After probing through the God Mark for a moment, Owen slowly opened his eyes, a clear decision forming deep within them.
"Thomas would be a good choice."
Based on the information he gathered through the God Mark, Thomas had once been a passionate youth who traveled far beyond the village.
He had been a wandering bard, a shepherd, and later learned the trade of blacksmithing. He had lived in a major city for over a decade, earning enough gold to purchase resources and successfully Awaken, even reaching the second tier.
His character retained the simplicity of an old farmer. As he aged and gained skills, he returned to the village, helping many of the locals.
In Annasi, he was considered one of the more knowledgeable people.
Most importantly, his faith was devout—making him the best candidate for the role of Missionary.
As for the other four believers, while they had faith, they had spent their entire lives in the village, never experiencing the outside world. Their daily existence revolved around carefully managing resources to feed their families, making them less suited to be his first Missionary.
With his decision made, Owen turned his gaze to the horizon.
Having just ascended to a 1-star Ancient God, he had spent considerable time in the process. The villagers who had gathered for the ceremony had already begun to disperse.
At this moment, the blood-red dusk spread across the land, casting its glow upon the barren fields, the murky river, and the dilapidated houses built along the water's edge.
Surrounding the houses were vast expanses of cultivated wheat fields and pastures.
As this was a rural village, twilight marked the end of the day. The villagers hurried to finish their work, rushing home before darkness completely fell.
As the sky darkened further, Owen could hear the chirping of insects, their calls filling the air. Fireflies flitted in great swarms among the trees and flowers.
The scene was both wild and strangely harmonious.
Owen's mist-like soul form stepped out from the clay statue.
Before becoming an Ancient God, his fragile soul form had to remain sheltered within the statue, unable to leave.
But now, as a true Ancient God, his soul form had strengthened, granting him the ability to move beyond the statue's boundaries.
As he stepped forward, Owen pressed his foot against the damp ground. The sensation was like stepping on cotton—giving him a surreal, dreamlike feeling.
Clearly, a soul form differed greatly from a real body in terms of tactile perception.
"Even though I don't have a physical body yet, at least I can move freely. If I had to stay inside the statue forever, that would be worse than being imprisoned…"
Owen considered himself fortunate—thanks to the hundredfold amplification, he had been able to leave the statue much earlier than expected.
After walking for about ten minutes, Owen arrived at the residential area of the village.
Not far beyond the houses lay the endless mountain range.
Seeing those towering mountains, Owen suddenly felt a shudder deep within his soul.
"Even though I am now an Ancient God, I can only operate within the boundaries of Annasi. If I leave this area, my soul form would instantly become dozens of times weaker."
Owen murmured, recalling the system prompt that had appeared in his mind.
Beyond mere weakness, casting God Skills outside his Divine Domain would come at a steep price.
A God Skill that normally cost 1 Divine Point would require 10 points outside his territory—a tenfold increase in energy consumption!
Even worse, his Godhood Rank would drop by an entire level.
Unless absolutely necessary, he could not leave Annasi or his divine territory.
There was no need to explore beyond the village for now. He would wait until his Godhood Rank improved, his territory expanded, or he had gathered enough Divine Points before considering it.
With his resolve strengthened, Owen turned his attention to Thomas' wooden courtyard.
By now, night had fully fallen.
After a full day's labor, Thomas had already fallen asleep.
Owen activated the God Mark on his forehead, and a mist-like white glow floated toward the courtyard.
He spent 1 Divine Point, casting Dream Revelation for the first time.
Thomas did not know why he was dreaming of Deus Initium's statue, but the sensation was incredibly strange and vivid—like a lucid dream.
Could it be because the Sacred Vestige had been accepted by Deus Initium?
The thought made Thomas hesitate for a moment.
Although he had proclaimed his faith, he had privately questioned whether Deus Initium had truly descended to take the Sacred Vestige.
He was devout, but having traveled extensively, he knew the world belonged to Awakeners—a harsh yet thriving reality.
His prayers to Deus Initium were made in hope of divine miracles—to dispel plagues, prevent natural disasters, and ward off unknown horrors so that the villagers could live better lives.
As for whether gods truly existed, some believed, some did not.
To Thomas' knowledge, no one had ever actually seen a god.
"Thomas!"
Suddenly, a thunderous voice shook the dreamscape.
The sound was majestic, irresistible, and filled with divine authority.
Thomas quickly looked around, but saw no one.
"Who's there?"
He shouted in confusion, feeling an increasing sense of unease.
Though he knew he was dreaming, he felt trapped, as though he could not wake up.
"Thomas!"
The majestic and commanding voice boomed once more.
Thomas' body trembled as he suddenly witnessed the clay statue of Deus Initium—
A mighty, invisible force gripped it, causing it to swell and expand until it became an immense divine figure, reaching into the heavens!
Standing before this colossal deity, Thomas felt like an ant gazing upon a mountain.
Every single strand of divine hair seemed taller than himself.
Stunned, Thomas looked up—but Deus Initium's face was hidden in clouds.
All he could see were two radiant eyes, burning like twin suns, exuding overwhelming divine brilliance.
With just one glance, Thomas felt dizzy, his head spinning.
Instinctively, he bowed deeply, bending at ninety degrees in reverence.
"Deus Initium?"
"Deus Initium!"
His initial shock quickly turned into overwhelming devotion.
His god—his faith—had manifested before him!
"Thomas!"
"For generations, Annasi has worshiped Deus Initium. I have felt your devout faith!"
"But gods do not reveal themselves to all—only to the truly faithful."
"Will you become my Missionary, spreading my faith throughout the land?"
The divine decree shook the dreamscape—shattering mist and bending space.
In this moment, only one presence remained—resonating through all existence!
Thomas' expression of reverence deepened.
This was divine power!
This was a god's calling!
"O mighty Deus Initium, the Beginning of All Things! I, Thomas, pledge my life to serving at Your feet!"
His aging face flushed red with fervor as he remained deeply bowed.
"Tomorrow, come before Me to receive your divine ordination as My Missionary!"
The voice echoed through eternity—and then, the dream shattered like glass.
Thomas jerked awake, gasping for breath, his eyes wide like bronze bells.
"Tomorrow… come before Me to receive your divine ordination…"
The words of Deus Initium still reverberated in his mind.
"Deus Initium… has given me a Divine Mandate!"
His heart pounded, realization dawning.
This was no ordinary dream—it was a divine revelation!