Chapter 84
Chapter 84
Chapter 84 Bad Personality
Zeus's blank check could get me many things if I accepted it, but it didn't particularly appeal to me.
'He wouldn't be able to grant what I truly desire.'
Could a contract with Zeus really prevent the catastrophe ten years from now?
The moment I became an apostle, the Olympus faction would become my allies, but it might also become the trigger for distancing myself from the Demon King faction.
Considering Zeus's personality that I'd observed so far, he might even break the apostle contract and immediately betray me the moment the prophecy comes to pass.
If that happened, I'd lose even that affiliation after being unable to interact with other factions due to belonging to the Olympus faction, the worst possible scenario could unfold.
Taking Zeus's hand would be a foolish choice where I might lose something truly important while trying to gain some rewards.
'Still, immediately refusing might make him suspicious, so I should play along appropriately.'
Since the other party already knew I was a regressor, if I refused without a moment's hesitation, there was a chance he'd realize we were enemies in the first timeline.
He'd start thinking about why the Earth God made me regress, and honestly speaking, there was zero chance that would help with future plans.
So I needed to prevent his thoughts from going in that direction.
"You said you'd give me more than whatever was promised?"
Of course, there was another reason I needed to buy time.
-Good job. Yes. Like that over there. That's right. Well done.
Every time I followed Astrape's teachings, I felt something beyond copying the Transcendence Limitless Path sprouting from within, so I wanted to train a bit more.
Zeus seemed pleased that I was showing interest in his proposal, smiling as he nodded.
"That's right. I'm embarrassed to say this myself, but I'm the king and chief god of Olympus, which has many gods affiliated with it even in the Pantheon. I'm different from the Earth God who only has many believers but weak influence, or Baal who's just ignorant and strong."
It wasn't entirely wrong.
Estelle had said something similar.
-Earth is a world like an isolated island that hasn't been affected by mana for such a long time. That's why it has few subordinate gods and belongs to one of the weakest factions.
The reason Demon Kings didn't bother invading Earth was because it was a world that pushed forward with population alone, so unless they completely took control, it wasn't cost-effective.
A world where civilization alone had developed abnormally, but the number of people who could dedicate their entire lives to gods without hesitation was also small.
From the gods' perspective, it wasn't that attractive a world either, so unless they were Highest-Grade Gods trying to widen even the slightest gap with other gods, they generally didn't bother proselytizing.
'The description of Baal is also essentially correct.'
Since the concept of cooperation among Demon Kings was vague, when considering simple influence excluding pure military power, they naturally couldn't match Olympus.
If Baal had influence beyond Olympus in addition to that military power, I would have accepted Baal's apostle contract immediately without question.
She had been very friendly toward me.
So I intended to ask about personal rewards rather than factional matters.
I took out the Ambrosia and Demon God Lotus Armor from my inventory and asked Zeus.
"These are the rewards Baal and the Earth God gave me. And they promised to give me many similar or better things when I complete future missions. They each proposed successor positions, can you give me more than that?"
I mixed lies with truth.
The Demon God Lotus Armor was actually something I made, but I disguised it as something Estelle gave me, and while only Baal mentioned successor-related matters, I made it sound like the Earth God did too.
'Actually, Estelle would definitely give me the successor position if I asked for it.'
I just didn't mention it since there was no need.
Zeus looked like he'd taken a hit.
"Ha... So that's why Baal proposed that bet - to increase the rewards to give you? Maybe you and she already had an arrangement from the previous timeline."
He was making a completely absurd misunderstanding.
Baal and I in the first timeline had no contact except for meeting through an avatar, but Zeus seemed to think the two of us had conspired against him.
"How could that be? Would I dare commit fraud against the Constellations?"
But Zeus's face already showed near certainty.
'This is something I really didn't do, so it's a bit unfair.'
No matter how much I tried to explain that everything was a product of coincidence, he didn't look like he'd believe it.
"All the circumstances fit perfectly, so there's no point in denying it. Well, even if that's not the case, since you've already received Legendary-grade artifacts and elixirs as rewards, I'd have to promise more than that to ask you to betray them."
More Legendary-grade artifacts or elixirs, or Mythic-grade artifacts or elixirs would need to be offered to create merit.
Since Zeus already had outstanding brothers like Poseidon and Hades and numerous sons, it would be impossible for him to promise me a successor position.
"Zeus has many brothers and children, so giving me a successor position would be unreasonable. Then would you give me the Astrape I hold in my hands?"
I was curious whether Zeus was prepared to sacrifice Astrape to obtain me.
