I had noticed a long time ago that he was unusual.
It was inevitable, considering he had withstood my ultimate technique, which even those with divine status could not block.
That was not a realm a mere, ordinary human could reach.
Because of that, I had thought he was something other than human.
I even wondered if he might be the Goddess of Light, who had suddenly disappeared.
‘My expectations were far exceeded.’
Surprisingly, Leon’s true identity was not some Goddess of Light.
Then again, I had found it suspicious from the moment my Insight Eye failed to work on him.
No matter how much of a god of light or darkness one was, they could not escape my Insight Eye.
The fact that he could hide himself from it meant he had to be a being from an even higher realm.
I had vaguely guessed he was extraordinary, but I never imagined his true identity would be the Creator God.
…Taecho.
It existed along with the birth of the universe.
In the beginning, it simply existed but as eons passed, a consciousness finally emerged.
It was boredom.
It was emptiness.
It was everything.
However, all this did was seek sleep.
Then, a problem arose.
Parts within Taecho began to form.
The problem was that there was not just one, but two.
These two consciousnesses were so distinct that they eventually reached a point of mutual hatred.
Thus, they finally separated from Taecho, and those were Light and Darkness.
In the past, I had devoted myself to studying in order to deal with Light and Darkness.
I studied every book, history, and myth that existed on the continent.
Through that, I learned the fact that the two gods, Light and Darkness, were actually derived from a single existence called Taecho.
Taecho had split into Light and Darkness.
Because of this, the Creator God had never appeared once since the history of the gods began.
The only way for Taecho to be resurrected was for Light and Darkness to combine into one.
But that was as good as impossible.
There was no way two wills that had been divided for such a long time would merge back into one.
Yet now, that impossibility has appeared before my eyes and the one who made it possible was—
‘Salmora.’
The mysterious being who was once called the Plague Legion Commander.
He was the one who had awakened the being known as the Creator God.
“Wow!”
“Ohh!”
Hosik Jeong and Kim Chaun stared at that brilliant light.
The two of them let out exclamations filled with awe.
Their eyes were vacant.
If what they were looking at were real life and not a TV screen, they might have prostrated themselves to express that reverence.
Just like the reporters there at the press conference.
“O, Great Being!”
“Ahhh…”
“Clap!”
I lightly clapped my hands.
“Gasp!”
“W-What is this?!”
Only then did they snap out of their submerged emotions.
“Why did I…? What just happened?”
In response to Hosik Jeong’s question as he felt doubt about the reverence that had filled his heart, I replied, “He is the Creator God. It is only natural to show respect for the greatness of such a being.”
He had existed since the beginning of time.
There was no way a human could resist the reverence commanded by such long-standing karma and existence.
It was the same now.
If I had not formed a barrier to block his energy, they would still be flat on the floor, worshiping him.
-“I am Taecho. The parent of all gods and the creator of all creatures.”
Wrapped in brilliant light, he began to speak.
-“Everything until now has been nothing more than a light breeze. But now, I have returned. Your parent and the master of all creation. It is only natural that you follow me.”
In that voice, in that will, a powerful force resided.
“U-Uh?”
It was to the point where it affected Hosik Jeong and Kim Chaun despite them being under the protection of the barrier.
‘Brainwashing.’
It was a type of brainwashing.
However, if there was a difference from existing brainwashing, it was that the range covered the entire Earth.
-“Revere me! And worship me!”
The ripples of that will gradually grow larger.
Because of that, I spread my energy and my presence throughout all of South Korea.
Anything more than that was impossible.
Even this was barely manifested by using the faith I had gained thanks to the religious order that had recently expanded its influence.
The consumption was extreme, but it couldn’t be helped.
If I didn’t block this, it was obvious that everyone in South Korea would end up worshiping him.
-“Now, did you see?”
Taecho stepped back, and Emile took his place.
-“The divine entities that have revealed themselves until now are nothing.”
Of course, that included a slight toward me, the God of Victory.
-“The being who has existed since the beginning. The master of all creation. That is the true entity residing within Leon’s body. He is on a completely different level from the beings you have experienced so far.”
The purpose of this press conference was not to deliver information.
It was proselytizing.
It was a kind of mission to make people worship Taecho, the Creator God.
Of course, it was working very well.
They were likely reeking in a sufficient harvest everywhere outside of South Korea, where I had deployed my barrier.
Confirmation?
There was no need to check.
“Thrum, thrum!”
It was still ongoing.
My divinity was draining out of my body.
It meant the number of believers worshiping me was decreasing, and it was happening at a rate that could be considered rapid.
There was no need to investigate where the departing worship was heading.
-“I believe this has already been proven through this cure.”
What Emile pulled from his robe was a syringe containing a yellow liquid.
It was an item I had seen before in Paris.
A drug with the amazing effect of restoring a human who had been turned into a demon.
Having been suspicious, I had closely watched the process of a demon being restored to a human.
The conclusion was—
‘A perfect human.’
It wasn’t a trick.
