The villainous young master just wants to live a Buddhist-like life.

　As the gods who established the divine way, Hermes and the other twelve gods would naturally benefit greatly.

　However, from his forward-thinking perspective, Hermes' conception of this system of rules was rather rudimentary.

　While his overall ideas are progressive, some details are open to discussion.

　The "cards of the gods" that Hermes spoke of can truly be called "cards of the gods".

　As new rules come into effect, older rules are gradually overturned.

　The fifth-tier Magical Spirit Cards will no longer be called "God Cards".

　However, taking the demigod race of "angels" as an example, the fifth-tier magical spirit cards could be renamed "demigod cards".

　The fifth tier of Magical Spirit Cards serves as a suitable stepping stone, bridging the gap between the previous and subsequent tiers.

　Dark briefly mentioned the concept, and it was widely accepted. He then took the opportunity to present his other suggestions. The biggest flaw in Hermes' plan was that it only had a framework, lacking substance.

　In short, it's grandiose and vague.

　Humans are not like other species; if you plant an apple tree on a mountaintop, they won't climb up and pick it to eat.

　First, you need to tell him that there are apple trees on the mountaintop, otherwise he might starve to death without ever knowing.

　After telling him there are apple trees on the mountaintop, you also need to tell him how sweet and delicious the apples from those trees are. Otherwise, he might just turn around and dig up some weeds to eat.

　Finally, if you only tell one person that there are apple trees on the mountaintop and that the apples are sweet and delicious, then perhaps only that person will actually be able to eat the apples.

　0

　If Hermes' plan were to be executed smoothly according to his ideas, cooperation with others would be unavoidable from the very beginning.

　He needs someone to help him stabilize public opinion, conduct external propaganda, and maintain order.

　St. Maryan Academy, headed by Principal Arte, is an excellent choice.

　Of course, there are now more options. As the saying goes, it's better to share happiness than to enjoy it alone.

　Principal Arte took the initiative to invite High Priestess Bellamy Artemis and Sabrina Melville, intending to share the spoils with them.

　Hermes' plan was far too ambitious. The interests involved were terrifyingly large.

　Even with the addition of the Duke's Mansion, St. Mary's Academy alone is not enough to absorb the power of the entire institution.

　Instead, it would be better to be open and honest and increase the number of partners. The Holy Church, the Moon Elves, St. Marian Academy, and the Valkyries.

　With these four forces involved, it should be enough to fill in the missing details and make the plan complete.

　However, the whole plan still needs to be implemented gradually to avoid overstepping boundaries and causing problems.

　Furthermore, Hermes' dueling system also contained numerous flaws.

　Drawing on his years of experience in online games from his previous life, Dak spoke eloquently, filling in the obvious loopholes one by one.

　If we consider the entire ritual as a giant online game, then the consciousnesses of Hermes and the other twelve gods are the game's masterminds (GMs).

　However, if they don't understand the responsibilities and powers of the GM, it could be a disaster for the game players.

　Under Dark's detailed explanation, Hermes went from initial disdain to listening attentively. Although he remained expressionless, he seemed to be taking it all in.

　In short, it is extremely foolish to expect players to abide by moral order on their own.

　Once Hermes' dueling system is officially launched, his initial rudimentary framework will inevitably be broken down and exploited in a very short time.

　For example, his principle of "voluntariness" can easily induce people to voluntarily sign contracts with their opponents using not uncommon methods such as seduction and hypnosis.

　Even if the contents of the contract are governed by the authority of the God of Commerce, humanity still has countless ways to circumvent this regulation.

　Moreover, the value of an item is always relative. Even the power of the god of commerce cannot accurately determine its value. Hermes' duel trading system can quickly become a tool for plundering other people's magic cards.

　On the other hand, such contracts that only require "voluntariness" and "equivalence" can also become victims of money and power transactions, making the duel no longer pure.

　Simply put, it's all about the rampant use of small-sized fluorine gold.

　Of course, Hermes could say that he would personally monitor the situation.

　However, as this plan is implemented, the number of duelists will only increase, and there will always be times when monitoring is not timely.

　Simply banning accounts won't solve the problem. Hermes needs to restrict the duel trading system. The simplest way is to categorize duelists, add a credit rating system, and then gradually grant trading privileges based on their rank and creditworthiness.

　Considering issues related to publicity and promotion, the relevant trading restrictions could be lifted in official competitions.

　For example, only duelists with a level 5 rating and a credit score of 90 or higher can take the opponent's second-tier Magical Spirit Card after winning a duel.

