Chapter 44: Anathema!?

Karl looked between Arthur and Victor.

The reaction from both of them was far beyond anything he had expected from the title.

"Grandpa, why are you so shocked? What exactly is an Anathema?"

Arthur remained silent for several moments before slowly taking a deep breath.

"You three know the basic history of Asterion and about the Era of Gods, right?"

Karl, Leon and Mira nodded, it was history almost everyone within the Human Alliance learned.

Around ten thousand years ago, the Awakening began.

Humanity had nearly collapsed during those first centuries as monsters, dungeons and countless unknown forces appeared across Asterion, but they had eventually survived and begun rebuilding.

By roughly seven thousand years ago, humanity had recovered enough for an entirely different age to begin.

The Era of Gods.

The beings later called gods and Sovereigns began offering humanity talents, professions, inheritances and various forms of power in exchange for faith.

Their churches spread rapidly across Asterion, and for a long time humanity accepted their help without understanding what they truly wanted.

Then, around five thousand years ago, that changed.

Humanity discovered that the gods had never been helping them out of goodwill.

Their real objective involved Asterion itself, and the discovery eventually led into the Era of Fall and the century-long war between humanity and the divine factions.

Arthur raised one hand.

"That’s enough."

Karl stopped.

"What matters to you begins with the Divine Proscription."

Leon frowned slightly.

"The what?"

Arthur placed his tea on the table before continuing.

"During the Era of Fall, the gods created something called the Divine Proscription. It was essentially a list of humans they had personally marked for death."

"The first person ever placed upon it was ironically one of their own priests."

Arthur’s expression became more serious.

"He was also one of humanity’s most important leaders at the time."

"After discovering the truth behind the gods, he betrayed them and returned to humanity’s side."

"After that, more names began appearing."

Anyone placed upon the Divine Proscription became a target for divine factions, while their followers could receive rewards for hunting and killing those listed.

Over time, however another designation began appearing beside certain names.

Arthur looked directly toward Karl.

"Anathema."

Karl’s eyes narrowed slightly as Arthur continued.

"A normal Heretic is someone who has seriously opposed divine forces."

"They may have killed their followers, destroyed their plans or directly interfered with their authority."

"Most Heretic Marks only appear among powerful professionals because direct conflict with gods, their priests and subsidiary races usually happens much later."

Arthur paused for a moment before continuing.

"As you already know, only professionals above Level 500 are normally allowed to enter the Outer Domain."

Most direct battles against the gods’ subsidiary races and forces happened there, which was also why Heretic Marks were rarely seen among weaker professionals.

Arthur continued.

"There are other ways, hidden churches still exist throughout Asterion and killing their priests, followers or interfering with their activities can also earn someone a Heretic Mark."

His gaze moved toward the faint golden horns within Karl, Leon and Mira’s marks.

"But this is different, you didn’t spend years fighting their people and slowly deepen a Heretic Mark."

Arthur’s expression grew heavier.

"You were marked as Anathemas directly."

He shook his head slightly.

"There has never been a case like this."

His gaze moved across Karl, Leon and Mira.

"But an Anathema is different."

Arthur’s voice became heavier.

"An Anathema is someone personally marked by the gods and placed upon the Divine Proscription."

Karl instinctively looked down at his arm.

"The golden horns?"

Arthur nodded.

"That’s the proof."

Leon slowly pulled back his sleeve and looked at his arm.

"So the golden horns mean we’re on some ancient god kill-list."

Arthur frowned.

"To put it crudely, yes."

Mira lowered her voice and said. "How rare is it?"

Arthur looked toward her.

"Across all recorded human history, only 1,147 Anathemas have ever existed."

Arthur’s expression remained heavy as he continued.

"According to the followers of the gods, killing an Anathema brings an extraordinary reward."

Karl frowned slightly.

"What kind of reward?"

"That depends on who you ask some say overwhelming power, some claim immortality, others speak of divine inheritances or direct blessings from the gods."

Arthur shook his head.

"The truth hardly matters anymore."

"What matters is that enough people believe it."

His gaze moved across Karl, Leon and Mira.

"And when people believe killing one person might grant them something like that, they become willing to do almost anything."

Arthur’s voice lowered slightly.

"That is why an Anathema is never hunted by only one church or one faction."

"Once the mark appears, there will always be more people ready to come after you."

The three became silent as Arthur continued without embellishing it.

"Most were already among humanity’s strongest professionals when they were marked."

" Many of the others who survived long enough eventually became legendary figures themselves."

Karl glanced toward Leon and Mira, they were Level 99 and had not even completed their First Transition.

Victor finally spoke.

"There’s another number you should know."

Arthur looked toward him, but Victor continued.

"Only fifty-nine people in recorded history were ever marked as Anathema before reaching Level 500."

Mira’s eyes shifted toward him.

"How many survived?"

Victor answered without hesitation.

"Three."

The garden became completely silent.

Leon stopped touching the mark on his arm and Karl’s expression tightened slightly.

Victor continued.

"The first is the current Human Sovereign."

Karl’s eyes changed slightly.

"The second was a man whose identity was never properly confirmed."

Victor paused briefly.

"And the third is the Dean of the greatest academy in the Human Alliance The Dra-."

Arthur clenched his teeth.

"Enough, Victor."

Victor stopped, Arthur looked toward Karl, Leon and Mira before gripping the sides of his chair.

"Nothing will happen to you while I am alive."

His fingers tightened until another crack spread through the wood.

"Nothing."

Karl was about to speak when Arthur suddenly bent forward and aviolent cough tore through him.

Blood spilled from the corner of his mouth and stained his hand before Victor immediately moved beside him.

"Old Master!"

Victor supported Arthur while Karl stepped forward, his earlier thoughts disappearing the moment he saw the blood.

Arthur’s breathing gradually settled, but the sight only made Karl’s expression darker.

He had planned to remain low-profile.

Complete his First Transition quietly, prepare for the upcoming exam, heal his grandpa and avoid drawing unnecessary attention until he was strong enough to deal with whatever came next.

Instead, before even completing his First Transition, he had somehow become a Level 99 Anathema.

Karl looked down as the faint golden mark appeared across his arm again.

Low profile my foot.

He exhaled slowly.

It seems I really put my feet in the wrong shoes this time.