Chapter 41 : The Six-Handed Elf God

Although Cthugha's sudden appearance had been startling, he had retreated more easily than expected, leaving no significant damage. The elf planet and the entire universe had narrowly avoided annihilation. Even though it could have been restored, it would have felt like realizing that a meticulously nurtured game character was just a bunch of data bits—disheartening.

In any case, life had returned to normal for a few months after that incident.

…Wait.

Something else was approaching the universe. Unlike Cthugha, it didn't seem to carry a strong intent of destruction. It felt more like someone was seeking him out.

[Hey.]

[Huh.]

Stepping outside the universe, I saw a familiar face. It was Ubbo-Sathla, a top-tier Outer God. I was the one who had promised to create life forms.

Could it be now?

[Seeing that fireball coming this way reminded me. Help me now.]

[...]

Ugh, Cthugha. He had to come here and stir things up for no reason.

Well, a promise is a promise. Once made, it must be kept. Unlike Cthugha, who came looking for trouble, I didn't want to create bad relationships with other top-tier Outer Gods. Considering the dynamics between Nyarlathotep, Ubbo-Sathla, and Cthugha, it seemed wise to avoid unnecessary hostility.

Fighting them would result in universe bubbles boiling and bursting, creating dark black holes that could swallow universes. Just thinking about it was exhausting.

Still, there was a chance that another Outer God like Cthugha might invade while I was away. I decided to reinforce the universe bubble surrounding the universe, making it impenetrable even to most high-tier Outer Gods. While it was possible that a top-tier Outer God might attack, such occurrences were exceedingly rare. Top-tier Outer Gods were not common.

Just in case, I set it so that Dalos could enter and exit. After all, Dalos might need to go somewhere, just like me.

I was a bit worried about the elves. There could be another disaster like a typhoon or tidal wave, or an invasion while he was gone. I decided to create an avatar to protect and watch over them. However, for the avatar to be powerful enough, it would need at least the strength of a lower-tier Outer God. Creating such a being within the universe could lead to opposition, which would be problematic.

It seemed best to enhance an existing life form's abilities. Ubbo-Sathla had used this method when creating a giant monster with the power of a lower-tier Outer God.

Using a life form that already existed within the universe and shared its fate seemed like the best approach. While it might still be risky, it should be acceptable if the purpose was to protect a species rather than destroy the universe. However, I couldn't just turn an elf into a god.

…Turn Rodri into the Six-Handed Elf God? No, that wouldn't work. I needed a life form resilient enough to withstand divine powers and adaptable enough not to complain about modifications.

[…Ah!]

Ah, of course! There was a perfect candidate.

#

The commander of the Kapteri tribe couldn't believe his ears. Well, it wasn't exactly heard with ears, but still.

"Kirik… Are you saying I should become a god?"

The overwhelming Outer God who had captured them was proposing that the Kapteri commander become a subordinate deity, conveying my will to the Kapteri tribe. The task was to watch over and protect the beings created by the Outer God, defending them from external threats.

For the Kapteri tribe, who had only ever caused harm by consuming resources from other species and planets, this was an entirely foreign proposition.

'I will grant you power. However, if you misuse it, you will eternally repeat the suffering you have experienced before.'

In return, if the commander performed well, I would be granted freedom and near-immortal power and life as befitting a god.

"..."

It was a bewildering offer. However, from the Kapteri tribe's perspective, there was no reason to refuse.

Due to previous torture, more than half of the captured Kapteri tribe had perished. Only 14 members remained. If they could survive and continue their existence, there was no reason to refuse the offer. They weren't in a position to refuse anyway. Declining would mean nothing but writhing in pain until a slow death.

While they couldn't achieve their goal of spreading their species across the universe and avenging themselves against the Lubaran tribe, they could become a far superior being and live an immortal life until the end of the universe. For the Kapteri tribe, who had been wandering the universe in fear, this was nothing short of a life-changing opportunity.

"If you grant me this power, I swear eternal loyalty! I will exceed your expectations!"

