Because Fudo Myo-o has been resurrected.
"Adam Smith Apsara, you do have some strength. But even if you kill me a hundred times, [Reincarnation] will keep bringing me back."
The Immovable King, who had just been killed by Adam, now looked very calm and solemn.
So Adam scoffed at his words: "How dare you say such things? I was not defeated by you today, but by Mithras behind you. So even if I die today, I will not die by your sword."
In the blink of an eye! Suddenly, Adam raised his right hand high, unleashing an astonishing divine power! Did he intend to deliver one last, decisive blow to Fudo Myoo, even if it meant dying in battle?! In any case, this god-level power was indeed more than enough. This final strike would either kill Fudo Myoo once more, or at least severely injure him.
Therefore, Fudo Myoo immediately drew his sword, on high alert. Although Mithra would surely heal or revive him, it would be embarrassing to keep getting killed. Even if the gods praised the greatness of Mithra's [Reincarnation] magic, it would be unsightly for Fudo Myoo to keep being killed.
However, Adam then did something unexpected. Instead of unleashing his last bit of divine power at Fudo Myoo, he condensed and compressed it.
Lilith and Adam joined forces to manipulate this power, transforming it in Adam's hands into...
...it turned into a small box.
A small box constructed and sealed with god-level power.
The power of [Reincarnation] continued to pull and suppress Adam, slowing and hindering his actions. But he actually used all of this last bit of power to create a small, sealed box, abandoning his last chance to fight. Not only that, this action also completely exhausted Adam. His golden body, already riddled with cracks, finally couldn't hold on any longer and began to disintegrate from the inside out.
It's time for them to die.
Meanwhile, Lilith, who was bound to Adam, also began to disintegrate along with him. This was because the [Name-Severing Ritual], which severed their true names, had linked their fates together. However, Lilith herself seemed quite nonchalant. Clearly, she was truly unafraid of death. This fallen angel genuinely believed from the bottom of her heart that the world would soon be destroyed, so she had nothing to be unhappy about.
Unfortunately, Adam couldn't think like her.
Now, his strength and life were coming to an end. Fudo Myoo was swinging his divine sword at him. Time was running out. But Adam turned and met Hayden's gaze.
Damn it, Adam had always envied, even been jealous of, this guy. This guy accused Adam of being selfish, but in Adam's eyes, Hayden was actually even greedier than him, and yet he was luckier too.
Damn it, why did Adam have to help him at the last minute? Wouldn't it have been better if they all died and lost together? But... but...
"Hayden".
So, in the very end, Adam said to his old friend,
"congratulations."
Then, before the Immovable King Sword could strike his neck, Adam and Lilith had already disintegrated into countless fragments, sinking into the darkness of death.
[Reincarnation] should have seized their souls, torturing them cruelly or reducing them to corporate slavery. But Adam and Lilith possessed god-level power. This power was enough for them to choose their own death. Therefore, for Adam and Lilith, this death was the final nothingness and silence.
The sun may set, appear, and reappear, but they will never return.
Sinking into eternal death.
————————————————————————————
And so, Adam and Lilith both died. The Cycle of Reincarnation failed to capture them.
Regarding this incident, the Mitra Corporation publicly claimed that it was the first and most serious terrorist attack by a supreme deity. The two million civilians of Neo-Israel were victims of the devil—but there was no need to worry! The Mitra Corporation had developed a new type of [Reincarnation] magic that would redeem all two million innocent Neo-Israel citizens, sending them to a pure land to enjoy bliss. If necessary in the future, they could even be reincarnated as celestial beings!
In an instant, ordinary people all over the world were shocked by this, even more so than when they heard about terrorist attacks!
Imagine this—two million people died in a disaster, but now the Mitra Corporation can bring them all back from the brink of death! Although these two million people have temporarily lost their physical bodies, they are sent to a Pure Land server, with the company paying their monthly fees. They can still talk, communicate, and enjoy life as usual, and may even be reincarnated as gods in the future—to mortals who are on the verge of despair due to the Great Depression, how wonderful and magnificent this cycle of reincarnation must be!!
And what does it further mean that this great magic of "reincarnation" can so easily grant life to two million people? It means that death is dead, and now life is the only option. If death is not truly death, and "reincarnation" grants immortality to everyone's soul, then death is nothing but a deception.
Isn't this the law of the new world?
This is what people all over the world thought when they saw the news. Most were overjoyed. After all, as long as they obediently worshipped and pledged allegiance to the Mitra Group, the blessings of [Reincarnation] would shine upon them like the sun high in the sky. Although the Great Depression had brought society to its lowest point, [Reincarnation] had created a much better atmosphere. Many people had rediscovered hope.
However, the Protoss society naturally reacts differently to this.
