CH501 Gods and Mortals

In their realm, the gods gathered for a meeting. It was the sort of thing that had been happening frequently since the invasion points had been marked, an unavoidable consequence of their increased workload when they were all doing their best to keep the world and the lives of their mortals from ending, but more and more often they found the topic coming back to one particular mortal who’d been leaving his mark.

“I trust no one else here has anyone in their faith aiming to end the life of apostle Ben,” Phixth said as he looked around the room, many complicated expressions to be found in the crowd.

It wasn’t because they had worshipers attempting the same outrageous goal as some of those who gave their faith to gods like Olensia or Eneth, but for a different matter. They were gods, they stood above mortals as guides and rulers, but more and more they were finding themselves having to bend to Ben’s desires, at least when any event came to bring such a thing up.

“And it might only get worse since he seems to be realizing just how valuable he’s become,” One god muttered, prompting a laugh from another in the crowd as Nare spoke up.

“Ben is still heavily undervaluing himself, you don’t need to worry about that,” He said. “It’s actually shockingly hard to make him see the full scope of his worth, though at least the fact that he’s begun to notice the depths of his accomplishments is progress.”

“And what exactly is he not aware of?” Phixth asked, already envisioning a future where he’d have to act as a mediator between Ben and the gods again sometime soon.

“Ignoring a few of his other projects and discoveries? His potential. With all of the awakened skills he has, he finally understands that he’s good, but he still doesn’t properly appreciate how good,” Nare laughed again, seeing that those who didn’t keep an eye on the boy wanted more while those who did could only shake their heads or equivalent body parts. “Since the last time it’s come up he’s gained a dozen more jobs with half of them being a master branch or farther, and that’s not even counting the blessings he’s gained or his skill levels. There’s some bets going on amongst the crafting gods keeping an eye on him, with the odds being in favour of him having either his crafting or enchanting at the ninth awakened level in the next five years assuming we win.”

“Is this true?” The stone god asked the question that many wanted to know hearing that, with the various crafters agreeing while Nare went on.

“That’s nothing. We’re placing the odds of him getting to the third tier of either skill within his lifespan at around sixty percent.”

“Sixty-”

A number of those there felt headaches growing at the thought. Those were high odds. Too high. Even when aided by a soul mage, the few contenders across the world would likely only get an estimate of forty at the very best. For a mortal to be appraised so optimistically by so many gods, it was unprecedented.

“Of course, I personally put both estimates higher. He’s an interesting one, I find myself hoping he ends up among our ranks,” Nare said, expressing a sentiment that so many disagreed with. “Who knows, maybe it won’t even be specifically as a crafting god.”

So many there thought it was in reference to Ben’s sacrilege, but Phixth had known Nare too long to believe the magma-like god could be hinting at anything so simple and instead directed his eyes to the one the boy gave his faith, with Myriad looking tired from the talk going back to his apostle.

“I can’t personally comment on his chances as a crafting god, but if we’re to look at his odds of becoming a mind one, I would place them at a minimum of eighty percent.”

“Eighty-”

An eruption went up at the words. How could it not? Mortals were meant to struggle for godhood, the fact that the crafters thought his odds were so good was already outrageous, but for his odds of becoming a mind god to be that much better?

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There were some in the crowd who didn’t believe it, but their voices were few. Whether they liked it or not, many were beginning to believe in the potential Ben possessed after the accomplishments they’d seen.

And with his mind like that… Phixth thought to himself, looking back at the shape of the mind that he and the others had been shown just a little earlier. It was actually worse that Ben wasn’t already at the third tier when one considered the structure his mind had already taken. Just what would become of it if it grew more? It spoke of a future bearing a mind god like no other, at least until Helori spoke.