The Grey Absolute's Appointment
The roar and impact that shook the entire Wind Star during the Spirit Realm War continued for a long while before silence finally returned. In that time, every titled Absolute had returned to their positions, and news spread across all Master Universes and the Absolute Realm announcing that the number of beings who had passed Jinri's Eternal Judgment had grown. Word that the only empty seat among the management gods—the strongest Grey—had been appointed to the 10 Mainstays traveled faster than anything else.
Even more shocking was the fact that the appointee was merely a Creator Candidate with only 100 billion divine power, yet he had received the Wind Star, an honor that could only be granted after one reached 1,000 trillion divine power and proved strength equal to the other 10 Mainstays, thereby gaining the power to protect it. Incomprehensibly, the revelation that the Origin of the Mage God—a blood descendant of the Wind Family—had manifested the future Grey to take the position drew no interest. Yet that was the most crucial detail. At last, a being capable of becoming the center of the management gods had appeared, and that being was a Magic God. Moreover, the fact that he was the most heretical among all gods of light and a management god specialized in combat made the situation even more unusual. It signaled the beginning of war. The Origin of the Mage God, who had merely registered the Magic God’s introductory manual in the Cyber Realm and left it untouched, was finally beginning to intervene in reality.
All the gods who hurriedly looked up the introductory manual after the sudden appointment of the Magic God to the 10 Mainstays trembled at the power it revealed.
“Reality is hell. To change that hell, it doesn’t matter if it’s divinity or magic. Without regard for means or methods, win and revolutionize everything. The paradise that has never existed—I will manifest it one day.”
“Deny reality. Deny every being, institution, and rule that constitutes your surroundings. Deny everything and follow only one being and one truth you can believe in perfectly. But your current self is far too weak to bear the weight of harsh reality. Therefore, for the great revolution that will one day arrive, do not manifest yourself in reality and become endlessly stronger. No being exists that can perceive or oppose such an existence.”
This introductory manual, steeped in killing intent and fighting spirit so thick it was impossible to tell whether it belonged to a Magic God or a god of light, revealed nothing beyond those lines. For anyone who had not abandoned their previous profession and formally entered the class, the contents remained sealed—even to Creator Gods or Lords of Creation. Thus, people could only infer the rest from the words on the cover of the beginner’s manual.
Even the Magic Gods who had been urgently summoned, stunned by an introductory text for a god of light that was harsher than most dark gods’ job primers, could only press their lips tightly shut. Forcing them to speak was possible, but those who had answered the summons were the relatively mild ones—and even they were vicious specimens. There is no being who mixes lies while performing tasks that go against their own will, regardless of strength or position.Obtaining such information incorrectly would cause a catastrophe.
On top of that, with the Origin of the Mage God intervening in reality, all the foundational data for becoming an absolute-level god had been released into the Cyber Realm. And it was based on the secrets of the Magic God of Dimensions, who had single-handedly turned the 500th Master Universe into scorched earth. Magic Gods were now supplied with information and authorities that would let them grow stronger at a speed incomparable to before. These were the same Magic Gods who had been grinding their teeth in helplessness and obeying orders; now they had a foundation to climb higher. If grudges were formed, the consequences would be impossible to handle. Furthermore, those Magic Gods who ignored even summons from superiors had already been branded as irredeemable villains, so there was nothing anyone could do.
The Origin of the Mage God and the Magic God of Dimensions, now at the eye of this storm, glared at each other while grinding their teeth.
Crunch—! Grind—!
The future and present versions of the Magic God of Dimensions manifested by the Origin of the Mage God differed only in the number of wings; at their core, they were the same. The target no longer mattered. The past Magic God of Dimensions bared his teeth solely toward those who had oppressed him, while the future Magic God of Dimensions indiscriminately beat his past self—who charged in without understanding a word—until the stinging gazes around them made him pause. Both were emotional and acted according to their own judgment. Realizing that no amount of beating would make his past self submit and that it only deepened his sticky killing intent, the future self changed tactics and began persuasion.
Their gazes, openly radiating killing intent as they glared at each other, were anything but ordinary. The Magic God of Dimensions had now clearly acknowledged that this was not some scheme by the Origin of the Mage God but his own future self. Above all, if it was his strengthened self who no longer needed to worry about others, this was exactly how he would handle a stubborn subordinate. First he’d get angry and beat the hell out of him, then try to coax him nicely. Of course the success rate is still rock bottom, just like now.
The next step, whether it worked or not, would be to try to seize it by force. Although the authentication was currently bound to the present self, his future self would inevitably find a way to make use of it. Deny fixed reality and somehow create a better one. That was the true secret art of the Magic God.
Above all, it didn’t seem possible to escape safely while carrying the newly acquired Grey Wind Star. The Black Flame Clan encircling them was troublesome enough, but the greatest obstacle was the 10 Mainstays standing directly behind Jinri with expressions of pure headache. Even now, returning in the middle of escaping the Otherworld because my eyes rolled back at the reward of the Wind Star’s core was pure insanity. Thanks to the forced return, I took damage alongside the Magic Tower, so less than half my original power is available.
Moreover, his future self had already surpassed 1,000 trillion innate divine power and become one of the 10 Mainstays—there could be no more absurd opponent. Even the somewhat trustworthy Creator Great God of Black Flame, Seongmyeol, had been defeated by the Origin of the Substitute Gods. His racial authority was sealed, his body flattened, and he was in no condition to fight. The only path to survival was flight.
“Ugh. Rather than let it be taken, I’ll do this instead. Take it—! Seongmyeol—!”
“What? You idiot—! I told you not to use it that way!”
