Minhyuk had received a notification about the arrival of an invitation to the Gods’ Succession Ceremony. And when he checked his inventory, he saw an invitation tied with a bright red ribbon sitting silently inside. When he clicked on its information, this was what appeared:

Minhyuk pondered over the matter.

Joy Co. Ltd. was a company that could maintain and adjust the balance of the game very well. The only exceptions were monsters like Minhyuk, who were so strong that they could not do anything except let him be.

Even though many players reached Level 600, none of them could be said to be able to compete with Minhyuk. However, there was a high chance that this succession ceremony could become a turning point for them.

The only growth they experienced was due to an increase in level. But if they could successfully inherit god’s position during the Gods’ Succession Ceremony, then they might be able to gain new skills or obtain high stats with effects that could help increase their power.

Of course, Minhyuk was the exception to this.

Minhyuk was not a successor. He was the current who possessed the subclass Battle God’s Descendant. Although he was not explicitly invited, he thought he could still get something if he attended in the name of the Battle God.

The temperature was getting increasingly hot. Anyone subjected to this hot weather would grow unknowingly exhausted and sticky with sweat. Minhyuk imagined going home and eating some samgyetang with ginseng, jujube, and garlic. Just one sip would definitely energize him.

At this moment, Minhyuk’s next destination was finally settled.

***

The entire world was turned upside down by the sudden appearance of the succession ceremony’s invitation, with people clamoring that the players could now finally meet and interact with the gods.

Divine and spiritual beings! Gods were absolute beings who ruled and governed their respective fields. But the players carrying the name were not stupid. They were aware that this succession ceremony was not simply that.

The succession ceremony’s atmosphere was fancy. It was held in a fancy dining hall with a beautiful chandelier hanging above the players' heads. One look and a person would feel transported to a noble’s dining hall. The gods were all gathered together and talking harmoniously amongst themselves as the players warped in the dining hall one after another.

Among these players stood Reporter Go Eun-Ah. Go Eun-Ah was not a God-class player, but she was allowed to attend this succession ceremony because she was a broadcasting station official. She was the only reporter present in this succession ceremony.

Joy Co. Ltd. knew that the scene where the players met with the gods would attract many of the players’ curiosity and interest. And that was not all. Most of the players would be delighted to witness such a historic moment, which was why Go Eun-Ah was here.

The viewers watching the broadcast were all excited. Then, one of the players appeared at that moment and attracted all the viewers' attention. This player was affiliated with the Luvien Empire, a member of the Swords of the Gods’ Second Knight Order, and a high ranker who received the admiration of many.

The viewers, who watched the players appear one after another, expected them to approach the gods and shake their hands. However, the scene that unfolded in front of their eyes was completely different. They could see that Valentino was suffering from heavy and enormous pressure.

Cold sweat dripped down Valentino’s forehead when he appeared near the gods. Just when he was about to stagger and collapse, a man approached him.

Valentino was the idol of all tanker players, and because of that, he often wore gorgeous and stylish armor on his body. However, the armor that adorned the body of the man walking toward him took far more attention than the armor on Valentino’s body. The fact that the armor also had a remarkable effect called added to its charm and made those looking at the man more interested in him. The man, the God of Shields, walked silently. The man just looked at Valentino with that deep, arrogant, calm look as if he was nothing but a lowly being.

The gods’ descendants were the people that these gods had chosen. They wouldn’t spare them, give them their love, or treat them dearly. Of course, there were quite a few exceptions. If someone achieved something that satisfied the gods, they would be an exception.

Valentino was staggering on his feet, and cold sweat covered his face. Forced to kneel on one knee, he said, “Valentino has seen the God of Shields.”

With his hands behind his back, the God of Shields remained silent and stared calmly and arrogantly at Valentino. After a while, he slowly, ever so slowly, nodded.

“Haa…! Haa…!”

Only at that moment did the pressure weighing down on Valentino disappear, allowing him to breathe more easily.

“Get up. Stand beside me.”

“Y- yes!”

Valentino was well known for his arrogant personality. However, no one criticized him because he stood in such a high position. But this very same Valentino was now lowering his pride and standing meekly beside the God of Shields.

In the first place, gods ruled, created, and dominated their fields. Their arrogance knew no bounds.

