The Absolute's Dominion
As he took each step across the Spirit Realm battlefield, the fighting spirit and killing intent overflowing from his body materialized, encroaching upon space itself. Whooooom—! Space and time trembled, violating and rewriting the laws of the present world. ‘The hundred-kilometer limit of a Main God’s domain was surpassed long ago. Within this territory that even exceeds a Creator God’s reach, nothing is impossible for me. Reviving the dead, returning to the past, or reaching a future yet to come—everything is possible. That is why I reject the laws of my own dimension and impose change upon it. That is magic.’
The moment the title of Origin fully opened his Dimensional Authority, it manifested not in a separate space like the Survival Magic Tower, but directly into reality itself. ‘Magic rewrites the laws of the world, and dimensions realize and embody that change.’
Watching the waves of his own divine power ripple and reshape the world according to his will, a loud voice burst from his lips.
“Am I finally the true Dimensional Mage God? No—this war is limited, and the title of Origin takes precedence, so I am the Absolute of Origin first. I sealed even my name to avoid the karma of denial, yet now I possess a true title. A great Absolute, a Highest Creator candidate of the upper God Realm? And on top of that, I receive this reward, yet I still throw myself into mortal danger just like before? The actions are the same, only the treatment differs? This world is disgustingly amusing. Kukukuk—! Kuhahahahahaha—!”
It was madness. In the past, he had been forced to accept unfair contracts just to earn a sliver of karma protecting the weak. Now he received enormous compensation because it was necessary, yet the result was identical. The same victory, the same battlefield where survival was nearly impossible.
‘This is the expression of fury born from a cruel fate, but even this is a luxury.’ He knew the truth. This was not the result of anyone’s interference. It was simply the limit of a human-born god who clawed his way up alone, without foundation, aiming for the supreme position of Creator God. Moreover, even though powerful Main Gods filled the God Realm, they could never join him on this battlefield.
‘My magic, the fusion of mana and authority, is wide-ranging and overwhelming. Most Main Gods cannot withstand the aftermath of my battles, and my combat style is not the kind that serves as a proud example for subordinates.’ He had never experienced a battlefield safe or considerate enough for followers to join him. Being alone suited him better.
‘A side effect of growing up solely as a mercenary god, but I have no intention of changing it now.’ He had already come too far to turn back.
Quaaaaaaaang—! As if responding to the Dimensional Mage God’s cry, the planet-scale magic circles engraved on the surface of the Creator God-class Machine God Antares flared with power. Mana and divine energy fused and erupted in continuous explosions across its hull. Gu-gu-gu-guung! Kwaaaarururung!
‘I raised the output and now it’s trying to self-destruct. Still unstable.’ Watching the imminent self-destruction, killing intent poured from the Dimensional Mage God’s eyes as he reinforced the magic circles. ‘Though these Origin entities are pathetically weak against the Highest Main Gods, their divine rank is still that of a Highest Creator, and their physical durability is immense. Ordinary planetary destruction won’t deliver a fatal blow. But these are different. As the first Creator God-class Machine Gods, their divine rank is naturally that of a Creator God. They cannot threaten the Creator Gods of the 499th Master Universe, but they can deliver critical damage to the lower 500th Master Universe Creator Gods.’
With his full-powered dimensional magic concentrated upon them, there was no problem. As a bonus, he had even granted a price to their completely suppressed and controlled planetary Machine God artificial egos.
“Kill without mercy according to my command. In return, I will grant you half a day of the free will you so desperately wanted. Excluding wartime, of course.”
Because they were completely overwhelmed in computational power—the most important factor for Machine Gods—they had no freedom at all. That was why these planetary Machine Gods, once passive and reflexive, had volunteered for modification and now charged into battle with such excitement. Yet even he did not know how much non-wartime remained in his new life.
‘Ever since becoming a Main God of the God Realm, most of my time has been spent at war. Somehow it feels more dangerous and busier than my mercenary god days.’
Without time to lament his fate, he confirmed all combat preparations once more before moving to the Main God Hall of the Defense Divine Realm. ‘I received complete independence and command authority, but I still need official recognition at the Seat of Glory.’
The reaction of the God Realm’s artificial intelligence was exactly as expected.
“The divine rank of the Dimensional Creator Candidate is insufficient for complete control, so only temporary authentication is granted. We recommend immediate participation in the battle at the main gate to secure the danger zone. As the situation is urgent, we will enforce this immediately.”
