Chapter 216: 216

“If we had done the opposite, then as soon as we ascended, we would have to worry about humans joining forces to ensure our people and children are no longer safe. I say all this to emphasize that when it comes to Björn’s religious issue, I personally would rather be unrestrained, but that isn’t optimal in the long term, which is where my eagerness for ascension stems from,” Maul said, sitting back down and looking at the other demigods, his cousins.

The room fell into a contemplative silence after Maul’s words. Each demigod seemed lost in thought, pondering the balance of power and responsibility they held.

Ursula, who had remained silent during Maul’s monologue, finally spoke up. “Maul, your perspective is valid, but we must remember that ascension doesn’t absolve us of our responsibilities. We have a duty to our children, who will inherit these problems no matter how we try to avoid them.”

She paused, letting her words sink in. “Björn’s religious issue isn’t just a matter of restraint or freedom. It’s about the legacy we leave behind. If we handle this poorly, it could lead to strife among humans and demigods alike. We’ve seen how fragile peace can be.”

Maul sighed again, leaned back, his eyes narrowing thoughtfully. “So, how are we to go about dealing with this problem?”

Xerosis spoke up, “I still agree with Ikem’s thought on exposing our children and people to a controlled level of bloodshed and madness so that when Björn’s religion comes forth, its effect won’t be as extensive as it should be.”

Tide shook his head. “I don’t agree with this method, but it seems like the only way forward for us.”

Ursula, in agreement with Tide, had no other choice but to ask, “How do we go about creating a controlled environment of bloodshed and madness for our people?”

Maul’s eyes glinted with a mix of determination and unease. “A controlled environment of bloodshed and madness,” he echoed Ursula’s words, the gravity of the suggestion weighing on his tongue. “We need to simulate conflict, but in a way that allows us to manage the consequences and learn from them without tearing our society apart.”

Roth nodded, a sinister smile creeping across his face. “Precisely. Think of it as a grand experiment. We create scenarios that test our children’s abilities, their leadership, and their resilience. We could stage conflicts, orchestrate betrayals, and unleash controlled chaos to harden them.”

Ursula frowned, her usual calm demeanor shaken. “We’d be playing with fire. How do we ensure it doesn’t spiral out of control? How do we make sure our children don’t get lost in the madness?”

Tide, who had been silently observing, finally spoke. “We need safeguards. We must be the unseen hands guiding these events, ready to intervene if things go too far. We can use illusions, controlled adversaries, and strategic planning to simulate these scenarios. But most importantly, we must ensure our children understand the purpose behind these trials.”

Flowua, seeing everyone in agreement, asked, “How and where should these scenarios be created without drawing attention?”

Maul’s eyes narrowed thoughtfully. “We’ll need isolated locations, places far from prying eyes where we can control the environment completely.”

Xerosis nodded. “Agreed. We should also consider creating artificial realms, using our powers to craft spaces tailored to specific trials. Illusions can mask these places from the outside world, ensuring secrecy.”

Roth shook his head at his sister’s words. “None of what you said is achievable by us right now. Maybe possible in the future, but right now it is impossible.”

Xerosis, hearing her brother’s words, calmed down before apologizing. “Sorry, I got too carried away.”

Ikem smiled at that before his expression turned serious. “You all seem to have a different idea and understanding of what I meant by bloodshed and madness.”

“With our children having knowledge of what they are about to do, putting them in these so-called isolated locations won’t give us the result we wanted. None of them will take it seriously; some might get carried away and start trying new things since they know it just isn’t real.”

Maul looked at Ikem. “So what do you propose, brother?”

Ikem closed his eyes before opening them, his expression cold and determined. “I propose we carry out a real live experiment, with the human kingdoms as our main location for the test.”

Ursula’s expression was filled with horror as she looked at Ikem, who noticed but hardened his heart. “We each find a human kingdom on our continent, send out a batch of our people to that kingdom, and at the same time have a time limit for how long they are to stay in the kingdom before heading back.”

