Chapter 296: Killing A God’s Projection
“My Sky Severing Blade is broken?”
Christina looked at the broken sword in her hand, blinked, and confirmed it once again as if she could not believe it.
The blade, which had previously shone with a frigid glow, dimmed at that point, and there were evident fissures in the blade, reminding her that all of that was real. That was one of the four great platinum-tier weapons in the kingdom, and while it lacked the strongest defense, it was not easily destroyed. One had to be at the peak of the platinum tier if they wanted to destroy the blade.
Was Watson at the peak of platinum-tier?
Christina knew that Watson was stronger than her when she fought him. However, she did not expect Watson to be that much stronger than her. She finally understood what he meant when he said that he was not in the mood to play. If he were serious, then she might not even be able to block a single move.
That was it.
Watson let go of two fingers on his right hand and allowed the half blade to fall into the church’s smooth ground.
Then, he took a step forward. An undisguised violent aura was emitted from his body. The church was filled with a layer of holy power that did not dissipate due to the constant prayers. However, the storm stirred from Watson’s body had blown those away.
“What level is he? Why is his aura so terrifying?”
Waldo, who was hiding behind Arthas, saw Watson at that very moment. His body trembled. Something suppressed his instincts as if he would kneel at any moment.
Even Arthas felt suffocated. As the pope, not only did he have the strength of a gold-tier elite, but he also often communicated with the gods. His heart was strong, but he still feared Watson.
Watson was not tall, but Arthas felt like an ant beneath his feet. If his opponent raised his leg, he could easily crush him to death.
Cold sweat slid down his forehead. If Christina had not stopped him, he would have attacked Watson, and if that had happened, he would have died a horrible death.
“Watson, you—”
When Watson approached her, Christina’s hand that was holding the broken sword trembled. She was about to say something when Watson interrupted her. “Move.”
It was only two words, but it was filled with supreme authority.
Christina subconsciously took two steps backward to make way for Watson, but he did not stop. He walked toward Arthas.
“Leon is my partner in the Blood Rose adventurer team, and he’s also my friend. Bullying my friend is equivalent to bullying me! You said that mentioning the Demoness Cult is disrespectful to the King and the Holy Dragon Kingdom and that it’s rude. You also said that I would suffer consequences that I couldn’t bear. I want to know about those consequences.
“Kid, even though I don’t know how you broke the swordmistress’ weapon, but this is the St. Antilles Cathedral, a place protected by the kingdom’s rules and the gods. I advise you not to be too arrogant.”
Arthas was afraid, but he wanted to keep his dignity.
“You may have misunderstood something. I’m not being arrogant; I’m just stating a fact! If I wanted to deal with someone, then no one would be able to save him, no matter the king or the gods in the heavens.”
Watson’s simple words were like thunder that rumbled in the entire hall.
Boom!
As soon as his voice fell, the cathedral burst with light. Suddenly, the murals on the ceiling moved on their own. A holy aura fell from the distant stars into the cathedral. It turned into the phantom of an illusory god with countless light wheels behind him.
“Lowly Mortal, you dare to be disrespectful to the gods. The heavens will punish you!”
“Boy, it seems like your words have offended the gods. If you take them back now, it’s still not too late to kneel, repent, and admit your mistake.” Waldo laughed when he saw the phantom in the sky.
Usually, the gods would not take the initiative to communicate with them when they were not in prayer. However, it looked like Watson’s words had actually caused the gods to descend. One could tell how disrespectful his words had been. No matter his strength, he would be obedient under the gods’ control.
“Those so-called gods are just a group of existences whose realms and lifeforms are higher than ordinary people. I don’t care if they put on airs in front of other people, but they dare to act so mysteriously in front of me?”
Watson raised his head to look at the sky, his gaze fixed on the phantom that had appeared in the sky. As he spoke, a halo that symbolized Absolute Reflection appeared above his head. Six pure white wings extended from his back, and feathers fluttered down.
Amidst the flying holy feathers, the Great Sin Beast’s phantom appeared faintly, roaring toward the sky.
Holy and evil, light and darkness—completely different powers surged through his body.
A platinum-tier magical beast could be called a mythical creature. Watson’s body hid more than one mythical creature—the Great Sin Beast and the gods he activated with the 24 astrological tarot cards that he could transform into dozens of mythical creatures.
