Chapter 296
“The Despair Church worships the God of Despair. They believe that the future of the entire world is filled with despair, and only by understanding despair can one find their true self. Only those who worship the God of Despair can survive the impending calamities.”
“In short, this mysterious church is quite active in our Maple Leaf Territory, and… they have a deep background. All forces that caused trouble for them disappeared mysteriously in the end.”
“However, although these guys are always preaching in the territory, so far they still haven’t done anything wrong that warrants interference or opposition to their activities. It’s just that the followers of this God of Despair feel rather peculiar…”
One of the guards spoke.
“Peculiar?”
The young man’s demeanor brightened.
“That’s right,”
The guard affirmed, proceeding:
“All the followers of the God of Despair will gradually distance themselves from others, as their personalities become very depressing over time. So… even though they still haven’t caused any major incidents in the territory, the thing is…”
The guard left his statement hanging, shaking his head with a secretive air.
“What is it?”
The young man quirked his head.
“…It’s wise to keep your distance from them if you can!”
The guard sipped his drink, leaving an air of caution in his words.
The young man showed a look as if he’s pondering about something.
After asking about the information, he then suddenly revealed a brighter smile. Extracting a handful of water bags from his pocket, he beckoned a few reverent dark dwarfs to join him from the outside of the tavern.
“Brothers, there’s one more thing…”
The young man licked his lips.
“What is it?”
The two guards wore expressions of confusion.
“Do you… want to get rich?”
The young man flashed a grin.
“Get rich?”
The two guards exchanged puzzled glances.
Then, the young man smoothly approached the ears of the two guards. Amidst their strange gazes, like a tempting devil, the youth whispered:
“Have you… heard of Amway?”
“The resurgence of mana shall herald the apocalypse! Our world, Seigües, teeters on the brink of chaos in the impending catastrophe! To survive, you must internalize despair and revere the almighty God of Despair to receive salvation!”
An elderly figure with a hooded cloak declared with fanatical fervor, whilst observing the residents being drawn to his words.
Beside him, the residents of Maple Leaf City listened attentively, occasionally imitating his actions and drawing a strange dragon-shaped symbol upon their chests.
In the midst of the old man’s contentment in spreading his teachings, an untimely voice disrupted the atmosphere.
“This so called God of Despair…Is he really an actual deity?”
The old man’s expression subtly froze.
Meanwhile, the believers around the hooded elder swiftly turned their heads, casting angry glares at the skeptic.
It was a young man dressed as a wandering mercenary.
As the crowd shot angry glares his way, the young man couldn’t help but shiver. He swiftly chuckled nervously and remarked,
“Hey, don’t be angry…let’s be calm, okay… I’m just curious, really curious, that’s all! After all… I’ve never heard of this God before.”
Curious?
Upon hearing this word and sensing the lack of reverence for the divine in the youth’s words, the old man squinted his eyes slightly.
Upon looking closer, his keen observation didn’t miss the unrestrained display of strength from the other party, firmly placing them in the upper echelon of iron-rank.
This revelation stirred something within the old man.
A wandering mercenary, wielding the prowess of an Iron-rank Expert!
Furthermore…it seemed this youth had not yet firmly established a solid faith to any divine entity!
For a moment, the old man’s gaze towards the adolescent skeptic became fervent.
“Of course! His Divine Grace for which I serve is undoubtedly a real deity!”
His words burst forth with fanatical conviction.
“It’s just that… My Divine Lord was affected by the catastrophe a thousand years ago, thus succumbing to slumber. That’s why you still haven’t heard of His glorious name all this time.”
“Yet, soon, His Divine Grace shall reawaken, ready to reclaim His dormant power and usher in a tide of change upon this despairing world!”
As he spoke, the hooded elder raised his hand slightly…
Then, amidst the murmurs of the crowd, a dark green radiance emanated from the old man’s grasp.
With a flash, it illuminated everyone.
For a moment, everyone felt a vibrant divine power surging into their bodies, dispelling all ailments and fatigue the crowd was afflicted with, leaving no trace.
“Divine Magic! This is real divine art! My word, such powerful healing magic is even more impressive than what the priests of the Eternal Church could perform!”
Feeling the divine power within his body, an elderly believer excitedly shouted.
Then, he devoutly knelt down towards the old man.
Seeing the excited believer in front of him, the hooded elder felt very satisfied.
Yet, as his peripheral vision captured the sight of the young mercenary, he observed a surprised expression on the youth’s face.
“…Divine Art of Life?”
The old man heard the young mercenary muttered such words.
A slight smile played on the old man’s lips as he responded,
“Indeed, it’s the Divine Art of Life!”
“In despair, hope is born, and hope nurtures life. Therefore… under His Divine Grace, The God of Despair naturally possesses the power of life! This is an advanced healing divine art that only the true God’s followers can use!”
The hooded elder said with enthusiasm and pride.
“Hehe.”
A soft chuckle escaped the mouth of the young mercenary in response to his words.
Yet, that smile consistently triggered a subtle discomfort in the old man.
“Young man, do you have something to say?” The hooded elder asked as his eyebrows furrowed slightly.
The mercenary shook his head, and in an instant, the youth’s expression became devout:
“In fact… as a mercenary who frequents the battlefield, I deeply admire the True God of life. Um… I wonder if I have the chance to join the Church of Despair and receive the favor of your Esteemed Deity?”
Huh?
The sudden change in the mercenary caught the old man off guard, sparking a hint of surprise.
Nonetheless, considering the miraculous divine arts the youth had just witnessed, the unexpected reaction from the mercenary seemed strangely ordinary, in hindsight.
After all, he specifically showcased the Divine Art of Life exclusive to His Divine Grace to attract this young mercenary.
The old preacher smiled slightly and said enthusiastically:
“Of course! In the eyes of His Divine Grace, all beings are equal. As long as you’re willing to worship Him, you can receive His recognition and protection!”
After saying this, he took out a note from his pocket and handed it to the young man:
“If you want to become a follower of the God of Despair, then you can come to this location at 12 o’clock tonight.”
Having listened to the old man’s preaching in the tavern for a while, the young man eventually departed with the dark dwarfs who accompanied him.
Their group swiftly navigated through the streets of Maple Leaf City before arriving at a cheap inn.
Without delay, the youth left the dwarves and ascended to the second floor by himself, pushing open the door to a room, and accessed the chat interface.
Soon, the young man’s voice resonated with excitement in the voice chat for players currently in Maple Leaf City:
“Hey, Comrades! Comrades! I’ve finally established contact with the Church of Despair!”
“Well, see?… I’ve made up for it this time, right? So now, can you guys finally let go of what I did before in Sauron Company?”
“Playing spy in the Oakhand Questline is boring…Only by causing trouble in the Cult of an Evil God can we live up to our status as successors of Shehuism!” ¹
“These evil cultists say that the power of life belongs to the God of Despair. Hmph, as the loyal dogs of the goddess, can you guys bear it?”
— 296 —
【 DIVINE ART OF LIFE 】
¹ 射慧主义 – Not actually sure about this one but it seems to be a niche chinese meme related to the anime, Classroom of the Elite.
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