The Goddess Department's Reckoning
The blank contract the Upper Main Gods had presented in their fury over the Goddess Department’s war was a document that guaranteed the contract’s validity with minimal terms. It was saturated with the collective rage of every high-ranking administrator in the Main Divine Realm.
“Anyone who has abandoned the duties of the Divine Realm shall also be stripped of their rights, even the greatest Main God of the Divine Realm.”
“Naturally.”
Whirrr—! Whirrr—!
At the same moment, the collapse of the Divine Realm halted. The divine power that had been continuously siphoned from the Main God of the Divine Realm stopped flowing away. All but the fifty billion of his Innate Divine Power—the remaining one hundred fifty billion—returned to the Divine Realm, bringing the collapse to an end.
‘That sly raccoon of a Main God must be in utter shock right now, suddenly reduced to only fifty billion divine power.’
The goddesses’ faces regained color as the burden placed upon them drastically lessened.
“Having unilaterally severed all ties without honoring the trust owed to subordinate gods, you are no longer qualified to remain an Upper God. With the extinction of an Upper God’s rights, all debt relationships regarding divine power are also nullified.”
“That—!? Hmm! …It is a fair statement.”
The Upper Main God hesitated briefly before agreeing. The God of Knowledge and the Primordial War Gods could not hide the elation on their faces. At last, they were completely free from the debt of divine power and the obligations of subordinate gods.
“To ensure the smooth administration and expansion of the Divine Realm following the emergency replacement of its Main God, the disciplinary authority of the Divine Realm’s goddesses shall be expanded, limited to the Solar System domain.”
“If it’s restricted to the Solar System, that’s acceptable. Given the crisis in the Divine Realm, we should make full use of this.”
The goddesses’ expressions were filled with joy, though they could not understand why the very people they had attempted to rebel against were now looking out for them. Even if it was limited to the Solar System, they could finally escape this cramped Divine Realm, if only for a short while.
“In exchange for assuming management of the Divine Realm, the one-tenth share of divine power and vitality previously paid to the Main Divine Realm shall now be paid to the Dimensional and War God.”
“Hrk—! That’s problematic! Tax exemption is difficult.”
“Shall I arrange a direct meeting with the Creator God regarding this matter? Any losses can be recovered from the greatest Main God of the Divine Realm himself.”
“Hup—! V-very well. I can reduce operating expenses somewhat. I’ll simply collect it all later.”
The Upper Main God lamented his own weakness. ‘If we fought, we would surely lose, and we cannot even impose discipline. Moreover, the Creator God is likely to side with the powerful Dimensional and War God and punish the Main Divine Realm. At least he isn’t taking it directly now—he’s only withholding future payments. That’s fortunate.’
Every high-ranking administrator of the Main Divine Realm was grinding their teeth, vowing not to let the raccoon Main God off easily for reducing them to this state. They also feared earning the enmity of the Dimensional and War God, who could stand against the Substitute Gods on equal footing.
‘In the worst case, even if he came to my divine realm and caused chaos under various pretexts, I would lack the power to stop him.’
The judgment of the Main Divine Realm he ruled prioritized the will of the strong above all else, so any act of tyranny would be deemed justified. Yet the taxes the Upper Main Divine Realm had paid amounted to nearly five hundred billion in vitality. ‘It’s insignificant compared to the entire Main Divine Realm, but I’ll have to cut back on luxuries for a while. Still, it’s a tremendous relief that this matter has concluded and we can maintain smooth relations with the Dimensional and War God.’
With the strengthening of the Substitute Gods, power was in short supply, and the strong were treated with extreme reverence. Now, against the Substitute Gods’ certification battles, they would need to hire five or more expensive Main God-level mercenaries, and even then victory was uncertain. But if the Dimensional and War God participated, victory was assured regardless of the cost—a completely profitable venture.
“If the above conditions are not implemented, the greatest Main God of the Divine Realm must return immediately.”
The goddesses and Primordial War Gods’ eyes gleamed with killing intent. ‘If he returns, we will not let him off.’ ‘We tolerated him because he only struck the Demon Realm from behind, but this time he targeted his own Divine Realm.’
After a brief waiting period, a response arrived.
“The greatest Main God of the Divine Realm refuses to return to the Divine Realm. In that case, all measures shall be implemented immediately. We have also prepared a seat for you on the committee should you visit the Main Divine Realm. Be sure to stop by once management is complete.”
“I shall do so. I apologize for my earlier rudeness.”
“I am the one who should apologize.”
The Upper Main God clicked his tongue as he surveyed the Divine Realm with an incredulous expression.
“Tsk! I had heard the rumors, but I never imagined it would be this bad. You’ll have to endure until the next Main God arrives. We’ve agreed to tolerate a certain degree of damage during the transition, so govern as you please—as long as the Divine Realm doesn’t completely collapse.”
“Understood. I am grateful for your consideration.”
“Let’s do better next time. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have urgent matters to attend to.”
As the transmission ended and the Upper Main God’s figure vanished, his voice—filled with rage to the very tips of his hair—echoed.
“Where did that swindling bastard go? I should have told him this ridiculous Divine Realm was on the verge of total ruin, not just in chaos….”
