In the middle of a sparsely frequented alley, where the echo of distant footsteps and the smell of dampness permeated the air, a boy who appeared to be around sixteen years old lay sprawled on the ground. The few people who passed by ignored him, quickening their pace in the twilight gloom.
Suddenly, a small girl with blue hair and green eyes that reflected a mix of curiosity and fear cautiously approached, trembling slightly as she extended a stick towards the boy's inert body. She tried to touch him to check if he was alive, but suddenly, the boy, who had been as stiff as a corpse, moved slightly and grabbed one of her legs.
"AAAAHHHH!" screamed the girl at the boy's sudden action and reflexively tried to kick him, but the boy, still lying on the ground, began to roll to the side, managing to dodge her.
"What's wrong with you?" exclaimed the boy as he got up, bewildered. "Why are you trying to hit me? I don't even know who you are!"
The girl, surprised and scared, could only murmur a "Sorry!" before running away, not wanting to get involved with a stranger.
The boy stood looking around, and a feeling of strangeness began to invade him. This is not my home... it doesn't even look like my city... The buildings were cruder, the people's clothes too... medieval. Then, his gaze fixed on a tall and familiar tower, and the chill of realization shook him Isn't that the Tower of Orario? I've transmigrated to the world of Danmachi!
At that moment, a golden screen appeared in front of him.
[Congratulations, you have obtained the God Familia System]
When the golden screen appeared, the boy wasn't surprised. I've read this in dozens of novels, he thought with a half-smile.
"God Familia System?" he repeated in a low voice. Well, I expected something more... heroic.
Although many people would be confused by a transparent screen appearing out of nowhere, he was already used to reading novels, fanfics, manhwas, and manhuas with that kind of theme. Seeing that screen didn't seem strange to him.
"What kind of system are you?" he murmured calmly to avoid attracting more attention from the few passersby. The system's name seemed strange because it didn't sound like it was trying to make him a great adventurer, but rather like a faction system that benefits allies.
[The God Familia System is a system that will grant benefits to the members of the host god's Familia ]
"Wait, am I a god? Not an adventurer?" he asked with great curiosity. He believed that if he was transmigrated to Danmachi, he would be an adventurer exploring the dungeon with at least some kind of skill.
[Yes, you are currently a god, but not a real one. You will only impersonate a god who is very little known and does not get involved with any other god, so in this way, almost no god in Danmachi will recognize you. As a being from another world]
The system's explanation left him full of doubts.
Can you hear my thoughts? he thought. If you do, say yes, if not, say no.
There was no response from the system.
"Can you hear my thoughts?" he repeated, this time aloud, and instantly the system responded.
[No, the system will only answer simple questions that can be answered by the system, as well as give missions, items, and guide the user on how to use the system, but the system does not have access to any of your thoughts]
"Then what should I do?" he asked resignedly. He didn't want to ask too many questions, such as inquiring about the system's origin, because it didn't concern him. If it was used by a higher being? I honestly don't care, he thought. As long as I can live a good life as a god with a powerful familia, that's all that matters. Besides, there are kings, presidents, rulers, rich people, emperors, and others with economic and political power who can do whatever they want with any random citizen, and no one would say anything unless it became a big scandal.
Just remember a certain president of a country who abused his citizens, and not even many other countries did anything because of the consequences that decision would bring.
So instead of taking it as something bad, like many other protagonists who get offended because a god gives them many things in exchange for entertaining them a bit, doing some tasks, or surviving, I just want to take it as some kind of job.
It took the boy several seconds to analyze all this, resulting in that simple question.
[Select what type of god you want to be from the following options. Depending on the god you choose, most of the mission rewards and benefits you obtain will belong to that god's category]
Suddenly, some names appeared along with a very brief description of them.
[Veles - God of cattle and magic.
Cernunnos - God of fertility, life, and animals.
Ihy - God of music and joy.
Ptah - God of magic and craftsmanship.
Teshub - God of storms and thunder.
Nusku - God of fire and light.
Amurru - God of mountains and shepherds.]
As soon as he saw the options, he asked the system immediately.
"If I choose the god of fertility, can I have relationships with all the female members of my Familia and gain benefits from it?"
[You can do whatever you want with the members of your Familia like any other god, but keep in mind that the system will not have any kind of mental manipulation that makes your Familia obey you or items to help you with those kinds of activities. It will also not affect the missions you will receive, only the rewards that will benefit the Familia in general. So be careful when selecting any of the options]
He had high hopes when asking that question, but upon hearing the answer, he only felt disappointment.
"Can you explain to me the benefits I will get from each god?"
[No]
His disappointment only grew. He spent a few minutes thinking about which god seemed more attractive, though he was actually only debating whether to risk choosing Cernunnos thinking with his lower member or selecting the one that seemed better logically.
