Volume 5 Chapter 0114 God's Great Prophecy - I, The Dragon Overlord

In the void of the Pantheon, countless Grecian columns stood tall above the great hall. The sky was a vast expanse of stars, each representing a deity, and the gods performed their respective duties from their lofty thrones, setting the rules for the world with their measured words. Suddenly, amidst the assembly of deities, Louie raised his voice, asking, "…subjugate or perish?" The sudden question left the gods taken aback. They exchanged glances, murmured among themselves, puzzled by what Louie intended to convey. Even beings like the Goddess of Dawn, the Earth Mother, the Silver Moon Goddess, and the God of War appeared confused by Louie's abrupt declaration. "Prince Louie, could you please clarify what you mean for the rest of the assembly here?" The Earth Mother, being the only deity with a divine rank of 20 currently, asked gently. Whether this was to show that she was still capable of fairness and kindness, even as a supreme god, or if this was her natural demeanor — regardless, her exchange with Louie lacked any trace of hostility, as if there'd never been any grievance between them. Louie slowly rose from his seat, drawing all gazes upon him, anticipating some grand discourse. Yet, he ignored the attention of the gods, choosing instead to approach the Earth Mother directly. In this Pantheon, the seating order was determined by divine rank, with the strongest deities at the highest points. Even the Earth Mother, with her divine rank of 20, was just slightly above the others. At this zenith were the seats of the most powerful gods, beyond which there were no thrones. But gods, possessing privileges, could manifest objects at will. In this divine hall, steps appeared beneath Louie's feet, and he ascended them towards the Earth Mother. With every step, he elevated himself, ultimately surpassing her position. Standing above all the gods, he suddenly turned around. His actions bewildered the deities, eliciting a sense of unspoken dissatisfaction, for Louie's position almost seemed to oversee them, his upturned draconic eyes brimming with unabashed arrogance, as if he regarded himself as their sovereign. Among gods, whether of great or minor strength, a fundamental equality should exist, yet Louie's attitude was dismissive. Shar, the Dark Goddess, watched with interest, intrigued by what her master intended. The other gods remained impassive on the surface, withholding their discontent and awaiting Louie's next words. Standing at the peak, Louie surveyed the assembly of gods. He suddenly spread his arms wide, and in a commanding draconic roar that resonated throughout the Pantheon, declared, "…Now, I offer you a choice. Submit to me, or face your ultimate downfall here!" The Pantheon fell silent, the tension so thick you could hear a pin drop. Yet, the tranquility was swiftly broken as the hall erupted into chaos. The gods whispered and glanced at Louie as if he had lost his mind. Some of the most powerful gods even burst into laughter, their eyes filled with mockery. Even the Earth Mother flickered with helplessness in her gaze, unsure of what had come over Louie to dare utter such words in the presence of so many. Could he truly be mad or simply foolish? Ah, this Dragon God had once slain the God of Deception. The Deceptive God had created a powerful artifact, the "Codex of Deception," and after reading it, the Prince of Deception fell into madness. Could it be that this Dragon God, upon slaying the Prince, obtained the artifact and, through some reckless move, drove himself mad as well? Some ancient gods who lived through those times pondered. Once, the Prince of Deception had called an assembly in the Pantheon, stood at the highest point, and laughed maniacally, demanding the gods' submission. Naturally, none heeded him. The Prince eventually became an enemy to many, and in his mania, his divine rank fell. Only when it plummeted to 16, nearing the fall from great to intermediate divinity, did he regain some sanity and step into obscurity. Louie's actions mirrored the Prince's closely. The only difference was that the Prince briefly forced his divine rank to 20 before his outrageous declarations, lending them slight credence. Meanwhile, Louie, with a divine rank of only 18, had acted rashly. The gods regarded him with pity, some suspecting he might soon tumble back to lesser stature. Yet, some of the more discerning gods sensed something amiss. Louie seemed too composed, his dragon eyes cold and indifferent, far from those of a mad deity. Such calm declarations must possess undisclosed support. But what could it be? Some glanced towards the stone tablet levitating in the hall. Shar's face changed dramatically; she knew Louie's character too well. Her master never spoke idly. If he dared make such brazen remarks before the gods, he must be fully prepared. Noticing that none dared openly question, though whispers filled the hall, perhaps due to Louie's standing among the powerful, the Earth Mother rose, her voice stern, "…Prince Louie, this is the assembly of the gods, the 'Pantheon.' I hope you will attend to your words." Although her speech wasn't harsh, it publicly undermined Louie. "Attend to my words?" Louie sneered, casually glancing at the Earth Mother as a dragon might look at an insect. "If this mere statement stirs concern over my words, prepare yourselves for the full weight of my proclamation." Louie gestured, and the 'Tablet of Destiny,' floating in the center of the Pantheon, responded to its master, crossing dimensions to settle into his grasp. As Louie's hand brushed across the ancient surface, countless mystical patterns emerged. Each pattern was a divine rune, information only gods could interpret, and each rune represented a deity's name and dominion! Grasping the 'Tablet of Destiny,' Louie issued a decree to the Earth Mother, "…I declare, your star shall fall from the heavens, your seasons shall fracture into autumn and winter, and your divinity shall be corrupted by the astral realm!" This exalted divine speech was the 'Divine Proclamation'!