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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Ruby
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Yuma had already experimented to see in what direction he could use his abilities.
Could he emit it in the form of sword strikes like Barbatos had done?
He had tried the experiment, but emitting it in the form of sword strikes had failed.
It wasn’t created.
Befitting the name War God.
Of course, Yuma didn’t engage in pointless frustration or anything like that.
Instead, he found the reason.
Why couldn’t sword strike emission work?
‘When parrying, I could very naturally imbue divine power into Balmung.’
It wasn’t that he couldn’t utilize divine power at all.
And the sword form contained in the effect of Yuma’s divine domain [Life-or-Death Battle] was properly implemented.
There was only one case he could suspect.
Being blocked by the world’s laws.
The Holy Voice didn’t tell him the answer to that.
It was the Outer God Realm’s [Goddess of Earth and Eternity], Rhea’s side, who gave him the answer through their deduction.
[“Gods are beings who have never not been gods. But Yuma-nim is a very special case of becoming a god from being human.”]
That was right.
[“Imbuing divine power into a sword is naturally something that can be done as a god who has bloomed their divinity. But using divine power for sword strikes is a matter of different senses, I think.”]
Rhea’s speculation continued.
[“Before blooming your divinity. Did you ever try operating mana to turn it into sword energy and attempt long-range sword strikes or anything like that?”]
He hadn’t.
[“You haven’t, right. Probably the laws… seem to only acknowledge the use of divine power for things that Yuma-nim has done up until now.”]
But contrary to that, deploying protective barriers posed no difficulty.
[“It’s natural that protective divine power works smoothly according to mental images. It’s natural for gods to have the power to protect themselves and the believers who believe in them.”]
Then, the remaining problem was simple.
When using divine power for attacks, he just needed to devise methods to prepare for when he would have no choice but to use it.
The reason long-range sword strikes couldn’t be used due to the world’s laws was because Yuma had never used them before.
Then, from now on, he just needed to grasp a sword and swing it to make sword strikes possible.
“—That’s right, Master. Still, since you’ve transcended being an ordinary person, wouldn’t something work out if you swung it ignorantly? Since you’ve even become a god, you’ll surely be able to achieve success.”
Balmung’s not-quite-comforting comfort echoed in Yuma’s head.
It was correct.
Operating mana, emitting sword energy.
And if he could digest countless sword techniques, he would be able to pour out all the corresponding sword paths even while containing divine power.
“—If you do it step by step, you’ll be able to perform it perfectly.”
Yuma nodded his head.
For now, the reason for transcending ordinary humanity seemed like an intermediate stepping stone for becoming a god, but originally it was to draw up a different power separate from ‘parrying’.
He just needed to perform according to that original intention.
“—Master has become a War God, haven’t you?”
The mana operation method was sufficient with the operation method that he had received instruction in from Ego Sword Balmung previously.
Swordsmanship also existed endlessly in Balmung’s mind.
Swaek—
Footwork, sword techniques, posture of movements.
Everything was positioned within Balmung’s world.
“—It’s also possible to have mental sparring with my successive masters.”
So there was no problem whatsoever in training alone whenever he had time.
Mana writhed from his dantian.
Very shallow sword energy that undulated mixed with divine power in the sword.
Yuma very slowly but certainly drew up martial arts separate from parrying.
Whenever he had time, he swung his sword alone.
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Yuma looked at the legions gathered in front of him again.
“Each move toward the Silmaria continent in the most optimal way possible for you.”
The gazes of the different races focused toward Yuma.
“When you encounter beings that appear to be gods, don’t enter into combat but avoid the scene and report to me.”
A resounding response to Yuma’s words was heard.
Yuma raised his right hand into the air.
A blue spear emerged from the tip of his index finger.
This wasn’t a scene that unfolded identically to the other gods of the divine realm.
It was the [Believer List] that each god created in the form they desired.
It was like a game interface.
Believer list.
The believer list was already listed endlessly long.
This was because Yuma hadn’t set strict regulations regarding believers.
Beings who believed in him regardless of race.
Whether it was fanaticism close to obsession, or just formal worship or belief.
He acknowledged all as believers without distinction according to that great gap.
Excluding the celestial race who were created from the beginning to have no choice but to blindly believe and follow the Heavenly Lord, all the different races in this place—both lycanthropes and elves—were included in the believer list.
This was all to draw up the divine power of the middle realm more powerfully.
