The Final Stand
The Dimensional and War God bowed his head in a polite greeting before soaring into the air. The goddesses hesitated for a long moment, ultimately abandoning their request to freeze the Main Divine Realm and redirecting their divine power back to defense. This Main God Star represented their final chance, so their resolve burned with desperate intensity.
Doooooooom—!Uuuuuuuuuuuung—!
Upon further reflection, the goddesses realized that retreating now would leave them with no future. Yet if they released the Main God's divine power, they would be immediately banished to the Spirit Realm. The true punishment for their crime—nearly destroying a star in their battle against the Demon Realm—was to possess power yet be forced to watch the Divine Realm's destruction in helpless agony.
The way the goddesses looked at him now overflowed with raw, desperate emotion.
“We must withdraw the Primeval God of War and the Demon Emperors—!”
“That would be the correct decision. Everyone, retreat to the Divine Realm.”
“The Demon Realm may not be able to hold either. Withdraw to the Demon Realm at once.”
It was a sound judgment. However, neither the Primeval Gods of War nor the Demon Lords moved.
“My King—! How can you ask us to let you die alone?”
“O Eternal Demon God who reigns forever! We do not fear annihilation!”
“Shut up—! It’s a waste of the vitality needed for your resurrection, so get the hell out of here!”
When the Main God of the Divine Realm and the Demon God of the Demon Realm made it clear they intended to face the enemy alone, their subordinate gods and demon gods erupted in protest.
“They know full well that their divinity has fallen, making them no match for the opponent, and that dying at the hands of a Substitute God lord would mean true extinction—yet they still act like this.”
The sly, raccoon-like Main God of the Divine Realm might be cunning, but the loyalty of the divine race remained steadfast. The subordinates of the Demon God of the Demon Realm likewise refused to back down, insisting they would fight together.
“A Demon God who commands such loyalty from her followers? This star truly is entertaining.”
The Main God of the Divine Realm he knew had always been a hypocrite who demanded sacrifices from the few for the benefit of the many. And the Demon God of the Demon Realm had ruled purely through strength, indulging her desires and earning only resentment.
“Is this what makes them different?”
Thirteen pairs of dimensional wings enveloped him, instantly transporting him through space to the Boundary.
Whiiiiiiish—!
Upon arrival, his eyes fell on the Primeval Gods of War and Demon Emperors who had thrown themselves to the ground or planted their knees firmly, refusing to leave.
“To the divine race, he is a benevolent lord worthy of trust. To the demon race, he is an overwhelmingly powerful Demon God without equal.”
The Demon God of the Demon Realm had ignored the fate of the demon race—which was to never allow rivals strong enough to challenge her to live—and had instead spared all her strengthened subordinates, demoting them only to the titles of Demon Emperor and Demon Lord. She had done so even while enduring checks from the other Demon Gods. Naturally, she had eliminated all Demon Lords who refused to follow her, but that was simply what any ruler would do.
Goooooooooooo—!
The God Slayer unleashed by the highest-ranking lord of the Substitute Gods was now closing in on the Divine Realm. There was no longer time for them to escape under their own power.
“Use forced divine speech. I cannot afford to waste my divine power transporting them.”
At his will, both the Main God of the Divine Realm and the Demon God of the Demon Realm nodded and raised their power. Though diminished to roughly upper-god level by the God Slayer, they were still monstrously powerful beings.
“Main God of the Divine Realm authority invoked! Forced Divine Realm Summoning—!”
“Demon God of the Demon Realm authority invoked! Forced Demon Realm Summoning—!”
Every god and demon god who had been holding their ground around the Main God of the Divine Realm and the Demon God of the Demon Realm was instantly sent back to their respective realms. This was the unique authority of the two rulers, allowing them to forcibly summon any affiliated god or demon god regardless of location, space, or time.
Whiiiiiiiiish—!
The vast Boundary, once teeming with high-ranking beings, now held only two lords whose thirteen pairs of wings shone brilliantly and one Demon God whose dark wings fluttered in the wind. Countless divine cannons and demonic artillery pieces stood abandoned, while defensive formations lay scattered across the field.
“Hah—! We worked ourselves to death building these defensive facilities, yet the moment we step forward ourselves, they become completely useless.”
“In the end, the true strength of both the Divine Realm and Demon Realm has always rested with the Main God of the Divine Realm and the Demon God of the Demon Realm, hasn’t it? There’s no longer any need to limit our power out of concern for allied casualties. Besides, this place must be preserved for the next war, so it won’t go entirely to waste.”
“The next war? In my judgment, we should be requesting a freeze right now. We should have dealt with that thing somehow from the very beginning.”
The Main God of the Divine Realm's eyes glittered with unusual intensity.
‘I was lucky enough to obtain the qualifications of a Creator God. Yet I have no successor, making it impossible to hand over the position of Main God of the Divine Realm. And now even the Divine Realm itself risks being frozen by the Substitute Gods.’
No matter how sly and raccoon-like his nature, this was enough to drive anyone mad. Had it been a fight he could not win alone, he would have already chosen mutual destruction with the lord of the Substitute Gods.
‘Mutual destruction through a reckless charge? That is not the happy ending I desire. I have witnessed far too many tragedies.’
Even if it was selfish, he wanted to prevent those connected to him from suffering misfortune.
“This is exactly when clients come looking for me. As the Dimensional and War God rather than a mere upper-tier dark mage, I will formally accept a mercenary god commission.”
The Dimensional and War God, his expression now grave, spread both arms wide as he spoke.
“Now then—! State your request and the appropriate compensation. O Main God of the Divine Realm, greatest of all.”
The far too calm and confident tone of the Dimensional and War God completely changed the atmosphere. Only then did the Main God of the Divine Realm's eyes return to normal.
