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

　Things got even more interesting after the "Chosen Ones" were excluded from the competition.

　Hermes deliberately conveyed this message through Principal Arte in order to create a stir.

　It's easy to imagine the sensation this news will cause both on and off the mainland once it gets out.

　It's important to know that there are no pre-set strength thresholds for the "Chosen Ones".

　A year is enough time for a "Chosen One" to go from a novice mage to one of the most powerful.

　With Quintina's brilliance setting an example, it's hard not to be tempted. Those who aspire to become "chosen ones" will likely soon gather and head towards the Mountain of the Gods.

　Although the Mountain of the Gods is not safe.

　But that's probably the most direct way an ordinary person could imagine for the twelve gods to "see" them.

Chapter 1642 I'm Not Taking the Chosen One Anymore (4k)

　"So what about the World Cup? Will it continue to be held?" Amidst the murmurs of discussion, someone suddenly asked.

　All eyes immediately focused on Principal Arte. If going to the Mountain of the Gods to worship was something even ordinary people could do, it was the most direct way to make the twelve gods "see" them.

　The World Cup is a better stage for Mages to publicly showcase themselves, but it is only for Mages.

　Moreover, in this World Cup, a total of nine players were directly favored by the gods!

　Although only Quintina has become a "Chosen One" among the nine contestants so far, the others may still be able to fill the vacancy.

　Moreover, the effects of that "gift from God" are so remarkable; no one would resist such an opportunity that is so readily available.

　Those who didn't choose to participate in the first edition, who had boasted of having a chance to compete for a top-sixteen position, were especially filled with regret.

　They really wish the World Cup could be held every year... no, every month!

　Of course, holding the World Cup frequently is unrealistic.

　"Gifts from God" originate from "Shinto rituals" and can be seen as a feedback of the power of rituals.

　To have the strength to give back, one must first accumulate experience, which takes time to build up.

　Once a year is pretty much the limit.

　Moreover, this was made possible by the rapid development of magic during the early Age of Gods.

　In light of this, Principal Art said, "The World Cup has nothing to do with the God's Cup; it's organized by the Alliance, not presided over by the gods. If the God's Cup is a feast for the gods, then the World Cup is a feast for us human mages. Currently, a frequency of once a year is achievable. However, it's not certain that we'll receive the direct favor of the gods like in the first edition. Of course, each situation needs to be analyzed individually; the world changes beyond our expectations, and anything can happen." After speaking, she glanced briefly at the Pope; her eyes remained expressionless, but somehow, a hint of a smile lingered.

　The person who regrets not participating in this World Cup most is probably His Holiness the Pope.

　But no one expected that the gods would intervene directly. Professor Cazell and Professor Harvey's "rejuvenation" was the result of perfect timing, location, and circumstances, and there may be a next time.

　With each passing minute, the chances of His Holiness the Pope decrease; he is currently in a period where he could pass away at any moment.

　Pope Sith's eyes flickered subtly.

　He had already given up hope of his own life ending, but seeing Professor Cazell and Professor Harvey's rejuvenation stirred new emotions within him.

　Logically speaking, in this era of the resurgence of the gods, anything is possible.

　Many illogical and incomprehensible things are indeed happening.

　His immediate conclusion that he was "beyond saving" was essentially a form of resigned compromise.

　He was genuinely exhausted, but the dire situation facing the Holy Church did not allow him to rest, and his mind was constantly struggling with this contradiction.

　The meeting continued for another half hour.

　After it was confirmed that the twelve gods would no longer issue "divine pronouncements," leaders and representatives from various countries left one after another with a variety of complex thoughts.

　Too much has happened tonight; they need time to process it all, to reason things out carefully, and to think about what to do next.

　After everyone else left, only those associated with St. Mary's College remained in the meeting room.

　Principal Arte casually added a layer of protection and stated directly, "Becoming a 'Chosen One' of the Twelve Celestials is currently the safest and easiest path to godhood. There's still a year left. I will host the next World Cup before that date, which will be the final stage for the Twelve Celestials to select their 'Chosen Ones.' As the principal, I hope you will all strive to achieve this."

　"Becoming a 'Chosen One' of the Twelve Celestials is not inherently contradictory to becoming a 'God of Magic.' It simply requires waiting until the Twelve Celestials are fully revived before further development can proceed, and will also be subject to significant limitations imposed by one's respective divine lord. However, blindly pursuing excessively high goals is inherently irrational."

　Who wouldn't want to be on par with, or even surpass, the twelve gods of Poropus?