In the end, he just said
"Screw it."
He clicked his tongue, and with his index finger touching the floating golden screen, he selected the god Ptah.
[Congratulations on becoming the god Ptah]
[Mission: Recruit the first member of your Familia.
Description: As a descended god, you can have the type of Familia you want, whether it's a Familia to explore the dungeon, become a merchant, blacksmith, freeloader, or anything else you desire, but everything starts with taking the first step. So as the first step, you must form a Familia or at least have a child to help you with your basic needs.
Guaranteed reward: Access to the god and Familia interface
Extra rewards: Depends on the talent, race, knowledge, and ambition of the member who joins]
"Is that all? No penalties? No time limit?" the boy asked the system with doubts.
[The system does not give missions with penalties or time limits, it is also up to the host to accept or reject any other mission besides the first mission. Although keep in mind that in the future, you will only have a maximum of one mission, and while you have it active, you will not receive more missions unless you discard it without getting any rewards. In the future, it is possible to add more mission slots]
The boy sighed at so much sudden information. Less than half an hour ago, he was just a normal person, and now he had become a god, but he had no money or even a place to stay.
Finding a normal person who wants to join as my first member is already very difficult. Not to mention someone with talent or a promising future. Also, I don't want to risk having members with questionable morals. But I guess you have to start somewhere, so for now, I'll prioritize finding a place to stay and, along the way, look for a new member. Even if I put up a recruitment sign at the guild, I doubt anyone would want to join an unknown god.
Thought the new god Ptah, as he looked around and began his search for a new member and a place to stay in the great city of Orario.
As he walked through the streets of Orario, the new god Ptah realized that his adventure was just beginning. But to survive and thrive, he would need more than a divine title... he would need a plan.
Personally, I was kind of disappointed he picked the Egyptian Deity instead of Veles.
Mostly because that Salvic Deity is compared to in terms of powers similar, though not identical, to those of (among other deities) Odin, Loki, and Hermes. He was a major god of earth, waters, livestock, and the underworld and a lot of underworld deities also have connections to wealth like Hades/Pluto.
But one thing stood out to me is that the list of avalible deity identities was pathetically short when there are literally thousands of obscure gods to pull from. And instead you picked a deity from a major ancient religion.
The other thing that made absolutely no sense is that it didn't give him details on the deities in order to make an informed decision nor did it make sense for it not to be able to communicate via thoughts as its literally connected to his being. Him only being able to speak to it verbaly is stupid and will make him look like a crazy person before long if he's seen talking to thin air.
The system is supposed guide him right? So why the hell isn't it able to provide need to know info to make informed choices? Without that function, its practically useless as a source for useful information and only there to give orders its slave.
And the misson system sounds like a story mode you can even deviate from instead of an open world design like it should be. Further making the MC into a slave to the system since he can't make any real choices and has to follow the systems orders like a good little slave.
Actually base on what I see as long as he didn't pick ihy or amurru he should be fine, as what he pick is authority of the god that allow him to goven over stuff... God of life would allow him to heal other would allow bonusbin combat... he pick general magic and craft which is easy mode... veges is also a good pick but to make money I guess what he pick is good too, but veges might allow him to reinforce defend of his home base into cattle!!!
I haven't read further than his god choice because I had to mention something about his choice, while
Ptah
is the only god I actually knew which is lucky since it's also what he chose but I doubt the other choices are on the same level as what he chose, Since it's kinda hard to top a creator deity unless they are also creator deities like Yahweh or arceus for example. So were they also crazy high level deities masquerading as low level gods like his choice was or were they just random god's running the gamut of weak to strong, all the Various shown domains were pretty standard domains as far as domains go none were too mind blowing so it's possible the others were also crazy powerful gods with just their most inconspicuous domains being shown.
Veles is Slavic and definitely major, Cernunnos is Celtic/Proto-Celtic and also major, Ihy is also Egyptian but would be well known to Egyptian gods as the son of Horus/Ra and Isis/Hathor/Sekhmet/Neith, Teshub is Hurrian(Mesopotamian Origin) and is THE head of that pantheon, Nusku is Mesopotamian(Not Hurrian) and is both the child and servant of their chief deity, and Amurru is Mesopotamian/Sumerian and has the least known about them.
I would say that Velez and Teshub are the closest in station and power to Ptah of the options given. An argument could also be made for Cernunnos since he is apparently compared to Pluto(Roman) and Pan(Greek) but his actual importance is unknown.
Ihy and Nusku while both minor would and should be rather well known to deities of their respective pantheons. Amurru has a similar issue to Cernunnos in having a lack of information known but it's worse and what is known seems to leave him as a minor or local deity.