Yuma’s gaze moved from the believer list to the [Apostle List] below it.
The apostle list was completely empty, contrary to the believer list.
This was because he hadn’t designated anyone as an apostle yet.
Apostles had a fundamental difference from believers.
Believers were literally beings who had faith in the god.
Apostles held the position of representatives directly appointed by the god.
Apostles could receive the [Divine Protection]] granted more abundantly.
The Holy Voice said that the maximum number of apostle appointments was about ten total, and he could only increase it very slowly.
‘I think I know why.’
Apostles required both things to be included for designation to be possible.
Earnest faith in the god and whether a specific standard level of attainment was achieved.
By current standards, there was only one being for whom apostle appointment was possible.
Bell.
Stars were visible to Yuma’s eyes.
The blue star floating above Bell’s head.
The presence or absence of the blue star floating above one’s head was the same as the possibility or impossibility of apostleship.
A white star floated above Cloney’s head.
The white star meant apostle appointment was still impossible.
That too was a state where appointment was impossible due to being just one step short.
In Cloney’s case, faith in Yuma was sufficient, but her attainment was lacking.
‘7th Circle…’
By mage standards, reaching the 7th Circle belonging to Master level would make apostle appointment possible.
Yuma was confident that he could make Cloney an apostle soon.
Below the apostle list was the [Saintess List].
Only one saintess could be appointed.
Yuma had something separate to say to Bell, so he decided to limit the appointment at this place to one saintess.
“Ermel, come forward.”
The golden-haired, silver-eyed saintess Ermel widened her eyes and walked forward.
“Ermel.”
“Yes.”
Ermel spoke quietly and knelt down.
“I appoint you as saintess.”
Golden light spread intensely from Yuma’s right hand.
That right hand moved slowly.
Toward Ermel’s forehead.
Intense brilliance extended from the right hand that reached toward Ermel’s forehead.
Clear and pure resonance, the Holy Voice, echoed in Ermel’s mind.
Ermel felt exaltation rising from her toes at the Holy Voice echoing in her mind.
Aptitude.
To become a saintess, one had to have the right aptitude.
Those with the aptitude to become saints or saintesses, who wouldn’t easily emerge even if tens of millions were gathered, were born with the vessel to convert divine power granted as a god into holy power.
Ermel was already a person who had proven that aptitude once.
There was no reason for Yuma to designate another saintess or saint.
The main effect of holy power was undoubtedly healing.
‘Divine healing’ with power of a different dimension from mages’ healing magic.
Ermel was born with that vessel.
Her pink lips slowly opened.
“I give thanks for the divine grace.”
Ermel continued speaking while making her silver eyes shine.
“May I create a prayer? Yuma-nim.”
Yuma asked back.
“Prayer?”
Ermel nodded her head.
“Yes, a prayer that can further strengthen the believers’ faith.”
Yuma accepted those words.
“Do it.”
He thought there would be a reason for what an experienced saintess was trying to do.
“Yes, thank you.”
As Ermel’s words ended, golden brilliance flowed from behind her.
The brightness of that brilliance was so great and bright that it could be called the sun.
“…”
Yuma looked at the undulating ground again.
The ground where divine power was slowly rising.
The appointment of a saintess certainly seemed to have a great influence on divine power.
Yuma raised golden stars above the heads of the believers before his eyes.
Golden stars.
The believers stared blankly at the respective stars floating above their heads.
The celestial race was also included among those who now had stars floating above their heads.
[Star of Observation]
Archangel Garenmon muttered quietly.
“It shines very brightly…”
In Garenmon’s mind.
No, the same phenomenon was occurring in all the celestial race’s minds.
The being who would save this world was not the Heavenly Lord or themselves, the celestial race.
War God.
The being now standing on the platform was the one who would deal with all the remaining evil gods and balance the divine realm to equilibrium.
That thought now concluded as conviction.
Yuma’s words continued again.
“With this, when a life-threatening crisis approaches you, that signal will reach me immediately. When that happens, I will protect you with my divinity.”
It was as if spare armor had been given to everyone in the legion.
Armor that wouldn’t easily crumble under any force.
“So don’t be afraid and fulfill your respective roles.”
The stars that had been floating above each person’s head slowly disappeared.
Of course, they didn’t just disappear uselessly, but were imprinted on each person’s body.
“We depart shortly.”
Having finished what he had to say to everyone, Yuma separately called Bell afterward.
To appoint him as an apostle of the god.
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