Execution Platform installed in the Village Square.
A young girl, who looked to be about seventeen or eighteen at most, was tied to the pillar of the Execution Platform.
The square around the platform was bustling with crowds who had come to witness the execution of the young girl.
[Charge: Heretic]
- The defendant claimed herself to be an Apostle of God or a Saint, and incited the pitiful masses.
A farmer, absentmindedly staring at the sign planted in the middle of the square, scratched his head and spoke up.
“Heretic…? What kind of crime is that, that they’d tie up such a young girl like that?”
“Oh my, do you not even know what ‘Heretic’ means? It’s a heinous crime that defiles the name of the Creator! If you get caught, execution is just the beginning.”
“Have you heard the rumors about Salt Mountain and Pepper Mountain? They say that witch conjured them up with her sorcery.”
Listening to the stories about Salt Mountain and Pepper Mountain, the farmer licked his lips and asked,
“Salt and pepper, those precious things piled up like mountains… Where is that place?”
“Ha, don’t even mention Salt Mountain and Pepper Mountain. If you don’t want to be branded a heretic and executed like that girl, keep quiet.”
Despite all the slander directed at her, the girl tied to the Execution Platform remained silent.
Soon, six Priests appeared on the podium overlooking the platform.
Among them, the one who seemed to hold the highest rank opened his mouth.
“I am a Cardinal who serves the word of God. The sinner must answer the Creator with a pure heart and give an answer untainted by shame. Do you swear to this, sinner?”
“I will always speak the truth, but I will not answer unnecessary questions.”
As the girl moved her delicate lips to reply, the Cardinal narrowed his eyes and began his interrogation.
“Is it true that you, a mere farmer’s daughter, have been going around claiming to have received the grace of the Creator?”
“Yes, I am alive at this very moment because of the grace of God.”
“…Then did the Creator not warn you in advance that you would end up on the Execution Platform like this?”
“Do I look like I’m in danger? He told me I would be safe while a fair trial was underway.”
Despite the Cardinal’s malicious questioning, the girl continued to answer with flawless logic and composure.
In the girl’s clear, pure eyes, an unwavering faith shone.
“Ahem! Then let me ask you about Salt Mountain and Pepper Mountain. Do you admit that you created them by making a pact with the demon of a foreign faith?”
“I have no such power. That is a blessing bestowed only by God.”
When the answer he wanted did not come from the girl’s mouth, the Cardinal’s brow furrowed.
“Why do you think the Creator would grant the role of proxy to you, a mere girl, and no one else?”
“Because it brings Him joy to use such a humble girl.”
“Even the most devout Priest struggles to hear His words, yet you dare wag your cunning tongue and speak lies!”
“…God is always watching over us.”
Perhaps having reached the limits of his patience, the Cardinal shot her a cold glare and nodded.
“…Very well. If the Creator is truly always watching over such a lowly girl, then prove it to everyone here! Executioner, burn that witch at the stake!”
As the execution order was given, the Executioner immediately picked up a torch and headed for the pyre.
And the moment the Executioner touched the torch to the pile of firewood beneath the platform…
…Whoooosh! Thud!
Suddenly, an enormous gale swept through the square, where not even a breeze had blown before—so strong it was impossible to keep one’s eyes open.
When the wind died down and the Cardinal looked up, what caught his eye was the terrified face of the Executioner.
“Executioner, what are you dawdling for? Light the fire, now!”
“C-Cardinal, please, look over there…!”
Where the Executioner pointed, a colossal pillar the color of apricots had shot up, its height impossible to gauge.
1…2…3.
The pillar was divided into three sections, and its outer surface was covered in intricate carvings.
Especially on the lowest part of the pillar’s exterior, bizarre, indecipherable patterns were engraved in a tangled mess.
Even the Cardinal, who had studied countless forms of knowledge, had never seen such cryptic designs in his life.
“…What is this? Where did such a pillar come from?”
At that moment, the pillar began to move slowly.
A giant, flesh-colored pillar stretching down from the sky. Its true identity…
“The pillar is moving! It’s alive!”
“T-The Creator is angry!”
“It’s because the Cardinal tried to punish an innocent girl! God is delivering divine punishment!”
“Please forgive our sins and lead us not into temptation…”
It was a Finger.
Because of the enormous Finger that had appeared in the middle of the square, the execution ground was thrown into chaos in an instant.
Men screamed and ran, old folks fell prostrate in prayer, children stared up in a daze, and the Priests stood frozen with pale faces, not knowing what to do.
It.
Was.
Panic.
Through and through—pure pandemonium.
Only the girl tied to the pyre wore a faint smile.
“.God, you’ve saved me again.”
The giant Finger that saved the girl from being burned at the stake.
But the owner of that Finger was not God…
「…I’m just a NEET.」
My name is Song Seungwoo.
This year, I turned twenty and became an adult.
My occupation… Shut-in.
Or, NEET.
Today marks exactly five years since I shut myself in at home.
‘Son, from now on, this is our house! This is the first house Dad bought with his hard-earned money!’
When I turned five.
Dad bought this house with the money he’d saved up.
‘Remember this. When you’re all grown up, Seungwoo, this house will be yours.’
A thriving business, a harmonious family, a childhood with nothing to envy.
It was a string of happy days.
Then, on my fifteenth birthday.
My parents died.
The cause was a car accident.
Many people came to my parents’ funeral.
My parents’ relatives, Dad’s coworkers, people I’d met before, and total strangers.
