Leveling Up Through Eating

Chapter 655: The First Priest

(The Corrupted Goddess’ Ring)

Rank: God

Requirements: Level 500 or above, the One that has received the true recognition of three or more Gods.

Durability: ∞ / ∞

Special Abilities:

?Total HP and MP volume will increase by 1.2x.

?Natural Mana Recovery Speed will triple.

?Cooldown will be reduced by 30%.

?INT will increase by 200%.

?Passive Skill: Stronger Strikes the More You Hit

?Passive Skill: Corrupted Goddess’ Blessings

?Active Skill: Boom

Description: A ring stolen by the Corrupted Goddess from Athenae’s Storage in the past. After receiving her energy, the ring has transformed into the Corrupted Goddess’ Ring. This is a ring that can only be used by those that are chosen by the Gods.

Minhyuk had acquired the Corrupted Goddess’ Ring after killing the Corrupted God. However, considering that he needed to gain three God’s Recognition as the requirements to use it, Minhyuk thought that he would only be able to use it in the future.

But by some stroke of luck, Minhyuk was able to win three God’s Recognition in the Banquet with the Gods.

[You have killed the Incarnation of Fire.]

[The Incarnation of Fire has done many evil and atrocious deeds as a God.]

[You have gained 1,203 platinum.]

[You have acquired a Fire Golem’s Golem Fragment.]

[There are no special penalties incurred since the two Gods competed fairly.]

[However, fire attributed and fire-related monsters will have higher hostility toward you.]

After killing the God of Fire, notifications rang constantly in Minhyuk’s ears.

[The God that Controls Water glares at you as if she wants to kill you.]

[The God that Rules the Land cannot hold back his anger toward you.]

[The God that Makes Good Pottery cannot hold back his anger toward you.]

There was no penalty from the system. However, the stinging glares and the anger that the other Gods were showing him were showing up as notifications. After all, he had killed one of the Gods. However, Minhyuk was aware that if he let them trample over him right now, they would probably trample over him over and over again in the future.

‘There’s a chance that I won’t be able to come up here again.’

That was right. In the end Minhyuk was a player. His chances of coming back here were extremely low. Perhaps this event where he climbed to the realms of a True God was his only chance of coming here.

Looking around, Minhyuk could see the contempt in the eyes of several Gods. However…

[God of Origin Athenae looks at all the Gods.]

All of the Gods threw their gazes to the ground at the notification.

[God of Origin Athenae has always been aware of the atrocious and evil deeds that the Incarnation of Fire has committed until this very moment.]

[God of Origin Athenae has always been aware of the God’s foolishness, observing as the Incarnation of Fire wreaked havoc and committed evil deeds.]

“…”

“…”

Everyone was rendered speechless. God of Origin Athenae was fully aware of everything that they had done so far, and she made sure to let them know about it. Because of that, the Gods would not be able to send any more stinging and contemptuous gazes toward Minhyuk in the future.

There was a high chance that Athenae descended here not only to see the newly ascended Continental God, but also to punish the other Gods for their misdeeds. The punishment came almost immediately after that.

[God of Origin Athenae is bestowing punishment upon you.]

[All of you will be locked up in God’s Prison for three days.]

With Athenae’s order, the Gods turned into ashes and disappeared. Then, Arlene, who was looking at Minhyuk, winked at him before warping away and disappearing from his sight.

The only ones left were Minhyuk and Athenae. Minhyuk looked at Athenae, the supercomputer and the greatest God in Athenae. As for Athenae? She silently looked at Minhyuk for a long time.

[Athenae looks at you with a soft smile.]

Athenae was sporting a motherly smile on her face, the action prompting the following notifications:

[You will now leave the Banquet with the Gods.]

[You have acquired ‘Athenae’s Bundle’ after receiving your qualifications as a True God.]

[A temple will be built in honor and praise of you after receiving your qualifications as a True God.]

[A statue will be built to worship you inside your temple after receiving your qualifications as a True God.]

***

The Gods and the priests that followed them were two inseparable existences. In the event that one became a God and no one came to serve them or spread their word, then they might not be able to become a True God. As for the priests, the existence of their God was something that they trusted and followed wholeheartedly. Even if their God did not do anything or did not make any achievements, the priests had to trust and follow them sincerely.

