Promotion: Illuminator

After the image froze, a strange, colorful hallucination, as if they had eaten poisonous mushrooms, reappeared before their eyes.

Then, Iver returned to his seat, where he found himself in a bright, Pure White Void void.

Before them stood three heavy stone doors.

The three doors bear different runes. From left to right, the stone doors feature a burning candle, a cross with four equal sides, and a geometric sun composed of a circle, four large triangles, and four small triangles.

— [The Candlelight Gate], [The Life Gate], [The Hope Gate].

These three stone doors symbolize the completion status of the three job change tasks.

The candles were not completely filled, while the cross was about half full. The filled part was a gentle blue-green, while the geometric sun had turned completely gold and red.

Light shone through the gaps in the second and third doors, while the first door remained completely closed.

Once you've completed one-third of the trial quest, you can choose this job change option. And if you've already met the job change requirements, the door will glow.

"...Two trials have been completed," Iver murmured.

To Iver's surprise, the third door where the Radiant One was located was actually optional.

According to Iver's memory, this profession seemed to have appeared relatively late. Before that, only the Monk class could pass through the Hope Gate —a Dedication Path that was more prevalent in Horus and Parthia.

However, it seems that these professions in the real world don't always appear with version updates. Just like the Moulting Warlock and Mitra Worshiper, you can change jobs as long as you meet the requirements.

"Strangeness..."

Iver remembered that in addition to the required levels of Illumination Spell and Blessing Art, changing to the Radiant class required obtaining three Radiant Marks: "Light of Hope," "Light of Enlightenment," and "Light of Glory." He hadn't originally planned to change to the Radiant class; instead, he intended to advance one level and then change classes later—although one could change classes at the Third Level, the Priest class could only be trained up to the Fourth Level at most.

These three marks require a job change quest, Iver vaguely remembered that it involved helping other elves complete three long quests in the Theocracy. This job change quest told three stories, two of which were "helping the unfortunate gain hope" and "helping the disheartened gain glory," and he forgot the third one.

First, complete another task to bring your soul to a "thirsty state." After completing each task, you can collect the corresponding "Radiant Marks." Once you have collected all three marks, you can enter the Promotion Ritual to receive the trial task.

... Iver initially thought there was something wrong with the process. Now it seems he has indeed completed the preliminary tasks.

Strange? If it's about helping others, then Iver has indeed been doing that, and has been doing it all along. It's not surprising that he's completed all three marks over the years. But that "state of thirst for light," Iver doesn't know what that is.

Now, Iver not only meets the requirements to become a "Radiant One," but he can even become a Priest's third advanced class, "Moonlight Scholar," which only appears later in the game. That's an advanced class that only Child of the Moon can become, requiring them to serve the Constant Self alone. Iver doesn't have much interest in it.

So, Iver chose the third door.

After he made his decision, the remaining two doors turned to ashes like newspapers burned in a fire.

The third door then moved to the front of Iver's gaze.

As the door creaked open, a path of light emerged from beneath it and extended toward Iver's chair—the completeness of this path depended on the progress of the mission.

Judging from the completeness of this path, Iver's "Beacon of Hope" seems to have been successfully completed.

And so, Iver embarked on the path of light.

The instant he left his seat, everything around him, including the chair he had just stepped off, vanished into nothingness. He was walking forward, and there was only one path.

As Iver walked forward, beams of light descended before his eyes.

Those are the settlement points for Iver's promotion:

[Necessary Task completed (Points: 600)]

[The Heart Is the Sanctuary: Instead of hiding in the Moriarty Manor, actively go to the Silver and Tin Palace (Points: 100)]

[Trial - The Will of the Candle: The total life force lost while healing others exceeds the sum of one's own total life force (Incomplete)]

[My Unforgotten Nature: To Effectively Heal Others and Ensure Their Survival (Incomplete)]

[Heart of Survival: Safely evacuate as many family members and friends as possible from Avalon (Points: 300)]

[Trial - Guardian of Life: Generate as much effective healing as possible (Points: 300)]

[Saving Detective Sherlock: Ensuring Sherlock Holmes ' Survival (Incomplete)]

[Love's Vow of Vengeance: Kill Charles Drost (Points: 500)]

[The Day of Destruction Approaches: Survive to the end without evacuating or leaving Glass Island (Points: 500)]

[Trial: Beacon of Hope: Saving the Dead (Points: 1000)]

[What only I can do: Stop Star Antimony's conspiracy (Points: 1000)]

[Ouroboros: Complete ' Shadow of Avalon ' and increase the survival rate of civilians on Glass Island to over 70% (Points: 1000)]

[Total points: 5300, ranked first]

...ah?

Upon seeing this outrageous score, Iver was stunned for a moment, finding it hard to believe.

—In the end Lia was blown up into a mushroom cloud!

Iver wasn't sure how large the explosion was from Lia. But given its scale, even if Lia herself created the mushroom cloud, the Balrog would likely have been destroyed as well. With the chain reaction of explosions, the entire Glass Island would probably be reduced to ruins.

70% of them survived? The civilians on Glass Island are incredibly resilient...

... Oh wait, it seems to actually work?

Iver suddenly remembered that at the end of the first day, Shafiya had already begun evacuating the people of Glass Island. At that time Bishop Mathers had returned against the flow of people. After that, his consciousness suddenly became blurred for two days, and he could not remember anything in between.

So, during the urban warfare, most of the civilians had already evacuated? Only houses and those inside who were determined to resist remained, which is why Stibium General decided to use the Golem to directly bombard the civilian houses...

