GOD OF DECEPTION Chapter 1 - The Dead World

GOD OF FRAUD

Chapter 1 — The Dead World

Rain tapped softly against the apartnt window as I stared at the glowing screen of my old laptop.

The sa routine.

Wake up. Work. Co ho. Sleep. Repeat.

That was life on Earth.

No magic. No gods. No miracles.

Just endless noise.

I leaned back in my chair and rubbed my tired eyes.

Outside the window, the city of Mumbai glowed beneath the rain-soaked night. Thousands of lights flickered in the darkness like artificial stars. Cars moved endlessly through crowded streets while distant sirens echoed between buildings.

Humanity had conquered the world.

Or at least that was what everyone believed.

I used to believe it too.

My na is Kaiser.

Twenty-five years old.

Graduate. Part-ti repair technician. Full-ti disappointnt.

Not exactly the kind of guy destined to beco a god.

"KAISER!"

My mother’s voice echoed from the kitchen.

"Dinner is getting cold!"

"I’m coming!" I shouted back.

I closed the laptop and stood up.

Our apartnt wasn’t large, but it was ho.

The sll of curry and fresh roti filled the air as I walked into the dining area.

My father sat quietly at the table watching the news on television while my younger sister, Anya, scrolled endlessly through her phone.

"Finally," my mother said while placing food onto my plate. "Do you plan to marry that laptop one day?"

"I would if it earned more money than ."

Anya laughed.

Dad snorted softly while pretending not to.

"Very funny," Mom replied.

I sat down and started eating.

The television continued playing in the background.

Another docuntary.

Ancient myths. Lost civilizations. Mysterious religions.

The narrator spoke dramatically.

"Throughout human history, gods existed in every culture. So ruled the skies while others controlled oceans, fire, or death itself."

Anya rolled her eyes.

"People in ancient tis believed anything."

Dad shrugged.

"Maybe they were happier."

I smirked.

"Or crazier."

The docuntary showed ancient statues from different civilizations.

Egyptian gods. Greek gods. Hindu gods. Norse gods.

Thousands of years of belief.

Now reduced to stories.

Fiction.

Entertainnt.

The narrator continued.

"So historians believe humanity created gods to explain things science could not."

Mom changed the channel.

"Enough depressing things during dinner."

A cricket match replaced the docuntary.

Normal.

Everything felt painfully normal.

If only I had known what waited for that night.

---

Three hours later, I walked through the narrow streets beneath a broken umbrella.

Rainwater splashed around my shoes.

My phone buzzed.

SSAGE FROM RAJ:

Bro tomorrow co early. Custor bringing expensive gaming PC.

I typed quickly.

Only if you pay extra.

His reply ca instantly.

Dream first.

I laughed quietly.

Then my phone battery died.

"Perfect."

I shoved it into my pocket.

Most shops had already closed for the night.

Only a few tea stalls remained open beneath flickering neon lights.

Normally, I would head ho.

But tonight sothing felt strange.

A vibration.

A faint humming sound.

I stopped walking.

"...What?"

The sound ca again.

Low. chanical. Almost like electricity.

I looked around.

The alley beside was dark and empty.

But the sound was coming from there.

Curiosity is dangerous.

Unfortunately, I’ve never been very smart when it cos to ignoring it.

I stepped into the alley.

Rainwater dripped from rusted pipes overhead.

The deeper I walked, the louder the humming beca.

At the end of the alley stood an abandoned building.

I frowned.

I had passed this area hundreds of tis.

I had never noticed this building before.

Its walls were cracked and covered with vines.

The windows were broken.

Yet faint blue light glowed from inside.

The humming intensified.

Every instinct told to leave.

Instead, I walked toward the entrance.

The old tal door creaked open.

Dust filled the air.

The inside looked ancient.

Not old.

Ancient.

As if the building itself did not belong in this era.

The floor was covered with strange symbols.

Circular patterns. Lines. Geotric shapes.

Technology.

At least that was what it looked like.

Except... wrong.

The symbols resembled circuit boards mixed with religious carvings.

I moved slowly through the darkness.

Then I saw it.

A tallic object resting on a stone platform.

About the size of a suitcase.

Black. Smooth. Covered with glowing blue lines.

The humming sound ca from it.

I stared.

"...No way."

It looked impossibly advanced.

More futuristic than anything I had ever seen.

My first thought?

Hidden governnt tech.

My second thought?

Sell it.

Then the blue lines suddenly brightened.

The entire room shook.

I stepped back imdiately.

"What the hell?!"

The object unfolded.

chanical parts shifted and rotated silently.

A holographic screen appeared in midair.

My breath stopped.

Impossible.

The screen flickered.

Unknown language filled the air.

Then slowly...

The symbols changed.

English.

ACCESS DETECTED.

EARTH SIGNATURE CONFIRD.

LAST USER STATUS: DECEASED.

INITIATING SUCCESSOR PROTOCOL.

I froze.

"...Successor?"

Another ssage appeared.

WARNING. EARTH SPIRITUAL ENERGY: DEPLETED.

DIVINE NETWORK: DISCONNECTED.

SEARCHING FOR ACTIVE DINSIONAL PATHWAYS...

FOUND.

A map appeared above the device.

Not a normal map.

Stars.

Galaxies.

Worlds.

Thousands of glowing points filled the hologram.

Then one bright symbol appeared far away from Earth.

