"I, Wumianzhe, the founder and user of the Power of Law, in Sulfur Mountain City, the land of origin of the Power of Law, declare to the world that I will Ascend to Godhood and take on the Jurisdiction of Law as a true God of Law."
The declaration of a true God rang beside the ears of all living beings. Regardless of whether it was an adventurer who had travelled great distance, the busy merchants advertising their products, the nobles who were socializing in a ballroom or even warring soldiers, all of them stopped in their tracks to listen to the declaration of a true God.
"I promise to treat all life equally. The fair Power of Law shall shield all innocent and punish all sins. In order to carry out the Rules of Law with absolute fairness, I am willing to follow in the footsteps of the God of Holy Light to give up my sense of self to become the Rules of Law itself. From now onwards, I am the Law and the Law is me. One doesn't need to recite my name to obtain the Power of Law. One only needs to believe in enforcing the Rules of Law."
To fight for devotees and land, expanding the faith and advancing the God's power, even a few hundred years wouldn't be considered a long time to achieve these. I did not have the time to waste with other Gods and the Law Faction urgently needed a God Power Regulation System. So, I would become one myself.
A true God without self-awareness wouldn't be met with enmity by other Order Gods. Furthermore, by becoming a pure Conceptual existence, the growth would increase exponentially. As long as the faith in law spread, the God would be able to grow powerful very quickly.
A brainless God Power Regulation System won't think of devouring other Jurisdictions after growing stronger so no matter how one looked at it, it was a great benefit to the Order Faction. This way, I didn't have to worry about Gods taking the initiative to start a war to destroy this newborn God.
Of course, it was impossible for me to serve obediently as a God Power Regulation System.
Then, was there any other way for my Ascension to fail? Was there any way for my declaration to be voided?
In history, there wasn't any precedent. But in theory, there was one possibility — Death.
If a person died and his soul went into the cycle of reincarnation, how could he Ascend?
That was the reason why I ignited my soul without hesitation previously, seeking death!
Of course, it was not like it was impossible for me to fail completely. Anyway, a God Power Regulation System didn't really need to think so it should be sufficient to split a fragment of my soul for it. I had prepared a horcrux-like Soul Container to build the new God. In fact, there were two SemiGod Equipment involved in it!
[SemiGod Equipment: Dignity of the Judicature (Bind)]
[Defence: 10 Points (Even metal plates only had 5Points of defence, for a cloth magic robe to reach these level of defence is already very incredible.]
[Effect 1: The Self-Judgement of the Sinner: Induces guilt within sinners and as time passes, sinners will fall deeper into a state of fear and helplessness. The greater the sin, the greater the effect of this ability. The innocents are exempted from this ability.]
[Special Ability 2: The Dispassionate Judge: The user equipped with the mask will have his Charisma fixed at 100. Resistance against seduction, detection, illusory and similar magic +20.]
[Special Ability 3: Horcrux: A technique from a foreign world. Allows a fragment of Wumianzhe's Soul to be embedded within.]
[Set Effect: The Origin of Law: If [SemiGod Equipment Wumianzhe's Gaze] is equipped together with this equipment, the user will be acknowledged by the Rules of Order as the founder of Power of Law Wumianzhe himself and receive the following buffs from the Origin of Law. Power of Law +30%, Magic Immunity +50%]
[SemiGod Equipment: Wumianzhe's Gaze (Bind)]
[Defence: 0 Points]
[Special Ability 1_ The Gaze of Truth: No illusions or lies could fool Wumianzhe. The wearer would be able to saw through all falsehood.]
[Special Ability 2: The Voice of Justice: The wearer's word couldn't be recorded and tested by any magic, even if the words he speaks were true. Immunity to Intimidation, Deceive and related verbal skills +20]
[Special Ability 3: Horcrux: A technique from a foreign world. Allows a fragment of Wumianzhe's Soul to be embedded within.]
