Chapter 172

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]

Chapter 172: Reorganization (3)

“You’re building a temple?”

“Yeah. We need to show a miracle to those humans who dared to insult the Supreme Deity.”

Artemis moved her fingers.

Rumble—

Beyond the veil of light, the ground rose.

“Is that… marble?”

A massive chunk of marble emerged from the earth.

It was as tall as a skyscraper.

“That’s a kind of moonstone. Even better than marble.”

Moonstone?

Guess it makes sense, since it was summoned by the goddess of the moon.

It looked exactly like marble, but if she says it’s different, so be it.

Step by step, people backed away from the massive moonstone pillar that stretched up to the sky.

The moonstone extended endlessly.

[Wh-what is that?]

[Something like that coming out of the ground all of a sudden...]

Wobble. Wobble.

The massive moonstone swayed slightly.

When I looked at Artemis, she had a mischievous grin and was waving her hand.

[Ahhh!]

[The ground is shaking!]

[Run! It's moving!]

[A divine punishment!]

People dropped their protest signs and fled in panic.

Artemis giggled as she watched them.

“Serves them right for insulting our Supreme Deity.”

Is she doing this for my sake?

From the look on her face, it seems more like she just wanted to mess around...

Is this the scale of a god’s prank?

[The area around the Electric Power Corporation is in chaos... Kyaaah!]

A reporter tried to continue the broadcast.

But people rushed toward her, creating a total mess.

As the live feed was cut, Artemis drew a square in midair.

A vision of the Electric Power Corporation site appeared like a TV screen.

But unlike a TV, Artemis’s "screen" had the freedom of a camera focus.

She quickly scanned the surroundings with it, then looked at me and said,

“People are panicking badly. They might trample each other to death.”

“Well, that giant moonstone is swaying. Of course they're going to run.”

“Hmm… if they had the guts to protest a god with signs, shouldn’t they be ready to die? Running just because a rock wobbles?”

Artemis clicked her tongue in disappointment.

“But still, it’d be awkward if someone died on the day the Supreme Deity’s temple is born, right?”

“Yeah. So cut the prank already.”

“Fine. Yip!”

She opened her palm.

The moonstone stopped moving, and light spread in all directions.

[Huh…?]

[I... I can't move my body.]

[Ahhh! I’m gonna die!]

Everyone touched by the light was frozen in place—except for their heads.

“This way, they won’t trample each other. Now, time to build the temple.”

“Hey. You can build the temple, but don’t make it in Greek style.”

“...Why not? I could make it better than Olympus’s temple.”

So she really was thinking of building a Greek temple.

Good thing I caught it early.

“We’re going to be fighting Olympus all the time. What’s the point of making it Greek-style? Just go for a different style.”

“Ugh... I only thought of Greek styles. This is a problem.”

“What’s to think about? There are tons of buildings around. Just make it look like one of those.”

What’s the big deal about a temple?

Let’s become a building owner.

“You’re so unromantic. Buildings aren’t even pretty.”

Artemis grumbled, but since she agreed to follow my request, she didn’t argue further.

[Humans.]

Suddenly, a majestic voice echoed from the screen.

It was Artemis’s voice.

I glanced at her—she was mouthing the words without actually speaking aloud.

[I am Artemis, Apostle of the Supreme God, Kim Jiho.]

[W-wait, Artemis?]

[Isn’t Artemis supposed to be part of Olympus?]

Even though their bodies were frozen, people were doing their best to speak.

[Given the blasphemy you have hurled at our Supreme Deity, divine punishment would be just. However…]

A mass of light formed in the sky.

It took shape like arrowheads.

The color drained from people’s faces.

No one could stay calm at the sight of such overwhelming arrows.

[The merciful Supreme Deity, Kim Jiho, has decided to forgive you.]

Whoooosh!

Arrows of light rained down from the sky.

Toward the motionless people.

[Aaaah!]

[Please… save us!]

As the arrows flew straight at them, the people screamed in terror.

But just as they seemed about to strike, the arrows were absorbed into their bodies.

