The Origin's Intervention

It was correct to view that the Golden Absolute's power, excited to the point of losing all reason, had fused with his authority and was overpowering the Black Flame. In pure physical ability, the Black Flame held an overwhelming advantage, but when it came to overall combat strength that incorporated their authorities, the Golden Absolute was far superior. Once that same Golden Absolute lost control of his emotions, there was simply no way to stop him.

The Black Flame Absolute felt a surge of boiling rage at the thought that he might still win if he fought with the intent to kill. The other 10 Mainstays sensed the danger in both of them but had ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠neither the ability nor the reason to intervene against both at once. If those two fight each other and perish together, so be it.Jinri can simply select new candidates from their respective clans and train them again.

They knew better than anyone that Jinri's most terrifying trait was precisely this ability to educate and cultivate. Anyone with even a modicum of talent could be trained into an existence capable of wielding power on par with the 10 Mainstays. Jinri's gaze passed over the vanished space where both sides had perished in the Eternal Judgment as he spoke almost casually.

Srrrk—! Power drained from the Golden Absolute's hand of its own accord, releasing the Black Flame Absolute's throat. The Golden Absolute ground his teeth in disbelief at his own body, which reflexively obeyed Jinri's words. It was true that smooth relations among the 10 Mainstays made carrying out their duties far easier. The problem was that the differences in their thoughts and authorities were simply too vast to endure.

Whatever the case, it was a serious mistake for me—the representative—to lose my composure even slightly. He had nearly dueled the Black Flame Absolute over something that wasn't even a veto. From the perspective of the 10 Mainstays, where a single battle consumed vitality in the quadrillions, a fight that offered no benefit whatsoever was the ultimate luxury.

"My apologies. The involved party has perished, but shall I restore them and begin again as an insect? As a gesture of atonement, I will handle it personally."

"He is not dead yet. Furthermore, do not turn the opposing high-ranking clan member into an insect either. Restore them to their current state."

Wiiiiiiing—! Along with Jinri's decision, the high-ranking member of the Black Flame clan who had just been annihilated could be seen being restored. Even the 5 trillion in divine power was being recovered without any issues.

At that moment, a light flashed in the Golden Absolute's eyes. As expected, something is off. This is different from normal. Unlike Jinri, who normally made decisions faster than anyone and immediately moved on to the next matter, he was now staring at the empty dueling ground in the void and the Creator God of the Substitute Gods, waiting for the outcome.

Jinri showing this much mercy? It makes no sense. I need to dig deeper. This might be the chance to draw out Jinri's weakness. The other 10 Mainstays also had strange glints in their eyes. There was nothing better for inciting rebellion than a ruler who had lost his impartiality. Overthrowing a superior who ruled fairly was difficult, but ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the moment that superior showed favoritism toward one party, rebels would naturally arise.

Rather than the clumsy alliance born from past defeats and the emotional burden of being forced to manage the current Absolute Realm, a true 10 Mainstays would be formed. At last, a common enemy would emerge.

"The Dimensional Mage God has suffered significant damage. Will you turn him into an insect immediately? Or, as usual, fix him as an insect in the Otherworld and permanently exile him?"

"Who suffered damage? Even you cannot perceive it, Golden Absolute? Well, that makes sense. All beings possessing dimension authorities above the absolute level challenged me alongside the Origin during the reorganization of the Absolute Realm and Master Universe 500 billion years ago. They were subsequently disposed of, and due to the computational power and acquisition difficulty involved, none have appeared since. That is why even you have rarely faced or even encountered a Dimensional Mage God with an authority above the absolute level. This is a good opportunity. Observe carefully. Behold the true form of 'Dimension,' the unique authority and exclusive property of the most outstanding Creator Generals of the past."

Goooooooong!Uuuuuuuuung!

The Creator God—whose name "Star Destroyer" was utterly unsuited to a being that created evolved stars—had both arms nearly shattered and his wings of light turned almost transparent from the backlash of activating the immensely powerful Ego Ayuta. He was on the verge of death. Yet he mechanically raised his tattered right arm. A small black sun ignited within ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠his palm.

