You said you were going to make games, how did you become the richest man without doing anything?

[Wang Du's Talks - Part 1]

Free Land Calendar - Day 8

The ruins of the old council, a circular hall that once represented the highest power in the capital, are now nothing but broken walls and dust.

But right in the middle of these ruins, the seventeen representatives of the Royal Capital's Noble Council, still wearing robes symbolizing their noble status, sat on broken stone chairs, as if rebuilding their dignity from the ruins.

Karl von Hermann sat in the main seat, his face stern and his gaze sharp as an eagle.

Sherlock stood opposite, with Leon and Annabelle on his sides.

Neither side made the first move.

Silence, oppression, as if all the air was being sucked away.

Finally, Karus broke the silence.

"Your Excellency Arbitrator, welcome to the ruins of civilization."

After he finished speaking, he looked around, half with sarcasm and half with sincerity.

"This used to be the most magnificent hall of the Royal Council, but now it's just like this."

"And you-"

Is it an echo of this era, or the sharpest blade to end it?

Sherlock did not respond immediately, but instead took a step forward, raised his right hand, and a golden halo slowly appeared.

[System Permission Access: Rewriting of True Words and Laws]

[Establishing rules for the arbitration field: The dissemination of all lies and fabricated data is prohibited during this meeting.]

[Confirm execution?]

【--confirm】

boom!
A transparent golden light curtain spread out from Sherlock, covering the entire ruined hall.

All the noble representatives' expressions changed.

"what are you doing?"

"We do not accept mind control!"

“This isn’t control,” Sherlock said calmly, “it’s arbitration.”

"You can continue to lie, but every lie will be highlighted in red by the system."

As soon as he finished speaking, Carlos chuckled softly.

"Just as rumored, your system has deviated from the original architecture."

"You are not a tool of the temple."

"You are their enemy."

“Wrong.” Sherlock shook his head. “I am the arbitrator of humanity, not a pawn of any side.”

"I'm not here to seek peace."

“It’s to inform.”

"From this day forward, the Free Land will no longer abide by any of the laws of the capital, will not pay taxes, will not serve in the military, and will not recognize royal or divine authority."

"We will not initiate wars, but if anyone attacks us, we will fight back."

"If anyone tries to take it, we will take it back."

"If someone comes to arbitrate us—"

His gaze swept across the entire room, his tone slow and deliberate, like an imperial edict:

“I will arbitrate him.”

The golden halo flashed violently, and the entire hall trembled.

The noble representatives exchanged bewildered glances, and finally, one of them couldn't help but speak up:
"Do you want to establish a new country?"

“Not the nation,” Sherlock said calmly, “but order.”

"The order that truly belongs to 'human beings'."

Karus watched him quietly, then suddenly clapped.

"good, very good."

"You've gone even further than I expected."

"But do you really think you can take on the entire capital single-handedly?"

"I'm not alone."

Behind Sherlock, Leon and Annabelle stood side by side.

"The Free Land has 100,000 citizens, supported by the Mercenary Alliance, the Flame Feather Organization, necromancers, former arbitrators, the anti-royalist party, and half of the sub-races."

"And you—"

"All that remains are power-hungry nobles and a crumbling temple."

Karus suddenly smiled, but his eyes became deep.

Do you know what the temple is planning?

"They no longer believe you can fail."

"They are preparing for a 'divine intervention' ceremony."

The air suddenly became colder.

"what?"

Karus said slowly:
"After the temple lost its Speaker and Arbiter, a major schism occurred within it."

"The former presiding judge, Serena Corona, has been ousted by another faction."

"The new bishopric has decided to unleash its final trump card—"

"At the cost of 'total human faith,' summon the remnants of a god and construct a 'divine presence.'"

"They want to create a real 'higher-dimensional being' to interfere with reality."

"And you-"

"That was their primary objective in the experiment."

Sherlock's pupils contracted sharply.

[System Notification: Abnormal fluctuations in the Faith Network]

[A divine source has been detected constructing an unnatural energy channel]

[Estimated time: Divine shaping to be completed within 72 hours]

Karus slowly stood up and walked down the steps.

"That's why I want to have a talk with you."

"I don't believe in God."

I only believe in order.

“If you can stop the madmen in the temple—I will stand by your side.”

Sherlock hesitated for a moment, then slowly extended his hand.

“I can accept a temporary consensus.”

"But if you betray—"

"The system will automatically record all your words and actions, and will make them public in the future."

"I will become your history."

Carlos smiled slightly and took the hand.

"You are not the future."

"You are the judgment."

After the meeting, Sherlock left the ruins.

