Year 1068 of the Era of Gods and Kings.
Antut.
"The Mother God is dead! She never cared about us! If she's truly watching, why has she never sent an oracle? Why are there no miracles?"
"Mother God, if you are truly real, then answer me!"
Chaos reigned in the streets.
Some were openly challenging the Mother God's faith.
The result was as it had always been: no matter who provoked her, even when her own followers questioned her existence, the Mother God never answered.
Never an answer.
Never a punishment.
After a thousand years, even the devout followers of the Mother God had felt their faith waver, as if the deity they worshipped had never existed.
The Mother God cult had been founded by Saintess Stella, and most of the faith was centered on her. As Stella aged and her influence waned, the cult became increasingly unstable.
Of course, the intervention of other gods played a role. The Alaya Holy State was the most active in secret, with Sosion quietly eroding Antut's faith.
He personally performed miracles, initially only subtly tempting a few lay followers, but once he saw it was working, he began systematically corrupting Antut's high ranks.
One was a Mother God who never showed miracles and whose existence was uncertain; the other was the Supreme God Alaya, who truly existed and generously bestowed gifts.
The choice was obvious to many.
They respected the compassionate Saintess, but Alaya could grant them the immense power they craved; the rewards for betrayal were simply too enticing.
Countless gods were eroding Antut in this way, accelerating the collapse of what was already a declining nation.
Visad was well aware of these traitors and the plots of Alaya and the other God-Kings, but he was helpless. He had struggled, but it was all for naught.
Once, these followers had built Antut for food and health; now, they were looking to other factions for even greater benefits.
They might not be the same people.
But that was the essence.
An individual could be rational, but a mob was blind; with just a little incitement and manipulation, they would believe anything and follow the crowd.
In the final moments of her life, Stella remained with the Mother God in the Holy Cathedral, her heart and soul perfectly peaceful.
Outside, the incited followers were rioting, yet they still held the Saintess in the highest regard; none dared to harm her in the slightest.
Until an unknown heretic secretly set fire to the Holy Cathedral. Visad exploded in rage, drawing his sword and decapitating the perpetrator on the spot.
The crowd panicked.
Then, someone shouted: "The High Priest is murdering followers!!"
Chaos escalated.
Visad's expression was ice-cold, unmoved by the turmoil. He walked calmly into the heart of the blazing Holy Cathedral, his stoic mask only flickering with a trace of bewilderment when he found Stella kneeling in prayer.
"Saintess, where should I go now?"
Stella's voice was incredibly frail with age. She offered Visad the final counsel of her life: "From this moment on, you no longer need to believe in the Mother God."
The Mother God had always been a faith belonging to Stella alone; the others had merely followed her lead. Or perhaps, their true faith had always been in Stella herself.
Visad truly only cared for Stella and Antut; the Mother God was meaningless to him, and he had never needed religion to anchor his soul.
He knew this deep down.
But he still asked, "Why?"
Stella asked him in return, "Is there something you are willing to spend the rest of your life on, sacrificing everything to achieve? If you do not know now, try asking your younger self."
Visad fell into a long silence.
Undoubtedly, it was Antut.
He had poured his life's blood into Antut. What was his original reason? Was it merely because he followed Stella, wanting to realize her beautiful vision?
No.
Visad remembered his former self. In his youth, his stomach was never full. For a single bite of food, he hadn't hesitated to steal from others.
Joining the resistance wasn't for some noble hope; it was for a meal. Back then, he only cared about filling his own belly.
But in Antut, he had realized that dream. He hadn't just fed himself; he had ensured that countless others, as lowly as he once was, would never go hungry again.
He knew the agony of starvation and the chill of poverty. When he saw that under his management, the people of Antut lived without worry, he felt a fulfillment he had never known.
He didn't even know when he had started feeling such a profound sense of mission. Visad found his own capacity for "nobility" strange and unbelievable.
He had once been so base, so envious.
He had spent centuries building Antut brick by brick. He could not bear to see it destroyed; he could not let this Utopia, where people lived in peace, cease to exist.
His gaze gradually sharpened.
He answered Stella's question: "Antut will remain the Utopia and Land of Miracles that everyone yearns for. Even if it is destroyed, I will rebuild it."
Stella's breath grew shallower.