“During this process, we can have our people pay attention to the batch sent out. They can watch their performance and decision-making along the way. If there are some among our people who don’t agree with the methods of the batch sent out, we can have those in disagreement sent out to deal with that batch.”

“We can pick capable watchers who will make sure things never spiral out of control. What do you all think?” Ikem asked as he looked at all his cousins.

The room fell into a tense silence after Ikem’s proposal. Each demigod contemplated the gravity and potential consequences of such an experiment.

Maul broke the silence, his voice measured. “Ikem, your idea is bold, but it carries immense risk. Involving human kingdoms means we’re not just dealing with our children’s reactions but the reactions of entire nations. The potential for chaos is enormous.”

Xerosis, now more composed, nodded in agreement. “Maul’s right. If we’re not careful, we could incite wars, destabilize regions, and create enemies on a scale we can’t manage.”

Roth added, “We must also consider the ethical implications. We’re essentially using humans as pawns in our experiment. How do we justify that to ourselves and to our children when they find out?”

Ikem’s gaze remained steady. “The human kingdoms are already on the brink of conflict with the coming of Björn’s religion. Our involvement could be seen as merely accelerating the inevitable. And as for the ethical implications, we must remember our primary goal: to prepare our children for the harsh realities they will face. A controlled, real-world environment will teach them far more than any simulation could.”

“Besides, I think it is better that we are the ones who incite the conflict, rather than Björn and his worshippers,” Ikem said with conviction.

Ursula, her face pale, interjected. “But Ikem, we’re not gods playing with pieces on a board. These are real lives at stake. The pain, the suffering—can we truly justify that by saying it’s for our children’s education?”

Ikem’s expression softened slightly as he turned to Ursula. “I understand your concerns, Ursula. But consider the alternative. If Björn’s influence continues to spread unchecked, the conflict will come regardless. Wouldn’t it be better if we could control the circumstances and mitigate the worst outcomes?”

Ursula, her initial horror giving way to a contemplative resolve, finally spoke. “If we are to proceed with this plan, we need to establish strict rules and boundaries. The watchers must be chosen with great care, ensuring they understand their role is to observe and intervene only when absolutely necessary.”

Roth nodded, his brow furrowed. “It’s a start. We could choose locations already prone to conflict, where our involvement might not be as disruptive but still offers a significant learning opportunity.”

After Roth’s words, Maul looked at him and said, “I couldn’t help but notice, but Roth and Xerosis have been quite attentive to the meetings compared to the past. Is there something you both aren’t telling us?”

Roth, hearing Maul’s words, laughed out loud. “Something good has indeed happened.”

Looking at his sister Xerosis, Roth said, “A bit late, but just like you guys, we have started our own path to the creation of a new race. For now, there are only ten of them called ’vampires.’”

Looking at Maul, Xerosis said, “Recently, we had a new enlightenment for the rapid expansion of our creation, and your mother, the Lady of the Moon and Motherhood, is required for her blessing.”

“At the moment, our race isn’t born naturally. Instead, we are limited by the number of humans captured and transitioned. If things work out, we will have a whole new race different from the vampires.”

The room fell into silence, the implications of Roth’s revelation settling over them, before smiles blossomed across the demigods’ faces as they sent their congratulations.

Maul raised an eyebrow. “Vampires, you say? And you wish to involve my mother in this creation process?”

Xerosis nodded. “Yes, Maul. Your mother’s blessing is essential for the rapid and natural propagation of our new race. Without it, we’re confined to transforming existing humans, which is neither efficient nor sustainable for long-term growth. We want to see if the current vampire can procreate with a human female, and with your mother’s blessing, the chances of that can be significantly improved.”

Ikem nodded to Roth’s words before stating, “Then you and Xerosis won’t be carrying out our new plan/experiment. It’s better you focus on your new growing race and leave the rest to us.”

Xerosis spoke up this time. “We appreciate your concern, cousin, but we still would like to oversee this plan. It isn’t useful to us now, but that doesn’t mean it won’t be in the upcoming future.”

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