The Sword Emperor Transmigrates-Chapter 250

This phenomenon was exceedingly rare even in ancient times, and in the present world, it was practically unheard of.

Deification referred to becoming a godlike existence. Unlike beings born with innate divinity or their descendants, Deification represented the creation of divinity from scratch. Those who achieved this state transcended mortality and even the limits of their lifespan.

Human, elf, dwarf—even monsters like goblins or trolls could overcome their origins and ascend to godhood if deemed worthy.

The Celestial Demon Tier, the highest of the five major monster tiers, represented this state. Yet, throughout history, only a handful had ever reached it.

—Most monsters can’t achieve Deification, not unless they’re descended from gods and have divine blood flowing through their veins. Those well-known Monstrous Gods and Demonic Gods? They’re all children or offshoots of deities.

Boreas’s explanation carried weight. Even the origins of giants like the trolls, who had once rivaled the Aesir gods, could be traced back to the primordial Giant God Ymir, a divine progenitor. But over countless millennia, their divine blood waned, leaving them as mere monsters.

However, if an extreme case of atavism or recessive inheritance occurred, it was technically not impossible for a Celestial Demon Tier troll to emerge. Unlike goblins or orcs, who were confined to being mere monsters, trolls inherently had far greater potential.

“Lord Boreas! I’ve got a question!” Vivian raised her hand enthusiastically.

—What is it?

Boreas, surprisingly tolerant of his temporary contractor, slightly tilted his head toward her.

“Are monsters like ogres or cyclopes also descendants or offshoots of gods? Their high intelligence and potential seem to suggest they have superior origins.”

—Indeed. Ogres are descendants of Orcus, a god of the underworld, and cyclopes are distant offspring of the god known as the Giant God Cyclops.

Though the ogres of the present day were known as cunning and violent brutes, their ancestors had once been servant races of the gods. Sent by the gods themselves, they would punish those who broke oaths made with the dead or betrayed grieving families.

The cyclopes had an equally rich history. Their forebear, the original Cyclops, had forged divine artifacts for Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades, the Chief Gods of Olympus. Even the faint traces of their bloodline remaining in the present day gave birth to monsters with Rank S danger levels.

“...You’d never hear about this anywhere else,” Leonard muttered.

“If scholars researching the origins of monsters heard this, they’d flip out,” Ninian added, visibly impressed.

Unlike Vivian, who innocently accepted the information with a simple “Wow, I see!” Ninian and Leonard couldn’t help but marvel at the weight of Boreas’s insight.

Scholars had been studying the origins of monsters for centuries, yielding little success. The prevailing theories suggested they were aberrations caused by distortions in the natural order or mutations of existing species.

However, Boreas’s story had just shattered all those assumptions.

—Seems like I’ve wandered off a bit. Returning to your case—due to your brief but close proximity to the realm of the gods during the battle with Scylla, signs of Deification have started to manifest.

Leonard mulled over Boreas’s words, catching something unsettling in his tone.

“You don’t sound too positive about this. So, Deification isn’t all good, is it? My body feels like it’s slipping from my control, and I can’t shake the sense that letting this go on would be dangerous.”

—You’ve got sharp instincts. Your suspicions are correct, benefactor.

Boreas readily confirmed Leonard’s doubts.

—Deification isn’t guaranteed to succeed. Without proper preparation, one might fail to fully materialize their divine essence. In your case, you have at least four potential pathways, but you might end up embodying only one if you can’t cultivate all of them.

“...Then my divine essence must currently be leaning toward fire.”

—Exactly.

The ultimate technique, Vermilion Bird’s Descent, which had temporarily unleashed the power of a True God entity, was proof that the Deification process had begun.

So, if I align with the gravitational pull manifesting within me, I could reach the Deification Tier. But if I do, it seems I would end up with a vessel that is both smaller and incomplete.

Ideally, one would harmoniously cultivate all five elements, wielding the combined authority as a single unified power. That was the true Deification Tier of the One Origin Five Elements Cultivation Method.

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However, the balance of those elements had been disrupted by Vermilion Bird’s Descent. Succumbing to Deification now would result in a divinity solely based on fire, rather than all five elements. That would weaken Leonard’s divine presence and conceptual realm, and there was an even graver issue.

“Merely attaining divinity isn’t enough to sit on the Divine Throne. You must possess the authority to encompass the entire world. Even if you become a god, if your power lacks the proper balance, you won’t be fit for the throne. In the past, the leaders of various deity pantheons shared this responsibility, but that’s impossible in the current era.”

The conversation with Yggdrasil flashed through Leonard’s mind.

With the Divine Throne vacant, there would be no way to resolve the fundamental cause of the world’s inevitable march toward ruin. No matter how many Demoniacs pouring out of Nine Hells were defeated or how many invasions of Outer Gods were thwarted, that would just delay the inevitable.

The priority was halting the decline of the world’s laws and restoring the barriers that had once blocked interdimensional travel and invasions.

“Is there a way to halt the progress of Deification or suppress these impulses?”

—There isn’t.

Boreas’s answer was firm.

—For now, your current state is manageable with restraint. But if you use that technique again, the gravitational pull will surpass what you can suppress with willpower.

“So Vermilion Bird’s Descent is sealed for now...? No, wait a minute.”

—I think I know what you’re wondering. Are you asking if it’s possible to trigger the Deification of an opposing attribute to cancel out the pull from both directions?

“Exactly.”