The gods, in particular, witnessed almost the entire battle firsthand. Therefore, they began to ponder the events, considering the various new powers revealed within—whether it was Adam, the chief god who appeared out of nowhere and was then killed by Mithra, or the new concept of "reincarnation" introduced by Mithra—they were all considering how these would affect the already fragile balance of the capitalist god society.
Since the introduction of [Reincarnation], this matter has begun to seem to terrify even the gods.
The gods can all overcome death to some extent, at least more or less. However, the effect of [Reincarnation] is simply too powerful. Previously, the gods needed to pay a high price to overcome death; it might require money, special resources, or certain conditions—but now look at this! What exactly is Mithra's [Reincarnation]?!
First it was the "educational chip," and now it's "reincarnation"! At this point, many gods, perhaps even most, are starting to worry—has Mithra Bodhisattva become too powerful?
But things got even more interesting towards the end of the event. Adam, the guy who suddenly attacked Mithra only to be killed by her, had actually left behind a will and some inheritance.
Mithra would naturally declare this will illegitimate; he would naturally advocate for the confiscation of these assets. His lawyer could also offer countless arguments to prove Mithra's correctness.
...However, other gods of capital who have witnessed Mitra's overwhelming power may not agree with these principles.
296: For the greater good
Professor Albion sacrificed himself.
Adam also died. His fallen angel wife followed him.
Of the ruins of New Jersey, only eight million citizens, along with Hayden, Karen, and Pania, survived.
A numbness enveloped Hayden's thoughts like a blanket, leaving his mind in a trance-like state—a strange state where one part of his brain clearly knew what he should be doing, while the rest was almost completely blank. Sadness was in his mind, of course, but Hayden had forcibly suppressed it. He would deal with it later, but not now. Because something was far too important right now.
Some people have died, but there are still lives that can be saved, and those must be prioritized.
Adam has disappeared.
But he left behind a trace. Because Adam and Lilith used double the power of a supreme god to create and seal a small box. Not only that, but before he died, he ran this small box down from the sky and threw it at Hayden's feet.
The next instant, before Hayden could do anything, Fudo Myoo and dozens of Vajra warriors landed on the ground. The entire city and its eight million inhabitants were immediately and subtly surrounded!
“Ms. Karen, Mr. Hayden, give me that box.”
"Immovable King," he said in a deep, authoritative voice, his tone carrying a thunderous majesty.
"Then today's events will have nothing to do with you anymore."
For Acala or Mithra, this would certainly be a great act of compassion and tolerance. After all, they could easily turn the tide of reincarnation and send all eight million citizens of Hayden, Karen, and New Jersey to be reborn.
Hayden and his group can currently only withstand the aftershocks of [Reincarnation], but they absolutely cannot withstand the true concentrated power of this new great magic. Otherwise, wouldn't all of Mithra Bodhisattva's new technology development have been for nothing?
That being said, since Adam is dead, there's no need for Fudo Myoo to actually kill all the remaining people... It's unnecessary, and it wouldn't look very good, right?
Unless Hayden refuses to hand over the box Adam left behind. Then... it might become necessary.
For a moment, Karen's outward expression remained calm, but inwardly she couldn't help but feel a pang of unease. Adam had not only caused them trouble while alive, but even in death he left behind such a formidable threat. How could this not drag Hayden down with him?
What's inside the box Adam left behind? Nobody knows. He and Lilith sealed it tightly, consuming double the power of the main gods, so unlocking or prying into it would require at least the same amount of power.
On the other hand, in the eyes of all the gods in the world, although Adam's actions and death were inexplicable, there was one thing about him that they could not ignore or underestimate.
That was Adam's inexplicable god-like power.
Someone who was originally just a mortal, who had only been a god for a few years and was merely a department manager in New Yatu, suddenly soared to the level of a god, and even came with double the power.
What was his capital? Nothing more than some resources he'd embezzled from the Mitra New Seattle branch. While those resources were plentiful, they were at most equivalent to a "God-level" resource. To conjure two "Main God-level" combat powers out of thin air overnight with just one "God-level" resource—what kind of incredible leverage is that?
If any capitalist god sees this amazing new technology that seems to have come from nowhere and doesn't think about how to utilize it, then he truly doesn't deserve to continue being a capitalist god.
Now, Adam left behind this strange little box, specifically for Hayden… Any capitalist would naturally suspect what's inside. Could it contain some method deliberately left for Hayden, allowing him to immediately gain [God-level] power?
If this method were a technology capable of mass-producing [god-level] weapons, it would have the potential to change the world. Who wouldn't want that?
Karen, however, didn't want it at all; in fact, she was quite annoyed. She felt that the box was a bomb Adam had deliberately dropped on the world before he died, and that he would profit no matter who it hit.