[Set Effect: The Origin of Law: If [SemiGod Equipment Dignity of the Judicature] is equipped together with this equipment, the user will be acknowledged by the Rules of Order as the founder of Power of Law Wumianzhe himself and receive the following buffs from the Origin of Law. Power of Law +30%, Magic Immunity +50%]]
[Curse of the God Equipment, Weight of the Gavel: The user equipped must have a job related to the legislative system and must carry out his job impartially. If he were to twist the laws for personal reasons or speak falsely, the law robe will become an unquenchable fire, destroying the user's soul and physical body.]
[Please use the authority granted prudently. The choice made after the Gavel struck down doesn't merely decide the rise and fall of an individual, but represents the dignity of the legislative system and its impartiality. –The Supreme Court Wumianzhe]
This was my mask and robe that I donned as Wumianzhe and SemiGod Equipment recognized by the Origin of Order. What I wanted to make use of was their Set Effect: Origin of Order. As long as the Light Pillar or Order lost me as its target, then the equipment, which possessed a fragment of my soul, would become a qualified God Power Regulation System. At this moment, they were put together like a persona and under the effect of the Set Effect, they formed a Wumianzhe acknowledged by the Rules of Order!
But, as I expected, even if the Rules of Order lacked self-awareness, it wasn't that easy to fool it.
The Light Pillar of Order which guides the Ascension of true Gods totally ignored that fake. At the same time, it didn't gather around me. Instead, it bound the Roland Sacred Sword. After all, the only thing required for Godhood was the soul and the soul of a Lich was in its phylactery. As for my Phylactery, it was in this Sacred Sword.
In the endless silver light, the extinguishing Soulfire due to the ignition of my stone was blazing up once again and the broken sword was actually starting to reforge itself!
This was a possibility that I had considered. The scenario that I had been the most worried about had happened. The Power of Order actually started to fix my broken phylactery! If it would have been in the past, I would have danced in joy as this meant that I could level up and grow but now, it was the amulet to my death!
"I don't want to be forced to Ascend! Elisa, carry out the plan!"
"But…"
"There are no buts. From the start, I should have been judged! Sinners will be judged eventually."
Yes, sinners will be judged eventually, regardless of their identity or the reasons. It is all because the sin existed.
No matter what I would do in the future, the past sins still weighed upon me. The souls that died because of me were sufficient to fill the entire River Styx. No matter how many people I saved, how many good things I accomplished, I was still a sinner. I couldn't even lie to my own heart, so how would I be able to get the system to admit that I was a kind person?
The words on the law monument at the entrance of the Supreme Court were even handwritten by me – Only impartial judgement and the punishment can wash away sins, no one is an exception.
Sinners will be judged eventually, this was my personal faith towards Law. A person who had his hands stained in blood wasn't qualified to become the God of Law. Perhaps, this was the main reason why I avoided the choice of Ascending to Godhood personally. Perhaps, it was because of my subconscious anticipating the day when I was saved through judgement that gave the God Equipment Origin of Codex the final Special Ability.
[Effect 4: Sinners will be Judged (Active): Activate Great Judgement towards a single target, cleansing him of all his sins through the judgement. Requirement: The target must be willing to undergo judgement.]
Looking at the Silver Light of Order growing stronger, Elisa was finally forced to raise the Codex as she gritted her teeth.
"[Sinners will be judged!] Sinner Roland! Are you willing to accept judgement?!"
Looking at the blood stains on Elisa's red lips that were bitten by her silver teeth, I knew that I was being too cruel. I actually forced Elisa to punish a person she liked… But the words for an apology rolled in my mouth, refusing to come out anyhow. In the end, it turned into a helpless sigh.
"Sigh… I'm guilty and accept the judgement."
Another Light of Order burst and my soul was brought into a Court of Stars. All of the part-time jurors and the ancient Heroic Spirit audiences were already seated. Elisa sat on the Judge stand and the Codex floated in front of her. Countless memories that I remembered and forgotten flashed in the Court and right now, they served as the evidence of my guilt.
