Refusing My God’s Advances

"Leon?" Scarlet asked. "You look frustrated."

"That is an understatement," I groaned as I looked over each of the skills. "All these skills are great, but I can only pick 2 of them. Most of the skills are really good, but I am having a hard time deciding if I just take 2 skills for combat, or 2 for my crafting? Or one of each? Gah!"

Scarlet giggled, but then I was suddenly surrounded by all the women that I loved. Shelli, Lyra, Aria, Mary, and Daniel all appeared from thin air. Or that was what I got to think for a fraction of a second, and then the wind hit. Before I and everyone else were blown off their feet, Aria created a shield of air and the wind ceased.

"Sorry about that!" Aria apologized, and I smiled.

"I am just glad to see you all. It'll be pretty cool for you all to see me in action now!" I laughed, and Mary walked over to look at my screen.

"So, you are picking new skills? Have you decided on what you are going to take?" She asked with interest.

Mary's tails brushed up against me as she got closer to look over skills, and then the other women gathered around. I was glad to see them all, and it would be nice to get some fresh opinions. It was fun to pick them on my own, but I wanted to make sure I was taking what was best, and not something I wouldn’t end up using that much.

"No, I am kind of stuck trying to figure it out. I have two slots open, but I can't decide whether to go with battle skills or crafting ones. I took one of each for my passives, but there are so many good choices here, I feel like I am going in circles," I explained, and the women around me nodded.

As I mulled over my choices, Mary was the first to lean in, her voice carrying a hint of impatience laced with concern. "Look, focusing on versatility is your best bet. With 'Chrono Warp,' you'd have an edge in combat, controlling the pace of battles. It's a rare and powerful skill, not that I'm overly concerned, but... it'd be foolish to overlook it."

Shelli bounced excitedly next to her, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm. "And you can't forget about 'Primal Elemental Forging'! Imagine imbuing your creations with elemental powers. It'd make everything you craft so much more special, just like you!"

Lyra, practically vibrating with excitement, practically glowed with enthusiasm. "Think of the possibilities! 'Chrono Warp' and 'Primal Elemental Forging' together? It's like they were made for you. We'll make sure you have everything you need to master them. It'll be incredible, and I'll do everything in my power to help you succeed!"

Aria's cool voice cut through the chatter, bringing a calm perspective. "Consider the long-term. Are you aiming to be a formidable fighter, a master crafter, or both? Your choices now will shape your future. It's practical to think ahead."

Danielle, her eyes alight with a mix of fervor and a touch of madness, leaned closer. "Why stop at mere efficiency? With 'Chrono Warp,' the potential for experimental strategies in combat is limitless. And 'Primal Elemental Forging'? I could help you craft devices that defy imagination. We could revolutionize the battlefield together. The synergy between us could be... explosive."

Their opinions swirled in my mind, each voice echoing their distinct personalities and concerns. It was a lot to consider, but their insights made the daunting task of choosing my new skills a bit more bearable. If there was one thing nice, even though the girls were all so different, they all seemed to be on the same page.

"I think that these two skills will do good, but now I am faced with another issue," I said, looking over my skills.

"Oh, and what might that be? Another cheat ability you can decide on?" Mary teased, and I shrugged.

"Something like that. I can spend Skill Points I earn now to help evolve my skills. The problem is picking which ones would be best," I explained, and Mary rolled her eyes making the other women laugh.

"I was trying to make a joke! What do you mean you can just make your skills evolve?! That only happens if you get another corresponding skill that causes it to evolve!" Mary growled, glaring at me, so I put my hands up.

"Hey! I didn't make the rules!" I laughed, but then Mary's eyes narrowed.

"How do you have 2 divine blessings?!" She demanded, and I rolled my eyes again.

"I was hoping that you could answer that. According to Scarlet, this shouldn't be possible," I explained, and Mary nodded.

"No, it shouldn't. I will talk to my grandmother about it tonight," Mary growled and then focused on my skills. "If you are going to be fighting without weapons, then I suggest that you concentrate on your fighting skills. If I had to pick, Thunderstrike, Time Dilation Stance, and Chrono Warp."

"You are going to fight without a weapon? Are you sure about that?" Aria asked, and I shrugged.

"None of the monsters I have fought have used weapons other than the minotaurs, but I never got a weapons drop from them. I have my Drill of the Abyss, so I won't be unarmed, but I got a special visit from Garland on the way to this last cave," I explained, and Shelli touched my arm.

"Garland talked to you again? What did he have to say this time? Another offer?" Shelli asked, but I shook my head.

"No, that is the thing. He actually gave me advice on this next monster," I said, and both Shelli and Lyra flinched.

"You aren't going to listen to that glowing fart, are you?!" Lyra exclaimed, and I laughed, logging that classy name for the next time I saw the annoying god!

"Well, that is the thing. He told me that someone was basically forcing him to give me advice so I didn't die. Even so, it was only to tell me that I needed to be unpredictable to win. I mean, that is pretty solid advice, if not overly helpful. It's not like he told me a clear way to win," I told them, but Shelli let out a sigh.

"If he wouldn't tell you who it was, then it has to be someone outside of our reality," Shelli said, I agreed.

"Garland pretty much said as much. He tried to act indifferent, but I could see that he didn't like having to do this under someone else's orders. It makes me wonder who has that kind of power over him, and why they would be interested in me," I pondered aloud, my gaze distant as I considered the implications.

Mary, ever the strategist, leaned in closer, her eyes gleaming with curiosity. "It's rare for beings from outside our reality to interfere directly. This could mean someone has taken an interest in you, but if they want to keep you alive, it might be for some benefit in the future. I hardly/ think that any being like that would do something without gaining from it. Even my grandmother would be no different. It's intriguing, yet concerning since the other divine normally only interfere in other worlds if they are handing out blessings."

Lyra, always one to focus on the bright side, chimed in with an optimistic note. "Whoever it is, they're looking out for you. That's a good sign, right? It means you're not alone in this, even if it's someone we don't know."

Both women made valid points. There was a chance that, like Lyra said, this being was on my side. On the other hand, I felt like Mary's point was more valid. The idea of some divine being helping me out of the kindness of their hearts was laughable at best.

As the discussion wound down, I couldn't help but feel the weight of their words settle over me. The advice from my companions, the mysterious advice from Garland, and the unknown divine entity's interest in me—all of it pointed towards a future filled with uncertainty and danger. Yet, despite the ominous undertones, there was a sense of excitement brewing within me. The idea of being at the center of such cosmic attention was daunting, but it also ignited a spark of determination.

"I appreciate all of your insights," I finally said, breaking the contemplative silence. "And you're right, focusing on my combat skills, especially with the unpredictability angle, seems like the smart move. 'Chrono Warp' offers that unpredictability, and 'Thunderstrike' can give me the edge I need in direct combat. As for the divine interest...I guess we'll just have to wait and see."