Facing the Apocalypse with My Other Selves

They seemed to truly understand what it meant to be called a "Little God of the Wilds."

On this new god—the first in history to ascend with a mortal body—they saw too many methods that had never belonged to divine spirits before.

For a moment, in the Divine Court, it was as if there was no way to continue the discussion.

In the end, the main gods were the first to leave, and the other divine spirits followed one after another, but it was clear that every one of them was filled with emotions never felt before.

And at this very moment, under the excited gazes of all the Senya people, their goddess revived!

This feeling was unprecedented.

The moment the Forest Goddess opened her eyes once more, every Senya person could clearly feel the revival of power within their bodies!

It was the power belonging to the goddess!

Although not as strong as before, it was already enough to make some people so excited they nearly fainted.

In this short time since the appearance of the Magic Emperor, it truly felt like a dream to them.

However, the revived Forest Goddess did not immediately look at her believers, but instead gazed at Wizard Shen Yu, her emotions complicated.

"What did you do to me?" she asked.

"Do you know what happened?" Wizard Shen Yu raised an eyebrow.

"Even when divine spirits slumber, we are not truly unconscious," said the Forest Goddess. "We just lose control of divine power, falling into a chaotic state, but I know you—the trial taker from the All Heavens Divine Court. I just didn't expect you to awaken me, and to add restrictions to a divine spirit."

Yes, the Forest Goddess knew of Wizard Shen Yu.

Though she didn't know all the details.

Still, certain information had already flooded into her consciousness.

However, Wizard Shen Yu soon noticed that the Forest Goddess was only somewhat complicated in her emotions, but not particularly angry about the forced contract and restriction he'd established.

This goddess seemed different from what he'd imagined.

Not naive and innocent like that god-like one, nor violent and irascible like the other divine spirits.

"Looks like we need to have a proper talk," said Wizard Shen Yu.

"..." The Forest Goddess was silent for a moment, then nodded, "I need to comfort my children first."

Her divine power right now was actually still extremely unstable.

The wounds she'd suffered were not so easily healed.

Still, she summoned the little divine power she had and bestowed blessings upon every Senya across every world.

Even though it was just the simplest of blessings, in that instant it made countless Senya people ecstatic with joy.

Wizard Shen Yu raised an eyebrow at this.

Children?

He said nothing more, returning to his own palace and leaving the Forest Goddess with time to herself.

But just moments after, the Forest Goddess appeared here as well.

No longer a shapeless, pure energy form, but instead a stunningly beautiful maiden.

"God-like Anerya?"

"My divine body needs healing. For now, I can only borrow this child's vessel to act."

Right now, on Anerya's face shone divine, sacred grace, with an elegance and naturalness utterly different from the beautiful but timid girl before.

Clearly, her body was indeed controlled by the Forest Goddess.

Wizard Shen Yu glanced over briefly, discovering that Anerya's soul and consciousness were still active, not even asleep, so he chose not to interfere.

"To be honest, I harbor considerable malice towards the divine spirits of your world," Wizard Shen Yu spoke bluntly. "It's the main reason I established a forced contract—I don't trust you all. You're even the greatest enemies I face in this trial."

"I understand," the Forest Goddess nodded lightly, her gaze dropping as she stared at Wizard Shen Yu. "We're not like these children. We're born strong, yet without any control or guidance—no one ever told us what is right or wrong; we only pursue our own likes and desires, but these things are often cruel and violent."

"It sounds like you're different?" Wizard Shen Yu raised an eyebrow.

He did feel the biggest difference between this Forest Goddess and the other divine spirits he'd met before.

She seemed to possess greater wisdom.

Human wisdom.

"I changed because of the children." The Forest Goddess smiled slightly. "At first, it was only curiosity—maybe something they did made me notice how humans differed from other beings of the forest. Like discovering a novel toy. But as I grew closer to them, I saw in them something most divine spirits utterly lack—creativity. Their lives are fleeting, their power frail, yet they always come up with things that amaze even the divine spirits."

Wizard Shen Yu now saw memories flash across the Forest Goddess's face.

"Does that include wisdom?" he asked.

"Yes, wisdom," the Forest Goddess sighed deeply. "Wisdom that the other divine spirits lack. In truth, any divine spirit that truly comes to understand mortals—truly, deeply learns everything about them—can gain the wisdom unique to all living things. But most divine spirits disdain doing such things. Their understanding of mortals remains extremely primitive."

So that was it.

Shen Yu did understand now.

It's like, in his previous life, humans often learned things from animals.

But not everyone cared about the abilities or even wisdom of animals and nature.

To most people, animals were simply animals.

Even basic concepts like survival of the fittest took ages for someone to summarize.

This world was the same.

Only, what the gods hadn't learned was precisely what mattered most to intelligent life—wisdom!

This wasn't talking about mere intelligence, but the laws of all things, ways of human interaction, perspectives on life, the world, and values.

The gods didn't possess these.

Often their actions felt like those of clueless children, naively cruel.

But there were exceptions among the gods.

Just like the Forest Goddess—one who truly understood humanity.

So conversation with her felt more like talking to a real human, even a person of great quality, rather than the former divine spirits, who saw only power, understood nothing but strength, and were extremely emotional, completely failing to control themselves in communication unless forced down by superior power.

"Even with your human wisdom, you haven't been able to influence the other divine spirits." Wizard Shen Yu shook his head after speaking.

Indeed, it's no easy thing to change.

The pursuit of wisdom isn't innate to life.

Pure instinct makes complex thought and change feel even more uncomfortable.

And even if change was possible, Wizard Shen Yu had no intention of doing so.

Aside from gods like the Forest Goddess—where one can at least see 'humanity' and no slaughter of mortals—the other divine spirits, especially those responsible for unforgivable crimes, all must pay the price.

Besides, this war, this apocalypse, was still not over.

Otherwise, he should at least be able to claim the remaining Gray Mist from all those survivors.

In other words, the gods still planned to utterly destroy mortals.

"How many gods like you are there?" Wizard Shen Yu asked again. "Or among the strongest and most supreme divine spirits, how many are there?"

Wizard Shen Yu had spent so much Gray Mist to create this contract magic, not just for the Forest Goddess.

But also for other divine spirits in similar situations.

For him, the greatest pressure at the moment still came from the eleven most powerful gods he'd just seen.

Simply too powerful.

So powerful that Wizard Shen Yu wasn't even sure if, after another Demon Pattern Fusion, he could contend with them.

But the Forest Goddess shook her head, her expression growing dim: "Among the thirteen main gods, only two—the Goddess of Death and the Sky God. But both have already fallen into slumber. Even as main gods, they cannot withstand the united might of the other eleven."