[The Private Office]
The background chatter and music of the gala disappeared from the room the moment the heavy door clicked shut, plunging it into a heavy, contemplative silence.
Stan Edgar's voice cut through the quiet, calm, and expectant.
"So?" Stan asked, watching his son closely.
"He's pathetic," Solomon stated flatly. "A kid starved for attention. Someone who believes they're so powerful that there's no use in even trying to be decent."
Stan raised an eyebrow, a flicker of amusement crossing his face. "You gleaned all that from a momentary interaction? True, he masks it poorly, but it is interesting how quickly you dissected that attention-starved man-child." He paused, swirling the ice in his glass. "Yet, you don't even know how powerful he truly is."
Solomon looked at his small hands. "If you're asking whether I think he could defeat me... right now, six times out of ten, I'd win."
Solomon found most "superheroes" in this world to be disappointing. So powerful, yet all they did was posture. This was truly a world of useless suffering, a world that Goetia would have felt justified in incinerating.
Solomon's face hardened. He promised himself he would steer the world in a better direction without destroying the planet. But first, he had to understand this new feeling in his chest.
An itch of wonder. A curiosity he had never felt in his past life, birthed by the man sitting across from him.
"Father," Solomon asked, looking up. "Why do you spend so much time working on the company and managing these pathetic heroes? You have enough money to retire and live the best life possible. We could even actually help people."
Stan didn't react immediately. He was used to his five-year-old's unnatural intelligence. He slowly set his drink down on the mahogany desk and adjusted his cufflinks.
"Helping people, Solomon, is a philanthropic endeavor. Perhaps it would make me sleep better at night or give momentary pleasure," Stan said, his voice as smooth and cold as polished marble. "But Vought? Vought is not a superhero company. It isn't even a pharmaceutical company."
He stood up and walked to the window, his shadow stretching over Solomon's chair.
"Vought's specialty is management. We took the most volatile, dangerous, and 'pathetic'—as you so accurately put it—elements of humanity and turned them into the most profitable commodities on the planet. We didn't just find a way to monetize gods; we found a way to own them."
Stan looked out at the glowing Vought sign atop the tower.
"You ask why I don't retire to a life of comfort? Because comfort is stagnant. True power is the ability to walk into a room with a man who can fly through the sun, and make him flinch simply because you hold his leash."
He turned back to Solomon, his eyes narrowing with a rare glint of genuine interest.
"You found a cure for cancer at four years old. That was a stroke of genius. I assume your goal in doing so is to help people, which is admirable. People work their entire lives to fulfill their goals. I have my own."
He walked over and leaned down, placing a hand on the arm of Solomon's chair.
"I intend to turn Vought into not only a powerful company but an Olympus on Earth. The thrill isn't the money. It is doing it in a world where legality and loopholes block my path. If I wanted, we could have Homelander take over the government by force tomorrow. But that... that would be boring."
Stan smiled—a small, razor-thin expression.
"I stay on the field, Solomon, because I am the one who decides what direction the world turns. The question isn't why I stay. The question is: why would I ever leave this position? The warm feeling of generosity is easily overshadowed by the adrenaline of ruling over monsters."
He checked his watch. A moment later, a Vought employee knocked softly at the office door.
"Are you ready to announce your plan to the world? I trust you didn't squander the opportunity I gave you to shock them truly. For the good of the company, of course."
Solomon stood up, smoothing his tuxedo.
"Yes, Father. Even you will be surprised."
[Solomon's Past Contemplations]
At first, Solomon thought it would be a repeat of his failed previous life, predictable, passive, and a waste of time.
It took a bit of time from birth, but around his first birthday, he awakened the abilities he had in his previous life; some of Goetia's abilities seemed to have come with him in his reincarnation as well.
Even in a world where beasts reigned, he was sure he could beat most of them. If recorded in a saint's graph, his stats would be along the lines of this, once he was fully grown.