　In official, supervised tournaments, restrictions can be lifted, allowing each player to take the opponent's second-tier magic card after winning a duel.

　Of course, the above is just one metaphor.

　According to Dark, it would be better to simply allow duelists who possess "God Cards" to conduct such transactions.

　But Hermes seemed to have some kind of obsession with forcing things forward. If you questioned him further, he would blush and shout things like, "This is the game, the game is about plunder," and so on, in a way that was incomprehensible to most.

　Old and stubborn.

　In short, after witnessing the stubbornness of the twelve gods of Polopus, Dark suggested that he add an "audit" system to the framework of this duel trading system.

　The "review" process can be outsourced, and reviews can be conducted based on credit ratings. Bishop Sabrina Melville stated that she has extensive experience in handling such outsourced "reviews."

　In the end, before the ritual plan was even implemented, the humans had already divided themselves into several departments based on their individual aptitudes.

　such as.

　The Holy Church is responsible for "verification".

　St. Maryann's College is in charge of the "Event".

　The Valkyries (of the Duke's Palace) are responsible for "maintaining order." The Moon Elves are responsible for "diplomacy."

　It's truly absurd to entrust the aloof and arrogant Moon Elf race with diplomatic affairs between the various races...

　But humans are indeed not suited to doing these things.

　Even at St. Marian Academy, which enjoys a good reputation everywhere, it can only provide support.

　Of course, the reality is not so obvious.

　After a series of discussions, everyone decided to temporarily sign a preliminary agreement and make further improvements if problems arise in the future.

　Although Hermes didn't say much throughout, it was clear that he was quite satisfied.

　He finally used the authority of the "God of Commerce" to create a contract for each person, preparing to sign it with them on the spot.

　But Dark, who had stopped participating in the discussion later on, suddenly looked up and said, "I have an idea, I wonder if it's acceptable?"

　"What are your thoughts?" Hermes asked, putting down the contract. Dark glanced at him and said, "The existing dueling rules are not perfect. Why not take this opportunity to revise them?"

　Hermes frowned sharply and asked, "How so?" This was a path he had never imagined.

　If someone else had said it, he wouldn't have bothered to respond.

　But the one who is saying these words now is the human boy, Dark Demon, who not long ago gave him a crushing defeat and criticized the details of his plan to the point of no return!

　"Isn't there no other way but to listen?" Hermes looked at Darke quite seriously.

　After a moment's thought, Dark spoke up the idea he had been pondering for a long time. "First, let's start with the Magic Ball."

　"Magic duels use magic balls as substitutes for the duelists because duelists personally engaging in combat could lead to injuries or death."

　"The essence of magical duels is training, just like using a wooden sword when you first learn swordsmanship, and only using a real sword after you have mastered the skill. It cannot be considered a real battle."

　"But if we proceed according to our plan, the role of the magic duel within the entire ritual will change, essentially forcibly giving it the weight of actual combat."

　"Therefore, I believe that continuing to use the magic ball here is no longer appropriate."

　What do you all think?

　Magic spheres have always been an irreplaceable item in magic duels. They have even given rise to a variety of dueling techniques.

　The duelists of this era have long been accustomed to the existence of the Magic Ball and would never even entertain the thought of replacing it.

　Everyone here, even Aurora, grew up watching duels, not to mention Hermes, a god who has been watching duels since their inception.

　But when someone comes up with a new idea, their intelligence will allow them to see it at a glance.

　As Dark said, the magic orb is no longer suitable for future duels. Hermes' ritual plan gives magic duels a completely new meaning, making them no longer just training in the eyes of mages, nor entertainment in the eyes of spectators; it will become a true path to godhood!

　The one who ascends to godhood is the Archmage, the Duelist himself, not the Magic Spirit, nor the Magic Ball.

　If we continue to use Magic Balls as a substitute for duelists, will duelists truly be able to successfully become gods?

　If we go back to the essence of this problem, we will find that it actually involves a very crucial point at the core of the entire plan.

　Hermes risked everything for this, even taking eleven other gods with him on the ship.

　How desperate would he be if a single magic ball caused an irreparable flaw in the entire plan?

　Leaving aside Hermes' despair, Principal Arte and the others who had already decided to board the ship wouldn't have a good feeling either.

　At best, a long period of effort would be wasted. At worst, they would perish on the path to godhood. Neither is impossible.

　Although Dark didn't initially think in this direction, when he noticed Hermes and Principal Arte's expressions gradually becoming serious, he immediately realized the hidden problem.

