Devta Bhakt System: The Rise of the Protector
Chapter 7: The Divine Handshake: A System's Terror and a Market's Mystery
The mountain was now deathly silent.
The cataclysm that had unfolded just moments ago—the combustion of Dragon Blood and the agonizing sound of bones shattering only to knit themselves back together—had left no trace behind.
A gentle breeze brushed through the peaks as if nothing had happened.
But the man standing upon that jagged rock was no longer the broken soul who had lain there on the verge of death.
Suraj opened his palm, gazing at it intensely before slowly curling it into a fist. Within him surged an ethereal ocean of power, yet he had no intention of putting it on display for the world just yet.
Suraj was just about to step forward when suddenly, something clicked in his mind, and he froze in his tracks.
He turned his gaze toward the base of the mountain. Far below, a settlement sprawled—veiled in mist but pulsating with life.
The distant hum of activity, the clatter of the marketplace, and the faint echoes of civilization reached the summit. Suraj knew his journey's next chapter would begin there.
However, there was a problem.
He was entirely naked, the faint scent of Dragon Blood clung to him, and the golden radiance of his Chaos Physique was so intense that it was nearly impossible to suppress.
He couldn't simply walk into a crowd in this state.
Suddenly, a voice echoed within his mind:
[Ding! Resource Request Acknowledged.]
The System interface flickered into existence before him. There was no unnecessary flash—just a clean, precise list.
As he glanced at his Devta Bhakt Points, his brow furrowed.
"Quantity—only 109?"
A flash of irritation surged within him. "How can it be this low?"
But as he scanned the previous logs, the truth became clear. The emergency refinement of the Dragon Blood and the expenditures made during Auto-Mode had drained his reserves. Exhaling a sigh of relief, he scrolled through the options:
Weapons, Clothes, Food. His finger paused on a specific choice: Shadow Cloak.
Description: A Shadow-grade cloak that provides 70% concealment in any environment.
Attributes: Adaptable to all climates. Capable of veiling divine auras from ordinary perception.
Price: 2 Devta Bhakt Points.
"Purchase it," Suraj commanded without a second thought.
[Ding! Transaction Complete. Remaining Balance: 107 Points.]
The sight of only 107 Points stung slightly, but the moment the cloak draped over his shoulders, the velvety sensation made him forget the cost.
The fabric was weightless, yet it moved with a natural grace that mirrored his every movement. He pulled the hood over his head. Now, he looked like a true Warrior —mysterious, unrecognizable, and formidable.
He began his descent.
The path was treacherous, littered with jagged rocks that looked like the bleached bones of ancient wars. Suddenly, a small creature with neon-blue stripes lunged at him, sensing an easy kill. Suraj didn't even break his stride; he simply extended a hand and gave a slight "push."
Without a single punch thrown, the sheer force of that shove sent the creature hurtling feet away. The ground beneath it cratered and stones shattered, but Suraj didn't kill it. He merely cleared his path.
Other beasts—serpents with crimson eyes and long-fanged wolves—approached, but the sheer weight of Suraj's aura sent them fleeing in terror before they could get close.
As he reached the outskirts, the air changed. The scent of smoke drifted by, followed by the roar of the bazaar.
Suraj witnessed this world's marketplace for the first time. Wooden stalls, stone shops, glowing exotic fruits, and meat infused with cultivation energy. Amidst the crowd, Suraj moved like a ghost in his black cloak. A few eyes lingered on him, but none could pierce his mysterious composure.
[Ding! Mission Zone Proximate. The "Hero" is nearby.]
Suraj stopped. He observed the medicinal vendors and the smiths selling divine weapons, taking in the sheer variety of warriors and commoners.
He wanted to inspect the quality of the items here, but suddenly, the crowd erupted into a panic.
"Move! Out of the way! Clear the path!"
He stood his ground, watching as a carriage approached.
Suraj wasn't standing there to block the way or to provoke anyone; he stood there because a transparent System Screen had silently materialized before him. It was bathed in a soft blue light—silent, motionless, but containing dangerous information.
