Chapter 19
Chapter 19
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 19
Chapter Title: Creature Creation.
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Subdomains that reach level 4 allow the creation of creatures that follow the god's will, excluding certain specific subdomains.
The power, intelligence, and skills of these creatures are influenced by the subdomain, the initial faith invested, the player's divinity level, the materials used, and various other factors, with stats scaling proportionally.
Right now, Seong-un had all the resources needed to create a creature with maximum stats at this initial stage.
'At this timing, there probably aren't many players who've created creatures faster than me.'
This was largely because Seong-un had first slain the abomination known as the Ancient Scarab to obtain its Abomination Essence.
'I wonder what stats it'll add. I don't have high expectations since it's the first creature anyway. Still, a skill would be nice.'
As the game progresses, the number of creatures will keep growing.
No matter how much of a god one is, there's a limit to how many can be individually perceived.
This makes proxies necessary to carry out the god's will, and divine creatures serve exactly that role.
'But... is it really okay for me to make something like this?'
Seong-un hesitated as he activated the system-supported Creature Creation Helper.
This aid window was a program that let players build their desired creatures using various 3D model parts.
Simply combining the provided parts allowed for countless forms, or players could start with a vague blob and sculpt it themselves.
'It's a different feeling from just nudging a tribe from behind the scenes.'
There was something emotionally stirring about bringing a being into existence with one's own hands.
But Seong-un shook his head and focused on victory.
His ability to set emotions aside and pursue goals single-mindedly was why he held the number one ranking.
'Whatever. I'm a real god now.'
The Creature Creation Helper allowed pre-making forms even without materials, so the shape for his first creature was already complete.
Even the designs he'd prepared back when playing Lost World were all saved, and Seong-un figured he'd use them later once he gathered materials.
'No suitable forms for the bugs subdomain this time, so I had to build from scratch.'
The creature's appearance.
In truth, a creature's form didn't have a massive impact on its stats.
That was because emphasizing looks would stress out players who weren't good at designing them.
It was common to stick with standard models or apply cool ones made by others.
But rankers wanted distinctive forms to stand out.
'Less "standing out" and more "drawing aggro," really.'
That was why top players' creatures tended to fall into three categories: ridiculous-looking, grotesque, or ridiculously cute.
'Well, that was just the game.'
Seong-un usually preferred the cute ones, but not this time.
'Even minor differences matter. I'm going all-in on practicality.'
Seong-un knew the form with the strongest physical stats for the bugs subdomain statistically, and he added minor extras like appendages, outer wings, and sturdy legs for bonus stats.
For combat advantage, an upright stance beat a crouched one.
Then sharp forelegs as weapons, plus mandibles.
Antennae and massive compound eyes for all-around vision to prevent ambushes.
'Looking at it now... it kinda resembles a mantis.'
Of course, it was no ordinary mantis.
It couldn't fly at this size, but it had gliding wings for falls, two extra pairs of outer wings mainly for defense, and beyond the weapon legs, a pair of hand-like appendages for grasping or snapping foes.
'Point color: blue. Matches the blue butterflies I kept hinting to Rakrak with. A darker shade. Shimmering under moonlight...'
Finally, the name.
"Name... uh..."
Seong-un mashed up two mantis-related names from the game.
"'Slatis' it is."
And so, Slatis was created from nothingness.
"The Two-Headed Abomination has arrived! All bow your heads!"
Aulroy shouted with his remaining strength.
The Froglins by the lakeside prostrated themselves flat.
Shunen trembled in fear at the grotesque form of the Two-Headed Abomination rippling in the water.
'These Lizardmen are done for now.'
The Two-Headed Abomination was a monstrosity based on a serpent—a kind of water snake.
Serpents alone rivaled land drakes in strength and were apex predators in water.
Plus, as a 'monstrosity' infused with divinity, it surely had decent intelligence and divinity too.
However, this monstrosity was ignorant of its growth potential and merely exploited the weak to sate its hunger.
Shunen watched as the Two-Headed Abomination approached the offerings, then hesitated.
