1112 - 1120

Tracking

The face of the knight changed at that moment. His figure that was similar to an iron fortress moved forward, smashing the floor apart.

*Hss!* A thin shadow arose from the floor with a vertical blood-red eye. It looked like a tiny black snake.

"Wait a moment! This is…" The butler stopped the night, placing his hands on the floor in all seriousness. The little snake stuck out its tongue and licked his fingers, moving towards his ears without hesitation before it released soft hisses.

The black snake exploded once it conveyed the message, and the butler's face immediately changed, "Not good! The Church of Protection discovered our tracks, they've been behind us all this while!

"Forget the luggage. We should flee immediately, use the windows!" The butler had made his decision in a moment. The trio left the building secretly after they packed their essentials, leaving a candle burning to make it seem like the room was still occupied.

'They left? That's good. Regardless of their reasons, the fight shouldn't have happened at the centre of the city, it would have affected our reputation significantly.' A man draped in black robes emerged from the street, looking in the direction the three had headed. A long, thin snake slithered out of his sleeves, looking like the same one that had spoken to the butler.

"Bring this news to the lord, little precious. Those hateful guards of Helm have caught the trail as well…"

The black snake's movements were as fast as the wind, and it instantly disappeared into the darkness.

"Hoohoo… We should have them suffer this time, letting them know that the Giant Serpent Church isn't so easy to provoke." The black shadow laughed coldly.

It was at this moment that an icy voice from behind startled him, "So you people are determined to oppose us?"

A hint of ice-cold killing intent pervaded the place, shortly followed by a dagger being pierced through the robed man's chest.

"Despicable thing, trash like you belongs in the Nine Hells and the Abyss!"

When the man in black turned around, he saw a thief standing there with a cold expression. There was a condescending look in his eyes, Helm's logo on his armour abnormally prominent.

"Huh?" Just as the thief was about to pull his dagger back, his expression suddenly changed, 'There's something wrong. The resistance…'

*Boom!* The man in black exploded, numerous black snakes scattering as they quickly spread themselves through the street.

"Hoohoo… Helm's assassin… Just wait as my precious little snakes devour you…" A voice similar to an owl echoed from all directions, causing the assassin to turn grim. His figure disappeared into the darkness, only to reappear in front of Bishop Morand.

"I've failed, my Lord."

"It isn't your fault." The bishop seemed quite forgiving, "The Giant Serpent Church chose to get involved, and our men have found traces of the false god's descendant. Your orders have changed; in the name of the Lord, eliminate the spawn of the vile demigod!"

"In the name of the Lord!" Everyone quietly prayed, even the assassin. Fervour seemed to radiate from their eyes…

*Whoosh!* A massive number of black shadows encircled the fleeing trio as Helm's Church chased after them.

"Waaaa!" A youngster's cries echoed through the desolate beach. The butler had decided to use this route since there weren't any people here even in the day because of frightening whirlpools, but people from Helm's Church were still on their heels. This was a sufficient display of the church's abilities.

By the time the youngster came around the knight was already on the floor, cut in two. His kidney had fallen out and his intestines were exposed, a scene surely to plague the youth's nightmares for a long time… If he could survive, that is.

The kid himself was alive solely due to the efforts of his butler, who'd torn open a protective magic scroll. However, looking at the dense encirclement, the magic would not be able to sustain itself much longer.

"High-ranked wizard?" The knights of Helm opened up a path for Bishop Morand to walk through, and he did so without hurry.

He looked at the butler's face, a trace of pity in his gaze, "I didn't expect the Poison Scorpion Church would have a high-ranked wizard remaining. You're pretty good, to have survived the fall of that vile false god…"

The demise of their god was a fatal blow to any church. It wasn't just a problem of conviction, the priests of the church would be greatly weakened, instantly revoked of their status. An average body would be unable to bear the pain that followed.

In other words, a pure priest without any other profession would receive a fatal blow once their god died. The same held true for the lower-ranked members of the clergy as well. Only warriors, wizards, or other Professionals at high ranks would be able to survive that loss of power, even then on the condition that they were young and strong in terms of the soul.Basically, for a pure Bishop without another profession, the High-Ranked Bishop would receive a fatal blow that results in his death upon a god's demise.

This butler in front of Bishop Morand was one such person. The damage done to the bishops of a demigod when it fell was lower, and on top of that he himself was a tenacious high-ranked wizard. He managed to endure the backlash, allowing him to escape while their pope and a considerable number of other bishops had died. The man had taken on the responsibility of protecting his god's child.

"The Poison Scorpion Lord is a real God, I will not tolerate your blasphemy." The butler maintained a solemn face, his dignified temperament not betraying a hint of anger.

All devout worshippers held unyielding faith in their gods, making such fervent followers much more frightening than the rest. This butler was naturally one such man, or a high-ranked wizard would never join a demigod's church.

"I can still give you a fair trial. Surrender, and hand over that spawn of the devil!" Bishop Morand spoke with a compassionate tone, and a giant eye appeared behind his back as he looked at the old butler.

"Don't even think of using teleportation or a random portal. Our Lord has locked down the surrounding space. You shall be burnt at the stake!"

The youngster looked around him. The knights of Helm had taken out golden crossbows from their backs, the weapons incredibly frightening at close range. Forget teleportation, even if they tried to flee on land or in air they'd be unable to escape the attacks.

"Watch over me, my Lord." Disguised as a high-ranked wizard, the butler's face was solemn as he spread a few tiny scorpions on the ground.

"Enslave!" "Greater Transformation!"

*Roar!* The tiny scorpions roared as they grew in size, becoming five metre long two metre high monsters, acting like tanks in front of the wizard.

"Young master. I'll make an opening for you a while later, take the chance to escape. Bring that pendant to the Giant Serpent Church or the Faulen Family, and plead for their help." The butler stood in front of the child, resolved to fight to the death.

"I…" It was already a significant feat for a youngster of thirteen or fourteen years of age who'd never experienced suffering to stay conscious so long.

"Sigh…" The butler could only helplessly sigh, turning around to face his opponents once more.

*Bang! Ka-cha!* The giant scorpions were dismembered rapidly under the knights' attacks. A paladin had already rushed up to him.

"My Lord… You're a star of the heavens, and one day you shall return to your throne…" The wizard mumbled, the fear of death absent from his face.

However, this expression changed after but a moment. A keening sound rang out as a black spear broke the spatial barrier to pierce through the paladin whose holy sword was raised.

"The sinister light in the air…" Bishop Morand frowned, turning towards the main culprit. It was a native warrior of the southern seas, short but full of toned muscle.

But then he saw the tattoos of devils bound with iron chains on the bodies of the man and his allies, and he went livid.

"The Giant Serpent Church's elites, devil hunters! They're high-ranked devil hunters who've sealed real devils!" Morand didn't even send out any orders. His subordinates were already shrieking.

These devil hunters evidently had an unsavoury reputation in the south sea. Devils themselves were known to be cunning and secretive, with vile powers. How much more powerful did devil hunters have to be to defeat these devils?

Even if they were aligned neutrally, devil hunters used the powers of the devils they captured. It caused people to associate them with the devils as well, something the hunters did not care to explain. Their bad reputation had accumulated, and stories of them caused children to cry at night.

Morand wasn't as ignorant as the commoners though, and he had a clear understanding of his opponents' abilities. 'Devil hunters are very powerful. They need to be high-ranked Professionals to seal devils in the first place, and some of them are even legendary…'

He quickly glanced at the many shadows hidden in the darkness, making the wise decision to reveal his identity.

"I am Bishop Morand of the Church of Protection! What are you lot trying to do?"

Work

"The Church of Protection?" The leader of the devil hunters sneered. His muffled voice and thick accent couldn't cover up the ridicule in his tone.

"How dare you ridicule our god?" Rage could be seen on Morand's face. No bishop would lie down and take an attack on their god.

"No, no. How would I dare ridicule a true god?" The devil hunter was dressed in the distinctive garb of the southern seas. He had yellow skin and thick lips, his brown hair styled with several small pigtails.

"It's just… We have the opportunity to punish those who attack the faithful, as well as imposters."

"Imposters?" Cold sweat beaded down Morand's forehead, and he had an extremely bad premonition.

"Follow the Lord's orders, check for devils!" This diminutive leader did not give him the chance to do anything, shouting out all of a sudden as holy light flowed to reveal a few Detect Devil spells were already cast.

Leylin was a Lord of Baator, so other than fundamental holy skills members of his church could also detect devils. The spell was something Leylin had invented himself, and over time it had shown itself to be a 100% accurate.

