Playing As The Hero King At The End

In the 9th century BCE, a figure emerged in a Jewish royal family by the Mediterranean Sea. This figure held a pivotal position in human history, wielding immense influence. He was King Solomon, also known as the King of Wisdom.

During his reign, the kingdom reached its zenith. His armies were formidable, commerce flourished, and the grand Temple of the Heavenly God, along with the opulent royal palace, were constructed. Thus, he was regarded as the greatest king of ancient Judah.

Historically, Solomon ascended the throne at the age of 17. Ambitious and shrewd, he strengthened his position through strategic marriages. He wed the daughters and sisters of various kings, including the daughter of the Egyptian Pharaoh, forging alliances that bolstered his kingdom's power.

Under his rule, the kingdom expanded its borders to the northeast, reaching the Euphrates River, to the southeast, extending to the Gulf of Aqaba, and to the southwest, bordering Philistia and Egypt.

But were the historical records accurate?

[Current Progress: 50%. Acquired One-Time Skill: [Revelation]].

As these words appeared before him, Solomon who was in the midst of a council meeting, paused momentarily. He recalled that this skill allowed him to listen to the "Voice of Heaven" and take the most ideal action. For instance, if he were traveling, the skill would guide him to choose the optimal route. In essence, it would lead him to the best possible outcome in any endeavor.

Suddenly, a wave of dizziness washed over him, and his surroundings distorted. Instead of the council chamber, he found himself in a vast, white temple. Sensing something, he looked ahead and saw an enormous throne. Seated upon it was a giant figure clad in white robes, radiating intense holy light. Surrounding this figure were numerous beautiful, curvaceous beings with pure white wings—angels,

These angelic figures clung to the giant, their gazes filled with adoration. The giant figure was undoubtedly the Supreme God of the Heavenly Pantheon.

"Solomon, what is your wish?" the God asked, his voice gentle and kind, yet Solomon sensed an underlying coldness and detachment. The God's gaze felt as indifferent as if he were glancing at a mere pebble on the roadside.

Solomon responded without hesitation. 

"Wisdom."

This was his wish.

His calm demeanor and lack of reverence seemed to slightly displease the God, who exuded an aura of mild dissatisfaction.

"A wise choice. I shall grant you unparalleled wisdom," the God declared.

To others, this would have been a divine blessing, a great honor. But to Solomon, it felt like mockery and malice.

Malice?

In the next moment, the God waved his hand, and a golden light enveloped Solomon.

[Detecting unauthorized program implantation. This program contains hidden subconscious suggestions... Ultimately, it will turn the subject into a fanatical believer of the caster. Proceed with removal?]

So, this was the malice he sensed.

It was clear that most gods were merely playing games. If they truly wished to guide humanity, why resort to such underhanded methods? This God, bored and unwilling to intervene directly, had simply cast a brainwashing spell.

But if he was bored, why not ignore humanity altogether? Why go through the trouble of casting a spell to lead Solomon to glory? The answer was simple: pride. The God didn't want his pantheon's humans to appear inferior to those of other mythologies. It was all about vanity.

As the golden light enveloped him, a book fell from the God's lap. It wasn't a gift; rather, it had slipped from his knee as he waved his hand. As the book fell, its pages flipped open, revealing two specific pages to Solomon.

In the next moment, his vision blurred again, and he was back in the council chamber.

[Unauthorized program has been successfully removed.]

Solomon barely noticed the system notification, as his mind was overwhelmed with information. It felt as though something was being forcibly crammed into his brain, akin to a high fever. This wasn't the result of the program's removal but rather the activation of his one-time skill—[Revelation].

The moment the God granted him "wisdom," Solomon had activated [Revelation], focusing on his deepest desire. The book's fall had been no accident; it was the skill's doing, allowing him to glimpse the two pages that held the key to his ambitions.

One page contained a chant—a spell to summon something. Normally, a human would spend a lifetime trying to decipher its meaning. But under the effect of [Revelation], Solomon's mind worked at an accelerated pace, decoding the spell's meaning. However, this wasn't enough. The spell was divine, and Solomon needed to figure out how to cast it as a mortal.

"Your Majesty? Are you alright?"

"Your Majesty!"

The council members grew concerned as Solomon's nose began to bleed.

"I'm fine," he managed to say, taking a deep breath before smiling. He had succeeded in deciphering the spell.

To cast it, he would need to tap into a realm of power previously inaccessible to humans—the divine. Through [Revelation], Solomon had gained insight into the world's phenomenon manipulation arts—magic.

With that, he concluded the council meeting and began preparations to cast the spell. It was a ritual designed to summon and control a specific demon—a puppet spell.

Two figures returned to the 9th century BCE, to the "Kingdom of Judah", a nation by the Mediterranean Sea.

"So, this is the holy land of that massive religion," **Gray** murmured, looking around like an excited child. This city, and this era, would have a profound impact on future generations. For its time, the construction of such a city was nothing short of remarkable.

"Huh? Sister, wait up!" Gray called out, realizing that "Brynhildr" had already walked ahead without her.

Brynhildr strode down the bustling streets, observing the lively city. Merchants from various lands moved about, clearly satisfied with their trade and eager to expand their businesses. The local residents seemed content with their lives, and the city exuded prosperity.

Soon, they reached the palace. Given their previous encounter with "Gilgamesh", who had sensed their presence, and the suspicious nature of this situation, the two maintained a safe distance. Brynhildr couldn't shake the feeling that the "Four Supreme Pillars" had deliberately lured her into summoning Solomon. But why? If she entered the "Akashic Records" to witness history, wouldn't their deception be exposed?

