The Cost of Love on the Battlefield

Unlike the other main gods who had been crushed by the Dimensional Mage God’s power in the Otherworld War, abandoned all thoughts of rebellion, and chosen to fight the enemy to build up merits, these two refused to battle their past lover and remained behind.

Riasna simply stared blankly in one direction, not even activating the God-destroying red flames that had grown stronger after she obtained Creator God divinity through the Troop of Creation God.

As I feared.

The being she watched was the one now called Feminist—once known as Lady First, the dream of every goddess. Tears poured endlessly from Riasna’s eyes as she gazed at the man she had once loved enough to abandon her clan and entire race. The droplets fell to the floor without end.

Only Himejina’s desperate voice rang out as she gripped Riasna’s right hand with both of hers, trying to drag her toward the Main Divine Realm’s battlefield.

"……."

I can’t even tell who the master is anymore. Well, their clan always decided dominance by the strength of their authorities. Does that mean Riasna is stronger than Himejina? Hard to believe.

The God-destroying Black Lightning Demon God race was unique—two separate clans coexisted within it. One clan wielded red flames that burned divine authority; the other commanded black lightning that shattered physical bodies. Both were prestigious bloodlines among the demon gods. Though completely different, their authorities perfectly complemented each other.

Individually they are powerful, but their true strength emerges the moment their authorities link. When the pair unites, their power surpasses even transcendent authority.

It was said that two demon gods of this clan who had reached the highest level of mastery could combine their strength and rival even a Demon God King. Working together, they were nearly invincible. Unfortunately, because their territories were adjacent and their relationship terrible, they had fought endlessly to prove who stood above the other.

That meaningless conflict ended when the origin of the God-destroying Black Lightning Demon God race was born—one who had completely unified the God-destroying Flames and God-slaying Lightning. The clans merged, rose together, and became the ruling power of the entire demon race.

When I fought alongside the divine race in the early days of the Mercenary God, the combined strength of those God-destroying Black Lightning demons was so overwhelming that even a main god-level Dimensional Mage God could barely approach them. The memory of the divine realm’s forces—including multiple mercenary gods—being unable to handle just two opponents, suffering a one-sided rout until they barely managed a forced separation, remains as vivid as yesterday.

Because of that near-admiring memory of their power, he had taken the risk of forging divine records to bring them into the divine realm. All of it had been pointless.

Those demons once forced higher main gods to hire mercenary gods just to stand a chance, yet my own subordinates have been reduced to this? Is this the fate of those who stake everything on love? Acting on fleeting emotion really is futile. Foolish.

Without fighting together, they were ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠nothing more than slightly stronger main gods. The same would hold true even after becoming Creator Gods.

There is no way two hastily created Creator Gods could defeat Feminist, the second-ranked main god lord and a mid-level Creator God whose authorities are specialized against males. The data I confirmed proved his second-rank strength was no exaggeration.

Had it not been for Hwi of the All-Powerful Splendor—the hero god and origin of the Almighty God Tribe—Feminist possessed both the skill and achievements to claim first place.

Normally the odds would be even because they are goddesses, but separating them ends the fight instantly. Still, leaving them completely out and entrusting everything to the four preliminary creator gods is too risky.

When divine power and rank were similar, everything was decided by the level of authority. If these two were the sure-kill cards the demon race had prepared in the past to block Lady First’s ascension to Creator God, victory was possible. Alone, however, they meant nothing.

I must send Riasna to the battlefield no matter what.

Yet while Riasna had fallen into this state, her past lover lived happily in radiant Creator God form, surrounded by many partners and concubines. The perfectly exposed evidence of betrayal had dealt her such a massive ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠mental shock that she could hear nothing anyone said.

Himejina, who had been trying to persuade her, finally lowered her head in complete surrender.

I warned her in advance expecting this, yet it still came to this. I cannot let it pass.

The current main god war had begun because of the main god lords’ rebellion against him, but as the Main God of the Divine Realm, it ultimately concerned the divine realm’s prestige. If the Main God ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠of the Divine Realm was openly ignored, the realm itself could not remain intact. That was why every other main god, regardless of faction, fought desperately on the battlefield. There was no way they could tolerate a main god refusing to fight over past love.

