CH855

With food and drinks out of the highest calibre for all to enjoy and decorations to raise the atmosphere even higher, the atmosphere of the party had been good from the start but it was only as one guest joined, forcing Ben to his knees in penance, that couldn’t help but raise the moods of every person who’d wanted to see as much for the chaos he was so prone to cause, with Steph standing above him.

“Ben,” She asked,” Sounding more like an angry mother than an old friend. “What’s this I’ve heard about you having your heart destroyed?”

Who’s the jerk that ratted me out to Will while I was busy getting us through the tower? I thought I’d managed to deflect away from that after everything that happened in there.

“Okay, well you see, it’s kind of a funny story,” He started, only to stop as he looked up and felt the weight of her glare.

“There’s nothing funny about almost dying! Honestly, we both know you’re stronger now than when you first got here but the two of us still worry about you. None of us that came want to see any humans die but why are you the one who keeps coming closest? How do you think the rest of us will feel if you end up getting yourself killed just because you want some power?”

…Yeah, I can already see this day ending up bad for me.

Far too many of his plans were at least somewhat self-destructive and considering the endpoint was something he still expected to die for, it was only going to get worse for him if she kept being told every time something happened.

But on the plus side, if I die before any of that I’m free of any future scoldings so that’s a silver lining, right?

“I can feel you thinking something dumb right now Ben,” She told him, glaring down and tapping her foot in displeasure.

“As the only mind reader in the room I’m comfortable saying that’s just your lack of trust speaking but just as importantly, do you really, really want to spend the first bit of time we’ve had to hang out in ages being mad at me?” He asked her, giving her the widest, most innocent eyes he could and finally getting her to relent.

“Fine, fine, get up already. I’ll save my real scolding for the next time you almost get yourself killed.”

“...How about the time after that instead?”

“Don’t push your luck.”

Still, everyone else had enjoyed the show and with her small piece said, she walked off, grabbing Thera’s arm to catch up with her while Will came to his side.

“You had to have known she was going to say something.”

“I didn’t know anyone explained what happened to you, you traitor.”

“Ha, don’t shoot the messenger. Besides, she’s not alone in worrying about you. I think everyone in this room just wants to see you live a nice, long life.”

“Hey, if that was an option then I’d be the first to take it but look at the world we’re stuck in man, strength and safety go hand in hand. You need the first if you want the second.”

“And that’s part of why we worry about you,” He said, flicking Ben’s nose. “Your supernaturally bad luck on this planet has seriously warped your perspective on just how far you need to go to get that strength.”

“Then that just means I need the strength all the more to handle that luck but seriously, don’t worry so much. Attribute-wise, I think I’m going to be higher than most of yours by this point.”

“And yet despite that, I’ve never had my heart destroyed.”

“Which is for the best,” Ben laughed. “You’re a lot less equipped to deal with it than I am.”

“Ha, doesn’t matter, I wouldn’t end up in that sort of situation to begin with. Anyway, I’m going to say hey to Karly, see what she’s been up to. Join me?”

“Ah, maybe later, there’s a few others I want to talk to first.”

With a party going on it was important to mingle and so he made his way over to Lux and her partner Writ, the first watching the other absolutely devour a plate of food.

“Ben my boy, this is probably the best thing I’ve ever had,” The satyr told him before thinking better of it. “Actually, scratch that, it without a doubt is. I'm going to be remembering this meal for the rest of my life, did you really make all of this?”

“Ah, I just whipped it up quick but glad to see you’re enjoying it so much,” He laughed. “I just got a new level to my crafting but the difference in skill is already showing.”

“If you opened a restaurant you could charge a fortune per plate and people would buy it. I’ve gotta believe this is how people who’ve tasted the divine chef’s meals feel.”

“God, I’m not there yet but maybe one day. And Lux, you’re having a good time as well?”

“It’s lovely Ben. A bit of normalcy among everything else going on, it’s a good chance to take the edge off, a party was a splendid idea.”

“I’m glad you’re liking it, hope you don’t plan on leaving too early now, I know Thera at least would love the chance to talk with you.”

“Oh, we’ll stay for a while. How could we not when he’s enjoying himself so much,” She said, her gaze back on Writ, filled with love while he unceremoniously stuffed his face.

“Ha, great. I’ve got a few more people to say hey to for now but I’ll be around so if you get bored come back to me, I can introduce you to a few others here too.”

She nodded as he said it, seeming perfectly content to watch her lover eat his fill and leaving him to make his way to the next group, with Jake and Yuzu just parting from their own conversation, perfect for him to swoop in to get some of their time for himself.

“Hey guys, Amy isn’t with you right now? Not making sure she’s feeling the love?”

The events of the non-affinitied tower had left Yuzu in particular clinging to the other girl when he’d last seen them together but they both shook their heads.