In one of the images, my Yongye army was engaged in reckless slaughter. The towns that the Undead army crossed path with were reduced to rubble. The dead rose as new soldiers and the fresh blood of the living formed a river of blood. The overwhelming resentment rose even to the Heavenly Pillar, enraging the Gods.
[Sinner Roland, you are sentenced to death penalty for war crimes!]
After the trial began, the user of the Codex was under the control of the absolutely fair Codex. Even if reluctance was written all over her face, Elisa read out the verdict.
Yes, death penalty. Death penalty without any doubts. If we were talking about creating tragedies and war, then Shou who had just died on the battlefield wasn't even qualified to serve as my apprentice. It was right for me to be sentenced to death for all the war crimes committed under me.
"Yes, I plead guilty."
A sudden leap in space-time and my soul and flesh was locked on a black-colored guillotine simultaneously. Then, the decapitation blade descended and kacha, the head separated from the body.
"AHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Even if I had been prepared, but the pain and emptiness of death was still intolerable. The head that was cut off may no longer be able to make any sound but my soul was shouting in agony.
Pain, absolute pain. My life was quickly receding from me with my head missing. The instincts of a living being made me scream uncontrollably.
In the final throes of my screams, my soul and flesh start to disintegrate. This was true death. The me who didn't believe in the true Gods of Order entered the cycle of reincarnation and fell into the River Styx!
But, a silver light suddenly descended and in an instant, the scattered soul became clear once more. To think that I would be forcefully revived by the Origin of Order!
Looking up at the slightly thinner Light Pillar of Order, I gritted my teeth.
"Continue the judgement! It's useful! Let's go all out against it."
Under the heartless command of the man, the tears of the young lady dripped down silently. In the end, it turned into a quiet weep. However, under the effect of the God Equipment, it turned into a solemn and cold judgement.
[Sinner Roland, you are sentenced to death penalty for fraud!]
The image in midair showed all of my truthful lies. In the biggest screen, the video of me handing over the Eternal Night Scepter I created to the auction with ill intents could be seen.
Yes, ill intentions and fraud are heavy crimes, the death penalty was definitely a fitting punishment.
In midair, I was pushed onto the gallows. Then, the steps under my feet suddenly disappeared and endless blank space could be seen below my feet.
The rope on my neck tightened and the pain on my throat escalated to crazy levels. The choking sensation of my soul was even harder to tolerate then the one on my flesh. I wanted to shout but no sound came out. In the end, both of my legs slackened and everything went silent.
Just when my soul started to disintegrate, a silver light descended and I was revived once again…
"Continue!!"
[Sinner Roland, you are sentenced to death penalty for murder!]
This time, it was death by poison. Boundless pain gathers in my veins. The pain from my veins expanding, a stabbing pain, a frosty feeling, a burning sensation and in the end, what was left was a corpse without any feelings.
Silver light descended…
"Continue!! It's already much thinner."
Elisa's face was long tear-stricken. But, she was unable to stop now. Once the judgement began, the Court would not stop until all of the sins of the great sinners had been judged. I, who had committed many crimes within these 300 years, dying 3 or 4 times was far from sufficient!
[Sinner Roland, you are charged with the crime of anti-sentient being crime (Anti-humanity Crime)…]
It was the soul electric chair this time.
Silver light descended.
[Arson]
Burnt on a stake.
Silver light descended…
[Crime of poisoning]
Drown to death.
Silver light descended…
One crime after another was played on the Judgement stand as I revived and died again and again. My soul disintegrated and reforged again and again. At this moment, I had the thought of simply dying and ending it all.
Finally, after dying countless times, just as I, numb from everything, started to give up hope, the Light of Order that fell finally had a short delay in between!
"Quick, quick, use that!!"
The thing that I was pointing to was the large blade that was leaning by the Judgement Stand, Dragon Saber!!
