The bricks and stones of the golden Temple were not made from ordinary clay; they were solidified from pure divine light.
Each pillar is entwined with ancient runes, and the dome arches slowly upwards, as if opening up a sacred realm isolated from the mortal world on the New York skyline.
The magnificent Temple stands in stark contrast to the Plasma Spark Tower atop the Empire State Building.
A statue slowly solidified from the base in the center of the Temple, its heavy eyelids lifting gently, and its golden eyes sweeping across the street below, landing on the pedestrians.
Pedestrians along the street and Mutants in line, many of them subconsciously stopped and looked up at the magnificent building that had appeared out of nowhere.
Some of the elderly believers trembled all over, their knees buckling uncontrollably—an instinct etched deep in their Soul Stone and originating from ancient worship.
But just a few seconds later, they lowered their heads again and silently prayed to the name of Om Messiah on the wall.
Golden rays of blessing flowed from the palm of the statue, slowly drifting toward the few devout old believers on the street.
These people were bathed in divine light, their skin glowing with a faint halo. Celebrated sobs rang out, but this liveliness only made the Temple steps seem even more empty.
"Did you see that?" The Shadow King turned his head, and the black mist gently surged at his shoulder, causing the dark patterns beneath his new body to pulsate slightly.
"The miracles have been performed, the blessings have been sent out, but it seems the effect is not ideal; we can't retain people."
He has witnessed the rise and fall of countless civilizations, seen Gods elevated to the highest Throne by the masses, and seen divine authority shatter into dust after the collapse of Faith.
Fear, awe, and supplication—these emotions were his sustenance; he understood the weight of Faith better than anyone.
Russell, with his hands in his pockets, looked past the golden Temple at the divine pillars of light that were lighting up across the continent.
A temple built of silver moonlight rises on the west coast, a twisted amethyst shrine crawls out of the damp southern swamp, an orange-red fire altar floats above the desert, and a blood-red stone statue opens its eyes in the dense forests of Eastern Europe.
Ancient Deities, slumbering in the Dimension rifts awaiting the turn of the era, have all returned to the mortal realm, vying to unleash their divine power, build Temples, and bestow blessings in an attempt to reclaim lost Faith.
But at each Temple, there were very few worshippers kneeling in worship.
Once upon a time, their names resounded throughout every tribe and city on this land, and sacrifices, hymns, and prayers never ceased.
During the long years that the Ancient One guarded the Dimensional Barrier of Earth, they lay dormant in their own Asgard, believing that as long as the barrier was breached, the Ancient One disappeared, and they returned to the mortal world, the incense offerings would naturally return as before.
Little did they know that during their slumber, a new star of Faith had risen, and the name of Om Messiah Russell had taken root in the hearts of countless ordinary people and Mutants.
A heavy, resonant will, like the rumbling of the earth's crust grinding together, pierced through the clouds and pressed down over the entire New York sky.
The voice had no fixed source, seemingly coming from all directions. "Russell, you outsider, you have stolen our Faith, plundered the reverence of the people, and usurped the authority that belongs to the gods."
The statue in the golden Temple slowly raised its palm, and a vast divine power gathered in its hand, causing the air to tremble heavily.
The surrounding temperature suddenly rose, and the asphalt pavement on the street softened slightly.
The Shadow King's lips curled into a mocking smile. He took half a step forward, revealing himself, and a small section of black mist spread out along the ground.
He was an embodiment of darkness and fear, and was inherently at odds with these ancient Deities who claimed to be radiant and holy.
"Steal?" Shadow King chuckled, his voice not loud, but it spread out along the mental waves, allowing the Gods in the Temple to hear it clearly.
"Where were you when this Planet faced crisis and its inhabitants suffered? War raged, Mutants were forced to flee, and disaster befell humanity; you offered not a single helping hand."
"Now that the crisis has temporarily subsided, you've woken up and are immediately asking for offerings. Is there such a cheap deal in the world?"