The phantoms of those creatures appeared around Watson as if they were creatures from heaven, and Watson was the king of all gods. The phantom of the God of Light, Baldur, looked so much more barren than Watson’s phantoms of many mythical creatures. They looked like mortals.
“I can feel the aura of the angel species. So you are also a person who has stepped into the godly realm, as per the ancient contract. The Holy Dragon Kingdom is under the protection of the seven gods, including the God of Light. If you want to obtain the power of faith, then you should go to the land that has not yet been signed with any contract. You have crossed the line.”
“Power of faith? Crossed the line?”
Watson shook his head. After the God of Light saw his angel form, he seemed to treat him as part of the gods. His words contained a lot of information, but Watson could not understand the context.
“I have no idea what you are talking about; go away!”
Watson shook his head and cast the gold-tier curse, Instant death, that he had been holding in his right hand into the God of Light’s Phantom.
He had just fused that curse, so he did not know how to use it properly. The swordmistress was a platinum-tier elite, so the curse would not kill her. As for Arthas and Waldo, he only wanted to punish them. It was too much to use the curse on them. He finally found a use for the gold-tier curse when the god’s projection descended to the mortal land.
Swish!
When the gold-tier curse touched the God of Light’s projection, it turned black and shattered into pieces. Baldur was a god, so his strength was higher than the diamond tier. However, that was not his true form; it was only an illusion. That was why it could not withstand a single blow from Watson.
“Your power had fusion rules! You are not merely a mortal who has entered the gods’ domain; you are—” Before he could continue speaking, the God of Light’s projection had dissolved into dust.
As the projection dissipated, the murals on the ceiling cracked open. The originally exquisite paintings were shattered, and the paint on them gradually faded.
“He killed a god’s projection?”
Waldo screamed during the quake. He could no longer hold it in, and his knees buckled as he knelt on the ground.
Even a god was no match for him. Who could protect him from Watson?
Chapter 297: The Discussion Of The Kingdom’s Higher-ups
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
“Something terrible has happened, Your Holiness! Cracks have appeared on all the statues in our church’s prayer room.”
“Those people who were in the middle of prayers have all suffered various injuries. And we can’t feel any connection with the gods.”
Not long after the church mural was destroyed, a few priests dressed in black prayer clothes suddenly rushed in from the outside. They looked fearful.
Watson was in the bishop’s room. Typically, only the pope and the seven bishops could enter the room. However, Waldo had loaned money to Leon, and they did not want other people to hear about that. So, even though the fight had caused a big commotion, not many people had gone there.
The prayer rooms were used for business. No matter one’s identity, they could use the room if they paid for it. Those were the rooms that the priest had meant.
“What on earth happened? The statues are fine. But how did it crack? And why can’t we sense any connection to the gods?”
Arthas panicked after he heard the report from his subordinates. He gave his orders and then tried to communicate with the gods. Finally, he realized that the gods were not responding to his prayer. His head was dizzy.
A priest’s authority came from the gods’ protection. Without those, they would be nothing.
“It’s him! It must be him!” Waldo was scared silly. He pointed at Watson. “He must have killed the gods, so the gods no longer protect us. We are doomed.”
Arthas, Christina, and Leon looked at Watson with a strange expression.
Even though Waldo’s words were a little crazy, they felt that he was right because they thought the same.
“Hey, why are you looking at me like that? I only killed a projection; I did not kill the god. The god you believe in won’t be so cheap. Just because I killed one of his projections, he cancels his protection for you?”
Watson spread his hands and defended himself.
“Let’s not talk about that for now. Let’s go and check if everyone has lost the god’s protection. If someone still has it, let that person pray and see what happens.”
Arthas could not be bothered to continue pestering Watson. He turned around and ran out, shouting orders.
It was a memorable day for the City of Steel, and it was also a distinctive day for the kingdom. All the statues that people worshipped had cracked open, and all priests and cultivators had lost their connection with the gods. The situation lasted for half a day.
Although they had established their connection with the god again, all the priests in the kingdom were panicking. What was that inexplicable connection loss? Would it happen again in the future? If it were to happen frequently, they would be in great danger.
One could imagine what would happen if they lost their connection to the gods while fighting with powerful magical beasts in the maze.
They would not even be able to release any blessings or curses. Under such circumstances, they would most likely end up in the magical beasts’ stomachs.
