Chapter 316: Karma (XXXIV)
The light slowly faded.
And as soon as I opened my eyes, I finally took a glance at the Divine Realm.
The world before me was beyond anything I could describe.
That was… if I hadn’t lived here for thousands of years. Based on my reincarnations, I’m at least… a few thousand years old.
But well…
The Divine Ream was still as beautiful.
The sky was not just blue, just like in our world; it glowed, actually glowed in shades of gold and silver, like melted starlight.
Massive islands floated gently in the air, each surrounded by waterfalls that fell endlessly into glowing clouds.
Phoenixes with blazing crimson feathers soared across the horizon, leaving trails of fire that curved like ribbons.
Dragons of every color twisted through the heavens, their scales glittering like crystal under the bright sun.
Yeah…
Actual dragons and phoenixes, a race that is supposed to be almost extinct in my old world.
And there, they were respected as superior beings, yet here, they are merely recognized as mounts or even pets.
Christina gasped softly beside me, her hand trembling in mine.
Her eyes, wide and awestruck, reflected the scene above us: phoenix wings, divine-looking clouds, and bright light that never dimmed.
“This…” she whispered in awe, “this is… the Divine Realm?”
I nodded slowly, unable to speak.
‘…He should be getting here right about now…’
Fwip!
The air around us rippled.
A tall man appeared out of thin air before us, the space bending around him like silk. His golden hair shimmered softly, and his eyes glowed faintly with the color of dawn.
He was dressed in white and gold robes, simple yet majestic, the kind of beauty that only gods carried.
He smiled warmly, spreading his arms as though greeting old friends.
“Welcome to the Divine Realm!” he announced, his voice clear and bright, echoing slightly through the radiant air.
‘…Russel, the God of Navigation…’
Christina blinked, still holding my hand tightly.
The god’s gaze softened as he looked at the two of us.
“You must be new arrivals. Ah, I can feel the divine spark within you already.”
He clasped his hands together politely and tilted his head a little.
“May I know what your Godhead name is?”
At his words, I remained slighly silent, not knowing if I should tell him that. After all, he was from the faction created by the Goddess of Light.
He was basically one of her servants.
Even here, the law of the jungle rules…
But, I guess that there isn’t a problem with me telling him my title, after all, based on my knowledge, the worst thing she could do is kidnap me.
And I’m already quite used to that… ahem.
Christina suddenly looked up at me nervously.
“Should we… tell him?” she asked in a small voice.
Slowly, I turned back to the smiling god.
“Aestrea, the God of Karma.”
The air froze for a moment.
“K–Karma?!”
The man’s polite smile shattered into pure shock. His divine aura flickered for an instant as his eyes widened.
This was probably a normal reaction; after all, the authority of Karma was something that hadn’t appeared in millions of years, actual millions!
He straightened almost immediately, his posture turning more respectful than before.
“I—I see… please forgive my tone earlier, Lord Karma.” He gave a light bow; his voice was now a little softer.
Then, after a quick cough to hide his unease, he turned toward Christina.
“A-and this lady must be…”
“She’s someone I brought,” I interrupted calmly before he could finish.
The god blinked once, then his eyes fell to our joined hands. For a second, that knowing little smile returned to his face.
“Ah… I see. My apologies, my Lord.”
He straightened again and gestured toward the gleaming sky-bridge ahead.
“If you’d like, I can personally show you around the Divine Realm. It’s quite large… and not easy for new arrivals to navigate.”
I gave a faint nod as I needed to act like someone who had never been here before.
“Lead the way.”
He smiled brightly, turning with a wave of his sleeve.
“Very well, please follow me then.”
As we walked, the golden light shifted around us.
The god explained many things: how each region of the Divine Realm belonged to different factions, each ruled by a deity, and many other trivial things.
Christina, curious as always, asked question after question, and he answered each one patiently.
Her voice grew more relaxed as they talked, and even I found myself listening silently, taking in the details I pretended not to know.
Eventually, the landscape changed.
Massive golden gates appeared ahead, inscribed with countless divine runes that glowed softly as we approached.
