Chapter 907 Fusion, The Last Step Of Becoming A God

The group returned to the Firelink Shrine, where the Fire Keeper explained the state of the world to them. The explanation was simple yet disheartening: this world had lost all light, the flames had already died out, and though the world still existed, venturing out had become significantly more dangerous.

Without light for guidance, the risks of exploration had skyrocketed.

This revelation was hard for the adventurers to accept, yet there was little they could do. After all, the Loki Familia had already shared intelligence indicating that the world's flames were on the verge of extinction.

From the moment they entered this world, the scenes of despair they witnessed only confirmed its impending doom. Though difficult to accept, it was an inevitable reality.

When the flames were extinguished, some of them struggled to cope with the situation, as it was part of the grand, unstoppable flow of events.

What the Fire Keeper kept hidden, however, was that she had taken the flames herself and used them to aid the members of the Loki Familia.

Though the flames were destined to extinguish eventually, the Fire Keeper had accelerated the process, plunging the world into darkness prematurely.

Outwardly, they continued to claim that the flames were about to die out naturally, so the timing of their extinction seemed inconsequential.

However, adventurers from Orario now required special lighting tools or magic to venture into the outside world.

Without such preparations, it was impossible to see even an inch ahead in the pitch-black surroundings. While Orario's nights had the benefit of moonlight, this world lacked even that faint glow.

Stepping outside meant confronting a darkness so absolute it struck fear into the hearts of even the bravest adventurers.

Even bold adventurers could do nothing against this pervasive darkness, making future expeditions fraught with difficulty.

On the flip side, only monsters with abilities beyond the need for sight thrived in this world. For everything else, the darkness became an equalizer, forcing adventurers to adjust to this harsh new reality.

Thus, the world descended into utter darkness. Despite the challenges, Finn and his companions left the dungeon once again. With the flames' power, their strength had reached terrifying new heights. The next step was fusion. They hadn't anticipated progressing so quickly.

After returning to Orario, the group sought out Loki to share what had transpired.

"The flames of that world seemed to offer no direct benefit, but they did push your Falna to its absolute limit. You can't advance further unless you figure out how to merge your power with divinity! "

Loki continued with some concern, "However, I don't know how that's supposed to work. No mortal has ever become a god. The gods were created by the heavens and the earth and have been divine from the beginning!"

Loki is also a little distressed, after all, there was no example before, but now, there are suddenly a group of people, and this group of people are all members of his family, but she is not very clear about how to integrate divinity.

"It seems you'll need some assistance!"

Asahi suddenly appeared before them. The group, having reached this critical juncture, was ready for the final step: fusion.

"Asahi-san, I'm really sorry for troubling you yet again. We don't know how to proceed with the fusion!"

Finn said, his tone tinged with both respect and helplessness.

Finn's gratitude toward Asahi was laced with unease. They owed him so much, knowing full well that, to Asahi, these acts of generosity were as effortless as tossing coins to a beggar, a trivial matter.

Yet, to them, these gifts were priceless treasures. As such, they could only exchange uncertain glances among themselves.

"It's very simple. What you lack now is time. Your strength has already reached its peak. The next step is fusion. However, fusion demands an immense amount of time. For humans, longevity is critical, but with your power and divinity at their peak, you've already surpassed mortal limitations, including lifespan."

"So, what you need now is time." Asahi explained, "As time flows, your power will gradually merge with your divinity until you ascend as gods. However, this process might take a century, a thousand years, or even ten thousand years."

He continued, "Of course, I know you can't wait that long. So, I'll accelerate the time flow for your bodies, allowing you to complete the fusion in about an hour. But Loki, you'll need to figure out how to explain this to others. After all, your Familia suddenly gaining so many new gods will raise some questions. You'll need a good explanation!"

With that, Asahi accelerated the time for Finn and his companions. What happened next, however, was no longer his concern, it was Loki's problem to deal with.

"Got it. I'll just blame it on those Lords of Cinder." Loki said dismissively, "After all, we're the first to explore that world. Even if others find out, so what? Let their Familias figure out how to catch up!"

Loki's nonchalant tone made it clear she didn't fear the other gods. After all, why should she explain so much? They can go explore that world themselves if they want to.

And besides, it's not entirely baseless. Her Familia grew stronger in that world, so it's only fair that becoming gods owes something to it.

With this justification, Loki was unbothered by any potential disputes. Asahi, for his part, was content to sit back and watch the chaos unfold.

The accelerated hour began, and Finn and his companions could feel their power fusing with divinity at an astonishing rate. The sensation was bewildering and overwhelming.

The sheer strength of divine power wasn't something an adventurer could compare to. A powerful god in this world could annihilate an entire world, a feat akin to destroying a planet.

This realization underscored the vast gap between gods and mortals. In just one hour, their power had grown by more than 2.9 times, and its quality had undergone a fundamental transformation. Yet, even this was only the weakest portion of divine power.

As the hour concluded, the final metamorphosis was complete. Divine energy erupted from within the Loki Familia, radiating outwards in brilliant waves.

"Is this… divine energy? And it's coming from the direction of the Loki Familia? How could there be so many gods suddenly emanating divine power?"

Numerous gods sensed the surge. Though their own powers were sealed, they could still perceive divine energy. Among gods, conflicts were usually subject to mutual oversight, yet this eruption of energy blinded even the most perceptive gods.

Despite the source being Loki Familia, the sheer quantity and peculiar nature of the divine power left the gods baffled.

'How could Loki Familia have so many gods? And why does this divine energy feel so… strange?'

For the gods, it's utterly bizarre.