The Unbreakable Sword and the Giants' Descent

The Dimensional Mage God watched Yuil Yongsinje depart for the battlefield of the Absolute Realm's hierarchy war, his face unable to hide a look of genuine pity for the miserable Otherworld conflict. Meanwhile, the Dimensional Mage God himself could only groan faintly, head bowed so low it seemed locked in place. Gaiana, utterly confused about the situation, watched with trembling eyes as he reached for the Sword of Ruin and Soul.

Crack!Crunch! Veins bulged like whipcords across his right hand as it clamped around the hilt. Muscles that could be trained no further strained with impossible pressure. The body of Black Flame was the strongest in the Absolute Realm, boasting over a hundredfold amplification and durability. Though his Authority of Black Flame was a mere 2.5 billion, his physical capabilities stood equal to a Creator God possessing 250 billion innate divine power. He could pulverize and destroy any material thing.

But the Sword of Ruin and Soul was an immortal symbol that could not be destroyed. He couldn't inflict even the slightest damage. Instead, his body screamed in protest as bones and muscles exceeded their limits from the backlash. Tears that had leaked out blurred his vision, yet he could still see his right hand trembling pathetically from the repulsive force of that power.

So powerless. The time I poured into physical training totals a full twenty-five thousand years. In the Wind Castle of Black Flame, I fought endlessly against those horrific insects and beings equal to myself—excluding that one puppy—refining this body through life-and-death battles. Yet I can't affect it in the slightest.

It was only natural. The wall was simply too high, just like this miserable reality that refused to change no matter how hard one struggled.

After somewhat regaining control of his emotions, regret and lament surged through the Dimensional Mage God's mind.

As expected, I didn't know my place. Coveting the Divine Realm's divine power support and the position of highest god, I foolishly ascended only to end up like this. I should never have left the Great Cavity. I should have trained alone. If I had endured for just one billion years, I would have at least stepped onto the path of the Creator God independently. But what is this mess? Kuk kuk—! After fighting desperately for twenty-five thousand years, my sense of time has gone completely haywire. I was once a human who found even a single year unbearably long, yet now I casually speak of a billion years? Have I truly become a spiritual being who lives in genuine eternity? Well, when you're struggling just to survive, even twenty-five thousand years can feel like an instant. The meaning lies in how one lives. The length of time was never the issue.

His long reverie and laments finally ended. The final resort of fleeing to the Otherworld had been cut off. With only this much power, he couldn't withstand the concentrated assault waiting for him there.

Even if I called it exile, as a member of the 10 Mainstays of the Absolute Realm—which is on the verge of declaring war—and with Grey, the one responsible for handling the Otherworld, I would be attacked immediately.

Though he could barely accept it, since the Origin of the Mage God—who embodied his own future self—was one of the 10 Mainstays, this reality could not be avoided. It infuriated him, but as it was the Dimensional Mage God's own authority and Origin, he could not deny that this was the work of his future self, who had advanced from his current state.

The tactic of thoroughly targeting subordinates first, as seen in the hierarchy battle just now, was something he had done countless times before. Even if his innate divine power exceeded 1,000 quadrillion, if the current version of himself served as the foundation, he would repeat the same actions a hundred times over even if told not to. That was the Dimensional Mage God—undefeated in his rise, willing to do anything for victory and survival, bearing the worst and most vicious notoriety.

The final means of returning to the past boundary could not be used either, as it was connected to higher beings. With the last resort of 'Otherworld Escape' completely blocked, only one option remained: find some way to win, compose his emotions, and analyze the current situation.

Having passed Truth's Eternal Judgment and set foot among the 10 Mainstays, the problem now lies with them.

They were the ultimate existences among all the Absolutes—the eight beings known as the 8 Absolutes. In the past, they had faced Truth alone and, when gathered together, defeated him countless times in an unbelievable history. The current 10 Mainstays had transcended even those past 8 Absolutes in combat ability by an overwhelming margin. Selected from Truth's world, which had pursued only evolution and development for 500 billion years, they were the finest battle gods. They were absolute powerhouses who wielded 1,000 quadrillion divine power at will—enough to astonish even the Eternal Beings who were Creators.

Moreover, the greatest problem was the pressure from the massive clans they commanded—hundreds of millions strong from a powerful tribe that even looked down on the Creator General despite their narrow victory. He possessed neither the personal strength nor the forces to endure that pressure. No, comparing personal ability and authority wasn't even worth considering.

Still, even with nearly identical divine power, my authority can't touch the other 10 Mainstays? Not even a scratch when I looked. A side effect of spreading myself too thin, perhaps? I can defeat those of equal or lower rank now, but I cannot inflict critical damage on higher beings. The 10 Mainstays would never stand still for an Ego Ayuta that requires activation, target confirmation, and fixation. They probably just kept dodging while I whittled down their subordinates before ultimately losing. But I can't master just one technique—my potential and talent aren't enough to take it beyond the absolute level. I'm not the Almighty Hwi. I'm just an ordinary human-born Dimensional Mage God. Damn it all—! I really can't live like this.

