Fairy Tale: With Sin Of Pride

The shape of this world is actually… a leaf?

Rhodes gazed down at the ethereal fairy world below, his mind ablaze with disbelief. From his vantage point, the entire world resembled a colossal leaf, its surface split into halves—one gleaming gold and the other cloaked in shadow.

The intricate veins and textures of the leaf appeared to represent mountains, rivers, and landscapes.

At first, Rhodes dismissed it as an illusion or coincidence. But then, his vision began to expand and pull away, revealing a grander perspective.

A massive branch stretching endlessly into the void appeared before him. On its surface, leaves of varying sizes swayed in an unseen breeze.

The leaf beneath his feet was merely one among many, though it was one of the larger ones. At the pinnacle of the branch, a budding flower glowed, its center pulsating like a galaxy of stars.

It was as though it contained the universe itself.

"The Main Material Plane…"

A chill ran down Rhodes' spine as an understanding dawned upon him. This was the truth of their world—a tree of unimaginable scale, where their reality was but a single branch.

"Could beings floating on this tree possess god-level power?" he murmured, his voice trembling with awe.

Before he could think further, an overwhelming force emanated from the flower at the top of the branch.

Rhodes felt his body and soul drawn toward it, as if caught in an irresistible tide.

As he ascended, he glimpsed a series of otherworldly beings. There were grotesque and monstrous evil gods, humanoid races exuding overwhelming power, and even fiery demigods hurling attacks his way.

For those foolish enough to provoke him, Rhodes responded decisively. The Demon God's Spear pierced through their souls, annihilating them completely.

After dispatching several demigods and even a god-level evil entity, his body was drenched in blood, yet the path cleared.

The attraction grew stronger, and the Main Material Plane loomed ever closer.

Suddenly, a familiar figure darted across the branches: a white-suited figure, nimble and spry—a rabbit.

Rhodes' eyes narrowed. "The Moon Rabbit?"

It was the same peculiar creature that had once brought him into the Wonderland.

The rabbit leapt effortlessly from leaf to leaf, as though the world's barriers meant nothing to it.

How was this possible?

Each leaf was a world unto itself, its barriers so impenetrable that even gods struggled to cross them. Yet this rabbit moved freely.

Was it stronger than a god?

Rhodes dismissed the thought. He had battled this rabbit before. It wasn't even on par with a demigod, let alone a god. Breaking the world barriers through sheer force was out of the question.

Unless… it possessed some unique ability or artifact.

His sharp eyes caught the faint glow of a ring on the rabbit's paw. A ripple spread through the air as the rabbit raised its hand, forming a dark portal.

"That's it," Rhodes muttered, his gaze fixed. "The ring must be its key to traveling across worlds."

As the Moon Rabbit prepared to enter the portal, Rhodes acted on instinct.

"Seize it!"

A surge of magic erupted from his palm, snatching the ring in an instant.

Cold metal pressed against his skin. Before he could inspect his prize, Rhodes felt himself crash into an unseen barrier.

Poof!

It was like diving into a curtain of water. When he opened his eyes again, he stood in a familiar forest, bathed in the radiance of the towering Ancient Sun Tree.

Its immense form shimmered with powerful magical energy.

Near the Sun Well, the Sun Elf Queen sat serenely, soaking her feet.

"Lord Ancestor!" she exclaimed, startled by his sudden appearance. A flicker of surprise and joy colored her expression. "Why have you returned so suddenly?"

Rhodes blinked, still disoriented. His eyes drifted to the Ancient Sun Tree. Could it have been responsible for pulling him back from the World of Chess Pieces?

He hadn't planned on leaving so soon. There were still matters unresolved in that world.

As confusion clouded his mind, a faint glow drew his attention to his palm.

There, a black-gold leaf shimmered with an ethereal light.

"A key?" Rhodes murmured, raising an eyebrow.

The mark on the leaf radiated power—a key and coordinate to the World of Chess Pieces. With the right magic, he could open a portal to it at any time.

"So… I've assimilated the entire world," he muttered, realization dawning.

By assimilating it, Rhodes had become its master, much like how gods ruled their divine realms. Just as a god could manifest their realm in the Main Material Plane, Rhodes could now summon the World of Chess Pieces at will.

The possibilities thrilled him. Even if he were to fall short of becoming a god, this realm alone was akin to a divine kingdom on earth, paving his path to true divinity.

Becoming a true god required three things:

1. The strength of a demigod.

2. Sufficient faith.

3. A personal divine kingdom.

Rhodes had already achieved the first. The second, however, was a challenge. The gods of this world had long divided the faith of its inhabitants among themselves.

As for the Sun Elves, his own creation, their development had only just begun. It would take centuries—if not millennia—for them to flourish.

But Rhodes wasn't in a hurry. For a being with his lifespan, a thousand years was but a blink.

Even without divinity, he could already make the gods tremble.

"Chess soldiers," he mused aloud. "Could they serve as my believers?"

The idea seemed implausible. Faith required a soul, and the chess soldiers—obedient though they were—lacked the spark of sentience.

"Still…" Rhodes reached into his pocket, pulling out the ring he had taken from the rabbit.

A faint smile curled his lips.

"Is this ring the secret to traveling across worlds?"

And with that, the path ahead seemed clearer than ever.