SPIRITUAL ENERGY DETECTED. DIVINE ACTIVITY DETECTED.

My heart pounded.

"This has to be fake..."

But even as I said it, I knew.

Nothing about this was fake.

The machine suddenly projected an image into the air.

A figure.

Tall. Shadowed.

Its body looked partly chanical.

Its voice echoed through the room.

"Earth has fallen."

I stumbled backward.

The figure continued.

"The spiritual age has ended."

Its glowing eyes turned toward .

"If you are hearing this ssage... then I am already gone."

My mouth went dry.

"This is insane..."

"The gods abandoned Earth long ago after its spiritual energy was exhausted."

The hologram shifted.

Images appeared.

Gods.

Gigantic beings floating above ancient cities.

Creatures made of fire. Storms. Golden temples. Armies kneeling before divine figures.

Then war.

A chanical god standing above the planet.

Machines covering the sky.

Energy draining from Earth itself.

The figure spoke again.

"I was the final ruler of this world."

The God of Technology.

My chest tightened.

Impossible.

Yet the words felt strangely real.

"I severed Earth from the divine realms to preserve humanity."

The image flickered violently.

"But eventually... even I could not escape decline."

The hologram looked directly at .

"If humanity ever rediscovers the divine..."

"Then a successor must rise."

The machine emitted a sharp pulse.

WARNING. DINSIONAL GATE OPENING.

A circular portal appeared in the middle of the room.

Blue light exploded outward.

Wind roared violently.

I covered my face.

"What is happening?!"

The hologram spoke one final sentence.

"Faith creates gods."

Then the portal pulled forward.

My eyes widened.

"WAIT—!"

The force beca overwhelming.

I grabbed desperately onto the stone platform.

My fingers slipped.

And suddenly—

Everything vanished.

---

Pain.

That was the first thing I felt.

Every part of my body hurt.

I groaned and slowly opened my eyes.

Grass.

Cold air.

The sll of earth and rain.

I blinked repeatedly.

"...Where am I?"

The sky above looked wrong.

Three moons hung in the darkness.

Three.

I sat up instantly.

My breathing quickened.

"No..."

The portal.

The machine.

The hologram.

It was real.

I looked around wildly.

Dense forest surrounded .

Giant trees towered overhead.

Blue glowing insects floated through the air like living lanterns.

Then I felt it.

A strange pressure.

Warm.

Heavy.

Like invisible energy filling the atmosphere.

The hairs on my arms stood up.

"...Spiritual energy?"

The words escaped my mouth automatically.

I laughed nervously.

"This is crazy."

Then I heard voices.

My body froze.

People.

Coming closer.

I quickly hid behind a massive tree.

A group carrying torches walked through the forest.

n wearing leather armor.

Swords at their waists.

One of them suddenly stopped.

He sniffed the air.

"Soone is here."

Another man frowned.

"I sense no divine blessing."

My heartbeat accelerated.

Divine blessing?

The n spread out.

Searching.

One of them stepped directly toward my hiding place.

Panic exploded inside .

I reached into my pocket instinctively.

My hand touched sothing.

My phone.

Dead battery.

Wait.

Power bank.

Still charged.

An idea ford instantly.

A stupid idea.

But maybe my only idea.

The man approached the tree.

Three more steps.

Two.

One.

I jumped out suddenly.

And turned on my flashlight directly into his eyes.

Bright white light exploded through the darkness.

The man scread.

"AHHH!"

The others stumbled backward.

"What kind of light magic is that?!"

My brain moved faster than fear.

Good.

They don’t understand technology.

I lowered my voice.

"Bow."

The n froze.

I raised the flashlight slowly.

Electric white light illuminated my face from below.

Honestly?

Even I looked terrifying.

"I said..."

I pointed the beam directly at them.

"Bow."

The forest beca silent.

Then one man dropped to his knees.

The others imdiately followed.

My heart nearly stopped.

No way.

NO WAY.

The leader trembled.

"Forgive us, divine one."

Divine one.

I swallowed.

This world really believed in gods.

And right now...

A flashlight looked like divine power.

A dangerous thought entered my mind.

If they believed...

Then what else could I make them believe?

The wind moved softly through the trees.

The strange energy in the air pulsed faintly around .

For a brief mont, I felt warmth gathering inside my chest.

Small.

But real.

The kneeling n looked at with fear and awe.

And suddenly...

I understood.

Faith had power here.

Real power.

The impossible idea ford slowly in my mind.

A lie so ridiculous that no sane person should ever consider it.

Yet staring at the terrified warriors before ...

I realized sothing terrifying.

Maybe this world would believe anything.

And if belief creates gods...

Then perhaps even an ordinary man from Earth...

Could beco divine.

I slowly smiled.

"My na..."

The flashlight illuminated the darkness like holy light.

"...is Kaiser."

The n lowered their heads further.

None of them noticed the slight shaking in my hands.

Because the truth was simple.

I wasn’t a god.

Not yet.

But maybe...

I could fake it long enough to beco one.

And sowhere deep inside ...

A new title quietly began to awaken.

The God of Deception.

END OF Chapter 1

Author Note:

The early Chapters of this novel focus more on world-building, mystery, and complex lore. If you feel the beginning is complicated or slow, you can directly start reading from Chapter 80, where the story shifts into a more action-focused light novel style with stronger focus on Kaiser, battles, hero monts, romance, and character developnt.

However, reading from the beginning will give better emotional impact and understanding of the world.