69novels Chapter 152: The State of Divine Will
Chapter 152: The State of Divine Will
The moment the Rift of Divine Will stabilized, the atmosphere in the Rift Square subtly changed. It felt as though everyone had drawn a breath and was now holding it. From this point onward, whatever leeway divine warriors had been granted up until now was gone, and everything would be measured by an entirely different standard.
So this is it, I thought.
As a former God-King, I had always been the one observing from above. This would be the first time I participated in the Battle of Divine Will as a mere divine warrior. The realization sent a chill down my spine, yet alongside it came a sense of anticipation I had never experienced before. After all, this time, I would be seeing the battlefield from an entirely different perspective and with a different stake.
Around me, the others reacted in their own ways. Michelle stiffened, tightening her grip against her leather armor. Lucian instinctively adjusted his stance and stared warily at the rift. Tuilë swallowed, forcing a strained grin to her face, while Boris rolled his shoulders once, as though bracing himself to face whatever might come next. Erika wasn’t with us anymore, but I could already imagine how she would have looked—silent, sharp, and steeling herself for something she would never back away from.
Neither Istellia nor Raphael had made any announcements yet, which meant that the Battle of Divine Will would not begin immediately. Usually, when the Rift of Divine Will first appeared, there was a five-to-seven-day window during which divine warriors could prepare. It wasn’t a long period, but it was more than enough to make a difference—for my comrades and me.
I closed my eyes briefly and checked the state of my plausibility.
Plausibility: 0
There was no plausibility left. I’d miscalculated and pushed too far in the last scenario, leveraging too many impossibilities at once. While that outcome had been unavoidable, I would need to replenish it as soon as possible if my plans for the Battle of Divine Will were to proceed as intended.
Despite that, I couldn’t help but let a faint smile surface. I knew this battlefield better than anyone else here, and the time for my knowledge to shine had finally come.
“Everyone,” I said, turning back to the group, “it looks like the Battle of Divine Will won’t start just yet. Let’s return as planned.”
They nodded without argument, and we didn’t linger in the square any longer. As we walked toward the inn, exhaustion finally settled in for real, both physically and mentally. We had watched people die, and there was nothing more we could have done… Tomorrow, we would first go to the cathedral to honor the fallen. After that, we would prepare.
I walked a few steps behind the others, letting my mind wander. The Battle of Divine Will would unfold in several stages across many different scenarios. There would be probing conflicts first, designed to test the alignment of divine warriors. Then would come clashes between two or more factions, each tasked with accomplishing specific objectives. After that would be escalation, when gods and other higher beings beyond the initial participants began to interfere indirectly.
To say that it would become a chaotic battlefield would be an understatement.
Killing fellow divine warriors during the Battle of Divine Will was unavoidable, and everyone had to be mentally prepared for it. I had hinted at this whenever the opportunity arose, and my party members seemed ready to accept it—at least on the surface. After all, fellow divine warriors were real people, unlike those within scenarios, who were little more than constructs shaped by the System.
Still, the Battle of Divine Will wasn’t merely a battle for the gods and a survival battle for us; it was also a huge opportunity. It wasn’t uncommon for previously weak or unremarkable divine warriors to suddenly rise and turn the tide of entire battles. One of the primary reasons was the attention it drew. With countless gods and higher beings watching, any divine warrior who caught their interest stood a chance of being sponsored, elevated, or even directly intervened upon.
That, in itself, was what made the Battle of Divine Will truly dangerous.
Sponsorships were almost never free. A god’s favor came with expectations, obligations that were often invisible at first but impossible to escape once accepted. Many divine warriors mistook sudden power for salvation, only to realize too late that they had simply traded one set of chains for another. Even so, temptation was hard to resist. In the midst of slaughter and desperation, the promise of divine backing could feel like the only way forward.
I had seen it happen countless times in my previous life, and I had also been among those who offered sponsorships to divine warriors and heroes who caught my interest. I understood better than anyone the logic behind such decisions and the calculations that accompanied them.
Some divine warriors were chosen because they were talented, others were chosen because they were convenient, and a few were selected simply because their deaths would have been inconvenient for the gods backing them. Divine Will did not reward fairness; it rewarded momentum, spectacle, and utility. Those who understood that early tended to survive longer than those who clung to ideals.
That was why the early stages of the Battle of Divine Will were the most deceptive. At a glance, they appeared restrained and orderly, with clear objectives and fair rewards. But beneath that structure, gods were already evaluating, comparing, and discarding. Every choice a divine warrior made—who they fought, who they spared, how they adapted—was being watched and weighed.
Divine warriors were nothing more than pieces on the board, meant to be advanced or discarded at any time. That was precisely why I had no intention of allowing myself to be used by other gods.