Meanwhile, Reporter Go Eun-Ah received a special buff as a broadcasting station official, allowing her to resist everything from the gods. Looking around her, she realized that almost everyone reacted like Valentino did. The players all knelt on one knee, some even kissing the back of their god’s hands, in worship. But even if that was the case, no one felt a sense of incongruity in this situation. They even felt like this should be the case. After all, the gods were beings that encompassed all of Athenae.

Most of the gods did not really care about their successors and just let them be, opting to talk among themselves. At this point, even the players started to think that they were just the extras of this succession ceremony with how they were acting. Some even found the gods annoying. But all of the players gathered in a united front.

“I didn’t expect something like this to happen.”

The players had also imagined the scene where they proudly showed up and shook the hands of the gods, but the reality in front of them was completely different.

“But there’s nothing that we can do. Besides, we will become stronger if we get recognized in this succession ceremony.”

The players talked and comforted themselves. Then, a man appeared. The noisy dining hall suddenly turned quiet.

Go Eun-Ah, who watched the scene, was left in awe.

Nerva was not a god yet. However, he was still the Battle God’s Sword and the emperor of the strongest empire on earth. And, to be honest, ordinary gods could not threaten Nerva.

The man, Nerva Sephiroth, took one step after another and did not avoid the gazes of the gods, who looked at him with their mouths closed. He walked proudly and took a seat on his own. Then, the gods looked at Nerva.

Go Eun-Ah felt the undercurrents of a war on nerves between Nerva and the gods.

The Battle God once favored Nerva. But right now, he was in a situation where he was no longer in the sight of these gods.Meanwhile, some of the knights of the Swords of the Gods’ Second Knight Order rushed up to Nerva and showed their courtesy. Nerva waved his hand and signaled them to retreat as he looked at the gods.

In the past, these gods clamored to please him. But now? They were trying their hardest not to be conscious of his presence.

As the succession ceremony heated up and the players began to gather one after another, minor commotions started to appear in some places.

***

Some of the members of the Swords of the Gods’ Second Knight Order, including Valentino and Bastien, were successors of the gods. They gathered together and found two men in this succession ceremony. These two men belonged to none other than the Beyond the Heavens Empire and were busy talking with each other.

Since the Luvien Empire and the Beyond the Heavens Empire were at war, it was only natural that their players would compete for pride. And with Valentino, Bastien, and the rest of the Second Knight Order’s petty and lowly characters, they would not miss this opportunity. Valentino and Bastien sidled up to the two men.

“Hiik! Oh, what a blunder! Sorry, sorry!” Valentino pretended it was a mistake as he poured wine on one of the man’s clothes.

The man was none other than Golden Mage Ali, who said, “I don’t think it’s a mistake, though?”

“You should have avoided it, then. Didn’t I say that I’m sorry? Why are you getting so worked up?” Valentino shrugged.

Worked up? Ali did not even react that much to his provocations. All he did was sigh.

And standing right next to Ali was Death. The two knew nothing good would come out if they clashed with these childish and immature people. Did people avoid shit because they were scared of it? No. They avoided it because it was dirty. So, they moved away and distanced themselves from Valentino and his group.

But Bastien did not want to stop. He spoke loudly as if he wanted them to listen to his words. He said, “Hey, did you hear? I heard that one of those bastards has a disability with social phobia. He acts high and mighty here but can’t even make eye contact with someone in real life. Kyaa~! Athenae truly changes people’s lives.”

“Haha! And that’s not all, you know? Didn’t they say that birds of the same feather flock together? Do you see that other guy? He’s an otaku. But do you know?” Valentino put his mouth near Bastien’s ears as if he was whispering as he spoke loudly, “One of those bastards has a brother who can’t even use his legs properly. Don’t you think his brother should come and play Athenae? He’ll probably laugh since he will be able to run around happily. Hahahaha!”

“H- Hey. That’s going a bit overboard.”

“Why? Did I make things up?” Valentino arrogantly declared. After all, His Majesty Nerva was present in this succession ceremony.

Didn’t everyone see? Nerva had proudly made eye contact with all of the gods here! No, he overwhelmed them with his gaze alone. Besides, even if Minhyuk came to this succession ceremony, he was still a player through and through. Would he be any different from them? He would bow his head to the greatest Absolute God, the Battle God, and probably even kiss the god’s foot.

