Chapter 43 : Excessive Passion

The commander of the Kapteri tribe, empowered by the great being, was no longer a mere Kapteri. He had become the god of the elves, a species created by the great being.

[Are these the ones I must protect?]

The Elf God observed the industrious elves. Some were diligently working with mineral resources, others ventured into the sea for fishing, and many were gathering their kin to expand their community. These small, weak beings, with only two arms unlike his own six, were building their society with great effort.

[Is it them?]

Then he spotted them—the elves worshipping a statue with six arms, just like him, as the great being had mentioned.

"O great god, please accept our offerings."

They placed their hunted beasts and carefully cultivated fruits on a long stone table resembling an altar.

[I was told to watch them closely due to unease.]

While the great being had advised caution, the Elf God couldn't help but feel a sense of pride and affection for these elves who showed such loyalty and devotion to the god who created them. He felt a desire to take special care of them.

[Yes, these are the ones the great being entrusted to me. I will raise them to be the greatest species in the universe.]

Partly driven by the resentment from his previous life as a Kapteri, he was determined to surpass the Lubaran tribe and create a species that would dominate the Galactic Union and the entire universe.

He made a vow. He would repay the great being who trusted him with this species.

[First, I need a name. A god without a name simply won't do.]

Typically, names given to gods are bestowed by the awe-struck beings who worship them, as true gods find names meaningless. However, he wasn't a true creator god but a symbolic figure who would directly interact with and nurture the elves. Therefore, he needed a fitting name.

[A god, huh.]

Elves. They were unique to this part of the universe, with no prior information available. Their entire existence was what he could see before him. As their guardian deity, he needed a name that reflected his role.

[This is difficult. I can't just call myself Kapteri. Elvgod? Too simple.]

He needed a name that was both meaningful and impressive.

[…Rios.]

The word suddenly came to him. Though it had no special meaning, he instinctively knew it signified "light."

[Heh, light.]

Once, he had been part of a filthy insect species, hiding in the darkness beneath a planet's surface. Now, he was a god named Rios, symbolizing the bright light that illuminated the elves.

Life was unpredictable, Rios thought.

[Now that I have a name, it's time to get started.]

He decided to grant the elf species more power. Although they were in the early stages of development, at their current pace, it would take them a thousand years to catch up to the Lubaran tribe. Considering the Lubaran tribe's rapid advancement, even that would be an impressive feat, but it would still be too late.

[I can bestow more powerful abilities and impart knowledge for faster development. In my current state, I can do this.]

Thus, Rios began his journey as the God of Light, aiming to become a bright beacon for the elves. Managing all the elves alone was impossible, so he shared his divine power with his subordinates, who were still Kapteri. They transformed into "Spirits of Light," completely shedding their former Kapteri forms.

In this way, the Kapteri tribe was entirely eradicated from the universe, replaced by the new collective of "Spirits of Light and the God of Light."

#

"Everyone, let us pray to Lord Rios, the great God of Light!"

"The great God of Light!"

Flash!

…???

What had happened while I wasn't looking? Why was Rodri, the former fanatic leader, wielding magical powers and proclaiming the name of Rios, the God of Light? And how had the elves, who were just beginning to forge iron tools less than a year ago, suddenly skipped several stages of development and were now preparing to create engines?

"This is all thanks to the knowledge of light that Lord Rios has bestowed upon us."

"Yes, once we complete this, our development will accelerate tremendously."

The elves were now on the verge of creating their first steam-powered engine, and they had begun using spirit magic through the Spirits of Light. Their development had accelerated to an unbelievable pace. Previously, their progress had already been astonishing, but now it seemed like they were skipping entire stages of development. It was as if someone had paid for premium upgrades.

Why are they suddenly advancing so rapidly?

"O great Rios! Please grant us your revelation!"

[Rodri, and my children, I bestow upon you the knowledge of light.]

…Ah.

The culprit was immediately obvious. That six-handed fool, who was supposed to just protect them, had gone overboard. What was this "Rios" and "knowledge of light" nonsense? I had planned to nurture the elves slowly, but this overly enthusiastic new recruit had gone full throttle, buying all sorts of enhancements and premium items to accelerate their growth.

It wasn't just the steam engine. They planned to use its development as a stepping stone to create countless advanced energy sources and machines. It seemed they intended to achieve in one year what would normally take the elves 50 to 100 years.

The rate of development was beyond imagination.

…Hmm, maybe this isn't so bad after all?

I had been getting bored with the slow, predictable progress. This way, it wasn't me directly intervening but rather Rios, a being within the cosmic laws, using his authority to influence events. It gave a different flavor to the unfolding story.

This unexpected turn of events might actually make things more interesting. Despite the rapid advancements, it seemed that Rios hadn't meddled with the elves' evolution, direction, or values. He had simply bestowed the same knowledge and power upon them, without directly influencing their actions.

The religious faction centered around Rodri continued to offer sacrifices and worship, focusing on developing supernatural powers rather than scientific ones derived from the knowledge of light.

In Lumolasi village, they utilized the spirits' power but also leveraged the knowledge of light to advance their village more quickly, aiming for a more comfortable and prosperous life.

Lastly, Muwan, the ruler of the southern hemisphere, was driven by his desire for domination.

"Heh, such immense power and knowledge. And it seems the area I control is less than one-thousandth of this planet! I want it all."

Muwan was clearly intent on using both the new spirit powers and the knowledge of light to enhance his military might and personal strength.

…This was concerning. Given that all received the same knowledge and power, Muwan would naturally have an advantage. However, it seemed Rios had considered this. He only provided Muwan with the ability to use the spirits and the knowledge of light, without actively intervening.

The most intervention from Rios and the Spirits of Light occurred within Rodri's religious faction. Their active sacrifices and rituals supplied energy, allowing Rios to recover his powers. Consequently, Rios intervened more actively with Rodri's faction, granting them greater strength.

Rios also subtly guided more elves towards Lasi's faction, which aimed for a stable and prosperous life. By making minor adjustments, he ensured that the various factions maintained a balance of power.

While there was some concern that the elves, with their similar levels of power, might eventually go to war, it was an inevitable part of their development. As long as it didn't escalate to a catastrophic nuclear war that could wipe out the entire species, there was no reason to intervene. Historically, scientific and technological advancements often accelerated during times of war.

Although it would be tragic to see elves killing each other, it was merely a phase in their growth. After enduring the horrors of internecine war, they could emotionally mature and resolve never to engage in such conflicts again. This could also spur greater technological advancements.

…Of course, encouraging war was not the right approach. If they continued to wage war out of greed, they would ultimately face extinction. While I believed that the elves I created wouldn't fall into such a cycle, it was well-known that intelligent beings rarely followed their intended paths.

In any case, if things ever became that dire, our God of Light, Rios, would handle it. That's why I entrusted him with this responsibility. Since he accelerated their development, he should also manage any resulting chaos. Isn't that right?