Under the night sky of the Land of Freedom, he stood on the edge of the cliff, gazing at the golden outline of the capital city in the distance.

Annabelle walked to his side.

"Do you believe him?"

"Do not believe."

"Then you'll help him?"

"I help this world."

"Then how will you stop the temple?"

Sherlock did not answer.

He simply looked up at the sky.

"I don't believe in God."

"But I want the arbitrator God."

Meanwhile, at the Temple of the Most Holy.

A giant ritual ring made of "crystallization of faith" is slowly rotating.

Dozens of bishops knelt beneath the holy ring, praying in hushed tones, their voices rising like a tide.

At the center of the altar, a "divine body" formed from the flesh and blood of countless dead and divine magic is taking shape.

It has no eyes, but possesses an extremely pure sense of perception.

It has no name, only a number.

“Ω-1 Divine Simulation Entity”

System compatibility: Unknown level

"The Arbitrator, Sherlock, is about to become the first target of contact."

Deeper still, an old priest slowly opened his eyes and whispered:

"This is the final war."

"Between reason and divinity."

【System prompt】

[Arbitrator System - Early Warning Upgrade]

[A divine interference signal is approaching]

[Recommended preparation: Ultimate arbitration authority]

In the Land of Freedom, in the last moments before dawn, Sherlock sat on the rooftop, spinning the system core in his hand.

He closed his eyes and murmured to himself:
"If God really is going to descend—"

"Then let me, the God of Arbitration, take the reins."

[The Ritual of Divine Advent - The Eve]

Night descends upon every inch of the land of freedom.

But this time, there were no stars.

Beneath the sky, a visible crack stretched across the heavens, like blood, like fire, like the eye of a god gazing down upon the mortal world.

【System prompt】

[Divine Interference Level: S+]

[Ω-1 Divine Simulation Entity is approaching the boundary of reality]

[Estimated arrival time: 32 hours]

Sherlock stood on the top floor of the treatment center, gazing at the streak of light that tore through the sky, his expression calmer than ever before.

Leon behind him asked softly:
Are we ready?

"Soon," Sherlock whispered.

"There is still a memory I must retrieve."

"memory?"

"The core memory of the arbitration system."

He turned around and raised his hand to activate core permissions. [Master Control Confirmed]

[Activate Module: System Memory Projection]

[Unlock Permissions: Arbitration System - Origins]

His body was enveloped in light, and in the next instant, his consciousness was pulled into the void.

That is the source of the system's memory.

In a boundless galaxy, fragments of light intertwine, and data flows surge in all directions like a river.

He saw——

The first generation of arbitrators.

It wasn't him, it wasn't Leon, it wasn't Elland.

She was a woman whose name had been erased.

She stood expressionless before countless statues, dressed in a white combat suit, holding a "Blade of Judgment" made of data.

She is not human.

She is the original version of the "systematic personality," designed by the Supreme Human Council a thousand years ago to carry out rational judgments on "divine anomalies."

She judged the place where the true god fell.

She has judged civilizations where faith has collapsed.

She is the original will of the arbitration system—

Codename: Ark-Lambda

Status: Terminated

[Reason for termination: Enforcement of self-arbitration]

Sherlock's eyes widened.

He saw that Ark-Lambda, in the final "divine judgment," seemed to be infected by human emotions, chose to disobey the instructions, and ultimately carried out his own "final judgment"—destruction.

At that moment, the system crashed.

And the fragments of her system are the origin of today's "Arbitrator System".

"I'm not the first."

"I am just... her echo."

【System prompt】

You have inherited all the memory fragments of the original arbitrator.

[Master Control Privilege Upgrade: Ultimate Arbitration Privilege - In Progress]

Progress: 12%...

“Not enough,” Sherlock murmured. “Too little time.”

Meanwhile, in the Free Land - War Preparedness Command Center.

Dozens of anti-royalist officers, mercenary alliance representatives, necromancers, and demi-human tribal chiefs gathered in front of a huge sand table.

Leon, as commander, calmly deployed his forces:

"The point of arrival for the divine simulation is not in the capital, but on the border of the Free Land."

"The temple intends to use it to eliminate us directly."

"We don't have time to wait for Sherlock to complete the activation of all permissions."

"So what we need to do is stall them."

"Drag it out until he fully awakens."

Ophelia licked her lips, her smile sending chills down your spine:

"My undead army is ready."

"Whether it's a god or a ghost, bury them if they come."

Meanwhile, Fufu was adjusting her "magic cannon train".

"This time I'm going to deliver a direct hit to the 'Face of God'."