　But becoming a god was already a luxury, so pursuing the highest divine position at this point cannot be explained by simply saying "ambitious."

　The so-called pursuit of the Way, even unto death, with an iron will, truly means death.

　Moreover, if they continue down that path, the mages will eventually face none other than someone of Principal Arte's caliber!

　They did not participate in the World Cup.

　But they will definitely make a move regarding the God's Cup.

　Principal Arte's words were thought-provoking, but most of the people present understood them quite well.

　"Becoming a 'Chosen One' of the Twelve Celestials is indeed a very safe path, but sometimes it's not necessary to choose the best one."

　Dark glanced at the people present and smiled, "We can also strive to become the chosen ones of the gods."

　Although they deliberately tried to keep their presence low, there were actually two gods present.

　Moreover, they could actually place their bets on Principal Arte or someone close to them, and then try to become their subordinate gods after the latter become the God of Magic.

　The saying "When one attains enlightenment, even his chickens and dogs ascend to heaven" perfectly describes this situation. However, given the current volatile situation, Principal Arte doesn't necessarily have the confidence to become the first God of Magic. And if she cannot become the first God of Magic, it will be difficult for her to reach the heights of the Twelve Celestials even if she ascends to godhood later.

　Therefore, seeking to become a "chosen one" of the twelve gods at this moment is indeed the best choice.

　But as Darko said, you don't necessarily have to pursue the "best" thing; you can also pursue the "most suitable" thing.

　Like Dark himself, if he had to choose, he would certainly prefer to become Ergani's "Chosen One," even though Ergani's current divine position is not very high.

　Upon hearing this, Principal Art simply shook his head and smiled, then skipped over the topic and continued, "There's something I haven't mentioned. The Twelve Celestials have actually taken a liking to several chosen ones tonight, and there should be some contact later."

　"Who is it? Who is it?" Professor Lily's previously sleepy eyes suddenly widened, and she asked with great curiosity.

　Principal Arte said, "First of all, it was Hephaestus who took a liking to Kazel."

　Hephaestus is the god of fire and also the god of forging, so it's perfectly normal for him to take a liking to Professor Kazel.

　But Professor Cazell touched his forehead, which was no longer wrinkle-free, and looked somewhat troubled.

　Forget about whether he was willing to "live under someone else's roof" or not; he never even considered becoming anyone's "chosen one."

　But he could sense that Hephaestus had indeed invested heavily in him.

　"Rejuvenation" is not as easy as it seems on the surface.

　Principal Arte had clearly anticipated this, and immediately said, "Don't feel pressured. This is just Hermes relaying a message through me. Hephaestus himself is very calm; he simply wants to talk to you. Well, they have just awakened and have exhausted themselves, so they need to rest. Perhaps there will be a tea party in about two weeks."

　Professor Kazel lowered his hand and smiled, "To be able to communicate and learn from the God of Forging is something I could never ask for."

　Principal Arte laughed and said, "Then I'll head back to my robes."

　After she finished speaking, she closed her eyes, then opened them again after a short while, and continued, "Hephaestus is the most approachable of the twelve gods. But that's just a legend, and Hermes's assessment can't be taken at face value. You should judge for yourself. Also, it seems that the elves have also received the favor of the gods."

　“Is it Lucia, or…” Dark asked with slight curiosity.

　Principal Arte's expression was somewhat strange: "She's a moon elf girl named Nono."

　"Nono Artemis," Dark recalled the moon elf girl. Many present also remembered her and immediately tried to recall her. Principal Artemis suddenly closed her eyes again, then opened them and said, "I see. She was the reincarnation of a handmaiden of Artemis, the 'Goddess of the Hunt,' and possessed fragments of Artemis's artifacts."

　"Will she become the Chosen One of the Goddess of the Hunt?" Dark asked in response.

　Principal Arte closed her eyes repeatedly, clearly indicating that a "god of spies" named Hermes was eavesdropping.

　But it's not a big problem.

　Dak's echoing question resonated with many people.

　Artemis is the goddess of the hunt, the moon, and an eternally pure virgin. As a mythological figure, she has always been beloved by young women.

　If Professor Jones hadn't awakened the bloodline of the "Primal Giants," he would probably have been quite interested in becoming one of Artemis's "Chosen Ones."

　Correspondingly, Diana also liked this goddess very much.

　Emmm...

　Darkdemon also likes it very much, and he would like it even more if he could get some of the "Origin Divinity" from Artemis!

　Principal Arte said, "Artemis's handmaids are all goddesses, so Nono shouldn't, and doesn't need to, become her chosen one. However, Artemis might develop a special fondness for the elves because of this, and since the elves worship the moon goddess, her 'chosen one' could very well be chosen from among the elves."

