The Goddesses' Reckoning
The Goddess Department had no recourse. The Dimensional and War God was in seclusion within his personal temple, recovering from the war, and conversation was impossible. With no other options, they vented their fury on the source of the problem. Beneath the round table lay ten Demigods, collapsed in pools of blood, half-dead. The goddesses had forcibly summoned them on their way back from the meeting, ignoring their will entirely.
No matter how powerful these Demigods were—10-Circle beings capable of defeating even Highest Gods in the Middle World—they stood no chance against the goddesses' authority. Especially since their attribute was "Good," they could not refuse a summons from a higher god the way a "Neutral" being might. Dragged here without resistance, they had been beaten one-sidedly. They couldn't even scream; they cried out with sheer will, only to receive even harsher attacks in return.
"Why are you only hitting us? Aagh!"
"We didn't do anything! Urgh—!"
"We opposed it! Kuek—!"
They were utterly wronged, yet as "Good"-aligned Transcendents who polluted the Divine Realm the least, they had been chosen as targets. Before they could even offer more divine power as apology, the enraged goddesses had beaten them mercilessly. Their limbs were twisted at impossible angles, and they coughed up blood.
A black-haired goddess who had used the Demigods to vent her anger ground her teeth and shouted.
"Ugh! We should heal those we can and kill the rest. The household is in such chaos that we can't fight with peace of mind. These Demigods are at least 'Good,' so they're recyclable, but the 'Neutral' ones should all be killed and their divine power reclaimed. How dare they call themselves Highest Gods when they can't even manage their own subordinate gods? Kill the Demigods, revert them to High Gods, and give the reclaimed power to those with potential."
At those chilling words, the faces of the Highest Goddesses who had been watching the Demigods being beaten turned deathly pale. They hadn't fought in direct combat for far too long, and prolonged exposure to the goddesses' murderous aura and fighting spirit left them feeling as though they might collapse at any moment. Hearing that their own divine power would be reduced back to High God level pushed them into sheer panic.
How much effort did it take to regain Highest God status?
We're going to fall again because of our subordinate Demigods?
That can't be!
They were on the verge of despair as the situation grew increasingly dire. Meanwhile, the ten Demigods' superior Highest Goddesses, all of "Good" alignment, let out sighs of relief.
It looks horrific, but at least they won't die or be erased.
Since they're Demigods, treatment will restore them to normal.
They urgently sent messages to the twitching Demigods who were slowly regaining consciousness.
Keep your mouths shut and stay still.
I'll find a way to save you.
Understood. Please, just save us.
What the Demigods feared most was the fall of their divine status through death. The Divine Realm's reaction was far more violent than they had imagined, filled with killing intent and fighting spirit. Especially the highest-ranking goddesses—they were nothing like the peace-addled goddesses of the past. The one who had calmly and one-sidedly beaten them with such fighting spirit had been terrifyingly composed, almost euphoric in her violence.
We completely misunderstood something.
The Divine Realm was not a place steeped in peace and boredom where male and female gods merely squabbled for power. The fighting spirit and killing intent of the highest-ranking goddesses at the round table surpassed even a Demon King descending upon the Middle World.
Amid their confusion, the irritated voice of a goddess rang out.
"That's why it's impossible! If lower gods rebel, the one who kills them and reclaims their power gets to keep it. In the end, the Dimensional and War God will take everything."
"We could just do it ourselves! Even in the Middle World where we can only use one-tenth of our power, I alone could handle a hundred of them."
Under the pitying stares around her, the goddess who had spoken quickly corrected herself.
"Right—! We can't move from the Divine Realm because of the restrictions."
"Damn it! Without Granzoa, there's no other War Goddess capable of subduing Demigods."
"Extreme specialization really has its limits. The Main Gods and Primordial War Gods only raised combat goddesses through divine power support because we were here, and that was a mistake."
"We can't respond to rebellions by Demigods in the Middle World."
"We don't have any mercenary gods of our own to call on. Besides, the Middle World has power restrictions, so we'd need at least a Main God, but we have no stars to offer as payment."
"Aargh! I don't know anymore. If I beat them some more and feel better, maybe a solution will come to me."
Thud! Thud!
The black-haired goddess's kicks sent the Demigods rolling across the floor like balls. Their screams and fresh sprays of blood filled the air once more.
"Kuaaaak—!"
"Aagh! Mercy—!"
To the Demigods desperately begging for forgiveness, the goddesses responded with cold words.
"We don't need apologies. Just keep screaming until you cool your heads! Learn that serving the Divine Realm as Demigods and ruling the Middle World in ignorance is a blessing."
"The glory of the Divine Realm you wanted was earned through countless brutal battles. You must have been prepared to endure that much pain and sacrifice when you planned to establish a lower divine realm, right? This is that process, so endure it well."
"Gods who fail the certification battles are all erased and sent to the Spirit Realm. You want to create a lower divine realm without enduring that? In the Middle World we built through such hardship? I want to kill you right now, but since you're 'Good,' it would negatively affect our karma, so we're sparing you."
"Ugh! In the old days, we'd just keep killing you until you fell below Demigod and throw you into Hell, but now we can't even do that. So get beaten until you're on the brink of death."
"Gods must maintain 'Extreme Good,' but this time the Demigods attacked their superiors, so the Dimensional Lord won't suffer any karma loss. He'd kill you all in an instant. What do we do?"
"Being the head of a group is truly annoying at times like this."
"We have to somehow return the reclaimed power from the 'Neutral' Demigods to the goddesses."
"We have nothing to give the Dimensional and War God in exchange."
"Let's find something, somehow."
