Only now did the Mechanical God realize, stunned, that it had never been a secret. He had simply guarded it like a priceless treasure.
The Mechanical God stood frozen for a long while before recovering. He looked at Gaia, still unwilling to accept it. "Is that true? You're not lying to me?"
Gaia said nothing, but the God of Death nodded beside her. "It's true. I was chosen once, too, but..."
At the memory of that unbearable past, even the God of Death's eternally impassive expression twisted.
He did not want to remember working with that "idiot." The bastard who had chosen him was a complete fool, constantly assigning him missions that were practically suicide.
Thanks to his strength and caution, though, he had made it through each one.
Then, just as the Divine War was ending and he had finally breathed a sigh of relief, that idiot had another fit and handed him one more mission.
That time, the God of Death had finally met his end.
If he had not prepared a backup and resurrected himself, he would have perished for good.
Even now, the memory made him want to curse.
If he had not gotten himself killed back then, his performance in the Divine War, his strength and potential, and the Divine Office he held would have carried him far. Had he continued developing until now, he would have been no weaker than the Lord of Light.
The Mechanical God had a closer relationship with the God of Death than with Gaia.
Once the God of Death confirmed it, the Mechanical God finally accepted the truth. He really had mistaken a fish eye for a pearl...
Elsewhere, the trial was in full swing.
After Green hid in the hollow tree, several more groups passed nearby.
The closest