Chapter 72
The Golden Hand Clan celebrated its victory in every city and fortress under its sphere of influence.
New territories had been seized, and the faith of both players and local populations in Leon had grown stronger. Many new participants had flocked to the winning side. Several cities had even declared Leon their patron god of their own accord. Only one person in the entire clan was literally weeping over the war’s end.
Merlin Rouge, in his signature vest and stylish shirt, scanned the latest expense reports.
"Leon—this is victory! Total victory!!! When the dragons left and we took the new territories, I couldn’t believe my ears when I heard they accepted our terms. With this kind of income, we’ll replenish our budgets fast and get back to cultural and technological development in our regions. Do you realize where this is leading?"
"They just didn’t know the dragons left the alliance. Yeah, I get it… a big pantheon. And the strongest clan in the world." The god sat on the windowsill, watching his clanmates celebrate. Sunlight glinted off his mithril armor, casting dancing reflections on the walls, while the golden hand emblem shimmered in shifting hues. But the god was lost in thought.
"Something bothering you?"
"Yeah… Margul left, even though he wasn’t badly wounded. His departure unsettles me because I don’t know the reason. See, I don’t have full awareness of the world’s state, and I’ve got this… strong, bad feeling. We missed something—some consequence of the war."
"What do you mean?" Merlin’s cheer faded into wariness.
"You remember what divine power granted me, right?" Merlin nodded, eyes locked on the god. "Even now, I process information far better. It’s not just expanded consciousness—it’s deeper comprehension of connections. My intuition has sharpened, and it shows in real-world results. Over the past year, I’ve boosted company profits by two hundred thirty percent, increased my capital share, executed reforms, and purged weak links. The company is now stable against market shifts and nearly immune to competitors. StarShip’s profit margin has doubled."
"By secondary signs, I can guess the identities of other new gods. But right now, my heightened intuition is screaming that I’ve overlooked something critical—and it will definitely impact our future."
"Maybe you’re overworked? You haven’t slept in days. My daughter says you barely eat."
It had been a year since Rachel had shared Leon’s bed as his lover. Merlin didn’t mind the match—after all, Leon had secured her second-tier citizenship and brought her to his side. Now, the clan’s leadership and most valuable members lived secluded in an entire district of a Venusian colony. Things were good… but Leon had changed drastically since becoming a god.
"Don’t worry, Merlin. Your daughter will be fine. I’m changing—seeing and understanding an order of magnitude more than before. I’ll take precautions. But while there’s time, strengthen the clan’s combat and crafting wings. Relay similar orders to the alliance." The god began dissolving into the air, retreating to the astral plane. "Something’s coming. I can feel it."
Leon had grown perceptive. Even in simple conversations, he read people effortlessly, ensuring both sides walked away satisfied. A person’s values always surfaced in dialogue. Compliments about weight loss, appearance, income, work, children—what you heard revealed what truly mattered to the speaker.
Now, Leon didn’t just grasp these details—he instantly pieced together scattered fragments into a coherent whole. And now, he was searching for the missing parts of the bigger picture.