aircannonsinc Chapter 5 The Gift of the Gods
Chapter 5 The Gift of the Gods
"What's going on? Even if it's a ritual that results in death, it shouldn't warrant such a big fuss from the church, right?" Suren wondered to himself, but remained outwardly calm, his excellent expression management preventing him from revealing anything unusual.
He shifted his body slightly to listen more carefully.
"According to the Holy See's report, the 'Society of Classical Wisdom' seems to be connected to that heretical incident more than 90 years ago, but I'm not entirely clear on the specific details." The scarred man paused, his expression becoming somewhat strange. "The Holy See captured one of its 'Filthy Ones,' and just last night, that person suddenly turned into a demon, his entire body reduced to a pile of rotten flesh."
As Suren listened to the scarred man's description, the image of the monster in the basement involuntarily came to mind.
Things are getting weirder and weirder. That member was thousands of miles away, but he still ended up with the same fate as Alf.
What was the reason? And what did "the corruptor" mean? Suren was filled with doubt.
The people around them unconsciously adjusted their posture upon hearing this.
Lawrence rolled his eyes. "Deacon Corrigan, don't scare these newbies. You'll be busy later."
Corrigan chuckled, said no more, stood up, and snapped his fingers:
"Alright, you idiots, listen up." He glanced at the crowd, his remaining right eye sharp.
"The Death Bird isn't as glamorous as you imagine."
It's not too late to back out now; if you're determined, come with me.
Without looking back, he turned and walked towards the stairwell.
Without hesitation, Suren and Karl followed. The others behind them exchanged glances, but gritted their teeth and followed the two.
Corrigan led everyone down the stairs to the basement.
This place has been transformed into a training ground, with a few blunt knives scattered on the weapon rack, and a small shooting range at the edge where a young man is training.
The man, dressed in ordinary work clothes, merely glanced coldly at the approaching person and continued training.
"Those guys not in uniform are called 'Hounds'," Corrigan explained casually as he put away his pipe, took out his keys, and opened the door.
"They gained power first, and then joined the Deathbird."
"The 'Filthy One'?" Suren asked.
Corrigan glanced back at him, a smirk playing on his lips: "The kid's pretty smart."
He pushed open the door, turned on the gas lamp, and gestured for everyone to come in.
The dim light illuminated the entire room, and only then did Suren notice a magic circle in the center of the room.
"No way, not again." Suren was speechless; he had a bit of PTSD about rituals. He barely managed to resist the urge to turn around and leave.
"Before joining the Deathbird, you need to choose your profession first." Corrigan said, taking some items from a box in the corner.
Five of the bottles of potion emitted a faint blue light, giving them a mysterious and elegant appearance.
The other five documents, however, did not look so presentable.
To Suren, these things looked like the entrails of a monster, with illusory scale markings made of lines floating on them.
Corrigan placed the items on the table and then looked at everyone.
"Fools, memorize these next words to your very bones!"
He paused, but no one said a word.
"Whether you are an alchemist or any other profession, your power is a gift from the gods. Therefore, you must dedicate your life to practicing the gods' teachings. This will be your code of conduct for the rest of your life!"
He then took out several sheets of paper and handed them to everyone. Suren took the papers and found that they contained some case studies:
"In July 1149, the novice monk Allen accepted a gift from a passerby without paying any reward."
Then Allen's legs disappeared, while the passerby gained two legs.
There were seven or eight similar entries.
Suren felt a chill run down her spine.
This doesn't seem like a blessing; it's more like a curse. If this is divine grace, then the gods are being far too harsh.
Corrigan, seeing the reactions of the crowd, was somewhat satisfied and then added:
"These people have all violated the doctrines and angered the gods, who have now punished them."
Suren noticed a hint of hatred in Corrigan's tone.
He raised his hand and asked, "Then what about the 'impure ones'? Who gives them their power? Do they also have rules to follow?"
Corrigan glanced at Suren, whose scars appeared even more menacing under the light.
He said with a hint of warning, "Some of those folk rituals are fake, while others will respond to you."
Some will even blow your head off, Suren added in his mind.
"Most of them died, some even turned into monsters, and a lucky few who survived gained strange powers."
His speech gradually slowed down, as if what he was about to say was a bit difficult to understand: "That's not a blessing, that's the smile of an evil god. If you anger an evil god, you will pay the price."
"If that's the case, why does the church still accept them?" Suren continued to press.
"That's because the gods are merciful and willing to give them a chance to repent. All they need to do is sign a contract to become 'hounds'."
Corrigan spread his arms wide, as if reciting a devout eulogy.
Carl and the other newcomers listened attentively, their faces filled with awe.
Suren lowered his head and sneered. Did this old guy even believe it himself?
Thanks to his lie detection training from his previous life, Suren could tell at a glance that the old guy was faking it.
It's just a convenient way to control the "illegal law enforcers" among the people, and also to get them to help with their work—killing two birds with one stone.
Suren internally defined the hypocrisy of the church.
Corrigan coughed twice, bringing everyone back to reality.
"Yuanzhi" is the key to utilizing divine power.
During the first ritual, the power of the gods will alter your 'Source Knowledge' structure.
He scanned the crowd with his single eye and slowly added:
"After receiving this gift, you need to sign an agreement that all abnormalities must be reported from now on. Everything in the church must be kept secret."
Suren's heart tightened; what was bound to happen had finally arrived.
He gritted his teeth, deciding to go all out when the time came. He figured he could just get something for free later and then use the "Mirror Demon" to carve a bloody path through the enemy lines.
Corrigan looked at him, his cloudy gray eyes revealing no emotion, but Suren felt that the old man was paying special attention to him.
"Let's start with you. What profession do you want to pursue?"
Suren replied calmly:
"I want to become a battlefield alchemist."
Corrigan nodded, picked up a bottle of medicine and a piece of material that looked like a heart, and handed it to Suren.
He then pointed to the center of the magic circle, gesturing for Suren to go inside.
Suren took a deep breath, enduring the slippery feel, took the potion, stepped into the magic circle, and stood at the very center of the scales.
Carl watched this scene, his hands clenching nervously.
Corrigan also became serious at this moment, and he solemnly said:
"Next, drink the potion and concentrate on reciting along with me."
Suren nodded, and without further hesitation, he downed the potion in one gulp.
The medicine itself had no taste; Suren only felt a cold sensation travel down her throat into her intestines.
Then he felt a warm current rush to his brain, and Corrigan had already begun reciting.
Suren concentrated and repeated Corrigan's words:
"The great god of balance and covenant."
"You represent balance and justice; all exchanges in the world are measured by you, and all contracts are witnessed by you."
"I will practice the principle of 'everything given must be returned, everything received must be compensated for, and all transactions must be balanced' throughout my life."
"Please transform my source knowledge and grant me the power of a battlefield alchemist!"
As the incantation ended, the magic circle emitted a soft yet powerful blue light.
These lights, like fireflies, surged toward the heart and Suren.
Suren felt a part of her brain establishing a connection with an unknown entity through her heart.
Just then, a sudden change occurred; the Book of Secret Knowledge appeared abruptly and hovered in mid-air.
As its pages flipped wildly, the blue light surging toward the heart suddenly turned entirely toward the book!