Agony and torment came crashing over him like a tidal wave. No matter how he thought about it, there was no way to handle the 10 Mainstays. The same held true even against the Creator Gods of the 499th Master Universe. The reason was simple: they were literally untouchable powerhouses who had mastered a single ability beyond its limit and into the absolute realm.

He was merely an ordinary being without such talent, surviving by combining various techniques. The only thing someone like him could do was hope the opponent revealed a weakness and aim for that opening.

Or should I bet all my innate divine power on a mutual destruction self-detonation? With my Authority of Dimensions, I could erase all beings possessing the same level of divine power. Puhuhuhuhu—! No matter how insane I am, there's no way I'd throw away the innate divine power I've barely accumulated.

The Dimensional Mage God stared at the Sword of Ruin and Soul gripped in his right hand and began the incantation. He was a dark mage, not a swordsman. He could not use it in its current form. Even if he tried, it would only serve as a beating tool for insignificant lower beings that would vanish at a touch—and he had no leisure for such things.

Depending on its use, the 'immortality' and 'non-killing' manifested by Truth were priceless treasures even to Absolutes of equal rank. And for someone like him—who was merely a preliminary Creator God of two Divine Realms—he absolutely had to make use of it.

The Sword of Ruin and Soul trembled faintly but showed no further signs of change. Even the greatest 10th-circle dark magic—which drew upon every possibility, material and immaterial alike, to manifest the ultimate form—could not scratch it, let alone change it. Immortality was inherently linked to an unchanging, fixed state.

It seemed he would need at least 14th-circle before he could add anything without violating its essence. Yet right now he was merely a dark mage capable of manifesting a restricted 12th-circle. A dark mage rampaging across battlefields while wielding a wooden sword—even he found the notion ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠absurd. Not even magic swordsmen stooped to such antics. Curses spilled from his lips of their own accord.

"Aha—! Damn it—! Ugh—! Come on—! In the end, is this all I can do? It's like smearing shit on a treasure."

He extracted every last drop of Demon Adamantium and demonic blood created from the two Demon Kings who had recklessly charged to kill him, then applied it to the Sword of Ruin and Soul. Naturally it could not invade the wooden sword itself, but it wrapped around the surface like rippling waves. He then attached two demonic tools—crafted by severing the Demon Kings' heads and sealing their souls within—to the end of the hilt and fixed them in place.

Thus was completed a dark mage's staff: a dark red body adorned with two demonic tools fashioned from Demon King heads.

Whoooosh—!Boom—! The staff traced a light circle before striking down, shaking the entire Main God Temple. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠From its tip—now transformed from wooden sword to staff—magic power formed of Black Flame vitality poured forth like a flood, beginning to shake the entire Divine Realm. Its power had already surpassed the billions and exceeded the trillions.

He manifested and maintained this explosively amplified magic while enduring it with the strongest Black Flame body in the Absolute Realm and the immortal Sword of Ruin and Soul. As a dark mage of reality denial possessing amplification that transcended common sense, yet who had always been driven into crisis by the frailty of his body and tools, this staff was the greatest asset he could possess.

There was only one problem, but it wasn't a major one. Thinking this way with forced optimism, he shook his head and began muttering self-praise.

"Kuk—! At least I've obtained a staff capable of enduring my amplified magic power. The old Guide of the Origin had grown too weak to handle it. Now, in terms of destructive power alone, it surpasses Creator Gods. Once the hierarchy war ends, the one ranked first—the lowest and youngest relative to me—will come to control Truth's commands. The one who will come is Gold, who has never once lost the number one rank in total power of forces and personal ability. It'll be over before it even begins. Gold, the subject of law, order, and development, would never acknowledge a dark mage like me who denies reality. Therefore, before he arrives, I will become a Creator God, earn the qualification to act in the Master Universe, and independently organize the Otherworld. With the situation this dire, what the hell are they doing over there? Arm wrestling? Not working and just playing around?"

His teeth ground together with an audible crunch. As the Dimensional Mage God and Lord God of this Divine Realm, nothing within its domain could be hidden from him. He was well aware of the absurd spectacle taking place inside the great bath of the Dimensional Lord God's temple, which he had opened to allow recovery of their bodies and divine power.

While the Lord God had roamed battlefields to earn even a little, endured Truth's Eternal Judgment, and only just returned, the newly arrived Spirit Lord Gods could perhaps be excused for not knowing better. But even the goddess Lord Gods responsible for Divine Realm management were engaged in emotional squabbles, arm wrestling to determine who was superior.

Only then did he notice Gaiana, her head hanging in shame like a criminal.