A magnificent carriage tore through the crowd. Seated upon it was a youth draped in silk—his eyes filled with arrogance and his face wearing a mask of bored elitism. His bodyguards were ruthlessly shoving people aside. Suraj remained exactly where he was, unmoving. The carriage screeched to a halt right in front of him.
Suraj said nothing, but a cold voice resonated in his mind:
[Ding! Transmigrator Detected.]
A white screen unfolded before Suraj's eyes.
[Ding! 1 Devta Bhakt Point deducted. Purchasing detailed target data...]
In a split second, a lifetime of information surged into Suraj's consciousness.
Target Profile:
Name: Karan Malhotra
Age :20 Years Old
Stat Levels:
Strength: 6
Agility:7
Intelligence:8
Background:
. Father: General under the King.
. Mother: From a humble family
(True Identity: Disciple of the Moon Palace).
Special Trait:Disciples of the Moon Palace practice Lunar Cultivation. They do not seek power through aggression, but through tranquility. They often isolate themselves from the world. Because of this, people mistake their silence for arrogance, when in truth, they simply stand far above the noise of the masses.
The data continued: The "real" Karan had been poisoned to death last night. The soul currently inhabiting this body was a college student from Earth who had received his own System just this morning.
Behavioral Analysis: Karan Malhotra openly abuses his father's status. Humiliating commoners has become his second nature.
[Special Intel: If the Host physically touches 'Karan,' certain features of his System can be harvested.]
A faint chill ran through Suraj.
[Ding! Mission Accomplished! You have successfully identified the "Hero" of this world.]
A list of rewards began to manifest one by one.
Original Rewards:
. 1,000 Devta Bhakt Points
. 1 Temple Foundation Ticket
. 3 Lottery Chances
. Ancient World Memories (Historical records and secrets of this world).
As Suraj processed these rewards, the 100,000x Return System within him suddenly roared. It wasn't the sound of a cold machine; it was the thunder of a lion. The screen's color shifted from calm blue to a lethal Crimson.
[Ding! 100,000x Return System ACTIVATED!]
In the next heartbeat, the modest rewards exploded like a supernova, transforming into numbers that defied human comprehension.
[Ding! 100,000x Return triggered on 1,000 Devta Bhakt Points!]
Reward Update: 100,000,000 (One Hundred Million) Devta Bhakt Points deposited.
Suraj's heart nearly stopped. Where he had been mourning the loss of 900 points, he now possessed enough "wealth" to buy the world. But the explosion wasn't over.
[Ding! 100,000x Return triggered on 1 Temple Foundation Ticket!]
Reward Update: 100,000 (One Hundred Thousand) Temple Construction Tickets. He could now raise an empire in every village and city.
[Ding! 100,000x Return triggered on 3 Lottery Chances!]
Reward Update: 300,000 (Three Hundred Thousand) Lottery Chances. Destiny was now kneeling at his doorstep.
Finally, the fourth reward numbed his mind.
[Ding! 100,000x Return triggered on Ancient World Memories!]
Suddenly, a galactic ocean of information flooded Suraj's mind. His consciousness went momentarily blank. This wasn't a dream, and it wasn't just luck—it was the Blueprint of Power.
This wasn't just history; it was the location of every hidden corner, every forbidden magical zone, every buried treasure, and the secrets of the world's creators that even the "Hero" Karan didn't know. He had become a Living Map of this reality.
Karan Malhotra was still looking at him with disdain, having no idea that the cloaked figure before him was no longer just a warrior, but a Walking God.
A microscopic smile touched Suraj's lips. He had 100,000,000 (10 crore deity devotee points ) Points and the power of 300,000 Lotteries ( 3 lakh lottery tickets ) .
Suddenly, another notification flashed:
[SYSTEM ALERT: Special Restriction Applied!]
[Notice: Until you fully exhaust your current 'Devta Bhakt Points,' the new 100,000,000 Points will remain LOCKED. they will be added to your balance only when the current wallet is empty.]
Suraj checked his screen. After the cloak and the intel, he had 106 Points left. He thought to himself, "I never asked for these deductions, yet the System took them on its own."
He sharpened his mental voice into a command: "System... from this moment on, do not spend a single point without my explicit permission. Do you understand?"
