Fairy Tale: With Sin Of Pride

The artifact of the Sin of Gluttony—a magic orb containing the knowledge of thousands of spells.

This artifact, brimming with potential, could serve as the core for a magic network. However, even with its extraordinary capabilities, it would barely suffice. If baptized in faith, the orb's power would ascend to even greater heights. But building a magic network of such magnitude posed its own set of challenges.

To create a large-scale magic network, one must expend an unimaginable amount of magic energy. Even a deity of considerable strength might struggle to sustain such consumption. After all, this network had to encompass the entirety of the material plane.

For now, Rhodes could only rely on the orb as the central hub, connecting it with apprentice mages who would serve as nodes. The result would be an incomplete network—a scattering of fragmented circuits spread across the land. Over time, as these fragments proliferated and resonated with each other, they would merge into a cohesive whole.

But for that to happen, Rhodes needed followers—many of them. People who not only believed in him but also sought to learn magic.

With this in mind, he retrieved the artifact: a polished orb covered in endless, intricate runes. This wasn't just any magical relic—it contained spells ranging from simple dusting charms to forbidden incantations capable of felling demigods. Through it, any spell could be cast, provided the wielder had sufficient magic power.

Yet, the orb was uniquely his. It bore the imprint of his soul, binding it solely to his will. There was no chance he'd leave something so powerful unattended. Instead, he transferred select spells from the orb onto stone tablets—monolithic slabs infused with magical energy. These tablets, accessible to those with the talent to learn, would act as his indirect teachings.

However, Rhodes wasn't one to take risks. He prepared a safeguard: Covenant Magic, a type of spiritual enchantment recorded within the orb. Anyone seeking the knowledge of the stone tablets would first have to take a spiritual oath. This oath would bind their very souls, ensuring loyalty and compliance. Should anyone break their vow, their soul would slowly be consumed, leaving them as mindless puppets bound to the oath's power.

Two commandments were etched onto every tablet. First, only those who believed in the God of Omniscience and Magic could access the knowledge within. Second, anyone who learned the spells was forbidden from sharing them with others in any form.

By adhering to these rules, Rhodes aimed to quietly spread his magic. Each practitioner, though limited in their individual power, would contribute to the network's energy. Tens of thousands, providing even the smallest fragments of magic, could collectively create a web that blanketed the world.

Still, he anticipated interference. If anyone tried to tamper with the tablets or bypass the oaths, the slabs would self-destruct, erasing every trace of his work. Rhodes would not allow the gods—or anyone else—to steal what he had built.

As for the God of Omniscience and Magic—this entity was a fabrication. A symbol. A facade.

Wisdom, knowledge, and magic: these were the pillars of his imagined deity, the foundations upon which the entire magic system stood. By leveraging faith in this fictional god, Rhodes could channel its illusory power through the magic orb, anchoring it to his own soul. This allowed him to wield divine power without becoming entangled in the toxicity of genuine faith.

And should anything go wrong? He could sever the connection with the orb in an instant, cutting off all repercussions.

---

Rhodes gestured toward the towering stone tablet, his voice calm yet commanding. "Upon this slab is the path to power. If you are worthy, you may uncover what I've left behind."

Magic was not for everyone. It required talent—a spark of affinity with the elemental forces. Those without it couldn't even perceive the flow of magic, let alone harness it. However, once his network encompassed the entire world, even the untalented might find a way to access its power.

But for now, his priority was identifying those with potential. The rest would come later.

After leaving the stone tablet, Rhodes departed the village.

---

The villagers, once hopeful, now stood in uneasy silence.

"What do we do now?" one of them asked, his voice trembling with disappointment.

The village chief let out a long sigh. "First, we see what the tablet says."

Gathering around the monolith, the villagers squinted at its glowing runes. Most saw nothing but indecipherable patterns, their faces clouded with frustration.

"This has to be a trick," one man muttered.

"Quiet!" snapped the chief. "That man saved us. Why would someone like him bother lying?"

Just as doubt began to settle over the crowd, a small voice broke the tension.

"I... I can see it," whispered a freckled girl with golden curls, her wide eyes shimmering with wonder.

The chief turned to her, his expression brightening. "What does it say?"

Her voice trembled as she read aloud. "The God of Omniscience and Magic. Believe in Him, and you shall wield magic."

The villagers gasped. For the girl, this revelation opened a door to a future she'd never imagined. A single word—magic—had transformed her life.

When asked if others could share in this power, the girl hesitated, then spoke with newfound conviction. "Only those who truly believe can learn. Without faith, you cannot see, hear, or understand."

Unbeknownst to her, something had shifted in her heart. She now viewed herself as a shepherd guiding her people toward the light of the God of Magic. In her mind, only by spreading His glory could she gain more knowledge and power.

---

Rhodes, unaware of the villagers' reactions, continued his journey. Half a day later, he had already encountered countless monster camps—some small, others large enough to rival kingdoms.

He moved through them with ruthless efficiency, obliterating ogres, goblins, and trolls alike. His fist, cloaked in pale light, struck down his enemies like the claws of a descending dragon.

As he traveled, he left a trail of stone tablets in his wake. Each village became a seedbed for his grand plan.

Whether humanity could seize this opportunity and grow stronger was beyond his control. All he could do was offer them the tools. The rest was up to fate.

In the end, Rhodes was only one man.

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