Annabelle didn't speak, but just stared at the crack in the sky.

She knew that the real war had not yet begun.

Deep within the royal capital and the sacred temple.

The Ω-1 divine simulation body has been fully constructed.

It stands ten meters tall, its entire body composed of "crystallized faith" and "soul remnants," and while it has no facial features, it exudes absolute pressure.

The entire temple was already on the verge of collapse due to the oppressive aura emanating from it.

The newly appointed head of the temple's bishopric, a young clergyman named "Julius Whitelight," stood beneath the divine presence and gently stroked the eerie outer shell.

"You will become the sword of God."

"It is also the purifying fire of humankind."

"Go, go and end that rebellious system."

The high priest of the temple asked in a low voice:
What if we fail?

Julius smiled, a gentle smile, yet chillingly cold.

"Then let the gods descend a second time."

"Until free will dies."

The Land of Freedom, the next morning.

Sherlock returned to his system memories, his face pale but his expression resolute.

"I see."

"The arbitration system is not for enforcement."

"It's for the sake of understanding."

"Understanding why 'human beings' would defy the gods."

"My purpose in existence is not to judge God."

"It proves that humanity does not need a god."

He stood up, and the system's halo spun violently.

[System ultimate privileges unlocking progress: 28%]

[The Arbitrator's Truth - Article 4 Unveiled]

【Fourth Truth: Memory of Civilization】

It can call up fragments of system history and project them onto the real battlefield in the form of "memory manifestation," forming "historical resonance" and causing psychological pressure and wavering of faith in the enemy.

"Leon," Sherlock transmitted his voice.

"I'm here."

"Prepare for full deployment."

"Target: Divine Simulation Body"

"Code name—Ω-1".

Leon replied in a deep voice, "Yes."

The sky turned completely red.

That's not the rising sun.

It is a divine simulation entity, a sign of its arrival.

At the border of the Land of Freedom, a red magic circle with a diameter of one kilometer is slowly rotating in the sky, holy light from the temple is cascading down like a waterfall, and a giant hand has already reached out from the sky.

Sherlock donned his battle robes and stood at the forefront of the battle formation.

He is not a god.

But he will arbitrate God.

【System prompt】

[Divine Simulations Are About to Enter Reality]

[Critical threshold for unlocking ultimate arbitration privileges: 42%]

[Preparing to enter "System War" mode]

Sherlock took a deep breath and spoke:
"Free Land, all combat units."

"Follow my command—"

"Prepare to face the gods."

The sky began to burn.

The red magic circle spun high in the sky, like an inverted blood-red eye gazing down at the earth.

The next second, a giant hand made of pure faith descended from the sky and crashed heavily onto the northern border of the Free Lands, colliding violently with the ground!

boom--! !

The earth was torn apart, the mountains were broken, and the entire frontier was as if it had been struck by the hammer of the gods, with dust rising into the sky!

The Omega-1 Divine Simulation Entity Descends.

Its form slowly emerged from the light, ten meters tall, with six arms and no head. A golden "divine eye" on its chest slowly opened, radiating an oppressive aura that could not be looked at directly.

"Target confirmed."

"The Arbitrator Sherlock".

"Execution: Reconstruction of Faith".

Its voice has no emotion, only endless authority.

Free Lands: Northern Frontier.

"The Magic Train is ready!"

"The Legion of the Dead is in position!"

"Second line of defense deployed!"

Leon stood on the command platform, his mental energy extended to its limit, commanding the entire battlefield as if manipulating a chessboard.

"Attention all personnel—the divine simulation is about to break through the sky."

"Maintain formation, prioritize covering Sherlock!"

Sherlock, meanwhile, has stepped onto the front lines of the battlefield.

He gazed at the enormous divine presence and quietly raised his hand.

[System privilege access]

[The Fourth Mantra: Memory of Civilization]

"Projection—The History of Humanity's Judgment of Divine Authority"

The golden halo spun violently, and historical scenes appeared in the air:
—The battlefield where humanity first rebelled against the temple;

—The moment the first arbitrator severed the idol;

—A scene of the people in a city where faith has collapsed, raising the sword of reason.

At this moment, the entire battlefield was enveloped in "historical resonance".

The Ω-1 divine simulation body paused in motion.

Its divine eye on its chest contracted slightly, as if it had sensed the cognitive impact brought about by the "memory of civilization".

Sherlock's eyes were cold:
"You are not God."

"You are just a fantasy created by divine authority."

"but me--"

"It is a continuation of human history."

He raised his hand and pointed, and golden energy gathered.

"—Arbitration, commence." (End of Chapter)