All this was to say that devil hunters held authority when it came to checking for devils. And just as Morand hesitated for a moment, the situation fell out of his hand.

"Oh!" The milky white holy light around one of Morand's subordinates suddenly shifted to a bright red, the face of the man changing a few moments after the spell was cast. A blood-curdling screech rang out as the man grew a horn, and a layer of hellfire surrounded him.

This paladin had turned into a devil in a moment's time! Morand and the rest were flabbergasted at the sudden, fierce, change!

"You're daring enough to shelter a devil, pretending to be paladins… What sort of blasphemy is this?" The leader spoke righteously, "Kill them all!"

"Justice! Justice!" the other devil hunters shouted, a terrifying wave of hellfire raging forward in attack.

"You…" How would the bishop not know that they'd fallen into a trap? The only thing he couldn't understand was— why had the Giant Serpent Church that had made every effort to avoid clashing with them before changed so suddenly, becoming a savage, crazy beast?

All the doubt and astonishment ultimately condensed into one question. "HOW DARE YOU DO THIS?" Morand roared.

Unfortunately, nobody replied. Seeing his opponent remain obstinate, the leader of the hunters issued an order, "Transform!"

"Hehe…" Numerous high-ranked devil hunters suddenly smiled with malice as the tattoos on their bodies grew active. Parts of their bodies, normally hands and legs, started to demonise in the midst of terrifying hellfire. Bright red scales formed as sharp demonic nails grew out of their hands. Thin, needle-like chains coiled around their arms.

A devil hunter retained their human intellect and normal abilities when they transformed. On top of that, they obtained a devil's physique, and similar magical ability.

The strength from this sinister change instantly drowned their opponents' resistance. Even Bishop Morand threw out his trump cards one by one, eventually burnt to ashes by the hellfire.

The leader of the devil hunters left his group, walking towards the boy and butler who'd been shocked stupid. "I'm aware of your identities. Please follow me!"

Although he'd returned to his normal appearance, the frightening form from before had been etched into the boy's mind. It would inevitably leave a strong impression on him. His butler was in better condition, able to maintain his courtesy. Sealing the admiration in his heart, he replied, "Devil hunters? Truly a formidable army. If our Lord had such guards, he wouldn't have met his demise so easily…"

After sending the two of them off with respect, the look on the small guy's face immediately changed.

"Are all the preparations done?"

"Leader!" Another monkey-like devil hunter walked to his side and whispered to him, "Everything is completed. The devil transformation was recorded, and we located the affected commoners and nobles."

"Well done. Contact the central church post haste! Settle things before they can even react!" The small man touched his chin, a predatory gaze within his eyes…

The wit of these subordinates was inspiring, and they'd performed such deeds repeatedly. It was tragic that all of it had to be condensed into a few pages when they reported to the headquarters of the church in Debanks Island.

"Hmm?" Tiff raised his spectacles. Even someone like him, with legendary strength, seemed to have been eroded by the passage of time.

However, the truth was that this was all an act. His appearance had been changed on purpose, a kind old man as the pope more acceptable to the citizens.

As the pope of the Giant Serpent Church, he'd performed his work very well so far. What was once the Sakartes Empire had slowly recovered over this long time, and was flourishing once more. In fact, the Faulen Empire was even more prosperous than Sakartes at its peak.

More land had been put to use as they acquired technology from the mainland, and the number of goods sold on the streets had grown in number as well. Most importantly crafts had been introduced to the natives, bringing them from the dark ages to the iron age. Tiff had a feeling of glory as he looked down from the mountain atop which the Giant Serpent Church stood to gaze at the capital.

The pope massaged the spot between his brows until his eyes felt better, starting to read the report from his subordinates.

"The issue in Faulen Island was dealt with pretty well. The Church of Protection suffered losses, even… The person in charge is called Tubanke? Pass down the order, have him transferred to headquarters."

A transfer order stamped by the pope was sent out quickly, causing the surrounding clergymen to grow envious. The man would obviously be promoted. However, Tubanke had gotten this by fighting on the frontlines. They had nothing to say about it.

"The Poison Scorpion Church's child has secretly set sail, on his way here alongside a high-ranked wizard… They'll be here in ten days?" Flipping over to the next document, a rarely seen expression surfaced on Tiff's face.

'I need the Lord's guidance.' Tiff stood up and tidied himself up before heading to the rear of the church.

This place was forbidden grounds within the church, even guards few and far between. The lack of people gave it an atmosphere of seclusion. The original marble palace had been worn down by time, its lustre changing to one of archaic charm.

There was an enormous shrine behind the headquarters of the Giant Serpent Church. A statue of the Feathered Serpent God Kukulkan lay within, built atop ninety nine marble pillars as it emanated a trace of sacred brilliance.

"Master… You are the stars in the sky, with the authority of massacres. All commoners crawl under the protection of your wings…" Tiff started praying.

The thread of faith connected itself to the statue, and the Feathered Serpent buzzed as a youth emerged from the golden radiance. Tiff lowered his body further; his master had arrived.

"Tiff!" Leylin was wearing a loose white robe, every inch of his body flawless as a result of his godfire. Golden light flashed in his eyes as he looked at Tiff.

"I learnt of the incident with the Poison Scorpion Church. You've done well!" The first thing Leylin did was approve of Tiff's work. He continued with his decision, "When they get here, bring them to me. I'll receive them personally."

"Your wish is my command. May your divinity spread throughout the world!" Tiff replied in excitement. Leylin had always maintained a low profile, starkly in contrast to his attitude today. He naturally knew that his Lord had decided to change his actions, and that change would cause an enormous transformation in the prime material plane.

'Is it time?' Tiff suppressed the elation in his heart, withdrawing slowly.

'Such an intelligent chap!' The golden gleam in Leylin's eyes grew even more dazzling as he looked at Tiff's back. A hundred years had passed in the astral plane, and the World of Gods had experienced an even longer span of time. His preparations for ascension had finally been completed!

Leylin can't help but to take a look at his own status.

[Leylin Faulen. Race: Human (Demigod), Rank 27 Arcanist (Legendary). Strength: 21. Agility: 21. Vitality: 21. Spirit: 27. Arcane Energy: 270. Divine Force: 200 (200) Status: Healthy. Feats: Legendary Sturdiness, Scholarly, Intermediate Perfect Body, Dreamscape Vision. Specialties: Origine Force Detection, Origin Force Amplification, Illusions.]

'My divine force has finally manifested…' He seemed to be happy, 'The island's population has increased as well, and is sufficient to support a God of Massacres. Everything's ready!'

Plan

Becoming a god was the lifelong goal of every being in the World of Gods, something they all longed for.

And now, Leylin was standing at the threshold to becoming a god! Ascension held even greater meaning for him than most; only a divine soul would allow him to open the crystal sphere from the inside, allowing his main body to enter the World of Gods!

To be blunt, the moment he successfully became a god, there would be little time left until the Final War resumed.

This was why Leylin took godhood very seriously.

Besides, meeting the requirements did not mean one would successfully become a god. In the history of the World of Gods, there were plenty of examples of people falling during their ascension, or being ambushed by the enemy right after. He obviously did not want to be one of those poor gods.

'Malar and Cyric will definitely sense my ascension, our roles clash… They wouldn't let me off… This is something decided by natural circumstances, just like how there can only be one male in a pride of lions. This is an unchangeable fact…' Leylin stroked his chin, looking grim.

'Then there's Mystra, Tyr, and Helm. They already plotted to kill me once. I'm afraid they won't let me off; the moment my divine realm is prepped they'll attack me immediately. My body will have grown divine, so I won't be protected by the prime material plane anymore…'

Leylin was currently relying on the fact that he was only a demigod. He'd holed himself up on Debanks Island, and the other gods could only glare at him without being able to do anything. With true gods unable to descend, their avatars and clones were basically a free meal for him. On top of that, Leylin was protected by his church and empire, rendering battle tactics on land and sea useless.

For this reason, he was able to do as he wished up to this point, rather than being pursued and killed. However, after becoming a god, everything would change. The prime material plane would reject his body and expel him to the outer world. When that happened, things would get 'fun'.

Outside the prime material plane, Mystra and his other enemies would definitely be furious and ready to take revenge at any time. What was more terrifying was that they, in the outer world, no longer had restrictions that they would have had in the prime material plane, and could wield their powerful might as greater gods!

Greater gods were equivalent to peak rank 8 Magi. With a possibility of attack from their true forms, Leylin could already feel the fear rising in him. Without the time to establish his divine realm, it would be impossible to block these malicious beings. When the time came, he would be in danger.

Falling right after becoming a god! Lelin felt like he would become the greatest joke in the World of Gods if such a thing happened.

