What are the strengths of Oknodie?
Is it the ability to sense mana of all types?
Or is it a divine mana control technique that has reached the realm of miracles?
Perhaps the unquantifiable purity of Dark Mana?
Maybe superior blood manipulation surpassing that of vampires, or fighting skills exceeding those of great fighters?
There are many potential advantages to mention, but if we combine all of them into one, it can be summed up as [Talent].
Her talent is not limited to just one field; it spreads across all categories.
Also, one can understand that the source of this overflowing talent is the [Avatar of the Outsider].
Why is Oknodie even receiving the attention of the gods in the first place?
It’s because her soul is the unconsciousness of a god forged in the depths of chaos.
From that ominous existence, a homunculus was created from the blood and flesh of a warrior, forced into the form of a small and delicate girl.
That’s the magnificent creation known as Oknodie.
Nevertheless, there is a clear aspect in which Oknodie can be pointed out as having a ‘weakness.’
“People often make the mistake of thinking that heroes or the targets of holy-type attacks are limited to demon minions, demon clans, or demon kings, but if we categorize them strictly, the targets of a hero’s attacks fall under the category of Chaotic Species.”
“Chaotic Species…!”
“All life stemming from chaos. The deities known as the first masters of each dimension. Among them, there are those who have ascended by their own efforts, but there are also those who are nothing more than fragments of the Outsider, forged from birth in chaos.”
Such beings encompass a function that touches on the realm of the divine, easily ascending to deity status, covering a small dimension or world with their power and projecting it into other dimensions.
Thus, when beings born from their realm expand their reach and begin to act in other dimensions, the world refers to such beings as ‘mythical beings.’
“That’s why many entities among the mythic-grade monsters appear in the hero’s records. They are the well-crafted apostles created by gods born from chaos, and thus cannot be defeated by the apostle of the One God, Sofemia of the Sun, who can’t tolerate such ‘fragments.’”
“Then is the strategy for Oknodie also to be the ‘Hero’?”
“That’s correct.”
“Warrior Ishtar is on their side. The previous hero, Ni’alatotep, is dimly aware that you are their ‘original.’ It seems you can’t summon your original here, can you? No matter how you look at it, your actions seem to betray the original and run wild on your own.”
“Alas, I cannot expect help from the original. He is gathering power solely to eliminate a single ultimate evil.”
In response to the explanation of First Wahyhiemhai, Major NPC Friend instinctively recalled one of the early strategies that had come to mind at the point of their current playthrough.
A build that originates from a certain hidden NPC who appears every time, despite each iteration having a different appearance or name.
It is a [Strength All In] build, which enhances the power of each strike due to the restriction that they will lose all strength if they fail to kill the enemy in a single blow.
“Is that so? Your original could have possibly become the motif for the Strength All In series…”
“Indeed. That’s also why I was keeping an eye on him and intended him to be my original summon. But now is not the time to be buried in unattainable dreams.”
“If we can’t summon a hero, what’s the alternative?”
“Force Oknodie to become a hero.”
“…What? What kind of strategy is that? It just means Oknodie becomes a few times stronger!”
Thinking ordinarily, becoming a hero would naturally yield more advantages than not.
First, one must be chosen as an apostle of the god to receive that god’s strongest grace; only then can they become a ‘hero.’
Depending on the god’s strength, there are differences in the hero’s power and their abilities, but they all share a common trait: the apostles recognized as heroes, regardless of whether they are genuine heroes of the One God or mere copies created by other minor deities, are all absurdly strong.
Even the Saintess, known as the church’s killing machine, is in a position not much different from that of a hero, making the hero’s power easier to understand when compared to her strength.
“Have you ever thought about this? A god may sometimes be desperate to make a human their follower, even if that human doesn’t wish to be one.”
“…!”
“Major NPC Friend. Just from the divine punishment meta using the dead Lich A or your identities, it’s easy to understand. Gods cannot ignore alluring humans.”
That’s right.
If one has high allure, the gods begin to pay attention even if the individual does not want it.
While Oknodie may not possess as much allure as Major NPC Friend, the accumulated titles and favorability are enough to close that gap.
“There have been countless stories in myths about humans who were destroyed after receiving the attention of gods since ancient times. Gods can break individuals they cannot have as they wish. The hero’s power can also be a means of such destruction.”