[Strength A] [Endurance A] [Agility B] [Magical Power A++] [Luck A++] [Noble Phantasm A++]
Skills: Territory Creation (A) High-Speed Incantation (A) Tool Creation (C): Independent Manifestation (A): Nega Summon (EX) Summoning (EX) Revelation (B) Rings of Solomon (EX) Clairvoyance (EX)
With a mix of both his and Goetia's abilities, no one could challenge him in this world, let alone surprise him, not even including his noble phantasms and the powers his new body seemed to have.
However, in his distress and his dreams, the father spoke to him once more. Offering a revolution like never before.
Revelation(B)-->(EX) ( Evolved) In Use
"There was once a mortal who surprised even me, the lord god. Of course, he didn't surprise me in the sense that I didn't know it would happen, but this man, in choosing wisdom over all else, won a place in my heart. He was like no other sin-ridden human, truly worthy.
But a human is still a human in the end, old friend, I'm sorry for burdening you with such a responsibility, Solomon.
It's a bit weird not being able to see your reactions and followers, but you may be wondering why you're alive, or perhaps you already figured it out. I have allowed you to replace me in this universe, but I haven't brought you here to suffer the burden only I can carry.
I have left my subconscious to look over the universe in case you would like to get rid of your clairvoyance and other Abilities, to immerse yourself in the world truly.
Of course, you will be compensated for anything you choose to give up. But to make it enjoyable, I will make it all a random equivalent exchange.
At the moment you get this message, my will will be focused on you. Just think of what you want to give up, and it will be taken.
That day, his birthday, he was sitting in the luxurious crib his family had bought him. Solomon would choose his fate in this new world.
Tears welled up in his eyes thinking of what he had to go through to live even partially normally in the past, yet in the end, he was trapped by fate and erased. Yet his father had given him another chance; nothing was holding him back anymore. If he wanted to be special, he could live special without thought.
If he lived normally, he could be crushed and destroyed just like anyone else.
Contemplating his new existence, Solomon thought of what he would get rid of.
Clairvoyance (EX)
He got rid of his clairvoyance without thought; there was no need for thought. With such a strong clairvoyance, life was akin to fate; what would happen would happen. All things lead to a predictable end.
Nega Summon (EX)
This was the most obvious to get rid of after clairvoyance/ It was one of Goetia's skills that let him unsummon servants, but Solomon doubted he would face any in this world.
Ars Nova (D)
After the previous use of Ars Nova, there would now only be one Solomon ever to exist, and it was the one and only.
Ars Almadel Salomonis (EX)
Solomon decided to get rid of his strongest Noble Phantasm; there was no longer a use for such a destructive skill, and its EX rank would definitely offer a powerful alternative.
Revelation (EX)
Finally, Solomon decided to sever his connection to God's will, losing the ability to change the world's outcome through god. He would finally do things on his own terms.
There was no flash or brilliant display of power.
What he once had was gone and replaced by something new.
Gained Noble Phantasm: Ars Thaumaturgus Solomonis (EX) Brilliance of the Future (EX) Writer of Stories (B) Faith Collector (F) Item Creation: C → EX Territory Creation: A → EX
Despite giving up most of the wisdom god offered and his connection to god, Solomon would never forget the father who had given him so much.
[Backstage]
Heading to his position behind the curtain, Solomon took a deep breath and waved away the makeup artist offering a touch-up.
Who am I this time? He wondered, fidgeting his small hands together.
He couldn't reliably act like a child, wondering about the world at every turn, no matter how interesting Supes and their psychology were to him. But could he really go back to being an untouchable King in a grand temple?
Now that he could no longer see the future, the path ahead was invisible. He could be lazy and live life for pleasure and fun... or he could try his best to save the world from evil and those who would threaten its destruction as it came, without worrying about the end of the world at all times.
Seeing The Deep walk off the stage after his debut finished the thought for him.
The man in the green suit looked uncomfortable, smelling faintly of the harbor and various sea life even from so far away.
What an odd individual, Solomon thought.