Setting everything else aside, just escaping this place was a blessing. Nothing was more terrifying than being in a place where they could be subjected to the excruciating pain of their bodies being slowly disintegrated at the molecular level.

[Very well, I will grant you power. The rest of you, wait here.]

The great Outer God spoke, bestowing immense power upon the Kapteri commander.

Crunch! Crack!

"Ugh, ugh…!"

The Kapteri commander felt an unfamiliar, hollow energy filling his body for the first time in his life. Gradually, his body began to grow, transforming from a grotesque arthropod into something else. His skin turned white, his form shifted to a bipedal humanoid, and his ears became pointed. Strangely, he retained his six arms. In fact, with the addition of legs, he now had two more limbs than before.

In an instant, the transformation was complete, and the commander stood as a towering elf with six hands.

[Th-this is…]

The Kapteri commander—now transformed into the Elf God—trembled with the overwhelming sense of power coursing through his body. He had traveled across the universe and witnessed countless displays of immense power: the infinite gravity of neutron stars and black holes, the incredible light and energy of supernovae, and even the insane scientific prowess of species that weaponized such forces.

But nothing in this universe had ever made him feel so overpowered. This was truly the power of a god. It was the kind of overwhelming presence that marked the end of the line in the universe—the presence of an "Outer God."

Unlike a typical lower-tier Outer God, he had been transformed into a god by receiving power from a great being. This allowed him to retain his intellect and will. His voice didn't come from a conventional vocal apparatus; it felt as though he was directly conveying his thoughts to others.

[Now, you are the god of the elves. Your name… well, you can decide that yourself. Anyway, take good care of the elf planet while I'm gone. Especially keep an eye on those who are performing strange rituals in front of statues that look like you. Watch them closely.]

The voice, conveying its will directly to him, was the same as before. The Elf God looked up at the great Outer God who had granted him this power.

[...]

Overwhelming. It was the same as before.

Even when he was just a small and insignificant Kapteri, the great Outer God had been an overwhelmingly powerful presence. Now, despite gaining immense power that dwarfed his previous self, the Outer God's presence remained just as overwhelming, if not more terrifying.

As a Kapteri, he had been ignorant. Now, with a glimpse of that power, he understood just how vast, fearsome, and dreadful the Outer God truly was.

'Yes, my survival and the power I have gained are merely due to his whims. Even now, my suffering or the loss of this power would be at his whim.'

His existence hinged on mere whims and mood swings. Even with the power to be called a god, this fact remained unchanged.

[I pledge my eternal loyalty to you.]

The Kapteri commander—now the Elf God tasked with watching over and protecting the elves—sincerely swore eternal allegiance. He vowed to do everything in his power to avoid being erased on a whim or as a mood swing. He resolved to earn the favor of the great Outer God with all his efforts.

'But why do I have six hands?'

The thought crossed his mind. His appearance was very similar to the Terra or Meias species, who naturally had two arms, which seemed the most efficient. He wondered why he had six hands but decided not to question it, believing there must be a reason.

#

…Damn, now that I'm called the god of the elves, that's the only image that comes to mind.

Originally, I had planned to create a classic World Tree-like deity. But it was all Rodri's fault. Now, whenever someone mentioned the Elf God, all I could think of was the six-handed elf! The image was so strong that it naturally led to this form. To make matters worse, those creatures, originally based on insects, had six legs, adding to the confusion!

Ugh, whatever. I've done my part.

I decided to leave the remaining Kapteri tribe under the care of the Elf God for now and figure out what to do with them later. The loyalty pledge had been confirmed as genuine. If it had been a lie, I would have already detected it and subjected them to torture.

Alright, time to head out.

Since I had created the Elf God, there was no need to return at a predetermined time. I decided to move forward in time to see how the universe had progressed in my absence. The routine had become monotonous lately, and I was eager for a change. While helping Ubbo-Sathla, I planned to connect to the timeline and watch the highlights.