Now, Fudo Myoo and his Vajra Warriors army had closed in a little further. The remaining eight million citizens of New Asia realized that these war gods had ill intentions, and fear surged in their hearts again. Even Pania was somewhat afraid—the terror of facing Adam was nothing compared to the terror of facing the Mithra Group!
Karen wasn't afraid, but even she wanted to get rid of this bombshell to Mithra as soon as possible. She was confident she could ascend to the position of the supreme god through her own means, even surpassing those bodhisattvas, and saw no need to pick up Adam as a poison pill.
However, at that very moment, just as Karen was about to speak, about saying to Fudo Myoo, "We never wanted this box in the first place"—just as she opened her mouth, before she could utter a sound—Hayden sent her a signal through their telepathic connection:
Leave this to me.
...Should we leave it to Hayden to say?
To be honest, Hayden's request surprised Karen somewhat. After all, everyone knew that Karen usually made the decisions regarding many matters between the Protoss. Within Protoss society, Karen, not Hayden, was considered the true leader of their group.
After all, Karen is the boss. Hayden is just a strategist and deputy responsible for coming up with ideas and getting things done!
Now Hayden signaled to Karen, asking her to hand the matter over to him. For a moment, even Karen had no idea what Hayden was thinking.
...But since he's going to say it, let him have it. Even if she didn't know what schemes Hayden was plotting, Karen still trusted him.
However, Hayden took the lead and said to Fudo Myoo, "The matter of the box is negotiable. But Adam said in his will that he would bequeath all his property to me. Shouldn't I also have some legal inheritance rights?"
These words surprised even Karen and Pania!
What's the point of arguing over this "legacy" that's clearly a poison pill?! Adam threw it at us to drag Hayden into this mess and cause trouble for Mithra. Get rid of this hot potato already!
But Hayden clearly had other plans. Did he really want the box Adam left behind?
"The law does allow anyone to decide the ownership of their estate, even terrorists are no exception."
Fudo Myoo coldly replied,
"But Adam Smith Apsara's destructive activities today have also caused enormous economic losses to my Mitra Group. These losses should rightfully be compensated with his estate. The facilities of the entire New Seattle metropolis have been almost completely destroyed, and two million citizens have died. These losses would not be enough to pay off every penny of Adam's estate."
Wow, what a high-sounding excuse! But the remaining eight million surviving citizens of New Seattle had witnessed Mitra's "Reincarnation" nearly annihilate them all. Immediately, angry protests erupted from the crowd.
Acala and the bodhisattvas, seated even higher in the heavens, dismissed their protests as mere noise. In their view, the two million citizens killed in the aftermath would be reincarnated through the cycle of rebirth, receiving heavenly blessings for free—that was already a tremendous benefit. The remaining eight million, having lost the opportunity for upward mobility, were already unwanted? Mithra, of course, was happy to save on those expenses.
Transforming mortals into gods comes at a cost. On the other hand, the goodwill of ordinary people is easily regained even if the company temporarily loses it—it's no big deal. Let them protest all they want!
However, Hayden wasn't angry like the others. After hearing Fudo Myoo's words, Hayden smiled instead: "Compensation... that's a matter of money. If it's a matter of money, then we can talk about the price."
As he finished speaking, he turned and looked around, gazing at the ruins of New Seattle and the eight million refugees behind him, who had little left of their possessions. Then, Hayden said to Fudo Myoo, "Look at this bombed-out New Seattle. All the factories, equipment, and means of production... are gone. Although eight million civilians are still alive, as long as they have the skills education chips and [Reincarnation], the group won't lack manpower. These eight million people are actually worth very little."
Before he could finish speaking, Hayden pointed to the box on the ground beside his feet and said, "Take another look at this box. It might contain the secret of Adam's [God-level] power. It's worth more than enough to buy an entire intact Evergreen State. Adam designated me as his heir, so this box is naturally mine too. Even if it's for compensation for losses within the group, it's not worth taking it away directly, is it?"
Not to mention Fudo Myō-ō, even Karen and Panya were taken aback by Hayden's words. However, although Myō-ō's brain wasn't suited for such matters, his reaction was still quick: "The law does not allow a person to completely disinherit his relatives through a will. Even if Adam Smith Apsara's will bequeathed his entire estate to you, the law stipulates that his relatives are entitled to at least half of the estate."
Adam's parents, like Hayden's, had long since passed away, and the fake Alicia had gone with them. Who were his other relatives? The answer is actually quite simple—Adam and Alicia had a child! Not to mention, Adam's father-in-law, Dhritarashtra, was also an heir to his estate!
But as soon as he said this, Fudo Myoo immediately realized that the situation was actually not good.
If Adam's god-like power falls into the hands of Dhritarashtra, is it the same as falling into the hands of Mithra Bodhisattva?