If so, then the Zeus ten years from now wouldn't be able to easily betray me either, to extract more than his investment.
"... As much as I'd like to obtain you that way, all the other gods of Olympus would oppose it. They'd ask if it makes sense to give Astrape just to recruit a single human."
But Zeus chose practicality over me.
Instead, he lost face.
"Thanks to that, I've been made to look foolish. Who would have thought the Earth God and Baal would promise that much to a human who's still just a mortal? When you see those guys, could you tell them they won?"
Zeus pretended to be calm on the surface, but I could feel he was suppressing anger inside.
'I've already crossed a river of no return.'
I had planned to do so anyway, but it seemed I'd end up taking a completely different path from Zeus.
"Yes. I'll convey that message."
I failed to see an angle for making Olympus a friendly faction, but I achieved my intended purpose.
Finding out how much Zeus knew and analyzing Astrape's structure and abilities.
[Time remaining until return to residential area: 0 hours 0 minutes]
-Time to part ways, I suppose? What a shame. You were just about to complete it, so make sure to review what I taught you. When we meet again, I hope you'll have become someone who suits me more than Zeus.
Astrape blew a small but intense flow into me, then slipped out of my hand and returned to Zeus.
Right after that, I returned to the alley in the residential area and immediately practiced what I'd learned before the lightning flow Astrape left behind disappeared.
The method of handling lightning that I'd only vaguely known through the Transcendence Limitless Path became clearer through Astrape's teachings, and the flow carved at the end made it more concrete.
What is lightning? What is thunder?
Deep exploration and enlightenment about that essence sprouted new power within me that had never existed before.
[Skill: Keraunos (Lv1) acquired.]
I obtained not a copy through the Transcendence Limitless Path, but the original of Zeus's divine authority.
Without any special process, golden lightning bloomed from my hand simultaneously with my thought.
Just in case, I tried using other divine authorities too, and Zeus's divine authority had already separated from the Transcendence Limitless Path, so I could handle Zeus's divine authority additionally while handling two other divine authorities.
Now I'd become a crazy person who could handle three divine authorities simultaneously.
'Father Zeus, I doubted you again...'
Despite what he said, he was a GOAT who deliberately put Astrape in my hands and made me realize the divine authority myself.
Or not.
Anyway, now I had one more harassment technique and area-of-effect skill I could use in combat besides Black Magic, Spirit Arts, and Black Dragon Breath.
The proficiency was still low so I could only create and throw it simply, but once proficiency increased, I'd be able to use it in various ways like the avatar in the tutorial did.
I'd gained a very versatile good ability.
'This makes me look forward to what I can get from Odin.'
From Zeus I got divine authority, from Baal an elixir, from Estelle a kiss... no, her heart.
Then what kind of event would happen at the meeting with Odin? With that anticipation, I accepted the invitation.
As my vision changed, the place revealed was different from Zeus's residence made entirely of gold - it was a large palace made of pure silver.
Inside, there was naturally a throne like with all the previous Constellations, and a middle-aged man missing one eye sat upon it.
'Come to think of it, except for Estelle, they're all sitting on thrones. Is that the current trend among Constellations?'
I should suggest to Estelle that she make one too.
Appearances matter.
"You've come. Han Yeong-min. Since you came accepting the invitation, you shouldn't be unaware of who I am, but I'll introduce myself anyway. I am Odin, king of Asgard and supreme god of the Æsir."
Just from the aura flowing from his body along with his self-introduction, I could gauge how strong an existence he was.
Also, unlike Zeus, he naturally wore his divine authority - Odin's magic system - around his entire body, feeling like a fortress that could respond to any situation.
The spear in his hand also felt tremendously powerful though different from Astrape, and even the ravens on his shoulders felt extraordinary.
"Then it would be polite for me to introduce myself too. I'm Han Yeong-min, an ordinary human from Earth."
I introduced myself truthfully since I didn't belong anywhere in particular or rule anything, but Odin let out a hollow laugh.
"An ordinary human...? You're good at jokes. If you're an ordinary human, does that mean all other humans are bugs that can't even be ordinary?"
Seeing this person's disparaging skills, he was probably one of the gods who actively disparaged me on the Testing Floors.
"Haha... That's not what I meant... Anyway, I really liked the skill you gave me on the 10th floor and I'm using it well. It's been a great help."
I conveyed the heartfelt thanks I'd wanted to give him, but for some reason Odin's expression looked displeased.
'Why...? Did something unpleasant happen?'
Or did he have such a bad personality that he couldn't accept thanks as gratitude?