'Also… I should worry about Baator…' Leylin sighed.

He had successfully robbed Beelzebub's authority and become the master of Dis, hiding his true identity. But who was Asmodeus? This sly devil had also made use of a series of schemes to obtain most of the power in hell, and he'd now placed his attentions on Leylin.

Leylin had never been interested in working with the devils. After all, while they did trust each other to an extent, they wouldn't hesitate to trick outsiders. He wouldn't accept any offering of peace, instead gunning to become their master.

This was why Leylin had created the Devil Hunters, powerful Professionals that only the Giant Serpent Church could create. It was partly for empowering his subordinates, but also because he wished to crack down on devil worshippers in the prime material plane as he lay out a path for himself to walk.

Evidently, the devils that were loyal to Leylin could evade Devil Detection spells without paying any price. The rest, however, were not as lucky. The remaining Archdevils were growing increasingly dissatisfied with Leylin, and he could already guess that some of them were already talking to the gods for a chance to overthrow him.

At the same time, Asmodeus' sly hand was reaching for Dis. He didn't seem satisfied with using his daughter as a substitute for the Hag Countess to give him authority over Malbolge. Rather, he seemed greedy for more, wanting to unify the Nine Hells and become the true master of Baator! Who would be a better target than Leylin, who had appeared midway?

Leylin had no doubt about it. As long as there was an opportunity, Asmodeus would definitely put all of his resources into gobbling him up and taking control of Dis.

'Hehe… Come at me with your schemes! I just hope you won't break your teeth in the end…' Leylin snickered inside.

It wasn't as if he didn't have any cards up his sleeve. Thultanthar was waiting silently in his semi-plane, the flying city seemingly impatient to drink the blood of the gods. A great arcanist with a flying city had been able to intimidate even the gods of ancient times.

At the same time, there was a Magus of laws waiting outside the crystal sphere, greedily eyeing the World of Gods. Those that were preparing to attack Leylin would soon be shocked to find that the rabbit in their hands was actually an evil primordial dragon!

Putting this aside, Leylin took a look at the A.I. Chip's records.

'A.I. Chip! Show me the revised version of the grade 12 arcane spell, Karsus' Avatar!'

[Beep! Karsus' Avatar is being revised. Estimated time: 677h 23min 13s] the A.I. Chip intoned loyally.

This was a terrifying card in Leylin's hands. It could let him dispose of Mystra in an instant, at the same time releasing numerous ancient Magi from the core of the Weave. With his experiment in the Shadow World, Leylin now knew the power of this arcane spell model.

Of course, the backlash was immense. However, with the A.I. Chip and his test data, it would be a breeze to fix the issue. Leylin was sure that regardless of what other tricks Distorted Shadow had planned, it would have to do with this arcane spell.

However, he had taken measures to deal with this and was amending the arcane spell model. This meant Distorted Shadow could only watch on helplessly.

'So if I think about it, I do have quite a few cards…' Leylin stroked his chin, 'But… I still need a few people to lead the way!' A pair of master and servant shivered somewhere in the southern seas. They assumed it was because of the sea winds, heading into the hold of their ship. Who knew what the future held.

At the thought of the child of a god, Leylin immediately recalled the true master of the Poison Scorpion Church, who was a demigod.

'With how much of a moron Poison Scorpion is, it's natural that he was disposed of. It would be strange if he wasn't…' Poison Scorpion had dealt with his Giant Serpent Church before. Rankings were very strict on the continent. Everyone had their own rank, and since Leylin was neither a god nor a high-ranked legend but a demigod, he naturally wouldn't mix with beings of other statuses.

The only ones able to speak on equal terms with him were other false gods and demigods. Hence, it was extremely normal for beings like them to form secret alliances. In the face of suppression from the true gods, the demigods and false gods who lacked people to back them up had to learn to band together.

Leylin had obviously made friends with a few of them, making oaths of alliance. Even if it was useless, it would afford him a breather when he ascended and faced the pressure from the other gods.

There were many demigods who held the same train of thought as Leylin did, which was why diplomatic activities went rather smoothly. The Poison Scorpion, master of the Poison Scorpion Sect, was one of the demigods that Leylin had met. Unfortunately, the power of divinity and godfire seemed to be warping his rationality, and he was in a crazed state half the time everyday.

It had to be said that a demigod like this being able to support a church and only being eliminated now had exceeded Leylin's expectations.

'The law he comprehended was massacre as well. That's the only thing that I want…' Leylin stroked his chin. Poison Scorpion's divinity was similar to his own, so he began to formulate a vague plan. It was for this reason that he had ordered his subordinates to make contact with him, and then invite the last blood descendant of the Poison Scorpion to the Debanks Island.

'Just a Poison Scorpion isn't enough… I need more… I need more targets!' In that moment, the figures of various demigods flashed by Leylin's eyes.

Becoming a god was no trivial matter, and new gods were far too eye-catching. Leylin's methods were simple. He'd have his allies ascend alongside him, leaving them to absorb some of the damage. Of course, it would be even better if they were willing to ascend ahead of him, as that would mean he had more experience.

'Before I officially become a god, I still need to see a demigod ascending…' Leylin had always liked being prepared, and if another god could provide him with this experience, that would be for the best.

While he had already subdued Shar of the Shadow World and obtained much information about the gods from her, she was an old being after all. She understood little about the current situation in the World of Gods, and Leylin did not feel too confident.

'A true god…' A low sigh rang in the palace…

...

"Young master, we're here!" An old butler was helping a youth down a boat in Debanks Island's pier. Ten days had passed in the blink of an eye.

"Wow… Is this the native empire? I almost thought I'd returned to the huge port in the continent!" The youth jumped off the deck and gasped after seeing the port even larger and more luxurious than Port Venus.

"This is His Highness' land. Please be careful of what you say!" The old butler reminded him cautiously.

Meeting

The old butler and the youth were guarded by a group of 'friendly and polite' native soldiers after they entered the territories of Debanks Island. Since they were in a land that was not their own, they allowed this arrangement. After a few days of uneasy waiting, they managed to arrange a meeting with Leylin.

On their path to the holy mountain, the old butler looked at the youth solemnly. "Do you remember what I told you, young master?"

The youth had stiffened up in the tense atmosphere, but he still managed to nod, "Mm."

'Sigh… This beautiful and fertile country… It's a powerful base even for demigods. No wonder he can flourish for so long without fear of being destroyed by the mainland…' The old butler gazed at the flourishing imperial capital and sighed in awe. Leylin truly had picked a great place. Not only was there a large population to provide faith for him, the mainland had little influence here.

However, thoughts were just thoughts in the end. Few were as bold as Leylin, aiming to take over the natives' empire. With the defect in the natives' souls, the gods avoided them like the plague.

With all sorts of factors, Leylin somehow managed to get the best parts of everything. If not for the natives, Debanks Island would long since have been divided amongst the gods, and he wouldn't have had any chances.

*Clang!* The heavy gates of the Giant Serpent Church opened slowly. The devil hunters guarding the sides and the large number of priests and acolytes walking around added a certain weight to the atmosphere.

"Welcome!" Tiff was dressed in his regal attire, crown included. Standing on the steps, he looked like a kind and holy man.

"The Pope shouldn't bother with humble servants like us…" The butler pulled at the youth, who quickly realised his position and hastened to bow.

Tiff merely smiled in answer to the tiny mistake of the youth, "Please follow me. My master will see you personally…"

Hearing this news, the butler and youth obviously grew more nervous.

'The Giant Serpent, the youngest legendary wizard in the world who conquered an empire with a few thousand people… Leylin Faulen, the legend of legends…'

The youth exchanged a glance with his butler, obviously uneasy. However, Tiff had already moved out, and the two couldn't avoid this confrontation anymore. They could only follow behind in apprehension.

The three soon arrived at the palace behind the headquarters. A god in white robes was already waiting there, standing under his own statue. Golden light sparkled off his body, causing the large statue of the winged serpent to grow radiant as well. He seemed in harmony with the shrine, almost blending into one body.

After taking one look at this person, the butler was certain that this was the Leylin Faulen of the legends! This was the master of the Debanks Empire, as well as a demigod magician!

"Oh great being, please accept the worship of a humble mortal!" The butler bowed down and knelt, and the youth followed soon after.

"High-ranked magician, Daybreak Hand Schliff… your loyalty is worthy of praise…" Leylin did not speak loudly, but it still reverberated throughout the shrine. The tone of the voice showed that it was unquestionable.

The Giant Serpent Church had long since revealed all of this high-ranked wizard's secrets. His true thoughts couldn't be hidden in front of Leylin.

