The Kingmaker System

Davian carried Ocean all the way to his chambers and gently laid him on the bed. Sol who had followed him watched as Davian gently brushed the long aqua blue strands away from the pale face. Before he took a seat on the chair nearby.

"Just what happened in there? I can’t understand... I sensed something wrong just before Master shouted Plan D but... I couldn’t do anything to help him." Davian muttered.

Sol walked over and climbed over the bed sitting beside Ocean.

"You couldn’t have possibly done anything even if were in there. Those creatures aren’t your normal shifters or humans, they could only be dealt with by a Dragon or a human who far surpasses the limits of his body." Sol said as he watched Ocean.

He hesitantly reached out and touched those long fingers feeling the iciness of the skin which he knew wasn’t real. He further moved his hand and rested his fingers over the inside of Ocean’s wrist. Under the skin, he could feel the deep, rhythmic beating of the pulse. It was slow but it was strong enough to tell that he was fine.

"Reckless..." Sol mumbled watching Ocean and Davian sighed before getting to his feet.

"He seemed to have had quite a fight in there since everything was completely trashed."

Davian looked at the serene face of the sleeping Marquis before he saw the sapphire gem glinting over the earcuff on Ocean’s right ear.

He reached out to touch it and Sol who noticed it shot his hand out smacking Davian’s hand away before he could remove it.

Davian was taken aback by the sudden slap and brushed his palm looking him quizzically.

"What was that for, Sol?" He asked.

So stared at him for a moment trying to think of an excuse. He couldn’t possibly tell him that removing that earcuff would reveal Ocean Ryujin’s biggest secret. So, he simply cleared his throat.

"D-Don’t touch him. He’s already suffering from mana depletion." Sol spoke tightening his grip over Ocean’s two fingers.

Davian tilted his head, "But I carried him all the way here."

Sol sighed, "Let him rest, don’t touch him."

Davian observed Sol and concluded that the child was too shaken up by the whole ordeal so he probably was being protective over his guardian who was currently vulnerable.

"All right, I understand." Davian sighed removing his cloak before he walked over and sat down in the chair.

Sol looked at him questioningly, "Why... aren’t you returning to your room?"

Davian placed his cloak on the arm of the chair and looked at him.

"And leave Master and you like this? Don’t worry, I won’t touch him but I won’t be able to rest easy in my room knowing he’s in this state. Even last time when Master was injured you had kicked everyone of us out and took care of him alone. But this time, please let me stay here."

Sol coudn’t say anything else as he turned his head and Davian took it as his approval before resting his elbow over the handrest propping his cheek over his knuckles as he watched the two Dragons before him.

He still had no idea about what exactly happened in there when Ocean was alone but he knew if it was something that made even the great Dragon Ocean Ryujin, Master of thousands to fall unconscious at the end of it. Then it must be bad news.

The creatures that only Dragon’s could deal with or the humans who had gone beyond their physical limits? And the creatures that were stronger than the rogue shifters? What could it be?

More or less, he understood one fact, he needed to be even more stronger. If he wanted to be acknowledged and join Ocean’s side for such fights in future. Moreover, he had a bad feeling about it. But would Ocean even tell him about these strong enemies? What was the Golden Serpent upto this time?

Would Ocean tell him if he pleaded with him using his handsome face? Well, pride could take a back seat if it was Master Ocean Ryujin.

[Congratulations! You have successfully completed the quest.]

[Protect your candidate and the royal family of Denril from the massacre on the last day of the peace treaty ball.]

[Reward received: Gaining a weapon from The Preserver’s collection.]

The first thing that Ocean saw after opening his eyes was the notifications from the system and The Preserver’s message.

[The Preserver congratulates you on successfully completing the quest.]

Ocean blankly stared at the notifications as he gathered his thoughts and his surroundings.

He was back in his room and in his bed with a small figure cuddled up beside him and another presence in the same room. Ocean reached out and placed his hand over the golden mop gently brushing the soft, curly locks as he stared at the notifications.

"Reward, please." He thought without responding to The Preserver’s congratulations.

[Choose one from the provided collection of The Preserver’s collection of weapons.

- Sharanga Bow

- Kaumodaki Gada

- Nandaka.]

Ocean’s eyes widened as he saw the three weapons and he nearly sat up. He didn’t expect to see this God here as his patron.

"Wait... You’re really...?"

[The Preserver likes your reaction.]

"What on earth... You’re a part of this too?!" Ocean couldn’t help but ask keeping his shock internal to not draw attention from the other two sleeping individuals in the room.

