I Start with 13 Hidden Traits Chapter-342

Ch-342. **Proposal**

—

The most important factor in evolving a **Monster Soul** is the summoner.

When the summoner’s rank, soul, and essence resonate and synchronize with the Monster Soul, it evolves into the form that is closest—and most fundamental—to them.

In other words, the third floor was a testing ground for the **essence of the soul**.

It was a place where one either evolved the Monster Soul into a form most similar to oneself, or into a form even the summoner had never known—forcing a clash of essences.

However, beings that exist **outside of Truth** cannot exist here.

Things that were erased.

Deleted, wiped away forever—how could such things be summoned again?

If that were possible, then the one orchestrating the summoning would also have to be a being **outside of Truth**.

Which meant that the *Golden Scale Druid* standing before her now was precisely such an existence.

“Truth erases or overwrites that which does not conform to it.”

The Forgotten God knew this well.

She knew the terror of **Truth**.

Truth had merged the countless fragmented Firmaments into a single Heaven, and possessed a fearsome power that even all the gods trembled before.

For Truth had the ability to erase, overwrite, or transform into something else any existence that lay outside the rules it had defined.

Once erased or overwritten, the original is annihilated forever.

Annihilated.

The word meant exactly what it said—completely erased.

No one would ever know what it once was.

All would naturally believe it had always been that way, existing beyond the cognition of all beings—hence the phrase *“outside of Truth.”*

Under normal circumstances, she herself should not have known this.

But because she was a **Forgotten God**, she instinctively understood the concept.

For forgotten things and erased things shared the same essence.

*Not erased… not overwritten…?*

Yet this one was different.

If the Golden Scale Druid truly existed outside of Truth, he could not be standing before her now.

And yet he existed—manifesting clearly.

Which meant—

*The one who severed the Gate of Truth…!*

The Forgotten God flinched.

…Severed it.

If one were to cut down the Gate of Truth—the absolute gate that contained all laws of the world—then it would be possible.

But unless one possessed the power to create heaven and earth, such a feat was impossible.

He had cut what could not be cut.

He had made the impossible possible.

Then this being was not merely the Golden Scale Druid.

He was something more.

Something beyond imagination.

A being wielding an inconceivable power.

*How could such a thing be possible…?*

But the Forgotten God shook her head.

That a mortal could sever the Gate of Truth—something even she could not cut, something she had never even dared to think of cutting—

She could not accept it so easily.

GRAAAAAAH!

In the next instant, the Dark Lord screamed.

Its bones began to crumble and collapse.

The Dark Lord turned its gaze toward her—the Forgotten God.

—……

She could not say a word.

She heard its deathly scream, read the plea for salvation in its eyes—

but this was already beyond her power.

The Elevenfold Firmament.

True to its name, eleven **Wish Orbs** shone brilliantly, hastening the death of the Dark Lord—a death she had tried to postpone.

*So this is why the Elevenfold Firmament was erased.*

It wielded time.

Truth could never allow such a thing to remain.

Everything that had been erased dealt in **absolute concepts**.

Even if the power itself was not overwhelming, the mere possession of such a concept was enough.

Truth would never allow it to exist.

It would either erase it, or overwrite it into something else entirely—

so that it could never wield that power again.

《‘Golden Scale Druid (Elevenfold Firmament)’ has won!》

He had won, and she had lost.

Yet more than the bitterness of defeat, a deeper curiosity took hold.

That Golden Scale Druid who had created the Elevenfold Firmament.

*…What absolute concept do you wield?*

The power of time, like the Elevenfold Firmament?

Or something entirely different?

Whatever it was, if it threatened Truth itself—

the Forgotten God finally acknowledged it.

That being—

—Become my husband, O you.

…A soul she had waited for through countless ages.

A soul more desirable than any other in this place.

Perhaps more than anything that existed in this world.

So much so that the two despicable goddesses were no longer even visible to her.

She wanted to take him.

She wanted to possess him.

The Forgotten God’s eyes began to glow transparently.

*

*

For a moment, I wondered if I’d misheard.

*Husband?*

…It was an utterly out-of-the-blue proposal.

A demand that I become her husband—or her lover.

The gaze that had looked ready to devour me moments ago had changed.

Now it shone so brightly it was oppressive.

—Those cunning, despicable goddesses only seek to use you. But I am different. I will devote my all to elevate you to the highest, purest rank.

Even the form of address changed—from *child* to *you*.

I could only stand there, bewildered.

It seemed the existence of the Elevenfold Firmament—something outside of Truth—had altered the Forgotten God’s attitude.

*The highest, purest rank.*

Was she saying she’d make me a supreme god?

I didn’t hesitate even a moment.

“I refuse.”

This was a battle where everything was on the line.

An arena of conflict—not a journey to find a better half.

And from the very first Forgotten God I’d met, I’d felt it—

every Forgotten God was warped.

That it wasn’t an offer of becoming an apostle was surprising, but one wrong choice here and I could be ensnared forever.

—…Is it because of the goddesses? Think carefully. Those treacherous women betray without hesitation and will ultimately cast you into the abyss.

At this point, it went beyond simple inferiority complex.

But the two goddesses I knew—and that Wilhelm knew—would never betray anyone.

If anything, they would sacrifice themselves first.

