"Deus Initium!"
Those who had received divine blessings, including old John, fervently prayed before the clay statue of Deus Initium.
Their bodies trembled with excitement, overwhelmed by their newfound strength.
For old John, in particular, the advancement in rank and power brought him immense relief.
As the village chief of Annasi, he had spent years seeking ways to increase his strength—to protect the villagers, repel spellbeasts, and prevent the village from falling to attacks.
Every so often, he would travel to Black Iron to purchase vital supplies for the village.
And every time he entered Black Iron, he would hear chilling rumors—
Nearby villages being completely devoured by spellbeasts.Entire settlements being wiped out by natural disasters.Epidemics turning villages into ghost towns, with no survivors.
These reports terrified him.
He feared that one day, his own home—Annasi—would suffer the same fate.
To this village, where generations of his family had lived, he held deep attachment and love.
Yet, no matter how hard he trained, even resorting to forbidden techniques, he had remained stuck at Tier-3 Beginner, unable to progress further.
Without greater strength, he could not ensure the safety of Annasi.
But now—
With Deus Initium's descent, he had broken his limits and reached Tier-3 Mid!
This gave him hope—
Hope for further advancement,
Hope for Annasi's prosperity,
Hope for a stronger village.
His faith in Deus Initium deepened, and within the depths of his soul, a faint divine shadow of Deus Initium took form.
"I… I've become a Tier-1 Awakener?"
Benjamin looked down at his transformed body, blinking in disbelief.
At 23 years old, he had always been physically stronger than his frail older brother.
He had trained under his father Thomas, practicing Steel Skin for nearly ten years.
But despite a decade of effort, he had never awakened.
His repeated failures had taken a toll on his confidence, leaving him convinced that he would never become an Awakener, no matter how hard he tried.
But now, By believing in Deus Initium, he had shattered those mental and physical limitations and finally become a true Awakener!
Behind old John and Benjamin, the other blessed villagers bowed reverently before the statue of Deus Initium, their eyes filled with awe and devotion.
They had been nothing but ordinary farmers, yet by following Deus Initium, they had undergone a miraculous transformation!
They had achieved what they once only dreamed of becoming Awakeners.
Frank's Tears of Gratitude
Frank's eyes brimmed with tears.
Unlike most villagers, he had been born into a fairly well-off family.
His parents were stone masons—until they vanished one day while mining in the mountains.
He would never forget that day—
At just six years old, he had waited alone at home from dawn until dusk, then from dusk until the next morning.
His parents never returned.
Instead, he heard the horrific news—they had been devoured by spellbeasts.
With no family left, he struggled to survive.
Had it not been for the kindness of the villagers who shared what little they had, he wouldn't be alive today.
Though he had survived, he had always felt isolated.
Whenever he saw other children playing with their parents, his heart ached with loneliness.
But now—
Under Deus Initium's blessing, he had become an Awakener!
He now stood among the village's most respected figures alongside Chief John and Blacksmith Thomas.
"The village just gained 8 Awakeners in a single day… and Thomas' strength has soared!"
"Is this the power of Deus Initium? His single descent has transformed the entire village!"
Old John sighed in amazement, his forehead wrinkles fading unconsciously.
With so many Awakeners, Annasi could now face dangers with courage in this perilous world.
Meanwhile, Thomas, as a missionary, looked around in confusion.
"There are so many believers here… so why were only old John and the others blessed?"
Scanning the villagers carefully, he suddenly realized something.
Among those who received blessings,
every single one of them was truly devout.
The others who were equally devoted were mostly elderly women and children, likely unsuitable candidates for divine empowerment.
Clearly—
True devotion was the first requirement to receive Deus Initium's blessings!
Only those with unwavering faith would be rewarded!
And as a missionary, it was his duty to ensure the entire village understood this truth!
"Starting today, every morning and evening, we must gather at the statue to pray, offer sacrifices, and express our devotion!"
"Anyone who slacks off will be punished! Those who disrespect Deus Initium will be disciplined immediately!"
As Thomas solidified this resolve, the villagers suddenly erupted in complaints.
"This isn't fair! Why did only they receive Deus Initium's blessings?"
"Exactly! Even those two younglings—Benjamin and Frank—got blessed!"
Jealous murmurs spread among the villagers,
their desire to become Awakeners growing stronger.
Hearing this, Thomas' expression darkened.
He turned to the complainers, and slapped them across the face without hesitation!
"Have you learned nothing?"
"You ignorant fools!"
"They were blessed because they were truly devoted to Deus Initium!"
"And you? Weren't you all about to leave just moments ago?"
"They remained here in prayer—while you only went through the motions!"
"Do you think you can deceive a god?!"
"If you weren't chosen, don't blame Deus Initium—look within and ask yourselves: Was your faith truly sincere?"
A sudden silence fell over the crowd.
It was as if a light bulb had flickered on in their minds.
Many villagers were now filled with deep regret, wishing they had been more devout just moments ago.
But regret alone wouldn't change anything.
And so, one by one, they made a decision—
"From now on, we will devote ourselves to Deus Initium—unconditionally!"
"He is our sun, our guiding light!"
Inside the Statue of Deus Initium
From within the statue, Owen watched everything unfold, nodding in satisfaction.
"A man who has traveled the world truly sees things clearly—Thomas is sharp and knows how to lead."
With Thomas' efforts, it wouldn't be long before all 254 villagers became his devotees!
Humming with delight, Owen opened the Devotee Records.
[Daily Spice Points]: 531
[S-rank Devotees]: 0 (100,000 spice points per day)
[A-rank Devotees]: 0 (10,000 spice points per day)
[B-rank Devotees]: 0 (1,000 spice points per day)
[C-rank Devotees]: 2 (100 spice points per day)
[D-rank Devotees]: 26 (10 spice points per day)
[E-rank Devotees]: 102 (1 spice point per day)
[F-rank Devotees]: 50 (1 spice point per 10 days)
"Not bad—180 devotees already, and many have advanced to E-rank!"
"Once the rest of the villagers learn what happened today, the number of devotees will only grow!"
As he mused, the system's notification suddenly lit up.
[Current Quest – Path to Godhood]
[First Stage Complete. Second Stage Unlocked.]
Owen's eyes glowed with anticipation.
[Path to Godhood – Second Stage Quest]
[Task: Congratulations! You have taken the first step toward godhood. Now that you have a missionary, it is time to expand your devotee base!]
[Requirement: Reach 300 total devotees.]
[Reward: 1 Earthsplit Scroll, 5 Divine Points.]