"The establishment of Antut was nurtured by your own hands, brick by brick. It never had anything to do with the gods. This miracle came from your own strength. Even without borrowing the name of a god, you can still create such wonders. Do not let your blind devotion to me cloud your eyes..."
With those words, Visad finally saw clearly.
He dropped to one knee, offering his final, highest respect to the pristine Saintess. As Stella's life reached its final moment, time seemed to stand still.
Stella's time began to flow backward. Her aged features became young and tender once more. Her white hair regained the dazzling radiance of the sun.
The light that had brought Stella her first hope and miracle appeared before her. Stella opened her eyes and stood up, walking toward the radiance.
She smiled happily, seeing a certain silhouette.
"Mother God..."
Time resumed its flow.
Raging flames swallowed the Holy Cathedral. Visad, his expression unruffled, stepped out from the fire. In the next instant, several attacks like claps of thunder followed.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
In a heartbeat, the Holy Cathedral was completely demolished. This supreme sanctuary of Antut was reduced to ruins amidst fire and thunder—a funeral pyre for Antut itself.
CLANG!
Visad ignored the destruction, simply drawing his longsword. His gaze swept over the figures that had appeared around him as if he had expected them all along.
"The new Holy Son of Alaya, and the princes and generals of the great empires and kingdoms... it seems the Gods have prepared a grand funeral for Antut."
The new Holy Son of Alaya said nothing, only raising his sword. A battle unknown to commoners was about to erupt; its outcome remained a mystery.
All that was known was that on that day, Saintess Stella passed away, and Antut completely collapsed.
...
Upon the ruins of the Holy Cathedral.
The prosperity and bustle of years past were gone, replaced by a landscape of desolation. Heretics acted with impunity, the Mother God's followers abandoned their faith, and the raging flames seemed intent on swallowing all of Antut whole.
Visad had paid the price of an arm and an eye to severely wound the Holy Sons and princes of the various great God-Kings. His combat power, forged through over a thousand years of accumulated experience, was far beyond what any ordinary Tier 2 could hope to match.
He watched the imminent collapse of Antut with a strange detachment. Just as Stella had said, it was this era and the people who built it that had abandoned Antut.
That was the reality.
Visad wanted to rebuild Antut, but the current Antut was no longer worth saving. People only realize the value of what they possess once it is gone.
Rebuilding Antut by his own will alone was meaningless; the people had to realize its value for themselves and turn that realization into action.
"Seeing your place of faith crumble into this state, I wonder if you have any thoughts on the matter?"
Mei appeared.
Visad asked her this.
Mei replied: "The object of Antut's faith was never me, only Stella. Its establishment had nothing to do with me, and its destruction is equally meaningless to me."
"Haha."
Visad let out a short laugh. "Truly a god."
From the beginning until now, Mei had been cold toward everyone and everything. Having seen the true faces of too many gods, Visad now felt no affection for them.
Stella's final words had completely liberated Visad from his bonds. What could realize his vision of a better world had never been religious faith.
Nor did it need to be entrusted to a god.
He asked Mei: "Then what are you doing here? Is it amusing to watch the diverse lives of sentient beings being toyed with by gods?"
Visad grouped Mei with the likes of Alaya. Mei didn't mind; she had no interest in toying with humanity or sentient life.
Nor did she feel the need to explain herself to anyone.
Mei didn't care how others perceived her.
In truth,
The possibility Visad hoped for most was that Mei had come to guide Stella's soul. Stella had dedicated her entire life to the Mother God; regardless of everything else, Visad hoped Stella would be cared for by her deity.
There was no reply.
Visad spoke again, a sliver of expectation in his voice.
"Stella gave her entire life to you. No matter what, you should..."
He looked up.
Mei was gone.
Visad's words cut off abruptly.
"High Priest, your wounds..."
A knight rushed over, visibly shocked by the severity of Visad's injuries.
"It's fine. Not fatal yet."
Visad used his remaining right hand to sheathe his longsword. His gaze swept over the area as priests and knights of the Mother God cult spontaneously gathered around him.
"High Priest, the Alaya Holy State has declared a war of faith against Antut. Their army is approaching. Please, guide us on how to respond."
"Furthermore, the surrounding kingdoms have also declared war on Antut."
"Hordes of heretics are inciting our followers at will..."
"..."
"Everyone!"
Visad's strong, resonant voice cut through the chatter. His sharp eyes flashed with a light they had never held before. "What do you believe is the essence of Antut?"