He realized he would love to see how this world would play out without knowing the ending. Chills crawled up his arms and neck just thinking about the fascinating tale this world was weaving. And being at the top didn't necessarily mean he would be lonely; he could have fun and play with other Supes, while making sure to limit the suffering.
Steeling his heart with his new ambition, Solomon walked onto the stage.
"Let's give one last shout for the newest member of the Seven, the Deep everybody."
The room shook with applause, and Solomon felt outside himself as the floor thundered with stomps; he was finally back to where he once was, now as a human.
His mind went black as the announcer welcomed him to the stage.
" While our last guest was a new hero, an aquatic marvel who roams the deep of the ocean. Our next is Someone who has already saved many lives and promises to go beyond the mountain that is the seven.
" Welcome, our young Genius Solomon Edgar."
Solomon stepped into the light, his body on autopilot.
The noise washed over him. He walked to the center of the stage, the persona of the innocent prodigy slipping over him like a second skin.
"Good evening, everyone," Solomon said, his voice soft but amplified clearly.
He looked down at the front row. The top heroes and execs who probably thought it would be some Nepo baby announcing his brand new toy charity or cartoon show.
"I know it is jarring hearing this from a five-year-old," Solomon continued, "but last year, we officially found the cure for most types of cancer."
A genuine shout of joy erupted from the crowd.
"However," Solomon said, his tone shifting. The smile vanished. "Pharmaceuticals are a Vought endeavor. I will not participate in its distribution or further development. Instead, I will focus on something much more important."
He paused, letting the silence hang.
"My faith."
Confused murmurs rippled through the room. Stan Edgar didn't seem to be a religious person; his son's name, Solomon, was thought to be a cool name, not a reflection of faith.
"I look at the world," Solomon said, his voice gaining strength, "and I see those blessed with power. Power to bend the earth to their will. Power to mock the laws of physics and fly. But I also see... aimlessness."
He looked directly at Homelander and the all-powerful Seven.
"We focus on looking good and building our brand. We focus on punching the bad guys. But we don't focus on development. We have had Supes for years now, yet it's your scientists and engineers who put us on the moon, develop our cures, and structure our lives.
Solomon raised his small arms to the air. The mana inside him, which he had been secretly developing and getting used to in this world, flared in a golden air around him.
"Those blessed by god should not just be soldiers. They should be guides. And since this doesn't seem to be the case, we need someone to watch over the ordinary people of this world who suffer from the uselessness of our current Supes.
"Or rather," Solomon whispered, his eyes glowing with a sudden, red and golden light, " I shall become one, through the will of god."
The air in the ballroom rose twenty degrees as the laws of time tried their best to resist.
"I announce..."
Solomon slammed his palms together. The sound wasn't a clap, but a bell that rang in the soul of every person in New York City.
"Ars Paulina."
The ceiling of the ballroom opened, or dissolved, revealing the smoggy night sky over New York.
But that disgusting sky quickly vanished. And in its place, a rift of golden light tore the heavens open for the second time in history since the day of Solomon's birth.
The sky trembled, the oceans shook in a rage, as a Temple, outside of time and reality, forced itself into the physical world.
From the rift, it emerged.
Enormous gear-like structures made of steel and light rotated in the sky, supporting a floating island of white marble and gold. It was a Temple that dwarfed Vought Tower, a fortress of Magecraft that hummed with the power of about half of the 72 Demon Gods, purified and repurposed for creation.
[Skill Activated: Territory Creation (EX)]
The Grand Temple of Time anchored itself above Manhattan, casting a divine glow that turned the night into dawn.
Solomon looked up at his creation, then back at the terrified, awe-struck audience.
"God has granted me the authority to be king, but I shall not rule over this world as a King," Solomon declared. "I and my temple shall serve it as a Resource."
" Those who seek to learn and study the mysteries of this world will be welcomed, those who are in need of healing will be healed. And those in need of sanctuary will be housed.
In my new church of Solomon "