Chapter 151

In the beginning, there was Chaos.

From Chaos, the God of Darkness and the Goddess of Night were born, and through their union, the Goddess of Day and the God of Air came into being. Together, they formed two divine couples—the dark and the light—laying the foundation for the world.

…….

In the beginning, Heaven created the heavens and the earth. Darkness covered the deep waters, but the Spirit of Heaven moved across them. Then Heaven spoke: “Let there be light,” and thus, light appeared.

…….

The Lord of Irenis, our Master and Eternal Father, rested after creating the world in seven days.

On the other hand, their gods…

After creating the world and birthing all living things, these gods never rested.

Though it was said that the Lord of Irenis and His only begotten son cherished and loved us more than anyone else…

To them, humans, as creations, were sometimes companions, partners, and friends.

But fundamentally, they were slaves, livestock, tools.

And even worse… mere possessions.

Out of pity for humanity, one god bestowed fire, leading to the advancement of civilization. However, this act angered the Supreme Deity, resulting in an eternal punishment where the immortal body of the offending god was subjected to having its liver pecked out daily by an eagle.

As humans grew arrogant and decadent, the gods decided to test them. In the end, all except one couple were drowned in a great flood—a mythological tale.

…This story bore striking resemblance to the Ark tale from the Irenis Doctrine.

“A prophecy has come. For now, I shall treat you as a guest. You must pay homage to Endecatheon. Follow me.”

Following the towering man for a while, we soon came upon an ancient temple standing majestically.

Wasn’t this style called Acropolis?

Leaving the dwarves and beasts outside, I entered through the massive entrance with the big man.

And upon seeing the colossal bronze statue there…

Carriel began piecing things together.

Polytheism.

Finally, Carriel understood the identity of the gods worshipped here.

There once was a great empire.

The empire of Bella is said to have nearly conquered the entire world.

Before that, there was Creek, a city-state alliance known as the origin and development hub of magic and philosophy.

It wasn’t just one kingdom; it referred to an entire region.

While the name “Creek Peninsula” survives today, the full extent of the ancient Creek territories remains unclear.

Yet, both Creek and Bella shared a common trait:

Their religious roots were the same.

And the gods they worshipped here…

Were none other than the very gods they revered back then.

That is…

“Once a year was defined by thirteen divisions, but when one of the Pantheon gods perished, the calendar was changed to twelve to honor the void.”

At Carriel’s muttering, the large man pointed at his thick red-skinned fingernails and responded.

“It’s an old teaching, but we still divide the year into twelve parts.”

Hearing this, Carriel recalled something.

He had clearly read about it before:

Dodekatheon (δωδεκάθεον).

Not twelve gods…

Endecatheon (Έντεκαθεον).

Eleven gods, he meant.

“…….”

The statue depicted a middle-aged man exposing his upper body, with scruffy hair and an equally wild beard that extended past his face down to his chest—an almost lifelike portrayal.

It was as if the figure could step right out of the sculpture.

“…….”

Just like the description from books about some great deity, somehow, amidst the indoor setting, the sound of thunder echoed eerily.

BOOM!

A bolt of lightning struck outside the temple, sending shockwaves akin to an earthquake.

“The Thunder God.”

We who follow the Irenis Doctrine cannot casually address our own god, but they do the opposite.

They revel in calling upon their deities with reverence and encouragement.

Though this information comes from books, so it may not be entirely accurate…

“Iovis Pater.”

That would be Jeupse in their tongue.

-You’re wrong, mortal. I am the successor to Him. After His disappearance, the Pantheon fell into ruin, and we scattered.

“……?”

Is someone speaking to me?

A god? Or a false pretender impersonating one?

-Fear not, mortal. Though we are descendants of the fallen Pantheon, we do not consider ourselves superior to you mortals.

“And what is your divine name?”

As if entranced, I ask, and the voice replies.

-Jeupse. To carry on the legacy of Jeupse, the ancient name of the Pantheon and Father, is our mission. Thus, call me thus with reverence if you wish to address me.

“…Did you summon me? And why?”

Outside, lightning and storms continue to rage. Not a single drop of rain falls, yet the desolate land is overwhelmed by eerie silence, interrupted only by sudden storms and thunderbolts.

However, none of this affects the temple. It’s merely a show of power, no doubt.

-I know why you’ve come here.

Reason?

-Isn’t it obvious? Aren’t you here to honor the memory of our ancient enemy?

“…What? Never heard of it.”

I begin to realize things are getting strange since entering this place.

-I can offer you what you seek. If you become my apostle, you will gain your heart’s desire immediately.

“…”

They say if bait looks too tempting, there’s bound to be something off. With my track record of things rarely going smoothly, this offer sounds like a poisoned chalice.

-Do not doubt. What we need is someone to revive our greatness and glory across the ages, someone whose legacy will endure. That proxy is you, chosen by our Eleven Great Gods.

“Why me?”

-Don’t ask such pointless questions. Haven’t you realized your destiny and purpose yet? Aren’t you the calamity descending upon this world? Child of Chaos.

“Child of Chaos?”

-We too originated from chaos long ago. And tracing back further, our distant ancestors also arose from chaos.

“And how does that relate to me?”

-You truly don’t understand, do you?

He speaks.

-The seats of the gods were originally twelve. And currently, one of those seats remains vacant.