“Indeed… Just imagine being chosen as a hero by the three gods of order…”
“It would impose the restriction of having to adhere strictly to ‘good deeds.’ Restrictions would arise on free actions that traverse between good and evil. While gaining power they don’t desire, they find that ‘prohibited actions’ increase dramatically, essentially gaining countless powers. Isn’t that dizzying just to think about?”
If this build truly becomes feasible, just mentioning taboo keywords would lead one to be tossed into a swimming pool like the stars of a program, endlessly facing retribution from the gods for any misstep, drastically reducing what one could do.
In essence, it would give birth to the ‘favor fatality meta’ where the infinite love and interest of the gods kill the target.
“I’ve gained certainty. That build will work.”
Major NPC Friend felt a thrill.
If they were subjected to such an ongoing forced judgment, they would be utterly defenseless and perish.
It’s a cruel tactic akin to an announcement of annihilation for a full playthrough if caught.
[Champion of Light]
[Herald of Darkness]
[Touched by the Love of God]
As soon as confidence was established, Major NPC Friend abruptly unveiled the titles they had restrained themselves from acquiring for the sake of self-preservation.
Countless gazes from gods fell upon Major NPC Friend, and an overwhelming pressure bore down on their shoulders.
[Are you planning to disgrace us with your ‘dirty glasses’?]
[You smell like the rubbish tossed into the dimensional gap.]
[We are not pleased right now. If you act rashly because of your covetable flesh, there will be serious consequences.]
Under the pressure from the gods, Major NPC Friend boldly raised both hands and proclaimed.
“O great gods of the heavens, today I wish to recommend this vessel, who will become the greatest apostle at the cost of my paltry soul. She transcends good and evil and possesses the wisdom and experience to spread all forms of value the fastest. As proof, I hereby unveil the [Presumed Status Window]!”
A parade of status windows and lists of titles and abilities that were drawn up not from the real status of the Demon King Oknodie, but rather from the realm of predictions.
The status window of the potential future Demon King Oknodie, which had already surpassed the normal categories even in her Oknodie days, now possessed a brilliant list that no god could help but covet.
[Is this truly the total sum of functions a single human can possess?]
[How can someone with such a massive array of functions still remain in the Middle Realm?]
[Does she also share the secret of delaying ascension by distributing her functions across different dimensions like that ‘Evil Dragon’?]
While some were astonished by the greatness, others exposed their hostility towards different gods.
[This child is mine, whom I’ve overlooked ever since her days of eating stones pitifully. I command you by the name of the God of Abundance – yield and concede your greed if you don’t wish to suffer from famine and hunger.]
[Don’t spout presumptuous words. Do you think that the God of Corruption, who has corrupted even gods, would easily let go of such a despicable affront?]
[What nonsense are you spouting after witnessing such great achievements? Surely, she is destined to be a legendary adventurer worthy of the title of the Great Grandius!]
The attention of all gods fell upon Oknodie, regardless of their past grievances.
Oknodie’s status window did not only earn the favor of the benevolent gods.
The God of Corruption, who gains faith by corrupting good beings, had already amassed a whopping measure of favor by accomplishing the feat of corrupting even the benevolent gods.
Leading the way, the other evil gods also showed their favor for various reasons.
[It’s settled. This is a delicacy I will not concede to even under her threats.]
[While I could not aim for it alone, with so many gods uniting as one, how could I not contend?]
[Moreover, if I can’t obtain such a magnificent vessel, the dominant religion of the world will surely unify under one banner; how can we allow that?]
If they cannot have it, they will destroy it.
The gods, stimulated to the maximum by greed, began mercilessly pouring power toward the potential future Demon King Oknodie.
As the power of a hero, accompanied by numerous restrictions, intruded forcefully, a twist of emotion finally appeared on Oknodie’s face.
“Are you planning to make me Hestia? I can’t hold such great power!”
Even with Oknodie’s strong refusal to not obsess over her 2m30cm height anymore, the gods continued pouring in their power.
Provoked by the stubbornness of these selfish and arrogant gods, Oknodie began to feel anger bubbling up.
“So this is how it is, huh? You started this so-called investment. Now it’s too late to regret.”
The cruel eyes of Oknodie, who had been making a mess of things even to the Director, now began to fixate on the gods.
