[Salvos] 768. Greater Godhood

[Salvos] 768. Greater Godhood

768. Greater Godhood

***

“I can obtain godhood with the Arcraem’s help?”

Daniel blinked a few times, repeating after what Yves had said. In response, the other man nodded, a smile still plastered on his face.

“That’s right. That is why you need to get to the bottom of the labyrinth. Because once you reach Hark-Oth, he will guide you to meet with the only True God of the Nexeus.”

“I see…”

Hearing that, Daniel placed a hand on his chin. What the Watcher said seemed to make sense— at least, if you weren’t too familiar with the matter of divinity and godhood. That was why Kacey was nodding along without pause.

However, the young man from Earth was vaguely familiar with the matter, because of what he had been told by his closest friend.

“But why do I need the Arcraem’s help to do this? I mean, Salvos attained godhood on her own. Can’t I just do that?”

Daniel asked, narrowing his eyes at Yves. And the Watcher just waved a hand dismissively in response.

“Even if she has Divine Essence, she is not a god. At least, not in the sense that I am talking about.”

“What does that even mean?”

Daniel frowned at that. It was confusing— he was the first to admit that he wasn’t the most familiar with the subject matter. He only knew firsthand about how divinity worked through his usage of the Sword of Alexander when it gave him [Heroic Divine Essence]. Otherwise, he was far from an expert.

So he listened as Yves Virgil sighed, explaining simply.

“Perhaps your Demon friend could be a Lesser God, although I find it highly unlikely. But divinity does not mean you are a Lesser God, and being a Lesser God does not necessarily mean you have attained godhood.”

“...but if you’re a Lesser God, how can that mean you haven’t reached godhood?”

Daniel pointed out as he tried to parse what was being said. The Watcher shook his head.

“It is quite complicated. However, when I refer to the state of godhood, I am talking about becoming a Greater God.”

Looking up towards the mural carved into the ceiling, his eyes sliding over each and every one of the different figures— whether they were a giant Cyclops with eight arms, or a winged beast that looked like an artistic interpretation of what Daniel imagined was a Dragon— that were kneeling before the empty throne, Yves continued.

“When the Arcraem split its powers amongst all of the Nexeus, it gave each and every single one of us the potential to use a fraction of its power as a True God. This is what it means to unlock your Divine Essence— and becoming a Lesser God is what it means to truly master this power.”

“Right…”

Daniel was somewhat following what was being said. However, he still needed more of an explanation. Yves knew this, which was why he wagged a finger and simplified it all with one statement.

“To be a Greater God is to surpass even the powers the Arcraem has given us.”

Yves said as he smiled at the [Hero], before elaborating.

“To create your own divinity. To have your own essence as a god. To be able to carve your own path, even without the Arcraem’s guidance.”

The Watcher spoke lecturingly as he looked back down at Daniel Song. 

“That is how most of the Old Gods were capable of leaving the Nexeus. Because with their own divinity, they could travel the vast multiverse freely, becoming Worldwalkers of their own. They got to keep their powers, unlike us who would lose our connection to the Arcraem as soon as we try to flee our world.”

Daniel shook his head when he heard that.

“But I do not care about keeping my powers if I do leave this world.”

He paused, remembering something from what felt like so long ago. A brief interaction he had with Salvos after the company war between the Valiant Dreamers and the Iron Champions began.

A promise that was made to him.

No— when I do leave this world, he internally corrected himself, before continuing out loud.

“What I care about is putting a stop to all these calamities that are befalling the Human Lands— being a [Hero] and doing what’s right.”

“I understand that, and that’s why I brought you here. Because currently, you are overly-reliant on that.”

Yves gestured at the Sword of Alexander hanging from the [Hero]’s waist.

“If not for it, you wouldn’t have been able to survive down in the Labyrinth of Hark-Oth for as long as you have— certainly, even I struggle to stay down there for as long as you, and I’m much higher-leveled than you.”

There was almost a conceited tone coming from the Watcher, which mildly annoyed Daniel.

“I still don’t get this. Why must I meet with the Arcraem to become a Greater God? Can’t I just become a Greater God like everybody else?”

Daniel didn’t know the exact requirements to become a Greater God. But he assumed that being high-leveled enough was probably one of them. However, Yves shook his head.

“Because to become a Greater God is not simply to become stronger. Certainly, being granted the Arcraem’s divinity and mastering it does as such, which is why there is an element of your levels being involved.”

Daniel furrowed his brows, waiting for the ‘but’ that was definitely going to come next. And it did a moment later.

“But that is only for Lesser Gods. You see, to have your own divinity is different than having access to the Arcraem’s divinity…”

The Watcher raised a hand as iridescent flakes of light wiped off his fingertips. 

“For Lesser Gods, the divinity of the Arcraem manifests the same way. But for Greater Gods, the manifestation of their divinity is tailored to their essence. For Hark-Oth, it is the ability to grant immortality to his followers, while the Beast’s divinity is said to be manifested through its sheer power.”

The iridescent essence wisping from Yves’ hands vanished as he closed his fists. He slowly turned to Daniel, his eyes twinkling as he spoke.

“And for you?”

“For me?”

Daniel repeated after the Watcher. Yves closed his eyes and exhaled.

“Daniel, you aren’t from this world, so you can never be a Greater God. Not unless you meet with the Arcraem just as Alexander did— not unless it unlocks the true essence of your soul for you.”

“What…?”

The young man from Earth found his head swaying when he heard that. 

***

“You seriously can’t see it?”

I asked again, willing the twin fireballs created from my [Soul Of The Primordial Demon] to dance in front of both Bertrugil and Sicar. They nodded at me and repeated themselves for about the tenth time.

“Yes, Salvos. We really can’t see it.”

Bertrugil said almost exasperatedly. I placed a hand on my chin, wondering what this meant. But then I shook my head and looked up towards Sicar again.

“Where did you say Manos was?”

“...I really don’t know.”

The former Deathsquad Hunter and underling of the Executioner sighed, and I rolled my eyes.

“Both of you aren’t helpful at all! Ugh, I’m going to go find them!”

I said, and I took off, searching for Manos for some answers.

Author's Notes:

What thonk?

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