Crossing Before Warhammer (Part 1)

Rowan woke from his stupor, opening his eyes in a daze.

He slowly looked around, discovering that he was inside a luxurious cathedral.

The cathedral was magnificent and extraordinary; the dome above was constructed from massive stained glass, casting light down from the heavens and bathing the interior in a holy radiance. The towering walls were covered in intricate reliefs depicting epic scenes, including the figures of saints and various angels.

The space within the cathedral could only be described as vast, with pews capable of seating thousands of worshippers and believers. However, the most conspicuous feature was at the very center of the space, directly facing Rowan: a giant humanoid statue standing several dozen meters tall.

He wore golden armor, held a flaming straight sword in his right hand, and wore a massive gauntlet on his left. His gaze was resolute, and his presence was imposing.

"...Let me think. Shouldn't I have been in a safe house within Three Portland just a moment ago?"

"...Where on earth has this brought me?"

He furrowed his brows.

Rowan, twenty-two years old this year, was a transmigrator.

As a member of the transmigration army, his landing spot was clearly not as fortunate as his predecessors; he had arrived in a world overflowing with anomalies and extreme danger—the Foundation Universe.

However, after trembling as he confirmed that he hadn't been killed instantly by the various forbidden pieces of information in his mind, Rowan adopted a "since I'm already here" attitude and began exploring the anomalous world behind the Veil, mingling with all sorts of monsters, demons, and anomalous organizations, engaging in enthusiastic exchanges.

Counting the days, it had been five years since he first transmigrated.

The experience and perspective gained over these five years had made Rowan's mentality incredibly resilient, allowing him to calm down quickly even when encountering such an anomalous situation.

"Hoo—"

With a thought, Rowan focused his mind and channeled the power he was most familiar with.

A power that could twist reality at will.

This was his greatest reliance for surviving in this chaotic world after his transmigration.

Rowan was a Reality Warper!

As the name suggests, this is an anomalous entity capable of altering and distorting reality through their own perception and willpower, achieving effects akin to "wishing it into existence" within a localized area.

Even in the Foundation Universe, where heroes and monsters gather, such anomalous entities are extremely rare and dangerous. It is no exaggeration to say that once discovered, their only outcomes are either spending the rest of their lives in a Foundation containment cell or being executed on the spot by a GOC strike team.

For someone like Rowan, who had been roaming free for several years without incident, he was already an incredibly rare exception.

"Oh, so I'm dreaming."

However, this was definitely not a normal dream. Rowan could clearly sense the power constructing this dream, and it was extremely anomalous.

Even as a Reality Warper, he was shocked to discover that he could not exert any influence on this dream. Whether he tried to use his abilities to tear the dream apart or attempted to conjure weapons out of thin air for self-defense, everything ended in failure, as if this dream were even more stable than reality itself!

"Rowan, you have come..."

A voice arrived, carrying overlapping echoes as if countless people were singing a hymn in unison.

Who?

Rowan slowly turned his head and saw the cathedral's massive doors—large enough for a Land Crawler to pass through—slowly creaking open as a figure walked in.

Appearing before Rowan was a handsome youth with wheat-colored skin, long black hair cascading to his waist, and a golden laurel wreath upon his head.

The youth was barefoot and draped in a white robe reminiscent of ancient Roman style, tied at the waist with a simple straw rope. Aside from that, there were no other decorations; his attire could only be described as plain.

Yet, despite this extremely simple appearance, his entire being radiated a pure divinity that made one unable to help but be intoxicated by it, as if looking away were an act of blasphemy.

"Please forgive me for being a mere mortal, with eyes that see nothing and knowledge that is shallow."

Rowan lowered his head and performed a respectful salute. "May I ask which deity I am in the presence of?"

Ever since seeing the environment of this cathedral, Rowan had quickly searched his memory, but unfortunately, he gained nothing. The anomalous church organizations he knew, such as the Church of the Broken God, the Flesh Cult, the Fifth Church, and so on, could not be matched with this cathedral or the youth who had appeared.

The youth arrived before Rowan, his expression calm and unruffled.

"...First of all, I am not a god, merely an ordinary human from Terra. There is no need for such reverence; you need only address me as [Neos]."

No, man.

Rowan's eyelid twitched slightly.

Do you have any idea that the intensity of the Akiva Radiation (a Foundation term, which can be understood as the Power of Faith) on your body is enough to blind me? And you're telling me you aren't a god?

Rowan had never even heard of Akiva Radiation at this level. He felt that even if the faith of all humanity on Earth were combined, it would be but a drop in the ocean compared to this entity who called himself Neos!

With the support of such a massive scale of the Power of Faith, it was likely that every miracle recorded in human mythology could be easily achieved by him.

And yet, this entity personally denied his own divinity, claiming he wasn't a god?

What kind of new, cold joke was this?

"However, it's a bit strange. Why does this name sound so familiar to me?"

Rowan frowned and took another look at the youth's attire.

"Come to think of it, this outfit also gives me a sense of déjà vu, as if I've seen it somewhere before..."

Just then, Neos seemed to have sensed something, and a golden light flashed in his pupils.

Rowan was stunned for a moment.

"What was I just thinking about?"

He cursed himself inwardly for losing focus at a time like this, quickly pulling his attention back together and casting aside the thought he had been on the verge of grasping.

"So, is there something important you needed to pull me into this dream for today?"

Rowan cut straight to the point, "Although I am a Reality Warper, my ability is only at Level 2. My own Hume Level, as well as the range and energy level I can influence, are all extremely limited. If I were caught off guard, even a single sniper bullet would be enough to end my life."

"I don't know who you are, but judging by the dreamscape you've constructed, I shouldn't be of any significance to you. If there is something you cannot accomplish yourself, then I certainly wouldn't be able to help."

"You are denying your own potential, Rowan."

The youth who called himself Neos spoke calmly, "Beyond your identity as a Reality Warper, you possess another anomalous phenomenon. It is your greatest asset, and it is what has successfully helped you grow to where you are today—and that is precisely my goal."