Chapter 20: "Divinity of Twelve Sanctuaries and the Six Harbingers of Dusk"

In the first week of August 2024, on a Monday afternoon, Rowan started working on restoring a small future frontier settlement. This came after introducing updates to his levels and core stats while grinding through a time-limited event to earn pull rewards. He would soon take responsibility for the settlement, but first, he needed to complete the necessary tasks with the help of his summoned characters, a process that would take several days.

The restoration would take time, but thanks to his vast resources and the abilities of his summoned characters, progress was expected to be efficient. The summoned characters had already been fused, enhancing their abilities and skills to a more effective version of themselves. However, due to the abundance of resources at his disposal, Rowan and Elira, along with another management-type summoned character, needed to properly allocate the resources to ensure optimal use in their restoration efforts.

A few days later, on the first week of August 2024, the small frontier settlement had completed its tasks and restorations on a Thursday morning. The crops thrived thanks to the blessings that enhanced crop growth and the use of water magic to boost production. This abundance meant they could harvest fully grown crops for several more days, ensuring ample food resources. The people in the settlement had also built new shelters, sturdy enough to protect against severe weather and resist both physical and magical attacks. "Maybe we overdid it a bit," Rowan remarked.

In terms of security, a total of 10 people from this small settlement are now trained to fight. This number is sufficient to deal damage against Rank C enemies. "Hmm... We may have made them a bit too strong, but at least they won't struggle to defend themselves," Rowan laughed. "However, if we provide them with Rare-Tier Armor and Accessories, they'll be capable of fighting against Rank C+ enemies. Or we could allow them to choose specific class jobs... Hmm..." Rowan pondered.

Elira then suggested, "How about I hire a priest to visit this small frontier settlement and make the priest bless them? That way, they can be assigned their own class jobs and types." Rowan agreed with the idea. Because Rowan's summoned characters who already have a class job of Priest couldn't give them blessings because they are not recognized under the "Divinity of Twelve Sanctuaries". So what is the "Divinity of Twelve Sanctuaries"?

Rowan begins explaining the significance of the Divinity of Twelve Sanctuaries, emphasizing its crucial roles and responsibilities in the world. "The Divinity of Twelve Sanctuaries" serves as a beacon of hope and harmony—a collective of faiths united to preserve balance and ensure the world's well-being. "So, when did this initiative begin? In just a few months, the Divinity of Twelve Sanctuaries has already significantly impacted the globe."

After the catastrophic event last year, mana, aura, divine energy, and chaos have spread throughout our world. Among these, divine and chaos energy are the most powerful forces one can obtain or inherit. However, before acquiring these energies, an individual must first secure one of the foundational powers: Holy Power or Dark Power.

To wield Holy Power or Dark Power, individuals must first learn about mana and its origins. Despite the extensive research conducted by the Dragonians and Elven races over thousands to tens of thousands of years, mana remains a mystery. Although many people and players have achieved Mana Mastery or Mana Manipulation, a deeper understanding of mana is still necessary. Ultimately, the ability to harness Holy Power or Dark Power often depends on individual luck and opportunity.

There are exceptions when it comes to the Church, which serves the Light, and cults, which serve the Dark. When the catastrophic event occurred, power spread throughout the world, affecting both churches and cults. This granted Priests and Dark Priests the ability to wield Holy Power and Dark Power. While some were fortunate enough to obtain this power, others who served the Church were unable to wield it due to their faith and goodness. It is important to note that some churches that claim to serve the Light are corrupted and exploit the weak and poor.

During the months of cleaning of corrupted priests especially serving under the light and goodness of harmony and unity. After the clean-up, the coalition between this large church that has already influenced the world, calls themselves the "Divinity of Twelve Sanctuaries" a coalition of light and balance, guiding nations and their people toward unity and harmony.

Each church within the Divinity represents a vital principle of existence, ranging from the nurturing growth of nature to the cleansing power of water and the illuminating truth of the stars. Their collective strength arises from their shared commitment to order and the preservation of life. When it comes to serving the church and the cults that will soon be mentioned, they also serve the celestial beings.

However, these celestial beings do not belong to this world; rather, they originate from another realm that can transfer their authority to our world. Rowan was uncertain about the specific hierarchy of these celestial beings, but according to the Divinity of the Twelve Sanctuaries, there are more than five levels in which they categorize their hierarchy.

The current hierarchy of celestial beings includes the Apostle of the Celestial Beings, Angels, Archangels, Seraphim, and Demi-Deities. While there are higher celestial entities, their incomplete and unstable powers prevent them from entering our world. If they attempt to do so forcefully, the consequences could be devastating, disrupting the balance of power in ways that cannot be restored. Therefore, these higher beings send their guardians, overseers, or their creations, who can enter our world without these restrictions.

The Divinity of the Twelve Sanctuaries is governed by beings from other worlds, rather than by our people. Our population holds only the status of Priest and High Priest, while the higher statuses are held by those from different realms who possess significantly more power and responsibility. These individuals are tasked with the use of Holy Power and Divine Energy to promote Light and Goodness. In contrast, Dark Power and Chaos Energy are associated with Destruction and the Rejection of Balance.

Those who wield Dark Power and Chaos Energy originate from their world and influence our people through a hidden agreement they made. This coalition, which we refer to as cults, is known as the "Six Harbingers of Dusk." They represent dark and disruptive faiths that revel in chaos, ambition, and the rejection of balance. Each Harbinger embodies a fragment of the world that remains untamed or forgotten, from the seductive whispers of the Void to the consuming hunger of flames.

Together, these two forces symbolize the eternal struggle between balance and imbalance. We may not understand the origins of the church and the cults that have influenced us, but one common theme mentioned in both is that their histories date back millions of years. These histories have impacted not only their world but also different realms, influencing the multiverse and parallel worlds as well. Their origins remain mysterious and unknown, making it difficult to gain a deeper understanding of them. "End of Discussion" Rowan made his last reply.

Elira has finished contacting the hired priest who will come to this small frontier settlement. Rowan receives a notification that his task is now complete. One of the Imperial of the Crown Representatives will visit the settlement to assess whether everything is in order. Once this assessment is complete, Rowan will become the new lord of the settlement and will be bestowed the title of Populace of the Lower Rank...

Somewhere at the Stratosphere, the Sanctuary of Aetherial Accord. A hidden sanctuary that is floating in the stratosphere, this is where the coalition of the Divinity of the Twelve Sanctuaries do in meetings, discussions, sharing knowledge, and their role and order.

"Oracle of the Sanctuary of Eternity, Oracle Meliora Moonglade, we have received your foresight about the future. The Count's daughter from the Valenwood Household has contacted a priest to bless a small settlement. Are you going to meet her partner, Rowan Ashbourne, the wielder of the...?" one of the Heavenly Priests of Another World inquired.

The Oracle responded, "Yes, we must meet him before the Void captures him and..." Instead of meeting a priest from one of the twelve sanctuaries, they will encounter one of the highest authorities of the Sanctuary of Eternity.

(End of Chapter 20)