Many priests were already considering whether they should switch to another profession?
....
A few hours before that, in the Holy Dragon Kingdom’s capital, which was an unknown distance away from the City of Steel.
The capital had always been the largest and most luxurious city in the Holy Dragon Kingdom. It was located in the center of the entire kingdom. Tens of millions of residents lived on the vast land, and several small towns spread out in a radial shape. Each town was arranged into a ring shape, and at the end of it was a wall that was more than a hundred meters high.
There were nine such tall walls, which formed nine huge circles that protected the capital. Even if the Holy Dragon Kingdom were breached, the capital would never be destroyed if the nine walls did not collapse.
At that moment, in the royal palace at the center of the city, the upright middle-aged emperor, Landhar III, sat on the tall throne. His fingers tapped on the legs of the chair gently as he listened to his ministers’ reports.
“Your Majesty, just a moment ago, a riot broke out in the city. An unknown force had destroyed all the statues and idols in the Church of Light! It’s not just the city. I heard that churches in the nearby towns were also destroyed. The news from further places hasn’t reached us yet, but I’ve already sent people to investigate. It’s obvious that this is a premeditated attack against the church.”
The man who spoke was in thick black armor. The armor chest was engraved with a soaring golden dragon. He was a human, but that man was at least three meters tall. He had a buzz cut, and his face was full of whiskers. He exuded a terrifying aura that was as immovable as a mountain.
The man’s name was Hoen, and he was one of the platinum-tier elites in the kingdom. His nickname was the Kingdom’s Wall. He was not only a swordsman, but he was also proficient in earth-elemental magic. He could create nine layers of barriers with just a sword, and they would not be inferior to the high walls outside the kingdom. He was also the commander of all the soldiers in the kingdom.
“General Hoen, are you sure that this is an attack on the church? Or has something gone wrong with the gods?”
“If someone wanted to attack all the churches simultaneously, they would need a spell that could cover an area of millions of kilometers. At the same time, they would also need to conduct a test to prevent it from hitting anyone other than the churches. General, do you think that you can do that?”
The moment Hoen’s voice fell, another white-haired old man in the hall, who was leaning on a cane, asked in puzzlement.
The old man’s name was Macrotov. He was the kingdom’s only prime minister, and he was also a well-known intellectual. If Hoen was the leader of all the generals, then Mcrotov was the leader of civil officials and ordinary nobles.
“Macrotov, don’t be ridiculous. The gods left this world because they were too powerful. So, they went to a wider realm. No one can attack all the churches at the same time. Perhaps it was someone who can affect the gods?” Hoen glanced at the old man. “Report!”
The civil officials and generals had always been on good terms. They had different thinking because of their different origins. It was the same case with the two leaders.
“Someone must have attacked the churches in the kingdom. General Hoen’s guess is correct. He didn’t say that one person had done it. Maybe it was a gang? I suspect that it was done by the remnants from the Demoness Church. They are still holding a grudge against the church because their sect was destroyed.”
“You’re wrong. If one person did not do it, how could they strike at the same time? Even a well-trained army wouldn’t be able to strike at the same time from a great distance. Furthermore, the church’s defense forces in other cities are also different. How did those terrorists sneak into the city? It is even more impossible to say that it was done by remnants from the Demoness Church. Back then, His Majesty had personally sent people to destroy the Demoness Church. Do you doubt His Majesty’s ability? In my opinion, Macrotov’s guess is more reliable.”
Under the leadership of those two people, dozens of civil servants and generals in the hall were divided into two factions and began to quarrel violently.
Cough. Cough.
At that moment, they heard a cough from the hall. The sound was not loud, but it had suppressed all the discussion in the hall.
The man sitting on the throne stood up. A few maidservants held his long imperial up. Everyone lowered their heads, not daring to look at the face of the kingdom’s ruler.
“I have asked you to discuss the attack on the churches’ statues, but you are only discussing the reason. That is not important at all. What’s important is the result! The attack on the churches had caused all the priests in the kingdom to lose their connection with the gods. Everyone is waiting eagerly for a solution. I only want one solution. Do you understand what to do next?”
The thick voice spread evenly throughout the hall, bringing pressure to everyone who heard it. Even someone as powerful as Hoen could not help but break out in a cold sweat. He said, “His Majesty has taught us that we’d be stupid to argue over useless things.”