“Ah, she’s catching up with Karly and Will I guess right now and she’s told us to cool it on the public displays of affection,” Jake shrugged while Yuzu giggled.

“She can be so shy when she wants to be, she’s such a cutie.”

“I’ll take your word for that. And Yuzu, big thanks for not shaking me the second you saw me.”

“You can thank Amy for that,” Jake laughed. “We knew something big happened in the tower so when she arrived she was already holding her back. Speaking of, can we finally learn just what the skill you had awakened is for?”

“Let’s place that on the backburner for just a little longer. And Yuzu, mind if I borrow you for a bit? Something I wanted to talk to you about with Thera.”

“Oh, sure. Jake, go mingle too. You can’t just be stuck to me and not see any of your other friends.”

“Yeah, you got it.”

“And make sure you eat your fill,” Ben chuckled as he offered his hand. “My crafting went up and I wasn’t limited by poor-quality ingredients. If you thought my food was good before then eating this is going to practically be a religious experience.”

“Can’t wait,” Jake laughed as he took it, his face changing to subtle confusion as he felt Ben place something in his palm but not getting the chance to say anything as he immediately turned away, bringing Yuzu with him.

“So what did you want to talk about with me and Thera?” She asked him as they walked over to where she was sitting, chatting with Steph on one of the couches in the room.

“Oh, it’s mostly that I want you to talk to her for a bit while I deal with something, don’t worry,” He said. “Only for ten minutes or so.”

“Hmm? Okay, but why?”

“Well…” He connected to her as he trailed off, making a request and watching as her eyes widened, a question immediately on her lips that she didn’t get to ask as he placed a finger to his own. “Trust me.”

“I… Okay, yes I can do that.”

“Thank you, I owe you one,” He told her, looking serious for just a moment before they reached the couch where the two were chatting and put a bright smile back on his face as he picked Thera up from her seat in the middle of it to put her on the other end, getting a golden blush in return.

“Ben, we’re in public.”

“Ha, yeah, sorry I just needed some space,” He said as he materialized a thick blanket to place on her lap before laying down between them, resting his head on her thighs while kicking his legs up onto Steph’s. “Try not to mind it too much, I need to deal with some apostle stuff is all, it won’t be long.”

“Ah… just make it quick,” She gave in. “I can feel my parents watching.”

“Ten minutes, tops,” And with those parting words he pushed his mind up to his god’s realm, finding only two there, both of them hard at work as Myriad noticed his arrival.

“Ah, Ben, finally finished working yourself to death, have you?”

In the two days since he’d finished the tower, he hadn’t made time to go up, finding excuses to put it off as he placed a focus on spending time with Mora during the nights and training Delair during the day on top of some other chores and leaving him to shrug.

“What can I say, I’ve been busy.”

“Well, at least one of them’s here for you to finally explain why you awakened what you did so you can suffer for keeping that skill effect from them with me.”

“I’d like to point out that you are literally the reason I haven’t brought it up yet.”

“We don’t need to focus on that part. Anyway, I think it’s pretty clear how curious she is.”

She was trying not to be so obvious but failing, Helori’s eyes were locked on him in what Myriad was seeing as curiosity, unaware of the favour Ben had asked her circling her head as it had been ever since he’d invaded her realm.

“Um, yeah of course,” The goddess said. “So what’s this skill do anyway?”

“Oh, so it’s something I got when I took soul mage as a job and it increases the effect my modifiers have on me. Jobs, titles, inclinations, and blessings, so awakening it strengthened that effect further which is why I got some many levels and awakenings and skills after taking it.”

“WHAT?” She yelled, thoughts of his favour instantly vanished from her mind in the face of such outrageous news but was put to a stop before she could plunge into it deeper, with Ben holding up a hand.

“And I’d be happy to talk about it with you more later but for now I actually came to have a bit of a private talk with Myriad, do you think you could give up a few minutes alone please?”

“What? You, you… UGH!”

She vanished from the realm in a fit of frustration, being told something so tantalizing, only to be asked to leave before she could question him all but maddening to a knowledge goddess, while his god watched on in amusement.

“I’m surprised she listened after what you just told her,” He chuckled. “I didn’t think she had the restraint.”

“Ha well I appreciate it,” He said as he jumped up, taking the goddess’s spot perched atop his god before laying back down, head resting and arms stretched out. “And I needed it anyway, I’m here for some spiritual guidance.”

“Really?”

“Really really.”

“Then of course Ben, what do you need?” The cube asked him, sounding far more serious now that his apostle was asking him for help.

“It’s just… I’ve been talking to people and the question of how far I’d go for power has come up a bit as a theme.”

“Not surprising considering what you’ve gone through, is this a question you’re actually starting to consider?”

