Son of God

Amber City was unusually quiet at night.

Ever since the Skinning incidents began, no one in Amber City or the surrounding areas dared to venture out after dark. Even those operating on the fringes of the gray areas were now cowering in their own territories, gripped by fear. The dark realms were home to pure evil and chaotic madmen; while the gray areas had frequent contact with them, they had always maintained their own boundaries.

The Amber City Guard had come up empty-handed!

It wasn't just the nobles repeatedly demanding a swift resolution; the Church had also begun to exert pressure on them.

The scent of panic spread further. Finally losing patience with the Guard, the Amber City churches began dispatching their own Temple Knights and Paladins to investigate. Unfortunately, those evil entities were exceptionally cunning. Not only did they fail to find any clues, but they also lost one of their own. The companion's corpse was found hanging from the city gates the next day, accompanied by a complete human skin.

Fear brewed in the darkness!

The cultists' act of attacking a Temple Knight ultimately triggered the Church's fury. The churches of the three lawful deities in Amber City began deploying high-ranking Temple Guards, and even the Bishop overseeing the nearby region joined the operation.

Meanwhile.

In a secret underground chamber.

The four walls were carved with many bizarre images: bones, lava, demons, altars, and the phantom of a demon god shrouded in darkness.

Dim, ghostly phosphor flames flickered, casting a sinister glow over the surroundings!

A group of robed believers knelt beneath the altar, hands crossed, prostrating themselves on the ground in prayer. On the altar stood a Red-robed Priest whose face could not be clearly seen.

He held a crystal ball in his pale palms, chanting in an ancient demonic tongue.

"Your Excellency, High Priest!"

"According to the prophecy left by our Lord, the first Child of Fear will awaken amidst desperate terror!"

"But we have not sensed the aura of the divine child."

"The Skinning ritual has already begun."

"The scent of fear is spreading throughout this city!"

"However, those Temple Guards from the churches are close to discovering us. We have already lost some of our men."

"Now."

"Should we continue the ritual to await the awakening of the Child of Fear?"

A cluster of eerie purple flames emerged.

A hoarse voice, impossible to identify by gender or age, echoed throughout the chamber, speaking slowly: "The prophecy has been interfered with!"

"The gods seem to have sensed our Lord's arrangements."

"Continue the holy Skinning ritual. Spread the power of fear to the Southern Duchies. The second Child of Fear will awaken at some sunset dusk!"

The Red-robed Priest knelt down devoutly.

His gaze fixed firmly ahead, he said in a deep voice, "The ritual will continue!"

"The will of my Lord shall shroud the abyss."

Below the altar.

The cultists kneeling on the ground began to pray, and strands of evil energy converged within this secret chamber.

One cannot enter Amber City at night.

Especially after the Skinning incidents, more guards were stationed at the city gates, and the movements of others were subject to strict scrutiny.

Therefore, Soren had to stay outside the city for the night and find a way to enter the temple district the next day.

Temple of Dawn.

A faint radiance enveloped the great hall, and an aura of tranquility, serenity, and hope permeated the surroundings.

This was a solidified Blessing spell. By utilizing the divine power gathered by the temple, it allowed believers to feel a sense of spiritual fulfillment upon entering.

A small figure knelt before the tall, majestic statue.

Cleric Anyali slowly pushed open the heavy doors. After casting a glance at the little girl in front of the altar, she said softly, "Vivian."

"Are you praying to the Lord of Dawn?"

The little girl gently raised her head, looked at the young woman behind her, and nodded obediently. "Yes."

"I am praying for him to protect my brother and keep him safe!"

Although Soren had not said anything, Vivian knew he must be doing something very dangerous.

The little girl did not try to stop him; she only prayed for Soren in her heart, begging the gods to bring him a sliver of good fortune.

Any god would do!

The young cleric walked to her side, reached out to stroke her small head, and said slowly, "Then you should pray at dawn. The Lord of Dawn listens to the prayers of his followers at that time."

The little girl nodded, appearing to understand, and then said, "Alright."

"Sister, take me to pray together tomorrow."

Anyali looked at the adorable little girl before her, nodded with a smile, and then asked, "Vivian."

"Would you be willing to believe in the Lord of Dawn?"

"I can sense that you possess a unique talent, perhaps even the potential to become a Cleric."

"If you are willing to serve the Lord of Dawn, your family can also be provided for by the Temple. Perhaps Soren could even find a more respectable job in the future; after all, his skills are quite impressive!"

The young girl fell into deep thought upon hearing this.

Her expression showed a hint of being moved, but she soon replied, "I would like to ask my brother before making a decision."

"If my brother agrees, I would like to give it a try."

For some reason.

When Vivian said she would give it a try, she felt an inexplicable sense of repulsion in her heart.

She had been highly perceptive since she was young, but for some reason, she felt a deep aversion toward the gods. That was why both she and Soren were non-believers; they didn't even have a fake, surface-level faith in any deity. The young girl couldn't explain why, only that the thought of worshiping them made her feel incredibly uncomfortable. For instance, the radiance within the Temple—even though it felt pleasant on her skin, she still found that she disliked it.

If it weren't for the sake of praying for Soren, she wouldn't even have been willing to step into the main hall.

"Very well."

The young Cleric revealed a hint of joy, reached out to pull her up, and said slowly, "Perhaps you could start by trying to understand some of the most basic divine spells."

"For example, this one!"

"Lux!"

Anyali uttered a strange, single syllable, and a glimmer of light immediately appeared at her fingertips.

The light resembled a candle flame, illuminating everything nearby.

"This is the Light Spell."

The young Cleric smiled as she watched the wide-eyed girl before her, whispering, "It is a very simple divine spell. If you have the talent to become a Cleric, you should be able to master it quickly."

"However, you must first undergo the Baptism. The sacred ritual will allow you to perceive the power of the gods."

The Baptism ritual was the key to becoming a Cleric.

It was a process of strengthening and amplifying one's perception. During this process, those with the aptitude for Clerical work could sense the power of divine spells. Other professionals, such as Paladins, Temple Knights, and Rangers, could also gradually master some low-level divine spell abilities after this ritual. However, this was only the initial ceremony; there were even more important sacred rituals for Clerics as they advanced.

Clang!

A loud noise from outside the main hall interrupted the young Cleric.

Immediately, a Temple Guard clad in full plate armor walked in. His armor was exceptionally heavy, producing a clanking sound with every step. There was a smear of blood on his stern face. Upon entering the hall, he said to Anyali in a deep voice, "Matos is injured!"

"We discovered the nest of those corrupted ones, and Matos was stabbed in the heart during the battle!"

Sosya's expression shifted slightly as she turned to Vivian and said, "You head back to your room on your own later."

"Lasko."

"Take me over to see!"

The two of them left quickly.

Recently, the followers of that evil god had been rampant. The evil Skinning ritual had alarmed many temples, and the Temple Guard of the Temple of Dawn had also participated in the operation. Matos was a Tier 3 Temple Guard with a profession level of over 10. Even he had been seriously injured in the battle, which suggested that the evil god followers who appeared this time were extremely powerful!

Vivian watched the two leave in silence. Once they were gone, she raised her fair, delicate fingertip and muttered to herself, "ua!"

"Could it be that one can use divine arts just by making this syllable?"

A flash of bright light emerged!

The little girl opened her mouth wide in shock, staring at the radiance erupting from her fingertip, seemingly unable to believe it.

She appeared a bit frightened.

She hurriedly shook her finger, as if trying to extinguish the light.

But she soon adapted, curiously examining her fingertip and murmuring, "Is it really that simple?"

"Can I use divine arts just like this?"