Elisa released her grip on the Codex, carried that heavy blade and struck the Roland Sacred Sword with it.
[Special Ability The Unyielding Saber: 100% chance of directly destroying a weapon below Elite-tier. 50% chance of directly destroying an Elite-tier weapon. 30% chance of directly destroying an Epic-tier weapon. 1% chance of destroying any weapon below God-tier.]
This was the most useful ability of the God Equipment Dragon Saber that came from a foreign world. Even though the Roland Sacred Sword was a hard-to-come-by Godly Weapon, able to stand toe-to-toe with SemiGod Equipment, but it was still not a God Equipment and there was a 1% chance of it being destroyed in an instant. Furthermore, once the phylactery of the Lich was shattered and didn't revive on time, then I would be dead for sure!
That's why, my first reaction upon seeing this Godly Weapon was to involve it in my backup plans in case something went wrong.
"Dang dang dang!"
This was the sound of clashing between the sword and the saber and the sound of my impending demise. However, I wished from the depths of my heart that it would come faster because the Light Pillar of Order was starting to gather in the sky!
"Get away! This Light of Order is fatal to someone who has a Demon Bloodline like you!!"
However, Elisa ignored my words and increases her slashing speed.
However, the silver Light Pillar suddenly descended in the next instant without any warning.
The moment the Light Pillar fell, I fell into despair. I didn't really mind Ascending and at worst, I just had to find another idea or just become a God Power Regulation System but Elisa…
"NO!!"
I had never felt so regretful, so regretful for the decisions I made! Regretful that I would never be able to see this young lady again! Regretful that I had ignored Elisa's hints and regretful that I was unable to say some words!
"The Rage of Lightning!"
A rampaging lightning suddenly struck towards the Light Pillar in the sky, colliding forcefully into it. But, the Light Pillar quickly destroyed the lightning and continued its descend.
At the same moment, a figure shrouded in lightning was already standing in the face of the Light Pillar.
"Adam!" Yes, despite just finishing his operation and still being in a weak state, Adam stood once again on the battlefield.
He didn't need to ask why we were struggling against the benevolent Origin of Order. Just the furious roar and cry of agony from his companions was enough for him to put his life on the line and come to our rescue!
"Lightning, respond to my summons!!"
Countless lightning bolts gathered under the order of its master. The enraged Swordsman aimed his sword at the heavens and slashes. This time, when the smoke finally scattered, the lightning and Light of Order had destroyed each other under the collision.
In the next moment, as though incited, an even larger Light of Order descends. If struck by it, even Adam who possessed the Titan Bloodline would die instantly.
But, glancing below, he didn't have the slightest intention to dodge the attack. Instead, he raised his sword and charges ahead!
"Corridor of Time!!"
Fortunately, a voice suddenly echoed and under the entire strength of a SemiGod Saint, the time surrounding the Light of Order was forcefully slowed.
"You bastard! You want to die that much?!"
Alright, facing the interrogation and angry howl from the blue figure, Adam could only smile foolishly.
Even with the combined strength of two SemiGod experts, the slowed time and the lightning bolts that continuously ascended to strike, they were only able to slow down the descend of the Light of Order.
But, this gave us an opportunity to reverse the situation below.
Finally, that 1% Special Ability had been activated.
"Kacha." With a crisp sound, Roland Sacred Sword shattered and the gray soul within dissipates.
"Great!!"
Hearing my voice, Adam gave way and Margaret, who was already perspiring from the struggle, immediately removed her magic, allowing the Light of Order to descend.
This time, the shattered phylactery could no longer attract its attention. Instead, it struck on the fake persona beside!
At this moment, I took this opportunity to activate the soul fragments in the SemiGod Equipment to make it more reminiscent of a complete person.
Afterwards, following the flow of the Light of Order inside, the incomplete soul was being filled and this faker persona gradually became completed. Even more so, it started its evolution from a human to a true God.