The crowd was silent.
Visad continued: "If the gods want faith, give it to them. If the kings want territory, give it all to them. Antut was never a fixed piece of land; it was our conviction and our will!"
The priests were confused.
"High Priest, what do you mean?"
"I will rebuild Antut!"
Visad's eyes shone. "However, I likely cannot achieve this in my lifetime. The gods sit on high, viewing sentient life as ants; the kings wage war, harming their people. Tell me, how should we rebuild Antut?"
With that,
Visad questioned the priests and knights.
"Do you have the resolve?"
...
Half a month later.
The Alaya Holy State's army was the first to reach the outskirts of Antut. Within the Alaya dimension, Sosion sat above the mortal world, looking down on sentient life like ants.
"Conquer Antut! Kill all heretics without mercy!"
In this war of faith,
He had won!
However,
As the Alaya Holy State's army marched into Antut, they met no organized resistance. The Mother God cult's knights and priests seemed to have vanished into thin air.
This allowed Alaya to easily capture Antut, beginning the struggle for faith and territory with other gods and absorbing the Mother God cult's followers.
Those who refused to convert were shown no mercy.
At the same moment,
A thousand miles away,
Inside a hidden base,
The leaders of a resistance organization were holding a secret meeting. The Graham resistance had long ago been brutally suppressed and completely pacified.
The new resistance was an active force on the borders of various nations, specifically resisting religious and royal tyranny. Following Gilbert's example, they adopted a similar strategy and method of resistance.
However, they were only able to manage a meager defense against the combined pressure of religion and royalty, eking out an existence on the borders and occasionally organizing small rebellions against the oppression.
Today, as they were planning a new rebellion, a guest arrived silently.
"First, send some warriors to infiltrate the guards. Once the rebellion begins, we must take control of them as quickly as possible, otherwise, the rebellion will fail."
"Also, secretly smuggle some weapons into the city."
"Burn the cathedrals. Distribute the wealth of those who refuse to join us to the commoners. Those who exploit the poor will be judged by the people; the list is here: focus on those individuals..."
"..."
"Everyone, if I might have a word?"
The sudden, unfamiliar voice cut through the resistance leaders' discussion. The room fell silent, then tension flared; the leaders were startled.
"Who are you?!"
"Pardon the intrusion."
The visitor pulled back his hood, revealing his face.
Visad introduced himself first, his expression composed, then said: "I want to ask, are you satisfied with just one or two successful rebellions, or do you truly have the courage and conviction to overthrow this corrupt order?"
The resistance leaders looked at each other in surprise.
A similar scene was playing out in many places. Sosion was well aware of what the Mother God priests were up to, but the Alaya Holy State was currently busy competing for Antut's faith.
He had no time for anything else.
Sosion watched everything from the Alaya dimension, not believing it posed much of a threat; he was dismissive and indifferent: "They don't know their own limits."
If Stella were still alive, Sosion wouldn't have dared to act rashly: which was why he had waited until her passing to launch the war of faith.
Now,
"They're just a pack of stray dogs. Nothing to fear."
...
"You're quite difficult to find."
"I don't recall there being any friendship between us, High Priest."
Visad's appearance was a complete surprise to Hlevi. There was no enmity between them, but no friendship either. If they had any prior connection, it was only that Hlevi, while still the Holy Son of Alaya, had once led an army against Antut.
A campaign that had ended in failure before it even began.
"Though we were once adversaries, as a noble knight blessed by the Saintess, I admire your unwavering resolve. That is why I have something to entrust to you."
"What?"
Visad tossed a bundle of parchment scrolls to Hlevi. "These contain the technologies Antut gathered over the years: improved crop techniques, farming, smithing, and more advanced methods of construction and production."
Hlevi was puzzled.
"Why give them to me?"
The importance of these technologies went without saying; if they were widely disseminated, the productivity of the commoners would undergo a qualitative leap.
"Haha, it's just an extra layer of insurance. These techniques aren't only in your hands: it's no problem if you pass them on to others."
With that, Visad simply left.
Half a month later.
Visad stood atop a small hill. After a short wait, people began to gather around him: the Mother God knights and priests who had followed him away from Antut.
For the past several days, they had been traveling day and night, seeking out those who resisted the gods' power, seemingly plotting something.
The undercurrent of Rebellion was gathering strength.
A total of 381 knights and priests returned, all the strength Visad could gather, the final legacy of Antut.