The gods seated around the round table downed their cups of tea in one gulp, unable to laugh or even sigh at the dreadful sound. The bitter taste of the tea matched their mood and helped them regain their composure.
‘The Main God of the Divine Realm, its very owner, has completely abandoned his duties and only seeks to claim his rights?’
‘He has utterly betrayed the eternal trust of his subordinate gods.’
‘This is truly not mere chaos, but the brink of total collapse.’
The goddesses also sighed at the icy contempt in the Main Divine Realm’s gaze toward them.
‘Haah! Even if we return to being normal Main Gods, we won’t receive proper treatment at this rate.’
‘If the Dimensional and War God hadn’t torn up the contract in the middle and rewritten it, we would have been finished.’
The five hundred billion divine power offered by the highest-ranking War Gods, the one hundred fifty billion recovered from the Main God, and the five hundred billion that had been paid to the Main Divine Realm coalesced before their eyes. The certification of the Dimensional and War God as the new Main God of the Divine Realm was being engraved upon the realm.
Goooooo—!
It was an immense surge of divine power and overwhelming pressure. Faced with the Upper Main God’s completely different attitude, they realized the truth.
‘Even if we all attacked together, the gap in power is overwhelming and insurmountable.’
‘Everyone in the Divine Realm has witnessed this outcome.’
There was no need to fight. It was crystal clear who was suited to be the ruler of this Divine Realm.
“Opportunities will be granted fairly once more. Generosity toward sacrifices made for the greater good is the symbol of the God of Light.”
The goddesses clenched their teeth again at the Dimensional and War God’s words, heavy with divine power.
‘Granzoa’s unease was correct.’
‘So this was how it was always going to end.’
The goddesses of the Goddess Department had completely given up, kneeling with their heads bowed. Unable to win by force and lacking any justification, they could only hope for the opponent’s mercy. Yet the Dimensional and War God issued a cold command.
“Execute it.”
At the new Main God’s order, the divine auras of the Primordial War Gods blazed. Their terrifying strikes, now devoid of any hesitation, slammed into the defenseless goddesses of the Goddess Department.
‘Among them are the direct-line daughters of our comrades, and my own daughter as well.’
‘Before the crisis of the Divine Realm, they are merely enemies that must be eliminated.’
‘Moreover, the one who gave the order is the complete owner of the Divine Realm—the Main God—and the God of War, the supreme commander.’
‘He has even repaid all our divine power debts and granted us Main God-level authorities.’
All restrictions and debts that had bound the Primordial War Gods as subordinate gods had vanished. Now, as War Gods, they felt their pride and clarity of mind return, leaving no room for hesitation.
The goddesses, unable to block the attacks, closed their eyes.
Kwaaaaaaaa—!
The disposal of the Goddess Department ended in an instant, without even a scream. Fresh divine blood once again soaked the round table’s conference hall, transforming into orbs of divine power light that gathered toward the table.
‘The three hundred highest-ranking goddesses of the Goddess Department—fifteen hundred billion divine power—radiate brilliantly.’
‘Only the three Main God-level goddesses who lead the Goddess Department remain alive.’
Even though the Primordial War Gods had temporarily ascended to Main God level through the God of War’s authority, they could not easily deal with the goddesses, who were true Main Gods. However, with two or more highest-ranking Upper War Gods sharing the God of War’s authority, disposal was possible.
Chwaaaak! Uuuuung—!
The divine auras of the Primordial War Gods quietly turned toward the remaining goddesses. The expressions of the goddesses who had birthed them as direct-line descendants twisted completely as they moved as if to intervene.
‘If they die so miserably and lose their divine power, even their Main God-level authorities will be in danger.’
‘They’ll likely fall to ordinary Upper Gods!’
The Main God-level goddesses had invested eons of time and vitality to birth and raise the goddesses as their direct-line descendants. No matter their crimes, the collapse of Main God-level divinities would be an enormous loss to the Divine Realm. Knowing this, the Dimensional and War God intervened.
“Enough! They are Main God-level powerhouses. They shall receive treatment befitting their status. If they fight and defeat an equal Main God-level opponent, they shall be forgiven. If they lose, they will become my complete subordinate gods until they accumulate enough merit.”
At the Dimensional and War God’s stern words, the goddesses slumped back into their chairs around the round table in despair.
‘There is not a single flaw or gap in this judgment.’
They fully acknowledged their defeat. More than anything, they believed their direct-line descendants would not lose to another Main God-level powerhouse.
‘Victory means innocence.’
‘But did the Dimensional and War God even have Main God-level powerhouses?’
The God of Knowledge, the highest-ranking deity at the round table, would not intervene due to his position. Yet the Dimensional and War God’s dimensional authority began to fill the entire round table conference room and the Divine Realm itself.
“Step forward. Demon Goddess Anacreon! Goddess Artos! Transcendent Galanthus! Test the strength of those who challenged me.”
The figures of the three powerhouses he had gathered slowly materialized before the Main God-level goddesses of the Goddess Department.
“Whether you are qualified to survive in this universe must be proven through victory. Otherwise, you shall serve the Divine Realm without any rights—until you accumulate enough merit to become Main Gods.”
There was not a single trace of emotion in the Dimensional and War God’s voice.