In other words, just as Alan had anticipated, the items from the demon race's hidden cache carried certain special wills.
Currently, these wills did not seem to have any significant effect on the holders of the treasures.
However, these wills would lead the treasure holders to the next hidden cache.
After several such instances, the person who discovers the demon race's cache would inevitably be laden with numerous demonic wills.
Eventually, their original will might even be supplanted by these demonic influences.
These wills originated from the Abyss of the Demon World.
They were either remnants of a dark god or belonged to one of the Ancient Ones who had revived by stealing power from the remains of a deceased dark god.
The level of consciousness in these wills was at least god-tier.
The protagonists, despite each being favored by Fate, did not possess high enough strength or realm to resist the invasion of these wills.
The protagonist in front of Alan, David, was even more special. His cheat, which Alan referred to as the demonic fusion cheat, allowed David to integrate with various sinister demonic artifacts.
Moreover, during this integration, David seemed to be immune to corruption and contamination.
The different demonic parts on David's body did not conflict with each other, indicating a unique ability within his cheat.
It provided him with immunity to some forms of demonic material corruption while preventing the demonic organs from rejecting each other.
However, the demonic components currently in protagonist David were not from high-level demon races.
The highest level among the original owners was just 1-star general-tier.
Therefore, if David collected more treasures from the demon race and the demonic wills within him successfully merged and awakened to usurp his body, would he be able to withstand it?
This was something Alan was very curious about.
Thus, Alan looked at David before him. He had no intention of killing him. The reason was simple: if Alan were to usurp David's system, he could indeed successfully acquire his abilities.
However, if the wills from the demonic race vessels completed their assembly later and attempted to usurp Alan, it would definitely not be successful.
Even if Alan suppressed his power to the lord-tier, his Divinity and will still far exceeded that level. However, the situation was different for the protagonist David.
David's own strength and soul were relatively weak, making him more susceptible to possession. To Alan, David seemed like an ideal subject for experimentation.
Alan released David, saying, "You are free to go." While examining David's system, Alan had used his divine power to keep David unconscious.
As a result, David was unaware of what had happened since he was brought into Beaconburg.
Upon awakening, David found himself lying on the floor of the Beaconburg's Hall of Light. Paladin Sara approached him and said firmly, "Our inspection is complete.
You carry a demonic aura, but you are not of the demon race, and your will is still human. You may leave now."
Confused and somewhat bewildered under the paladins' watchful eyes, David got up and left the hall.
When he had been captured, he sensed the presence of an antagonist nearby but couldn't pinpoint it.
The reason was that Alan had elevated his power beyond the god-tier at that time, making it impossible for the system to identify him.
After waking up and not sensing the antagonist's presence, David double-checked and, finding nothing, headed towards the exit of Beaconburg.
Unbeknownst to David, he was now being watched by several individuals – the paladins, as per Alan's arrangement.
Alan wanted to confirm something: whether David would seek out other demon world treasures and, upon finding them, would the demonic wills fuse and possess him.
This would allow Alan to determine whether David would become a mere puppet after being possessed by the demonic wills or whether he could suppress these invading wills using his system's capabilities.
Although the latter possibility seemed less likely, it wasn't entirely impossible.
Indeed, in the current system, both 'protagonist' and 'antagonist' cheats can grow and improve.
Although this growth is tied to the protagonist's level, escalating from level 1, 2, and so on, it's likely to be incremental and limited.
Whether David can withstand a demonic deity with the help of his system, or if he will succumb to the partial will of one of the Ancient Ones who has absorbed the power of a dark god's corpse, is difficult to predict. But this experiment could prove very helpful for Alan.
After letting protagonist David go for the first time, Alan paused as he noticed several notifications on his system interface in the [antagonist chat group].
Curious, he opened the chat group to read the messages:
[Success! Finally took down a protagonist!]
[Darn it! Just found out my girlfriend is a protagonist. Should I make a move? Need advice, ASAP!]
[Anyone interested in collaborating? We antagonists are stronger in the early stages. If we work together, we can probably eliminate the protagonists one by one!]
Reading these messages brought a slight smile to Alan's face. The game had been underway for some time now, and many players had become accustomed to its rhythm, developing their own strategies and tactics, gradually finding ways to defeat protagonists.
Observing these various comments from his fellow players, Alan felt a sense of amusement. Being a deity, he seldom experienced such fun anymore.
At that moment, while Alan was perusing the [antagonist chat group] messages, Paladin Vina approached him in the Hall of Light, holding a letter.
She came before Alan and handed over the letter, saying, "Lord Alan, Rivenland invites our leader of Beaconburg to attend the Ceremony of Divine Grace!"
As she spoke, Vina presented the letter to Alan. The letter was adorned with exquisite magic patterns and emitted a rich, fragrant aroma.
Alan was well aware that Rivenland, celebrated as the 'Land of Flowers', held the distinction of being the birthplace of the current Goddess of Flowers in the Divine Realm.
This enchanting nation was renowned for its lush, diverse floral landscapes, boasting a wide array of blooms unparalleled elsewhere.
It was this rich botanical diversity that had led Rivenland to become the epicenter for the continent's potion makers, as it housed an extraordinary variety of rare and magical plants.
Moreover, Rivenland had become a haven for magic pattern artists. These skilled artisans often journeyed to this floral kingdom to procure unique materials.
They utilized the potent essences and aromatic oils extracted from Rivenland's flowers to imbue their magic patterns with exceptional qualities.
These enhancements not only elevated the visual appeal of the patterns but also endowed them with enchanting fragrances, adding layers of sophistication and allure.
Receiving the letter, Alan recognized its reference to the "Ceremony of Divine Grace." This was a prestigious event, held annually across the continent's 12 kingdoms.
The ceremony was a grand affair, where deities from the Divine Realm descended to bestow their blessings upon select individuals.
The blessed were typically nobility, legendary heroes, or leaders of significant powers. Beaconburg, where Alan resided, was a consistent participant in these ceremonies, owing to its esteemed status.
For the paladins of Beaconburg, the ceremony did not hold the same gravitas as it might for others.
Situated under the protective radiance of the Almighty God and in proximity to the Divine Pillar, the blessings from other gods were considered somewhat supplementary.
However, for the wider array of participants, the graces offered during the ceremony held substantial value.
These rewards varied widely in nature and were categorized into different levels of significance.
The most prestigious of these rewards involved direct interaction with the deities, where the blessed individuals could express their deepest desires, which the deities would then strive to fulfill.
"Lord Alan, the wider world remains unaware of your descent to Beaconburg, yet some influential factions may have noted the emergence of a new leader among us," Vina reported.
"With this in mind, do you plan to represent Beaconburg at the Ceremony of Divine Grace yourself, or will you delegate this honor to another?"
After considering Vina's words, Alan's gaze swept across the room, coming to rest on the other paladins present.
His eyes lingered on Elizabeth, notable for her distinctive white hair. After a brief moment of contemplation, Alan made his decision, addressing Elizabeth directly, "This time, Elizabeth, you shall be our representative at the ceremony. I will accompany you."