“One hour. I will only give you that much time. If you still haven’t found a solution when the time is up, then I will have no choice but to remove a group of useless people from the hall.”
His calm words caused the temperature in the hall to drop by quite a bit; one would feel as if an ice cellar would pierce their bones.
Chapter 298: The Terrifying King
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
“Your Majesty, the strategy has been devised. Macrotov’s plan is for the generals to dispatch personnel to each city to investigate any unusual characters. And they wanted to find the Astrologer who had been absent for a few months. The Astrologer had the star tarot cards, which can be used to establish contact with the gods and study one’s future! At the very least, the Astrologer’s tarot card provides an opportunity to communicate with other gods and ascertain what is going on. If that fails—”
It had been more than half an hour since the talk in the hall. Hoen stood in a magnificent bedroom; his head lowered as he looked at the King, who sat cross-legged on the bed in loose casual attire.
The King, who had just reprimanded his ministers in the hall, held an ancient scroll in his hand and was reading it slowly. His impeccably groomed face was not as commanding as that of a common ruler. Rather than that, it was delicate and beautiful. Except for a few strands of white hair at his temples, the remainder of his hair was pale gold.
Two barely clad women sat cross-legged behind the king. One of them massaged the King’s shoulders and legs, while the other carried a fruit dish and delicately peeled the fruit before placing it in his mouth.
If Vermillion Town’s acting mayor, Lophis, were there, he would undoubtedly exclaim in amazement, for the woman peeling the fruit was none other than Adele, Vermillion Town’s former mayor. Of fact, Adele’s real name was Emma.
Emma’s face was lavishly adorned. As she fed the King, she murmured, coquettishly, “Your Majesty, this is a unique fruit grown near the border. It is known as the Crystal Grape. I purposefully brought it here from Vermillion Town. Don’t you think it’s delicious?”
“It’s not bad.”
King Landhar III nodded as he chewed on a grape. His gaze was fixed on the book in his hand. “So, Hoen, what are you trying to say? What are those civil officials going to do if they can’t reach the gods using tarot cards?”
“If that fails, Your Majesty, we can only change the church’s beliefs, just as you did ten years ago with the Demoness Church! This may take several months and may wreak havoc on the kingdom. But it is our last resort.”
That was all to it.
Hoen’s voice was barely audible when he noticed the King had closed his book abruptly. Two palpably icy gazes were directed at him, causing him to break out in a cold sweat.
As the King’s confidant, he was there to speak with the King, following the parliament’s conclusion. He knew how the King worked. Anyone who disobeyed him would face a fate worse than death, as he had witnessed far too many times. As a platinum-tier elite, he was obligated to show his respect for the King.
“Your Majesty, I didn’t mean to mention the Demoness Church. I just—”
“It is all right, Hoen. As far as I am aware, you have worked diligently and never slacked off. I have no intention of blaming you.”
The icy gaze ceased. King Landhar III straightened his shoulders and rose from his bed. “I’m surprised that Macrotov would think this way. After all, the royal family has long dominated the Holy Dragon Kingdom’s rule. In recent years, the Holy See’s strength has grown too swiftly, to the point where some people are already dissatisfied! Those are Macrotov’s ideas. I wonder about your views on the matter.”
“Your Majesty, my thoughts are similar to Macrotov’s,” Hoen replied after a few moments of hesitation.
As the commander of the generals, he was not very gifted with the use of his intellect. Additionally, Macrotov’s strategy was flawless, and he could not think of anything to improve it. He was unsure whether such a reaction would enrage the King, so he peeked at him nervously.
Suddenly, a palm landed on his trembling shoulders.
“Hoen, you have been by my side for a long time. You have been with me since I was a prince, haven’t you? Do you know why I have given you the position as the commander?
“I understand. Your Majesty wishes to prevent the formation of parties and private interests among the country’s great noblemen, which would result in an imbalance of power endangering the imperial power.”
Sweat trickled down Hoen’s brow, but he refrained from wiping it.
“So you do know. And your answer to the question just now was similar thoughts to Macrotov’s. Is that so?”
“I apologize, Your Majesty. I believe that Macrotov’s and the others’ plans are a little out of place. I would like to return to them and have a good talk with the generals to ascertain the weaknesses in their plans.”