With the endlessly chilling discussion of the goddesses and the screams of the Demigods, the Divine Realm's vacation was coming to an end.
Hum!
The round table meeting hall glowed once more, and the Divine Realm began to shine again with the authority of the Main God of the Divine Realm. The goddesses clicked their tongues and returned the now half-corpse "Good" Demigods to the Middle World. Even "Good" beings, if not "Extreme Good," would pollute the Divine Realm if left waiting too long. Of course, the threat that any movement from their quarters would be considered insubordination and result in immediate death came as an added bonus.
The Highest Goddesses rose from their prostrated positions, quickly straightened their disheveled appearances under the goddesses' menacing gazes, and returned to their seats with dignified poise. They covered their faces with veils signifying their lack of interest in male gods and took their places among the representatives of the Highest Gods. The seats of higher-ranking Highest Gods were gradually filled, and they all showed extreme respect to the goddesses already seated.
"We greet the Main Goddesses."
This was the true appearance of those who oversaw nearly all goddesses except the male gods among the Highest Gods. The goddesses accepted their reverence as natural and let out sighs. The new-generation Highest Goddesses of lower rank could be seen greeting and chattering among themselves. The representative Highest Goddesses hurriedly tried to stop them, but it was only momentary. Moreover, the new-generation goddesses outnumbered them.
It's been a long time since we've had such a welcome reunion after a long vacation.
They have no sense of crisis toward their superiors at all.
The war with the Demon God race was the male gods' affair, and the goddesses, whose only concern was increasing and maintaining their divine power, lacked the ability to grasp the current dire atmosphere. Only the representative Highest Goddesses fidgeted and sweated nervously. The goddesses' eyes were growing increasingly menacing.
What do we do with those immature ones?
Once this matter is over, it might be good to let them taste what crisis feels like.
Or perhaps have the Dimensional and War God give them basic combat training.
He'd refuse. Last time I asked why he doesn't try to involve our goddesses in combat, he said their mental state would only be a hindrance.
Ugh! Just you wait.
They're coming. The Primordial War Gods and the God of Knowledge. Their fighting spirits are tremendous.
Those bastards must be relaxed now that the Substitute Gods are gone.
The war with the Demon God race has also reached a lull.
At this rate, we might really have to fight.
The God of Knowledge could be seen approaching, offering light greetings and responses to the new-generation Highest Goddesses.
"Hello. You all look especially beautiful today. Especially your new hairstyles really suit you."
"Oh my! As expected, the God of Knowledge has a good eye. If only our husbands were like that."
"Haha. They're probably just too embarrassed to speak. They'll probably talk today."
From the outside, it appeared to be a harmonious atmosphere with nothing amiss. Though sighs welled up inside, they had to maintain some level of public relations for the sake of any potential divine authority battles with the highest gods. Then they took their seats at the round table without a word. They lightly bowed their heads in a greeting that required no response, and the goddesses responded in kind.
Before they knew it, the Primordial War Gods had taken their seats and sat in silence. Though they appeared scattered, they formed a protective barrier for the round table meeting hall against possible Demon God invasions, as well as a siege formation around the goddesses. Hidden fighting spirits and divine power that lower-ranking Highest Goddesses wouldn't notice were tautly balanced against the goddesses. The Primordial War Gods' fighting spirit and divine power had greatly developed through war, but the goddesses' Main God authority and divine power overwhelmed them. Moreover, as former Main Gods, the goddesses had killed countless Main Gods and possessed Lord Slayer authority.
Even the Main God of the Divine Realm with 20 billion divine power and the Primordial War Gods cannot avoid mutual destruction. All that would remain is a ruined Divine Realm and some of them.
Above all, the goddesses' authority to develop the Divine Realm could not be replaced by male gods and was absolutely necessary, so they had no choice but to yield little by little.
This is the eternal conflict structure of the Divine Realm. We've competed like this, developing the Divine Realm together. In exchange for abundant vitality, we had no choice but to take priority as goddesses and handle war as well. Now that the war is over, the situation has changed.
With the war concluded and male gods returning to the Divine Realm, their power had significantly waned. Of course, there was the issue of successors who extremely favored goddesses for public relations purposes, but since the Main God of the Divine Realm was directly training them now, it didn't matter.
Currently, the Dimensional and War God is a complete war god and magic god. Now the male gods have no weaknesses.
They had thought it unavoidable as long as the threats of the Substitute God race and Demon God race existed, but now the Substitute Gods were gone and the Demon race had stabilized with the Demon God's promotion.
Now is the time to gather the male gods' power and reclaim the priority that has tilted toward the goddesses. Moreover, the Dimensional Lord, who is the god of war and elves, doesn't like the goddesses here either. Naturally, he'll side with strengthening the male gods' rights. Then, while we can't defeat the goddesses, we can at least gain the upper hand.
A smile naturally formed on the God of Knowledge's face.
Moreover, this time the goddesses' subordinate gods have caused a very pleasing large-scale incident. Demanding to create an independent lower divine realm in the Middle World from the Dimensional and War God, who almost single-handedly defeated the Main God of the Substitute God race—those fools must be insane.
Clearly, with the Dimensional and War God's straightforward personality, he would kill them all without exception, and if the Demigods disappeared, at least 102 Highest Goddesses would fall to High God level. Then they could fill those empty positions with male gods who had distinguished themselves in war.
With that much additional male god power, we could adjust this round table meeting differently from before. Finally, we can escape the ridicule from other divine realms calling us a ridiculous divine realm.
A triumphant smile bloomed on the God of Knowledge's lips, and the goddesses who saw it ground their teeth.