Hrrrrrrrrrk—!Shuhahahahaha—!

From the center of the black sun, a single life was reborn. What had been shattered into pieces began as a single cell. However, the flames of the Black Flame's authority transformed into magical power and multiplied at a terrifying speed. It took less than an instant for the tiny insect to assume human form. The moment it did, a dark crimson full-body armor materialized over its naked body.

At that same instant, twenty-six pairs of wings of light—proof of a Creator God's divinity—blazed into existence. Normally, a god resurrected from death required long-term recuperation, yet this was completely ignored.

"The Black Flame's Samsara of Retirement and Creator's Divine Raiment? You activated them through the Creator God to achieve complete restoration of the main body. Certainly, the Creator God has been reduced to a wreck, but the main body remains completely unharmed. You thought and prepared ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠much, yet it was foolish. If the Creator of the 500th Master Universe learns that all his secret weapons prepared over a billion years have been completely stolen, he will collapse from sheer rage. No, he has probably already collapsed."

Jinri laughed as he observed the fallen figure of the 500th Master Universe's Creator, who was undoubtedly watching this scene.

"Puhuhuhu! As expected, you should have fought the Creator of the 499th Master Universe directly. Instead, as always, you avoided stepping forward yourself and only sent your subordinates. Not only did you fail to restore your pride, but you also had all the key authorities of your subordinate gods stolen. That was inevitable. However, since this emotional conflict between Eternal Beings that can never reach a conclusion has come at far too high a price, it cannot be tolerated. Above all, we must prevent the analysis and dissemination of the absolute-grade authority from the 500th Master Universe that has just been manifested. He will rush in somehow to deal with it. With his computational power, he should have been able to determine that easily, yet he still used it? This is merely a desperate struggle to survive this moment. He cares nothing for the evaluation of those around him and chooses only the most lethal options for the sake of victory. This is why war and its postwar processing are unpredictable. Even with certainty, one cannot act recklessly. How different from the first Origin, who was so cautious that he invited his own miserable defeat. Not only that, but a noble Dimension and great Origin who can wager even his own future—quite powerful in his own way."

As Jinri muttered to himself with a delighted laugh, the Dimensional Mage God had turned complete annihilation into death, resurrected, and reclaimed even a Creator God's divinity through the Creator's Divine Raiment. He gathered all his magical power and shouted.

The Dimensional Mage God made no attempt to hide the extreme ecstasy filling his emotions. His preparations over twenty thousand years had aligned perfectly, allowing him to satisfy all three conditions of the Eternal Judgment. Of course, the intermediate process had the usual problems, but those were trivial. As long as the result was good, that was all that mattered. Victory had always made everything work out somehow.

Whether it would work on Jinri, however, remained to be seen.

"Passed. Although it was created using the vitality of the Black Flame's Wind Star, I acknowledge the passage of everything used in the Eternal Judgment. You may take it all. I do not mind if you take more vitality before you go. Huhuhuhuhuhut—!"

"I did my utmost to perfectly fulfill the conditions. Although the process may not have pleased you, the result was flawless, so I request a reexamination... Pardon?"

The words he had reflexively prepared tumbled out, leaving him dazed. All the logical arguments he had prepared—expecting the usual moral and procedural issues that had accompanied rewards after mercenary battles—crumbled apart.

To be honest, I took a baby hostage, freely used authorities stolen from another Master Universe, and committed many acts that will cause endless repercussions later. I genuinely cannot believe the decision to let it pass.

On the surface of the Wind Star, Jinri floated in the air, smiling as he continued to chuckle softly without stopping. The Dimensional Mage God had witnessed the Eternal Judgment several times, but never a case like this. No, Jinri had never expressed his emotions so richly before.