Mocking smiles flickered across the faces of the Highest Main Gods before him. ‘As expected, they’re incompetent and insane. What’s so amusing about a weak Creator Candidate whom even the God Realm AI disregards joining our side?’ They seemed to believe they would remain safe even if the Defense Divine Realm fell.
‘They must be some young masters from somewhere, but I no longer care. I only look toward victory.’ He moved to deal with the insolent God Realm AI first.
Weeeeeeeng—! Piiiiiiiiiiik—! The moment the AI attempted to forcibly teleport the Dimensional Mage God, a tremendous noise erupted as part of space ruptured and rebounded. He had casually blocked the spatial authority of a Creator God-class divine realm.
‘Dimensions encompass all space and time series. Their power and acquisition rank among the highest composite authorities. A mere spatial authority alone cannot affect me.’ He could not wage a war of extreme difficulty while dragging along a pathetic AI that wasted vitality by repeatedly attempting teleportation without understanding the situation.
‘What I need are subordinates who act as my limbs, not stubborn incompetents who hinder their allies.’ Now he would simply execute the contingency he had already prepared.
“As expected, you are useless—merely executing given protocols. On the battlefield, the incompetent face death regardless of whether they are friend or foe.”
Shuuuuuuk—! He drew forth a black-glowing crystalline gem from the void and hurled it toward the Seat of Glory while issuing his command.
“Erode and replace the obstructive artificial ego. Magic Brain. And assist me, the Dimensional Mage God, solely for the sake of victory.”
“Huk? Surely not! Kyaaaaaaa—!”
Fuhahahaha—! Uuuuuuung—! As the God Realm AI let out a scream-like sound and was devoured by the Magic Brain, the Seat of Glory shifted from brilliant light to the lustrous hue of a black pearl. He sat upon it and began the authentication process.
‘Its operation method is outdated, but as a Creator God-class artificial divine realm of a single Master Universe’s Spirit Realm, its potential is enormous.’
Papapapapapa—! The Magic Brain seized all control rights without remainder and activated support functions. In an instant, thirteen pairs of mana wings manifested. Combined with the thirteen pairs of divine power wings of light, his divine rank remained that of a Creator Candidate, yet his authority had reached the level of a Creator God.
However, fighting the complete Creator Gods of the 499th Master Universe in this state would result in certain defeat. ‘Creator God authority supplemented clumsily with magic will not work against them. I confirmed that during the contract earlier. I must obtain the creative power to forge a Main God Star and become a true Creator God. Only then will I become an existence beyond them. At that point, even the Creator Gods of the 499th Master Universe will be unable to touch me.’
Yet compared to other beings whose existence he could not even imagine, the promotion conditions beyond the 2nd Circle left him no choice. He had no option but to become a Creator God of this Master Universe.
In that instant, as he manifested the twenty-six pairs of wings of a Creator God and the Creator God-class artificial ego was devoured and vanished, the arrogant Highest Main Gods gasped in shock.
‘Erosion and replacement, they say. Even a Creator God cannot so easily handle an artificial divine realm ego superior to their own.’
‘Yet regardless, it instantly devoured all ego and information and secured every function.’ This proved the Magic Brain’s overwhelming superiority over the God Realm AI. Originally, such research results were not meant to be revealed until he became a Creator God. But this was a battlefield where defeat meant the end anyway.
‘I will pour everything out and win at all costs.’ Yet the Highest Main Gods still refused to bow their heads to him, the one appointed supreme commander of this war. It irritated him.
‘On the battlefield, nothing is more dangerous than those who display personal emotions or possess firm personal convictions—and if they are allies, it is the worst. They obstruct operations according to their own ideology, commit acts of treason that benefit the enemy while claiming it is justice. I once buried such a traitor during a righteous war he claimed to want. They were all overjoyed.’
These ones appeared to be direct descendants of some high-ranking figure. From experience, they would only cause hindrance, never help. Fortunately, Hwi seemed to have roughly understood and stationed them in the rear for base defense rather than the front lines, but he could not feel at ease with rear support. Killing them and harvesting their vitality would often be the better choice.
‘I have eliminated such untrustworthy allies without anyone knowing more times than I can count, and done so officially as well. There is no reason to hesitate.’ Above all, advancing to the front lines while leaving unreliable allies behind your back guaranteed defeat.
“Shall I kill you lot as well? You would rather break your pride than bow to a mere human-born mercenary god, wouldn’t you? Am I wrong? Young masters from somewhere.”
Saaaa—! The Dimensional Creator Candidate smiled coldly at the allies he had judged incompetent.