“The only way forward is to become strong enough as soon as possible so that I won’t become anyone’s pawn,” I murmured, clenching my fist before me.
I looked ahead at my companions walking in front of me, each of them seemingly lost in their own thoughts. For them, this would be a trial of resolve. For others, it would be a gamble for recognition. But for me, the Battle of Divine Will was something else entirely.
It was a rare moment when gods and higher beings exposed themselves. As long as I could endure long enough to observe how they moved, what they valued, and where they chose to interfere, I could begin turning their attention into leverage. I would use everything at my disposal to extract the greatest possible advantage from it.
***
After having dinner together and returning to our respective rooms—with Tuilë and Lucian heading back to their accommodations outside the inn—I didn’t immediately go to sleep. There were quite a few gains I had obtained from completing the tenth scenario, and I needed to address them now. With the Battle of Divine Will looming right in front of me, this was no longer the time to cut corners by lazing around.
The first thing I took out was the epic-grade skill book I had acquired—Mana Overclock.
Skill Book: [Mana Overclock]
Rank: Epic
Type: Active
Forces the user’s mana circulation into an accelerated state, greatly increasing spell power by 300% and casting speed by 200% for ten minutes. While active, mana consumption rises sharply, and the strain placed on the body and mind escalates with continued use. Exceeding the user’s tolerance can cause internal injuries, mana backlash, or temporary loss of control over spellcasting.
Not going to lie, this was an excellent skill. Each and every skill of epic rank or above was always a game-changer without exception. Even possessing a single one was enough to elevate a divine warrior’s standing by several levels. So, without any hesitation, I tapped the skill book to activate it.
You have acquired a skill: [Mana Overclock Lv.1].
The other rewards I had obtained from the scenario were two Daleth-Tier General Lootboxes and an Epic-Grade Armament Voucher. I decided to leave the voucher for later and focus on opening the lootboxes first. Since I didn’t have any free attribute points left to invest into Luck, there was no way to increase the chance of getting better items more than ever, so I decided to open them both at once.
The two lootboxes materialized as exquisite silver chests covered in intricate carvings and layered patterns. Without wasting time, I opened them both, radiant light spilling from their interiors before condensing into tangible forms.
The first one turned into a consumable—an elixir sealed in a slender crystal vial.
Adaptive Essence Elixir
Grade: Unique
Type: Consumable
Permanently increases all stats except Luck by 8–12 points. The effect is influenced by the user’s current stat distribution.
Not bad. It wasn’t something I could min-max perfectly, but permanent gains were never a bad thing, especially with the Battle of Divine Will so close at hand.
The second item made me raise an eyebrow slightly. Instead of equipment or a random assortment of items, a palm-sized spherical container materialized above my hand. Its outer shell was formed from a layered crystal etched with dense containment runes. Inside, a viscous liquid churned slowly, glowing faintly as volatile mana compressed within the casing.
Mana Severance Bomb
Grade: Unique
Type: Alchemical Weapon
Upon detonation, it releases a wide-area mana disruption field that violently interferes with spellcasting, skill activation, and mana circulation for several seconds. Divine warriors caught within the blast suffer severe casting backlash, temporary mana desynchronization, and reduced control over active skills. Constructs, summoned entities, and mana-based defenses are especially vulnerable.
I drew in a sharp breath.
While the bomb wasn’t designed to kill outright, its applications were undeniable. It could shatter formations, shut down casters, and turn coordinated assaults into chaos. In a battle where divine warriors relied heavily on skills and magic, this kind of weapon was far more dangerous than a simple explosion. Used at the right moment, it could come in a clutch and decide an entire engagement.
I stored the bomb away carefully. Between this and the elixir, the lootboxes had delivered exactly what I needed. Without further hesitation, I decided to consume the elixir right away.
Your Strength has increased by 10.
Your Dexterity has increased by 11.
Your Stamina has increased by 9.
Your Mind has increased by 8.
Your Magic Power has increased by 10.
Although the changes were minuscule, I could still feel them spreading through my body. An elixir like this, if consumed by a weak Aleph-rank divine warrior, would multiply their overall power by several folds. However, I was certain that a higher-grade elixir of the same type would have an adverse effect on them instead. Forcibly raising one’s stats without a body strong enough to endure the strain would only end in collapse—or worse, their body bursting apart.
In any case, all that was left to turn my attention was the remaining Epic-Grade Armament Voucher. Even so, I decided not to redeem it just yet. Some choices were better made with a clear head—and after a full night’s rest.
As a tribute to the Goddess of Imagination, Istellia, 100 Soul Coins have been deducted from your balance.