The Substitute God War
Yet the war against the Substitute Gods was different for the Dimensional and War God. How long has it been since I last stood on such an unfavorable battlefield? He fully unleashed both his mana and divine power. Gogogogogo!Uuuuung! Ten circles of mana blazed like radiating heat while the translucent eleventh circle spread outward with overwhelming force. Thirteen pairs of wings, shining like suns, crackled with lightning as they discharged, illuminating the Boundary and the Substitute Gods’ forward base planet.
First, I’ll sweep away the small fry. Just as he prepared to unleash something massive, an anomaly occurred. All time and space froze except for the Main God of the Divine Realm, the Demon God of the Demon Realm, the highest-ranking Substitute God, and himself. A voice rang out.
“I convey the will of the Creator God.”
The majestic divine words pierced his spirit and divine power. What kind of sudden development is this? Was something like this ever part of the authentication battle against the Substitute God Lord? He shot a frantic glance at the Main God of the Divine Realm, who looked genuinely flustered as well. Even if a star is destroyed by the Substitute Gods, the Main Divine Realm handles it. The Creator God rarely delivers his will directly. What could have happened?
Then the Main God’s expression changed completely. His usual sly grin vanished, replaced by the face of a king he had glimpsed earlier. Kneeling on one knee with utmost reverence, he spoke.
“I shall become the Creator God’s brightest sword. Even if this body perishes, my sole desire is to fight at the forefront for the glory of the divine race and exalt Your name. Your most loyal servant greets the Creator God.”
The Demon God’s mouth fell open. The Dimensional and War God was equally dumbfounded. When he looked at the God of Knowledge, the deity was already prostrate with his head bowed low. The God of Knowledge urgently sent a message.
Dimensional God! Quickly show your respects! I’ll explain later—just do it now!
At the desperate tone, he hurriedly followed the Main God’s example. The Creator God’s words themselves could not be heard; only the Main God’s relayed message reached them.
“There is one who has not yet shown proper courtesy! How insolent!”
He followed the gaze of the messenger Main God and saw the Demon God’s incredulous expression. She sneered.
“Me? I have no intention of bowing my head to anyone except the Demon King. If you don’t like it, come here yourself and make me submit!”
The Demon God drew her sword in fury. “How dare that insolent demon race—!”
The opposing Main God also manifested thirteen pairs of light wings and assumed a combat stance, but compared to the Demon God, his presence was markedly inferior. I guarantee you’ll die within a minute against her.
Divine power surged explosively from the kneeling Main God. “That’s enough. The Creator God is waiting. Are you prepared to take full responsibility for the aftermath?”
The messenger Main God grimaced in displeasure but quickly reestablished the connection. The Creator God’s divine words then echoed across the vast domain reaching even the Divine Realm.
“Brightest sword of the Divine Realm. I sincerely congratulate you on obtaining the qualifications of a Creator God this time.”
All eyes lost their target at the sudden, glorious title. The brightest sword of the Divine Realm? Who? After wandering for a moment, every gaze converged on the Main God, who now truly resembled a flawless, majestic sword god.
“Furthermore, I commend the courage of challenging a highest-ranking Substitute God Lord—who requires ten or more peers—with only two Main Gods and one Demon God. Through your challenge, my Divine Realm’s name has reached him and received praise and reward. Even if you fail and perish, your name shall remain eternal among the divine race. Therefore, fight to your heart’s content and show why the divine race rules the universe.”
“I offer everything solely for the glory of the Divine Realm.”
Everyone was left wondering if this was truly the same swindler Main God. How can he change so drastically? Even the messenger Main God’s face was horribly distorted, clearly displeased.
“I shall always remember your loyalty to the Divine Realm. Fight and win as you please.”
“All victory’s glory belongs to the Creator God—!”
“Truly commendable. As always, I shall await your report of victory.”
The Creator God’s divine power filling the space vanished. The messenger Main God clicked his tongue and departed without finishing what he had intended to say. The others’ fighting spirit was completely dampened by the sudden intrusion, and they were left speechless by the Main God’s abrupt transformation.
Yet the Main God immediately broke his reverent posture, panting heavily. “Hah—! Hah—! It’s been ages since I did that; I’m dying here! And what about that guy? What’s he still doing over there instead of handling his own Divine Realm? Does he really want to live as the Main God out of fear?”
Only after the messenger Main God disappeared did the Main God begin grumbling while catching his breath. As expected, it was all an act. This raccoon Main God even deceives the Creator God?
The Demon God’s glare was ominous; she seemed ready to end the messenger Main God’s life. Then the God of Knowledge’s weary will reached them.
Our Creator God is fine in most ways, but he greatly enjoys these formalities. If you don’t perform properly like the Main God just did, you’ll definitely be marked. The messenger Main God who just arrived has been running errands for a hundred thousand years simply because he didn’t kneel when receiving the message. He’s truly pitiful. He’s trying to drag in a replacement Main God by picking fights like this. You must never get caught up in it.