“Honestly? No. Think I have a good grasp of what I’d do for power and what ethical lines I’m willing to cross but I know that some of them are going to upset the people around me too.”

“...What ethical lines are you going to cross?”

“Oh, don’t worry, this isn’t about that right now. I’m not going to go murdering anyone who doesn’t deserve it.”

“Yes, but the issue there is what you believe might deserve it. Please tell me this isn’t going to end with me hearing that you’re finally going to try and murder Eneth, Olensia, or Duna?”

“What? Myriad, as much as I’m annoyed about Duna getting in my way like she did, that’s not on the scale of any of her believers trying to kill me, it would only deserve a death sentence if killing the other two wouldn’t be enough to awaken my sacrilege.”

“Beeeeeen,” Myriad groaned, his thoughts warping to scenes of major interfaith conflict while the apostle who seemed doomed to drive such a thing forward only chuckled atop him.

“Relax, that’s not what I’m talking about anyway. We have a good few months before I resort to trying that.”

“That doesn’t make me feel better!” The cube huffed. “But fine, if your more murderous plans are going to be delayed a bit then what’s the problem?”

“...Despite what anyone says, I’m a pretty lucky guy.”

“You really need a better frame of reference before saying things like that.”

“No, I am. I’m loved by a lot of people. People who get mad at me for being so careless with my life just to become stronger or more skilled or to reach my goals but… Less than a year to try and reach the third tier for two different skills, there’s a good chance I’m going to have to put myself through hell. Hell, there’s a good chance that as I get more and more desperate the things I try could kill me and as one of those people who care about me, I’ve gotta know buddy. Risking it all to try and save this stupid doomed world no matter how beaten and bruised it leaves me, is that something you can forgive me for? Not as a god looking at their valuable believer putting themselves through the wringer but as a friend?”

“...Ben, while I don’t always agree with your methods or conclusions, I do believe your heart is in the right place,” The cube said after a moment’s thought. “I see how hard you’re working for this planet constantly, how could I ever hold that against you?”

“Thanks buddy, I really needed that.”

The two sat in silence for a moment, Ben feeling his god’s cold metal body pressed against his back and under his touch before taking a long, slow breath, welling all of the courage he had to do something he knew might kill him before doing one of the first things he’d ever been forbidden from and with a flicker of will he connected to the god, touching the cube’s divine soul with his own and ripping apart everything he was as he did.

<UNNATURAL MIND HAS COMBINED WITH KNOWLEDGE LV9, UNNATURAL INSPIRATION LV9, UNNATURAL THOUGHT SPEED LV9, RECONSTRUCTED ALIEN THOUGHT STRUCTURE, AND LUCID DREAMING TO AWAKEN TO ELDRITCH MIND>

<THE TITLE DESTINED HOLDER OF ALIEN THOUGHT STRUCTURE HAS GROWN TO DESTINED GOD OF ALIEN THROUGH STRUCTURE>

<ACQUIRED TITLE- FIRST HUMAN GOD>

<ACQUIRED TITLE- FIRST OF THE FAITH>

<ACQUIRED SKILL MIND BREAK LEVEL 0>

<INTEGRATED DIVINE BODY LEVEL INCREASED>

<INTEGRATED DIVINE BODY LEVEL INCREASED>

<KING OF SACRILEGE HAS COMBINED WITH ILL INTENT LV7 TO AWAKEN TO EVIL GOD OF SACRILEGE>

<ACQUIRED SKILL REALM ACCESS LEVEL 0>

<INTEGRATED DIVINE BODY LEVEL INCREASED>

<MAX LEVEL OF THE KING OF INTELLIGENCE JOB ACHIEVED>

Name: Ben Heph

Race: Human

Titles: Apostle of Myriad, The Forgotten One, Miracle Maker, Skill learner, Enemy of Eneth, Trial Defier, Trial Breaker, Godslayer, Monster, Madman, God killer, Threat, The Mad Apostle, Destined Holder of Connect, God of Destruction, Creator of Life, Awakener, Maniac, Brutal Blacksmith, Defier of Gods, Title Holder, Enemy of Olensia, Great Teacher, Student of Helori, Myriad’s Monster, Outsider Slayer, Demigod Slayer, Transgressor, Destined Holder of Mental Symbiosis, Destined God of Alien Thought Structure, Destined Holder of Soul Production, Job Holder, Destined Holder of Actualization, Enemy of Duna, Demon Slayer, World Slayer, Demigod of Growth and Gain, First Human God, First of the Faith

Jobs: King of intelligence (lv 99)