A final message flickered:
[Ding! Host's command recorded. 'Auto-Mode' is being permanently disabled...]
The screen dissolved into smoke. Suraj breathed deeply, looking at the carriage. Karan Malhotra was standing there now, drenched in sweat, a mixture of panic and rage in his eyes.
On the other side, Karan was a nervous wreck. He stared at this mysterious warrior, his mind screaming— Why is this man standing in my way like an immovable wall?
The roar of the market had vanished into a deep silence.
Every insult Karan had planned died in his throat. He was about to order his guards to crush this man when—
[Ding! SYSTEM WARNING!]
His own System's voice echoed in his head, but it wasn't cold—it was terrified.
"Warning! It is in your best interest to show respect to the person standing before you. If you insult him—this System will UNBIND. This System does not wish to remain tied to a FOOLISH HOST!"
Karan turned pale. His own power was threatening him in the name of a stranger.
"System," he whispered internally, "show me his identity!"
[Suraj's Profile — On Karan's Screen]
Name: Suraj
Age: UNKNOWN
Skills: UNKNOWN
Magic: UNKNOWN
System: Devta Bhakt System
Karan's heart skipped a beat. "Impossible! Everything is... Unknown?" His system gave him one final "jolt":
"You have been granted the supreme honor to shake hands with Host Suraj. Consider yourself blessed."
A deathly silence gripped the market. This wasn't a clash of words; it was a clash of existences. An invisible web of dread pressed against everyone's chest. Mothers pulled their children back. Merchants abandoned their stalls, ready to run if the world ended.
Karan realized the market wasn't trembling because of his name today. They were terrified of the silence of the man in the cloak. He looked at Suraj's steady shoulders and thought, "Is this man a madman... or does he exist above the very laws I follow?"
Suraj remained silent.
He knew if he spoke, the confrontation would be on his terms, and he wasn't here to break rules today. He was here to see how quickly people revealed their true faces.
Karan realized this man didn't fear him. He didn't bow. He didn't move. Beneath the cloak, the face was hidden, but his stillness pierced Karan like a needle.
The bodyguards hesitated, their swords trembling in their sheaths. Someone in the crowd whispered, "Is Karan targeting men now too?"
The whisper hit Karan's ears, and a shudder ran down his spine. He stepped down from the carriage. The elegance was still there, but it was now poisoned with fear and humiliation.
Only a few moments had passed since Suraj stood frozen in his place when the whispers of the crowd began to reach his ears. People were painting the 'tension' between him and Karan in an entirely different light.
" Is this Karan really as they say ? " Suraj thought to himself.
For a moment, a layer of embarrassment washed over his powerful and steady persona. He felt an awkward bashfulness, and to hide his emotions, he abruptly turned his face to the other side. Behind the hood of his cloak, his eyes were closed, as if he wanted to escape this uncomfortable situation.
But he was the Host of the 'Devta Bhakt System'; he could not remain weak for long. Within a few moments, he took a deep breath, centered his mental strength, and looked back toward Karan.
Karan, who had now stepped down from the carriage, was walking toward Suraj with full grace and confidence.
But for the surrounding crowd, this scene was nothing short of a strange drama. It felt as if they had suddenly stepped into a Rom-Com movie.
At first, Karan's behavior had seemed terrifying, but now that Suraj looked back at Karan after turning away, the crowd's imagination took flight.
A woman in the crowd whispered softly, "Look, this looks exactly like two long-lost lovers meeting after years, gazing into each other's eyes!" In Suraj's mind, too, this situation began to play out like a movie.
Amidst this silent confrontation and the absurd talk of the people, he remembered a song from his old world. The melody of a guitar echoed in his soul—
"Tujhe Dekha To Ye Jaana Sanam... Pyaar Hota Hai Deewana Sanam..."
A faint, almost invisible smile floated on Suraj's lips.
But the next moment, he shook his head violently and threw those useless thoughts out of his mind. He wasn't here for romance; he was here to test the 'Hero' of this world.
Karan had now stopped right in front of him. He extended his hand for a handshake.
" My name is Karan Malhotra , "