Chapter 389 - 287: The Terrifying Deity System

Chapter 389: Chapter 287: The Terrifying Deity System

"Once you accept this power, you... will no longer be human. This power will also burn away your life. Even so, can you still accept it?"

Upon hearing Isaac’s words, the tigerskin-clad youth fell silent for a moment. He glanced at his companions, took a deep breath, and silently walked forward. Gazing at Isaac with his jade-green eyes, he said earnestly, "As long as I can gain the power to protect my family and friends, I don’t care! But before that, I have one thing to ask of you."

"Speak."

"If one day this power causes me to betray the ideals I hold now, and you are still in this world... I hope you will kill me!" The tigerskin-clad youth stared at Isaac, his eyes filled with determination.

’He couldn’t help it. He had seen too many examples of people joining the Sect to save humanity, only to fall completely into depravity. He didn’t know if it was because the power itself was evil, or if those who came before him had simply changed. All in all, he dared not take the gamble. That was why he had to entrust this to Isaac.’

’Of course, this was a gamble in itself—a gamble that Isaac was a good person.’ ℯℯ𝘭.

Hearing this, Isaac raised an eyebrow. He didn’t say anything, just nodded, then gestured for him to reach out and take the longsword.

Having received Isaac’s promise, the tigerskin-clad youth was finally free of his worries. He did not look back at his family and companions. Instead, he resolutely reached for the fiercely blazing longsword!

His hand closed around the hilt!

In that instant, a golden divine light erupted from the longsword. The faint, indistinct strains of a sacred chorus filled the air as one shimmering Ritual Array after another materialized within the blade. The golden energy, like a liquid, flowed from the youth’s right hand on the longsword and rapidly spread throughout his entire body!

A moment later, the golden light faded, revealing the youth standing before them, now clad in gold-and-red Knight armor and holding the longsword. His friends stared, completely dumbfounded!

Only Isaac watched the youth with a smile and said, "Tell me your name."

"Blade of the Scorching Sun: Mephisto! I greet you, my Divine Master!" Having completely merged with the Virtual Divinity, Mephisto had not only obtained immense power but had also absorbed a great deal of information. He now had a much deeper understanding of just how powerful Isaac truly was.

Thus, despite gaining power that felt capable of incinerating the heavens and boiling the seas, Mephisto felt no arrogance. On the contrary, he became even more humble, immediately plunging his longsword into the ground and taking a knee before Isaac.

After all, if he wasn’t humble, Isaac would be the one arranging his funeral...

’Then again, he probably wouldn’t even get a tombstone...’

’Mephisto?’ A strange expression flickered across Isaac’s face as he heard the familiar name. ’That doesn’t exactly sound like the name of a benevolent God. A pity. I should have given him a Demon Type Virtual Divinity. What a waste of such a name.’

The strange thought lingered for only a moment before Isaac dismissed it. With a light wave from a finger of the Demon Claw floating behind his head, a piece of parchment flew to Mephisto.

"This is the stronghold I have chosen for you. Lead your people there, build a city, gather your kin, and develop Followers, just like the other cities."

"As you command!" Mephisto placed his right hand on his chest and replied respectfully.

Isaac nodded, then both he and the Demon Claw dissipated into a light breeze. He still needed to find someone to fuse with the Fighting God divinity. He was, after all, quite busy.

After confirming Isaac had left, Mephisto slowly stood up, turned to his companions, and after a moment, said excitedly, "Brothers, our hope has arrived!"

As he spoke, as if to give his companions confidence, or perhaps to test his own power, Mephisto waved his hand. A streak of golden light shot out, instantly melting another massive boulder in the Earth Cave!

It turned into a pool of scorching magma!

Mephisto’s friends had never seen anything like this. After a brief moment of shock, they cheered and rushed toward him, excitedly circling him and all talking at once. As they spoke, tears began to fall.

Mephisto didn’t stop them. He simply stood quietly, listening to his friends’ excited babbling. Though his tears were evaporated by his Flaming Sun Divine Power before they could even fall, his reddened eyes betrayed the fact that he was far from calm himself...

After the commotion died down, their initial excitement vented, the group gradually calmed down. It was then that they remembered Isaac’s words: "You will also be able to bestow this power upon your companions"!

’An Extraordinary Power like that of a Deity... Could they have it too?’

Everyone looked at Mephisto expectantly.

They didn’t say a word, but they had all grown up together and knew each other intimately. He knew exactly what they were thinking.

Mephisto took a deep breath and said with a solemn expression, "The Divine Master was right. I can indeed grant you Extraordinary Power! A power far greater than that of those wretched Demons and Cultists!"

Before they could cheer, Mephisto held up his hands to quiet them, his expression still grave, and delivered the inevitable "but."

"But! This power comes with a price! Humans cannot possess Extraordinary Power. So, if you want this power, you must give up your humanity! And you must dedicate the rest of your lives to fighting for humanity’s survival!"

Hearing Mephisto’s words, the grave expressions on their faces eased somewhat. ’Is that all?’ they thought. ’We were worried it was something major, but it’s only this?’ It was just their human identity. If they couldn’t be human, so be it. Living in such a harsh environment had lowered their standards considerably. As long as they could live and protect their families, other things made little difference to them.

Although they were rather unconcerned about the "steep" price Mephisto had mentioned, they all remained composed. Mephisto, after all, had always commanded a certain amount of respect, and now that he possessed such immense power, that respect had naturally grown as well. So no one dared to contradict him now.

Of course, they didn’t realize that the price was far more than simply giving up their humanity. In addition to that, they would have to fight for humanity’s survival for the rest of their lives!

It might have sounded no different from their current situation, but there was one crucial detail: as Followers of a Deity, as long as the Deity is undying, so too are its Followers!

The only difference was the amount of Divine Power it would cost to resurrect them.

After several decades, or even centuries, this would become a Curse...

Of course, by that point, they would have no complaints, because the will of the Deity is the will of the Follower!

And as for that point...

...even Mephisto himself wasn’t entirely clear on it yet. After all, having only just become a god, he had no experience...