I Became the Guild Leader in Exile

95 – 4# The God of Thunder and the God of Mischief (3)

Loki’s staff and Ziku’s sword clashed. Loki’s staff, made of jade, boasted remarkable durability despite its luxurious appearance. Ziku gritted his teeth.

No wonder he’s not just a second-rate knight. He must have been entrusted with this place by that person. Ziku recalled the person he was fighting before coming here.

The third-ranked knight, Tyr.

He was the man who first sensed Loki’s anger. Yet, Tyr couldn’t report it to Odin, and even he didn’t know if it was sympathy or empathy.

However, if Loki’s plan succeeds, the law country will collapse, and innocent people will suffer. Judging that, Tyr used the best strategy.

That was to inform a third party and stop Loki. Although Ziku didn’t like the idea of a proxy battle, he surprisingly went along with Tyr’s plan.

That’s what a master would do!!

Kwajik Kwang!!

The sound of an explosion rocked the floor. Indeed, cracks began to form in the temple where the gods were connected. However, surprisingly, the light connecting the divine realm remained intact.

“Did you say Ziku-nim? What’s the reason for doing this?”

“What nonsense is this all of a sudden!”

“Isn’t that right? The law country is your enemy, after all.”

The law country is Gideon’s enemy. Although it’s a potential enemy, if the law country collapses, Gideon can benefit from it. They can monopolize the demon-slaying requests.

“Ah, I think so too. Then, many people will die!”

“What’s the point of worrying about the people of an enemy country?”

“There’s no need to die, but people seek it! That’s the master’s principle!”

“It’s ridiculous. Our gods are even more so.”

The tone was half-joking, but Rocci sincerely believed it. Gods, under the pretext of salvation, sought to increase their influence, disregarding sacrifices.

My kids are trapped in chains like that.

And they’re trying to exert their influence on the world through such underhanded means. Why? To prevent the end. It’s truly ridiculous. What’s the point of saving the world like that?

“Do you see the light sphere behind you?”

Rocci stopped fighting and pointed to the light sphere behind him with his staff. Only then did Zik’s gaze turn to the light sphere, bound by golden rings.

“It’s clear. Is there a problem with that?”

“Do you know that there are many restrictions on gods descending to the mortal realm?”

“That’s true.”

Zik recalled Persephone, the master of the Hades Guild, whom he had seen before. Persephone, who had brought gods to this world through manifestation, or rather, Hades’ power surpassed imagination.

However, he had heard that in the Law Kingdom, all White Knights could use manifestation. Of course, the White Knights’ manifestation was also powerful, but it paled in comparison to Persephone’s.

“Originally, manifestation is a power that only those who have refined the authority granted by the gods to the utmost can use. In other words, only those who understand the gods and their essence can use it.”

“So?”

“Let me ask you instead. Can emotions like understanding emerge in the Law Kingdom, where thorough censorship and control are the norm?”

Unfortunately, obedience and understanding are too far apart. Because understanding is a subjective interpretation. What does God want? Why do they want it?

Those thoughts pile up, and eventually, one reaches understanding and connects with God. That’s manifestation. But it’s impossible for gods who don’t think and simply obey to achieve that.

And that naturally leads to the weakening of the Law Kingdom’s power. Didn’t the Hades Guild, which was once the strongest, influence the Law Kingdom as well?

[The Law Kingdom cannot be anything but the strongest.]

Arrogant. The old man claims that any method that’s not his own is wrong. People call him the God of Wisdom, but Rocci himself calls Odin the God of Madness.

“So, I chose this method.”

“What’s that light sphere, anyway?”

“A bridge.”

“What?”

“A bridge connecting the divine realm and the mortal realm.”

The light god Baldur, who was sacrificed to build that bridge.

Bifrost.