-Krrrarrr...
It always devoured offerings ravenously, as if starved for days, but not this time.
Both heads were staring past Shunen.
'What? What is the Abomination looking at?'
Overriding his ingrained subservience, Shunen turned to follow its gaze.
A massive shadow loomed over the tall trees.
Shunen's body froze instinctively.
The thing with enormous eyes casually shoved trees aside.
Froglins jolted up at the sound of splintering wood, turning to look.
Someone blasphemously cried out.
"A g-god!"
Its body length wasn't much shorter than the Two-Headed Abomination's, but Slatis standing tall on land exuded far greater presence.
Slatis's exoskeleton shimmered blue in the flickering torchlight.
To anyone watching, the Two-Headed Abomination was just a lowly water snake, while Slatis looked every bit the god.
-Krrrarrr!
The Two-Headed Abomination didn't know where this intruder came from, but it couldn't back down here.
It had invaded its territory; letting it be meant forfeiting these primitives and their offerings.
They were its.
No matter how huge and strong the foe seemed, the monstrosity knew it was a divine being above all life.
-Kyaooo!
The Two-Headed Abomination surged from the shallows onto land.
Its full 15-meter serpentine body crawling ashore was eerie.
But Slatis showed no agitation, simply taking its next step.
Another tree screamed and toppled.
A few Froglins were crushed beneath it, and realizing the monsters would clash, the rest screamed and fled.
The Two-Headed Abomination bulldozed through them, flattening more in pursuit.
Its target: Slatis's head.
Its gaping maw seemed poised to skewer the approaching Slatis's skull.
But it didn't.
-Water snake who dares call itself a god...
Slatis muttered in a low voice that carried even to the Lizardmen across the lake.
-Kyao... ok!
Slatis's grasping arms, folded at its chest, seized the first lunging jaw.
The Two-Headed Abomination opened its second maw eagerly, but that too failed.
Slatis's sharp upper foreleg blade sliced between the second jaws.
-Realize you are naught but a mere beast...
Slatis simply yanked the first jaw.
The monstrosity resisted but was dragged along, its second head splitting clean in half.
The maw tore for about 10 meters—the length of Slatis's arm.
The Abomination's spine ripped open.
-Guh, guh, guh...
It convulsed but clung to life.
-I shall offer you to my creator, that you may atone. Your ignorance is no sin...
The fight was over before it began.
Slatis's next task was mere butchery.
-Let your blood and flesh absolve your sins.
Slatis gripped the monstrosity, carving and separating massive chunks of flesh while it still lived.
The huge slabs plummeted around the Froglins.
Even Seong-un, watching, was a bit surprised.
'I figured it'd win due to level and stat gaps, but was it the skills?')
The monstrosity's stats weren't bad.
Plus, monstrosities counted as gods with subdomains—minor ones, unlike players' starting major subdomains. Farming them was key for subdomain acquisition.
'But it couldn't use its subdomain at all in combat. No chance, maybe... or Slatis just too strong?'
With one extra D-rank, the stat gap was overwhelming.
And the skill was ideal.
'Herculean Strength... Top-tier for combat creatures. Lets it dominate peers in a slugfest. Shame combat creatures fall off late-game... but I didn't waste luck here, right?'
Seong-un decided to think positively.
His target, the Two-Headed Abomination, was dead; the Froglins had panicked and fled to their upper village without the Lizardmen offerings; and the Lizardmen were ecstatically praising their god.
Rakrak shouted.
"Behold the guardian of our Blue Insect God who descended for us! Give thanks to the guardian! Glory to the Blue Insect God!"
Rakrak's warriors prostrated devoutly. The gray-brown Lizardmen who witnessed the miracle—even Owen more than any—sobbed and pressed themselves to the ground.
Seong-un felt gratified.
Part of that was the window before his eyes.
Like abominations, monstrosities dropped essences.
Monstrosities were rarer, but abominations gave physical advantages, so creating from monstrosities required more care.
'And the real prize from this farm: the subdomain...'
Seong-un quickly hit Yes.