Subscriber of the Gods Chapter 438 - Pure Love

“Hmm…”

A considerable amount of time had passed.

Since the appearance of that legendary subscriber, he had put in a tremendous amount of effort.

Thinking the video quality might be lacking, he improved it. Suspecting the number of subscribers and likes might be insufficient, he uploaded even more videos to increase both metrics.

To calm his mind, he even watched videos of Eastern gods known for their serenity and practiced daily mental cultivation just as they did.

“I’ve learned a lot. Whether god or human, where there’s a will, there’s a way. Perhaps that subscriber ignored my messages to teach me this lesson.”

Ares, the God of War, was in a state of complete enlightenment.

The word ‘enlightenment’ perfectly described his condition; he had found inner peace. He no longer obsessed over that remarkable subscriber.

When the time came for that subscriber to make a choice, he would simply accept it.

He realized that being anxious and excited during the process wasn’t a good thing.

“I’m grateful for this.”

Just as the enlightened Ares was about to start his daily routine…

Ding-!

An alert sounded.

Ares slowly checked the notification, and his eyes widened to the point of nearly tearing.

“This, this can’t be. It’s impossible. It’s absolutely impossible-!”

In that moment, all the serenity and enlightenment he had built up shattered. The Ares who had just moments ago thought that being anxious and excited wasn’t good vanished, replaced instantly by an Ares with bloodshot eyes and trembling hands.

“Is, is this really true? Are my eyes deceiving me? Am I dreaming? No, did I really receive a comment from the [Only subscribed to the right gods] subscriber? Did they really subscribe to me!?”

Ares’s entire body shook. Only after checking two, three, four, fifty times did Ares realize his eyes weren’t deceiving him.

This was real.

It was the choice of the [Only subscribed to the right gods] subscriber.

They had requested a collaboration!

“Ares, what are you doing?”

Athena, who had come to visit, greeted Ares.

“Athena———!”

“Ah, you startled me. What is it? Weren’t you supposed to be serene? Didn’t you say that if your mind is calm, you can maintain serenity even in the face of any storm? Don’t tell me the [Only subscribed to the right gods] subscriber sent you an email? Or did they subscribe? Hahaha- I’m just kidding. That’s impossible. That subscriber is already such a major…”

“…”

Despite Athena’s joke, Ares couldn’t erase the serious expression from his face. No, it wasn’t a serious expression. It was an expression of overwhelming emotion.

His eyes were so full of tears that they seemed ready to spill at the slightest touch.

Athena felt a severe sense of unease. Surely, surely the unthinkable hadn’t happened?

“No, it can’t be. It can’t be, right? Right, Ares? Say something! It’s not true, right? There’s no way that major subscriber would do that!”

The anxious Athena shook Ares violently. Ares’s massive body swayed left and right, but he simply smiled.

“It’s true, Athena.”

“What’s true! What is!”

“The [Only subscribed to the right gods] subscriber… no, the esteemed subscriber has found me… They requested a collaboration! They said they needed eyes to see the battlefield! Right now, they need the powerful ability to manipulate the battlefield at will from its very center.”

“Good heavens. It can’t be. It’s impossible! If they needed such eyes, I would be better! Why not me… why you instead of me!”

“You gave up halfway, didn’t you?”

Ares said.

“I never actually gave up. I always knew… that someday they would notice me. So every day, I affirmed to myself. The [Only subscribed to the right gods] subscriber will subscribe to me one day! The [Only subscribed to the right gods] subscriber will want me someday! The [Only subscribed to the right gods] subscriber will need my skills someday-!”

“No…”

“Yes!”

Leaving Athena behind, Ares rushed out, accepting the collaboration request from [Only subscribed to the right gods].

His arms were already full of merchandise he had created.

“My faith… was lacking.”

Athena ran.

“I need to bow three times a day in the direction of that subscriber. Shakyamuni said so. He said sincerity moves heaven!”

It’s not over until it’s over.

***

Ares, the God of War.

‘It’s time to subscribe to Ares, whom I’ve been holding off on for a long time.’

What Ethan needed right now was Ares’s power.

Ares was a famous god of war.

He was one of the gods who instilled fear on the battlefield and destroyed everything.

Until now, there hadn’t been any connection to war, but in the current situation where he needed to plunge into the battlefield, subscribing to Ares was the best choice.

‘Athena is also an option, but what I need right now is Ares. I know their styles are a bit different.’

It’s the same in mythology. Ares uses orthodox methods to achieve victory in war.

Charging in like a hero, beheading the enemy commander, and taking prisoners.

