The Glory Seat's Challenge
Hwi, seated upon the Glory Seat in the Defense Divine Realm amid the Spirit Realm War, found himself in a deeply vexing predicament. He could not decide whether to welcome or resent the current state of affairs. The cause was the ten High Lords who, despite being infinitely weaker than himself, radiated arrogant gazes and an unmistakable air of expecting to be served.
"Sending ten High Lords at the level of Creator Candidates as reinforcements from the Creation Realm is an undeniable boon. Yet why do they feel like defective goods?"
Their divine ranks and power were undeniably high, but something about them felt off. The independent realm's Main Gods were exchanging glances among themselves, their expressions souring, which only confirmed his unease. Still, with enemy forces swelling endlessly beyond the front lines, he could not afford to reject this level of support. He had no choice but to accept it.
Yet even these discourteous wretches, who offered Hwi nothing more than a casual nod, could not be expected to avoid clashing with the independent realm's Main Gods. Their contemptuous stares made that abundantly clear.
"I will have to separate them from the existing forces. They show no inclination to integrate. I will station them as reserve troops inside the divine barrier and focus on reinforcing the defenses. The Creation Realm also requested that they not be thrown directly into the field, but instead be allowed to gain experience. What in the world is going on here?"
Requests that bordered on favors had poured in, yet they contradicted one another. The Creator Gods themselves wanted frontline deployment to accumulate combat experience despite the hardship, while others demanded safer support roles that would allow only indirect experience.
"How am I supposed to accommodate such completely opposing demands?"
He could not simply ignore them. Every one of these individuals held significant positions within the Creation Realm. Though it was unpleasant to receive what felt like orders from faces he had never even seen, such matters were commonplace when managing a clan. He had no choice but to comply.
"Station them inside the main gate. Support the line if it begins to buckle."
"Understood."
The reply came back crisp and utterly devoid of respect. Though wartime necessity forced them to obey, the single word carried a clear message: do not presume to stand above us. Combined with their insolent expressions, it sent a fresh surge of irritation through Hwi.
The war situation, though still favorable, was not progressing smoothly, and this only soured his mood further.
"Where did they learn such insolence? They must never have experienced a war of this scale before."
In a battlefield this brutal, any display of bravado toward a superior meant immediate death.
"There is no need to decline their challenge. Hierarchy is paramount on the battlefield, but something about them feels off. I will handle this lightly."
A low hum filled the air, followed by a series of sharp cracks. Having taken the Creator God-level Glory Seat in the Defense Divine Realm, Hwi's divine rank had risen to that of a Creator God. As proof, his twenty-six pairs of divine wings—though slightly faded in color—manifested fully. He was still weaker than a true Creator God, yet his body compensated with ease.
"Even seated, dealing with ten High Lords who can barely reach Creator Candidate level is laughable."
His body, honed through countless secret arts, required no activation of authorities against such opponents. A simple ranged assault using the basic combat authorities of the Almighty God Tribe would suffice to slaughter them all. He wondered why they would dare challenge him despite knowing this. The answer was obvious: that humiliating title, "Permanent Creator Candidate," clung to him.
"Do you also look down on me as a mere 'permanent candidate'? Your command authority transferred to me from the Creation Realm's training grounds. In wartime, I am fully justified in punishing any challenge. What we need now is vitality and divine rank, not necessarily every combat god. Elite fighters are already stationed at the main gate. Any further disrespect toward a superior will result in immediate punishment."
"How dare you—! Do you even know who we are—"
A sudden, eerie sound rang out. The surrounding Main Gods' eyes widened as Hwi vanished from the Glory Seat and reappeared in an instant. Several objects clattered to the ground before the ten High Lords.
The faces of the Creation Realm reinforcements hardened as they checked their divine artifacts. Every piece of divine equipment attached to their armor had disappeared without a trace, now lying at their feet.
"Impossible—! He stripped us all in a moment we could not even perceive?"
More terrifying was the realization that the connection points between armor and artifacts had been forcibly torn away, yet none of them had felt a thing. Furthermore, no spatial authority had been used. This was pure physical speed and strength. Had their bodies been the target instead of their artifacts, they would never have known how they died.
A chill ran down their spines at the thought.
"I truly cannot understand how someone of this caliber has failed to pass the Creator Candidate trial."
"If his speed exceeds even our perception, he must be at least a mid-tier Creator God."
Hwi's chilling, murderous voice echoed in their ears.
"These are the artifacts you dropped. Make sure to keep them properly from now on. And pick them up by bowing your waist, not by using your authorities. I am the representative and one of the rulers of the Almighty God Tribe, as well as your wartime commander. Displaying your authorities before me is the height of disrespect. Refuse, and I will execute you on the spot."
A fact they had momentarily overlooked resurfaced: the being called Hwi, this Creator Candidate, was the God King of the Almighty God Tribe. He was the one who had purged all opposing factions and ruled with absolute authority forged by his own power.
"The Almighty God Tribe was once the highest-ranking divine race among the ruling species. Though they suffered near-annihilation in the war, they are now reclaiming their former glory with terrifying momentum—a prestigious clan among prestigious clans."
"Already, many of their members have been recognized as Main Gods, and they will soon return to the Creation Realm."
"Moreover, the Creation Realm, well aware of the Almighty God Tribe's remarkable creative power, actively supports them."