‘Seungwoo, you’ve grown so much. I’m your Big Uncle. Remember me?’
‘Oh dear, what a tragedy for someone so young. Come to your Great Aunt.’
‘Don’t worry about the funeral arrangements. Your Uncle-in-law will take care of everything.’
But as soon as my parents’ inheritance came up, the relatives bared their fangs like a pack of starving wolves.
I couldn’t trust anyone.
It felt like everyone who smiled at me on the street would stab me in the back.
……
‘At least in my house, no one can hurt me.’
When all the inheritance matters were settled, I locked the front door tight.
Five years have passed since then.
Now, all I have left is my parents’ nearly depleted Insurance Payout.
And this house they left behind.
A detached house on the outskirts of the city.
It even has a basement and several rooms.
‘…But for a NEET, it’s nothing more than an unnecessarily big hideout.’
Day by day, I just scrape by, nibbling away at my parents’ inheritance and Insurance Payout.
And today, of all days, was perhaps the worst day I’ve had in recent memory.
I had a strange dream.
A dream where I watched a tiny world, its people like miniature dolls.
And in that dream, I reached out to help a girl who was about to be burned at the stake.
Late afternoon.
When I opened my eyes, it was so dark I couldn’t see an inch ahead.
Drip- drip-drip-
Heavy raindrops battered the window.
‘…A shower, huh.’
It was only four in the afternoon, but it was already gloomy outside because of the rain.
I slowly got up and turned on the light switch.
Click!
In an instant, the darkness vanished, revealing my cluttered little room.
[Awakening Requirement 1]
- Creation of Light • Complete (V)
「And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light.」
As I left my room to go to the bathroom, an ominous sound rang in my ears for some reason.
…Plink! …Plink!
The clear sound of water droplets falling.
It was definitely coming from the master bedroom, which I no longer used.
“Ah, please…!”
I hurriedly grabbed my toolbox and headed for the master bedroom.
…Plink! …Plink!
Rainwater leaking from the ceiling was soaking the floor.
“Again, seriously.”
I pulled back the moldy, stained tarp and patched the ceiling with a new one.
…This should hold for a while.
[Awakening Requirement 2]
Creation of Sky … Complete (V)
「And God made the expanse, and separated the water under the expanse from the water above it. And it was so.」
After finishing my makeshift ceiling repairs, I headed for the bathroom—only to find another problem.
“What, the water pipe burst too…?”
Water was trickling from the rusty bathroom pipe.
Creak! Creak! Shhhh!
“……I’m doomed.”
I fiddled with the pipe using the wrench from my toolbox, but only ended up breaking it completely.
Somehow, I managed to fix it, but the bathroom was already flooded.
[Awakening Requirement 3]
Creation of Sea… Complete (V)
「And God said, ‘Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place.’ And it was so.」
Gurgle—gurgle—
Even the drain seemed to be clogged.
I felt like crying a little.
I bailed out as much water as I could with a bucket, but the bathroom floor was still a mess.
So I got creative.
First, I set the air conditioner to dehumidify, then brought in a fan and blasted it on high.
And for the finishing touch, I turned on the hair dryer!
Whirrr~!
“Ohhh…!”
It was more effective than I thought.
Gradually, the water on the bathroom floor began to disappear.
“Phew, now I can finally breathe.”
Just as I was feeling a bit pleased with myself.
—Snap!
The circuit breaker tripped.
[Awakening Requirement 4]
- Creation of Darkness
Complete (V)
「God separated the light from the darkness and saw that it was good.」
I fumbled for the switch by the front door and flipped the breaker back on—the lights came back.
Dragging my sweat-soaked body back to my room, something at the sink caught my eye.
Oh…OHOHOH!
A swarm of drain flies and fruit flies had sprung up from the pile of dirty dishes and food scraps in the sink.
[Awakening Requirement 5] – Creation of Living Beings
Complete (V)
「And God said, ‘Let the waters teem with living creatures.’」
I just stared blankly for a while, then went back to my room.
I didn’t have the energy to clean up right now.
Click~!
As soon as I got back to my room, I turned on the computer.
Forget everything—time for games.
Gaming is my only hobby.
I like how, if I get absorbed, a whole day passes in the blink of an eye.
…Come to think of it, they said there was a new class in today’s update.
I clicked the ‘Create Character’ button and made a new character.
Random ID, random customization.
Soon, I’d created a female knight with golden hair and blue eyes.
“Blonde hair and blue eyes—classic.”
[Awakening Requirement 6]
- Creation of Human … Complete (V)
「So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.」
But just from creating a character, I suddenly felt overwhelmingly exhausted.
It was like all the energy was draining out of me.
‘I can’t. I need to rest a bit…’
In the end, I flopped onto my bed.
And before I knew it, I was fast asleep, unable to resist the wave of drowsiness.
[Awakening Requirement 7]
- Rest After All Work … Complete (V)
「By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work.」 - [System]
- All Awakening Requirements have been fulfilled in sequence.
- Creation of Light (iv)
…… - Creation of Sky
……
(iv) - Creation of Sea… (V)
- Creation of Darkness (iv)
- Creation of Living Beings … (V)
- Creation of Human… (V)
- Rest After All Work … (V)
And at that moment.
…Fwoosh!
A dazzling stream of light began to fill my room.
On the fifth anniversary of the day I shut myself away from the world.
—Ding!
[System]
- You have Awakened as the Room-bound Creator!
…The world has come to me.