"Is this the Poison Scorpion's son?" The god's gaze moved past Schliff, focusing onto the youth.

"Ra… Raike greets His Highness…" the youth stuttered out. He could sense that Leylin's imposing aura was even more powerful than that of his demigod father, who had once been the master of his church.

"Yes… Raike inherited the Master's bloodline and glory, and will surely become a saint in the future!" At the mention of his faith, Schliff just had to speak, "Your Highness, please help us on account of the goodwill from our master in the past…"

In answer to this mortal's humble request, Leylin did not comment. Rather, there was a look of pity in his eyes as he watched Raike.

"As the child of a god, do you know what your destiny is?"

"Destiny?" Raike's eyes showed his confusion and bewilderment.

"As the descendant of our Master, he has no other choice!" Schliff answered loudly, obviously trying to hide things for a while longer.

"Heh!" Leylin merely shook his head and smiled, but did not reveal the truth.

True gods only needed faith to revive themselves, but things were wildly different for demigods. The master of the Poison Scorpion Church hadn't accumulated any divine force, and now that he'd fallen even if he obtained enough faith in the future he lacked the most important thing for revival— a vessel.

The vessel needed to be powerful enough to take on the power of a god. Most importantly, this person had to have the same blood as the god. This Raike was evidently Poison Scorpion's vessel, and someday in the future his father would break into his body and revive within to appear in the world once more.

It was not just demigods. In actuality, many true gods liked to use this method. Leylin had once even wondered whether Alustriel, the queen in the north, had been prepared for such plans by the Goddess of the Weave.

"There's a contract between Poison Scorpion and I, to give each other all the help we can. Promises at our level cannot be broken." Leylin answered in the affirmative.

"Many thanks, Your Highness!" Schliff bowed in excitement. Even he had not expected things to go so smoothly. However, after seeing Raike, Schliff hesitated before steeling the look in his eyes.

"Mighty master, this is a humble offering from us." Meeting Schliff's gaze, Raike gritted his teeth and pulled out the sparkling pendant from his neck, offering it up with both hands…

Once everyone left, Leylin focused on the necklace in his hands.

'A divine weapon? And there even seems to be some force hidden inside…' The A.I. Chip's light flashed in Leylin's eyes, and he nonchalantly threw the item into a semi-plane. As he was now, refining an origin force weapon, a divine weapon was nothing much. However, it wasn't bad as a collectible.

"Raike… I sense a dense aura of deity blood…" Leylin looked in the direction that Raike had left, eyes seeming to reflect scenes of what would happen after he left.

...

Within the carriage, Raike seemed to have made up his mind before he asked Schlif, "Just now… what His Highness mentioned…"

"You don't need to know about that, young master!" Schliff immediately put on a cold expression, his powerful aura preventing Raike from speaking further.

"All you need to know is that you were born for the sake of our master. Everything that is yours has to be sacrificed in order for the revival of the master…" Fervour glinted in Schliff's eyes, the terrifying zeal causing Raike to shift his gaze down.

...

Demigod as he was, it was easy for Leylin to peek on a high-ranked wizard without them even noticing. Many secrets revealed themselves before him.

Unfortunately, he felt no pity towards Raike, and he had no desire to help him.

"His blood is concentrated, so the chances of revival are greater… But that isn't enough…" His divine sight seemed to transcend the seas, locking onto the vast mainland.

...

In the south of the mainland, within a dangerous marsh full of lush bushes.

A devil hunter with the crest of the Giant Serpent Church cautiously maneuvered past numerous assassins' territories as well as the tribes of barbarians and kobolds, arriving at the depths of the marshes.

This was an ultimate region of death. It was rumoured that there was a nine-headed monster dwelling here, and the poisonous fog it emitted could kill any living being. Even divine spells were useless in front of it.

However, few on the mainland knew that a tribe similar to humans lived deep inside.

*Ooooo—* Numerous humanoids gathered with the sound of a large cow bugle. These beings had a distinct physical appearance, looking like werejackals or kobols.

Some kind of shaman walked up to an altar. "Ukekelu, our Lord… We pray to you devoutly, and offer a blood sacrifice!"

A few sacrifices had their clothes stripped from them as the old man prayed, trembling as they were delivered to the platform. His eyes bloodshot, he picked up an obsidian dagger and kissed it once in devotion before standing in front of the slaves. It looked like he was watching some lambs to be slaughtered.

The shaman dismembered the sacrifices easily, a technique passed down through centuries allowing him to keep them alive until he made the final cut. Only such a thing would please Ukekelu enough to grant them his favour.

Demigods, devils, and demons who were false gods were different from true gods. They could do anything for the sake of faith and power, seeking out new followers with greed.

Most of the time, Leylin believed that it was because there were people like these who were so shortsighted that the reputation of demigods was tarnished so badly. It made it such that his Giant Serpent Church could not operate well on the continent.

However, he was merely blabbering on. Without blood sacrifices, demigods would long since have died out with the bit of faith they obtained from their followers. Only Leylin, who took control over the Debanks Island and had nobody vying for faith with him could treat his followers so generously and give them more benefits. In the long run, this was the best method, but it was difficult for everyone to do this considering the circumstances.

As the shaman proceeded with his ceremony, the other worshippers quickly knelt in prayer. Blood poured everywhere, as if nurturing some horrifying force.

Alliance

A large number of guards had been moved to watch over the ceremony. The lax guard allowed the devil hunter to sneak inside easily. When he saw the sacrifices on the altar, a disturbed look appeared in his eyes. 'Blood sacrifice?

'Poor followers. Only our Lord truly cherishes us, even if we worshippers make mistakes he kindly gives us his guidance…' A sense of superiority surfaced in the hunter's mind as he compared himself to these people. Comparing this sacrifice with the methods of the Giant Serpent Church, his devotion actually grew a bit. His faith stat would've grown by a few points if such a thing existed.

*Wooooo—* The sacrificial ceremony reached its peak at that moment, the heart of the altar pooling with blood. An indistinct silhouette walked out of the boiling blood, with a human head but the body of a lion.

"Ukekelu! The mighty Ukekelu has descended!" The old shaman bowed in agitation as he started chanting prayers, followed by the other worshippers.

"…" Ukekelu lowered his head, looking at the shaman as he spoke in an unknown language. It caused the shaman's expression to change immediately.

"The Lord says there is a spy here. Guards!" The guards that looked like ravenous wolves immediately howled out.

'Not good, I've been found!' The devil hunter squatting in the grove felt his heart freeze, and he prepared to break out and escape.

"Ugh!" However, bright light burst forth from the giant snake emblem on his body at this moment. He soon lost consciousness, his body taken over by a great will.

"Lord of Debanks Island, the Giant Serpent sitting upon the throne… Welcome, Your Majesty Leylin!" The human-headed lion hovered in the air, releasing a few howls. The old shaman retreated alongside his guards, leaving the place to the two.

"Mm. Long time no see, Your Highness Ukekelu." Leylin found it sluggish to move around in this body, like a huge elephant who'd been squeezed into human armour. However, that didn't matter much. His conscient was only borrowing this body, so even if it perished he'd only lose a vessel and some divine force. It wouldn't be much.

The demigod in front of him was a part of Leylin's alliance. Legendaries had their own circle in the prime material plane, and the same naturally held true for demigods.

Unfortunately, numerous demigods were placed in an awkward position. Not only did they have lack gods willing to protect and promote them, the divinity within their bodies clashed with specific other gods that caused delays in their ascension. They'd formed cliques of their own to help each other for this very reason.

Poison Scorpion was one such god, and so was Ukekelu.

"If you've come to the marshes yourself you must have important matters to discuss…" Ukekelu said as he sharpened his claws. He was quite envious of Leylin's following and his distance from the mainland. Even more importantly, this person had begun preparing for ascension before even becoming a legendary; his schemes were shocking.

"Have you heard about Poison Scorpion?" Leylin directly revealed the purpose of his trip.

"The Church of Protection… Those lunatics!" Ukekelu's face grew unsightly at the mention of the topic. Helm's church was clearly the nemesis of all false gods; just its mention would be such a powerful deterrent.

"Poison Scorpion has already fallen. Either of us could be the next target…" Leylin's soft words caused Ukekelu's face to darken. Between the two of them, he was both an easier target and a closer one.

Looking at the other party becoming restless, Leylin revealed a confident smile. "We have to come up with countermeasures."

"It'll be easier to have Helm fall than have him abandon his duty, and both are impossible." Ukekelu was clearly aware of his own position.

"Mm, but he's only bound to slay false gods. What about true gods with their own divine kingdoms?" Leylin revealed the primary purpose of his trip.

