Chapter: 209
Indra.
The leader of the Lokapala among the factions of the gods, and a deity that possessed one of Baal’s fragments.
Standing alone in the Square of the Divine Hall, he looked around.
Numerous gods were present. Once upon a time, he used to be among those gods.
He believed that gods were the masters of the world and rampaged to seize it in his hands.
But he was wrong.
Gods could not become the masters of the world. They could not dominate the world.
A god that cannot exist alone, one that must rely on other life, is not a true god.
Indra came to understand this reality only after acquiring one of the fragments left behind by the Sky God.
Only after knowing the existence of a true god did he come to realize this.
Most of the current gods were merely fakes borrowing names.
“What on earth is happening? Indra?”
A familiar voice called out from behind Indra.
Zeus. The ruler of Olympus. The god closest to the Sky God.
And once, he was Indra’s relentless rival, a fool struggling for what he could never possess.
“I thought you had finally emerged from Lokapala’s domain, but here you are in the Square of the Divine Hall. What are you thinking?”
“Thinking…”
Indra stared vacantly at the temple before him.
The temple built by the Goddess of Life. A temple for all life.
A temple of a god that could grasp everything in this world yet chose not to grasp it.
A god possessing the power to close this world at any time.
It was only after he understood that, having obtained Baal’s fragment.
“I’m simply doing what I must do.”
Everything is bound to cycle. Even gods cannot escape that.
Even if forms change and are lost, the essence will not change.
The cycle of being born, living, declining, and dying can never be broken.
Knowing this well, Indra could make the resolve to return the fragments of memory, the emotions of Baal, that dwell within his heart.
“You’re not like yourself. The old you was full of spirit.”
“That was just the stubbornness of my foolish days.”
In the past, created by Baal’s fragmentation, he merely managed the gods.
During a time when he suppressed and controlled gods with towering egos through force, stabilizing them as one faction under Lokapala.
“Looking back now, that shouldn’t have been the case.”
And yet, he considered himself one of the gods and proclaimed his supremacy over all. He wished to rise above countless gods.
Afterward, when Baal fragmented and the remaining fragments ignited wars among the factions to claim them, it was only natural.
Looking back now, it was ever so foolish.
“So, are you here to regret the past?”
“Regret… Perhaps.”
If he could turn back time, he would want to.
As someone who was merely a fragment of Baal and was consumed by Baal’s emotions and memories… he ended up falling in love with a god he had never even met.
“Emotions are truly mysterious. Knowing that it’s an illogical choice, yet one can’t let go of that choice.”
“What suddenly makes you say something so absurd?”
“Just words you need not concern yourself with.”
It was words that could never be understood by those who only coveted power and authority.
Thus, it could only manifest as actions.
“O gathered gods! Gods of the Divine Hall! My name is Indra! The leader of Lokapala and one of the gods who stands tall with lightning in hand!”
Indra began to shout loudly.
“I believe you all are aware of the rumors circulating recently in the Divine Hall! The rumors that the king of gods, Baal, has vanished and the age of gods is coming to an end!”
At his cry, many gods began to stir.
It was a rumor that the gods of the Divine Hall would have heard at least once.
“Many gods will lose their divinity, and the gods responsible for Baal’s death will be denied existence! The rumors spreading through the sage of the deep forest have been relayed to many gods!”
“Indra. You….”
“That rumor is true. An unavoidable destruction is approaching for the current gods. It is because we all bear responsibility for Baal relinquishing his place among the gods.”
At Indra’s words, shouts erupted from among some gods.
“Why is it our responsibility?! Isn’t it the fault of the gods who shared Baal’s fragments!”
“Exactly!! We bear no responsibility!”
“Just because you’re the chief of a gigantic faction doesn’t make it so!!!”
The gods shouted loudly. Looking at them, Indra spoke softly.
“Enough. Do not deny your own mistakes. It is evident that the reason why Baal relinquished the throne of the gods and disappeared is the fault of all the gods.”
While many gods became enraged at his words, Indra continued.
“Do you not realize that because you deny your mistakes, destruction approaches?”
At Indra’s calm words, many gods fell silent.
“Face the reality. What lies before us is unavoidable destruction.”