Because there were not many civilians left on Glass Island, the civilian casualties were not significant—and similarly, Star Antimony's plot was thwarted as a result.

However, the "Beacon of Hope" surprised Iver somewhat.

He saved... so many people?

"Those destined to die," but how is that determined? Thinking about this, another thought suddenly popped into Iver's mind, "Premature Death" is merely Necessary Evil—

That was Professor Moriarty's philosophy.

If "Premature Death" refers to someone who is destined to die...

While thinking this, Iver had already stepped into the open stone door.

He took one step out and found himself in the middle of the ocean.

Iver was startled, nearly thinking he was about to fall. He broke out in a cold sweat.

But he felt a steady touch under his feet—something was carrying him on its back.

Iver looked up and saw bright sunshine and blue skies with white clouds.

And he was standing on land.

The shallow water reached up to their knees, below which lay a smooth and stable piece of land.

But whether it was just his imagination or not... Iver always felt that the island beneath him—the continent itself—seemed to be moving.

Suddenly, the ground beneath his feet began to shake violently.

Iver swayed for a moment, feeling unsteady on his feet, and it took him a while to regain his balance.

When he looked up, his eyes suddenly widened—

Suddenly, the "bow" in front of them lifted up, and the entire continent flew up!

The ground beneath Iver's feet trembled. The overly smooth surface, after forming an angle, caused Iver to slide backward—he tried to crouch, but it was useless. In the blink of an eye, Iver slid backward for over a hundred meters, and with the continuous acceleration, he was about to fly out.

But his slide gradually stopped.

Because after leaving the water, the scales under his feet had somehow turned into dry, enormous black feathers.

First came the grass-like down, then it gradually swelled up, like a giant ball of cotton, concealing Iver within.

The surrounding feathers grew larger and larger, completely covering Iver. Everything around him became pitch black; the feathers were like giant trees that blocked out the sky, and he was nothing more than an insect crawling on those trees.

"It's been a long time..."

A rough, hoarse voice rang out. "Or should I say, nice to meet you for the first time?"

Iver suddenly turned around.

The man was tall and thin, dressed in a low-key yet luxurious black fitted suit... or rather, he was a man.

Because he had no face at all. Where it should have been a head, there were no facial features or hair, only a silver-black sphere that shimmered with iridescent light.

—A Colorful Black.

This ironic demand, however, seems so apt to describe it.

"... Or should I say, I've long admired your name?"

As he got closer, the man's deep, husky voice became clearer, sounding deep and magnetic.

Although completely different from the image described by the Nine Pillars God Church —such a strong thought appeared clearly in Iver's mind as if carved by a knife and axe.

The man approached slowly and gracefully, his hands behind his back. He scrutinized Iver as if he were appraising him, then let out two satisfied chuckles.

"What should you say if you reach an agreement during a job interview?"

The man suddenly asked, "Congratulations?"

Before Iver could respond, he extended a hand.

Out of politeness and instinct, Iver instinctively reached out his hand.

But just before he grasped it, his fingertips trembled slightly and recoiled a little.

Because that hand, like the man's head, had no skin... flowing with a mercury-like "Colorful Black" that reflected rainbows.

At this moment, Iver realized that the other person was actually a head taller than him—his height was already over 1.8 meters, while this man was at least 1.95 meters tall.

Almost snatching Iver's hand, the man stepped forward and grasped Iver's hand as he tried to pull away.

That was a very intuitive tactile sensation—

Cold, sticky, and damp. It was less like holding a hand and more like holding a lump of cold, cool mud... like a chilled liquid face mask, or like shaking hands with someone covered in such liquid.

"Then... congratulations."

The man spoke slowly, his deep, hoarse voice sounding like a distorted voice. "I hope we can have a pleasant collaboration in the future."

—This man is the Lord of Scales and Feathers.

The moment he made contact with the other person, this thought suddenly popped into Iver's mind.

Although he couldn't understand the man's words, he recognized his identity.

The illusion before them suddenly collapsed, returning to a dark world. The hand that Iver had been holding was pulled back by him.

He instinctively opened his hand, but the hand that Iver had brought back from his forearm split into three clumps of black mud, which then began to glow.

Two heavy buzzing sounds came from before Iver's eyes.

Two beams of purple light shone and overflowed together—

[Scorching Flame Heart (Purple): All spells that require Fire Attribute magic can be cast by burning life force; if you cast a spell in this way, the spell is enhanced]

Immediately afterwards, an increasingly intense clanging sound rang in my ears—

A brilliant golden light emerges from it! [Dissolving Soul (Gold): Your soul transforms into a higher form; blessings below the "medium" scale will no longer require rituals; you will be immune to sleep, charm, curses, and Instant Death Spell, and your soul can be actively extracted from your body as a consumable.]

Immediately afterwards, the last ray of light that had not yet turned over suddenly began to vibrate violently.

It emitted a sharp, clanging sound, as if something was trying to burst out of it—

The next moment, the purple light shattered abruptly.

The same brilliant golden light emanates from it! [The Pillar God's Grace— ]

The Lord of Scales and Feathers has promoted one of your keywords.

[War Rhythm (Gold): Each time you complete a kill at close range, you will gain one of seven temporary buffs: Berserk/Heroism/Swiftness/Exalted/Adversity/Strength/Vampiric Ability, lasting for one minute; each time you gain a duplicate buff, the duration of the temporary buff is refreshed and you are healed]

"Take this, it's your share."

The Lord of Scales and Feathers ' deep, hoarse voice rang in Iver's ears. "Or you don't have to... I'll give you other things too."

—Two Golden Entry!