As for me, I was already lying peacefully on the ground, waiting for the call of death. But, in the last moment, I saw the red eyes of Elisa and that bizarre smile on her small face as she grabs a saber while walking towards me.
[Special Ability Frenzy: 1% chance of falling into a frenzied state that recognizes no kin. In this state, you will first target and kill your own kin.]
Alright, I've already known that with my Luck, if that 1% probability of destroying the Sacred Sword of the Special Ability was able to trigger, then this 1% Special Ability of Frenzy was bound to trigger as well.
Looking at the lady who raised the giant blade to slash down, I was unable to move at all. I could only smile helplessly.
"Should I be glad that she treats me as her kin? NOOOOO! THIS KIND OF DEATH IS TOO UGLY! IT IS JUST LIKE HOW A PHILANDERING HUSBAND IS DECAPITATED BY HIS WIFE USING AN AX! I DON'T WANT THIS KIND OF DEATH!!"
But, the next instant, my eyes completely went dark. In the end, I had no idea whether I really got decapitated or Adam managed to stop her.
---------------------
2 months later, in the Inferno Abyss of the Lower Realm, on the River Styx that was normally quiet, there was a soul that was creating a ruckus, very much different from all of the other lifeless souls.
"I love bathing, to get good skin~ With my shower cap on, prancing about~ Piranhas try to escape, rinsing the top while cleaning the bottom… Never mind since I can't remember it. Ah, boss, if you don't come soon, I wouldn't even be able to remember my own name!"
That person looked like a teenager and the song he was singing was a nursery song from a foreign word but somehow, there was something there that didn't fit into the song.
"…one hundred and eighty-four thousand six hundred and twenty-one, one hundred and eighty-four thousand six hundred and twenty-two…"
Fortunately, just when he was so bored that he started counting from one to two hundred thousand, a small black boat appeared on the River Styx, where boats shouldn't appear at all.
The boatman was a dashing young man dressed in black. He wasn't tall or short and there wasn't anything that was defining about him. The black robe seemed especially fitting on him, giving the impression of a silent dark night.
I was overjoyed after floating for such a long period of time! Even the soul of a Transcender was about to be unable to withstand it.
"Hey hey, here!!"
Hearing the shout, the small boat changes its direction and very quickly, I was pulled up by the boatman.
"Boss Ayer, if you came any later, I would have really thought that you had gone against your words."
Yes, the young man who seemed extraordinarily ordinary was the most ancient God, the High King of the first generation of Humans, Death God Ayer.
"Hehe, you have done such a great job so why would I go against my words? Your avatar, the God of Law Wumianzhe, is currently the hottest topic among the Gods. In order to help shield you from all probing-related Magic, even I had to spend quite a bit of effort. Even so, it's worth it."
The praise of Death God Ayer was rare. Even towards the 'absolute' true Gods, he rarely showed them any consideration.
"Then, let's carry on as we've planned."
"Of course, I have already spread the word. Whoever dares to touch Wumianzhe will be waging a war against me, so you can rest easy about your avatar. Your next step should be to expand the faith of Law and increase the God Power of the God of Law."
"Un, yes. That is the 2nd part of my plan, to make Law replace Holy Light as the #1 faith of intelligent lifeforms. It may be difficult, but it isn't impossible and I have my own plans in this aspect."
The black-clothed Dark God smiled. For the first time, he felt that letting this lad with a silver tongue go back then had been a fortunate thing.
"Fine, but to make the God of Law into the God of Judgement and even the God of Hades and build your own God System, you will have to defeat at least 4 to 5 strong Gods to claim their Godhood and Jurisdiction. This path isn't easy."
Yes, the Ascension of a God of Law was just the starting point. To turn all of this around, just a God of Law wasn't enough.
In the East of a certain foreign world, if one started talking about Judges, the first reaction of the elderly wouldn't be the dignified judges in court but King Yama and his Judges of Hell in the ancient Myths. There were also many legends in Egypt, Japan and many other countries about a similar system of judging one's soul after death and determining how they should be treated based on their actions when they were alive.
