Gravity of the Gods
The moment Garud took a full breath—
The world crushed him.
It was not wind.
Not heat.
Not pressure from air.
It was authority.
Garud's knees slammed into the stone with a thunderous crack.
The ground beneath him shattered into spiderweb fractures.
What… is this…
His muscles screamed.
His bones groaned as if they were being twisted by invisible hands.
Every attempt to stand felt like lifting a mountain with bare arms.
"Environmental Effect Confirmed."
Gravity of the Gods — Active
Current Multiplier: ×20
Garud's eyes widened.
"T–twenty… times?"
Blood dripped from his nose and splashed onto the cracked stone.
Breathing alone felt like punishment.
THE WEIGHT OF DIVINITY
Garud tried to push himself up.
His arms trembled violently.
The stone beneath his palms exploded, yet his body barely rose an inch.
Move…
His vision blurred.
Memories surfaced—
The calm voice of Lord Shiva.
The echo of OM across the void.
You are still a fragile leaf…
Garud gritted his teeth.
"Then I'll stop being fragile!"
With a roar, he forced his body upward.
His muscles tore microscopically.
His bones cracked—but did not break.
"Body Reinforcement — Leveling Up."
Level 1 → Level 2
A burning sensation surged through him, repairing and strengthening what had just been destroyed.
Garud collapsed again—but this time, he laughed weakly.
"So that's how you want to train me…"
FIRST ENEMY OF THE REALM
The ground trembled.
From behind a ridge of broken stone, something crawled into view.
A massive demon-beast, its skin like black iron, veins glowing crimson. Its eyes burned with hunger.
Demon Identified:
Stonebound Ravager
Rank: Low-Tier Demon
It roared.
The sound alone sent shockwaves through the air.
Garud tried to stand.
Failed.
The demon charged.
Each step of the beast cracked the earth—but Garud felt something worse.
It's moving freely… under this gravity.
"Warning."
Enemy adapted to realm conditions.
Garud clenched his fists.
No weapon. No skills for attack.
Only my body.
The demon lunged.
Garud rolled aside at the last moment, his shoulder scraping stone hard enough to peel skin.
Pain exploded through his nerves.
"Pain Resistance — Increasing."
Garud slammed his fist into the demon's leg.
The impact echoed.
His bones screamed.
The demon barely flinched.
Garud was sent flying, smashing into a rock formation.
Blood filled his mouth.
So weak…
The demon raised its claw to finish him.
Garud closed his eyes—
And chanted in his heart.
OM…
Something answered.
DIVINE RESONANCE
The Panchmukhi Rudraksha mark burned on his chest.
"Divine Power reacting."
Divine Power: 0 → 1
The pressure around him shifted.
Not reduced—
But accepted.
Garud pushed himself up.
This time, his body obeyed.
Slowly. Painfully.
But it moved.
The demon hesitated.
Garud stepped forward.
Bare hands clenched.
"Come."
The demon attacked again.
Garud met it head-on.
He ducked under the claw, drove his elbow into the demon's knee joint.
CRACK.
The demon roared in agony.
Garud followed with a brutal punch to its throat.
The iron-like skin cracked.
Again.
Again.
Again.
Each strike shattered his own skin—but the system repaired it instantly.
"Body Reinforcement — Level 3."
Strength Increased.
Stamina Increased.
With a final roar, Garud plunged his hand into the demon's chest and ripped out its core.
The demon froze.
Then shattered into black ash.
REWARD
"Enemy Defeated."
A glowing window appeared.
Rewards Obtained:
🪨 Stonebound Core (Low-Tier)
⚔️ Weapon Drop:
Iron Fang Knuckle — Common (Growth-Type)
🔮 Demon Soul Stone (Low-Tier)
Divine Power: +1
Garud collapsed onto his back, breathing heavily.
"Growth-type… weapon?"
The knuckle wrapped itself around his fist automatically.
"Growth-Type Weapon Explanation:"
Evolves with user
Strengthens through kills
Can awaken unique abilities
Garud stared at the blood-red sky.
His Divine Power counter blinked.
Divine Power: 2
So this is the path…
The ground trembled again.
Stronger presences stirred in the distance.
"Next Trial Approaching."
Garud slowly stood up.
Pain-covered. Blood-soaked.
But smiling.
"Let the gods keep their gravity."
He clenched his fist.
"I'll grow stronger under it."