These words struck at the truth that the gods were most unwilling to admit.
The divine energy emanating from behind the clouds suddenly surged violently, causing the pillars of the golden Temple to tremble slightly. Countless golden light blades condensed above the Temple, hovering and swirling.
"You, a dark spirit, have no right to question the authority of the Gods."
The ancient will coldly rebuked, "Faith is an inherent power we are born with; the reverence of mortals should belong to the gods from the very beginning."
It was Russell who bewitched the masses, distorted their minds, and seized the offerings that rightfully belonged to us.
Russell slowly raised his eyes, and a faint light slowly emerged around him. It was of the same origin as the power that had gathered the light of the universe in the void of space before, but now it was mostly restrained. It did not have the power to tear the heavens and the earth apart, but it had an unshakable weight to it.
"I did not bewitch anyone." Russell's voice was steady, piercing through the booming divine pressure and reaching everyone's ears.
No one forced them to abandon the old gods, nor did anyone compel them to pray to me. They made their choice because, in times of suffering, it was I who stood up to protect this Planet.
"Faith is never a rigid contract; it's not that if you declare yourselves Gods, all living beings must forever kneel in worship."
As the words fell, a clear, cold female voice also emanated from the statue of the Silver Moon Temple in the distance, and moonlight transformed into countless fine blades, weaving together in mid-air:
"The will of mortals is fragile and easily swayed. You intimidated them with power and deceived them with miracles; this Faith is utterly false. Today, we will reclaim everything that belongs to us."
"So, you're planning to make a move?" Russell raised an eyebrow slightly, his tone remaining calm, as if he were facing not a group of Earth's gods wielding ancient powers, but merely a group of noisy passersby.
The Shadow King silently sensed the divine power surging from all directions, making his own calculations.
These native Earth Gods are rooted in the Dimension foundations of the Planet, relying on its ley lines and ancient covenants; their power should not be underestimated.
However, compared to the power Russell displayed in the void of the universe, which gathered the light of the stars and the Mind Stone of all beings, there is still a huge gap between them and the power of the universe.
He had just chosen to submit, or rather, to depend on Russell for survival.
This was his chance to prove his worth. Even without Russell saying a word, he was already thinking about how to reap the benefits of the fear instilled by these Gods.
The fear of the Deities is far more potent than the fear of mortals or ordinary Mutants; it is the ultimate sustenance.
"Interesting," the Shadow King murmured to himself, a dark glint in his eyes. "Even the highest Gods fear losing their followers, fear the erosion of their power. So even gods experience fear."
These words were like a fine needle, piercing deep into the perception of the gods.
The crimson statue in the blood-red forest let out a furious roar, and dark red miasma swept out with the wind, obscuring half the sky.
Flames soared into the sky from the fire god's altar in the desert, and scorching fire meteors gathered one by one, locking onto Russell's location. Inside the amethyst shrine, twisted tentacles burst through the Temple, and mental toxins spread through the air, attempting to disrupt everyone's thoughts.
In an instant, all sorts of divine forces intertwined and collided over the entire North America, with divine light, miasma, flames, and moonlight weaving together into a magnificent yet dangerous storm.
Ordinary people on the street retreated in panic, but most of the Mutants did not flee. They spontaneously gathered behind Russell, their gazes firm, their Faith unshaken even in the face of the wrath of the gods.
"It seems reasoning won't work," Russell sighed softly.
"Do you need my help?" Shadow King turned his head and asked him, black mist swirling around him, gathering its power.
"Their fear is starting to overflow; it's delicious. I can help you dispel their divine magic, devour the panic growing in their hearts, and calm them down."
"No rush, they've never been a threat to me."
Russell shook his head, his gaze sweeping over the Temples. "Let's see just how capable they really are."