And…

-Once you overcome trials and tribulations, you will ascend to this position. Actually, you’re already halfway there.

“So… Are you saying I’ll stand equal among you? That I’ll reach a position worthy of that?”

-Exactly. To achieve this, you must return home as a challenger, defeat your ancient enemy, and herald the rebirth of our era.

“I don’t get it. I have no idea what you’re talking about…”

-You’ve long possessed the qualifications to be a challenger. Am I wrong?

“Well, yeah, but based on what exactly did you make that conclusion…?”

-Why do you hesitate? Isn’t this the successor and candidate you’ve led?

“…”

This isn’t directed at me. Turning my head, I hear a low clicking sound from the side.

The Golden Girl finally sighed in exasperation.

-Hey, Carriel. Don’t delude yourself—I never had any intention of doing anything like this. Whatever misconception led them to babble nonsense like this…

He continues, and again, this question isn’t aimed at me.

-Weren’t you the one guiding him? Weren’t you his companion and selector, always by his side?

-…Are you grave-digging wannabes really spouting meaningless nonsense? Do you think I’m on the same level as you losers? How conceited.

…Though rare unless recalling encounters with Grandeous, she seems unusually harsh towards whoever—or whatever—is addressing her.

Clearly, the Demon King is unleashing scathing remarks toward this supposed god or impostor.

-If you aim to revive the Pantheon, the twelfth seat should rightfully belong to this guy, not you. Doesn’t that seem fair?

-Are you suggesting handing over the throne of the Supreme Deity to a creation still shackled by worldly imperfections?

-Well, at least it’d give him some semblance of justification to return home and cause chaos under the title of Demon King, wouldn’t it? Right?

“…”

No, I have absolutely no intention of doing that.

Initially, I sought overwhelming power to avoid causing unnecessary collateral damage while showing these arrogant humans their place.

Moreover, I desired absolute freedom without constraints or limitations, surpassing everyone else.

So, why should I willingly join in making the ridiculous claim of “Demon King” a reality? Madness.

“But, it’s not entirely wrong.”

Still, haven’t I been tangled up with this damn Demon King long enough?

I pretended to go along with his intentions for a bit.

“However, neither option aligns with what I truly want. I will do what pleases me. No one will command or control me.”

Even the Heaven of our world is no exception.

Trials, suffering, and merciless hardship without mercy or compassion—none of it aligns with my desires.

Must I endure pain and tribulations to become great and mighty?

Absolutely not. I hate it.

Really hate it.

Had I been able to endure it…

…I wouldn’t have crumbled under my mother’s relentless pressure.

I wouldn’t have succumbed to despair or resignation due to others’ dismissive treatment.

Long ago, I would’ve risen to the glorious position befitting the heir of heroes, fulfilling everyone’s expectations.

…But now, everything feels terrifying.

Is there even a trace of me left in all this?

Amidst the constant demands and idealized expectations of others, the desperate effort to maintain appearances and manage myself perfectly—it all feels suffocating.

…Plainly put, what is the true self?

“I will obtain freedom. No one will dictate my fate, and if such an entity exists, they will… undoubtedly pay the price, whoever they may be.”

Thus…

“…Stop wasting time with useless offers. Make a more rational proposal if you expect me to worship you as a god of this world.”

Throughout history, no human entangled with them ever fared well.

In Creek and Bella mythology, those tied to the gods—humans or creatures—always faced misfortune and despair.

-Blasphemy! Had our Father been here, your body would’ve shattered into pieces, and you’d suffer endlessly in the underworld.

-Does that underworld even function properly anymore? The Demon King stole all the prisoners over a thousand years ago, rendering it obsolete. How do I know? If the underworld, the netherworld, and the abyss closest to the Demon Realm are connected, wouldn’t it be abnormal for me, its king, to be unaware?

-…

-Pathetic, isn’t it? Still, I won’t criticize you too harshly. Your kind, despite being inferior to those blasted demons, holds a certain dignity. Personally, I don’t dislike them.

The Demon King manipulated his opponent with words and laughter, a mix of mockery and sarcasm tinged with coldness. Yet beneath it lay traces of compassion, kindness, and familiarity—an unsettling yet horrifying blend.

-Eternal wanderer, though your plight may be worse than ours, why do you act so smug?

The eyes of the statue turn blood-red.

When anger reaches its peak, it freezes cold before erupting. That sensation is palpable now.

“…”

By the way, looking around, neither the person who brought us here nor Zora is anywhere to be seen.

Makes sense—they probably would’ve caused chaos already if present.

After all, this is a temple.

The inner sanctum of a god.

If the speaker truly is a descendant of a great deity or something similar…

…this level of trickery would be trivial.

-I desire nothing, so I have no reason to grovel.

Then, out of nowhere, a familiar excuse or response?

Anyway, something the Demon King often muttered to me resurfaced in my ears.

-How is that different from something stagnant and dead?

-You naive fool. Right or wrong doesn’t matter here, foolish traveler. Everything is my decision, my responsibility, and my burden. So what’s the problem? Why meddle in affairs you don’t understand? You barely know life.

…One thing is certain:

This conversation has enlightened me greatly.

Ultimately, if my fate doesn’t change, I might become a Demon King in some form, whether I want it or not.

And…

…it occurred to me that the Demon King might not just be some simple ghost or spirit haunting the area.

I’ve never considered it before, but…

Could it be that she…?

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