"True god? You plan to ascend?" Earth-shattering shock rippled out from Ukekelu's body of blood.

"Of course, there's no demigod who doesn't want to." Leylin didn't cover his intentions up in the slightest. Ascending was indeed the best solution against Helm's Church.

"Pity… I haven't accumulated enough faith to ascend. If I try now I'll only face the backlash of the World Origin Force, falling immediately." Ukekelu was indeed tempted, but he ultimately shook his head.

"Of course, if Your Majesty Leylin has such intentions, I would definitely fully support you!" On the other hand, Leylin didn't trust such verbal promises.

"Your Highness is the oldest of us demigods, I believe there shouldn't be a huge deficit for you… Would this be enough to bridge the gap?" Leylin seemed to see in Ukekelu a fish that wouldn't bite without bait. He smiled in secret as he revealed a diamond emitting golden light, having it float towards the other.

"This… Divine force suiting my role, and experiences of ascension… Why do you have this, and why are you willing to give it to me?!" Ukekelu was obviously frightened by Leylin's present.

"Your Highness doesn't have to worry much about the source. However, I'm sure your chances of ascension will increase significantly with this?" Leylin's secretive smile caused Ukekelu to think that a true god was supporting him. After all, a demigod couldn't get a hold of such items.

However, this was enough for a demigod. As expected, Leylin saw greed and ambition rising within Ukekelu's gaze. No demigod would be able to reject such temptation, even if they knew a trap lay in wait.

Ukekelu had been a demigod for a long time. If he didn't advance soon, he would share the fate of Poison Scorpion. The Church of Protection wouldn't ever let him off as long as he was a demigod.

Numerous expressions flashed past that face of blood, but ultimately Ukekelu still absorbed the diamond into his body, "I shall accept Your Majesty's presents. What price do you require for them?"

"A simple agreement, and no matter which of us manages the last laugh we have to assist the other demigods…" Leylin faintly smiled.

"I'm going to the Sea of Death and the Dark Grasslands after this. They've been demigods too long as well…"

"You want us to advance together to reduce the attention?" Ukekelu wasn't stupid, and he managed to catch Leylin's intentions quickly. It was of benefit to him as well, so he naturally didn't object.

"Thats right… We can also aid Poison Scorpion before that… After all, he's one of us." Unknowingly, Ukekelu suddenly felt an extreme chill in his heart after seeing Leylin's smile.

...

Within a city on the mainland, inside the huge Church of Tyr.

"Paladin Rafiniya!" An old warrior-priest walked into the room, unswerving determination on his face.

This room was largely unfurnished except for necessary supplies, with no extravagant furniture. The owner of the place was frugal.

"Cardinal!" Although Rafiniya looked the same as before, her body had grown more well-rounded, and her face was filled with more mature charm. Even though she still looked young, she knew everything had changed.

Years of experience had moulded the feeble-minded knight into a paladin of justice. She was now the legendary Holy Paladin, the Knight of Light! Her position had grown constantly inside Tyr's church, and she'd even amassed numerous followers.

"The Lord has a mission for you!" The old cardinal warrior passed a scroll to Rafaelia.

"The target is the Poison Scorpion Church. They intend to use their descendant to revive their fallen demigod. When he revives, the Poison Scorpion Lord will definitely bring suffering to the masses. Our Lord has decided to take action for the sake of justice!"

Looking at the sacrifices and consumption of blood as detailed in the documents, Rafiniya felt like she couldn't repress the anger in her chest anymore.

"To fight for justice!" She suddenly drew out her long sword and solemnly agreed.

"Very well! Another thing…"

"During this operation. Other forces like the Giant Serpent Church might be there to lend assistance, you'll have to be careful…" When the cardinal said this, it seemed difficult for him to speak.

Setting Up

"Giant Serpent Church?" Rafiniya's expression changed, as sealed memories came to light.

"Leylin, huh…" The scenes in her mind seemed fresh, and it caused Rafiniya to stagger a few steps. The youngest legendary wizard appeared in her mind once more in all his handsomeness, a memory of the shadow that had been cast on her entire life.

'We'll meet again…' Rafiniya thought to herself. The last time she'd met Leylin, she invited him to the north to kill Malar. However, they'd separated on the issue of the sharing of loot, and she'd heard that he beat back several churches to emerge triumphant.

Even more shocking news followed afterwards— Leylin Faulen had taken an army of five thousand men to the natives' empire, taking the place over completely. He'd advanced into a demigod, and built the Giant Serpent Church!

The news had made it clear that her former leader had already chosen a different path, and walked further down it than she had hers. Rafiniya gritted her teeth.

She was extremely aware that her current status as a legendary paladin was due to Tyr's blessings. But why would Tyr give her his attention in a church filled with paladins? She hadn't wanted to think of the reasoning and avoided the issue, but she couldn't back down anymore.

"I must believe in justice, and fight for what's right!" Rafiniya said out loudly, as if reaffirming her thoughts.

"Very well. Our Lord is watching you!" Having received the reply he wanted, the cardinal left.

However, Rafiniya clenched her fists tightly. 'Demigods, blood sacrifices, and filthy transactions. Leylin… If you're there, I won't hesitate to pull you out and punish you in the name of justice!'

...

With Helm's support, the Church of Justice travelled extremely fast. It had only taken them three days to confirm the location of the Poison Scorpion Church. The two lawful churches gathered their warriors outside a small city.

"This is Cardinal Romese, of the Church of Protection. He'll be in charge of this operation, we're to assist him!" A priest on Rafiniya's side pointed out.

Romese's eyes brightened after he took a look at Rafiniya. "Lady Rafiniya, the star of hope for the commoners! Please accept our greatest respect for your love and protection."

Rafiniya was an absolute beauty, and she possessed an aura of purity and holiness as a paladin.

"Your participation in this mission gives us more confidence." Cardinal Romese expressed his heartfelt welcome to Rafiniya's participation. This was extremely normal, as no one would reject the help of a legendary.

"Let's skip the small talk. I will definitely comply with orders. I hope you don't bear any grudges, eliminating evil is the foremost priority." Rafiniya spoke icily and meticulously.

However, this attitude caused Romese to appreciate her even more. He waved his hand, and a priest moved forward to present her with a map written on parchment.

"Our intelligence says the Poison Scorpion Church is performing a blood sacrifice, using the bloodline and strength of a deity to revive their false god… The other false gods are supporting them, including the Lion-headed Golem, the Lord of Murky Darkness, and the Giant Serpent of the southern seas…"

Romese spoke briefly of the current situation, causing the expressions of those listening to turn solemn. Demigods were extremely powerful beings that had the blood of many on their hands. Many of their order had fallen to these opponents.

It was a pretty simple affair. Any demigod that was easy to deal with had already been executed by the lawful churches. If they could survive for so long, these false gods weren't ordinary, possessing great strength and cunning.

"This is the place they chose for the sacrifice. The Tree Castle." The cardinal pointed to a red circle on the map, the wording extremely clear.

"The baron in the Tree Castle has been brainwashed by the Poison Scorpion Church, so the troops and civilians there are already under their control. We've obtained the decree of the royal family— All heretics in the area are to be executed immediately!"

No one objected to Romese's words. Cultists weren't human to those on the holy mission, only a group of creatures that had lost their sanity. They had to be purged!

"The garrison troops and the paladins will cooperate with us. Our target this time is the blood descendant of that false god, and the upper echelons of the Poison Scorpion Church." Romese distributed portraits of Raike and Schliff. The drawing was extremely lifelike, and nobody would make a mistake.

"This is the descendant of the false god, the crux of their blood sacrifice. His name is Raike, and he's our primary target.

"This wizard is known as Schliff, and he's one of the church's core bishops. He's a high-ranked wizard, not legendary in any domain. He excels at instant teleportation and portals…"

"Our mission is simple. If there aren't any false gods lending a hand, we can take care of it on our own," Rafiniya concluded after Romese's brief. However, they knew that demigods were possibly here, so nobody dared to let down their guard.

"Does everyone understand now? Set off immediately!" Romese got on his warhorse, and the tall, sturdy horse neighed loudly.

*Thud! Thud!* The warhorses bristled with energy as this small group of elites from the churches set off in the direction of the Tree Castle.

...

The Tree Castle had turned into another wasteland. Black mist covered the area like a creature's maw, gobbling up the entire region.

A large eye floated in mid-air. Romese seemed to obtain some information from his god, and he said with certainty, "This is the might of a false god… Their blood sacrifice is at its critical point."

"May the Lord lead our way!" The other clerics prayed fervently, as a weak white glow appeared on their bodies. The black mist was soon dispelled, revealing a concealed path.

