Ork.
The guardian sword protecting the Goddess.
As the High Lord protecting the Sleeping Forest, he had held this position for thousands of years.
Boom!
Avoiding the sudden explosion with his superior reflexes, he swung his sword quickly.
An invisible sword strike aimed at his opponent.
Clang, clang, clang!
The Lord of the Seventh Forest created a barrier and blocked the strike.
Ork opened one eye wide.
‘He’s not just some average guy.’
It was surprising that the opponent had perceived the invisible strike, but the magic used to block it in such a short moment was even more impressive.
The attack he had just unleashed was a strike capable of cutting through almost any magic.
The fact that such a strike had been blocked meant that the Lord’s skill was far from ordinary.
“To think you blocked that.”
“I should be the one saying that. You dodged it?”
Certainly, this guy was different from those who had challenged him until now.
He concealed his intentions by hiding his expression, and he aimed for openings with sudden attacks. He was skilled enough to even control the faint murderous intent leaking out.
It had been a long time since he had met such a strong opponent.
During their brief confrontation, it was the opponent who moved first. Suddenly, the ground split apart, and the floor collapsed.
Ork caught his center of gravity and leaped lightly.
At that moment, a gale made of wind targeted him. Ork swung his sword and sliced through the gale.
Pop!
With that sound, the wind exploded.
Ork used that moment to kick off the air and lunge at his opponent.
Simultaneously, he swung his sword.
High-speed movement using Mana and a body enhanced through Divine Power. In an instant, faster than a blink of an eye, Ork’s sword slashed at the Lord’s neck.
Shick!
The sensation of the sword cutting through empty air.
At the same time, walls shot up from the ground, darkening Ork’s field of vision.
Immediately after, the walls closed in rapidly, pressing against him.
It was pressure strong enough to crush him to death. The power of the magic was so exceptional that it even affected a body blessed by the Goddess.
‘I have to get out.’
Ork made his decision and released a shout, dispelling the opponent’s magic. The Mana bursting from his entire body shattered the earthen walls.
“Hah!”
He quickly pinpointed the opponent’s location amidst the scattering dirt.
The enemy was not visible in front of him.
He felt no presence behind him either, but the opponent was skilled enough to perfectly hide even his murderous intent and Mana.
However, magic was something created using Mana.
Traces of Mana were bound to remain in magic.
Ork used the techniques he had polished over thousands of years.
‘I see it.’
The threads of Mana woven into the magic were connected somewhere.
The sky.
Having identified the location, Ork swung his sword to attack the opponent floating in the air.
The opponent used Teleportation Magic.
Seeing the Mana gathering at the intended destination, Ork unleashed another invisible sword strike.
This time, he swung his sword multiple times.
Clang, clang, clang!
The first strike was blocked by a barrier.
However, the second and third strikes that followed ground away at the barrier.
Crack!
Three sword strikes swallowed the cracked barrier. They completely shattered the defense and rushed toward the opponent.
Clank!
The opponent created a sword made of wind and parried all the strikes.
“Swordsmanship?”
It looked like a light swing, but the Enlightenment contained within it was not shallow.
However, Ork was not the only one surprised.
The opponent, the Lord, was also looking at Ork with a considerably shocked expression.
“You predicted the teleportation location?”
“I think this is enough to gauge your skill.”
Ork looked at the Lord of the Seventh Forest and released the power he had been suppressing.
This was not an opponent he could fight while holding back.
Perhaps he was the one the Goddess desired. Even if just for a proper confirmation, he had to give his all.
“Then I should go all out as well.”
As if the opponent had also been suppressing his power, an intense force began to flow out.
Golden scales covered parts of his body, a tail and wings grew, and two horns appeared on his forehead.
‘A Dragon?’
They had already vanished from this world, but they were once a powerful race that stood above all others.
Ork’s body trembled from the instinctive fear that the race itself instilled.
Ork gripped his sword even tighter.
‘It’s a false fear.’
He was one chosen by a God and a transcendent being who had surpassed his own race. Even if he were to be defeated, he would not succumb to fear.
Ork walked forward.
The Lord also slowly approached.
Without any particular tricks, they raised their swords and swung at each other.
Rumble!
The ground shook as the two swords clashed.
But neither of them stopped.
Once again, they swung their swords at each other. Not fast, not slow, not aiming for each other’s weaknesses, and not being flashy.
They simply clashed sword against sword with pure intent.
CRAAAASH!
We crossed swords three times.
And then, Ork looked at me and lowered his sword.
“I lost.”
Ork’s swordsmanship was excellent.
It was magnificent.
[Talent of the Martial God (EX) allows you to perceive the Ork’s swordsmanship.]
[His swordsmanship skill is excellent…]
[Your Understanding is high…]
It was a fight that allowed me to properly understand what high-level swordsmanship was and exactly how much power I possessed.
‘As you go higher, it becomes simpler.’
It was the same for Nature Magic and for swordsmanship.
Tricking the opponent, being fast, aiming for openings, or being flashy. Once these things reached their peak, they became truly simple. After crossing a certain line, those things didn’t mean much anymore.
The total amount of power each person possessed.
What mattered was whose power was stronger.
Ork had confirmed that with those three strikes and conceded defeat.
I couldn’t help but show respect to Ork, who had allowed me to realize these things.