Then, a silver crescent moon symbol appeared on their foreheads.

[Aaaaah!]

[My forehead... it’s burning…]

[However! Know this—I shall be watching. If you blaspheme against the gods again, I will not remain still.]

Artemis declared in a voice full of divine authority.

At the same time, the moonstone was enveloped in light and began to transform.

“This part goes here, and twist this like that...”

She hummed to herself as she moved her hands through the air.

Simple gestures, like molding clay—but the results were anything but simple.

“Whoa. She actually made a building.”

A towering structure, resembling a modern skyscraper.

Maybe it looked like a tower because it was made of moonstone.

The lower floors were straight and narrow, but the higher it rose, the more it tapered.

At first it seemed like a sword, but at the top, it flared out into a wide disc.

Like a plate placed on top.

No, on closer look, it was a half-moon shape.

A sword piercing through a crescent moon.

“What’s with the top?”

“That’s where you’ll live. It’s the Supreme Deity’s quarters—can’t have it be cramped, right?”

“No, I mean the crescent moon shape.”

“Oh. Since I built it, I had to include a trademark. I was going to go with a crescent moon, but I gave you more space instead. Be grateful.”

Ha.

How generous of you…….

“Hey… That thing’s not gonna fall off, is it?”

“It’s fine. It’s fine. Moonstone is sturdy, and my power is imbued in it too.”

The TV screen, which had experienced a brief broadcast interruption due to the recent commotion, changes again to show the newly created building.

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]

[Viewers, can you see this? A flash of light, and then this massive structure appeared.]

[The god who created it identified herself as Artemis. Artemis is known as one of the twelve Olympian gods, the goddess of chastity and moonlight.]

[The religious sector is attempting to contact the divine realms, but each divine realm has only replied that they will investigate the matter.]

[People, already uneasy from the recent disappearance of sunlight, are now even more anxious, wondering if this is the beginning of a full-scale invasion by the gods, especially with the appearance of an Olympian goddess.]

It hasn’t been long since Artemis became my Apostle...

Everyone’s probably busy trying to verify the facts.

[Jiho, are you able to communicate?]

Right on cue, a call from my father comes in.

“Yes, Father. I can hear you.”

[What’s Artemis talking about?]

“Father? Michael is your father? You’re with the Heaven faction?”

Artemis, who was eavesdropping, asked curiously.

Good grief...

After explaining the situation to both gods, Father nodded in understanding.

[I see. A lot has happened in just one day.]

“Yes. Things ended up this way.”

[Apollo being wiped out... That’s good news, but Zeus still bothers me. Got it. I’ll inform the other divine followers.]

And with that, my father ended the call.

Artemis watched and then asked me,

“What’s the current situation on Earth, regarding the gods?”

“Right now, it’s the age of great religions. Everyone’s scrambling to get followers.”

“And the gods? Have they regained their power?”

“Not fully, but they're recovering. They're all out recruiting awakened ones like crazy.”

“Hmm… I see. But then why…”

Artemis pondered for a moment, then shrugged as if she gives up.

“Never mind. I still don’t know much about Earth’s current state. Soul God. I’m going to go decorate the interior of the temple. The exterior may be complete, but the interior work has to be seen firsthand.”

“Hey, don’t design it weirdly. Make it modern.”

“I’ll handle it first. If you don’t like it, we can tear it down and redo it.”

“What are you planning to do exactly? Ah, wait.”

I stop Artemis just before she flies out the window.

“What?”

“I’ll send one of my human Apostles.”

“You don’t trust my sense of style?”

“No, I do, I do. Just... build it however you want for now, and then fine-tune the interior with the Apostle. She’s also the owner of that land.”

“I could finish this in less than a day... fine, send her.”

Artemis pouted slightly, then vanished with a whoosh.

I can't trust her alone with the interior—who knows what it’ll look like.

I’ll send Kang Shia to make sure it's livable.

I called Kang Shia and explained the situation.

“…So that’s what happened. I’m counting on you.”

[Yes… You want me to assist the moon goddess Artemis with finishing the interior, correct?]