The golden statue launched the first attack, unleashing a long-accumulated golden torrent that crashed down, carrying ancient power of judgment, and pressed down on Russell. Wherever the light passed, space distorted slightly, and the glass windows on the street shattered instantly.
Just as the torrent was about to recede, the faint light flowing beside Russell suddenly spread outwards, forming a soft yet indestructible wall of light in mid-air.
The golden torrent crashed violently against the wall of light, the deafening roar causing the earth to tremble slightly, and the shockwave spread in all directions, stirring up clouds of dust.
When the smoke and dust cleared, the wall of light was completely intact.
Inside the golden Temple, the statue's molten gold eyes revealed astonishment for the first time.
They anticipated that Russell would be very strong, after all, he was able to defeat the God of Symbiotes Knull, but they did not expect that their attack, which used all their divine power, could not even break through a single layer of the opponent's defense.
"Impossible!" The ancient will trembled with disbelief. "We are the natural masters of this Planet's rules!"
"You only dare to show off your power after the Ancient One died." Russell took a step forward. The street beneath his feet did not shatter; faint patterns of light spread along the ground.
"The Ancient One guarded Earth's Dimension for countless years, while you all watched from within Asgard. Now, it's my turn to guard this place."
The Shadow King stood beside Russell, quietly observing the battle.
He could clearly sense that the power of each Gods was bound to the origin of the earth, making them difficult to kill completely; at most, they could only be banished back to the Asgard to slumber.
However, the upper limit of their power is firmly locked by the framework of this Planet.
Russell's power does not originate on Earth; he can mobilize light and Mind Stone power on a cosmic scale, which is on a completely different level.
"These old fogies have lived for thousands of years, but they still can't get their heads right," Shadow King muttered in disapproval.
"They thought Faith was a permanent fiefdom, but they forgot that Faith is based on the will of the living, not their inherent private property."
The Silver Moon Statue struck again, its moonlight condensing into countless long arrows that rained down from the sky. At the same time, the Amethyst Shrine's mental attack followed closely, attempting to bypass the physical defenses and directly attack Russell's consciousness.
The Shadow King made a move.
Without Russell's command, the black mist surrounding him suddenly surged, transforming into a massive dark curtain that blocked the mental attacks.
An invisible wave of spiritual energy crashed into the black mist, instantly torn apart and disintegrated. The anxiety, anger, and fear hidden within the divine magic were all devoured by the Shadow King.
A comfortable feeling of fullness flowed into this brand-new body along with the black mist, making the dark patterns under the skin appear brighter.
"Not bad nourishment." The Shadow King licked his lips, a satisfied smile on his face. "The fear of the Gods, the taste is indeed unique."
The evil god within the amethyst shrine trembled violently. It clearly sensed its outward-projected Psychic Power being devoured, and a chill inexplicably rose in its heart. It had originally intended to use its spiritual poison to intimidate its opponent, but instead, it had provided the Shadow King with food.
"Evil must be punished!" the Amethyst Evil God roared, the twisted stone statue writhed wildly, and more pitch-black tentacles burst from the ground, lashing out at the Shadow King.
The Shadow King neither dodged nor evaded; the black mist split into countless slender shadow tentacles and met the attack head-on.
Shadows and divine tentacles collided and tore at each other in mid-air. The Shadow King was very comfortable with this body that Russell had personally created, and its efficiency in absorbing fear far exceeded that of Professor X's previous body. With each collision, it could extract fear from the other's emotions.
Russell raised his hand, and the countless moon arrows stopped in mid-air a few meters away from him, their power slowly dissipating in the light field.
"Shall we continue?" Russell's voice echoed throughout the land. "If you keep attacking, you won't win against me. You'll only breed fear and feed him to him for nothing."
He gestured with his chin toward the gods, indicating to the Shadow King who was enjoying a feast beside him.
Beyond the clouds, the wills of the gods intertwined and began to communicate urgently.