“Then, are we just to accept destruction passively?!”
A cry from someone. At that, Indra shook his head.
“No, while destruction is unavoidable, there is still a way to stop it.”
“Indra. What are you talking about now….”
“If the disappearance of the king of gods has brought about destruction, then we can reinstate the king of gods. We can bring Baal back to the Divine Throne!”
Indra’s statement caused a murmur among the other gods.
“How can we possibly return the already vanished Baal?!”
“There is a way.”
Indra began to speak to the gods.
About the fact that Baal’s soul would be reincarnated as a human. If that soul could be deified and made the king of gods, they could postpone the destruction of the gods.
What would be needed in that process is time, and to buy that time, it would be necessary to return Baal’s fragment to the Goddess of Life.
The same stories Hermes heard from the sage of the deep forest were now being laid out in the plaza by Indra.
“Is the Goddess of Life truly that powerful? She hasn’t shown herself for 300 years!”
“No, she governs life itself… she cannot be weak. All life is under her dominion… all humans as well, right?”
“To think the Goddess of Life was such a terrifying deity… Back in the day, she was such a kind goddess who named us…”
“She could do nothing against the Goddess of Life… So, does that mean we need to return Baal’s fragment to her?”
“But would the gods really do that? It seems unlikely they would give up the fragments that are fused with themselves.”
“Then, shall we persuade by force….”
“How? Even if we all charged at once, we wouldn’t be able to do a thing against the chief god. Besides, there are gods belonging to various factions.”
“Then that means….”
The stir among the gods showed no signs of quieting down.
“However, there is a crucial issue. The fact that it takes time for the newly born human to grow into a hero is a problem. To resolve this, we need to return Baal’s fragment.”
Indra said that, placing his hand on the left side of his chest.
“Fortunately, I have one here.”
“Indra?! What are you…!”
Zeus attempted to say something, but Indra ignored him and continued his story.
“Of course, this is only for buying time. It can only buy about 10 years. But by returning the fragment of Baal that I hold to her, I wish to make one request.”
Indra’s fingertips slowly began to pierce through the skin and delve inwards.
“I, as the leader of Lokapala and a god who has inherited Baal’s emotions, will make my appeal to the Goddess of Life.”
The skin tears through by his powerful fingers, pushing away the bones and tearing through the muscles. Below, the pulsing heart is felt at his fingertips.
“I will return the fragment of Baal that I hold. So please, delay the annihilation of the gods, even just a little.”
Indra’s hand ascended, revealing the heart that had been continuously beating amidst the wound his fingertips created.
Not his own heart. The heart imbued with Baal’s emotions. A heart made of brilliant light.
“Indra. Do you realize what you’re doing right now?”
“Yes. I know well that if I remove this fragment, I can no longer exist as Indra.”
“Knowing that, you still do such a thing?!”
Indra frowned at Zeus, who was noisily babbling.
Why meddle when he’s not even going to offer his own fragment?
It’s because of fools like him that she hates the gods.
“If you’re not going to offer your fragment, then shut your mouth.”
Upon those words, Zeus fell silent. He lacked the guts to put forth what he had.
With countless self-serving gods, it’s no wonder she would become disgusted with divinity.
So—
“And, make it so that the gods can no longer meddle directly with the beings of the earth.”
“Indra?!”
“Heighten the barriers that once stood between the earth and the gods, ensuring the gods do not rampage indiscriminately. That way, countless lives won’t suffer at the hands of the gods.”
‘May she not lose hope completely in the gods’ villainy. May she not give up on everything and bring about the world’s destruction.’
He repeats within his heart the plea he made the last time they met. Keeping in mind the worries he held onto until Baal shattered in fragments.
If she is the one that the emotions in his heart speak of, if she is the kind goddess the memories of Baal depict, she would not betray a request made at such a cost to herself.
“This is Indra. I implore you with all that I have. Please, do not give up on this world.”
Indra’s hand grasped the radiant heart within his chest and looked at Zeus beside him.
“Zeus.”
“You madman…!”
“Now, it’s your turn.”
With that, Indra yanked out the heart in one swift motion.
You may also like Mesugaki Tank Enters The Academy