No matter if they are the Almighty God Tribe High Lord or the primordial battle god who has reached Lord God rank, it is ultimately impossible for them to control the Spirit Lord Gods led by Lokina, who possesses the authority of the Flipside Lord. Though I have direct forces, without confidence this is the limit. At this rate, instead of promotion we will collapse from internal conflict.

There was a countermeasure. What he was doing now already pushed the boundaries of a Lord God, and the aftermath was concerning, but with the 10 Mainstays as opponents, the Main Divine Realm's evaluation was irrelevant. He was facing death—future impeachment held no interest.

"Forced Spatial Movement—!"

A tremendous surge of power erupted. In an instant, everyone within the great bath was forcibly summoned into the Main God Temple. Though this was originally a Lord God's authority, those who had reached that rank could resist it to some degree—depending on their specific standing. Yet against the Dimensional Mage God, whose strength already surpassed that of Creator Gods, resistance was impossible. Before they could even react, they were pulled away in the exact postures they had held in the bath.

Thousands of goddesses and spirit goddesses, still drenched in liquid, appeared before they could even register their shock. The Dimensional Mage God, seated in the seat of glory and radiating immeasurable ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠magic and divine power, clicked his tongue.

Tsk! Not a single one managed to respond.

There had been a gap in the past, but never this wide. The result of twenty-five thousand years of desperate combat had created such a difference. With opponents he could not handle now approaching, he did not know how much help they would provide. If they simply avoided interfering and held their own positions, he would be satisfied.

Before the goddesses and spirit goddesses could regain their composure, he saw a member of the demon race pulling Torina and Hephais apart by their arms, ending their arm wrestling match. With black jewel-like horns rising from her head and twelve pairs of black wings, she was clearly at least a high-ranking demon god.

Before the startled gods could respond to the sudden appearance of a high-ranking demon, she lightly separated the two combatants and sat down in the seat of the Divine Realm management Lord God, positioned directly below the Lord God's seat of glory.

"I am Shuddering March, newly appointed as representative of the direct guard and Divine Realm management Lord God. Please treat me well from now on."

In the past, god race and demon race were beings who had to kill each other on sight. Though they had formed an alliance to defeat the Substitute Race, their instinctive hostility remained unchanged. Yet even while surrounded by powerful Lord Gods on all sides, her faint smile as she introduced herself overflowed with confidence in her own strength.

Though she had been annihilated by the Substitute Race, she had been a heroic figure among the demon race—one who had mutually destroyed a one-step-higher Substitute Race. There had been no equal to her, who wielded the two transcendental authorities of 'Shudder' and 'March' simultaneously. At least among these god races, no one seemed capable of matching her. Of course, there were a few with potential who required caution, but none yet dangerous enough to cause real concern.

That confidence transformed into fighting spirit, restoring the reason of the goddesses and spirit goddesses. Warily watching the suddenly appeared high-ranking demon, they returned to their seats. Then they became truly flustered.

The ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠seats for Divine Realm management Lord Gods stretched on endlessly—at least in the thousands. This scale was comparable to the Highest Creator Divine Realm. While replenishing vitality in the Dimensional Temple, the Divine Realm had somehow been promoted to this extent without their notice.

Moreover, the round table seats directly below the seat of glory were enveloped in such powerful light and protection that even Lord Gods dared not look upon them. One would need to become at least a Creator God before attempting to claim one—yet there sat Shuddering March, who had just introduced herself, casually occupying the end seat. They were stunned.

Her divinity was that of a high-ranking demon, but her strength alone proved she was a Demon God King. Of course, since this was the Dimensional Mage God's domain, some consideration was given, but a demon race member serving as a management Lord God of the Divine Realm completely defied common sense. Holy demons appeared occasionally, but this violated every law.

While they were still reeling from the name and rank of the one who had appeared in the Divine Realm management Lord God seat, a massive shadow covered the entire Main God Temple. A voice that shook the whole Divine Realm boomed from the air.

"Is this truly acceptable, Contractor? We are the Giant Tribe. While we are not the primary enemies of the god race like the demon race who fight for hegemony, we are mortal foes who battle over star ownership. Moreover, we are dead commanders—if you revive us like this, will the Main Divine Realm stand by quietly? And that demon race over there is a high-ranking demon, is she not? Reviving even ordinary demons causes major issues—how do you intend to handle this?"

"Let's go as far as it takes. Before I die from civil war or impeachment by the Main Divine Realm, I need this. If necessary, I will wage war against the entire Main Divine Realm. It would still be better than fighting the 10 Mainstays directly."

The conversation halted for a moment. Though the tone was dejected, the resolve within and the conveyed circumstances made it clear there was no path of retreat.

"A total war with all routes of retreat sealed. I understand. The life granted this time will be used for the contractor."

Boooom—!Boom—!

The main gods of the Giant Tribe, each exceeding ten kilometers in height, materialized in the air above the Divine Realm and began their descent. The Main God Temple shook violently from the impact of their landing.