Hoen was well aware that he did not get his position by being friends with the King, but the King had wanted a pawn to oppose civil officials and the noblemen.
His role was to challenge civil officials, no matter what the other party said. There was no need for him to have his own judgment. That pawn could be called Hoen or any other name.
“Your Majesty, you’ve frightened Commander Hoen from the time he approached you. He appears to be sweating profusely. If this continues, I believe he will not be able to talk. Why don’t we change the subject and let him unwind?”
Emma rose and set the fruit platter down behind King Landhar III. She leaned in close to him and spoke in a sweet tone.
“That is quite reasonable.” King Landhar III shifted his gaze to Emma’s nose and poked it. He leaned back in his bed and positioned himself across from the sofa. “Hoen, we are old acquaintances. There is no reason to be so formal in my presence. Take a seat.”
“Certainly, Your Majesty.”
Hoen sat down; he had not dared to wipe his sweat until then.
“As my most beautiful treasure, Emma, is there anything you would like to share with me while you were at the border?”
“Certainly, Your Majesty. I’ve discovered some extremely dangerous signs near the border.”
“Oh? What signs?”
“I saw the Dragonspine Snow Mountain collapsed. Not long after that, a mysterious path to Vermillion Town was paved with platinum-tier ore. The path led to an incomparably gorgeous mountain peak that appeared to include more than half of the areas on the border.”
Emma leaned against the side of Landhar III; her pupils dilated with a tinge of panic. “I am not exaggerating, Your Majesty. At the border, the entire landmass has flown into the sky, and underneath it is an endless sea...”
She gave a quick account of what she had witnessed at the border. Her description was centered on Blackmoon Town and Watson. King Landhar III listened intently.
“Are you claiming that the tremendous transformation at the border is connected to Blackmoon Town and a youngster named Watson?”
“It is unusual that the border count would suddenly compel all villages to submit to Blackmoon Town. After all, Blackmoon Town is a relatively new force, and Watson is the town’s youngest and most brilliant young master. He was barely ten years old that year. According to what I have heard, he is related to the border count—”
Emma wanted to continue, but the King patted her shoulder abruptly. “Emma, you have been talking for such a long time; you must be exhausted. Go to the store and purchase some fruit wine.” Then he turned around and cast a glance at another maid.
Emma and the other woman exited the bedroom quietly, nodding respectfully.
King Landhar III grimaced as he watched Emma leave. He chuckled. “Platinum-tier ore paved road, a divine mountain in the sky... What significant events! The former queen’s younger brother appears to be rather energetic. Even the people I sent to deal with the magical beasts in the winter could not divert his attention. And what role did the young man named Watson have in it? Emma had moved back here before she could complete her task. Moriarty, on the other hand, had been successful in destroying the Dragonspine Snow Mountain. But his soldiers had vanished.”
“An ordinary person can’t kill a peak platinum-tier elite.
Additionally, someone at the border had created a seventh element that did not belong to the world. Even the Astrologer who had not stepped a foot outside the Temple of the Stars in recent years were drawn to the border. It appears as though there have been some unexpected changes at the border recently.”
King Landhar III was preoccupied with a thought. His brilliant eyes clouded abruptly. “By the way, Hoen, are you unhappy with me for allowing Emma to stay at the border for so many years?”
“Of course not.”
“Really? After all, Emma is your daughter. You must think me cruel.”
“No.”
Hoen shook his head.
“Emma is not my biological daughter. We do not have that kind of connection.”
“That’s true. After all, you were the one who killed her biological father.”
His calm words blew into Hoen’s heart like a cold wind. He could only smile sourly. The King would always expose one’s deepest scar inadvertently. When he told Emma and the other woman to leave them alone in the room, Hoen knew that he did not do it for any good intentions. There was no doubt that the Holy Dragon Kingdom’s ruler was adept at manipulating other people’s hearts.
Chapter 299: If You Don’t Believe In God, You Can Believe In Me
“Young Watson, I am so sorry for what just occurred. If I had known you were related to the border count, I would have apologized on behalf of St. Antilles Cathedral.”
Arthas crossed his chest, bowed to Watson, and laid his hand on his chest.