The position of God King of such a tribe was by no means inferior to their own direct lineage. In the past, it would have been an authority they could not even dare to meet eyes with—an apex position. Yet the shared title of Creator Candidate and the fact that he had failed to advance for ten thousand years had clouded their judgment.
They also recalled that the opponent in his certification trial was a being who had mastered the same secret arts, converted from the Almighty God Tribe to the Demon God Tribe, and was an unparalleled powerhouse even among Demon Gods of the same rank. If he overcame this trial, he was expected to reach the Highest Creator level, create countless Main God Stars, and elevate his clan beyond the former pinnacle of divine races. They had been warned never to lose decorum before him.
A God King of the Almighty God Tribe who had mastered those secret arts was someone before whom they must bow their heads. Thus, they bowed deeply in apology.
"We have committed a momentary discourtesy. We beg your forgiveness, God King of the Almighty God Tribe."
Hwi's expression relaxed. He now understood their nature.
"They submit not to power, but to position, and value justification over practicality. Then I will handle them accordingly."
Fortunately, Hwi held the title of God King of the Almighty God Tribe, which made things simpler.
"Though the enemy numbers are great, they are weak. There is no need for you to take the field personally. However, complacency on the battlefield is forbidden. Maintain full readiness and defend the area inside the main gate. Opportunities for glory worthy of your participation will soon arise. I have high expectations for your achievements at that time."
"We are deeply grateful for your consideration. We shall meet your expectations by achieving victory in the glorious battle."
With expressions of profound gratitude, they bowed even deeper, retrieved their artifacts, and withdrew.
"As expected, those who value justification are easily ensnared by such archaic king-and-knight games. To properly control them, the title of Almighty God Tribe's God King is essential."
Mercenary Main Gods would be manageable with sufficient compensation, but these were far more troublesome. Yet even these useful mercenary Main Gods were now behaving strangely. They clenched their fists, extended only their thumbs, and pointed them toward the sky. Then they reached out and pointed at one another, their faces filled with irritation as they gestured accusingly.
It seemed like some kind of meaningful gesture, but for High Lords—even from the independent realms—it was exceedingly undignified.
"High ability comes with poor character, and good character comes with insufficient ability. And how dare they do this in front of me?"
Not a single subordinate was to his liking. This too was a headache. Irritation and killing intent naturally seeped into his voice.
"What exactly are you doing in front of me? Do you wish to die? Or, since I need your strength, would you prefer to be left half-dead?"
The mercenary gods, recognizing that Hwi's words were no joke, immediately ceased their incomprehensible gestures and bowed deeply. As former mercenary gods, what they valued most was power. The stronger one was, the higher the compensation they could demand and the more safely they could complete their missions.
"Though I, as the God King tasked with saving the fallen Almighty God Tribe, possess extremely high karma and thus receive favorable commissions from the Cyber Realm, my situation is not dire. However, the survival rate of ordinary mercenary gods is less than ten percent. Even those who reach the level of Main God must survive that ten percent again. Among mercenary gods, no matter how strong, only one in a hundred becomes a Main God. And if their karma is low, that ratio drops to one in ten thousand."
The scarcity of powerful mercenary-origin Main Gods among the countless Main Gods proved this point. Those constantly exposed to mortal danger pursued immediate practicality over distant ideals.
"Even if I find it distasteful, their lives are so brutal and desperate that they cannot afford to consider others."
Of course, the discrimination they faced from the Main Divine Realm and other divine tribes also played a role, leaving him with nothing to say. For now, it was enough that they were exceptionally capable combat gods who had received vitality. Moreover, since he was stronger than them, they followed his orders without issue.
He extended his fist with only the thumb raised upward.
"I asked what this gesture means. Answer me, 'Main Gods who reign above the heavens.'"
After a moment of hesitation, a reluctant reply came.
"It is mercenary god slang."
"Slang?"
It was a hidden meaning within language. Yet even Hwi, who had once been a mercenary god himself, had never seen such a gesture. His expression grew troubled as he continued.
"It is not an insult. They would not dare. However…"
"However?"
Searching his memories, he recalled seeing mercenary gods occasionally make this gesture behind his back. At the time, he had sensed no will or fighting spirit and had ignored it, but apparently it had meaning.
"It means things like 'You're so great,' 'Go handle it all yourself,' or 'Don't get involved with me.' So it is not exactly a positive sentiment."
"……"
Hwi felt a spark of irritation as memories of the past resurfaced.
"In short, it means 'You're so amazing, go play by yourself.' These bastards too, really…"
Hwi had never encountered this slang during his mercenary days because no one had dared to use it to his face—they had only done so behind his back. Had he known the meaning then, none of them would have been left standing.
Though anger rose, these were currently his most vital combat gods, so punishment was impossible. He would have to treat it as natural friction arising from mixing different factions.
"This is forbidden from now on. Any action that causes discord among comrades will be punished."
"Yes, sir! Thank you. We will be careful."
Watching the mercenary Main Gods bow with genuinely grateful expressions at his lenient treatment, Hwi could not stop his face from twisting.
"Why is it that my own allies give me more headaches than the enemy? They are not even my own clan, so I cannot act freely. I cannot simply beat them all since I need them, so I must coax them along? Why must there always be these pointless emotional conflicts? And why do the new arrivals provoke others instead of keeping their heads down while they adapt? Still, the mercenary Main Gods are strong and only require compensation when needed, so they are preferable."
Though the influx of reinforcements from the Creation Realm had increased their strength, the need to manage internal friction was beginning to give Hwi a headache.