Yet the spirit main gods—who had been in the same position—did not even glance back to call for them.

Even Lokina, representative of the spirit main gods, pays them no attention despite their refusal to participate.

She was simply pouring all her strength into summoning a colossal artificial snake god and multiple wolf gods into the Main Divine Realm and letting them run wild.

Without any faction protecting them, the outcome would be catastrophic. No matter how high his position, even the Main God of the Divine Realm could not protect the incompetent and weak forever.

Has even Lokina given up?

Well, as a mage god, his forces were already sufficient through the replenishment of various magic tools such as the divine realm’s total annihilation fortress. There was no need to accept problematic main gods who had converted from the demon race to the divine race.

A demon who had competed for dominance rather than originating from the divine race would end up like this without desperate effort far beyond others. Seeing a sight similar to his own—when he had been checked for being a human-born god with an unstable mind—made rage boil up inside him.

Moreover, Feminist was indeed overwhelmingly strong, as expected of the second rank.

The preliminary creator gods who ascended are being pushed back.

It was an unexpected result. Four preliminary creator gods promoted to full Creator Gods should not have lacked the power to face a main god lord.

That bastard—! Wasn’t he only strong against goddesses? Why is he this powerful? No, it feels like the preliminary creator gods are interfering with each other. Is it some kind of authority?

Strangely, the authorities of the allied preliminary creator gods refused to integrate and instead scattered. Thanks to that, they were being miserably overwhelmed.

Perhaps for that reason, although the forces had been divided into nine battlefields, this was the only one among all the Main Divine Realm’s fronts—where complete victory had been assured through the power of the Troop of Creation God—showing clear signs of defeat.

The cause of that miscalculation stood right before him, and the resulting fury manifested on the round table in front of his seat.

Kwaaaaaaaaang—!

Unable to contain his rage, the palm he slammed down shattered the round table that had only just been restored. Amid the countless fragments ricocheting off the walls of the main god war chamber, the Dimensional Mage God’s roar exploded.

Uuuuung!

The Dimensional Mage God activated both his authority and magic simultaneously, summoning the World Bomb Core. A black hole opened in the empty space before his lips. What emerged was not the small bead from before but a massive black sphere the size of a watermelon.

Uuuuuuuung—!

The sphere’s surface trembled, radiating an indescribable oppressive force that pushed against space itself. It carried the same chilling sense of impending crisis as a bomb on the verge of detonation.

The clearly materialized World Bomb Core advanced as though it would swallow the still-dazed Riasna whole. It moved slowly, as if to warn that inaction meant death, but when she showed no reaction, killing intent surged in the Dimensional Mage God’s eyes.

This is the end. In the end, must I dispose of my own direct subordinate with my own hands? I don’t like it at all. Still, I cannot tolerate a god of war who refuses to fight on the battlefield.

Having made his final decision, he clenched his eyes shut as though there was nothing left ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to see. At the same moment, the World Bomb Core vanished from its previous position and reappeared directly above Riasna’s head.

Whether she failed to sense the World Bomb Core falling toward her like a guillotine or simply wished for death, she continued staring straight ahead with a vacant gaze. Himejina threw herself over Riasna and pinned her down.

Thud—!

The World Bomb Core’s advance, which devoured existence itself, halted right above their heads.

The Dimensional Mage God’s eyes opened once more. Even so, the effort and vitality he had invested in Himejina—who still showed the will to fight—were far too precious to discard. More than that, it pained him to see the one with the brightest potential among all his subordinate main gods about to disappear.

Because of the mercenary gods who were used like mere pieces on a game board, the thought of personally disposing of my own subordinates sits heavily with me.

Yet with the entire divine realm engaged in full-scale combat, Riasna’s refusal to fight over past ties had already crossed the limit of what could be tolerated. Even if he forgave her, the other main gods would not.