Something is wrong. If this were the usual Jinri, he would have taken all my titles after such a difficult victory and sealed my divinity. I had prepared myself for that much, yet it passed so easily? Moreover, why restore that high-ranking member of the Black Flame clan to their original state? Jinri cannot possibly be this merciful during the Eternal Judgment. And why is this cold sweat pouring out of me? On top of that, Always Coin Heads is warning me to abandon everything immediately and flee to the Otherworld at full power? Is it really an error rate of one in several hundred? At my current level, intuition cannot be trusted, can it? Yet I cannot ignore it either. I must retrieve that as well.

From the Wind Star, the Dimensional Mage God had, over a period of twenty thousand years, grown from an insect to a prospective Creator God possessing 10 billion in Innate Divine Power. The vitality of the Black Flame he had absorbed—without negatively impacting his computational power—had naturally manifested one of its main authorities: Always Coin Heads.

Of course, since I am not a formal member of the Black Flame clan, errors at a rate of one in several hundred are occurring, so it can never be completely trusted.

Above all, his original authority, Sacrifice Tolerance, remained silent. If he were about to suffer any loss or defeat, it could not possibly be this quiet. It was clearly an error. However, after seeing how assuming a one in twenty-five thousand error rate and acting on emotion had led to him suffering utter humiliation—not only himself but his entire clan—by losing to a lower being of the Master Universe, he found himself unable to act one way or the other.

In the end, he could not bring himself to abandon the Dimensional Divine Realm that had evolved into a highest-tier Creator Divine Realm after he had invested everything he had accumulated as a mercenary god, killing all emotion. Since Jinri has declared it passed, I must leave the Black Flame's Wind Star as quickly as possible.

He had no desire whatsoever to fight the Black Flame Absolute, who was glaring at him with killing intent—alternating between the high-ranking clan member being restored to original state thanks to Jinri's grace despite his defeat to a lower being, and himself, who had won and even passed the Eternal Judgment.

Moreover, the other 10 Mainstays were giving him icy looks that felt all too familiar, bringing with them a sense of crisis. It is the same look the employer gods of the Divine Realm gave me when they tried to find fault with my combat style and dispose of me.

Well, it was understandable since his battles were so different from the noble combat of those lofty beings, but he had no intention of dying for it or returning his rewards. In times like these, the best thing for one's survival is to quickly take the reward and disappear. If I get heated by such gazes and confront them, it will only lead to disaster.

Though it had taken truly blood-and-tears-level preparation to defeat even a high-ranking clan member, he quickly assessed the situation. He was not foolish enough to fail to understand that he would be killed instantly if he fought the Black Flame Absolute in earnest.

"Th-thank you. Then, farewell."

Along with his farewell, the Dimensional Mage God attempted to retrieve the preparations he had left on the Wind Star and other items, but his mouth fell open of its own accord.

Jinri had thrown the now-fully-restored high-ranking member of the Black Flame clan toward the Black Flame Absolute, who was literally burning with flames of shame and fury. The Black Flame Absolute reflexively caught the thrown clan member's head with his open right hand.

Thud—!

Compared to himself, the figure was small, yet he lifted the giant—who exceeded two and a half meters—with one hand gripping his face. The Black Flame Absolute, who had worn a puzzled expression, broke into a wide smile at Jinri's words.

"He is of your clan, so judge and handle him as you see fit. Since I am Jinri, I have given him the opportunity of life; therefore, I also grant him the crisis of death. What comes easily goes easily. This is life. Black Flame, choose between your intuition and your emotions to handle this. And you—this is a crisis of death. Try to persuade him well and escape it."

"Just die—! Defeat to a lower being of the Master Universe rather than rebellion? Who would listen to the words of an ugly loser like you? This shame upon our clan isn't even worth judging with absolute intuition!"

Without another word, he poured strength into his grip with the clear intent to crush the head in one go. A horrifying sound of skull bones grinding out of place rang out.

Crack—!

"Kuaaaaaaaa—!"