At first, I had been curious why she hated the goddesses so much…

*An evil god.*

Now that the Forgotten God’s true nature was clear, there was no longer any reason to wonder.

Though forgotten, she had undoubtedly been an **evil god** before.

Only evil gods cursed others and strengthened dark power through sacrifice.

And every evil god I knew was utterly twisted.

If one succumbed even briefly to that temptation and grasped such power, one would only sink deeper into the abyss.

“I refuse.”

So I refused.

Without leaving the slightest opening.

At this point, my intent should have been unmistakably clear.

—One last question—

“I refuse.”

—Three times…!

That was the moment—

Sssssssss.

Thick black smoke began pouring out of the Forgotten God.

Her eyes turned completely black, and two enormous black wings burst forth from her back.

Above her head rose a **black-and-red sun**.

A black sun, speckled with blood-red points.

She had fallen.

…And yet, the shape of that sun felt strangely familiar.

*Angra Mainyu?*

One of the Four Great Evil Gods—**Angra Mainyu**—was symbolized by a black-and-red sun just like that.

Did she have some connection to Angra Mainyu?

Soon, the fully transformed Forgotten God spoke to me.

—…I will make you regret rejecting me.

Her voice carried a chilling cold.

Far darker and more ominous than before.

Beyond comparison.

This was surely the Forgotten God’s true form.

Grrrrrrrr—

Gooooooo—

And it wasn’t just the Forgotten God who changed.

Her monsters began merging into one.

Thirteen Souls finally fused together, becoming complete.

The **Supreme Soul**.

In its most powerful form.

“What… what is that form?”

“That’s not… a monster, is it?”

Everyone watching recoiled in shock.

I was no exception.

The completed form was utterly unexpected.

Yet strangely familiar.

A shape everyone knew.

A form all recognized.

It was—

【Supreme Soul, Primordial Human】

…A human.

*

*

《‘White King ( King Mork)’ has won!》

Hudson let out a sigh.

The result had practically been decided from the start.

He was defeated by an overwhelming difference, before he could even attempt anything.

Yet the sense of loss wasn’t as great as he’d expected.

*Because I saw the possibility.*

He had poured everything he had into it.

And in doing so, he achieved a result—and glimpsed a possibility.

As his Monster Soul evolved into an **Angeling**, Hudson himself had evolved as well.

“You have talent.”

That was when—

White King, standing on the opposite side, suddenly spoke.

For a moment Hudson wondered who he was addressing, then blinked when he realized it was him.

White King continued.

“You have talent, human.”

“What talent could I possibly have…?”

“You’re better suited to raising others than yourself. ‘Angeling’ is a symbol of evolution—one that only a handful of our White Tiger Clan have ever succeeded in achieving.”

“……”

Hudson looked again at his Monster Soul.

He didn’t understand at first.

But Angeling was far from a simple monster.

Though it appeared to be nothing more than a winged slime, it was a symbolic existence that had existed since ancient times.

A symbol of evolution acknowledged even by the White Tiger Clan.

“Depending on how you nurture it, it can become a terrifying monster. Raise it well.”

“…Stronger than Extinction Mork?”

“What?”

White King asked in surprise.

But Hudson’s expression was utterly serious.

The power of Extinction Mork he’d just witnessed was truly earth-shaking.

Among all the Monster Souls fighting here, it was the most overwhelming.

In some ways, it had left an even deeper impression than the Forgotten God—or the beings Park Hyun-myung had evolved.

If it could become even stronger than that—

“Haha! It’s possible. Even we don’t fully understand Angeling. There must be a realm even the White Tiger Clan hasn’t reached.”

White King shrugged and laughed heartily.

Angeling was a symbol of evolution, yet very few of the White Tiger Clan had succeeded in creating one.

But one thing was certain—

Angeling possessed limitless potential.

Receiving White King’s acknowledgment, light filled Hudson’s eyes.

Regardless, White King turned his gaze toward the distant Golden Scale Druid and the Forgotten God.

The form created when all monsters had merged earlier.

The moment it appeared, a chill had run down his spine.

*Primordial Human…*

He couldn’t even begin to guess how strong it was.

It felt nothing but ominous.

He had never seen a human so unsettling before.

One thing was certain—it made his blood itch.

So much so that he wanted to fight it himself.

And more than that—

The battles here were far more thrilling than he’d expected.

At first, there hadn’t seemed to be anyone worth fighting.

But the opponents kept evolving.

The Golden Scale Druid.

The Forgotten God.

And one more.

An unexpected outlier.

*Andrew.*

The human who had helped the elves alongside him in the Primordial Forest.

Though he had fallen, Andrew’s power was impressive even to White King.

And beyond that, he had created an especially peculiar being.

Soon, a guidance message appeared before them.

【The semifinals begin.】

【One remaining contestant will face ‘Devil Under Knight (Rank 90, HP 5,000,000)’.】

【The matchups are as follows.】

【Forgotten God (Primordial Human) vs Andrew (Heart of Darkness)】

【Golden Scale Druid (Elevenfold Firmament) vs White King King Mork)】

【Fabula (Fanatic God’s Hound) vs Devil Under Knight】

*At last!*

White King’s lips curled into a deep smile.

The long-awaited battle with that one had finally been decided!

He would defeat him, defeat the Forgotten God as well, and stand at the very summit.

And thus prove that he was the strongest of all.