　His expression instantly turned stern.

　After a long pause, Principal Arte slowly said, "Fortunately, we found the most crucial problem before the ceremony was completed."

　“Let’s think of a solution,” Professor Sylph said immediately. High Priest Bellamy Artemis nodded. “The issue of the magic orb is crucial. A real duel is not child’s play. If one wants to achieve godhood through this, the archmage himself must participate.”

　“The High Priest is right,” Sabrina Melville, the protagonist, said in a deep voice. “It must be the Archmage himself who intervenes.”

　"How is the outcome of a magical duel determined?" This time, it was Lucia Artemis from the Elf race who spoke.

　Principal Art glanced at her and said, "Magic duels are battles to the death. Although we have been using magic balls to represent duelists, thus masking this fact, it is true. A magic duel only ends when one side dies."

　"Is it possible to create a life shield for myself, like a magic ball?" Aurora asked obediently, raising her hand.

　Professor Sylph shook her head slightly and said, "This is no different in essence from using a magic ball to replace the player. If you want to turn magic duels into a path to divinity, the magic master himself must step into the arena and personally participate in the magic duel. But this problem seems to be almost unsolvable at the moment."

　The crowd fell silent for a moment.

　Hermes suddenly spoke up: "Why not ask the person who asked the question?"

　While he was speaking, he stared intently at Dak, so intently that Dak didn't want to say anything.

　With everyone's attention focused on him, Dark finally spoke, "Regarding this issue, I didn't initially think about it this deeply. But there is actually a solution. It's just that everyone has a different perspective, so we haven't thought of it yet."

　He then looked at Hermes and said, "Since we have already added the authority of the god of commerce to the rules of the duel, why not go further and add the authority of the god of the underworld as well?"

　Instead of complicating the topic, Darke directly pointed out his line of thinking.

　But actually, this idea of ​​his didn't come about because of the problem with the magic ball.

　This was originally his idea, the second problem he wanted to address in improving dueling. But now, it seems that this approach could be used to solve the first problem as well.

　Once he presented his ideas, Principal Arte and the others immediately grasped the key points, and all sorts of solutions to the problem came to mind.

　All eyes were quickly drawn to Hermes. As a god, Hermes, despite spending an alarmingly long period of time in seclusion, did not exhibit symptoms of social anxiety like the novelist who was also confined to his home.

　He immediately said, "By adding the authority of the God of the Underworld, are you trying to make me grant duelists a second life?"

　Dak nodded slightly.

　Hermes sighed, “That is indeed a method. To allow duelists to fight to the death in person, while preventing them from perishing too quickly, a mechanism is needed that allows them to be resurrected after death. To be honest, I can do it. But there are prerequisites.”

　Dark frowned slightly and asked, "What are the conditions?" Hermes replied, "The gates of the underworld must first be opened. Only when the underworld is connected to the mortal realm can I control life and death. By simply leaving a mark on the duelists before the duel begins, I can immediately retrieve their souls after they fall into the underworld. The faster this happens, the less impact it will have on the duelists. With my authority, they won't even realize they've been to the underworld. But the prerequisite is that the gates of the underworld must be opened first."

　Hermes emphasized again: "Without the gates of the underworld open, humans may not necessarily enter the underworld after death, and my authority cannot be exercised."

　His words immediately silenced Principal Arte and the others. If the gates to the underworld were opened, the entire mortal realm would be invaded by creatures from the underworld, a situation they absolutely could not allow to occur.

　Professor Dee Dee Maxwell simply poked a hole in the gates of the underworld, and something as dangerous as the "Fire of the Underworld" escaped from the underworld.

　If we open them all at once, that would be terrible!

　If that's the only way to guarantee the possibility of establishing this divine path, then it's better to just give up.

　Hermes was clearly aware of human thought.

　However, he did show sincerity at this time and did not use his authority as the god of deception to fool Principal Arte and the others.

　Originally, this path, although promising for the future, had a very low probability of success, which is why he considered it as the second option.

　Now that things are clearly going to fall into a dead end, he has to consider whether to devise a third option on the fly or simply give up... After all, while performing the ritual as planned is unlikely to succeed, it can at least temporarily prolong his life.

　But at this moment, Dark solemnly asked, "Could we build a small-scale underworld specifically based on the dueling system?"

　Hermes instinctively said, "How could that be..." but he shut his mouth as soon as he finished speaking.

　Because he suddenly realized that it was possible!