LIGHTNOVELSTORY Chapter 3: SUMMONS
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"This is a real problem."
Though he had acted correctly, Soulis couldn't help but feel a little uneasy.
Fortunately for Iapetus, the other party was unaware that he still held the priesthood of the soul. However, Mnemosyne was a different matter entirely.
The priesthood of memory had already been born, but it couldn't yet be crowned on her. Instead, it scattered throughout the world, waiting for Soulis, as the spiritual source, to absorb it.
If she ever discovers Soulis's identity, she likely won't be so friendly.
Still, Soulis had no regrets.
After all, his spiritual authority had already weakened so much that if someone else were to take most of it, he could very well become a joke among the gods—someone no longer able to maintain even a fraction of his divinity.
And being a god again? That seemed out of reach for him.
Once bound to a leash, it's hard to shake off a dog's life. Soulis had yet to experience the freedom he desired, and he certainly didn't plan on living a diminished existence prematurely.
"But despite provoking a potential enemy, it's not all bad."
As Soulis felt the power of memory—the priesthood that had been born but scattered across the world—he smiled faintly.
The memory authority might not be powerful, but it was enough to further strengthen his spiritual authority.
After all, the strength of a priesthood determines the upper limit of divine power. No matter how much the god of spring waters increased his divine power, he would never be able to ascend to a higher tier by merely expanding his mastery over water.
To rise further, one must either obtain more potent priesthoods or "expand" the reach of their existing ones.
By using the Spiritual priesthood to absorb Memory—a lower-level priesthood—Soulis could "expand" his own power, deepening and broadening its effects. This would make related concepts stronger.
Of course, absorbing another priesthood wasn't something that could happen casually. One needed to be compatible with the power they sought to absorb.
Spirituality was especially suited for this task, as it could be connected to many different kinds of priesthoods.
Shaking his head, Soulis ceased his musings.
Although the Memory Priesthood had no owner for now, it would take him quite a while to absorb it.
After all, the origin of spirituality wasn't under anyone's control. Once the Memory priesthood merged with Spirituality, Chaos would lose its hold on it.
Though the world had no will of its own, it would instinctively resist such a change, delaying Soulis's absorption by at least tenfold.
"Buzz—"
Another vibration sounded, though Soulis had been lost in thought for what felt like only moments.
The birth of the two gods earlier had heralded the continuous emergence of new deities.
Such a mass birth could only have occurred at the dawn of the world's creation.
As the laws of the world shook, the next two gods, born from the same surge of divine energy, announced their presence.
One breath embodied justice and eternal law; the other symbolized the unyielding passage of time—both powerful, yet intangible.
Themis, Goddess of Justice and Law.
Rhea, Goddess of the Flow of Time.
Though the weak power of [Time Sequence] briefly flickered with their arrival, it did not cause any major reaction. Divine power, still in its nascent stage, was not yet capable of being divided or fully realized.
Soulis exhaled, relieved. The rhythmic disturbance in the laws of the world slowly subsided, signaling that, for now, the birth of the gods had concluded.
But he knew this was only the beginning.
The complete domains of time and space could not remain without a master forever. The world demanded a ruler.
Soulis's thoughts turned to the one destined to unify these realms, the god who would dominate both time and space, and whose rule would shape the world's future.
The youngest son of Uranus, the firstborn god. Through him, humanity would eventually emerge. His rule would span the ages, and his legacy would be marked by the rise and fall of generations.
Despite his oppressive nature toward his children, Cronus was, by all accounts, a qualified ruler. Unlike the Father of the Heavens, he treated his wife with respect and refrained from showing excessive dominance in the mortal world.
Yet divine karma was not on Cronus's side. His children, including Zeus, would eventually turn against him.
"Zheng—!"
The chain of laws remained silent for a moment before roaring once more.
Time and space in the world grew unstable, but it seemed as though a new structure was beginning to form.
It might have been a mere moment or a span of eons. Soulis couldn't tell how much time had passed as the chaotic fluctuations swirled around him.
Then, at last, the disturbance ceased. Time and space found their rhythm once more.
The name of the new god rang through the world:
Cronus, Lord of Time and Space.
The birth of this deity resounded throughout the heavens, echoing to every corner of Khaos. The world had changed. The land expanded, the seas deepened, and the sky grew taller.
Soulis understood that these twelve gods were not the true cause of change. They were merely the catalysts, drawing out the world's accumulated power.
But all of that was irrelevant to him for the moment. His attention turned inward, focusing entirely on the power within himself.
Divine Power Level: 4.
Priesthood: Prophecy.
After a long pause, Soulis's lips curled into a smile. The priesthood he had been waiting for had finally manifested.
Yet, as pleased as he was, the god in white quickly calmed himself, knowing the situation was far from settled. He turned his gaze toward the entrance of his cave.
Though his perception detected nothing, Soulis knew the birth of the new god meant it was only a matter of time before the Mother Goddess would pay him a visit.
As expected, she appeared before him.
"Your Highness Soulis, I owe you an apology."
The woman, draped in a flowing green gown, exuded a vast and ancient aura. Her presence was commanding, yet there was an undeniable emptiness about her, as though she were fading from the world.
This was not the Earth Mother as she would come to be in later ages—a wizened old deity—but rather, a youthful and vibrant version at the height of her prime.
Though the act of birthing twelve gods had drained much of her vitality, she was still a force to be reckoned with—her power barely short of the mighty gods themselves.
"I admit defeat in our wager," Gaia continued, offering Soulis a rare and humble smile. "Your foresight surpasses even that of the King of Gods. His surprise at your power to peer into the threads of destiny is a testament to your incredible skill."
Soulis accepted her apology with a gracious smile, yet he couldn't help but press her.
"Then, dear Mother Earth, why have you come here after giving birth to your son?"
Gaia's expression softened, and she spoke with the weight of a divine invitation:
"I come to invite you to Odiles Mountain for a banquet in honor of the King of Gods."
With a sincere smile, Gaia continued:
"My eldest son, my husband, Uranus, the Lord of the Sky, wishes to meet you. This special occasion—celebrating the birth of the first King of the Gods—is one he hopes you will join us for. Your presence would be the greatest gift we could receive."
There was a flicker of emotion on Gaia's face, but Soulis laughed inwardly. After just a single prophecy, the Earth Mother was treating him with such deference.
'It's only because of a new prophecy,' he thought to himself.
But still, when the original god extended such an invitation, Soulis bowed his head in acceptance, feigning excitement.
"It is an honor, Your Highness Gaia," Soulis said with a smile.
"I would be humbled to attend and witness the birth of the first King of the Gods in Chaos."
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