Thousand-Faced Dragon

Chapter 389 Awakening
[Blessed by the Lord of Drama and Pleasure, you have obtained a divine barrier: an anti-divine barrier.]

When the message arrived, Rean opened his mouth, but ultimately said nothing.

The dense divine power surrounding the body brings new divine arts and divine favor extraordinary abilities. Abilities prefixed with divine power are generally rare and powerful.

"A special divine spell against divine power, Fisterion, what exactly are you implying?"

This is clearly not a conventional ability. This technique can modify a small area and eliminate at least the influence of suppressing divine power. This should be a fairly strong ability. But what kind of opponent do you have to suppress to win?

Hopefully, we'll never need to use it.

Rean sighed, knowing that this was probably just wishful thinking.

Divine arts involving divine power are precious assets even for a major church; how could they be bestowed without a reason?

Rean could only hope that he wouldn't need to encounter such an opponent in the short term.

“I underestimated Fisterion. No, all of us candidates underestimated Him.”

A god is always a god. Even if he silently watches over mortals without saying a word, he can still grasp the "trajectory" of everyone.

Life is full of suffering. When a lot of bitterness is poured into the soul, it naturally reveals the depth, potential and inclination of an individual. Perhaps this is not necessarily accurate, and perhaps someone will deviate from their original intention in the future, but it is enough for now.

"I am Radon Thorsh, an ordinary clergy apprentice, who aspires to be a shepherd who spreads joy, if possible."

Every candidate pastor receives “doctrine” from God, but it is destined not to be all of it.

Rean estimated that his own was closest to its essence, yet also the darkest and most desperate.

"Life is short, and there's no hope for humanity. So why not seize the moment and enjoy life to the fullest? And if you can bring some pleasure to others, like watching a good play, then you'll have some benefit."

Rean even speculated that this "doctrine" overflowing with negative nihilism was not the entirety of Fisterion, but rather a manifestation or aspect of Him. Could Fisterion, who could almost destroy the Elven Empire through extreme means, really have such a negative "self"?

But this "side view" alone is enough for Rean to use; at least, this part is still within the realm of benevolent gods.

They acknowledge the suffering of the mortal world and attempt to offer redemption and solace.

So, it seems plausible that after awakening, it would move towards the authority of "redemption" and "salvation" and obtain the domain of the "sun".

This is quite important because the core of these future churches must at least have a logically consistent "doctrine" and an empathetic understanding of the deity they serve.

"The first half is mostly true, but the latter part is hard to say."

Because it's Lee Eun-suk, I understand that if Lee Eun-suk is truly beyond saving, I won't numb myself in confusion and just randomly pick something to kill, which would be better than just getting by like a zombie.

"Several deities, possibly both evil and benevolent, together constitute the true Him."

Rean was probably the one who understood the essence of it all the most, but looking at the other shepherds who seemed to have "seen through life," he sighed. These words couldn't be spoken, and no one would believe them anyway.

At least for now, their level of "enlightenment" and piety is at its maximum.

"What a fine piece! Wait, why would I think that?"

Rean gave a wry smile. Perhaps Fisterion was not entirely unaffected by him; perhaps he was the most merciful god, but also the most indifferent.

The deity's "enlightenment" led the pastors into a state of profound understanding.

Some of them were contemplating and meditating, while others were discussing transactions. The divine favor around them gradually intensified. As near-gods, they gradually progressed from first-tier priests to second-tier, third-tier, and even higher-tier priests.

What could be closer to God and more resonant with His divine authority than hearing His preaching directly?

All the pastors cherished this opportunity. They shared their insights with one another, hoping to acquire as much "divine teachings" as possible, hoping that the blind men and the elephant could piece together a more complete picture.

Perhaps, the first Great Shepherd will soon be born. But the first to leave will be Rean, the inheritor.

Compared to other devout believers, he was clearly more pragmatic, lacking faith, and always viewed the church and gods as a tool.

He realized that discussing anything today was probably pointless. And the Forest Giant Druid had already made arrangements with him in reality.

For at least these few years, the Druid Order will be Rean's ally. Yes, it's Rean personally, not the kingdom. These outsiders and inheritors of history probably don't really trust the state or the gods.

"I am grateful for that deity's favor, and I will treat him with respect and faith. If there are any unofficial church positions available, such as apologists, I would be happy to accept them."

Druids' greatest faith is always in nature itself, and it is quite remarkable that they can show some respect or even understanding for deities outside the natural order.

They have long lifespans and are willing to spend some of their years repaying this kindness and friendship.

"That's enough, the scaffolding is up and running."

If there were a miracle of "divine resurrection," missionary work would be much easier, but now, with these key figures and the support of the kingdom, it is enough to assemble a makeshift team.

After these pastors have gained "enlightenment" and developed their own "doctrines," they should soon be able to reach the level of third or fourth rank or even grand pastor, which would be sufficient to prove the authenticity of this true god's resurrection.

At least Rean was satisfied. From beginning to end, he only received "divine grace" to pave the way for the Holy Knights. The church itself had too strong a presence and even caused a war of faith, which would give him a headache.

But at this moment, Rean also vaguely sensed that Fisterion was probably not going to give up so easily, and there would be other "fun" to come.

“Let’s take it one step at a time”

After glancing at the shepherds who were having a heated discussion, Rean took a step back and returned to reality.

"pain"

Upon waking up, he immediately felt uneasy all over.

The pain, tingling, and numbness were much more intense than before. This did not mean that his wounds had worsened or that his evolution had failed, but rather that his nerve perception had recovered, allowing the healed wounds in his body to perceive a more sensitive state.

Rean slowly moved off the bed, touched the headboard, and realized that the headboard was a bit too low.

"Uh, I've grown taller."

With his first kick, Rean shattered the floorboards.

This is the city-state of the Dark Elves. We plan to rest for a while before returning to Radiant City. The Dark Elves are not large, but their furniture doesn't feel like such a small toy.

"It seems to be over two meters."

The beastman's three-headed dragon bloodline greatly enhances his physical strength, but what it currently appears to be is a significant expansion of his flesh, blood, and bones.

Rean gently touched the books on the bedside table, and then accidentally crushed the papers.

"Looks like we need to make some adjustments." Rean glanced at the drop in his agility attribute and sighed.

My control over my body seems to have declined, but my strength and physique have clearly increased significantly.

Rean's excessive strength and physique, along with his overly agile and responsive nature, made him seem somewhat clumsy.

The problem is bigger than expected, and I may need to address it immediately.

"Find some professional training; mastering a new body isn't something you can do in one step."

(End of this chapter)