King of the Gods (1)

“Alright, let's go over it one more time.”

“Gaia, this is the eighth time already. The coronation isn't even that long—why do you keep insisting on reviewing it?”

Baal grumbled. I lightly tapped his head and replied,

“This coronation is far more important than you think. That's why we have to be thorough.”

“Can't we just have you put the crown on my head and call it done?”

I pressed down firmly on Baal's head as he spouted nonsense. This was ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠a crucial moment where he'd earn recognition from all those gods in front of him. It couldn't end that simply.

“Remember, this is the seat where you gain acknowledgment from every god.”

Gods are born from the collective thoughts, aspirations, and faith of countless humans. Well, except for me and my kids. With all those minds propping them up, their egos must be sky-high. Arrogant types who treat everything beneath them like dirt. You think they'd just sit back and watch someone climb above them? Fat chance.

That was why this coronation mattered so much. To make Baal reign as king of the gods, we had to crush the others into submission and etch the overwhelming gap in power into their minds.

So.

“Even if all the other gods drop to their knees the moment you ascend the throne, don't let it show on your face.”

I'll make sure they have to kneel.

“I've heard that a million times! The second they all kneel, you come over, place the crown on my head, and then the other six offer their blessings of recognition one by one.”

“Right. The order is…”

“Shamash and Ifrit, Sylphid and Thetis, then Yggdrasil and Sagarmatha. It's drilled into my ears already.”

“And finally, I'll do mine. Then you declare yourself king of the gods and say something about ruling the world appropriately as their king.”

“Mm. I've got that part prepared already. Trust me.”

Baal boasted confidently. Hmm… somehow… I had a bad feeling. Well, I could handle most situations on the fly. Should be fine.

At the heart of the Pantheon stood a massive temple—the temple of Baal, god of the skies. In front of it lay a vast plaza teeming with gods.

Gods born from natural features like mountains, rivers, lakes, and deserts. Gods born from phenomena like snow, rain, storms, and wildfires. And… yeah. Pretty much all of them were like that.

I'd figured by now, gods not tied to nature might start appearing. But apparently, it was still too early. Humans weren't yearning for that sort of thing yet, I guess.

Anyway, these countless gods seemed a bit baffled, unclear why they'd been summoned here. I'd called them via GodTalk, but I hadn't expected everyone to show up. Even the land-bound deities tied to specific places had gathered.

Perfect, actually. These witnesses from every corner of the world would spread word far and wide, solidifying faith in Baal.

Time to begin.

“As the goddess overseeing all life in this world, I proclaim to you all: From the faith of countless lives, innumerable gods have begun to emerge.”

The gods in the plaza started murmuring at my words, reacting as if hearing the story of their own births for the first time. No surprise there—it was brand new to them. Gods didn't precede humans; humans birthed the gods. Hard to swallow, probably.

Oh, I'm the exception. All life came from me anyway.

“Yet as so many gods fill the world, I, the Life Goddess, propose this out of concern for the chaos it may bring.”

I spoke in a low, steady voice.

“We shall enthrone a king of the gods.”

The murmurs grew louder.

“King of the gods…?”

“Who decided that?”

“I oppose this!”

“We don't need a king!”

Hm. About the reaction I'd expected. Egos like theirs wouldn't stay quiet.

So.

“Silence.”

My quiet voice carried power across the plaza, and the murmurs ceased instantly.

“Mark this as a decree, a notice, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠and a warning. In tolerating gods who could disrupt the world, we seek to control you through your king.”

I took a small breath and continued.

“Refuse, and prepare yourselves.”

They hadn't caused real trouble yet, but unleashing powerful kids without leashes would turn the world into their playground. And I'd be stuck cleaning up the mess. Hate that. Really hate it.

So.

“In exchange for not erasing your existences, acknowledge your king's authority and obey it utterly. That's your best shot at survival.”

Harsh, sure. But you gotta rein in the wild ones.

With the plaza now silent, I signaled the start of the rite.

“Let the coronation begin. God of the skies, Baal—approach.”

Baal, who'd been waiting for his cue, strode forward and ascended the throne. Unlike his boyish form, the throne loomed enormous. The moment he sat… every god in the plaza dropped to their knees.

Hm. I had a rough gauge now on how hard to press. Varied by individual, but around dragon-level intensity. Gods could grow stronger with faith, but for now, dragon-equivalent worked. Tougher ones like mountain gods resisted a bit better.

Hmm. Anyway, one by one, my children approached Baal and offered brief blessings.

First, Shamash.

Next, Ifrit.

Sylphid's turn.

Then Thetis.

And Yggdrasil.

Finally, Sagarmatha.

Good, the kids' blessings are done. My turn.

With that, I produced the crown of lightning I'd prepared in advance. A treasure harnessing lightning's immense power. As the other gods beheld this symbol of kingly authority, they held their breath.

Hm. Come to think of it, was there already a god of lightning? I recall the giant god had some thunder god vibes. But with so few of their kind, nothing impressive. Not even present in this crowd.

“God of the skies, Baal. Do you swear, as king of the gods, to lead all gods on the righteous path?”

Baal replied with solemn gravity.

“I swear.”

“May you never break that oath. I bestow upon you the divinity of lightning.”

I slowly placed the crackling crown of lightning on Baal's head. He rose from the throne, sparks flying. Amid bowed heads across the plaza, only Baal stood tall.

Well, me and my kids excepted. They watched him silently.

Uh… what did he just say…?