They could see that the Shadow King was growing stronger in battle, and every time they were enraged, every time their unease arose from their inability to win, it was nourishing this dark entity.
Originally intending to join forces to suppress Russell and reclaim their Faith, they have now instead ended up giving power to Russell's subordinates.
Unwilling to give up, the Crimson God once again stirred up the scarlet miasma, attempting to corrupt all living beings in the city and forcibly awaken mortals' fear of disaster, thereby strengthening itself in return.
But before the miasma had drifted far, Russell's faint light seeped in, gradually purifying and dissolving the scarlet miasma.
"Don't try to coerce living beings with disaster." Russell's tone turned colder. "If anyone dares to wantonly slaughter and torture life on this Planet, I will not merely block their attack."
The oppressive feeling conveyed in those words made all the Deities' hearts sink.
They could clearly sense that the Om Messiah before them was not merely issuing verbal warnings.
The statue in the golden Temple remained silent for a long time, its molten gold eyes fixed intently on Russell and the Shadow King beside him. It slowly spoke, "Russell, let's stop here for now. But the battle of Faith will not end here. The awe of mortals should not be monopolized by one person."
We'll be watching to see if you can hold onto this Faith, and to see if the dark, evil spirits will turn against you.
After saying this, the light of the golden Temple slowly faded. The Temple itself did not disappear; it still stood on the side of the street in Manhattan, but it no longer actively released divine power or recruited believers.
The other Temples also gradually withdrew their attacks, the violent divine storm slowly subsided, and the clouds closed again.
The gods did not leave; they chose to remain in the mortal realm, using their Temples as a base to observe quietly. They dared not rashly launch a full-scale war again, yet they were unwilling to admit defeat.
Order gradually returned to the streets, the panicked passersby calmed down, and the Mutants continued their prayers in an orderly manner.
The Shadow King withdrew the spreading black mist, smacked his lips with lingering satisfaction, and the dark lines flowing beneath his skin became even deeper than before.
"What a pity, they stopped too quickly." The Shadow King said with some regret, "We weren't satisfied yet. These Gods harbor deep fears. If we had fought a little longer, I could have used their emotions to my advantage and taken another big leap forward."
Russell glanced at him. "Don't rush, there will be plenty of opportunities. They won't stay put, and the trouble will only increase in the future."
"So what do we do next?" Shadow King flexed his fingers, sensing the body's boundless potential. "Should we just wait on Earth for them to strike again? Or should we go elsewhere and find more targets to draw fear from?"
Russell gazed at the distant city skyline, his eyes piercing through the buildings and looking out into the vast expanse of space.
"Let's not rush to other universes," Russell said slowly.
"Earth is now at the center of the vortex, the gods remain here to watch, and other hidden threats lurk in the shadows."
"You've just acquired a new body, so it's good that you stay on Earth to familiarize yourself with your powers. Also, keep an eye on those old guys in the Temple for me."
"Monitor them?" Shadow King raised an eyebrow. "If they secretly pull any tricks, I can devour their fear, or even create fear, to throw them into disarray."
"Take care of your actions," Russell cautioned calmly. "You can gather fear to become stronger, but don't actively slaughter living beings or instigate meaningless Carnage, as this will only bring unnecessary trouble."
What I need is for you to prove your worth, not for you to turn the world into a mess.
Shadow King nodded, his sarcasm fading slightly. He could tell the pros and cons clearly, and now that he had Russell as his backer, there was no need for him to make a mess of things on his own.
"I see."
He looked up at the golden Temple that stood quietly by the street, the statue's gaze meeting his own across the crowd. God and dark ghost, wary of each other, both knew that this battle of Faith was far from over.
The wind swept through the streets, carrying the warmth of the morning light. Countless believers whispered their prayers, and the silent divinity within the Temple coexisted under the same sky.
The Shadow King muttered to himself, "Gods or Mutants, in the end, they can't escape fear and desire."
Russell heard this and simply smiled faintly.