In the heart of Veridia, a conversation was taking place between two of the world's most unique beings.

"Laira, come," Veylara's voice, a soft whisper like the rustling of a billion leaves, echoed in the mind of a young girl from the unchained race"The new fruit is ready. I am giving this one to you."

Laira, who was tending to a patch of rare, glowing moon-herbs, looked up at the colossal World Tree that was her friend and patron.

"Lady Veylara, I… I have already eaten two of your fruits in my lifetime," she replied, her voice humble, her demonic features softened by her gentleness. "Shouldn't this one go to another champion?"

Laira was already one of the strongest mortals in Veridia. Her innate Nature-Lover talent, a gift she had been born with, had skyrocketed to the SS-Grade.

This was because her primary connection, her first and most important bond, was with Veylara herself.

As the World Tree, fueled by the ambient mana of Veridia and the rich energy of the Realm of Advancement, grew stronger with each passing second, so too did Laira.

The Fruit of Evolution she had eaten every 25 years had only accelerated this process, blessing her with upgrading two of her talents to S-Grade. They were the talents of Light Affinity and Dark Affinity.

She was a living paradox, a demon of darkness who commanded the light, a powerhouse of nature who was already, without even realizing it, walking the path to demigodhood.

"Just take it," Veylara's voice insisted, a branch as thick as a tower gently lowering a single, peach-like, shimmering fruit toward the small demon girl. "Master Cosmos told me that the fruits are mine to give. And I choose to give them to the one who saved my life."

Laira smiled, remembering that day, centuries ago. The day the sky had gone dark, the mana had vanished, and the tiny sapling that was Veylara had begun to wither.

She, a small, terrified demon child, had simply done what her Nature-Lover talent had begged her to do: she had poured her own, meager life-force into the dying tree.

She had never known that simple, instinctual act of kindness would forge a bond that would define her entire existence.

"Very well, Veylara," Laira said, She took the fruit and bit into it, a wave of energy washing over her, her S-Grade affinities inching ever closer to the SS-Grade.

Meanwhile, on the Northern Continent, in the bustling, industrial heart of the human kingdom, two leaders stood side-by-side, their gazes fixed on the heavens.

Anaske, the King of the Cosmic Empire, and Jasper, the leader of the dwarves, watched as their newest, greatest creation took to the skies.

The Star-Weaver II.

It was a marvel of engineering, a fusion of dwarven craftsmanship and human ingenuity.

It was larger, faster, and infinitely more powerful than the first model, which was already the primary means of transportation across the planet.

Its hull was forged from a new, dwarven-made alloy, infused with magic-resistant metals.

Its engines were Cosmic Mana Generators, a revolutionary technology reverse-engineered from the mana veins, capable of drawing ambient cosmic energy from the void itself and converting it into a limitless supply of A-Grade mana.

With a roar that shook the mountains, the Star-Weaver II engaged its main drive, shot into the sky like a silver bullet, and vanished into the blue expanse. It was a resounding success.

"It's beautiful," Anaske said, his voice a low hum of satisfaction. "With this, the future of our people is in good hands." He turned to his old friend, his expression uncharacteristically serene. "Jasper, I will be stepping down from the position of the leader. I need to breakthrough soon."

The words hit the dwarf leader like a physical blow. "What?! Stepping down? Lord Anaske, we are still young! We have thousands of years of life left in us! And even if that isn't enough, the Emperor has gifted us ninety thousand more years with his Nine Lives blessing! Think of the progress we can still make! Think of what we can build!"

"You are right, my friend," Anaske replied, placing a hand on the dwarf's sturdy shoulder. "But we are not just any creation. We are the creations of the Emperor Cosmos. We cannot just build out. We must also build up. We must evolve, not just technologically, but magically. Spiritually."

He looked at his own hands, calloused from wielding both a sword and a scepter. "I can already see my path to the demigod realm. It has been calling to me for a long time. But I have ignored it, my shoulders burdened by the duty of this empire." He smiled, a genuine, relieved smile.

"Now, I can finally step away. I can give the leadership of the empire to Vel, and the leadership of the humans to my children. It is time for me to walk my own path."

Jasper was silent for a long moment, his mind struggling to process this. "Lord Anaske," he said finally, his voice a low, rough growl of loyalty, "I am not one of the emperor's creations, like you or King Vel. My people… we were bought. He just… he just took pity on us, a race of slaves sold off by our old god." He slammed his fist against his own, broad chest.

"But I am ready to use my entire life, and all nine of my extra ones, to repay the debt I owe him."

Anaske looked at the dwarf, and his smile widened. "That's just your thinking, Jasper," he said gently. "Who told you that you weren't created by him?" He tapped the dwarf's chest. "Have you not read the Holy Book? Have you not read Genesis, Chapter Seven?"

"you always seem to forget it, let me remind you," Anaske's voice took on the regal, storytelling abilities of a true king.

"It is written that on the seventh day, after forging the heavens and the earth, God Cosmos gathered the last of the light that was possible. And from that light, he sculpted the new races, to be companions to the humans and the elves. From the mountain's heart, he forged the dwarves. From the forest's soul, the orcs. From the earth's bones, the giants. From the starlight, the machina. No matter where he borrowed that light from, Jasper, he is the one who gave you form. He is the one who gave you will. You are his creations, as much as I am."

He looked the dwarf leader in the eye. "Do not ever repeat that you are anything less. You understand?"

Jasper, the leader of the dwarves felt his eyes, for the first time in centuries, burn with tears.

He remembered the hopeless, terrifying day their old god had sold them like cattle. He remembered the beautiful yet terrifying form of the demigod Nova, who had been their first contact with this new, strange world.

And he remembered the words of their new God, the Emperor, who had offered them not slavery, but opportunity.

That day, when the Divine Library had been opened, when the Book of Genesis was first provided to mortals, and was read aloud in the forges, his people had wept.

They were not slaves. They were not just trophies or cattles. They were creations. They had a place. They belonged.

That was the day the empire was truly united. It was not a chain that bound them together. It was a shared origin.

"Yes, Lord Anaske," Jasper finally said, his voice thick with an emotion he hadn't felt in a long time. "I understand."

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