"...After research, the method by which false gods acquire and use supernatural powers is fundamentally different from Arcane Magic, bloodline abilities, and the like, and also distinct from magical creatures. They possess significant value for in-depth exploration..."
"...Using the 'Mirror of Destiny,' we located one of Lord Thanos's ruins and discovered that he too had been researching gods, far ahead of our own progress. He had been secretly preaching for over a century, using specially crafted items to gather the power of faith. By gaining access to his research materials, our own work achieved a breakthrough. We each developed various denominations and carved up and absorbed Thanos's Church of the Sun..."
At this point, the experimental records detailing the method for crafting the special items had been destroyed. Lucian furrowed his brow slightly and continued reading. This account was very consistent with his own preliminary deductions. After all, for a religion that required time and a large number of followers to accumulate the power of faith, it was absolutely impossible for the Church of the Truth and numerous false god denominations to have suddenly sprung into existence around the time of the Dawn War and rapidly grown powerful. There had to be a development process spanning several decades, or even two to three centuries.
Moreover, in the primary material world, any being with the potential to condense divine nature would be targeted by the Netherworld — secretly captured and disguised as a natural death. To obtain the secrets of faith, one's starting point had to be discovering false gods in extra-dimensional spaces, just as he and his companions had encountered the God of Erl and the others. This also aligned with the "Sun King" Thanos having conquered every known extra-dimensional space besides Hell and the Abyss, pushing the magical society to its absolute zenith. It also answered why, despite conquering so many backward extra-dimensional spaces at the time, they had never discovered any false gods — Thanos had concealed and intercepted them all.
"...During our research, we discovered the Netherworld, and I successfully used the condensed divine nature to create the first special magical item — the Crown of the Sun. This marked my first step on the path to becoming a true god, the first stride toward the mysteries of the world and the dream of immortality..."
So it was indeed crafted using condensed divine nature. Lucian tapped his fingers lightly on the experimental records. This meant that if he and the other mages couldn't find a way to steal the God of Truth's divine nature, and instead relied on developing their own denominations to accumulate divine nature for crafting Divine Artifacts, it would require an immensely long time — and he wouldn't be able to use the fact that mages could craft Divine Artifacts in the short term to thoroughly undermine the Church's foundation.
"...I discovered here a world beyond my imagination. Within the deepest, most profound silence of death, there existed a sacred and majestic world of light, whose radiance was warping and taking on the shape of seven-tiered mountain peaks. Countless angels with pure white wings and translucent holy spirits were flying and singing... Were these the angels, holy spirits, and Heavenly Mountain that Lord Thanos had envisioned? The world behind the Black Gate here is a natural reflection of death customs from various lands — could this one be similar, born from the collective beliefs of the Church of the Sun's followers? But how could it exist here, of all places..."
"...The exploration of the Chamber of Immortality failed. I believe I now understand why that existence in the Netherworld sleeps near the Chamber, and why there is such definitive evidence that the secret of immortality is hidden there. Without the explorations of those who came before, these things could never have spread outward... Even a quasi-god suffered severe injuries within the Passage of Immortality, forced to rely on an immense stretch of time to return and revive from the River of Destiny?"
"...Using the 'Mirror of Destiny' once more, we discovered Lord Thanos's remaining laboratory and read his experimental records..."
What followed were some of Thanos's surviving records:
"I have found a way to cross the Passage of Immortality — to transform myself into a state similar to the ghosts and ancient devils here. Only in this way can I avoid the influence of the decomposition and collapse forces that permeate the Passage. This happens to align perfectly with the direction of my research. The Chamber of Immortality — here I come!"
"...After enduring countless unimaginable dangers, I finally pushed open the door to the Chamber of Immortality. But is this the secret of immortality? I can't see anything at all — what does this mean? Could it be that the God of Death is deceiving me? Yet the traces of immortality left everywhere here, and all these things, prove beyond doubt that the secret of immortality lies behind this door!"
The "God of Death" was the name Thanos had casually given to the mysterious entity of the Netherworld. As for the method of transformation and the dangers one would face — the former had been destroyed, and the latter was simply because Thanos hadn't had time to record them yet. At that point, he had thought of another possibility and begun his attempt to break through to the quasi-god level.
"...Could it be that because my level is insufficient, I cannot perceive the secret of immortality? Furthermore, the path I took — condensing the power of emotions and transforming into a state similar to those ancient devil existences — to break through to the quasi-god tier carries deep hidden dangers, and serious problems could emerge at any moment! Perhaps it is time to attempt another breakthrough. Once I pass this threshold and become a true Sun God, everything will improve. At that level, as a true god, I should be able to see the secret of immortality!"
"...The path to becoming a true god — I have prepared for it. I will merge myself completely with the Heavenly Mountain, which I formed through the condensation and substantialization of divine nature. This is an extremely dangerous step, but fortunately I have made preparations. I have created a perfect body and projected a sliver of my essential existence into it. Should the fusion fail and I be devoured by the Heavenly Mountain, I will use him to resurrect and return!"
After this, there were no further records from Thanos. The text returned to Maskilin and the others' experimental records:
"...We never expected that the Heavenly Mountain was actually created by Lord Thanos. He discovered a world of death with angels here, then merged the special item he used to condense divine nature with that world of death, creating a Heavenly Mountain far more powerful than he had anticipated! Its vast power reached the pinnacle of the quasi-god tier, and as the power of faith grew and numerous holy spirits arrived, it gradually transcended the limits of the quasi-god level..."
"...Lord Thanos presumably lost all autonomous consciousness during the process of fusing with the Heavenly Mountain. To be precise, he was the one who was absorbed — he perished completely... He became a true god, crossed the quasi-god barrier, and reached the absolute peak of this world, yet he did not even know how powerful he had become. He could only operate according to pre-established rules, like an intricate Magic Circle — no consciousness, no soul. Well, 'no consciousness' isn't quite accurate. He possesses that fragment of consciousness that lies hidden deep within every person's heart, shaped by the influence of the power of faith..."
"...Lord Thanos left behind only a single platinum scepter, containing all the rules he had set for the Heavenly Mountain. Because his true body became a true god, the scepter is shrouded in an overwhelming will. We can only slowly unravel it and gradually gain control. Once we are able to fully wield it, we will be wielding the power of a true god!"
"...Lord Thanos's preparation for his own resurrection appears to have failed. After we awakened that perfect body, it contained no memories or consciousness of the Sun King whatsoever — it was an entirely new intelligent being. Of course, benefiting from the projection the Sun King left behind, its rate of growth has been enviable. Perhaps it will reach the legendary pinnacle before we do. Following McLeod's suggestion, we gave it a new name: Metatron — meaning 'Vicar of Heaven' and 'Little Sun God' — fitting its true identity remarkably well..."
At this point, Rhein couldn't help but let out a laugh. "So Metatron was Thanos all along. No wonder I always thought he looked familiar — I assumed it was simply because I find every beautiful face familiar..."