Right now, a priest had reached a dilapidated temple. It was crumbling, with its beams being supported by both intact and bent pillars. There were even cobwebs all over the place, with clouds of dust blowing up with every step one took. Even the place where the God that one should serve was supposed to be worshiped was completely covered in dust, the texts written on it completely incomprehensible.

Priest Ambron no longer believed and trusted in God. The only reason why he came here today was because of a mysterious dream. In that dream, he faced an unknown God that guided him to this place.

‘Is God trying to humiliate me once again?’

Priest Ambron, as someone that had served a God before, knew that a God had called himself here. However, Ambron hated the existences that called themselves ‘God’ more than anybody else. After all, if there truly was a God, then he would not live such a miserable and terrible life.

‘The first priest.’

Yet he came here, because he was appointed as the first priest.

These were the priests often chosen by other Gods to serve them: Priests without a God that they believed in and served, priests whose God’s records had been completely erased from existence, or priests that have left their God because of a sense of betrayal.

The dream that Ambron had was related to becoming the first priest. The unknown God’s power had chosen him to become the first priest of his own temple. However, he had his misgivings.

“A Continental God, huh?”

Ambron had never seen such a shabby and dilapidated temple in his life. Temples that suddenly appeared like this were most likely caused by the appearance of a Continental God.

Rumble, rumble, rumble, rumble—

Then, at that moment, the ground shook as the place in front of Ambron vibrated fiercely. Ambron was aware of the meaning of this phenomena. This was an announcement that a new owner had appeared in the temple.

A huge statue slowly appeared in front of Ambron. The statue of the God held a fine sword in one hand and a frying pan in the other. There was also a very beautiful cape draped over God's back, while a pristine full plate armor protected his body. Even his face looked so handsome to the point that he could be called the God of Beauty.

However, Ambron just snorted, ‘Arrogant God bastard. Damn bastards that only look at us as if we’re mere ants.’

Ambron gnashed his teeth when he saw the statue. ‘All the Gods are arrogant and prideful beings! They treat human lives like ants!’ These were the thoughts that were deeply ingrained in Ambron’s head.

He quickly took out a hammer and declared, “This God will eventually bring despair to plenty of humans.”

Ambron looked up at the statue with a face filled with anger.

“The God that I served before was the God of Mercy. I have been taking care of my sick mother since I was young. My mother had always prayed to the God of Mercy to ease her sickness and I had always prayed with her,” Ambron mumbled to himself, feeling the need to take out his suppressed anger on this statue to relieve his hatred.

“Once I grew of age, I chose to serve the God of Mercy. Perhaps my faith and belief reached her? So, she gave me an oracle. I immediately followed her oracle, digging up the herbs that I believed would cure my mother of her sickness.”

Ambron had gone away for days on end. But when he came back with the herb that the God of Mercy had told him about, he was greeted with a house that was burnt and torn apart.

“My sick mother, my father that worked in the smithy, my four siblings… all of them were killed by bandits the moment I left. They even burnt the house down. The worst part? The bandits left unscathed, escaping the grasps of the authorities. If she truly was watching over us, then she should have prevented it from happening. At the very least, she should have punished them,” Ambron said, tears welling up in his eyes.

Everything would have turned out differently if he had just been there. Ambron, with his innate strength and abilities as a priest, was someone that stood above the ordinary masses. If he had been there, then his family would not have died. However, the God of Mercy sent him to a place far away to get the herb. Because of that, everyone was killed.

“And what did you do?! You did not even apologize to me?!!!”

There had not been even a hint of apology at all. What did those Gods do for the humans that served them? They had never shown themselves at all. They always hid behind their temples, only sending out oracles and conveying their thoughts through God’s Message.

As for the God that Ambron served? No, she did not even deem him worthy of her words nor her apology. She no longer gave him an oracle nor visited him in his dreams.

Ambron walked in front of the statue with a hammer in hand. He was fully aware that he was doing this just to vent his anger. After all, he was just a barbaric man that hated Gods down to his very core!

Vwoooooooong!

Just like that, Ambron slammed the hammer down as hard as he could.

***

Special Players Management Team.

“Team Leader…”

“Huh? Yeah, I saw,” Team Leader Park said, nodding at Employee Lee Minhwa’s words.

