Human City-States

"...Taking you as an example, Sequence 4 can already be called a Demi-god..." Truman explained Sequence knowledge to Hermes, using Beyonder Creatures involved in certain conflicts as examples along the way.

"So that's how it is!" Hermes's face was full of wonder. He had glimpsed a whole new world.

"My becoming a Demi-god must have been because I accidentally fulfilled the ritual requirements back then, and was lucky enough to be on a Pathway that was good at handling madness..."

Hermes had been extremely lucky, but his natural Spirituality was also exceptional. After becoming a Manipulator, he often went to places where Beyonder Creatures fought to observe them. He even deliberately manipulated their battles to study the hidden patterns within.

Unbeknownst to him, this had also aligned with the Acting Method and stabilized his mental state.

Truman's arrival seemed more like a form of guidance, helping him integrate all his mystical knowledge into the Sequence system and bring it together as a whole.

"Thank you, Angel, for granting me knowledge." Hermes bowed before Truman, addressing him as an Angel.

"Just call me sir." Truman helped Hermes back to his feet.

"Yes!" Hermes was very respectful toward Truman.

Perhaps in his eyes, Truman was already the human Soothsayer, and the Creator had guided him here to impart these blasphemous secrets.

"Let's go to the largest human city-state you know." Truman hadn't forgotten his plan.

"Then let's go to the Kingdom of Silver!" Hermes thought for a moment before naming a place that sounded somewhat familiar to Truman. "It's the best place for humans to live, as far as I know."

Hermes continued, "They worship the Goddess of Harvest. Her authority can greatly increase the Kingdom of Silver's grain output. It's one of the very few places I've seen where people don't have to worry about food."

"City of Silver?" Truman's expression turned a little strange. This sense of being involved in history was truly peculiar.

"City of Silver is the largest city-state in the Kingdom of Silver..." Hermes also possessed a Mystical Item capable of teleportation. He took Truman on a "journey" to the City of Silver.

Their figures began to fade, then vanished completely. When they appeared again, they were in the middle of a vast city.

It had been built by certain Giants and human slaves. The city was both ancient and magnificent, and rows of stone pillars lined its streets. Each pillar was carved with symbols of harvest: ears of grain, springs, flowers, and plants.

All the pillars pointed in the same direction: toward a gigantic Harvest Altar.

Many people pressed their lips to the ground and prayed devoutly toward the Harvest Altar.

There were also mud-brick and rubble houses everywhere, rather like the Athens Truman remembered.

This was what human society looked like now. City of Darkness was, after all, the Goddess's foundation, and she had reshaped it.

"Mr. Angel, are you going to meet with the Giant King?" Hermes asked cautiously.

"No. I'm here to look for heretics." Truman surveyed the City of Silver from the distant past. "You traveled here for a while. Have you heard of people who worship the sun?"

"The sun?!" Hermes's pupils contracted slightly, then returned to normal.

The sun naturally referred to the one who had awakened from the Chaos Sea. According to the myths recorded in later ages, that one had become a True God upon awakening in the late Second Epoch and had begun reclaiming the Creator's authority.

But to become a True God in a single leap? Even a True God of two Pathways?

That maddening nature could overwhelm anyone's will. Even the Uniqueness of the Marauder Pathway couldn't undo the fact that God Almighty had awakened.

And even if one assumed that he really had become a God as soon as he emerged, after realizing his own circumstances, he would certainly need a large number of believers to maintain his humanity.

This was one of the largest human city-states, so there was a good chance his followers could be found here.

And where there was a presence, there would be traces.

According to the later Elven Chronicles, this was the age of First Light of Fire, not long before the Era of Twins in the late Second Epoch.

Of course, what truly made Truman certain was the Goddess's attitude.

When Truman proposed an alliance and began making plans, she hadn't shown the slightest surprise. Perhaps... she'd already considered it, and already knew of that one's existence.

"Just as I thought. You know," Truman said with certainty after seeing Hermes's reaction.

Hermes had always held something back, and even now had revealed very little. That was understandable, since he was a Spectator. It was hard to say whether he had hidden a few virtual personalities deep within his mind.

"Dreams coming true, fantasies descending..." Truman didn't rush to ask more. Instead, he looked at the Book of Dreams in his hand.

"Hermes, how did you end up outside the kingdom of the Annihilation Demonic Wolf?" Truman asked.

"I've always wandered outside the divine kingdoms of the Ancient Gods, observing Beyonder Creatures..." Hermes replied instinctively.

"I was going to the City of Miracles to observe Dragons..." Hermes's eyes widened slightly, and his breathing quickened. He looked at Truman again, and this time there was more than respect in his gaze. There was awe!

To make him change his mind without his even noticing was an almost unimaginable power.

Truman pondered this.

"Could the Book of Dreams really interfere with the fate of reality like this?" No one would believe it wasn't the work of an Author!

Truman pressed down on the Book of Dreams and, with a thought, wrote his next plan into it.

"Is it basically a portable 0-08?" Truman blinked.

"How do you know about the sun?" Truman and Hermes walked along the streets of the City of Silver. Thanks to Psychological Invisibility, the people around them ignored them.

"...I once walked through dreams." Seeing how calm Truman remained, and finding that his ability as a Spectator to read people's thoughts was completely useless, Hermes could only explain, "I glimpsed the sun."

"Heretics?" Truman asked quietly as he watched the Goddess of Harvest's ceremony.

"Yes. They're so devout that they're practically fanatical. Even in their dreams, they praise the sun," Hermes continued. Otherwise, it would have been difficult for him to discover them.

Truman stopped in his tracks. Well, it certainly fit the stereotype!

"Then I'll meet them today." The two of them had already reached the altar where the Goddess of Harvest was worshipped, and Truman sensed something faintly.

The altar was very tall, and its edges depicted the various miracles performed by the Goddess of Harvest.

It was the foundation of the City of Silver. They were sometimes troubled by maddened monsters, but if too many people died, the Giant Race might even come to protect them.

Most importantly, they didn't have to worry about food. Compared with other human city-states, this place was far better.

Hermes followed Truman onward, remaining wary of the Giant Race. This was a country that worshipped the Giant Queen and lay close to the Giant King's Court. They could easily run into Giant patrols.

"Hm? So soon?" Just then, Hermes heard Mr. Angel beside him exclaim in surprise.

He followed Mr. Angel's gaze and saw a tall, slender man with long silver hair. His features were delicate and soft. He held a slate in his hand and was copying the murals depicting the God of Harvest.