyone else. I knew that there was a limit to the extra Stat points I could get in one day, but I still didn’t want to share. I wanted to get stronger faster than anyone else.
“If I’m going to be greedy from the start, I’m going to be greedy until the end.” I stood back up. I had rested long enough.
—
“So that’s your decision?”
“Yes.”
“Does the entire Labi Guild agree?” asked Lahul.
“We have already once made the mistake of trying to suppress the Sunil Guild before. They have decided to join forces with the Dalits to fight one last time, and we have all decided to not get in their way,” Sandip Aman, master of the Labi Guild, replied calmly.
“Tsk tsk tsk. Is this the best the Vaishyas have to offer?” Lahul said, clicking his tongue. “I’m sure you know that if you continue down this path, you make enemies out of us.”
“We know quite well.”
“Very well. I’ll remember your decision.”
The Behi-Kinant Guild followed the Sahtashwi Guild out, leaving the Labi Guild on its own.
“I’m sorry, father.”
“Don’t be. If we believe this is the right path, then we must walk it honorably.”
“India’s going to get noisy soon.” Akashwi said, as he walked up to his father and brother.