A shortcut that connects the light, allowing the gods to forcibly bring their restricted power to the mortal realm. In other words, instead of slowly filling the vessel with water, it’s like forcefully connecting the water to fill it quickly. Naturally, the vessel would bear an enormous burden, and a broken vessel would lead to irreversible death.

“That’s how the White Knights were born. Countless people died.”

“So, you’re trying to destroy Bifrost?”

“Yes, to stop Odin’s tyranny.”

“I heard it doesn’t end there, though?”

Simply stopping Odin’s tyranny, weakening the Law Kingdom. If that were the reason, Zik would have just let it pass. Rocci’s actions were even helpful in the beginning.

[Bifrost is the peak of madness, but when it disappears, the Law Kingdom collapses.]

[Is it because the connection point with the gods disappears?]

[No, the Law Kingdom is surprisingly dependent on Bifrost.]

If you think about it simply, from food production to the lives of the gods themselves. If everything people believed in were to disappear in an instant, what would happen to them?

“Most people would collapse.”

“Isn’t that a good thing? The foundation of the Law Kingdom would be shaken.”

“The Master didn’t want that, and I’m also fed up with the aftermath.”

A stranger dies. How many people would care about that? It might be considered cold-hearted, but in a way, it’s natural. The world is like that from the start.

It’s a world where I, alone, find it hard to survive.

Yet, I’m worried about some unrelated stranger?

That’s absurd. I should focus on my own path first.

And Zick also thinks the same way. However, the situation is different now. I have the power, and I have the leeway to live in this world.

“Are you sympathizing? Because you think you have the power?”

“Maybe that’s sympathy.”

“You’re also arrogant.”

“Let’s ask the opposite. Is sympathy bad?”

Sympathizing with someone means empathizing with their misfortune and pain, and wanting to alleviate their suffering. Can that be considered arrogance?

“No, what you said earlier is ultimately about empathy. In a way, sympathy is also empathy.”

“You seem to be misunderstanding. This country is not worth risking your life for.”

“That’s for me to decide. Not for you to decide.”

Zick learned that from the Master. Ultimately, judgment is up to me, not others. And Zick doesn’t know much about this country, so he’ll take his time to learn.

“I didn’t want to hurt my kids’ benefactor.”

Those aren’t just empty words. Loki has been watching the Iron Shield’s every move from the beginning to the end. To be more precise, he was monitoring them. Odin told him to keep an eye on them, so he did.

However, the image of Isaac Silverter, who prioritizes his family and protects them, has ignited a fire in Loki’s heart, which had already gone cold. Maybe Isaac Silverter can do it?

With a determined heart, Loki requested a favor from the Iron Shield, and incredibly, he succeeded. I finally broke through the Gleipnir that I couldn’t overcome until now.

I even saved Yormungand, who had been swallowed by the sea. Of course, Helen is in a very difficult situation, but if it’s Isaac Silverter, he might be able to save her.

Then…

What can I do?

What can I do to repay him?

After much contemplation, I came up with an answer. It’s to thoroughly destroy the country of Law. If I destroy Bifrost, the country of Law will collapse, and all the gods and knights will be finished.

It might be a natural consequence.

Others have achieved their goals through hard work and effort, but the country of Law has used the unfair advantage of its divine authority to get what it wants. If that authority disappears, it’s only natural for the country to collapse.

If that authority disappears, everything that relied on it – agriculture, medicine, military, politics, and more – will crumble. The name of the country of Law will never rise again.

Then, Odin will no longer be able to interfere with this world. Why? Because the reason Bifrost was created was due to the love of all things for Baldur, the origin!

“If I do that, Odin and the reckless gods won’t be able to touch my kids again.”

Of course, it’s not like they won’t be able to intervene at all. Indirect intervention, like the gods of Gideon, is still possible. However, that alone won’t be enough to bind my kids.

“So, please just leave.”

This is not only to repay a debt but also to help my kids, who I couldn’t do anything for. It’s like removing the thorns that block my children’s path.

Isn’t that what a parent should do naturally?