It had been half a day when the statue in St. Antilles Cathedral collapsed. Arthas’ attitude toward Watson had shifted dramatically in less than half a day. When he discovered Watson’s connection to the border count, he also learned that Watson was a genius. He was a genius who would go to the Royal Knight Academy. Additionally, he had assisted the church in repairing the broken statue.
To be more precise, it was not just a simple repair.
At that moment, Watson and the others were in a prayer room in the cathedral that was mainly used to entertain distinguished guests. Seven statues stood behind Watson. The main one was the God of Light, Baldur, who had previously projected himself to them, and three gods stood on his left and right, respectively. There were males and females, and each possessed a unique aura.
That was not the main point—the stone sculptures had all turned into golden statues. They had a gold-tier aura. They were all gold-tier items.
It was not just those sculptures. All the statues in the cathedral had turned into gold-tier items; they were all created by Watson with the Wish for the World ring.
There were at least a hundred statues in the cathedral, and all of them had turned into gold-tier items. It was equivalent to having more than a hundred gold-tier items out of thin air. With such a gift, it was difficult for Arthas to be disrespectful to Watson.
Perhaps Watson’s actions had extinguished the gods’ anger. It was not only St. Antilles Cathedral, but all the damaged statues in the other churches had also been automatically repaired.
“Waldo, why don’t you come here and apologize to Young Master Watson? It’s all your fault, you idiot. You’re a clergyman, but you can’t get rid of the greed in your heart. You even blackmailed your subordinates. A person like you isn’t worthy of a cardinalship. From now on, you’ll revert to an ordinary priest. After you apologize, you can go to the confessional and reflect on yourself.”
“I’m sorry, Young Master Watson. I was wrong.”
Waldo, who had acted very arrogantly half a day ago, knelt in front of Watson with a bruised and swollen face. He looked regretful as he took a contract and tore it. “This is the contract for Leon’s debt from yesterday. I’ve torn it apart; we’re not even, Leon.”
Waldo looked pained as he tore the contract. If it were up to him, he would not have done that. However, Arthas had cast the silver-tier Beaten curse on him a few hours ago, and it had been too painful. It had only been a short while, but he felt as if more than ten men had beaten him up. If that continued, he would not be able to withstand it.
“Young Master Watson, I don’t know if you are satisfied with that. If you are not still satisfied, I will continue to punish Waldo severely,” Arthas asked cautiously.
Watson expressed sympathy for Waldo; he shook his head as he looked at him. “That is not something for me to decide. You should ask Leon that! Are you satisfied, Leon?” Watson directed the last sentence to Leon, who was standing next to him.
“I am satisfied. After all, I took the initiative to borrow the money. Let Bishop Waldo go, please,” Leon said weakly.
“Leon, thank you for speaking up for me. You are a good person! I am sorry for being so harsh on you. When I come out of the confessional, I will treat you to a drink.” Waldo forced a smile at Leon. It seemed like he had made up his mind to turn over a new leaf. No one knew if he would say the same thing when the curse was lifted.
“Leon, there is something that I might need to trouble you. The St. Antilles Cathedral has always had seven cardinals since its foundation. These seven cardinals will be the jury to judge the church’s affairs. Now that I’ve removed Waldo from his position, I have decided to give the position to you. What do you think?”
Arthas might have asked for Leon’s opinion, but his eyes kept glancing at Watson. “Of course, letting a bronze-tier priest become a bishop is slightly against the church’s rules. My actions might make others feel dissatisfied. If Young Master Watson could transform our statues into gold-tier ones, then perhaps those voices of opposition will be a little quieter.”
The pity in Watson’s eyes had all but vanished. He was speechless. He mocked the man in his mind. It seemed like the leader and his subordinates were the same. Waldo had been greedy for wealth, and the pope was not much different.
“I’m sorry, Your Holiness. Thank you for wanting to promote me, but forget it. I don’t intend to become a cardinal! It’s not only that; I also intend to withdraw from this church.”
After a few seconds of silence, Leon dropped a bombshell on them.
“Leon, what are you talking about? Are you confused?”
Leon looked determined as he faced Arthas’s disbelieving query. “Your Holiness, I am very clear-headed. That is the choice I made after much deliberation. Thank you for your training over the years!”
With a deep bow, Leon looked at Watson. “Young Master Watson, let’s go.”
....
On their way to the Golden Quill Pavilion, Watson asked, “Leon, why did you make such a sudden decision? Is it because you felt like you owed me and didn’t want to see me subjected to Arthas’ blackmail?”