Even if I endure it, the other main gods will not. They will try to handle it themselves without reporting to me, the Main God of the Divine Realm. Then there is nothing I can do.

Intervening in relationships between main gods when it was neither his own matter nor concerned the entire divine realm had limits. No—it was possible, but it must not be done.

Without guaranteeing independence, there can be no growth. Perfect protection is no different from raising a pet and inevitably leads to weakening. In the end, they will grow weak and self-destruct. I, who follow Truth’s ideal of ‘eternal development through the strong-first principle,’ cannot allow that. Even if I am not present at the end, I will continue to pursue it.

The tendency to spare no sacrifice in order to grow stronger was part of the Dimensional Mage God’s very essence. To betray that essence would cause problems with both his divinity and his magic. The authorities and magic that had already reached the pinnacle were nearly one with his divine spirit.

Even living beings were influenced by the mind. Gods, being spiritual bodies rather than material ones, saw their power surge or plummet even more dramatically according to their state of mind. That was why he could not dispose of Himejina, who still carried the potential to grow stronger.

Even so, the Dimensional Mage God could not stop here. His stern warning burst forth.

Himejina flinched at the Dimensional Mage God’s words, which even addressed the aftermath of disposing of Riasna for refusing to fight. It was not because of the promise that she herself could survive and regain past glory alone. For some reason, the Dimensional Mage God—who had always hesitated and refrained from carrying out discipline or punishment even when his direct subordinates showed signs of rebellion—had now hardened his resolve completely.

Yet she could not lose Riasna-nim, the one with whom she had lived for so long as a paired set of authorities, over something like this.

"That is why, if I can persuade her…"

Himejina’s desperate pleas reached his ears, but the Dimensional Mage God’s attention had already drifted elsewhere.

The main god war was proceeding according to plan.

Although the five preliminary creator gods were struggling because Riasna and Himejina—originally scheduled to be deployed against the second-ranked Feminist—were absent, they were holding their ground well as expected of the highest-tier preliminary creator gods.

If I stepped in, I could clean everything up immediately, so that was not a problem. The real issue is this ridiculous situation.

The smiling gaze of the Wind Family’s dimensional origin was directed straight at the Dimensional Mage God.

This looks like a father trying to drive out the daughter who caused a huge scandal by being deceived by a man, while the older sister desperately defends her. Thanks to that, things have become complicated. The Wind Family dimensional origin-nim’s attention has shifted from the war to this side.

Although the Wind Family dimensional origin sat comfortably behind the seat of glory and could not be looked at directly, after being struck severely several times and forced to concentrate, he could now even sense changes in the being’s gaze and facial expression.

At first he watched the main gods of the Main Divine Realm ascend to Creator Gods and even observed the battles. Now that his analysis seems complete, he has begun looking around again.

The moment the Dimensional Mage God, unable to contain his fury, shattered the round table and began his interrogation, the origin’s focus had turned completely this way.

He appears to have lost interest in the main god war. Well, from the perspective of the Wind Family origin-nims—eternal beings with 1,000 quadrillion divine power—the battles of main-universe Creator Gods with a mere 100 billion divine power could hardly be entertaining. Still, if I am not careful, I will get dragged in again.

The Wind Family dimensional origin’s gaze alternated between the still-dazed Riasna and the Dimensional Mage God. His lips curved into a faint smile. Then, at last, his bright voice rang out.

"Keuk—! Keuk—!"

The Dimensional Mage God involuntarily let out a choked scream at the shocking declaration—not merely granting authority but offering direct help—then desperately tried to swallow it back.

Now I understand exactly what happens when the Wind Family origin-nims intervene directly in the main universe. They themselves hold no malice whatsoever, yet the power they possess is too vast and their will too strong to tolerate any obstacle or impossibility. While they destroy all such things with the Wind Family’s absolute power, everything around them gets caught in the devastation.

Only the strong survive and remain safe. There is never forgiveness for problems that must be destroyed or for the weak. In the selection of those weak, even a lower origin like the Dimensional Mage God was not exempt.

No—! If it comes to this, the problem is no longer one or two main gods. There is no other choice anymore.