I Reborn as a God Within a Statue, And You Ask Me to Enslave All Gods?-Chapter 124 --A New Godhood Rank, James Rejoices

Although the system’s reward was indeed generous—especially the inclusion of a sliver of Dantean Hell’s rune, which held incredible allure—Owen managed to suppress the excitement stirring within him.

This world was rife with danger, and Dantean Hell was even more treacherous!

With the enormous advantage he currently possessed, as long as he played it safe and avoided reckless moves, he could maintain a substantial lead over the other deities.

For Owen, survival was the top priority. As long as he could stay alive, he could rely on the hundredfold tributes from his followers to outpace other gods in ascension and continue acquiring more and better resources.

"At this point, the area around Black Iron has been mostly explored. Only four Aberrations remain, all of which are merely tier-5. A bit disappointing compared to tier-6s," Owen murmured to himself with a touch of regret.

Still, he knew very well that his gains had already been immense.

After all, he had accumulated 1,110 order fragments, including 100 of the first-tier.

That amount of order fragments—other gods likely didn’t even have a fraction of what he did.

"With this many order fragments, should I consider elevating some Vassal Gods?"

Owen spoke softly to himself.

But after a moment of contemplation, he shook his head slightly.

Although Vassal Gods were incredibly useful—especially in Divine Wars, where they could play crucial roles—he wasn’t in urgent need of more Vassal Gods at the moment.

Not to mention that he already had the Water God James and the Earth God Tommy under his command, the Infernal Envoys could also combine into a Reaper Form, essentially giving him the combat power of three Vassal Gods.

To elevate more at this time wouldn’t just be unnecessary—it might also send the wrong message, making others believe that becoming a god was something easily achievable, which could negatively affect future faith propagation.

More importantly, both James and Tommy had special attributes—James carried original human faith, and Tommy had quickly ascended to B-rank Devotee. This allowed Owen to grant them Divine Thrones with far fewer order fragments.

So after weighing all options, Owen decided it would be more beneficial to focus on upgrading the Divine Thrones of his current Vassal Gods.

After all, Vassal Gods were quite different from Ancient Gods. Their advancement didn’t rely on divine points but rather on order fragments.

James, with his original faith, and Tommy, as a B-rank Devotee, both had unique qualities that dramatically reduced the cost of their promotion.

With that thought in mind, Owen turned his gaze toward the Water God James.

Immediately, divine points began to converge upon James.

...

As Owen activated the divine point flow, James felt it the moment it began. Instantly, his expression turned reverent as he looked toward the direction of the temple.

Under the influence of the divine point, he could feel a subtle loosening in his Godhood rank—a sign of impending breakthrough.

More importantly, he noticed that as divine points gathered in his domain, the rivers and streams began to flow faster and with more clarity. The elemental energy they radiated grew stronger and more abundant.

Clearly, Deus Initium was exerting divine effort to aid him!

Realizing this, James’s breath quickened.

He knew full well what this meant.

As a Vassal God, he understood the significance behind such divine empowerment.

"O great Deus Initium, your humble Devotee offers praise unto you!"

As James knelt with increasing reverence, Owen’s voice echoed within his mind:

"James, even when you were alive, you were devoted to humanity. Your current status as a Vassal God is the result of the hopes and dreams you carried for mankind. I hope you will continue to hold true to that path. Everything—for humanity!"

Hearing Owen’s words, James immediately dropped to one knee before the temple, eyes filled with unshakable resolve.

"O great Deus Initium, James shall follow your guidance faithfully!"

"For humanity!"

"No matter how perilous the road ahead, no matter how chaotic the future may become, I shall never forget my original purpose, nor the inspiration you have bestowed upon me!"

"Humanity shall rise again through suffering!"

His voice rose in fervor, echoing into the sky like an oath.

And as those solemn words rang out, the rivers within his domain trembled as if responding to history’s witness, roaring in unison with jubilation.

Swoooosh!

At that very moment, everyone living near rivers and lakes around Annasi Town saw the water surge forward like wild beasts unleashed.

The rivers grew deeper and more transparent, and the elemental energy flowing from them intensified noticeably.

From a distance, the river surfaces were now cloaked in a gentle, snow-white mist—radiant and serene, like a scene from Heaven itself.

"What’s going on? Why did the rivers suddenly change so dramatically?"

"It’s not just one river! All the waterways around town are swelling, and the flow is much faster now. It’s like... it’s like a metamorphosis is taking place!"

"Look—look over there! It’s the Water God! It’s Water God James!"

Suddenly, a villager pointed toward the mist above the river and shouted in astonishment.

Hearing the outburst, everyone turned to look—and there they saw it.

Within the vast fog stretching between earth and sky, the divine form of James—his body composed of interwoven currents—was rapidly growing in size.

The waters pouring in from all directions strengthened his divine body, which then released mist that turned into gentle rain, dispersing back into the lakes and rivers and forming a powerful elemental cycle.

As this cycle began, not only did the rivers and lakes expand, but the water became even purer and sweeter. The plants and trees lining their banks thrived under the nurturing aura. The air itself now carried a refreshing, natural fragrance.

The farmland around the waterways, cleared and cultivated by the villagers, flourished under the mist and rain—crops growing visibly before their eyes.

Corn, potatoes, and other produce not only grew more robustly but were already beginning to bear fruit.

"Water God James!"

The entire town erupted into cheers.

Though they didn’t know why the Water God had triggered such a miraculous phenomenon, the impact on their lives was undeniable.

They could already tell—this year’s harvest might be double or even triple that of years past!

Most of them were honest farmers. For them, a season of timely rain and bountiful crops was the greatest blessing imaginable.

Soon, crowds of villagers gathered at Owen’s temple, bowing in devout worship toward Deus Initium.

They had never forgotten—it was Deus Initium who brought James, the Water God, and granted him divine authority.

Their town had once been impoverished and fragile, constantly on the verge of collapse. But now? It flourished with prosperity and stability.

All of it—every transformation—had come from Deus Initium.

Smiles of gratitude and hopeful anticipation bloomed on every face.

...

Inside the statue of the god.

Owen looked down at the increasingly vast and interconnected network of rivers and lakes, and a satisfied smile appeared on his face.

Originally, he had feared that the flooding of these water bodies might cause disruptions to the daily lives of the town’s residents.

But to his surprise, the enhancement was a spatial transformation.

Though the rivers grew more numerous, wider, and more powerful, it was merely a shift in the dimensions of space itself—and it posed no threat to the village whatsoever.