Fourteen golden pillars, descending from the sky and reaching down to the earth.
It was truly a timely sight.
"W-what is that?"
"It's beautiful..."
The light, visible from anywhere in the world, captivated everyone's eyes.
And it made them harbor hope, unbidden.
"This must be a message sent by the gods!"
"Exactly. The war just ended, didn't it?"
The declaration of the war's end hadn't been made yet.
But everyone knew.
That the Allied Forces had won the war for the fate of the world.
And those golden pillars had descended just five days after the war's conclusion.
What else could it be but a message of hope from the gods?
Everyone interpreted it that way, and the number of worshippers heading to the Vatican Orthodox Church exploded.
This was thanks to the swift response of missionaries who, seizing the moment, preached that this was proof of God's existence and the reason we should believe in God.
The golden pillars that had stirred the world were indeed a hopeful sign for them.
But what about the fourteen gods who actually descended via those pillars?
"H-how could this happen...!"
"It's impossible."
"What is this body?! It's so stifling and heavy!"
"This must be a dream. It has to be a dream..."
"Haa... I can't believe he actually did it."
Their reactions varied.
Those unaware of his plan were dumbfounded or tried to escape reality, while those who already knew wore expressions that said, 'It's finally happened.'
Only Gula and Superbia wore expressions entirely different from the others.
"Huhu, truly my child."
Gula, smiling proudly as she surveyed the world.
"So this is what he meant by 'prepare to descend again.'"
Superbia, finally understanding the cryptic words she'd heard in her last moments, gave a bitter laugh.
Confusion, joy, bewilderment, anger, and more.
As all sorts of emotions swirled within them, leaving them unable to act.
Kim Dojin appeared before them.
"Alright, everyone, listen up."
Clap, clap!
With a clap and a loud voice, Kim Dojin drew the attention of the fourteen gods, who were still reeling in confusion.
He spread his arms wide, a bright smile on his face, and offered a welcoming greeting.
"Welcome. First time in the human world, isn't it?"
"......"
"......"
The gods tensed at his somehow dangerous smile.
One of them, bristling, shouted.
"What in the world is this?! How dare you insult a god!"
It was a god he hadn't seen before.
More precisely, the faces of all the gods, save for a few, had subtly changed.
Hadn't it been said that a god's form resembled the person who had most influenced their Apostle's inner self?
It felt as if, in being pulled into reality, a slight adjustment had been made.
The god who had shouted at Kim Dojin was wearing the shell of a man who appeared to be in his mid-to-late twenties.
With a long face and slightly protruding lips, he strongly resembled a horse.
Thus, Kim Dojin, unable to easily discern his identity, asked.
"And you are...?"
"That is Lord Castitas!"
Castitas.
The god who presides over Chastity, one of the Seven Heavenly Virtues.
The moment he heard that name, Kim Dojin's lips curved even closer to his ears.
"Ah... so it's you?"
"W-what do you mean?"
Castitas, sensing an ominous aura, took a step back.
Kim Dojin pursued him, his face now utterly menacing, and replied.
"You bastard who put those shitty restrictions on my woman."
"Th-that wasn't something I unilaterally imposed, it was by mutual agreement...!"
"Let's just get this beating over with first."
Thwack!
"Guh-hek...!"
Castitas, struck by a sudden, flying fist, was sent sprawling to the ground.
"W-wait...!"
"Oh, hush now. I'll listen to you later, so keep your mouth shut. You might lose a tooth if you get hit wrong."
Crack!
"P-hee-hee-hing...!"
The gods were flustered.
Not only had they been abruptly dragged into the human realm, but a human was now brazenly beating a god!
Though they found it utterly distasteful, they couldn't bring themselves to utter a single word.
This was because they all harbored similar thoughts.
'If I'm not careful, I might end up like that...'
As in, 'As long as it's not me.'
Meanwhile, Kim Dojin was diligently venting his anger.
"Do you know! How much! I suffered! Because of you!"
How many times had he swallowed his saliva every time he saw Elena?
Just thinking about those times made his blood boil.
"Kuh-hek!"
However, he wasn't just indiscriminately beating a god out of pure anger.
There was another reason.
'I need to establish dominance early on.'
Precisely, to establish dominance.
This was the best way to quickly make these still-haughty beings realize their new place.
It was only possible for him, who knew better than anyone how arrogant and conceited the gods were.
"Ugh... h-huh..."
Leaving the gasping Castitas where he lay, Kim Dojin stood up.
With a thoroughly refreshed expression, he offered a casual apology to the other gods.
"Ah, my apologies, everyone. I just had a lot of pent-up frustration with that fellow. Lately, I think I've developed some anger management issues; I just can't control myself when I get mad, you know? Hahahaha!"
In reality, it was a warning disguised as an apology.
'There are plenty of you I'm keeping an eye on too. So don't go acting up and catching my attention.'
...that is.
Kim Dojin looked at the silent gods with a satisfied expression and continued.
"Alright, now I'm going to explain the situation, so if anyone has questions, save them until I'm finished. Okay?"
"Ah, understood."
"Ahem... I see."
"Very well."
The gods either replied with bewildered expressions or nodded silently, their mouths shut tight.
Kim Dojin explained the situation as thoroughly as possible, making it easy for them to understand.
