Roderick felt Faith Power gathering from every direction. Though mixed and uneven, it was real. It flowed into the Faith Lighthouse, was purified, and finally became nourishment for the land.
His gaze rested for a moment on Kevin's delighted face, swept over the newly arrived players in the square, still dazed but relieved, and settled on the ever-expanding edge of the aura.
"So that's how it works."
He spoke under his breath.
The Faith Lighthouse was no mere building. It was a vessel for faith, a physical manifestation of a god's will.
Its power came from the number of believers within its shelter and the strength of their faith.
The more people there were, the stronger the tower became!
Every core member present caught their breath at the discovery.
What had they been worried about just moments ago?
The Monster Siege! The threat from Blackwater Company!
Wasn't the problem, when it came down to it, that they lacked people?
Now a desperate situation that had seemed impossible to escape suddenly offered a glimmer of hope!
"Boss..." Scott swallowed. He looked at Roderick, his eyes full of questions and anticipation. "You mean..."
Roderick did not answer directly. He turned to face the thousands of new players in the square.
Under his gaze, they straightened unconsciously, and the clamor gradually died down.
"Welcome to Rust City."
Carried by the lighthouse's resonance, Roderick's voice reached every ear clearly, with a power that soothed their hearts.
"Some of you may still feel lost. Some may regret what you missed. But none of that matters now."
"What matters is that you came. You chose this place."
He paused, then pointed into the distance, toward the surging green sea they had seen in the projection.
"The threat is almost here. A Monster Siege far larger than