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Chapter 297: 297
His leadership style had changed as well. The once ruthless demon who sought only power and control now led with a more measured hand. He allowed his people the freedom to worship as they wished, understanding that forcing them into submission would only breed rebellion. He had become more attuned to the emotions of those around him, recognizing that human emotions, while chaotic, were also a source of incredible strength.
Osita sat in his grand hall, reflecting on Björn’s ascension. When he noticed that one of Murmur’s consciousness had managed to ascend to godhood, he knew that changes would soon come to this world.
He understood that this marked the demons’ successful stamp on the world. Considering Björn’s divinity, Osita already knew it would pose a significant problem for this world. Perhaps in other realms, Björn’s divinity wouldn’t have the same effect, but this world was too peaceful—a peace that had once troubled Osita but had since grown on him. The gods of this world and their children had done everything in their power to ensure peace, but as a demon who had dealt with humans before, Osita knew that peace wasn’t the defining trait of their race.
The chaos now unfolding was something he had expected once humans learned of Björn’s religion. The peace the gods maintained was like a cage, and Björn presented an opportunity to break free of it.
Osita’s main concern, however, was how organized Björn’s religion seemed. Osita understood what Björn’s divinity could do to ordinary humans exposed to it, and even to Björn himself. Planning and strategizing were not something Björn’s followers should be capable of, yet somehow a religion had been created. Osita already had someone in mind who might be behind it all, but he didn’t have enough evidence to conclude it was truly him.
Nevertheless, Osita knew that Murmur’s main consciousness somehow had a hand in everything, and that Björn was playing right into it.
If the war Murmur hoped for came to pass, Björn would be in great danger of being weakened and possibly killed. His ascension tied him to this world, and certain actions against it would bring severe repercussions.
Osita knew that Murmur was counting on this. He seemed to be boosting Björn’s strength, fattening him like a caged animal, waiting for the right moment to devour him.
The rapid growth of Björn’s religion may look good for now, but Osita knew how dangerous it was for Björn. Unlike Origin gods, who had natural gifts to filter faith energy, Björn had none. At the moment, he was simply absorbing raw, unfiltered faith energy.
If the growth had been gradual, Björn could refine the energy himself. But with the rapid expansion of his religion, the option to refine it slowly was out of the question.
Osita stood and walked to the window, gazing at the red dot in the sky where Björn’s godly throne was. If Osita had to guess, Björn was likely suffering at this very moment, struggling to maintain his sanity as his power grew.
Murmur wanted Björn’s divinity to erode him, leaving nothing but an empty husk driven solely by its Divinity. With subtle manipulation, Murmur could then point this weapon of war at anyone he wished.
Osita shook his head, knowing it wouldn’t be as simple as that. Although he was no longer part of Murmur’s consciousness, he could still guess what Murmur was planning—and if he could do that, so could Björn.
Osita clenched his jaw and turned away from the window, his mind racing with possibilities. The demon inside him relished the idea of watching Björn fall and Murmur’s plan failing, knowing that another potential threat would be eliminated. But the human side—the part of him that had learned compassion and responsibility—saw the tragedy in it all.
Osita had no desire to involve himself directly in the affairs of gods and demons anymore. His agreement with Ikem and the peaceful life he had built in his kingdom were his priorities now. But he also knew that once the world descended into chaos, no one would be spared from the fallout.
At the moment, he himself was also involved in the chaos, as Omadi’s children had their eyes on him. A cruel smirk appeared at the corner of his lips. He would be lying if he said he wasn’t looking forward to it—Omadi’s son had done well to make his past centuries less boring.
"War is inevitable," Osita finally admitted to himself. His hands clenched into fists, but there was no anger. Instead, there was an unsettling excitement, a small flicker of the demon he once was, eager for the coming conflict. He could deny it all he wanted, but the truth was clear.
Osita was brought out of his thoughts when the door to his office opened, revealing a young, brown-skinned man who looked like him. This was his son, Nwadike.
Nwadike at the moment have a serious look on his face as he walked in, Closing the door behind him, he bowed to his father before sitting down.
Osita studied his son’s expression and asked, "What is it, son?"
"The Apelings have made a move," Nwadike said, prompting Osita to sit upright.
"Tell me what happened," Osita urged.
Osita leaned forward, his eyes narrowing as he listened to Nwadike read the report. The room seemed to grow colder as the weight of the situation settled on his mind. The Apelings—peaceful by nature and loyal to Ikem. 𝘯𝑜𝘷𝘱𝘶𝑏.𝘤𝘰𝑚
For them to strike back against Björn’s believers meant that something truly grave had occurred.
"Ikem’s people have always been slow to anger," Osita mused aloud, his voice low and contemplative. "For them to retaliate... this is no small thing."
Nwadike nodded, his brow furrowed. "The believers targeted the Apelings because of their divine heritage, a rumor somehow spread about how better Björns blessing was if children of gods were sacrificed to him"
Osita’s fists clenched once more, but this time not out of excitement. A shadow passed over his face as he considered the implications. The Apelings were sacred in their own way, beings whose existence bridged the gap between humans and gods. For them to be drawn into this conflict meant the lines were blurring, and neutrality was no longer an option.
"How far did it go?" Osita asked, his voice tense.
Nwadike hesitated for a moment, his eyes shifting to the scroll in his hands "Several small groups of Björn’s believers were found. The Apelings struck, and it was one-sided—the humans were massacred to send a message."
Osita’s jaw tightened, his gaze hardening as Nwadike’s words sunk in. The peaceful Apelings had not just defended themselves—they had unleashed a brutal and decisive response.
"Massacred..." Osita muttered under his breath, the weight of the word hanging heavily in the air. "Ikem’s people were pushed too far."
He rose slowly from his seat, his mind racing with the implications. If Björn’s believers were spreading rumors of divine blessings through sacrifice, then this was no longer just a matter of faith. This was about power. Power that Björn likely didn’t fully understand, manipulated from behind the scenes by Murmur’s hand.
"And these rumors," Osita asked, his voice sharp, "where do they come from? Who is spreading such blasphemy?"
Nwadike’s brow furrowed as he looked back at the scroll. "The origin is unclear, Father. But it seems to have spread quickly among Björn’s more fanatical followers. They believe that offering the blood of the children of gods will enhance his blessings. They think this is what will grant them more power."
Osita’s eyes narrowed further, a flash of anger finally breaking through his composed exterior. "This is Murmur’s doing. He’s stoking the fire, pushing the believers into madness. They’re becoming pawns in his game, and Björn is too unstable to realize it."
Nwadike nodded, his expression serious. "The Apelings, in their rage, have made a statement. It will scare some of the believers back into their senses but it is only a matter of before they fall back to being senseless pawn"
Osita turned away from his son, his gaze once more drawn to the red dot of Björn’s throne in the sky. War was no longer a distant possibility—it had already begun.
Osita’s mind raced as he stared at the distant red dot in the sky, Björn’s throne glowing ominously. War, once a vague concept, was now unfolding with every move made by both sides. The Apelings had acted out of desperation, and while their attack would instill fear, it would only be a temporary reprieve.
"Fear won’t be enough to stop this," Osita muttered under his breath. "Murmur has woven his influence too deeply into Björn’s followers. They crave power and purpose, and they’ll see this massacre as a challenge—a call to arms."
He turned back to Nwadike, his face grim. "The Apelings’ retaliation was swift and brutal, but it won’t stop the tide. The fanatics will regroup, more dangerous and more desperate. They’ll come for blood. Murmur will ensure that."