To summarize, it was this:
1. He disliked the wars that broke out every few hundred or thousand years, and the constant possibility of destruction.
2. So, he ended the wars and devised a new method of competition.
3. From now on, they would save humans, and whoever saved the most would be able to ascend to the divine realm.
And those three lines could be summarized into one:
"In short, let's end these wars, and if you're a god, act like one. Let's determine the true gods through noble and dignified means."
There was a common misconception.
That gods were beings who watched over humanity.
But that was wrong.
Gods were simply gods.
Though born with abilities far beyond those of humans, they were ultimately just living beings busy looking out for themselves, prioritizing their own needs over others'.
Therefore, Kim Dojin's words resonated deeply.
Wouldn't a dignified being who led everyone to salvation be better in many ways, both to behold and to praise, than a homicidal maniac obsessed with war and leading everyone to their deaths?
The only problem was that to gain such honor, they would have to give up more than just one or two things.
"We understand your intentions well. But it is deeply perplexing."
"Indeed. Not only were we arbitrarily dragged from the divine realm to the human realm, but now we're told to serve them?"
"It feels a bit excessive."
Complaints began to erupt.
Perhaps because they had just witnessed violence firsthand, their complaints felt rather subdued.
To the point where, if he wanted, he could have dismissed them as mere pouting.
But Kim Dojin did not.
"Ah~ so that's it. You're upset because I arbitrarily dragged you all into the human realm. Yes, I can certainly see how that might be the case, hmm."
Kim Dojin's expression was grotesque.
His mouth was smiling, but his eyes were as sharp and fierce as a blade.
Kim Dojin then spoke to the gods, who had finally grasped the situation and fallen silent.
"Up until now, all those 'chosen humans' and 'Apostles' were things we wanted, right? Isn't that so?"
"Ah, no, that's..."
"We were granting power, so naturally, it was a good..."
"Exactly."
CRACK!
He lightly stomped his foot, leaving an indentation in the ground, and continued.
"I'm giving you all a good opportunity too, aren't I?"
"H-hem."
"Hiccup."
The gods couldn't hide their bewilderment at the murderous gaze they were experiencing for the first time.
Kim Dojin returned to his smiling face and said.
"If you're truly unwilling, speak up now. For those individuals, I'll specially arrange a separate 'place' for you."
One oblivious god asked.
"A 'place,' you say? What kind...?"
"Why, naturally."
Within his crescent-shaped eyes, a glimpse of his pupils shone fiercely.
"A burial plot."
"......"
They finally accepted their changed fate.
*
Around the time the rampant rumors about the golden pillars slowly began to subside.
The Allied Forces, as if they had been waiting for this moment, held a press conference.
The Saintess and Kim Dojin appeared at the press conference, attended by prominent media outlets from various countries.
Standing before the flashing cameras, the Saintess opened her mouth with a slight bow.
"Greetings, everyone. I am Sophia Saintess. Today, I stand before you not as the Saintess, but as a representative of the Allied Forces."
Everyone had a hunch.
A press conference held after the war's end.
That the only possible announcements would be the declaration of the war's end and victory.
"We have gathered you reporters here today to report on the results of this war."
The results were already known.
But amidst the undiminished interest and fervor, the Saintess declared.
"The Allied Forces have triumphed over the wicked factions that sought to overturn the world."
Waaah!
Cheers erupted simultaneously with the declaration.
It was the sound bursting forth from the citizens surrounding the building where the press conference was being held.
Such was the overwhelming emotion.
How chaotic and bleak the world had been since the Hexagram's inception.
There were those who stirred up trouble, claiming the end had finally come, and not a few who resigned themselves to their fate, abandoning their daily lives as if throwing away their own existence.
The declaration of victory marked the end of such bleak times, so how could they not rejoice?
Amidst a situation filled with emotion and profound sentiment, the press conference continued.
Several questions were exchanged, and the Saintess recited her pre-prepared answers.
The atmosphere was more amicable than ever.
Though both the economy and society were temporarily stagnant, there was a belief that they would soon rebound.
As the Q&A session concluded in such a positive atmosphere, and the press conference was about to end.
"Ah, there's one last thing I'd like to say to you all."
Kim Dojin, who had been sitting silently beside the Saintess throughout the press conference, like a forgotten sack of barley, finally opened his mouth.
What in the world was he going to say?
At that moment, everyone's attention was focused on him.
"You all saw it last time, didn't you? Those pillars of light falling from the sky."
"......!"
The reporters instinctively knew.
'A scoop!'
That a scoop no less significant than the declaration of the war's end was about to burst from his lips.
As everyone fell silent, Kim Dojin opened his mouth once more.
"That, in fact, was the process of gods descending to the human realm."
"......?"
No, wait a minute.
What in the world is he talking about?
While everyone was bewildered, Kim Dojin didn't stop talking.
"You might not have known, but there are actually fourteen gods in this world, you see? Well, technically fifteen, but one absolutely refused, so we'll just skip that one."
Anyway.
"From now on, these fourteen gods will be staying by our side to save us humans, you see? Temples are also scheduled to be built soon, so if you're ever having a hard time or need divine assistance, please feel free to visit them anytime."
"......"
Kim Dojin, having dropped his bombshell, left without a second thought.
The reporters, left dumbfounded, stared blankly at his retreating back before shaking their heads with a look of pity.
"That man... he seems to have developed PTSD, doesn't he?"
"It certainly looks that way."
"It's understandable. To have experienced such a horrific war at such a young age."
"A bitter end, indeed..."
Just like that, he had become a PTSD patient.