“Well, after that, as widely known. Rychlen, who fell asleep in the Underworld’s lodgings, realized the next morning that he was in the nearby forest close to his home. Roughly that story.”
The Dragon Priestess said calmly.
Although he endured countless hardships when descending to the Underworld, his return felt like just a fleeting dream. A story ending with an endlessly futile conclusion.
When I first heard it, I thought, “What kind of story ends like this?” But what could be done? This was Rychlen’s own recorded account.
If someone else had written a novel based on Rychlen’s adventures, they’d probably have complained about how unsatisfying the ending was.
“Was there such a dialogue in the background of that story?”
“Yeah. There was a possibility of other gods finding out if it happened on the surface. But in the Underworld, we could relay information without other gods noticing. That’s why we deliberately guided Rychlen to the Underworld.”
Most people know the part where Rychlen overcame countless trials, met the gods of the Underworld, and risked his afterlife to retrieve his friend’s soul… but…
“That event had such a background?”
“Of course, it was a secret to everyone except those directly involved.”
The Dragon Priestess chuckled mischievously.
Wait, the directly involved parties…?
“Hmm, explaining what happened afterward isn’t necessary, right? After reviving his friend, Rychlen organized his experiences in the Underworld into a book like always. That book later spread among others, further enhancing Rychlen’s reputation.”
“Some even called him ‘The One Who Overcame Death’ because of that incident.”
While the first unnamed hero didn’t conquer death itself, Rychlen became the sole being to overcome the Underworld by visiting it.
Well, the first hero had the Dragon Priestess around, so through her, he could revive the dead—thus, he didn’t need to overcome death.
“Afterward, while continuing his journey as a hero, Rychlen learned that the gods’ oracle was calling for him. He became the first living human to enter the Divine Hall… Hmm, you already know roughly about that, right?”
“Of course. The books recording Rychlen’s experiences in the Divine Hall were the first works describing it. Though debates persist about whether the content is truth or fiction.”
“There’s no way Rychlen would lie after venturing to the Underworld and documenting everything. Almost everything he recorded is likely true. He enjoyed keeping meticulous records.”
At the Dragon Priestess’s words, I nodded slightly. Rychlen left behind numerous writings, as varied as his heroic tales.
Most were records of his adventures, but many places he visited are now considered seven forbidden zones and deemed dangerous. As time passed, his writings only grew more valuable.
Even seemingly minor details he noted turned out to be surprisingly helpful. For example, using ice to preserve corpses from decay.
After Rychlen returned from the Underworld, knowledge of cold energy preventing decay revolutionized distribution. Thanks to this, magic scrolls imbued with frost magic became wildly popular, making Procyon’s mages a fortune.
“As for the events in the Divine Hall, since they’re widely known among humans, there’s no need to explain them, right?”
“Is there any hidden secret story related to that event?”
“Not particularly. If anything, there was an attempt by various gods to forcibly make Rychlen a god against his will by sacrificing their believers.”
Forcing someone to become a god? What does that even mean?
“What do you mean by ‘forcibly creating a god’?”
“There’s a ritual involving the sacrifice of massive amounts of life to ascend someone to godhood.”
Sacrificing lives… ascension… wait, isn’t this…
“That’s… the Demon King’s…”
“Shh.”
The Dragon Priestess quietly raised her finger to block her lips.
“Let’s not talk about that. It makes me uncomfortable.”
“Ah, understood…”
I quickly nodded.
“Anyway, let’s keep the rest brief. You know the details well enough, and going into specifics would only be tedious, right?”
“That’s true, but…”
“Cough. So when Rychlen ascended to the Divine Hall, the gods welcomed him and tried to crown him as their king.”
The Dragon Priestess began narrating calmly.
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Rychlen looked at the countless gods surrounding him.
Powerful gods with their own temples and many followers.
These gods were shouting his name.
Not humans, but gods. Shouting his name.
Who wouldn’t be moved by such a scene?
“Hmph.”
Not Rychlen.
A deep-seated rejection of gods lingered in his heart, making the gods chanting his name feel more annoying than anything.
But Rychlen didn’t show this emotion outwardly.
To organize these gods, he couldn’t get swept up in this atmosphere.
If he became a god himself, his plan to reorganize them would collapse.
So.
“Come in, Hero. Or should I call you the candidate for a new god?”
First, he needed to deal with the god before him, the one wreathed in lightning.
Zeus, king of Olympus.
The god who blessed him. The one rumored to be his father.
And also one of the clones created by his past self, Baal, who claimed Baal’s authority and power: the God of Lightning.
Looking at Zeus, Rychlen bowed his head slightly.
“Thank you for the invitation.”
“Nonsense. Your fame has already spread across the world. Some even call you a demigod, don’t they?”
Demi-god. At this word, a buried hatred stirred within Rychlen’s chest.
If he were the son of a god, did that mean his father was a fool who couldn’t raise his own child? Did it mean his mother committed adultery? His parents worked tirelessly to raise him and even sacrificed all their wealth for him.
Just from the title of “son of a god,” Rychlen’s disdain for the gods deepened.
“Alright then, let’s go inside. We’ve prepared a feast in your honor.”
“No, thank you.”
Rychlen firmly cut off Zeus’s words.
“The reason I came here is to reject the offer of ascending to godhood.”
“What?”
Not only Zeus but also the surrounding gods were greatly shocked by Rychlen’s statement.
What is a god? Isn’t it a transcendent existence? Someone who surpasses life and wields great power through the faith of many?
Rejecting such an opportunity made Rychlen seem insane in their eyes.
“I won’t become a god.”
“Why not?”
“I simply wish to live and die as a human.”
Zeus frowned. He hadn’t imagined Rychlen would refuse becoming a god.
But.
“Refusing to ascend to godhood is incomprehensible.”
“Everyone has their own reasons. Please abandon the idea of making me a god.”
“It can’t be helped.”
Zeus shook his head and spoke.
“If you don’t become a god, it will create a major problem for the gods.”
“A major problem? I doubt the absence of one mere human becoming a god would cause such issues.”
“You may not know, but it’s a serious issue concerning the very existence of the gods. Even if you refuse, it must happen.”
After speaking calmly, Zeus gave a light signal to the surrounding gods.
“Just in case, we prepared something we hoped not to use. Since you’re so obstinate, there’s nothing we can do.”
At this, several gods approached Rychlen and held onto him.
“Don’t worry, we’ll remember your sacrifice.”
“The sacrifices of your believers.”
“That’s what it is, isn’t it?”
Through the gods holding him, an ominous energy began flowing into Rychlen.
The immense faith gained from sacrificing lives. The power to ascend another being to godhood through offerings.
This power gradually flowed into Rychlen.
Despite his unwillingness, he could feel his soul transforming into a higher existence.
Through the gods gripping him, he could sense the sacrifices of countless lives.
“Stop! Stop!!”
“We can’t stop. This must be achieved, no matter the cost.”
“If the Goddess of Life finds out about this, she won’t forgive you!”
“Yes. Sacrificing so many lives might anger her. But by then, you’ll already be a god. She’ll have to cancel the destruction of the gods as promised!”
Zeus burst into laughter, watching Rychlen transform into a god.
With this, the gods believed they’d escape destruction.
He was confident his position would become even stronger through this.
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