This was the expectations of people for the kind to be rewarded and the evildoers to be punished, as well as the warnings of ancient times for people not to commit evil. In the past, when a large portion of people believed in the existence of Gods, it successfully played its role in warning them. Nowadays, the elderly still often told the younger generations not to commit sins, otherwise they would go to hell.
While there were true Gods in this world, there weren't any Gods of the Underworld. The only God that was somewhat related was the Death God Ayer, but he was only in charge of managing the system of reincarnation.
For the eternal war to stop, we had to stop the reincarnation system which kept pumping new blood into both parties so as to stop the awakening of the two Goddesses. To reject the reincarnation system was meaningless. If one felt that the reincarnation system was wrong, then he had to propose a new system to replace the reincarnation system.
Thus, I thought of Hades and Hell.
If a soul didn't rise to the Heavenly Pillar or fell into the River Styx depending on his faith when he was alive and rather, a neutral God System was allowed to judge them so that those innocents could continue on in their path of reincarnation while sinners would have to serve their sentence, this could perhaps be a warning and restriction to the living. This world would become a much better place. More importantly, the two Goddesses who lost their source of tributes would never be able to awaken.
But just thinking about it, it was an impossible mission. However, since the implausible move of allowing an avatar to rise to Godhood had been accomplished, perhaps there wasn't anything impossible in this world.
"Un, only the words of the powerful will be heard. This is also true for the world of Gods. The first thing to do is to spread the faith of Law and allow the God of Law Wumianzhe to grow stronger."
"Hehe, this isn't easy. Do you intend to head to the human world yourself?"
"Un, I don't think that other people will be able to accomplish this mission. I will head out after reviving. The first stop will be the West Mist Communal Country. After all, that's my homeland."
"The country built by the legendary Holy Knight Roland Mist? The descendants of the Mist?"
Hearing that, I shook my head. I had heard of the legend but I've never treated it as seriously.
"They are probably just making use of my name. I died when I was 14, so it's impossible for me to have left behind any descendants."
"You sure?"
"… I'm unsure, the memories I lost are simply too much. However, going by my habits, the possibility of leaving behind any descendants are simply too low. Perhaps, they might be the descendants of Karwenz. He was always popular with the girls. Why, could it be that the Death God is interested in the gossips of humans as well?"
"No, I'm just asking for someone else."
"Who would be able to get you to help them get these gossips?"
"Your lover."
"Wait! When did I get a lover?! How come I don't remember?!"
"2 months ago, on the day before you Ascended, do you not remember?"
'Master, do you remember the favor you owe me? Accept my confession. That was my condition.' Instantly, I remembered the words that I said then. The condition then wasn't making a show in front of Adam but to accept this supposed 'confession'.
"Elisa… you were aiming to strike two birds with one stone! Making a show into reality? Is this considered a confession?"
In that instant, my brain turned into mush so how could I responded quick enough. I thought that that was to allow for a happy ending, so how would I have thought of it as a confession?!
"Un, it was that girl named Elisa. She was really brave. She insulted me by the side of the River Styx to incite me, so that I would fulfill my promise to fetch you."
"Lord, please don't hold grudges against her!"
"Hehe, why would I hold grudges against a little girl? On the other hand, I admire her courage and determination, so I sent her a little present. However, it might spell trouble for you."
A foreboding premonition floated in my head. The frenzied figure holding a saber appeared in my head once again. Somehow, I felt like jumping from the boat and escaping, even if this was the River Styx which represented death.
"That, where are we going now?"
"Of course it's to meet your little girlfriend. I had promised to bring you to her."
"Can I jump off the boat?"
"Feel free, as long as you think that you can escape from me."
A soul escaping from the hands of the strongest Death God? Helpless, I could only howl in misery.
"Misfortune!"