Fairy Tale: With Sin Of Pride

Demigods are not gods.

Though some demigods possess strength rivaling gods, they lack the essence that makes one a true deity. The greatest flaw of a demigod? Mortality. Their lives have an end, destined to fade into oblivion, becoming mere spirits in the Kingdom of Death.

Gods, however, are eternal. Even if a god "dies" countless times, as long as their believers remain and their divine realm stands, they endure.

Immortality defines a god.

This single thread of eternal divinity separates gods from demigods. Gods may be defeated time and time again, suffering only the loss of some divine power. Demigods? They have but one life. Death for them is final.

History is littered with tales of beings who could rival or even slay gods. Yet, without fail, all such existences—be they mighty beasts or unyielding warriors—were eventually sealed, enslaved, or consumed by the passage of time. They perished, their remains bound to the Kingdom of Death, their cries fading over millennia before they turned to dust.

Few among them ever defied this fate. Fewer still ascended to godhood. Those fortunate enough to become true gods could only live as weak deities, treading carefully among their divine peers.

This is a world ruled by gods. Hierarchies have long been carved into its foundation.

To defy these hierarchies is to stand against the gods themselves—against more than 80% of all life in this world.

Who would dare laugh in the face of such insurmountable odds?

---

"O statue of the gods."

Rhodes gazed at the statue of the Dark Goddess. Containing both divine power and essence, it served as a weakened avatar of her being.

Without thinking, he extended a hand, his fingers brushing against the goddess's sculpted face.

Even Rhodes himself didn't understand this impulse—it was instinctive, almost subconscious.

The blood of the demon god within him surged, amplifying the malice lurking in his heart. Combined with the innate affinity between the demon's power and the dark aura of the goddess, this seemingly innocent touch carried darker undertones.

But Rhodes was unfazed. So what if I touched a statue? he thought, nonchalantly. It's just a face. It's not like I did anything inappropriate. What's she going to do? Crawl out and slap me?

The smug thought hadn't even fully formed before the air shifted. The chamber grew heavy, oppressive, as divine energy poured into the room.

"A mortal dares to defile my idol!"

The voice was chilling, laced with fury. From the statue, a shadow emerged—a woman cloaked in eternal night. She was the Dark Goddess, her dark kingdom materializing behind her. It was a realm devoid of light, hope, or mercy, teeming with monstrous entities lurking in the shadows.

In that suffocating darkness, the goddess stood as the sole beacon of light, radiant yet terrifying.

Rhodes muttered under his breath, "How petty can you get? It was just a tap."

"A mortal dares insult the gods, even in his thoughts!" The Dark Goddess's voice boomed, carrying her seething rage.

Rhodes blinked. She can read my mind? His imagination kicked into overdrive, conjuring embarrassing scenarios. Unfortunately, his latest mental picture—an absurd reenactment of a night battle with her—momentarily stunned the goddess.

For the first time in eons, the Dark Goddess hesitated.

But that hesitation was short-lived. "You deserve to die!"

Thunder roared as divine punishment descended. Black lightning ripped through the void, seeking to obliterate the audacious mortal.

Rhodes smirked, blood of the demon god igniting within him. "The last god who tried this didn't even last seven days."

---

Dark thunder crashed, shattering space itself. The force was immense, but so was Rhodes. The power of the demon surged through him, his body exuding a dark, chaotic aura.

"Full Counterattack!"

The divine lightning collided with him, but instead of destroying him, it was absorbed, amplified, and held within his body. Pain wracked him as divine energy tore through his flesh, but his demonic blood granted him absurd regeneration. Scars healed before they could even bleed.

Over time, his body adapted to the punishment, growing stronger with each strike.

A black cloak materialized around him, demonic runes glinting across his skin. His eyes burned with icy determination, his expression stripped of all emotion.

"The dead belong in coffins, and my enemies belong with the dead."

With a snap of his fingers, a spear of pure darkness formed in his hand. It was imbued with every ounce of absorbed divine energy, augmented by his demonic power.

Even the world itself seemed to recoil, its will awakening to prevent further destruction. Chains of silver light descended from the heavens, attempting to restrain him.

But the black tendrils of Rhodes's demonic aura held firm, anchoring him to the earth.

---

The Dark Goddess watched from her distant kingdom, her eyes narrowing in disbelief.

"A demigod... this strong?" she murmured. Impossible.

Her divine power surged once more, black lightning gathering above Rhodes.

But he was unfazed. With a whisper, he said, "This is where it ends."

He hurled the spear.

The world seemed to hold its breath.

The weapon tore through the barriers of realms, piercing the eternal curtains of the Dark Goddess's defenses. It struck true, nailing her divine form to her throne.

Her kingdom trembled, the echoes of destruction consuming everything.

For a moment, there was only silence.

In the Kingdom of God, the god was slain.