Ch.9898. Ascension (3)

“······Phew, it was a success.”

At the same time, in a hidden space of the divine realm.

I had been anxiously watching Ugo’s ascension, and now I smiled with joy as I confirmed that Ugo had successfully endured the ascension process and became Ugo-Duk.

In truth, Ugo could have easily failed the ascension and lost his divine nature completely.

Ugo had been drifting for quite a long time in the divine realm—an area without a designated owner, where even the concepts of time and space were blurry—while his soul slowly eroded.

Thanks to using his desire for revenge as an anchor, he hadn’t completely lost his mind, and that same vengeful spirit had been a great help when destroying the industrial city.

But after achieving his revenge, had he developed some kind of burnout syndrome? He spent almost every day rolling around in fields, staring blankly—symptoms that certainly suggested burnout… but I knew better.

Ugo was spending his days in this meaningless state because his soul had been worn to tatters.

Apart from basic hunger, his fundamental desires to do anything had grown dim, and his self-awareness had dulled to the point where he couldn’t even recognize himself.

In combat situations, he still displayed remarkable intelligence, albeit somewhat instinctual and feral… but this was closer to a kind of deception.

Ugo had instinctively directed his soul to erode in all areas except those necessary for his revenge—that’s what made this deception possible.

Anyway, for these reasons, Ugo’s condition was truly terrible.

And yet I was attempting to ascend a soul in such a dreadful state?

Even intact souls frequently fail at ascension, and those who fail are often the souls of heroes who have been through countless trials.

In other words, even heroes who have reached the limits of mortality through all manner of experiences can fail—and I was attempting this with Ugo’s tattered soul.

Moreover, failure at ascension doesn’t simply end there.

For an intact soul, failure might just result in some erosion (a level decrease), but if the same happened to Ugo, his soul would likely shatter completely.

And in that process, his divine nature would also be lost, scattered across the world.

Despite this critical risk—that a failed ascension could destroy Ugo’s soul and blow away his divine nature—I still proceeded with his ascension.

If a god doesn’t believe in their follower, then who else would?

It was quite an impulsive and emotional reason, far from rational… but I don’t regret it at all.

Having brought back someone who had given up on everything and breathed new passion into him, it was only natural that I take responsibility.

Anyway, rejoicing in Ugo’s successful ascension, I returned to reality to check on our current status.

Ma-Duk

Race :: God

Type :: Personality-based Thought Complex

Occupation :: Evil God (Medium)

Attributes

Divinity :: High

Divine Nature :: Medium

Faith :: Medium

Interference Capability :: High

Believers :: 39,991

Souls (Believers) :: 65,580

Souls (Sinners) :: 29,349

Divine Aspects

Revenge: 100% (Medium) Vampire: 100% (Medium) Blood: 87.1% (Medium) Violence: 78.5% (Medium) Rage: 76.9% (Medium) Wolf: 41.7% (Medium) Bear: 11.3% (Low) War: 10.9% (Low) Bull: 6.6% (Low) Boar: 1.2% (Low)

Skills

Divine Sight (Medium), Bestow Blessing (High), Imbue Divine Magic (Medium), Divine Punishment (Medium), Grant Miracle (Medium), Divine Artifact Creation (2/3), Apostle Designation (2/3)

In my case, there was only one major change.

I had taken 1% of my War divine aspect and bestowed it upon Ugo.

Naturally, human history is essentially the history of war… and in this world where other races are involved as well, war is even more prevalent, making the War divine aspect one of the most highly valued among divine aspects.

With the War divine aspect, one gains explosive power as more wars break out in the world, and can gain power from anything considered a war, regardless of scale or form.

Because of this, in most mythologies, war gods are treated as extremely powerful deities—and they truly are—making this divine aspect invaluable, something you couldn’t obtain even if you wanted to.

Yet I had bestowed a whole 1% of this divine aspect on Ugo.

The result was now before my eyes.

Ugo-Duk

Race :: God

Type :: Ascended Being

Occupation :: Subordinate God (Lowest)

Attributes

Divinity :: Lowest

Divine Nature :: Lowest

Faith :: Lowest

Interference Capability :: Lowest

Believers :: 0

Souls (Believers) :: 0

Souls (Sinners) :: 0

Divine Aspects

Minotaur: 10% (Lowest) War: 1% (Lowest) Cow: 1.2% (Lowest)

Skills

Divine Sight (Lowest), Bestow Blessing (Lowest), Imbue Divine Magic (Lowest), Divine Punishment (Lowest), Grant Miracle (Lowest), Divine Artifact Creation (0/0), Apostle Designation (0/0)

A status window of a textbook lowest-tier god—attributes, skill levels, occupation rank, divine aspects, everything at the lowest level—with the only exception being that he had three divine aspects.

But his potential was not to be underestimated: a Minotaur War God.

This was the status of Ugo-Duk, the subordinate god born from my hands and bound to me.

※ ※ ※

Ugo-Duk, newly ascended and reborn, was staring blankly at the sublime being before him.

The great one with a skull visage, emanating an ominous yet sacred cross-halo.

The bloodstained god, covered in the endless crimson blood of his enemies.

The Avenger, the Red King, and bearer of countless other titles, his master [Ma-Duk]—

《······Urgh!!》

For one who had just reached this height, merely perceiving that [True Name] was enough to twist his soul and distort his mind.

Yet Ugo-Duk could not take his eyes off his master, who was also like a parent to him, as he was overcome with emotion.

Having reached this realm, being called a god, and having his soul bound to feel His presence, he could understand.

[He] was a being that could not be adequately described by the word “god.”

Although [He] was a mid-tier god and Ugo was a low-tier god, both had ascended to godhood, so the quality of their souls should have been roughly comparable.

But look at [Him].

From Ugo-Duk’s perspective, if his own soul were likened to a candle flame, [His] soul was like a brilliantly shining sun.

The difference was so vast it defied comparison. For Ugo, [He] was a being for whom the exaggerated expression “god of gods” was more fitting than for anyone else in this world.

So despite being in some sense half-equals as fellow gods, Ugo-Duk knelt before [Him] with the reverence of a believer receiving their god.

《······What are you doing?》

《I am showing the proper respect due to my great master, My Lord.》

《······No, that’s not necessary. You too have ascended to godhood, so you may act more comfortably.》

《I am more comfortable this way, My Lord.》

《Hmm······Very well. Then act as you wish.》

Though his words, his language, the meaning in his terms conveyed humanity, Ugo-Duk was not deceived by this.

A true absolute being denies their own absoluteness.

So when Ugo-Duk knelt on one knee, ready to receive [His] command, [He] seemed to recognize that Ugo was prepared to listen and spoke.

《Ugo-Duk. To the north of the orcs, there are descendants of brave wolves who stand against them. Lead them and gather those who were once your kind.》

《I shall obey your command, Great God.》

The explanation was quite brief and concise, seemingly insufficient, but it was enough for Ugo-Duk, who had gained transcendent intelligence through his ascension.

The purpose of the command, the goal, the scope to be fulfilled, the parties involved, and ultimately what [He] desired.

Understanding all of this at once, Ugo bowed his head with the utmost respect toward [Him], who looked at Ugo-Duk with a somewhat strange gaze before departing.

And after [He] had left.

Ugo-Duk, who had been staring blankly for a long time, spoke in a quiet, low voice, almost whispering.

《Reverence to the Great Red King. This world exists only for you.》

In Ugo-Duk’s eyes as he spoke these words burned the flames of fanaticism.