The Four Supreme Pillars couldn't possibly think she was that foolish, could they? They must have anticipated her actions. Perhaps entering the historical record was part of their plan, and something sinister awaited her.

Suddenly, Brynhildr's expression changed as she recalled an incident from the past. Two gods had been at odds, and one had tampered with the Akashic system while the other was inside, trapping them in an endless loop of historical records. Although only a few days passed in the divine realm, the trapped god experienced an eternity, nearly driving them to madness.

Could the same happen to her? Brynhildr quickly checked the system's logout function. It seemed unaffected, but she remained cautious.

"Sister, what's wrong?" Gray asked, confused as they returned to the Akashic Chamber.

"Nothing," Brynhildr replied, closing her eyes. After a moment of silence, they re-entered the historical record.

Had she been overthinking it? Unlikely. She had secretly contacted another Valkyrie sister to monitor the Akashic Chamber while she and Gray were inside.

"That's Solomon? He seems... gentle," Gray remarked, her voice tinged with admiration. Solomon was undeniably handsome, with silver-gray hair and a charming, approachable demeanor. In contrast, Gilgamesh's aura of indifference and his disregard for the gods had always unnerved Gray.

Brynhildr observed Solomon for an entire day, but nothing seemed amiss. His activities as a human king were entirely normal—attending councils, managing state affairs, negotiating with foreign envoys. He was a diligent and capable ruler, striving to strengthen his kingdom.

A week passed in the historical record, then a month. Solomon was now outside the palace, seemingly at leisure. Another month later, he was bidding farewell to soldiers heading to war. By the next month, the neighboring kingdom had been annexed.

A year later, in the dead of night, Solomon was alone in a grand hall within the palace. His behavior was peculiar—he was drawing on the floor. Circles, pentagrams, suns, moons, stars, and strange symbols.

Brynhildr's expression grew serious. What Solomon was drawing shouldn't have been within the realm of human knowledge.

"Sister, is that... a magic circle?" Gray asked uncertainly.

Brynhildr didn't respond immediately, her face a mask of shock. "Is this a coincidence?" she muttered.

"Do you recognize that magic circle, Sister?" Gray pressed.

Brynhildr took a moment to compose herself. "No, I don't. Or rather, it resembles a magic circle I know, but it's not the same."

The magic circle Brynhildr was familiar with was a "hexagram", used to awaken the "Divine Circuit"—a ritual to elevate demigods to full godhood. The circle Solomon had drawn was a "pentagram", with the sun and moon symbols reversed, and the runes arranged differently.

The magic circle Brynhildr knew was used to elevate demigods to gods, allowing them to touch the "fabric of the universe". But such a ritual was deadly for humans. Only those who passed rigorous trials could withstand its power and ascend to godhood.

Could Solomon's version of the circle actually work? If so, what would its effect be?

Brynhildr had a wild, almost absurd suspicion.

Could that absurd suspicion become reality?

From any angle, Brynhildr found it impossible. The divine ascension circle was the product of unimaginable divine wisdom. For a mere human like Solomon to replicate it was akin to a monkey building a spaceship to the moon.

She watched intently as a circular opening in the ceiling revealed the night sky. The full moon aligned perfectly with the opening, casting its light directly onto the magic circle below. It was midnight.

Brynhildr's body tensed, her eyes wide with disbelief.

The magic circle seemed to absorb the moonlight, dimming the surroundings while the circle itself glowed with a silvery light. Solomon, standing at the center, was covered in glowing runes that spread across his body. The runes appeared to be forcing their way into his skin, and Solomon trembled, sweat pouring down his face.

This scene was eerily similar to a divine ascension ritual, with one key difference: divine ascension occurred at noon, under the blazing sun.

"Sister, is he... trying to become a god?" Gray asked, her voice trembling.

"It can't be," Brynhildr replied. The energy required for divine ascension would obliterate a human. Solomon was using the moon's energy instead. Moonlight, though derived from the sun, was far weaker, making it a safer alternative.

The ritual seemed to be concluding. The magic circle's light faded, and the runes on Solomon's body disappeared—or rather, they sank into his skin. Solomon appeared more at ease, even pleased. Had the experiment succeeded?

He raised his hand, palm up, as if holding something. At first, there was nothing, but then tiny points of light began to gather, multiplying until they formed a small flame. The flame flickered and transformed into a swirling orb of water, which then turned into a vortex of wind.

"Sister, is this... magic?" Gray asked, her voice strained.

"Yes," Brynhildr replied. "But not just any magic. This is "reality-altering magic"—magic that can kill."

Gray's jaw dropped. "Then... it's true magic?"

Indeed, it was. Solomon, a mere human, had touched the divine realm. This was more extraordinary than the feats of **Hercules**, the demigod Gray idolized. Hercules had completed twelve impossible labors, earning his place among the gods. Yet, Solomon's achievement surpassed even that.

"Could this have been granted by a god?" Gray wondered aloud.

Brynhildr didn't respond, though she shared the same doubt. She rewound the historical record, observing Solomon's numerous experiments—many of which involved criminals as test subjects.

Gray gasped, covering her mouth to stifle a scream. The failed experiments were horrifying—subjects' bodies exploding like balloons. This ruled out the possibility of divine intervention. Solomon had clearly developed this magic through his own intellect.

Brynhildr couldn't believe that Solomon had created the circle entirely from scratch. He must have seen the divine ascension circle and adapted it for human use. Even so, his achievement was staggering.

The gods had always believed that humans could never comprehend the "truth of the universe". Even they had failed to create a circle that allowed humans to touch the divine. For a human to become a god, they had to either be born as a demigod or consume divine blood. Directly ascending through a magic circle had always resulted in death.

Did this mean that Solomon's wisdom surpassed that of the gods?