Beyond them stood a grand complex of towering buildings floating among the clouds, a place filled with divinity so pure it almost hurt to breathe.
Russel then stopped, turning toward us with a courteous smile.
“We’ve arrived, Lord Karma.”
He bowed deeply, then extended his hand. Between his fingers appeared a small card made of pure light, its surface marked with flowing celestial script.
“For you,” he said, holding it out respectfully.
I accepted it, glancing down.
The letters shimmered faintly.
“An… invitation to the academy?” I muttered quietly.
His expression softened when he saw me reading the golden card.
“Ah, right,” he said with a small smile, “you must be wondering why the Divine Academy even exists.”
He turned toward the vast city beyond the gates, his gaze drifting toward the horizon where the sky shimmered like a sea of divine flames.
“Normally, the academy is a place for newly ascended gods to learn control, discipline, and order. But recently… things have changed.”
“Changed?” Christina tilted her head.
Russel nodded slowly.
“Yes. The Great God of Time, Chronos, sent out a divine warning across all realms.” His tone grew more serious.
“He said that the Fallen God Race… has begun to stir once more.”
I froze.
The air around us suddenly felt heavier, as though the light itself had dimmed. Christina’s hand tightened around mine again, her eyes widening.
Then, Russel continued calmly.
“They were supposed to be gone forever… sealed beyond the void. But Chronos himself saw their reawakening. So the higher deities decided to begin preparing for the worst. The Divine Academy actively turned into a forge. To create gods strong enough to defend this realm when that day comes.”
I looked down slightly, letting silence linger for a few seconds before I finally spoke.
“…The Fallen God Race, revived?” I whispered, feigning shock.
“That’s… impossible.”
“We all hoped it was. But the warnings are never wrong when they come from him.” Russel sighed softly.
I clenched my fist, letting a faint determination fill my tone.
“Then I’ll train harder than anyone. I’ll become strong enough to protect the Divine Realm… no matter what.”
Russel blinked, then his eyes warmed with admiration.
“That’s the spirit!” he said brightly, smiling again. “It’s been a long time since I met someone with that kind of resolve, Lord Karma.”
He lifted his hand and touched the card I held.
“Then let me officially welcome you.”
The small golden card in my hand began to glow, softly at first, then brighter and brighter, until it reshaped itself into a crystal-clear tablet of light.
Letters carved themselves into its surface, one by one.
[Divine Academy Student Identification—
Name: Aestrea
Age: 21
Godhead: Karma
God Rank: Peak Low God]
‘Oh?’
I raised an eyebrow.
‘It seems that this card isn’t showing my true power… but why? Is it because I’ve absorbed Yggdrasil in this reincarnation?’
I frowned slighly.
‘I’ll need to act a little bit more cautiously if so.’
Russel’s cheerful expression froze for a moment. His eyes darted to me, disbelief flashing across his face.
“T–Twenty-one…?!”
Christina blinked at his expression, clearly confused.
“Is that… strange?”
“Strange?” Russel nearly laughed, his voice cracking slightly.
“That’s unbelievably young! Even minor gods usually ascend past their first millennium! For someone to hold an authority like Karma at twenty-one is… absurd!”
Before he could continue, the golden ring on his right hand began to shine intensely.
His expression shifted instantly from surprise to alarm.
“Ah—pardon me! The High Council is calling.”
He bowed quickly, regaining his usual calmness.
“Please, the attendants here will guide you to your residence and orientation later. It’s truly been an honor, Lord Karma.”
Fwip!
Without waiting for another word, his divine aura pulsed once, and in a swift flash of light, he vanished from our sight.
The silence that followed felt deep and almost fragile.
Christina looked around, then up at me.
“So… he just left?” she murmured softly.
I glanced down at the glowing ID still floating in my palm. The letters shimmered faintly, casting a soft light across Christina’s face.
“Yeah,” I said quietly.
“He left.”
My lips curved just slightly.
“But that’s fine. We’ve already learned something important.”
Ahh…
To think the glorious Divine Academy now changed its course, just to deal with me…
How delightful…