It clearly had the effect of turning a demon back into a human.
Even those who returned to being human kept their previous memories and souls intact. It was a cure beyond doubt.
However…
‘Cunning.’
I couldn’t help but feel a small sense of admiration for the cunning of Emile—no, Salmora.
I could guarantee it.
The development of the cure likely had no input from Taecho at all.
It was surely the result of Salmora’s long time spent researching demons, humans, and gods.
In fact, he was the only one capable of it.
Had he not been researching demons, humans, and gods since the past?
Even his bold demand for the Demon King’s blood had been for his own intellectual pursuit.
All of those processes must have led to the current cure.
But he was telling a blatant lie.
What he was aiming for was worship toward Taecho.
He had performed a miracle that could restore humans who had become demons!
There would be no missionary activity as powerful as that.
No, that wasn’t all.
-“Leon’s miracles do not end with the cure. Everyone knows that Kim Si-won of South Korea played an active role in driving out the Demon King and the God of Darkness. However, as an aftermath, the remaining demons have been born. The world is suffering from the headache of dealing with them.”
Demons were rampant all over the world.
Dealing with them was a considerably difficult task.
Of course, if I stepped in, it would be possible to sweep away many demons at once.
A large-scale massacre using the Knights was also possible.
But if I did that, the damage would reach the surrounding areas as well.
Even if people evacuated, there were limits, and thus powerful means could not be used.
Because of that, subjugation squads were organized through dispatch and were active all over the world.
Clearly, the demon remnants were gradually disappearing.
However, they were sure to cause damage for as long as they stayed in the world.
-“But do not worry. Leon’s authority is entirely different from the realm of an ordinary god.”
He was still at it.
Although he didn’t mention my divinity, Victory, he was clearly targeting me.
It was a simple logic.
We can do what Victory cannot.
Through that, they were stealing believers and faith.
Of course, to do that, he would have to manifest a miracle—something even I found impossible.
“…”
I stared at the TV with interest, wondering what kind of trick he would pull.
-“Now, your faith has turned toward Leon.”
Emile—no, Salmora—stared at Leon.
Leon nodded.
Along with that signal…
-“It seems the preparations are finished. Then…”
Suddenly, the screen changed.
No, that wasn’t the TV.
‘Shared Vision.’
It was a large-scale Shared Vision that Salmora had showcased in the past.
At that time, it was used to show the majesty of the Demon King’s Castle, but the purpose was different this time.
I didn’t know whose vision it was.
One thing was for certain.
It was that the surrounding area was filled with demons.
Had there ever been a time when this many demons had gathered?
The force swarming like the Demon King’s Legion of the past was a sight that naturally evoked a sense of majesty.
“How are there this many demons?”
“Could there be a commander leading them…?”
Hosik Jeong and Kim Chaun were shocked.
It was an overwhelming number that surprised even them, who had faced numerous situations.
It was only natural.
‘Salmora. He must have gathered them.’
With the absence of the Demon King, Salmora was the highest commander currently capable of leading the demons.
Although they had scattered, if he gave the order, gathering this many in one place would be child’s play.
-“Do you see? This incredible number of demons. But they are only a fraction. The demon forces are still powerful, and it is expected that a long time will be needed to deal with them.”
Even if there was some exaggeration, nothing he said was wrong.
-“But if Leon exercises his authority, a long time? It won’t be necessary. Now, watch.”
At that moment.
-Shiver!
I couldn’t help but tremble at the ripple of energy transmitted from afar.
‘This is…?’
I could feel it.
The authority of the Creator God, Taecho.
That massive presence and overwhelming power.
‘He gathered this much divinity in such a short time?’
That was something impossible for ordinary divine entities.
Of course, the same went for me, the sole god.
Surprisingly, in that short moment, Leon had achieved an enormous level of divinity through the faith gathered from the people.
It was as if he had been gathering divinity for a long time.
Surprisingly, the size of it was larger than what I had gathered while being active.
There was only one reason such a thing was possible.
‘The rate of converting faith into divinity is different.’
Normally, I would have said it was impossible.
However, if the subject was Taecho, the Creator God, it wasn’t impossible.
He was, in name, the divine rank of creation who stood above all gods.
A conversion of faith completely different from that of a typical god might be possible for him.
-“This is the authority of Taecho, the Creator God!”
Along with Salmora’s voice, which was soaked in ecstasy…
-Flash!
A flash of light erupted.
I flinched for a moment at that tremendous light that even swallowed the Shared Vision.
“Ah…”
“Gasp!”
Everyone, including myself, couldn’t help but be horrified.
Only a light had been produced.
However, within the Shared Vision, all those many demons had vanished.
Only ash remained there to prove that the demons had existed.
-“Worship him! This is the authority of the Creator God. The miracle of Leon, who leads this world to the path of salvation!”
At the moment that voice filled with joy resounded, I could feel it.
‘The age of the Creator God has arrived.’
The worship toward the man called Leon—no, the Creator God, Taecho—was dominating the world.
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