Death, who couldn’t stand their words, moved to try to grab Valentino’s collar. But Ali stopped him. Ali believed that they should not cause any commotion here. If they did, they would probably harm Minhyuk. Ali was holding back. He loved all of the people that he called “Frieeeeeeend!” and he did not want to harm his favorite friend, Minhyuk.

When a commotion broke out amongst them, the God of Shields approached them and gave them a scolding, “You’re noisy.”

“We- We’re sorry!” Valentino answered politely as he hurriedly bowed his head.

“What are you all being noisy about, huh?”

“We were just talking about how pitiful some successors are.”

The God of Shields was no fool. Whether they were humans or gods, there would always be a war of nerves and a contention of pride everywhere.

“Whose successors are they?”

Valentino listened to the God of Shields and politely answered, “The descendant of the God of Magic, Ali, and the descendant of the God of Death, Death.”

“Is that so?”

The God of Magic and the God of Death were among the high-ranking gods. However, the God of Shields did not care that much because they were just their successors. But then, something flashed in his head. The God of Shields, who was about to leave, turned back again and asked, “By any chance, are they ’s friends?”

“Eh? Ah. Yes, that’s right,” Valentino answered in confusion. He wondered why the God of Shields asked him such a question.

But then, Valentino saw the God of Shields raise his hands and grab him by the shoulders.

“You crazy bastard?! What have you done?! How dare you…”

“Eh?”

Then, the final player entered the succession ceremony. And at that moment, something very shocking and amazing happened.

“...”

“...”

“...”

A silence far deeper and greater than the silence Nerva had evoked in his entrance swept the entire dining hall where the succession ceremony was being held.

The player who entered was 185 cm tall and wore a white cape bearing the symbol of a fork and knife crossed together. His handsome face looked like it had been carved in stone, and he did not look inferior to the gods present at all.

All of the gods and players present turned to look at him. And Reporter Go Eun-Ah? She was shocked.

Why was the man not affected? Why was he not bowing under the pressure of the gods? Then, she saw the gazes of the gods looking at him. They were looking at him softly with smiles lingering on their faces.

At the same time, Valentino, being grabbed by the God of Shields, saw the god before him, quickly let go, and rushed out with a chuckle. The God of Shields, with a delighted smile on his face, spread his arms wide and approached the man, Minhyuk.

“I, the God of Shields, feel very delighted today!” The God of Shields stood in front of Minhyuk and looked at the other gods before saying, “It is a delight that the man, who would lead us and command us in battle on behalf of the Battle God, has shone his light and graced us with his presence during this succession ceremony!”

The God of Shields enthusiastically shook Minhyuk’s hands. At that moment, the other gods rushed out and flocked around Minhyuk. Meanwhile, the players were gobsmacked. They watched with wide eyes.

“Wh- what is happening…?”

Even though they witnessed it with their own eyes, Valentino and the other players could not bring themselves to believe it. Were the gods trying to curry the players' favor?

But then, at that moment, Minhyuk said, “God of Shields.”

“Please speak, haha!” The God of Shields laughed loudly. He wanted to maintain a close and friendly relationship with Minhyuk.

Then, Minhyuk said, “I heard that your successor had committed a great offense against my dear friend?”

Yes, that was right. Minhyuk received a whisper from Death just when he arrived at the succession ceremony and was made aware of the mocking and over-the-line words that Valentino said.

At that moment, the expression of the God of Shields immediately turned dark. He had also just learned about what his successor had said to Minhyuk’s friends and how he mocked someone with a disability who could not walk with their legs. Even the God of Shields would be angry if something like this happened to someone under his wing. On top of that, he wanted to maintain a friendly relationship with Minhyuk. So, he did not say anything against Minhyuk.

Minhyuk strode toward where Valentino was.

“...”

Valentino gulped, his mouth suddenly turning dry.

He could not understand it. Well, it was only natural. The information that Minhyuk challenged and cleared Argalis Dungeon and received the gods' recognition was not spread to ordinary players or anyone not from the Beyond the Heavens Empire.

Minhyuk hollered, “He is my close friend, but he is also my vassal. As an emperor, protecting my vassals and subordinates is only natural!”

He clenched his fists and turned to look at the God of Shields. Then, he looked at another person, Nerva Sephiroth, and said, “Can I punch this guy in the face?!”

. 초복 is a part of the 삼복 (the three hottest days in the lunar year) and is the beginning of 삼복. During 삼복, Koreans tend to eat nutritious food that boosts their stamina, like samgyetang ☜