After a long silence, Visad stood up and looked at each of them. These were the ones who had made it; those who hadn't returned were likely gone for good.
"Everyone."
"I thank you for your resolve and your bravery."
"Before she passed, the Saintess asked me what I cherished most and what I was willing to sacrifice everything for. I said Antut. But what is Antut?"
"Is it a city built on faith in the Mother God?"
"No."
"Is it a sanctuary built on the Saintess's compassion and love?"
"No!"
Visad's eyes shone, his voice like a ringing bell. "It is the homes we built with our own hands, brick by brick! It is the roads we paved, the Utopia we created where no one goes hungry!"
"That is the Miracle we yearn for! The miracle we created with our own hands! It was not the pity or grace of any god, but a miracle created by humanity itself!"
"Alaya has shown miracles more than once, and the other gods have bestowed their graces. But why was there only one Antut? Antut was not a divine miracle! It was the realization of our vision of a better world! It is not a fixed piece of land, and it has no real borders. As long as we carry that dream in our hearts and people still long for Utopia, Antut will one day be rebuilt!"
"The gods... can only bring destruction."
Visad's tone shifted.
"The gods sit on high, viewing us as ants; the kings wage endless war, taking the lives of the people. They care only for destruction, never for creation. Even the most beautiful Utopia will be turned into a tool in their struggle for faith and territory, and destroyed in an instant."
"Even if we exhaust our lives, we will likely find it difficult to rebuild Antut. However, if the rule of the gods is no longer eternal, our descendants will surely create miracles once more. They will rebuild Antut; even if it is destroyed again, they will build their Utopia time and time again in their pursuit of beauty, rather than being enslaved by gods forever!"
"Everyone!!"
Flames seemed to dance in Visad's eyes.
"We do not need gods, we do not need kings. We must pass this obsession and longing for Antut on to those who follow, so our conviction and will can flow endlessly!"
"We will die in battle. Our bones will be lost, we will be forgotten, unknown, and unmourned. But we will open a new era! Our conviction and will shall endure!"
"Everyone."
"Pull the gods down from their pedestals!!!"
Humanity's conviction and will were transformed into flames, igniting the world. Visad wanted to tell this world that the gods were no longer untouchable, and the kings could also become bones in a tomb.
He only needed to be the beginning of an era.
The start of a resistance against divine rule by human hands.
If there is a Pioneer, there will be successors!
What Visad wanted was not a fleeting Antut, but for Antut to be a symbol: a beautiful Utopia that could be recreated time and time again in future generations.
...
The borders of the Alaya Holy State.
The secretly assembled resistance was waiting, awaiting a signal. Several thousand troops were poised for action, all stationed at the border.
And not just in this one place.
Across other parts of the border, and even within the heart of the Alaya Holy State, numerous resistance forces were stirring. Ready to call and answer one another.
Under the sun, a beam of light pierced the sky, releasing a brilliance that seemed to rival the sun itself. At the border, the resistance leader pointed his sword forward, leading the charge.
"Resist the oppression of the gods! Overthrow the religious tyranny!"
"Attack!!"
The shouts echoed.
The resistance, fearless of death, marched toward the lands ruled by the Alaya Holy State.
In a cathedral in one of the towns, a knight, his expression grave, hurried in to report: "High Priest, several large-scale resistance forces are attacking. Their offensive is incredibly swift: the situation is critical!"
"Alaya had already foretold this. They are but remnants, nothing to fear."
The priest spoke thus.
"How can mere mortals hide from Alaya's eyes? Under the Great God's power, their struggle will surely end in their destruction..."
CRACK!
As he spoke, a sharp sound came from behind. The priest turned to look and his face filled with shock; cracks had appeared on the statue of Alaya.
The combined conviction and willpower of 381 people, their subjective power all focused on a single priest, pushed the [Path] trait to its absolute limit.
A path appeared, leading toward a distant place.
Combining subjective power was a technique the Saintess had passed down; through it, they truly possessed the ability to turn the impossible into power.
Visad and the others walked the path together. In an instant, the scene changed, and they stood within a strange dimension. Looking ahead, a figure drifted there, unstable.
An unbelievable pressure bore down on them.
Sosion opened his eyes. Cold and heartless.
"Arrogant ants."
Visad simply drew his sword, unafraid.
"False God... I wonder if you bleed?"