The future self’s eyes widened in panic as he watched the Wind Star’s core, thrown from his embrace, dimensionally shift toward Seongmyeol. It was exactly as he had expected. It really was his future self. He knew precisely what the other was trying to do.
“Existence Fusion—!”
The instant the Wind Star’s core touched Seongmyeol’s forehead, it was absorbed and both vanished at once. The Grey Wind Star’s core had fused with Seongmyeol, and his injuries were disappearing at terrifying speed. It was only natural; the core possessed vitality equal to an entire Master Universe. But until Seongmyeol was smashed to pieces, separation was now impossible. Whether separation was even feasible anymore was doubtful.
Before the stunned onlookers could regain their senses at the absurd sight of the Wind Star—which could create billions of clan members with the lowest exceeding a trillion divine power and could empower a being beyond 1,000 trillion—being used merely to heal a Creator Great God of the Substitute Gods who possessed only 5 trillion divine power, the Magic God of Dimensions executed a full-powered dimensional shift.
The future Magic God of Dimensions, rage boiling over at the fading figure, charged forward.
“You caused an incident like this—? Using a Wind Star that can do anything in such a manner? I really won’t let this slide. Ugh—!”
Jinri lightly blocked the future Magic God of Dimensions’ attempt to sever the short-range dimensional movement and drag him back to his original spot.
“How one uses what they have received is their own freedom. It is not for those around them to interfere.”
“However… I understand. Since it can be separated again anyway, I will overlook it this time.”
The future Magic God of Dimensions had been about to argue, but the moment he saw Jinri lightly grip the Sword of Ruin and Soul, he quickly prepared follow-up measures and shut his mouth. Knowing full well that talking back would result in a beating, only the foolish Black Flame Absolute would charge in with objections. Still, the future Magic God of Dimensions could not stop grumbling.
Stupid past me. Do you really think you’ll be safe carrying the Wind Star’s core with only 100 billion innate divine power? Every absolute-level or higher being will swarm you immediately. Do you believe fusing it with Creator Great God Seongmyeol will let you escape? When someone’s ready to die, there’s nothing they won’t do. I need to issue a warning and take measures.
As the future Magic God of Dimensions lightly finished organizing the situation, Jinri spoke as though he had been waiting.
“Now that the 10 Mainstays are filled, we proceed with the plan. Begin the advance into the Otherworld.”
At those words, ecstasy flooded the faces of the 10 Mainstays. The endlessly frail Otherworld had dared to demean them as false gods or fabricated beings; their accumulated resentment was immense. The time to finally discipline them has come.
But the next sentence made their expressions crumple involuntarily. As expected. Jinri would never grant only good news.
“Before that, the Grey will also participate and begin the ranking battles. I will not forgive pointless emotional fights simply because he is a newcomer. Fight clearly and determine superiority.”
A billion years ago, the ranking battle started by the Black Flame Absolute—who had invoked a veto against the Cyber Realm’s disposition and held out—had left four people with fatal injuries requiring long recuperation. No one could predict what would happen if another ranking battle broke out among the 10 Mainstays. Yet before they were 10 Mainstays, they were war gods and battle gods. Without a clear hierarchy, the chaos that would erupt on the battlefield was obvious.
There are differences in strength between individuals, but they are not large. In the end, they will have to risk their lives.
Moreover, it involves the ranking of their entire clans.
For these reasons, the ranking battle was an unavoidable all-out clash. The 10 Mainstays bowed their heads deeply in acknowledgment, and Jinri’s eyes as he gazed at them flickered with both affection and sternness.
At some point Yuil Yongsinje had returned. He scratched his head, lifted the Sword of Ruin and Soul in his hand, and spoke.
“Father. I wasn’t able to award this. That fellow was surprisingly quick-witted.”
“It doesn’t matter. Since he passed the Eternal Judgment, we will see him again soon. Give it to him then.”
“Wasn’t it over? Now that the 10 Mainstays have been filled by his future self, I doubt there will be any reason to see him again?”
“What are you saying? He passed the introduction, but the test itself is not finished.”
Why else would it be called the Eternal Judgment? Because it had no end.
“Since he took the Wind Star and used it, he must perform work of corresponding value. Even if coordination between the 10 Mainstays is impossible, assign him missions he can carry out and make him complete them.”
At Jinri’s resolute expression that declared the notion of an end absurd, Yuil Yongsinje froze for a moment while the 10 Mainstays wore expressions that said as expected.
“To a mayfly that lives only a single day, humans who live a hundred years appear immortal and nearly eternal. If that mayfly were to live a hundred years like a human, that too would be eternity. The standard of the Eternal Judgment is based on me. There is no end until one surpasses me.”
“……”
There was no need for further words. Their experience of living together as family across an immeasurable span of time already told them everything. This is completely sincere.
It had been known that beings who passed the Eternal Judgment were extremely rare, but the records confirmed it was true. The Eternal Judgment was a rite of passage designed to create the 10 Mainstays. The fierce training and relentless pressure shown in order to produce a 10 Mainstay in the shortest time overlapped in their minds.
He probably intends to summon the Magic God of Dimensions whenever he has spare time and force him through training.
He wouldn’t even be able to run away like before. Taking Seongmyeol, now fused with the Wind Star, would be impossible with the current level of divine power measured in the hundreds of millions. Tsk tsk—! Poor bastard. He had ordinary talent. I wonder if he can endure it? Later I should visit the Divine Realm, award him the Sword of Ruin and Soul, and offer some comfort. There’s something I need to ask him anyway.
Yuil Yongsinje clicked his tongue, unable to stop feeling sympathy for the unfortunate soul.