Leon pushed his monocle upward and smiled bitterly. “It’s not only that, Young Master Watson. I made that decision on my own.
I didn’t expect you to be so powerful that you could crush the platinum-tier weapon in the swordmistress’ hand and even kill a god’s projection. I think you are a platinum-tier elite, but I’ve always thought that you’re only a gold-tier professional! You made a potion to raise our level to gold-tier, so how could you only be on the same level as us?”
Watson did not say anything, which indicated his tacit agreement.
“I became a priest because it was a noble role and because it was pretty easy to cultivate! However, I now realize that these priests are no different than ordinary people. Furthermore, there are drawbacks to this profession. Once you have a problem with your faith, you won’t be able to exert your power. Borrowed power is ultimately not as substantial as the one gained in cultivation.”
Leon walked toward Watson and knelt on one knee. “Young Master Watson, I have decided to abandon my previous faith and give up the priest profession! I hope that you will not mind my weak strength and become my master. Teach me magic or swordsmanship, and in return, I am willing to give up everything for you.”
There was something he had kept to himself. It was better to believe in Watson than the gods. Even the gods could not make him into a gold-tier elite, but Watson had done it with only a bottle of potion. If that were the case, why would he still believe in the gods?
What was that?
Watson was at a loss for words when he saw Leon’s serious expression. He did not expect Leon to abandon his clergy profession to become his disciple. He was still learning from his master.
After he thought about it for a moment, Watson said, “It’s fine if you become my disciple, and I don’t want you to give up the clergy profession.”
The light in Leon’s eyes dimmed, and his expression became exceedingly disappointed after receiving a negative response. “I don’t want you to abandon your priestly role, but you can shift the object of your faith from the seven gods to me.”
Leon was astonished for a few seconds, and then he abruptly raised his head. His face was blank.
“Huh?”
Chapter 300: The Journey To Godhood With Faith
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
“What’s wrong, Leon? Is what I said too difficult to understand?” Watson asked.
“It is indeed a little.”
Leon nodded in a daze. “Young Master Watson, you asked me to believe in you. I’m a little confused.”
He could not understand. It was one thing to believe in the gods—he could pray to the gods in the prayer room and burn incense for them. What could he do for Watson? Would he need to pray to Watson in the same way?
“It seems like I was not clear enough; let me put it this way. You can treat me the same as how you treated the gods of your faith. Because I can do what the gods can do for you.”
“Young Master Watson, I’m not an educated person. Please don’t lie to me.”
“Don’t worry about it; just try.”
There was an unfathomable expression on Watson’s face when he heard Leon’s incredulous question.
Even though Leon did not believe Watson, he still maintained his half-kneel position. He crossed his hands in front of his chest, “Great God... Great Master Watson, I am your humble servant, Leon, and I am here to offer my faith to you. I am willing to become your servant and walk this world on your behalf, just like how you would walk in your kingdom. Please give me courage and strength.”
As his voice fell, Leon maintained his praying posture; he did not have any other reaction. That was a common way to pray to the gods, and most beginner priests used it.
“Why is this person kneeling on the ground? Is he praying for the church? Is he sick?”
“He is wearing a priest’s outfit, but he is praying to a child. Are they playing some shameful roles?”
Passers-by gave Leon an odd look and discussed it animatedly.
Leon’s face reddened when he heard their discussions. He felt as if Watson had toyed with him when he asked him to do such shameful acts in front of so many people. If there were a hole nearby, he would jump into it.
It was all Watson’s fault for using the fusion magic to raise their level to gold-tier with the potions. He was so shocked by the potions’ efficacy that he thought that Watson was omnipotent. He had no problem with replacing the god of his faith with Watson, but he had an issue with his age—he was too young. No matter his strength, he was only a child. How could he compare to a god?
“Young Master Watson, I’m sorry. I really don’t—”
Leon struggled to get up. He wanted to say, “I can’t do it.” However, at that moment, a tender hand touched his forehead.
“My servant Leon, I have received your request. Now, I will bless you.”
Watson caressed Leon’s forehead and spoke with his eyes closed. His body emitted a divine radiance, and behind him, there seemed to be projections of many gods.