"Let's go!" Romese took the lead, with Rafiniya following closely behind. The scenes she saw had caused her to tighten her grip on the reins. The crops in the area had already withered, and the farms were left empty and in a mess. It was as if the farmers were removed forcibly from the area.

"The castle is there!" Romese turned around and headed towards another direction.

The faint traces of blood told of the merciless situation that had unfolded in the area. Rafiniya gritted her teeth and made an oath, "Vile gods, I'll never let you go!"

Castles often represented a long history, providing absolute protection to the inheritance that nobles were so proud of. However, the baron of the Tree Castle now stood at the corners of a wall, and his gaze was extremely strange yet fervent. The pride and reservedness that a noble was supposed to have, and most importantly the intelligence, had disappeared from his body.

'Twenty thousand civilians, and aristocrats and nobles as well. I hope the Lord is satisfied with my offerings!' The look of zealotry on the baron's face was reserved for only the most pious of believers.

"The Poison Scorpion Lord will definitely feel your sincerity." Schliff was carrying a large tome of the church, dressed up in papal attire inclusive of a crown.

"Enemy troops will be here soon. I hope you'll be able to fight to the very end, all the troops of the church are yours to command." Schliff handed a golden sceptre with scorpion carvings on it to the baron.

"All for our Lord!" The baron swore as he received the sceptre in a stately manner.

"Very good!" Schliff did not hesitate to leave the castle walls. Why would he fear entrusting this task to such a zealous apostle?

Many of the Poison Scorpion Church apostles remained within the castle. There were many bodies of young ladies and masters of nobility that were strewn across the floor.

The reception hall of the castle had already experienced a huge change. Many items of the core infrastructure had been removed, replaced with a towering altar stacked with dead bodies and flowing with blood.

At the top of the altar was a throne made of white bones that also resembled a cage, locking a youth within it.

Seeing Schliff, the youth eyes brightened, "Schliff, save me! I don't wish to die!"

"Nonsense!" The malevolence in Schliff's voice as he berated the boy called Raike to grow breathless, "You're the seed of the Lord. The purpose of your existence is to be sacrificed for his sake!"

Schliff's icy speech broke every delusion the boy had had. "But… But I…" Raike's face turned pale immediately.

"There's no 'buts'… The lord will definitely be reborn from your flesh. That will be great glory for you!" Schliff walked up to the pedestal which had many waiting apostles.

"Brothers and sisters. Our Lord hasn't fallen, only left temporarily." Schliff opened his arms and decreed, "Now, as long as we chant the name of our Lord piously, he will gather enough energy to change the world and appear before us, leading us into bouts of victories ahead!"

"Lord, O' Lord! You are everything, my flesh, my blood, my soul…" The apostles here were the craziest of the lot. They began to chant immediately, and even though there weren't many of them the power of their faith had already converged onto the altar.

Resurrection

Gods could not die. Even if they fell, as long as their worshippers chanted their truenames day and night they would one day rise up from the astral plane, returning to their former glory.

Now, under the fervent chanting of the Poison Scorpion Church, the altar seemed to light up with a strange flame. Flesh and blood began to fuse together, revealing faces warped with pain.

"Almighty Lord, the God of Scorpions— Chester Potter!"

"Chester Potter!" "Chester Potter!" The worshippers recited the name again and again, soon joined by the warped faces on the altar. Some mysterious force seemed to attract a conscient here, having it descend upon the place.

"O' lord… Arise from your slumber!" Schliff's hands and legs began to tremble with excitement…

"The false god's ceremony has already started! Stop them!" The elites of the two churches had already reached the castle under Romese's lead, a large number of soldiers following behind them.

"A fallen demigod has no need to revive!" Romese unsheathed an icy blue sword at his waist, and an icy gale began to stir. "All high-ranked Professionals follow me, the rest of you focus on the attack on the castle!"

No matter how tall and sturdy it was, a castle not protected by high-grade spells was but a joke to powerful Professionals. Romese wrapped his body with qi as the fight began, leaping upwards in a moment. He covered a dozen metres in a single jump, landing on the castle walls with a thud.

"Kill him!" An exasperated voice sounded out, and many warriors with black armour began to surround him.

"Know your place!" Romese harrumphed, and snow began to dance around his body. An icy gale instantly turned the apostles of the demigod into frozen statues, and they crashed down to the ground.

"Are you the baron of this castle?" Romese leapt again, flying past all obstacles to arrive before a man dressed in noble clothing. There was a sceptre in his hand, imprinted with a scorpion.

"You vile watchdog!" Flames seemed to spew forth from the baron's eyes as he rushed forward with the sceptre.

"No traces of psychic spells or intelligence reduction…" Romese shook his head, "You are a true sinner, the apostle of a false god. Face your judgement!"

Blue light flashed, and the sword pierced through the baron's chest. The man moaned painfully, looking at his chest in disbelief.

"Hng! You think the identity of a noble is your amulet? How naive," Romese said indifferently. However, as he looked towards the centre of the castle where the hall was, his brows furrowed.

A terrifying evil spirit had converged in that area, forming a powerful whirlpool.

"Chester Potter! Chester Potter!" "You are the Lord of Slaughter. In your left hand, you wield the Hammer of Annihilation, and in your right the Book of Judgment. Any enemies will turn into a quagmire of flesh and blood before your presence. You are the home for our souls, I am willing to…"

The power of worship of the apostles and faces combined formed a crimson glow that converged atop the altar, landing on the throne of bones. The crimson energy engulfed Raike, entering him through his skin pores as the boy howled without end.

Raike's aura continually grew stronger and stronger, until eventually the energy beneath his skin began to surge and contort his body. It was like something was about to burst through his skin from the inside.

And still the boy's body seemed like a bottomless pit, absorbing all the energy that came. The conscient couldn't enter the body.

"There aren't enough apostles," Schliff muttered as he looked towards the castle walls, "Even with the sacrificial formation and twenty thousand souls we cannot revive our Lord…

"Have they been breached already? They probably have some legendaries helping them!" Time had grown short.

"It seems like there's no choice but to use this…" Schliff took out a golden crystal, shaped like a rhomboid. It was a gift from the Giant Serpent Church, but he didn't want to use it unless all else failed. That Giant Serpent was not a simple person. There was definitely something concealed within everything he'd given them.

However, the current circumstances left Schliff with no other choice. "Lord! Please guide me and show the way!" He prayed for one last time, and his eyes filled with resolve. He then threw the crystal onto the floor.

*Bang!* The altar had a violent reaction to the golden crystal. A terrifying amount of power of faith and divine force was released, causing the whirlpool to spin a dozen times— no, a hundred times faster!

The crimson ball atop the altar suddenly blazed, melting off all the flesh and blood in the area to form layers of rippling energy.

"Argh!" Raike's screams rose a few octaves within the cage, and his body began to bloat.

"Lord Chester Potter! Revive now!" Schliff roared in malevolence.

*Rumble!* The ground trembled, and the altar turned into a huge furnace as all the energy began to enter the throne of bones.

*Bang!* The cage above the white bones burst open to reveal Raike's figure. His body had grown a few times over, crimson energy filling every ounce of it. It suddenly seemed to light up on fire, as if something within had destroyed all of him.

"My Lord!" Schliff was happy beyond tears. During the explosion, he had sensed an extremely familiar conscient overcome the obstacles of the astral plane to descend into the hall.

The crimson light ripped Raike's body apart, and a middle-aged man walked out from within.

"My divine name is Chester Potter. I am the Lord of Scorpions, the Ruler of Slaughter!" Chester Potter waved his hands, and a surge of black gas formed robes that covered him. Blood red eyes opened up, and he roared towards the world, "HELM! I'm back, and I won't fail this time!"

Romese and Rafiniya had just arrived to witness this scene.

"Being reborn from his own blood descendant and using the descendant's life as a vessel, these false gods are so evil!" Rafiniya was extremely furious. She pulled out her sword, and holy brilliance filled the sky.

"I will purify you!" The light of the sword radiated out, carrying a shrill roar as it swung towards Chester Potter.

"A legendary paladin? You belong to Tyr?" Fear streaked past Chester Potter's eyes, but more madness overcame it. He pointed his right hand forward, and a terrifying explosion occurred as it collided with the holy sword. Shockwaves rippled into the surroundings.

Meteor Strike!

"Anyone who opposes me must die!" Chester Potter issued his decree as light from a summoning spell glowed from his body.

Rank 9 Spell— Extradimensional Summon!

*Chirp! Chirp! Chirp!* Many scorpion-shaped monsters moved out of a portal, their sheer number causing Rafiniya and Romese to change their expressions.