“It was a good sword.”
“Follow me. The rest of you, wait here.”
“Wait for us.”
Leaving the other Lords of the forest behind, I followed Ork deep into the First Forest.
It was a place covered in various illusions and phantom magic. The level was so high that even with my Talent, it wasn’t easy to perceive.
‘She made it so that even if someone ignored the Ork and came in, they wouldn’t get what they wanted.’
Ork walked, finding exactly the right path.
“If you stray even a little, it’s the end, so be careful.”
“I understand.”
I followed exactly where Ork stepped. His feet were larger than mine, so as long as I concentrated, I couldn’t stray.
Moving like that, we arrived at a small garden.
Radiant flowers were in bloom, and there was a small fountain in the center.
As we entered the place filled with the scent of flowers, Ork split the fountain with his sword. The fountain, split exactly in half, began to shimmer.
As if something were melting, the fountain flowed down and transformed into the shape of a coffin. A pure white coffin with nothing drawn on it.
“What happens if you cut it wrong?”
“Instant death.”
Ork turned his body calmly.
“My role ends here. When you open the coffin, the Goddess will awaken.”
Watching Ork disappear back into the path made of illusions, I walked toward the coffin and reached out to push it.
It moved more easily than I expected.
Inside the coffin was a Human with pale skin. A Goddess with pure white hair and a youthful appearance.
[Using Golden Dragon Eye.]
[Golden Dragon Eye cannot be used on this target.]
Like other Apostles, Golden Dragon Eye did not work on her.
“My name is Ru. I am the God who inherited this world.”
Ru, who had opened her eyes at some point, explained herself. In response, I also lightly introduced myself.
“I am Cheon Yongje.”
“…You have already earned the qualification.”
Ru examined my body and then carefully pulled herself up.
Once she stood completely, the coffin transformed into a chair. Ru sat in the chair, created a table, and then made another chair for me to sit in.
“Shall we talk for a moment? Is there anything you’re curious about?”
“Earlier, you said you were the God who inherited this world. What does that mean?”
“It’s exactly as it sounds.”
Ru snapped her fingers to create teacups and filled them with tea. She carefully blew on it before taking a sip.
“I took over this position from the previous God, and now I’m trying to hand that position over to you.”
“Is there not just one God?”
“The Creator God is one. The Creator God creates all sorts of worlds. However, he does not directly manage those worlds.”
“Then…”
“Think of it as having separate Gods like us—well, Administrators—to manage them.”
As if she knew what my next question would be, Ru smiled and spoke again.
“The Creator God does not appoint Administrators. Managing Gods are born naturally. Much like creating something from nothing, various races create faith. And from that faith and belief, a Managing God is formed. That is why belief is so important when it comes to Divine Power.”
“Does every world have a Managing God?”
“I’m not sure about that. I am the God of this world, and I merely inherited the authority from the previous Administrator.”
“Why are you handing over the authority?”
“My predecessor did it to move on to a higher dimension, and I lost my qualification because I was betrayed by all the races of this world.”
A higher dimension?
Betrayal?
Hearing about betrayal made me think of Ropenheim’s dimension. The Demon King had tried to kill the God and usurp that position.
“Is it possible to steal the position of a God?”
“Yes. It’s possible.”
“Then why do you leave the seeds of betrayal or evil alone?”
“It is the law of the world. Where there is a sun, there is a moon; where there is white, there is black; and where there is good, there is evil. The only one who can control that at will is the Creator God… but the Creator God has no interest in such things.”
Ru smiled gently.
“Perhaps because you are still human, you have many questions from a human perspective. But once you become a God, you will understand everything.”
“Is that so?”
“Then shall we begin right away? The time given to me is running out.”
Standing up from her seat, Ru placed her hand on my head. A warm energy flowed through my mind.
Along with the energy, memories were transferred as well.
The events that took place in this world after Ru became its Administrator.
‘The Six Dragon Gods.’
They appeared in this world, created the Labyrinth, and ruled this world much like the Earth of now. To cast out Ru, the original Administrator, and take that position for themselves.
However, Ru used the Authority she possessed to hide herself in the Sleeping Forest.
She gathered the races, excluding humans, and built a wall so that the Six Dragon Gods could not easily find her.
And she contacted the Gold Dragon to make a contract. That she would hand over all her power if someone capable of revenge appeared.
‘That was me.’
The one who fulfilled all the requirements.
That was why Ru was handing over her power to me.
“Please take my revenge for me.”
“Does a God desire revenge?”
“Of course.”
With a bright smile, Ru handed over everything she possessed. Along with that, Ru’s form vanished.
A new power rising within my entire body enveloped me, causing a transformation.
[You have acquired the qualification of a God.]
[You have become a God (Lower).]
[…An existing Divinity has been detected.]
[Existing Divine Power is present.]
[Connecting to the corresponding Dimension. Acquiring the status of a God.]
[You have become a God who rules over two worlds. Your Authority is expanding.]
[You possess high Enlightenment.]
[Your body is transforming to accommodate all of this.]
[It will take time for the changes to apply.]
I felt my body stabilizing.
Time would take care of the rest.
Now that I had obtained everything I could, it was time to move and prepare for the Supreme Apostle.
“Shall I go handle the Supreme Apostle?”