Leon was drawn to Watson. Then he felt a strong and holy force enter his forehead, rapidly coursing through his limbs and bones and warmed his heart. His mind had been crammed with a great deal of knowledge.
Boom!
Leon’s body erupted with a muffled, peak gold-tier aura.
He opened his eyes slowly, and he had a look of disbelief on his face. Then, he lowered his head and looked at his hands. “I... I’ve advanced to peak gold-tier?”
That was not what astounded him; it was the knowledge in his mind. It was unfamiliar to him, but he had information about Absolute Explosion, Absolute Seal, Absolute Defense, and many others. He did not understand all of them, but they seemed very familiar. Those abilities could be divided into curses and blessings that gold-tier priests could use.
‘Did Young Master Watson give me this knowledge?’
Leon quickly reacted and looked in Watson’s direction. He had not had any knowledge about that, but the information had appeared in his mind after Watson touched him. There was only one possibility.
At that moment, Watson was enveloped in a divine light. He muttered, “I see, I understand.” Then, he opened his eyes slowly. A layer of color appeared in his initially clear and bright eyes, just like the fog that floated on the river in the early morning. It gave him an additional hint of reverence.
“Now, I understand why the gods would establish a church in the mortal country and grant their followers’ requests.”
Watson opened his eyes. He felt the source of the chaos-elemental magic hidden in his soul had suddenly increased in capacity; it had risen from diamond-tier to peak diamond-level. Furthermore, a life force had appeared in the source. Previously, Watson could only expand the source by absorbing energy. Then, the source seemed to have a life of its own, spontaneously absorbing the energy from the outside world to evolve.
At the same time, Watson felt a soul aura around the magical source, and that aura belonged to Leon.
The man had prayed to the gods all year round, so his soul habitat flickered with a faint golden color and emitted a strange fluctuation. It made Watson feel very comfortable, and his brain worked faster too.
‘System, help me test this power.’
[Yes, Master.]
[The test was successful.]
[Special Energy: Power of Faith]
[Effects: special energy produced by the souls of living beings, divided into different levels like iron, bronze, silver, and starlight. The Power of Faith has the effect of increasing the host’s ability and cultivation speed. At the same time, the host can use the Power of Faith to obtain all five senses of the prayers and give a part of their own ability. The higher the quality, the stronger the effect.]
[Additional effects: The Kingdom of God’s Construction (the Power of Faith is the raw material to build a divine kingdom).]
‘No wonder I can push the rules I control into Leon’s mind and see myself through his eyes.’
With that thought, Watson extended his soul into Leon’s Power of Faith and immediately saw himself. He also saw the shocked gazes of the people on the street behind him. A few dining passers-by were unaware that the food in their hands had fallen to their feet.
Leon, who had just prayed to Watson in front of those passers-by, must have been a jester. However, when those passers-by sensed Leon’s peak gold-tier aura, their perceptions shifted. Regardless of who promoted Leon, they no longer saw him as the clown. Instead, they saw him as a strong person with a personality.
“It seems like I have gone too far.”
Watson reclaimed the soul that had infiltrated Leon’s Power of Faith. Then, he reached out and grabbed Leon’s shoulder. A teleportation array with a space transfer layer appeared beneath his feet and sent them away, leaving a group of confused passers-by on both sides of the street—they rubbed their eyes as if they had seen a ghost.
Whoosh!
Watson appeared in the Golden Quill Pavilion with a hand on Leon’s arm with a light sound. He seemed excited. He was already doubtful when he was the god’s projection in the church.
Why would such a powerful existence interfere with mortal creatures? Therefore, he was prepared to let Leon pray to him. It would be great if it worked, and if it failed, he would take it as a joke. He could also compensate Leon for it.
Fortunately, he had succeeded—he had obtained the secret of the gods.
In general, a starlight elite would be sufficient to become a god.
Since the gods were too powerful, they were forced to leave the continent. However, they still used various methods to influence the people there. There was only one reason for that—they needed the Power of Faith to build a godly kingdom.
‘A divine kingdom is something that only starlight-tier elites can achieve. Obviously, it’s more advanced than the rules for the diamond-tier elites. Even though I’m still so far behind, and I don’t know what it’s for, there’s no harm in collecting the faith in advance.”
Watson clenched his fists and made up his mind. In addition to clearing the maze in the City of Steel, he finally found another reason to be there.