Romese moved between a variety of expressions, but he finally gritted his teeth and made a decision, "Let's retreat first!"

Rafiniya's lips moved, but she did not voice an objection. They were two legendaries pit against a demigod. They weren't even on the same level.

Since the mission had failed, then protecting themselves would be the priority.

"Hurry and leave! I'll bear all responsibility!" Romese's blue sword released an icy power, forming walls of ice that blocked the advance of the scorpions. He roared at the scorpions behind his back.

Very soon, Rafiniya and the rest of the troops retreated to outside the castle walls. From this position, they could clearly see Chester Potter at the centre of the altar. Ominous crimson clouds circulated above him as the clouds seemed to form a funnel atop his head. The demigod gathered the flowing energy, his terrifying aura forming a malicious scorpion.

"All of you… Don't think about leaving!" The malicious-looking scorpion chased after them, and the other summoned scorpions roared as they surged forth as well.

"My worshippers, do not panic, and do not be lost…" A gentle voice sounded out just then, carrying a mysterious soothing effect.

"It's our Lord! Our Lord has descended!" Romese knelt in a certain direction, and Rafiniya bowed with respect as well. A strange rune in the form of an eye formed in mid-air, the void being ripped open as the avatar of a god walked out.

This avatar belonged to Helm, and it was the strongest power a god could muster in the prime material plane. With the ritual successful and Chester Potter revived, the God of Protection had descended to take care of the situation himself.

He first looked at the crimson clouds and the strange scorpion, and his expression turned solemn.

"A divine being obscured our prophecy, causing us to choose the wrong time. This was why Chester Potter could resurrect successfully." Helm's words sent shock through the hearts of the lawful.

"Obscured? Our divination?" Romese muttered, and his heart turned frigid.

His experience told him how scary such an opponent could be. Not only was he hidden in the darkness, he was a poisonous snake waiting for an opportunity to deal deadly damage.

Ascension

"Helm… HELM!" A humanoid voice sounded from the giant scorpion, but Helm's avatar looked at the ominous clouds instead. His face turned darker the longer he looked.

Rafiniya felt a surge of might descending suddenly, causing her knees to buckle as she almost fell to the ground.

*Rumble! Rumble!* Silver lightning streaked between the ominous cloud, snaking around ceaselessly.

"This… It's the descent of origin force… Someone's gathering divinity to ascend," Romese muttered, looking at the sky above the castle.

The giant scorpion roared, as vengeful spirits floated from up from its body.

"It's him! Is he preparing to transcend now?" Rafiniya's voice was hoarse.

"What's happening?" It wasn't just the opponents that were flabbergasted. Schliff's mouth gaped wide open, and his eyes almost popped out in disbelief.

This was but a resurrection ceremony. Why was more divinity gathering now? How was an ascension attempt occurring right now? This wasn't right!

Schliff roared in his heart, but in the next instant he recalled something and a murky shadow was cast over his figure. 'It's that golden crystal! There was something else within it!'

...

"Has it begun?" The conscients of several false gods had gathered an unknown distance away from the Tree Castle.

A golden aura was shining on Leylin's body. He smirked as he looked at the waves of origin force, "Chester Potter. You walked out of flesh and blood, and have the rights to ascend. However, you've slain many civilians and their vengeful spirits are now chasing you. This is your sin!"

*Boom!* Right after Leylin spoke, many vengeful spirits appeared from the void. Their clothing made them seem like commoners from the Tree Castle. Their faces were now wailing in agony, their blood-covered hands pulling down Chester's body.

"Our Lord! We will be with the Lord!" A faint, hair-raising hymn sounded from the void, growing louder as time went on. The vengeful spirits seemed to have crawled out of the underworld, wanting to pull Chester down with them.

"A demigod cannot withstand such sin," Leylin was extremely well versed in this area, "If Chester Potter does not want to fall again, he can only advance to become a true god, and use his divine kingdom to bear the hatred and send them away for good."

Truth be told, this was all within Leylin's plan. However, Chester still had himself to blame. If he hadn't wanted to perform such a large blood sacrifice to revive himself, Leylin would've been unable to make use of this opportunity to push him down. As it was right now, Leylin was merely lighting a pile of firewood on fire.

'His divinity is in slaughters… This origin force will likely attract similar gods like Malar and Cyric who specialise in massacres… Chester Potter, I hope you can last a little while longer…' Leylin thought apathetically.

There were some other things in the crystal Leylin had given Schliff, including some of his own comprehension of the law of massacres and a large amount of divine force in the domain. It would be enough for the demigod to ascend, egging him into taking that final step.

"Your Excellency Leylin… Your schemes can even cause the devils of Baator to tremble in fear. It seems like we're lacking when compared to you…" Ukekelu said, and a puddle of black mud at his left shone brilliantly. All the demigods here were evidently fearful.

"This is something we decided on together," Leylin said. He discovered the fear and isolation, but didn't worry too much since he'd been open about this from the start. If these demigods wanted to ascend, they could only cooperate with him and bite down on the bait.

"I've already tested what I gave you multiple times. Are there any problems?" Leylin's rebuke caused the demigods to turn silent.

Very soon, their attention shifted to the Tree Castle once again. Chester's ascension would give them great benefits. Not only could they use this as a learning experience, they could also see the reactions of the true gods.

As for the pitiful Poison Scorpion Church, they just abandoned it. Without Leylin and the other demigods, this church was destined to be doomed if it could not escape the attention of the true gods.

In fact, Chester Potter's resurrection was the last chance that the demigods were willing to give him. In exchange for this chance, test being used as a guinea pig to test the response of the true gods was a reasonable bargain, was it not?

*Crash! Boom!* Pale green lightning struck the horde of summoned scorpions, wiping them out. Chester Potter's scorpion phantom flickered under the pressure of the origin force, revealing his original black-robed form.

"Argh… I am the Lord of Scorpions! I control the law of slaughter, and I WILL become a true god!" Chester Potter waved his arms, and a dark gold flame blazed from his body to fuse with his comprehension of laws. This was his divine spark as a demigod, the quintessence of his form.

Threads of the law of slaughter converged on the divine spark, runes spinning around it in a sphere as they nurtured it. Chester had given his everything into ascension.

"Our Lord Chester Potter… You are a star in the skies, wielding the law of slaughter. The fear of humans shall become your strength…"

"Our Lord Chester Potter… You will sit on the throne of your divine kingdom, where our souls will nest…"

"Our Lord Chester Potter… I am willing to give up everything I have, and carry out my mission on this earth. I earnestly pray for your glory amongst the gods, and pray that you last forever!"

Schliff prayed fervently, and with utmost sincerity. The other worshippers followed his lead.

The high-ranked wizard knew quite clearly that the Poison Scorpion Lord could not overpower the remaining demigods, and had been caught up in their conspiracy. He was left without any choice but to transcend.

His other worshippers had also realised this point. Right now, the only chance they had to live was to pray and aid Chester Potter in his transcendence. The worshippers of this false god were thus literally praying for their lives.

A surge of faith converged around Chester Potter, absorbed by his divine spark and nurtured into power in his domain.

Chester's personal comprehension of the law of slaughter wasn't great, and he lacked enough worshippers to ascend on his own. Even amongst demigods he wasn't the strongest.

However, none of that mattered with Leylin here. Chester's law of slaughter that had piqued Leylin's interest was quite close to his own law of massacre. Converting between the two had been extremely easy.

With Leylin's 'aid' from the dark, giving Chester some of his own comprehension of massacres, Chester had immediately met this requirement. He'd tried to smart, wanting to avoid Leylin's comprehension and the enmity of the massacre gods that it entailed, but his efforts didn't pay off. With the power of the lightning and origin force, and the prayers within, this event was made known to the entirety of the prime material plane.

Any existence that had crossed into the legendary realm fixed their gazes upon the area. They could see that a demigod was beginning to break through and become a true god. The sacrificial runes there told everyone of his identity.

The Poison Scorpion's truename was Chester Potter. No matter what the mortals had named him, once his ascension succeeded, this name would forever be attached to him. He would even be able to sense some of what was said whenever his name was mentioned.

His worshippers would also gain strength from his truename. By just whispering and chanting his name, they would be able to connect to their god.

Chester had seemed to choose slaughter as his divine domain. The sacrificial runes floating around him read 'the fear of mortals will become your strength,' a clear indication that he was of the evil alignment. Just this fact was enough for all good gods to oppose him.

*Roar!* Right at that moment, a portal opened in mid air. A giant golden ape came tumbling out, straightening to stand up in the void. Its blood red eyes were locked onto the demigod in the lightning, as if looking at prey.