Boreas, guessing Leonard’s train of thought, paused briefly before acknowledging the possibility.

—It could work... though if the balance tilts even slightly, the pull would double, making it even more dangerous.

“So it’s something you could only attempt once. Got it.”

Even if Leonard successfully counterbalanced the Vermilion Bird’s Deification with that of the Black Tortoise, attempting a third Deification would raise the difficulty far beyond anything manageable.

To achieve balance without breaking the equilibrium, he would need to simultaneously trigger the Deification of both the White Tiger and the Azure Dragon. Only by completing the Four Symbols in harmony could he ascend as the Yellow Dragon in the center.

It was, by all means, an impossible task, and yet Leonard had already resolved to take that path.

—That’s as much as I know about Deification. I hope it will be of some help to you.

“It’s been immensely helpful. Should I say you’ve repaid Yggdrasil’s debt now?”

—No. For the grace you showed in sending Mother off, not even my entire existence would be enough to repay that debt. I must refuse.

Laughing heartily, Boreas melted back into the wind and disappeared. Left behind, Ninian and Vivian, who had overheard everything, clutched their heads in frustration.

“This story’s gotten so big, it hardly feels real anymore.”

“Right?”

Since Vivian had been the one to summon Boreas, she could not excuse herself and had to listen to it all. Aside from Leonard, she and Ninian were likely the only ones privy to the origins of a high-potential monster and the intricacies of Deification.

If they reported this to the Mage Tower or the Arcane Society, they would probably be rewarded with enough wealth to claim several major territories. The information from an ancient Spirit King was worth that much.

However, given that elves were generally indifferent to material greed, it was unlikely that Vivian and Ninian would do that. Leonard, meanwhile, stood there in silence, his fists clenched tightly as he reflected on what Boreas had told him.

It feels like too much is riding on my life... But rather than letting the weight of responsibility overwhelm me, I’d rather burn my life away as a martial artist.

At some point, he had become trapped in the notion of saving the world or taking the gods’ place to avert disaster. But in the end, Leonard was a martial artist at his core. His madness lay in honing his strength to see how far it could take him, how much it could achieve—risking everything for that pursuit.

Reaching the realm of the gods was more about self-development than saving the world. Strength was the true goal, and saving the world was just a byproduct of that.

Fwoosh...

The fire qi, unnaturally amplified by Vermilion Bird’s Descent, surged toward Leonard’s crown as if resonating with his fighting spirit. Suppressing it just in time, Leonard smirked faintly.

Even emotions like fighting spirit or anger are enough to provoke it... I’ll need to expedite the Black Tortoise’s Deification.

The signs of Deification were stronger and faster than he had anticipated. Fully realizing the magnitude of the powers and challenges he had to face, Leonard suppressed his heightened emotions.

“Hero!” Vivian called out with a bright, innocent expression, oblivious to Leonard’s inner turmoil.

“...Hmm?”

“If you’re not busy, how about taking a stroll through the shopping district with me and my sister? It’s changed a lot since you last visited. There’s plenty to see!”

Normally, Leonard would have declined without a second thought, but this time was different. His mind was troubled enough already, and dwelling on this situation further could negatively impact his Deification. Also, meditating or focusing on circulating his energy might even worsen his condition.

So, for once, he accepted Vivian’s invitation. “Why not? I don’t have any plans until dinner anyway.”

“Wow! We’ve got a few hours until dinner, so we can take our time! Just follow me!”

“Vivian, stop running on the main road where there are people!”

Watching the elf sisters—bound by blood only halfway but inseparably close—Leonard chuckled.

Growing stronger and saving the world—there was no need to choose between the two. Why should it matter which came first when both were achievable? He would save the world by becoming stronger. That was enough for Leonard.

Following Ninian and Vivian, Leonard enjoyed the rare respite from his duties and responsibilities, fully immersing himself in leisure. By the time they sat down for dinner at a reserved restaurant, he had reconnected with the Aquamarine members, sharing stories and laughter to shed the weight of past burdens.

There was much to say, even to those who hadn’t joined the recent subjugation expedition against the Outer Gods.

“If you ever have business in Arcadia or just visit for fun, contact the Cardenas family and mention my name. That should keep you out of trouble in most cases.”

Hearing this, Galano, who was gnawing on a chicken leg, laughed heartily. “Well, that sounds exciting! The Empire’s officials treat all outsiders as barbarians, don’t they? I’d love to see their reaction when they hear our leader’s name!”

“You’re exactly the kind of person who should never hold power.”

Despite Ninian’s sharp retort, Galano grinned from ear to ear at the thought of it, causing Esther and Lorelei to sigh and shake their heads.

In hindsight, Galano was the most openly ambitious among them. Elves and mages, by nature, weren’t really swayed by greed or power. That explained why they did not openly react to Galano’s remarks. After all, he was not the type to act rashly despite his bold words.

Surprisingly, the most excited person at the table was not Galano but their captain, Frances.

“Thanks to Leonard, the Sixth Sea District has become safe! Now we can explore the ruins of Okeanos buried there!”

As a descendant of the Okeanos Kingdom, Frances had to have sensed the approaching day to reclaim its glory. Uncharacteristically drunk, she held Leonard in a one-armed embrace, raising her glass high with the other hand.

The other members of Aquamarine followed her lead, lifting their glasses.

Frances, as if signaling a departure, shouted loudly, “Cheers to our adventures!”

“To adventures!”

“Cheers!”

The sound of clinking glasses rang out jubilantly.