　This means that we can temporarily put aside the possibility of becoming Artemis's "chosen one."

　In addition to worshipping Artemis, the "Goddess of the Hunt," the Elves also greatly admired Demeter, the "Goddess of Agriculture."

　If they could gain the favor of these two gods, the Elven race would have no more worries.

　After the whispers subsided, Principal Arte announced, "Carola Marjorie, the 'Mermaid' of the sea tribe, has been confirmed as the 'Chosen One' of Poseidon, the 'Sea God.'"

　Everyone nodded slightly; this was expected.

　The son of the sea king, who received the favor of the "sea god" during the divine bestowal ceremony, was clearly not favored by Poseidon. It can only be said that the chosen one is still the chosen one, and it is not surprising that Carola can become the "chosen one".

　However, this also excludes Poseidon, the "god of the sea," from the list of options.

　Principal Art continued, "Ares, the 'God of War,' has taken a liking to the previous Joan of Arc."

　"what"

　Those who had hoped to become the "chosen ones" of Ares, the "God of War," were immediately taken aback.

　Dark was also extremely surprised: "Not Saint Haley, not Audrey, but the previous Joan of Arc?"

　The previous Joan of Arc was named Jeanne d'Arc.

　Unlike the aloof and rational Audrey Joan of Arc, the previous Joan of Arc was truly unparalleled in bravery, and was no less than the "Bloody Goddess" Hayley Saint Meredith, who had become a saint.

　It is said that the spirit of Ares, the god of war, was attracted by her heroic figure on the battlefield, and thus possessed her, creating the reputation of "Saintess of the Battlefield".

　Considering this, it seems quite natural that Ares, the "God of War," would take a liking to Jeanne d'Arc.

　The only problem is that Jeanne d'Arc is not a mage.

　“There’s always a way,” Principal Arte suddenly said. Everyone knew it was another of Hermes’s sarcastic remarks. “And what about Hermes?”

　If Jeanne d'Arc truly becomes the "chosen one" of the "God of War," the Holy Church will have protection, and many things will change.

　When questioned by the crowd, Principal Arte pretended to close her eyes again, and after a while opened them, saying in a strange tone, "Hermes said he has taken a liking to Didi."

　Diddy Maxwell!

　Professor Lily's eyes lit up, and she couldn't help but smile.

　Professor Jones suddenly spoke up: "Speaking of which, can there only be one 'Chosen One'?"

　Principal Arte closed her eyes again, then opened them, and said, "There can't be only one, but one is enough."

　At this point, everyone understood the implication.

　To put it bluntly, "chosen ones" are the agents of the gods on earth, or the mouthpiece of the gods.

　Of course, there doesn't need to be two mouthpieces.

　The relationship between the "chosen ones" and the gods is even more than that between ordinary gods. They can inherit certain powers from the gods, are the face of the gods, and occasionally handle disputes on behalf of the gods.

　After all, even gods have their conflicts, and battles between gods have too far-reaching an impact to be fought directly by. Thus, proxy wars arose between the "chosen ones." This seems to be a rule that became popular in a certain age of gods, and the shadow of Hermes, the god of athleticism, is also behind it.

　But Principal Arte had barely finished speaking when she suddenly added, "Two will do too."

　Everyone immediately turned to look at Lily. Speaking of little fairies, Professor Deedswell's personality was clearly more in line with the preferences of Hermes, the [God of Deception].

　A pure and innocent girl like Lily, who is only mischievous on the surface but has no guile at all, does not really satisfy Hermes's desires.

　But Hermes's goal is to have the best of both worlds. After having Professor Deeds, it wouldn't be a bad idea to also get Professor Lily as a bonus.

　But Professor Lily, feeling the gazes of everyone, waved her hands repeatedly and shook her head, saying, "No, no, not two!"

　She didn't want to steal Didi's ecological niche! And frankly, she didn't like Hermes.

　As the saying goes, "Two tigers cannot share one mountain," and "Two kings of children are not needed in one park."

　Forget Hermes, let's just stay far away!

Chapter 1643 Then let the Demon King die completely (4k)

　Hermes was largely surprised that his invitation would be rejected.

　But he was certainly not the kind of petty god; he was especially generous when it came to the things he loved.

　Moreover, as he said before, there doesn't need to be two "chosen ones." A god can have many eyes and ears, but it's best to have only one mouthpiece. "Chosen ones" have extraordinary significance for a god and must be chosen carefully.