Chapter21-Hell’s Millstone
"Great Deus Initium, your servants pay their respects!"
As soon as Mia and Ethan arrived above the eerie and terrifying Hell's Millstone, they immediately bowed deeply towards the Skeletal Throne, their voices filled with utmost reverence.
Meanwhile, Joseph, who had followed them here, felt as if his head was about to explode upon witnessing the scene before him.
"Deus Initium?"
"And… what is this place?"
Joseph felt the grinding sound of the Hell's Millstone below tearing through his soul, shattering it piece by piece. The indescribable pressure made his very essence tremble on the verge of collapse.
An overwhelming fear engulfed him like a tidal wave, suffocating him completely.
He had seen many grand scenes before, but facing the imposing figure seated upon the Skeletal Throne, he couldn't stop his entire body from trembling uncontrollably!
"Joseph, for your selfish desires, you mercilessly slaughtered Mia's family. Have you ever repented?"
Owen gazed down at him indifferently.
Under Owen's scrutiny and questioning, Joseph felt his soul locked in place, unable to move.
He instinctively wanted to argue, but the sheer divine authority rendered him powerless to resist. His voice trembled as he spoke:
"Great Deus Initium, I admit I was wrong in the past, but I have repented… I will sincerely atone for my sins in the future—"
Before he could finish, a booming voice interrupted him.
"Since you claim to have a heart of repentance, then enter the Hell's Millstone and atone properly!"
Joseph's pupils suddenly contracted.
A massive hand descended from the sky, emerging through the clouds. A single extended finger, as thick as a stone pillar, instantly filled his vision.
Before he could even let out a scream, he was forcibly pressed into the Hell's Millstone.
In an instant, the already eerie and mournful grinding sound became even more horrifying and desperate.
Seeing this, Mia and Ethan both revealed smiles of satisfaction—revenge had finally been exacted!
They knew that once inside the Hell's Millstone, Joseph would not only endure the repeated torment of his soul being crushed but would ultimately be ground into soul fragments, completely obliterated.
After three long years, their vengeance was finally fulfilled!
Their parents' souls could now rest in peace.
And the culprit had received the punishment he deserved!
At the same time, they gained a deeper understanding of Deus Initium.
So long as one was devout, they would receive divine blessings. But those who committed evil would inevitably face Deus Initium's wrath.
"Inform Thomas of today's events. He will know what to do."
At that moment, Owen cast a glance at Mia and Ethan and spoke slowly.
Hearing this, they both nodded respectfully before turning to leave.
As they departed, the once-roaring Hell's Millstone gradually faded away, and the unique Divine Space returned to its empty, silent state.
"Now that there are Infernal Envoys, the Underworld has taken shape. It's time to prepare a proper domain for them."
Owen pondered for a moment and decided to carve out a special Hell Realm.
As a 1-Star Ancient God, he possessed both the power and the authority to establish such a space.
The Infernal Envoys needed a proper office to carry out their duties—separate from the Divine Space yet under its watchful gaze.
"A Hell Realm of thirty meters in length, width, and height will require approximately 10 divine points."
After a brief calculation, Owen quickly made his decision.
Immediately, divine energy condensed at his fingertip as he slowly traced a line through the void.
His movements were deliberate, and as his finger passed through the air, a vast rift tore open. From within, surging Infernal Flames erupted, and the previously vanished Hell's Millstone roared to life once more, expanding the space further.
The newly formed Hell Realm resided beneath the Divine Space, operating independently while remaining under divine surveillance.
Within it, spirits and condemned souls could look up to see the Divine Space looming above like a golden sun, yet to their eyes, it was shrouded in endless mist and boundless divine authority.
"Though the Hell Realm is still small for now, there are few Infernal Envoys and lost souls. We'll expand it once the need arises."
With that, Owen turned his attention to the Vampire Baron beside him.
To outsiders, it appeared that the Vampire Baron had been utterly annihilated.
But in reality, Owen had secretly transported its corpse into the Divine Space.
This Vampire Baron, classified as a Tier-3 Spellbeast, held significant value in terms of divine points.
Without hesitation, he accessed the Trading Channel's Pawn Shop and placed the corpse inside.
[7 divine points.]
Seeing the offered price, Owen was quite satisfied.
Since he had no use for the corpse, he immediately converted it into divine points.
With 7 additional divine points flowing into his being, his total now stood at 98 divine points.
After completing these tasks, Owen gradually closed his eyes.
During his battle against the Vampire Baron, he had noticed something peculiar—his Fireball spell was vastly superior to the ones cast by ordinary Awakeners.
Additionally, he discovered that each time he used Fireball, a small amount of proficiency appeared in his mind.
It was clear that although Fireball was a basic God Skill, it had considerable room for improvement!
If he could fully master its proficiency, its power would likely double!
"With enough divine points, maxing out this God Skill would be easy. Simulating it in my mind grants some proficiency, but the progress is too slow."
"But for now, there's no other way—I simply don't have enough divine points."
Owen sighed in resignation.
While he could cast multiple God Skills, none of them had yet reached an advanced level of mastery.
Only by fully refining these God Skills could he be considered at the peak of a 1-Star Ancient God.
Time passed swiftly, and in the blink of an eye, a month had gone by.
The villagers of Reinham Village and Colmar Village, along with those who had merged from Lucas Village, had gradually adapted to the way of life in Annasi.
Every morning and evening, they prayed to Deus Initium, performed sacred rituals, and made offerings of incense.
Even when they were away from the village, they maintained this practice.
The most devout among them not only attended prayer sessions daily but also helped clean the temple and performed other acts of service.
Meanwhile, news of Ethan and Mia becoming Infernal Envoys and the Hell's Millstone spread rapidly, embedding itself in the hearts of the villagers.
The fate of Joseph's corpse, placed outside the temple as a grim reminder, became a testament to Deus Initium's divine authority—serving as a warning to all.
The villagers rejoiced at his downfall, feeling an even deeper reverence for Deus Initium.
They knew now—should they commit evil, Ethan and Mia would come for their souls and drag them to judgment.
This realization instilled profound fear.
No one dared to commit wrongdoing.
It became an unshakable belief in their hearts.
Yet, rather than resisting, the villagers welcomed this divine oversight.
As simple folk, they valued honest and peaceful lives.
With Deus Initium watching over them, the village could remain safe and harmonious—a prosperity that once existed only in legends.
Moreover, they became increasingly aware that through faith and righteous deeds, they stood a chance to receive Deus Initium's blessings.
Their reverence deepened.
"Benjamin, gather the village elders. There are matters that need to be addressed."
After completing his prayers, Thomas issued the command.
Previously, he had received a divine decree from Deus Initium—within three months, the number of devotees must reach 1,500.
Only residents of Annasi counted toward this goal.
A daunting task.
Even after merging four villages, their total population barely exceeded 800—far from sufficient.
This gap needed to be filled quickly.
Thomas had already begun preparations. Now, the time had come to act.
"A decree from Deus Initium must be fulfilled—without fail!"
Thomas whispered solemnly to himself.