It only took a few minutes under that pressure for Atlas's soul to become entirely divine. It completely changed, elevating to the level of a god. Atlas's aura shifted; everything about the boy was different. The process was so smooth that it made it seem easy to the other spectators.
What few were able to observe was Atlas's proficiency in manipulating his soul. The boy could see his soul and adjust every inch of it as it was being created. Only two magicians in the universe were capable of this: one of them was Kayden, and the other was the Emperor of the Universe.
Atlas had become a god, but at the same time, he still had not fully become one. He still needed to go through something different, a process that all gods, even those who became gods in controversial and meaningless ways, were forced to undergo. The heavens needed to test Atlas to prove he was worthy of being a god.
"Don't worry, the heavens will only test me when I want it." Atlas's voice drew Han's full attention to him. This was an extremely shocking piece of information, but at the same time, not so much.
Atlas's power grew instantly, and his soul is now at this level. His soul easily spanned five universes across the entire arena. At that moment, he was omnipresent. He had truly reached a new level, something no mortal should ever step into. Han felt completely pressured.
Even though he was carrying a divine soul, Han was not a god. This difference meant a lot. He could only perceive the universe as a mortal. It seemed trivial, but Atlas was able to see the laws of the universe shifting before him. He could feel the flow of the laws without even understanding their basics. He could even see space-time itself.
Atlas was capable of manipulating reality without using mana. With a single move, he could cut time throughout his entire soul, even without knowing almost anything about the law of time. This was the primary difference between a god and a mortal—two worlds of strength difference, but the key difference was the quality.
A mortal could have the same strength as a god. This was no secret. Many mortals in history reached a level of strength like Atlas, magicians able to match gods in raw power. But the difference was in the quality. A god would use 1/100th of the effort a mortal would to perform the same movement.
At that moment, Atlas's mind was at another level. He didn't take even ten seconds to fully understand his new state and all his new abilities. This allowed him to elevate his skills to the divine level without difficulty.
"If I were a god, you wouldn't be able to match me," Han commented, and... the heavens opened to him, surprising everyone witnessing it.
"Become a god and truly entertain me," Atlas smiled and waited just as his opponent had done earlier.
Strange clouds filled the entire universe. Every inch of the universe was able to see this ascension. This was not merely a magician leveling up; it was an authentic ten-ray magician reaching divinity. This was a unique event that the universe had never witnessed in all its existence.
The clouds parted, revealing nine thrones. Even after the gods had reached the peak of divine status, they still felt insignificant in comparison to these chairs. Each one possessed a presence that... simply couldn't be compared. It was like nine centers of the universe, so to speak. There were no words to express the feeling of seeing them.
The nine thrones floated in the cosmic void, but their presence was like black holes, devouring any trace of sanity that tried to approach. They did not merely radiate power, but an overwhelming pressure on the mind, as if each one carried an absolute, insurmountable concept. Magicians and gods who dared to stare at them for too long felt their consciousness unraveling, as if their thoughts themselves were unworthy of existing before these entities. They were not just thrones for gods; they were pillars that held something greater than reality itself. The mere sight of their presence forced those around to confront their insignificance because before them, there was no room for doubt, pride, or even identity.
"The heavens recognize your capability, Han Heart, the first tenth-ray magician to attempt divinity," a voice echoed in the minds of all those listening. "No rays beyond the tenth are needed. Prove yourself a legend, or die as one." The voice stopped, and...
The universe trembled as a spell emerged from the space between the new thrones. It was a lightning bolt made entirely of laws. Kayden couldn't tear his eyes away from it. It was a force beyond anything he had ever witnessed in his entire life. There were no words to describe how perfect that law was. It was dozens of times more refined than a high-level, perfect fundamental law. Kayden couldn't even compare it to his current knowledge.
The lightning bolt was a living law itself, but even so, it was capable of destroying an innumerablenumbert of galaxies simply with its presence. Weaker mortals couldn't even look at that spell unless protected by the heavens themselves. The law descended upon Han with all its might.
The lightning descended like an inevitable sentence, and before it even touched its target, its mere presence shattered the sanity of the spectators. Magicians and gods felt their thoughts fragmenting, as if something greater than reality itself was pressing down on them. Trying to comprehend that power was futile—minds trembled, memories scrambled, and for a moment, many didn't even know who they were. It was an absolute abyss between what it meant to be mortal and what it meant to touch the divine.
The laws of the universe trembled, twisting like a body in convulsion. Space folded into impossible shapes, while time became inconsistent. Some regions collapsed into vacuums of nonsense, while others became storms of pure energy. The very cosmos resisted, trying to prevent its structure from being broken by that divine force.
Author's note: I was supposed to post it on Friday after arriving from a meeting with friends where we were going to drink lightly, in the end it wasn't light and I ended up stopping almost a thousand kilometers from home after riding in a private jet, but anyway, this arc is getting long already, are you liking the way it is or should I have made it shorter?