Chapter 165: Ch 165 : War Fuels Business
In the shadowy arteries of the demonic realm, a silent migration was underway. Legions of demon demigods, their eyes burning with cold malice, marched into shimmering, blood-red portals.
There was no fanfare, no war cry; only the quiet, relentless tramp of a billion feet marching towards a single, bloody purpose.
The Demon Lords’ plan was in motion. It would take time to position their entire army, but the river of death was already flowing towards the Realm of Advancement.
In his God space, Sunny was on the verge of walking another step. He could feel it, some of the intricate secrets of the Law of Manifestation were just within his grasp.
A few more days, perhaps only a week of accelerated comprehension, and he would reach the SSS-Grade. He pushed his mind deeper into the cosmic puzzle.
[Master! A century has been passed in Veridia!] Thea’s voice, sharp and urgent, shattered his concentration.
"So soon?" Sunny sighed, opening his eyes. A century had just passed in Veridia. "I was so close."
[Master, my particles report millions of demon demigods in ambush positions near every known SSS-Grade treasure.]
"Millions?" Sunny’s brow furrowed. "The loss of just four of their demigods has made them this desperate? Isn’t that overkill?"
[Master, that is not all,] Thea’s voice grew graver. [Their numbers are not static. They are constantly increasing. Based on the current rate of mobilization, I project their forces will number in the billions within the next eight Godly hours.]
"A billion?" Sunny leaned forward on his throne. ’Even in the old era, their entire army was only a little over a billion demigods,’ he recalled from his journey through the River of Time. ’Have they grown so much stronger in the last million years?’
He didn’t waste a moment pondering the past. He opened the public God Chat and began to type, his message an alarm bell for six billion worlds.
Cosmos: "My fellow Gods. A warning. I have confirmed that several hundred million demon demigods are currently moving into ambush positions in the Realm of Advancement. Their numbers are still increasing and will likely reach the billions. Be warned."
The reaction was immediate and chaotic.
FateLess: "Brother, I think you’re a little late with the warning! My demigod is already on his way back with an SSS-Grade treasure! Am I cooked?!"
The message was a scream of pure terror into the void. Joker’s reply was a splash of ice water on the fires of panic.
Joker: "Cooked? Nah, man. You’re already ash. Enjoy watching your lifeforms get slaughtered in the Realm of Advancement. Then you can enjoy watching the demons invade your home world while you’re too broke on faith to do anything about it. Should have joined the Pantheon when you had the chance."
Joker’s brutal honesty, while cruel, highlighted the grim reality for the 500 million Gods who had chosen pride over protection. A wave of absolute panic washed over them.
FateLess: "Emperor Cosmos! Please! I was a fool! Can you please sell me a Divine Embryo? I will pay anything!"
Zir: "Nah, why would we? You were given a chance, a golden ticket, and you threw it away. Now you want to come crying and hug my Boss’s thighs? Too late." Zir typed from his God space, a smug, satisfied smirk on his face.
Nyx: "Yes, Boss’s thighs are only mine!" she typed, then immediately blushed in her own God space. ’Did I just say that in front of billions of Gods? Have I finally gone mad?’ she thought, her face turning crimson.
Zir: "-_- Shut up, Nyx, his thighs are for all of us. You aren’t special. If anyone is, it’s me, his right-hand man."
Cosmos: "Stop it, you two," Sunny typed, cutting through their playful banter, though he was chuckling in his own God space. He saw the panic, the desperation, and the absolute, perfect business opportunity it presented. ’A perfect chance to earn faith from these 500 million Gods,’ he thought.
Cosmos: "I have made a decision. It is true that the gates to the Pantheon are closed. However, selling a single Divine Embryo to each of you is not impossible. But this is a one-time offer. You may each purchase one, and only one, Divine Embryo."
A collective sigh of relief from half a billion Gods washed through the chat.
FateLess: "Thank you, God Cosmos! Your kindness knows no bounds! What is the price?"
Cosmos: "The price for a single Divine Embryo is two hundred thousand faith points."
’There it is,’ Sunny thought, a wicked grin spreading across his face. ’The sound of my freebies rolling in. I am rich again.’
In the seven hours he’d spent in comprehension, he had already earned 200 trillion faith from selling blessings within his Pantheon.
Now, with a profit margin of 175,000 faith points per embryo, he stood to make another 87 trillion from the outsiders.
The price was exorbitant, a blatant act of price-gouging, but not a single God complained. For them, it was not a transaction; it was a lifeline. It was the price of survival.
With this single move, Sunny had achieved two brilliant objectives.
He had earned a fortune, and at the same time, he had just funded the creation of a 500-million-strong army of new demigods to throw at the demonic horde.
It was the most profitable, most ruthless, and most brilliant act of charity in the history of the cosmos.
In the private chat group of the Pantheon, the mood was one of pure admiration.
In the chat group of Pantheon;
Zir: "Boss, were you a business tycoon back on Endor? I don’t think anyone but a corporate shark could sell something at an 8x markup and have the customers thank him for it."
Nyx: "Merchant God for a reason."
Reflection: "The Boss will make trillions from this. Just imagine if he offered them Magic Affinity. They would go completely mad."
Cosmos: "Don’t focus on the chat," Sunny typed, his voice shifting to that of a commander. "Focus on the immediate danger. The demons are coming. Train your demigods. Make them stronger. The real war is about to begin."
The universe held its breath. On one side, a silent, endless army of demons, united by malice.
On the other, a fractious, newly-armed coalition of Gods, united by fear and a single, all-powerful merchant-emperor. The legendary battle was about to begin.