‘I have the Demon God of the Demon Realm, who stands on equal footing with me, as an ally by my side. And there is also the mercenary god who has become a lord through a new dimensional authority, his power seemingly bottomless.’
As far as he knew, the only opponents this level of force could not defeat were Creator Gods or the Demon God King. Yet right now, the Main God of the Divine Realm had nothing to offer him.
“At this moment, I have absolutely nothing I can give the Dimensional and War God as immediate compensation. Even after I become a Creator God, considering fairness, I can only grant you a single Main God Star. I truly possess nothing right now.”
Though spoken calmly, the Main God of the Divine Realm's words carried deep despair.
“I am truly sorry. I will not resent you if you refuse the commission. A better future awaits you, after all.”
For the first time, it sounded like completely honest words.
‘To have ruled as Main God of the Divine Realm for eons yet possess nothing is truly rare. All that remains are an embarrassingly free Divine Realm that can hardly be called personal property, and his family.’
While other Main Gods of the Divine Realm focused on building their own kingdoms by any means necessary, this was an unexpectedly pure existence.
“When you become a Creator God, I shall accept one Main God Star. As an advance payment, I will take several other things.”
At his answer, both the Main God of the Divine Realm and the Demon God of the Demon Realm changed expressions. They had been about to join a battle where they had resolved themselves for annihilation, and yet he was volunteering so naturally. And for compensation no better than an unlimited promissory note.
“In the name of the Main God of the Divine Realm and the Demon God of the Demon Realm, permanently delegate to me all planetary rights in this solar system excluding the Main God Star. Any additional planets acquired afterward shall be included as well.”
“Is that all?”
Aside from the Main God Star, the other planets were barren wastelands incapable of supporting even the simplest lifeforms, let alone sentient beings.
“Stars without life or moons hold value only to the Substitute Gods. They mean nothing to us. If anything, I would rather lend you stars from the Divine Realm.”
“A Main God Star possesses ten thousand times the value of an ordinary habitable planet. Even for the eternally reigning Demon God of the Demon Realm, that would be excessive.”
The Demon God of the Demon Realm could only nod in agreement. She, once hailed as the next Demon God King, had been dispatched to this remote stellar system for a certification battle and ended up captured—all because of a Main God Star.
‘The value of a Main God Star created directly by a Creator God cannot be compared to naturally formed planets. It is a world so bountiful it can establish an independent vitality supply system for the entire Demon Realm.’
A Main God Star could not be measured against the handful of habitable planets seized from other pathetic Main Gods of the Divine Realm.
“If Granzoa returns as a highest-ranking upper god, accept her into the Divine Realm. Should she become a lord, formally appoint her as your successor and grant her certification in the Main Divine Realm.”
Both the Main God of the Divine Realm and the Demon God of the Demon Realm stared at him with faces that said they could no longer understand.
“The last condition is what I desire. However, it brings no benefit whatsoever to the Dimensional and War God.”
“Why would you propose such an unfair deal? Demand half of all the divine power and vitality gathered in the Divine Realm right now instead. When you create your own divine realm, I will ensure it becomes the finest upper-tier realm possible.”
“I have my own circumstances. With these conditions, will you enter a contract to fight the lord of the Substitute Gods alongside me? O Main God of the Divine Realm, greatest of all.”
The Main God of the Divine Realm ground his teeth as he looked at the Karma Contract that was overwhelmingly advantageous to him.
‘There is no trap, no disadvantageous clause. Among all the contracts I have led until now, this guarantees the highest level of benefit.’
In this desperate and unfavorable battle, they had finally seized the initiative.
‘Sign it. Then I shall create the successor to the Divine Realm that you have longed for.’
This was the greatest compensation he could offer Granzoa, who was bound to him through a Devotion Pledge and as a subordinate god. For the Main God of the Divine Realm, who suffered no great loss, it required only a signature and authentication.
Yet the Main God of the Divine Realm hesitated, then added several more lines.
“When I become a Creator God, I will grant you two Main God Stars. Furthermore, from this moment on, I shall form a mutual defense treaty with you. As long as I exist, I am your steadfast ally.”
“Have you truly gone mad? A high lord on the verge of becoming a Creator God is forming a permanent mutual defense pact on equal terms with an ordinary lord?”
“This is the greatest compensation I can offer right now in return for your goodwill. Will you accept it? O Dimensional and War God.”
The face of the Main God of the Divine Realm was no longer that of a schemer, but of a true king.
‘Without the slightest self-interest, he acts solely according to his conscience and will. He possesses the power to realize ideals and the resolve to overcome any hardship.’
‘Indeed! So this was his true self from the past? It is no wonder the Primeval Gods followed him so devotedly.’
Had he not been a dark mage who pursued only magic and strength, the man possessed enough charm to inspire oaths of loyalty.
“It is an infinite honor. The Dimensional and War God is satisfied with the proposal from the greatest Main God of the Divine Realm.”
A mutual defense treaty on equal footing with a higher being held tremendous value. Of course, only if both parties survived.
Fwaaaaaaaa—!
Only after the Karma Contract glowed in his eyes and vanished did the Main God of the Divine Realm finally realize his enormous mistake and fall into panic. Watching that sight, even the Demon God of the Demon Realm's headache-stricken expression looked rather endearing.
And now, even the face of the highest-ranking lord of the Substitute Gods, roaring as it scattered the aura of God Slayer across the entire solar system, felt like nothing more than plump, delicious prey.
Goooooooooooooooo—!
Countless upper-tier Substitute Gods charged toward the Boundary. The expressions of the Main God of the Divine Realm and the Demon God of the Demon Realm hardened. While ordinary Substitute Gods were no match for them individually, their numbers formed an overwhelming army.