Hearing his lord god's question, Eldric immediately knelt and answered with unwavering piety, "My life belongs to the lord god. Whatever you command, I will do without hesitation. Even if it means sacrificing my life and the lives of the entire wolf beastmen tribe, I will do it for the sake of the lord god."
As the God of Free Wind, Barbatos possessed the ability to detect lies. The scent of deceit would be carried by the wind, and he could smell it. So far, Eldric had spoken nothing but the truth, reinforcing Barbatos' trust in his devotion.
With this assurance, Barbatos no longer hesitated. He declared, "Very well, I will grant you a blessing. Use it wisely and serve me better."
Barbatos extended his hand toward Eldric, activating the hundredfold increase opportunity on him.
The transformation began immediately, visible to all the wolf beastmen who had gathered outside the ancestral hall.
Barbatos had no intention of hiding this miracle. He believed that witnessing Eldric's evolution would inspire the others to strive for the same favor.
As the transformation commenced, Eldric grunted in pain. His fur fell off completely, leaving him bald.
His skin turned a fiery red, and white steam emanated from his body as his blood seemed to boil. Black impurities oozed from his pores, only to be evaporated by his intense body heat, purifying him further.
Barbatos watched intently, knowing that this spectacle would not only enhance Eldric's power and loyalty but also reinforce the faith and devotion of the entire wolf beastmen tribe.
The onlookers, filled with awe and reverence, understood that such blessings were a reward for the utmost loyalty and devotion to their lord god.
They saw Eldric's transformation as a divine affirmation of his status as hierophant, and it fueled their desire to serve Barbatos with even greater fervor.
The entire process, though painful for Eldric, was a testament to the divine power of Barbatos. It was a clear demonstration that unwavering faith and dedication to their god could lead to miraculous transformations and immense power.
Soon enough, Eldric's fur began to grow back, transforming from baldness to a luminous coat reminiscent of bright moonlight.
He appeared younger, shedding the wrinkles and aged appearance of a sixty-year-old man and now looked like a robust, mature forty-year-old in his prime.
Eldric's transformation was profound. His body radiated a power that seemed to reach the Eighth-Order Legend, despite him being at the Seventh-Order Epic. The hundredfold increase had not only enhanced the quality of his bloodline but also significantly boosted his power.
Previously, Eldric's bloodline was that of a standard wolf beastman. Now, his lineage had evolved into that of a moon wolf beastman, a high-rank species.
The crescent-shaped bright moon symbol on Eldric's forehead indicated that his bloodline was not merely high-rank but at the pinnacle of it, showing signs of stepping into the realm of mythical creatures.
Mythical creatures were beings superior to high-rank species, serving as the respective overlords of their races. For instance, the Apocalypse Dragon King was a mythical creature of the dragon race, while the Phoenix was the mythical creature of the bird race.
Barbatos observed these changes with keen interest. It was essential to note that not all gods had humanoid-type believers. Some gods had animals as their primary followers.
In rare cases, some gods were fortunate enough to have dragons as their main believer race, making them incredibly lucky.
Barbatos could only envy those gods with dragons as their starting believer race.
Nonetheless, he felt quite content with having wolf beastmen as his primary followers. He viewed it as an advantage, knowing that his hundredfold increase opportunity could awaken their ancestral bloodlines, leading to significant enhancements.
Eldric's evolution into a moon wolf beastman represented a tremendous leap for the tribe, indicating that their potential was far greater than previously imagined. This transformation was a testament to Barbatos' divine power and a beacon of hope for the entire wolf beastman race.
When the wolf beastmen observed Eldric's evolution, they felt a subtle but undeniable suppression in their bloodlines by Eldric's newly enhanced bloodline. This wasn't overly severe, as Eldric was only on the brink of mythical creature status, not yet fully a mythical creature.
Eldric's power, now comparable to an Eighth-Order Legend, marked a significant leap. However, since he wasn't a mythical creature, he couldn't defeat an Eighth-Order Legend and was instead invincible within the realm of Seventh-Order Epics.
Currently at the initial stage of Seventh-Order Epic, Eldric couldn't yet challenge an Eighth-Order Legend. But with further growth to the peak stage, it could become possible.
Barbatos, observing this transformation, was satisfied. He thought, 'With Eldric's power as a Moon Wolf Beastman, he gains strength during the night and can accelerate his cultivation by absorbing moonlight.'
'Eldric's current power ensures my believers finally have a formidable powerhouse among them. With a Seventh-Order Epic believer, I don't have to worry about encountering Silver Demigods.'
'Typically, an average Silver Demigod doesn't even have a Sixth-Order Elite as a believer. It depends on how long they have been Silver Demigods, as some older ones might have accumulated Sixth-Order Elites.'
'Seventh-Order Epics among believers are rare and usually the result of accumulating top-tier resources and winning several divine wars. Most Silver Demigods don't possess believers that strong.'
With these thoughts in mind, Barbatos felt even more confident in his plan to expand his territory in the Eternal Continent and wage war against other demigods.
Even if he encountered a Six-Turn Demigod, he believed that winning a divine war would allow him to defeat them. As for a Gold Demigod, he knew that their believers were undoubtedly more powerful than his, making victory improbable.
'Now that I have a powerful believer, who is also my hierophant, I have enough strength to at least protect myself in the Eternal Continent,' he thought.
Feeling reassured, Barbatos addressed his believers who had witnessed Eldric's evolution. "Gather the stronger members and widen your exploration range. Explore more of the Eternal Continent and find more valuable sacrifices for the next annual sacrifice!"