[The Preserver smiles asking you to choose your reward.]

Ocean was aghast, "Why don’t you... Wait, does that mean The Eternal Ascetic is Him?!"

The Preserver had looked into the candidate’s previous life records after taking up the responsibility of being their Patron and had found that they had been fond of The Eternal Ascetic.

[The Preserver affirms reminding you to choose your reward.]

Ocean couldn’t think straight as the train of his thoughts ran at the speed of lightyears.

"I want to talk to The Eternal Ascetic." He thought.

[The Preserver says that’s not possible unless The Eternal Ascetic Himself contacts you.]

Ocean was tempted to ask for an alternative but considering who his new Patrons were and how he’d been ignorant seemed suddenly like a big regret of his life.

"All right, I’ll choose." Ocean sighed and looked at the weapons.

The descriptions of the weapons opened up as he focused on each of the weapons.

[Sharanga Bow: Bow of Eternity.

Description:

Forged by the divine architect Vishvakarma, Sharanga is the unbreakable bow of The Preserver. Its frame gleams with golden light, and when drawn, its string hums like thunder across the three worlds. Its arrows are woven from pure cosmic energy, striking down even the mightiest of asuras.

Effect: Never misses its target; arrows pierce through both body and spirit. The mere twang of its string can shake armies and split the sky.]

[Kaumodaki Gada: Mace of Cosmos.

Description:

A colossal mace radiant like the sun, Kaumodaki is said to embody the raw strength of the universe. It cannot be lifted by mortals, for it is forged of divine will, not metal. Its head is carved with sacred patterns that glow when it strikes, unleashing waves of destructive power.

Effect: Capable of crushing mountains, armies, and illusions alike. With a single blow, it can shatter the arrogance of the wicked.]

[Nandaka: Sword of Wisdom.

Description:

Nandaka is no ordinary blade—it is a sword of radiant light, born from The Preserver’s own wisdom. Its edge is sharper than lightning and cannot be dulled. To the unworthy, it is blinding; to the righteous, it is clarity itself. With every swing, it not only cuts through matter but also severs bonds of ignorance.

Effect: Dispels darkness and illusion, cleaving through both flesh and falsehood. Cannot be wielded by one without purity of mind.]

"The Bow, the Mace and the Sword... Your ultimate weapons are not here..." Ocean noted.

[The Preserver answers that those weapons would be a bit hard for you to summon just yet.]

"In short, I’m too weak to handle them." Ocean thought bitterly.

He hadn’t expected that the two Supreme Gods were his/Reina’s current Patrons. The Preserver being the great Lord Vishnu and The Eternal Ascetic being Lord Shiva. She had been devoted to The Eternal Ascetic being a spiritual person but after transmigration she had been too occupied to think about anything else. But having learned of them now, she wanted to at least talk to them more.

Ocean looked at the rewards before him, he couldn’t possibly wield them, no one could. Across the stories of these weapons appearing, none had ever wielded them on their person. These weapons could only be summoned.

Each weapon had its significance, the bow was like a missile launcher with its arrows each carrying enough power to shake the world. The mace also honed great power to split the earth and finally the sword which seemed like it was more or less like a magic sword that would choose its wielder on its own.

"If I choose the sword and it refuses to recognise me as its wielder then I might have to choose again, right?" Ocean wondered.

[The Preserver confirms that your thinking is right.]

Ocean was swinging between the bow and the sword.

"Even if I do choose a sword, I’ll be wasting my time. I’ve been killing and removing people for years, there might be a lot of innocents among them too... I’ll be rejected right away, so, I guess I should stick with the bow." Ocean mused.

[The Preserver clarifies that no human is ever completely innocent.]

"Well... I think you should go check my record..." Ocean sighed.

[The Preserver reminds you of the Holy War that he was a part of asking if you think what happened there was simply a massacre or a great lesson for the future generations.]

"You and I both know after that humans just fell to the greater evil."

[The Preserver smiles.]

"I don’t understand you Gods... why are you smiling?"

[The Preserver affirms your point but also reminds you that what you do also depends on the motive behind your deeds.]

[The Preserver says that the deed is willed for the greater good, and guilt is to be borne not as a burden but as strength in the protection of those who must be guarded, while it is decreed that any who threaten the great plan shall by nature’s law meet their demise.]

Ocean read the long message and only felt reaffirmed of his ideas and plans. Sure, what he did wasn’t completely right but it wasn’t also wrong.