The God of Hunt— Malar!

'As expected… Anyone who tries to ascend into a divine position related to massacres will face the hostility of the gods who wield it.' Leylin shook his head, but doubt and confusion filled his mind. 'What about Cyric? He's the God of Murder, and he's even more closely attuned to slaughter…'

...

At this moment, within the headquarters of the Church of Murder.

"Blasphemy! That false god is committing blasphemy against our Lord!" The pope roared at the surrounding slaves and clerics that knelt in a circle before him.

"Send out the orders: all legendaries are to cease their missions right now and move to attack the Poison Scorpion Church. Behead them on sight, I want to see the heads of every one of their priests before me!" The pope's face was filled with malevolence as he issued his order…

Once everyone left, the pope knelt before Cyric's statue, his quiet prayers tinged with helplessness.

Only he knew that this powerful god, the God of Murder, had gone insane. He'd even issued orders for internal conflict, and the upper hierarchy of the Church of Murder had already fallen into disarray.

Annihilation

There were many rumours surrounding Cyric, but the most popular one was that he was originally a mortal like them. He stumbled upon the inheritance of a fallen god by chance, soaring to godhood. It caused many mortals to worship him fervently.

However, many of those worshippers wanted the inheritance for themselves. If the chance befell them, they would gladly steal his luck.

Since Cyric was a mere mortal before he ascended, the huge leap of power, alongside his divinity and the power of his domain, had side effects. He grew selfish, prejudiced, and slightly crazy.

Exactly because of this, Cyric would definitely have reacted to a demigod ascending into his domain in the past. However, now he'd gone completely insane.

The pope looked at the statue that was wrapped up in a dark red energy, and the worry on his face grew heavier. It took a while for him to finally make up his mind, "Merrick!"

"The Lord is in a state of confusion, I think it's due to the influence from the Book of Cyric." The bishop's voice was extremely raspy and hoarse. He had also sealed the church before speaking.

Merrick kneeled the moment he heard this news, cold sweat enveloping his body. He thought the pope was going to silence him. After all, to blaspheme a god was utter disrespect and would be punished!

However, luck was on Merrick's side today. The pope had not planned to kill him, and continued talking on his own, "Our Lord might have read the Book of Cyric recently, which is why he isn't responding to our prayers. Holy decrees haven't been issued either…"

Merrick nodded his head in agreement, he'd actually been suspecting as much for a while. The Book of Cyric was a divine weapon that Cyric had created himself, containing the power to confuse even gods themselves. Any being that set their eyes on the Book of Cyric would believe the lies within— that Cyric was the one and only true god in the world!

The late God of Thieves was the former owner of this book. He'd succumbed to it and perished pitifully, allowing Cyric to steal most of his divinity and divine force. However, the power of the lies in the book was so great that even Cyric himself had fallen into a daze after reading it.

All this was just an assumption, but at the same time it was quite logical— assuming there was no information that he had not been privy to. The pope now thought he understood the truth of the situation.

"Can I trust you, Merrick?"

"Of course! I am willing to give up my life for the Lord, my everything!" A fervent expression appeared on Merrick's face. He was definitely a zealot.

"Very good. I'm handing you a mission." With trembling hands, the pope handed over an ancient tome to Merrick.

"This is the Book of Truth. Our church spent great amounts of resources to obtain it from the Church of Truth." The pope fixed his gaze upon Merrick, clasping the man's shoulders with his hands.

"Merrick. As the favourite of the Lord, you have seen his true form the greatest number of times. I need you to hand this book to the Lord, and have Him see it."

With Cyric having gone completely insane, even the pope's words would fall on deaf ears. However, there were some other worshippers the Lord would listen to, and Merrick was one of them. The former merchant had rocketed through the church's ranks, becoming a powerful phantom thief. At the same time, this had cemented his faith in Cyric. The pope believed his Lord was most likely to see the Book of Truth if Merrick delivered it.

"The future of the church is now in your hands!" The pope patted Merrick's shoulders in encouragement, "Once our Lord reawakens, these thieving false gods will forever stay in the fallen river of the underworld, and wail for eternity."

"Rest assured, Your Holiness. Even if I have to sacrifice my life i will complete this mission!" Merrick guaranteed. As if he had found his calling at that moment, a mysterious force suddenly enveloped his body and allowed him to bristle with strength.

...

In the Tree Castle.

Chester Potter was doing his best to resist the origin force lightning. His godfire had dimmed, seemingly about to go out soon.

However, a drop of gold had already been congealed, the runes of law combining into one as if nurturing something within. The droplet almost broke out of the ball of energy.

'The six requirements to become a true god: divinity, the godfire and divine spark, divine force, the divine domain, divine essence, and a divine kingdom. Chester already has three of the six, and all he's lacking right now are the domain, essence, and divine kingdom…' Leylin continued looking over the region as the A.I. Chip's light flashed in his eyes, storing the valuable information from the experiment.

In fact, if Chester Potter managed to obtain his divine domain today, he would have turned into a true god already. Establishing a divine kingdom was a painstaking process, and without a semi-plane already in hand one would need several hundreds of years to build one from scratch. Thus, the world viewed beings with godfire as demigods, and those with divine domains as true gods.

Only true gods had the right to form a divine kingdom, accepting the souls of their worshippers to form a sturdy fort.

"Lord Chester Potter… We pray that you hold the world in your hands, and your throne high up above the skies…" The prayers grew softer and fainter.

Chester Potter roared and his godfire blazed, almost forming the energy ball that would represent his divine domain.

'Using the power of faith to hasten comprehension of laws… This is how things work in the World of Gods…' Leylin sighed. The process was quicker than normal, but it also had its drawbacks. 'Moreover, one law can only be enjoyed by a single entity. The other gods in the domain of massacres will immediately become Chester's enemies…'

*Roar!* Seeing that Chester had a chance to succeed, Malar took action immediately. He unleashed his powerful massacre domain, one tempered by time. Even if Malar was a beast god, so many years of accumulation had given him greater comprehension of massacres than Chester Potter had.

*Crash! Rumble! Boom!* The origin force lightning was about to dissipate, but it converged once more. This time, there were even streaks of crimson within the lightning, carrying the power of massacres.

'This is massacre lightning, an attack by Malar…' Leylin sighed upon seeing this scene. Chester would definitely be done for if he and the other demigods did not help. A false god just couldn't resist true divine might, even if that might came from a lesser god.

Malar wanted to let Chester bring out his law of slaughter and steal it, but many gods had fixed their attention on this area so he attacked immediately.

Leylin had felt several powerful divine conscients eyeing the place, several familiar auras among them. The group of false gods had huddled up together in front of these powerful presences, masking their presence. No one would jump out to save Chester at this point.

Despair appeared on Chester's face before the crimson lightning hit, and his godfire dimmed.

"Chester Potter!" "Chester Potter!" "Chester Potter! We will be forever with the Lord, and live together with you!" The vengeful spirits on the ground grew even larger in number, and they reached out their bloody hands and grabbed Chester Potter's body.

These crazed spirits had enough hatred to cause a demigod to fall. Over time, their pulling force had turning into a whirlpool, consuming Chester Potter within.

"Argh…Noooo…" The maniacal roar of despair did not overturn Chester Potter's fate. He was dragged away by the spirits from his divine spark, and grew even further from his divine domain. Finally, a streak of crimson lightning struck the drop of gold.

*Rumble!* The lightning wreaked destruction, and the golden barrier that protected the divine spark dissipated to reveal the content within. A dark golden flame within flickered out.

*Rumble!* Chester Potter who had lost his silhouette, and his true body was exposed to the lightning. The vengeful spirits around him were turned to dust as it struck.

"Chester Potter! Come with us!" "Come with us…" Even if they had been destroyed by the lightning, there were no pain seen on these vengeful spirits' faces. Instead, glee had filled their expressions.

Once the lightning demolished his body, Chester's soul was exposed, seeming extremely pale and weak.

"Come with us…" These vengeful spirits moaned, and bloody hands dragged this soul into the underworld.

"Argh…Nooo…" Chester Potter's final plea of sorrow caused even the gods that were watching to tremble. He would become one of the vengeful spirits of the underworld, entering its darkest depths. Tens of thousands of souls would chew and feed on him until the end of the world…

A violent gale suddenly whistled past, and the ominous clouds disappeared to leave Schliff and the other worshippers gaping in disbelief.

"My Lord… Chester Potter…" Schliff muttered, and immediately wept. The other worshippers were also filled with distraught, and some even wished to commit suicide.

These survivors would not meet with a good end. After confirming that the false god had fallen, the paladins and Helm's knights charged forward and killed these evil zealots.