Chapter 151: God Of Plague!

From that day onward, a religious sect known as the "Plague Sect" rose in the heart of Florence.

Almost the entire city had now become devoted followers of this new faith. They worshipped the deity who walked among them, calling Him the "Lord of Plague" and the "Father of Love."

To them, all plagues were His children, and those afflicted by disease were embraced as His people. The sect imposed no rigid beliefs or dogmas. The only condition was suffering. Any soul, weighed down by illness or despair, could seek the Father's care.

In a land ravaged by the Black Death, such a promise was irresistibly compelling.

Despite the growing loss of its followers, even the once-mighty Holy See of Light, the most powerful religious institution on the continent, took no action against the Plague Sect.

The reason was simple—Florence itself had become a stronghold of this new faith. Nearly half of the Holy See's own members had defected to the Plague Sect, including the once-revered captain of the knightly order stationed in the city.

This former captain, who had once stood proudly before the sacred emblem of the Holy See, wielding the radiant cross sword in solemn oath, was now a changed man. As early Plague Sect followers, he now knelt before the Lord of Plague with the same submissive fervor as the lowest of street beggars.

Of course, these were the stories shared during drunken evenings. In public, his devotion to the faith was spoken of only in reverent tones, with no mention of shame.

In moments of despair, what is most precious to a person?

Hope.

And what is the quickest path to hope?

Faith.

It was in these desperate times that the Plague Sect emerged, perfectly positioned to meet the people's deepest needs.

Within mere days, the sect had not only established its doctrines and goals but also spread its emblem across the city.

The reason for its swift rise was clear. Unlike other religious movements, which were based on the unseen or the abstract, the Plague Sect had a living, breathing god walking among them.

The True God showed mercy to the world by walking among mortals. He personally guided them, and even bore the Plague Sect's own emblem: a three-part symbol featuring a bird's beak mask, mosquitoes, and rats.

This emblem represented the sect, but the True God had further decreed that two intertwining lines should accompany the plague symbol. He explained that these lines symbolized DNA or RNA—the fundamental building blocks of all life, whether human or plague.

The devoted followers did not fully grasp the meaning of these words. To them, it was the divine wisdom of their god, and they treated it as sacred law.

The name of the Plague Sect spread rapidly beyond the plague-stricken lands of Florence.

Each day, countless people arrived from distant regions, seeking the blessings and power of this new god. They hoped to be freed from the misery and suffering inflicted by disease.

"All things decay into ash!" they chanted, repeating the words spoken by the True God when He first appeared. These words became their gospel, the one and only truth they revered.

In no time, the True God became a savior in the eyes of countless souls, a beacon of hope in a world that had become a living purgatory.

At this moment, even the savior himself fell into doubt.

Novak hadn't anticipated that things would progress so smoothly. His arrival was, in fact, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity made possible by the ultimate sacrifice of a saint.

In this ancient medieval world, not yet transformed into a battleground for gods and demons, his very presence and abilities made him indistinguishable from a true deity.

Reflecting on this, Novak slowly opened his eyes and extended his hand. In the center of his left palm, an unmistakably clear, pitch-black point glowed ominously.

This was the essence of the Black Death, named so because as its symptoms worsened, the virus caused a buildup of black pigment in the blood, leaving dark spots on the skin.

But such afflictions were reserved for ordinary people.

Novak's constitution had reached an extraordinary level. Even without his natural talent as the "Virus King," the Black Death, devoid of any supernatural enhancements, wouldn't pose much of a threat to him. 

Yet now, there it was—the tiny, ink-black speck staining his palm, stark and unsettling.

This was the seed of the Black Death.

Until now, Novak hadn't fully grasped what the so-called "plague seed" was. But understanding it had proven simpler than expected.

After Kepler became a testing ground for gods and demons, nearly everything in the universe had been infused with extraordinary powers. However, even these devastating plagues paled in comparison to more formidable forces.

This truth was easy to discern. The deadly fungi wielded by those within the Plague Sect had been enhanced by the Cosmic Will, becoming a force embedded in the very system of power. On the other hand, the bacteria and viruses naturally occurring on Kepler, meant to afflict Kepler's native species, remained untouched by such enhancements.

Novak's mission was to harvest these plagues, extract them from history, and in doing so, control their latent power. This is Novak's understanding, maybe it's wrong, but to him, it doesn't matter at all.

His goal was to complete the task. By doing so, he hoped to create the SSS-level professional scroll he so desperately needed.

The cries of eighty million souls. From this we can see how many people died in the vast West because of the Black Death!

A single city like Florence was far too small to yield the full power of the Black Death's plague seed. No, Novak's harvest was far more ambitious—this entire world was his garden to cultivate as the "God of Plague." The people of these lands were mere fruits for him to pluck at will.

Yet before departing, there were preparations to be made. He needed to ensure that those marked by the plague could continue to receive the blessings of the Father's love.

Two days later, an oracle descended upon the temple, leaving behind a massive emblem. Those who received baptism before this symbol can be granted relief from their pain. And the bodies of those who succumbed to illness could also be burned before this sacred emblem, fostering greater harmony between mankind and the GodFather.

This was the new ability Novak had acquired after obtaining a portion of the Black Death's seed.

And on this day, tens of thousands of people lined the streets of Florence, kneeling in reverence as they watched their god depart.