SHK CH 725 (Patreon)

What was a god?

Even now, this was something Sol did not have a straight answer to.

It might be strange for someone who was not even a Demigod to contemplate the power of gods, but he needed to do this.

Back on earth, when defined by monotheist religion, God was supposed to represent an entity that was omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipotent. However, when described by Polytheist religions, gods were generally more akin to powerful entities that had full control over an aspect of nature.

If so, then…What was a god in this world?

The goddesses of sins and virtues were very close to the childishness depicted by Greek gods, while gods like Adam were closer to the definition of All Mighty. But even Adam had limitations and things he could not control.

Because of his lack of understanding, Sol had been very frustrated, and he decided to avoid directly antagonizing the reincarnated gods while he was still growing.

But this decision had been a mistake, clearly, since they dared to attack his kingdom in broad daylight.

It was then that Sol realized that he had been looking at the problem all wrong.

To know and understand what a god was…All he needed was to kill and study one.

***

High in the sky, filled with white clouds, cracks appeared all over before a large hole akin to a swirling gate opened.

From it, a blonde-haired man walked out quietly. His short hair swaying in the wind, and his cold gaze scanning the surroundings. It was an icy mountain peak.

The peak stood high above a vast chain of mountains, jagged and towering, stretching endlessly in every direction. Mist clung to the cliffs, drifting between sharp ridges like flowing water.

Far below, clouds rolled over the lower mountains, hiding the valleys and making the peaks look like islands floating in the sky. Ancient stone paths cut along the mountain face, narrow and broken, leading to multiple shrines built into the rock.

The cold hair caressed his skin, and the snow drifted on the horizon, giving this place a mystical appearance.

He recognized this place, it was one of the mountain peaks of Wratharis. Qinglong Fang, the Dragon's Crest—a sacred summit that belonged to a group of monk beastmen who had renounced all earthly attachment of so they said.

Since they did not participate in the war, Sol had given no orders to conquer this place and largely left them alone. The monks

Now, though, the place that should have been filled with life and praying monks was unbearably cold and silent. There was no blood. There were no corpses either. But the stench of death was unmistakable even from high up.

A massacre occurred here.

The coldness in Sol’s eyes intensified as they lay on the only person who was alive in this place.

It was a silver-haired man, an oni, of the same race as Shuten Doji.

He stood barefoot on the stone, silent amidst the snow. His skin was a deep crimson, almost black under the shadowed light, and his upper body was bare despite the biting cold. Four muscular arms hung at his sides. Each was wrapped in old prayer beads, and each was holding a large curved sword.

His torso was scarred—not from battle, but from ritual. Jagged lines, etched into his flesh with deliberate precision, formed ancient glyphs that pulsed faintly with a dull, red glow.

Sol could not decipher the meaning of those marks, but he could understand the intentions behind them. Those marks should be a form of ancient power system that could amplify the power of the body.

His eyes met Sol’s,

“Gold, huh…” Sol muttered under his breath. The man did not try to conceal his aura. This was undoubtedly the power of a Demigod. His aura was faint, clearly having ascended not long ago.

But the Golden light in his eyes was the proof of his Divinity.

Silence stretched, the man and Sol posing a stark contrast, one with Silver hair and Golden eyes while the other had Golden hair and Blue eyes.

“You are called Sol Luxuria, right?”

Surprisingly, the man was the first one to break the silence. He had a serene countenance. His eyes, as he looked at Sol, held no wariness nor hesitation. It was a gaze one could only have when looking at someone who posed absolutely no threat to them.

Sol hated that gaze.

“It’s indeed I. But who might you be?”

“My name, huh… In this life, you can call me Asura. I am but a simple warrior seeking the path to greatness.”

“Asura. You understand why I am here, right?”

“I do.” Asura nodded, “My mischievous little sister has been causing trouble lately, and I have been chasing after her to calm her down. I apologize for what happened.”

“Apologies?” Sol gritted his teeth.

“I understand your frustration. But I advise you to step aside while you still can. As powerful as you may be. You are but a King. Still, words alone are indeed insufficient for the damage she caused. What would you like in exchange?” His voice was still calm and composed.

Sol looked at the man in disbelief before releasing a sigh.

Right.

What did he expect?

In their eyes, perhaps the thousands of lives lost were nothing.

“Let me ask you something. Are you the ones who killed all the monks here?”

“I did.”

“Why?”

“To fuel my ascension.”

“...Only for that? For such a reason, you will commit such ignominy?”

“Did you not spark a war for your own personal reasons? Why speak of morality now?” Asura looked truly confused. “My means are unlike those of my sister. They suffered no pain and died blissfully unaware. If you wish to talk about rules or morality, my actions resulted in far less death and suffering than your decisions.”

“I see.” Sol did not try to argue. He understood that more words were nothing but a waste of saliva.

“Very well. There is only one thing I want.” All anger vanished from Sol’s face, causing Asura to look slightly confused as he asked, “And that is?”

“Yours suffering.”

At Sol’s utterly indifferent response, Asura abandoned any attempt at persuasion. Hypnos had asked him and the others already awake to avoid antagonizing Sol directly. But thanks to Daji, this whole plan was now in shambles.

“So be it. Might as well give you a lesson. Words have never been my forte after all.” Asura grinned.