But Athena is different.

‘Reducing everything to ashes. That was probably the victory Athena sought, right?’

But Ethan had no intention of advancing while reducing Saintess’s forces to ashes. He just needed to open a path.

-Do you want to subscribe to Ares, the God of War?

Ethan subscribed to Ares and immediately requested a collaboration.

By now, Ethan had become an icon in New World.

When his subscriber name is mentioned, any god immediately recognizes Ethan and wants to collaborate with him.

‘It’s quite nice that everyone wants me.’

It’s something to feel proud about.

“But the situation in New World is peculiar.”

Ethan observed the situation in New World while subscribing to Ares.

The rankings, videos, and discussions in the community.

The situation of the top 4 gods was particularly intriguing.

Although Ethan had ignited New World, the situation was largely stagnant, and the rankings at the top hadn’t changed.

But Ethan had raised the rankings of Cheok Jun-gyeong, followed by Poseidon and several other gods. Since then, many gods had their rankings boosted by Ethan’s hand, and the landscape of the upper ranks began to change.

Perhaps stimulated by Ethan’s achievements, starting with Odin, followed by the Jade Emperor, Zeus, and even Buddha, they were all actively uploading videos.

‘But is there really a reason to work this hard?’

What Ethan found peculiar was their level of activity.

‘The rankings are already solid. Especially the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places are quite secure. Unless these top gods stop activities altogether, I don’t know. If major gods continue to be this active, there’s no way the rankings will change. There’s no need to keep uploading videos like this.’

The one with the highest probability of leaping to the top ranks was Cheok Jun-gyeong, but even for him, it would be difficult to challenge those four gods.

‘If he catches another wave of momentum, he might be able to snatch the 4th place, but…’

That’s as far as it goes. It might be enough to give them a sense of crisis, but without any special events, there was a high possibility that the rankings of New World would be decided as they were now.

‘But everyone is working so hard? They’re too proactive.’

Ethan pondered for a moment.

If the winner of this New World was determined by rankings alone, there would be no need for the top 4 gods to work this hard.

Yet they’re putting in so much effort?

“Is there another criterion? Is everything not decided by rankings alone?”

Seeing how hard they were working, it might be that the winner of New World isn’t determined solely by rankings.

‘It also matches up with how sensitively they react to the gods I keep boosting.’

“There must be a few more criteria. Along with the rankings, there must be other criteria for determining the winner. That’s why the top 4 gods are working so hard.”

Thinking about it this way, everything made sense.

Lower-ranked gods just think the winner is determined by rankings alone. But that’s just their assumption.

Those top 4 gods must know more accurately about New World than the others.

‘Of course, it’s all just my speculation, but I need to confirm it.’

If a winner emerges, what will happen to New World?

‘No matter who wins, it would be cause for celebration, but it would be quite regrettable if New World disappears.’

As Ethan waited for a moment, Ares quickly accepted the collaboration request.

-Initiating collaboration with Ares, the God of War.

Whoosh-. 

Clop-clop-. Clop-clop-.

Thousands, tens of thousands of cavalry were galloping. Ethan found himself in a place where he could overlook these cavalry units.

“[Only subscribed to the right gods] subscriber!”

Red hair.

A build that seemed larger than a mountain and golden armor.

Ares, the God of War, approached Ethan with his cape fluttering.

“It’s great to see you! So great!”

Ares extended his hand for a handshake. Ethan grasped it, and immediately felt the powerful giant strength.

‘His hand is really big.’

“It’s great to meet you, Lord Ares. I apologize for only now responding to the many emails you’ve sent me.”

“No, no! That was all because of my inadequacy. Gods need to create the abilities and videos that subscribers want. The choice is always made by the subscribers.”

Ares couldn’t hide his smile at all.

His dream had come true.

“You were my dream!”

Ethan himself knows. How extraordinary his position in New World currently is.

But Ares’s reaction was far too intense.

‘I didn’t expect to have such a fanatic fan.’

Ethan couldn’t possibly know. The years of waiting Ares had endured.

Of course, as soon as Ares received Ethan’s subscription, he had forgotten all about that long period of time.

After all, one cannot live in the present while dwelling in the past.

“Are you waging a war? If so, there’s a lot I can do for you. Eyes to see the battlefield! I, Ares the God of War, can give you my judgment! I can also provide you with merchandise!”

Even though Ethan hadn’t said anything yet, Ares started listing everything he could offer.

“I have so little I can offer you.”

“You’ve already given it.”

If Athena had seen this scene, she would have said it.

Pure love, that is.