Such a desperate scream echoed across the Wind Star. Even with 5 trillion in divine power, all resistance the high-ranking clan member could offer on the Wind Star was useless. It was as futile as a newborn baby showing off tricks before a giant. The surrounding 10 Mainstays nodded with expressions that seemed to say "as expected."

This damn thing—! Of course Jinri's Eternal Judgment could not have been this easy! The Always Coin Heads warning was not an error of one in several hundred. And it's already too late? For what? This lack of proficiency means no response? I should have abandoned everything and fled after all. But why is my Sacrifice Tolerance showing no signs whatsoever? Even though I'm in danger of dying like that? Does it have no effect on my life or victory? Huh? All the retrievals are complete. Time to run. Quickly.

Sacrifice Tolerance was an authority whose grade was pathetically low, yet it had contributed enormously to his victories and survival until now. However, the problem with this authority—which stated 'For the sake of victory, tolerate all sacrifices except death'—was that it only reacted to 'defeat' and 'death.'

Therefore, it was useless in complicated political situations like this. It is nearly invincible in duels or wars where only clear powerful enemies or extreme danger exist, but it is almost nonexistent otherwise.

Thanks to that, someone with no social experience whatsoever had continued making every decision through his own arbitrary judgment without the authority's support. Problems had piled up until it eventually led to this. In the end, he had received the Eternal Judgment immediately instead of volunteering for it more than a hundred million years in the future as originally planned.

I must flee right now—! If I train for just a hundred million years, I can make everything mine. Then, besides Jinri, there will be no existence I need to fear except the 10 Mainstays. So quickly—!

From the look of things, everyone was focused on watching the defeated high-ranking Black Flame clan member being handled, so they had no interest in the Dimensional Mage God. It hurt his pride, but with his preparations nearly exhausted, even the lowest-ranking clan member could kill him in an instant right now.

Nevertheless, the old habit from his days as a mercenary god—that he must take everything he could—revived. The Dimensional Mage God sent all the items he had created and hidden in other dimensions to the Survival Magic Tower through dimensional movement.

Since they could only be produced on the Wind Star, which possesses vitality equivalent to that of an entire Master Universe despite being a single planet, they cannot be abandoned.

Above all, he had no intention of ever being dragged back to the Wind Star, so he could not leave them behind. Then, as he tried to retrieve the last and largest item, his movements froze completely.

He felt something like a massive hand gripping his head tightly.

Squeeze—!Crack crack crack!

He tried to evade to another dimension at full power, but was caught immediately in a manner that defied belief. It meant the opponent had perfectly analyzed his dimension-hiding authority, which had even confused the 10 Mainstays.

Yet even with the senses and authority of a mage specialized in analysis and verification, he could not perceive the opponent. An authority of the same type as the recognition-impossible magic specialized in hiding that he had displayed against the high-ranking Black Flame clan member was manifesting at an immeasurably higher level.

The Dimensional Mage God's hiding inevitably revealed the point of contact with an enemy, but the opponent gripping his head had no such weakness. Even when he struck at the contact surface, it felt like hitting empty air, yet the pressure remained.

Who is it? Who is using hiding and evasion magic and authority at this level? I am the only Dimensional Mage God above the absolute level. Yet they are above even me? No, the gap is so large that comparison itself is impossible?

The opponent, who felt neither transparent like himself nor even present at all, opened their mouth.

The protagonist felt a chill run down his spine as the being referred to as a mage above the absolute level, who had gripped his head, spoke familiarly to Jinri about absorbing his knowledge and information and turning him into teaching material. The identity of this unknown Dimensional Mage God had finally been revealed. They were beings who would stop at nothing for Jinri or the Wind Family.

A transcendent of the Wind Family, Jinri's bloodline—! Moreover, the Origin of the Mage God with at least 10 trillion in divine power—! Why would such an opponent suddenly appear? I cannot even run—! How can such an absurd thing happen again—! So that is why Always Coin Heads told me to run immediately! Kuaaaaaaaaagh—!

At the same time, unbearable pain far beyond having his memories forcibly viewed and shattered into pieces came rushing in.