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Trump returned to the Lakeview Estate, his excitement barely restrained.
Ivanka, long anticipating his arrival, greeted him eagerly. "Father, how did it go?"
Trump smiled faintly and nodded, and instantly, Ivanka's face lit up with excitement.
It was clear her father had secured a significant gain. The Trump family's revival was finally within reach.
"Ivanka… what about that one?"
At his words, Ivanka's excitement vanished, replaced by a trace of worry.
"That one… hasn't shown up in a long time. The last time I saw him, his expression wasn't good."
Trump's face shifted instantly, a mix of realization and shock.
At that moment, he knew for certain: one of the two who had caused a cataclysmic battle on American soil that night was his own family member.
His mind raced. That world-shattering, almost nuclear-level power—was it the strength of his family member alone, or the god behind them?
If it was the latter, that was one thing. But if it was the former… the problem was far worse.
A single apostle of a god could unleash such destructive power. Then how powerful must a true god be?
Images flashed in Trump's mind—Moses parting the Red Sea, the Great Flood, the creation of the world.
He drew in a sharp breath. Could it really be that a true god possessed the power to destroy the world?
"Hah."
A sound of laughter—mocking, playful—suddenly rang in their ears.
The sound was soft but struck like a hammer to their hearts.
A figure appeared beside them, though neither had noticed when he arrived, as if he had always been there.
Badel's gaze swept over them, deep and distant, like a god looking down on ants.
"Why do you persist in using your feeble thoughts to explain greatness you cannot comprehend?"
Trump and Ivanka's faces shifted immediately, and they bowed quickly.
"Apologies, Your Excellency. It is our fault."
Apologizing first was proper etiquette, even if they didn't truly understand what they had done wrong.
Badel remained impassive, shaking his head.
"You still do not understand. Gods do not care for your petty speculations, just as humans do not care what ants think beneath their feet. But your feeble attempts to gauge divine power from a single battle… it is laughable."
Trump shivered, his back suddenly damp with fear, the weight of terror pressing down on him.
Ivanka, however, smiled and stepped closer, gently massaging Badel's shoulder. "Please forgive our foolishness. We can only admire the greatness of the divine."
Badel nodded slightly. "Mortal thoughts are understandable. But sometimes, they are dangerously wrong. You may seek to glimpse divine power—that is fine. But you cannot think about it with such foolish, limited minds."
Ivanka leaned in slightly. "Then, Your Excellency… could you guide me? Teach the proper way to think?"
Badel paused for a few seconds before responding casually.
"In the eyes of a god, there are only two concepts: divine and mortal. Beneath the divine, all else are ants. Apostles like us are larger ants, blessed with a slight understanding of all things."
He paused, letting the words sink in.
Both Trump and Ivanka's eyes glimmered with intense curiosity. No mortal could resist wonder at the divine.
"Gods do not rank mortals, because it is meaningless. But apostles possess a system of recognition under the divine, a way to categorize: mortal, superhuman, and demigod."
"Mortal is obvious. Superhuman surpasses the limits of ordinary beings, divided into three tiers."
"Third-tier superhuman: strength beyond human limits, capable of lifting several tons and taking on a small armed squad alone."
"Second-tier superhuman: strength of dozens of tons, can shrug off most small arms, and single-handedly breach an armed base."
"First-tier superhuman: a one-person army, capable of decimating a force alone."
"The battle last night… was merely between two first-tier superhumans."
Trump and Ivanka's eyes widened.
The terrifying destruction they had witnessed was only the first tier of the superhuman scale. And above that? Demigods, and then true gods—the power unimaginable.
Badel continued.
"First-tier superhumans are formidable, but only the beginning. True strength begins when one transcends to demigod status, starting to approach godhood."
"Demigods… far stronger than first-tier superhumans?" Trump asked, barely breathing.
Badel's glance pierced him. "Stronger? You misunderstand. It is not a question of more or less. These are two completely different levels, two distinct dimensions."
"In the divine realm, a mortal who becomes a demigod can rule entire sectors, commanding several planets effortlessly. Among the most powerful demigods, one rules over five thousand worlds as a tyrant, another oversees a whole universe, functioning as its celestial police."
Trump and Ivanka both inhaled sharply, shock written across their faces.
They had expected gods to be strong, perhaps capable of world-ending power—but never realized that demigods alone were already terrifying beyond imagination.
Badel's final laugh cut through the tension.
"So never, ever use your feeble human minds to ponder the divine. When humans think, gods laugh. You think the world has never witnessed a miracle because it was too small to matter? Even apostles barely concern themselves with a single world, let alone true gods."
"....."