Previous Jobs: Apprentice craftsman, Craftsman, Priest, Enchanter, Mind user, Magic item maker, Magic weapon maker, High enchanter, Fractured mind user, Tree tamer, High craftsman, Apprentice mage, True mage, Tank, Heretic, Adventurer, Divine heretic, Kin, Master craftsman, Master enchanter, Scholar, Connected enchanter, Infernal craftsman, Marksman, Destruction mage, Material mage, High material mage, Profane enchanter, Master material mage, Impious creator, Mind master, Master adventurer, Otherworldly craftsman, Material creator, Master of all, Ritual enchanter, Holy craftsman, Cursed item maker, Actualizer, Summoned enchanter, Destructive craftsman, Soul mage, Freak mind user, Unholy thinker, Polymath, Alien mind, Soul user, Soul master, Evil soul user, Soul defiling gardener, High actualizer, World killer, Connect master, Abysmal connecter, Master of destiny, Hive brain, Divine enchanter, Inclination master, Slayer, Judge, Holy adversary, Title master, Beneficiary, Divine kin, Multiversal material mage, Expert, Body user, High tank

Attributes:

• Vitality: 10824

• Vitality recovery rate: 592/hr

• Mana: 29861

• Mana recovery rate: 2815/min

• Strength: 8694

• Agility: 3302

• Stamina: 18541

• Intelligence: 153,975

Affinities:

• Light: 3

• Life: 2

• Fire: 4

• Water: 3

• Air: 4

• Earth: 2

• Death: 3

• Dark: 1

• Space: 4

• Time: 5

Resistances:

• Light: 68

• Life: 72

• Fire: 75

• Water: 69

• Air: 66

• Earth: 81

• Death: 78

• Dark: 85

• Space: 63

• Time: 61
  

Blessed skills:

• Unending crafting lv9*

• Divine enchanting lv9*

• Eldritch mind lv0**
  

Passive skills:

• Evil god of sacrilege lv0**

• Bind

• Integrated demonic body lv9

• Divine defense enhancement lv0*

• Perfect absorption resistance lv0*

• All affinity resistance enhancement lv9

• Bite enhancement lv9

• Piercing resistance lv9

• Artisan’s soul*

• Unnatural intelligence enhancement lv7*

• Blood regeneration lv8 

• Unending extraction enhancement lv0*

• Soul affinity lv7*

• Tier two modifier compatibility*

• Deep material sense lv0*

• Flavour enhancement lv5

• Balance enhancement lv7

• Soul expansion lv9

• Defiler of ambrosia

• Destruction affinity lv7*

• Evil affinity lv7*

• Soul resilience lv8

• Defense inclination lv4

• Vitality enhancement lv3

• Vitality regeneration enhancement lv3

• False Ben

• Integrated divine body lv5

• Mythril blood

• Mana enhancement lv2

• Mana regeneration enhancement lv2

• Strength enhancement lv2

• Stamina enhancement lv2

• Bludgeoning resistance lv1

• Agility enhancement lv0

• Flesh regeneration lv0

• Fracture resistance lv0

Active skills:

• Stealth lv2

• Deep connection lv9*

• Cycling lv3

• Marksmanship lv9

• Material manipulation lv9*

• Swimming lv3

• Dance lv2

• Hive mind lv9*

• Rule bender lv1

• Aim lv9

• Esoteric actualization lv7*

• Soul source lv7*

• Condemnation lv9

• Mind break lv0*

• Realm access lv0

Blessings:

• Myriad’s Blessing

• Anailia’s Blessing

• Helori’s Blessing

• Galwax’s Blessing

• Elvat’s mana regeneration Blessing

• Eneth’s Blessing

• Earth Pantheon’s Blessing

• Life Pantheon’s Blessing

• Dark Pantheon’s Blessing

• Olensia’s Blessing

• Nare’s Blessing

• Yuzu’s mana regeneration Blessing

• Witness of Chaos

• Oaun’s Blessing

• Phixth’s Blessing

• Passive Pantheon’s Blessing

• Duna’s Blessing

• Jagal’s Blessing

• Non-Affinitied Pantheon’s Blessing

• Crafting Pantheon’s Blessing

Trials:

• Trial of Anailia and Tolona

• Trial of the Dead God

• Earth Tower

• Life Tower

• Dark Tower

• Non-Affinitied Tower

• Craftsmans’ Tower

Author’s note

God, not to sound overly dramatic but I have no clue if you guys can imagine how I feel writing this chapter. After years of building it up, my boy has finally gotten a third-tier skill. Hell, two of them! After all of this time, this is genuinely such a big moment for me personally. Let’s all just ignore the fact that one of them he clearly wasn’t aiming for, it doesn’t matter. This is such a big deal for my little guy, I’m going to have to start trying to kill him even harder. 

Oh, what the hell, ever since he’s started constantly damaging his soul in the name of progress I haven’t done it but one last time for old time’s sake, someone bring the days since the last injury counter back down to zero because that one’s gonna hurt!