A hundred thousand years of errand-running just for omitting a single courtesy?
As long as you do well in front of him, he won’t say anything. Please, just do it even if you hate it. The Main God was once sent to the front lines for coughing in the Creator God’s conference room. That’s why even our usually lax Main God is acting this way.
The Main God, now sighing and lamenting his fate, suddenly looked pitiable. Due to the frozen time and space, the Substitute Gods remained quiet as well. The highest-ranking Substitute God, fixed to the star, could move but was still outside attack range of the Boundary. The Creator God’s intrusion and tyranny are giving me a headache.
He had thought ascending would make things easier, yet the higher he climbed, the more bizarre the world became. In terms of ability, the current Main God was immensely powerful, yet before the Creator God he could only watch his step like a washed-up middle-aged man. As expected, earning just enough to live alone is best for longevity.
If the Dimensional and War God became the Main God and received a star from the Creator God, he would fall directly under the Creator’s command. He would have to serve that pretentious Creator God until a Main God emerged from his own planet. One mistake and I’d be running errands for over a hundred thousand years. I really am better off creating my own star.
He keenly felt that serving under someone else could end everything in an instant. The Demon God, having heard the God of Knowledge’s message, seemed to have calmed down.
“The constraints of time and space are lifting. Prepare yourselves.”
After all, there was no greater humiliation for the Main God than running errands, so leaving him alone was the best revenge. The Main God, finally released from tension, began generating fighting spirit once more. With the restrictions gone, countless high-ranking Substitute Gods began to move. Since he would have to deal with them individually once they reached the Boundary, he needed to clean up the subordinates first.
“I’ll go first. ‘Clash Planet Maximum’—!”
Gogogogogogo!Dudududududududuk! It was the continuous manifestation of eighth-circle magic summoning planets to strike. The total number of planets he could currently summon was eighty, and he called them all at once.
“Substitute God Lord. Try to stop them if you can.”
Eighty colossal planets appeared in the universe and accelerated toward the forward base planet at maximum speed. Kwaaaang—! A wave of light burst from the highest-ranking Substitute God’s mouth as he attempted to destroy the planets, but the ones in the direct path had already been cleared by him. Unfortunately, what I’m targeting isn’t you, but your underlings.
After avoiding all frontal trajectories, the planets began colliding with every surface of the forward base planet. Kwa-deuk—!Kwa-deuk—!Kwa-deuk—! The sight of the horrific roars and explosions made his body tremble involuntarily. Watching eighty planets of nearly identical size embed themselves into the forward base planet was spectacular even to the one who had cast the spell.
Goooooo!Uuuuung! In an instant, all Substitute Gods below the high ranks were annihilated. They had been nothing more than fodder incapable of facing the Main God or Demon God anyway, so it made no difference to the battle situation. For the Dimensional and War God, the real fight began now.
“Clash Planet Shake!”
Nine mana circles shone as his immense will began controlling each planet. Gogogogogo!Deudeudeudeudeudeuk! The planets embedded in the forward base planet, on the verge of exploding, began carving into its crust in circular motions. Countless screams of the Substitute Gods filled the universe. Kieeeek—! Kieek! “Kaaak!”
Using the immense heat generated by the planets’ friction, he ground even the highest-ranking Substitute Gods to dust without exception. Meanwhile, the Adamantium produced in the process was steadily collected. Gagagagagagaga—!Hwarurururur—! The forward base planet burned like the sun from the frictional heat and continued to have its surface scraped away until every Substitute God except the highest-ranking one was annihilated.
“The authority of God-Slaying doesn’t work on me, a former dark mage. I possess planetary collisions that can crush even the highest gods and the divine power of the sun. In the end, you lot are nothing but my meal!”
Kuuuung—!Uung—! The roar of the Substitute God Lord, who had lost his entire race in a single attack, filled the universe. From the Great Cavity of the forward base planet emerged a figure larger than the moon. Kukung!Kukukukukukung! A massive, worm-like body over four thousand kilometers in diameter crawled out, writhing—an utterly repulsive yet imposing sight.
It looks like a parasite emerging from its host. Well, it is literally a parasite of the star. Later it might be beneficial, but right now, from the perspective of the divine and sentient races whose stars are being stolen and who face extinction, it’s an unacceptable enemy.
Planets occupied by the Substitute Gods were completely remodeled along with their sentient inhabitants into factories that produced only vitality. They held an ideology completely incompatible with the divine and demon races, who at least showed some respect to sentient beings. Yet they remained intact because they were that powerful.
The highest-ranking Substitute God’s howl shook the universe. “Kwaaaaaaaaang—!” It sounded like both a sorrowful cry for his lost kin and a provocative roar. Well, I’ve gotten rid of all the nuisances, so next is the Main God and Demon God’s turn.
Yet their expressions were ones of surprise. “This is eighth-circle? The authority of the Dimensional God? You’re joking, right?” “A magic that completely reshapes the battlefield. This has become convenient.”