In reality, it's not the same thing. Each capitalist god has a certain degree of autonomy. Even if they belong to a larger group, even if Dhritarashtra is just a "god" and part of the Mithra Group, he is still a separate entity. It's like the relationship between a "state" and a "federal government"—very complex. Moreover, Dhritarashtra is a "god," considered high-ranking within the "gods." He's always looking for an opportunity to upgrade and climb higher.
As for compensating the Mithra Group for its losses, the situation is equally complicated. This is because the Mithra Group contains seven other bodhisattvas, representing factions outside of the Mithra bodhisattvas themselves. For example, Avalokiteshvara bodhisattva would certainly not want the Mithra bodhisattvas to obtain a technology capable of mass-producing [god-level] power.
If Fudo Myo-ō really insists on arguing with Hayden about who owns the inheritance, the little box might end up in the hands of another bodhisattva faction—to compensate the Mithra Group for its losses? The Mithra Group isn't a place where Mithra bodhisattva has absolute power; don't the opinions of the other seven bodhisattvas count?
This is going to be very troublesome.
So, should Fudo Myoo use [Samsara] to annihilate Hayden and the others in one fell swoop, take the box, and leave? Of course he could! But afterwards, the other bodhisattvas would definitely come and cause trouble, since they're all watching...
So at this moment, it was Hayden who smiled and gave Fudo Myoo a good way out: "Look, I am the son-in-law of Peacock King, so we are both part of the Mithra Group. Now I'll hand this box over to you intact, and you can leave this messy New Seattle ruin and the remaining people to me to deal with. That way, the accounts will be settled. After that, even if other gods and bodhisattvas come to argue about Adam's inheritance, I will have openly and legitimately transferred the inheritance rights to Mithra Bodhisattva in front of the whole world... What do you think?"
Wow
It's truly unbelievable that Hayden would say something like that.
At the same time, Hayden glanced at the small box on the ground again: "To be honest, I also wish it was you who took this box, not me. We're on the same page about that. But if we drag this out any longer, other gods or bodhisattvas might get involved."
So what happened next was only to be expected.
-------------------------------
"You have done very well, Acala."
About ten minutes later, on the lunar base, the goddess Mira received the sealed box and praised the victorious Fudo Myoo.
That being said, Fudo Myoo seemed rather sullen. After all, he had fought this battle rather poorly.
However, the goddess Mira immediately saw through his thoughts. She didn't bother with formalities with the King of Wisdom, and said directly, "Although you performed poorly in the battle and suffered two setbacks, this ironically became an opportunity for the Bodhisattva to demonstrate His great new power. The whole world is now witnessing the power of [Reincarnation], praising or fearing the Bodhisattva's greatness. This is good."
"As for your personal performance, what does it matter if you seem weak? The weaker the vessel of power, the more powerful the Bodhisattva's power appears. If one day even a company cleaner can defeat other gods by relying on the power of the Bodhisattva's incarnation, how do you think the world will view this?"
Even without Mira's detailed explanation, this example was indeed very convincing. Fudo Myoo wasn't truly stupid; it's impossible he couldn't understand this… That being said, even Fudo Myoo, whose mind wasn't adept at political and business matters, couldn't help but feel a chill at this moment: if such a day truly came, wouldn't they, these Myoo kings, become useless, just like ordinary people?
If such a day truly comes, then all mortals, all gods, all deities and wrathful deities, and even other bodhisattvas will be useless to Mithra Bodhisattva. And this is perfectly logical—an absolute and complete being naturally wouldn't need anyone else.
In fact, [Reincarnation] never needed adjustment through social and external support like the great magics of the past, such as [Rites] and [Currency]. Its control and the structure that makes the magic effective are all automated and optimized—meaning that [Reincarnation] is completely independent and has absolutely no weaknesses. Once it is fully accomplished and officially begins to operate, it no longer needs any external resources.
This complete independence, devoid of any external intervention and capable of direct control over everything, is unparalleled by any great magic of the past. It will be a world law that is even more self-sustaining than anything before it.
According to this logic, in the world perfectly created by Mithra, there is absolutely no need for others. All those who have supported him from the past to the present are no longer needed. He alone is enough.
This is an absolute power that can be exercised by a single person.
(If that's really the case, then what have I been doing all this time...?)
...This is a problem that cannot be thought about too deeply.
Fudo Myo-o quickly brandished the sword of wisdom in his mind, cutting away these distracting thoughts and delusions. Namo San, he must have been affected by the battle just now.
"The Peacock King's daughter and son-in-law, along with Dr. Percival Albion, an early StarNet engineer, worked together to protect eight million New Seattle citizens from the cycle of reincarnation. Will this affect the Bodhisattva's campaign activities?"
To change the subject, Fudo Myoo tried asking.