The Food God’s newly constructed temple and Ambron, the chosen first priest. Fate was so cruel. The fact that Ambron was chosen as the first priest was a complete coincidence. The biggest problem here was the fact that Minhyuk would have a completely hard time winning the heart of this priest. However, it was also an interesting development.

“Ambron, one of the Absolute Supreme NPCs, is chosen as Food God Minhyuk’s first priest…”

Ambron was the candidate that would supposedly become ‘Death’s Priest’. The story about Death’s Priest was about a priest that hated God. Upon his death, he sold his soul to the God of Death in exchange for great power, becoming a priest that went against the Gods. Death’s Priest Ambron was believed to be the strongest out of the eight Absolute Supreme NPCs. Today might be the day that Ambron would awaken as Death’s Priest.

“Don’t you think it’s unsuitable to call him the first priest? After all, he wouldn’t be the Food God’s priest,” Lee Minhwa said.

However, Team Leader Park remained silent.

Vwooooooooong—

They watched through the monitor, as the temple shook and trembled as Ambron swung the hammer. The temple was truly old and dilapidated. They could see dust and debris falling down from just a simple slam of a hammer.

“…He’s truly a crazy NPC,” Team Leader Park murmured, a bitter look on his face. However, he completely understood where Ambron came from.

Vwoooooooong—

Simply put, Food God Minhyuk was just inadvertently caught up in the whirlpool of Ambron’s rage.

Vwoooooooong—

Crack, crack, crack—

A crack rang somewhere around in the temple, a telltale sign that the temple was about to collapse.

Then, at that moment, Lee Minhwa asked, “But, just what if, what if Ambron chooses to serve the Food God?”

“…”

Team Leader Park looked at the monitor at the question and said, “The Food God will have a first priest that’s as powerful as the popes of the Athenae Religion.”

***

Vwooooooooooong—

Ambron felt delighted as he watched everything fall apart. A bright smile curled at the corners of his lips as tears streamed down his cheeks.

‘Damn Gods! Eat shit! I will drag this temple down and lay in my eternal rest here!’

Vwooooooooong—

A rain of dust and debris began to fall down.

Vwoooooooooong—

Finally, the huge pillar behind Ambron fell.

Thud, thud, thud, thud!

Then, the ceiling began to collapse and fall apart. Only then did Ambron let go of the hammer in his hands. He looked around, his eyes lifeless and despondent.

Ambron was fully aware that the Gods would not listen to cries and pleas. After all, the Gods had always hidden themselves behind their temples, only spouting nonsense with their voices and treating human lives like ants.

The Gods would not even care even if he died. He hated them, loathing and abhorring their very existence. It included this God in front of him.

“Was he called the Food God…?”

Vwooooooooong—

The part of the ceiling right behind Ambron fell down creating a thick cloud of dust. Not long after, the part of the ceiling above him began to fall down and collapse.

“You’re definitely the same as them,” Ambron mumbled as he looked at the debris that was coming his way.

[The great God answers your call!]

Thump—

Just then, Ambron, who had closed his eyes, heard the falling ceiling hit something. However, he did not feel any impact.

‘Am I dead?’

There was only one word that Ambron wanted to hear from them before his death.

However, Ambron was not dead. Someone appeared and hugged his body, protecting him from the falling debris. The man, who was bent over to cover Ambron, stood up.

Crack, crack, crack, crack—

At the same time, the debris and wreckage from the collapsed ceiling fell down. Only then did Ambron see the figure of the man. The man definitely had the same features as the statue from before. This man was looking at Ambron. The Gods had never answered his cries and pleas. They never even told him the words that he wanted to hear.

However, this God, with his gentle eyes, sharp jawline, and straight nose, looked at him and said, “I don’t know if this is something that I can say.”

“…”

The man stared at Ambron and continued, “But I will speak on behalf of the God that you served.”

“…”

The words that Ambron wanted to hear so much…

“…I’m sorry.”

Ambron’s eyes grew wide at God’s words. Along with that, God’s divine messages rang in his ears.

[The God that has started at the lowest place.]

[He met the priest that hated the Gods the most.]

[Watch and see. This is the birth of the greatest religion and the beginning of a new legend.]

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