“Right. She insists she has good taste, but don’t let her talk you into something unlivable.”

[Understood. I’ll assist Artemis and try to design it properly. But... since the place is for a god, is there really a need to make it look like a place for humans to live?]

I glance around my house.

Spacious living room, TV, sofa…

It was a nice living space back in my human days, but thinking back to when I had to move through Kevrian to avoid sunlight, it suddenly feels small.

“True. Make the space I’ll be staying in more open. But the lower floors are technically a temple. Shouldn’t they be functional for visitors?”

[Understood. I’ll do my best to design it well.]

After giving Kang Shia her task, I open my status screen to check my SP income.

I’d become SS-rank, fought Apollo, and increased my soul power greatly.

On top of that, I gained a deity as my Apostle, so the soul mediation efficiency should’ve increased too.

How much will I earn per day now?

I opened the soul mediation panel, and messages flooded in.

I picked out the key ones.

[Your daily SP income from soul mediation has reached 500 million.]

[The SP you can earn from soul mediation on the planet ‘Earth’ has reached its limit. You can no longer earn SP from soul mediation on Earth.]

500 million...

That’s an insane figure.

It used to be 100 million when I was S-rank, so it’s increased fivefold.

But the part about hitting the limit bothered me.

When I checked the income details more closely, I saw a message that cleared up my question.

[Humans on Earth transact about 0.1 SP per day, half of which is lost to inefficiency. Soul mediation improves this efficiency and allows the user to collect the lost SP.]

[Awakened individuals have significantly higher SP transaction values.]

[Your SP income from Earth is 412.32 million.]

If Earth’s population is 8 billion, and each normal person accounts for 0.05 SP per day, that gives us the 400 million figure.

Add the awakened ones with their higher SP yields, and the total reaches 412.32 million.

So the remaining amount must be from other planets?

I am brokering for the gods of Kevrian too…

In any case, 500 million is the max for now.

To increase it further, I’ll either need to broker with other worlds’ gods or awaken more people on Earth.

Neither option sounds easy.

“Let’s put income expansion aside for now…”

I checked my items and skills.

The soul sword is still SS-rank.

Aegis was completely destroyed and remained in my inventory as a liquid.

Maybe I need to restore that to reconnect with Athena…

I’ll have to find a way to repair it…

“Skills…”

A new skill appeared—“Authority of the Sun God.”

And its rank is SSS.

[Authority of the Sun God LV.1]

[SSS-Rank Skill]

[You govern the sunlight that shines upon the world.

When the sun is up, your soul form is strengthened and you can manipulate light.

As your skill level increases, you gradually become one with the light and your soul transforms into a light attribute.

If your skill level is higher than other Sun Gods in the same world, you gain priority over that planet’s sunlight.]

So I grow stronger in sunlight, and as the skill levels up, I essentially become light.

If my skill level is the highest among Sun Gods on Earth, I get priority over the planet’s sunlight...

I’ll need to study this.

Still, it’s an SSS-rank skill.

I should definitely develop it.

Way better than getting a random tentacle and calling it Asura...

[You have an incoming call from the deity ‘Asura.’]

Hah, what timing.

[Kim Jiho. Kim Jiho. Are you there?]

“Whew. Manners aren’t your strong suit, huh?”

[What’s that supposed to mean?]

Just as I was thinking about Asura, he contacted me.

He urgently asked,

[Why has Artemis shown up?]

“Ah, that…”

My father, and now this…

All the gods I’m connected to are contacting me?

After explaining the gist of it to Asura, he responded in amazement.

[So, you made Artemis your Apostle and defeated Apollo?]

“Yes. Though Zeus finished him off at the end.”

[Hah… Truly impressive. Seems like only yesterday you struggled against a low-ranked god like Pollux. Soul God, you really are on another level than ordinary gods.]

Asura’s three faces, six eyes all focused on me.

They slowly examined me from head to toe.

The gaze was intense.

[You… seem worthy.]

“Of what?”

[Of inheriting Asura's Path.]

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]