"Thank you."
Kanzaki Rei—whispered softly.
A Soul Burst detonated inside Artrendo's body.
Boom!
One hundred souls wasn't a large amount, but a Soul Burst that exploded directly from inside the body left absolutely no opportunity to defend.
And this one had been transformed instantly through "Origin Conversion of All Laws."
The casting speed was far faster than casting it normally.
The greatest weakness of Soul Burst—its slow casting time—was perfectly compensated this way.
"Origin Conversion of All Laws" indeed lacked the tyrannical, overwhelming destructive force of "Elemental Void."
But it excelled in its limitless versatility.
It wasn't merely a tool for slaughter.
It could also be used for defense… and even for applications one might never think of.
The sacrifice left no trace whatsoever. There was no way the opponent could realize he had used the abilities of a Death Priest.
Because Origin Magic itself was already incomprehensibly mysterious. Artrendo would probably just assume that Soul Burst was another variation derived from it.
In truth, even if Rei had cast Soul Burst directly, Artrendo likely wouldn't have recognized it as a Death Priest skill.
After all, Soul Burst differed far too greatly from the original Corpse Explosion.
And Transcendent Magic was still something very few people in this world even understood.
…
[Victor: Kanzaki Rei]
A victory with absolutely no suspense.
Even without using Origin Magic, Artrendo, who had comprehended Ultimate Intent, still wasn't Rei's opponent.
It seemed that among people of the same rank, he truly could be considered slightly invincible.
Of course, he wouldn't dare claim absolute invincibility.
At the very least, after meeting Iz, Rei still maintained a certain respect for the world.
Who knew whether there might be other monstrous geniuses like Iz Parult out there?
Still, with ninety million souls and now having comprehended Origin Magic, Rei believed he should no longer be inferior to Level 2 Iz.
He should have already surpassed him.
But if sacrifices weren't counted—if it was purely a comparison of magic…
Thinking back on their sparring sessions…
Even after mastering Origin Magic, Rei still couldn't shake a slight lack of confidence.
[You have obtained the Title: Origin Mage]
"A title?"
[Origin Mage: A title obtained by using Origin Magic within the Battle Arena. It represents the supreme honor of comprehending the Origin.]
Oh. It could only be used inside the Battle Arena.
Did equipping it have any effects?
The description didn't say.
Well… he might as well try equipping it. Not because he wanted to show off—he was just curious whether it triggered any special effect.
[Matching…]
[Attempting to find an evenly matched opponent for you…]
…
The matchmaking was taking quite a while.
Did Artrendo stop queueing?
Well, that made sense. If someone had just comprehended Origin Magic and then got completely crushed, they'd probably need time to recover emotionally…
[Match Found]
[Your opponent: Wang Gou]
The opponent materialized in front of him.
Wang Gou wore a gray mage robe that looked to be worth about 50 silver coins.
The staff in his hand had a bit of luster, but it probably wasn't worth more than 2 gold coins.
Wang Gou lifted his head and looked at the opponent before him.
First, he saw the name.
[Origin Mage: Kanzaki Rei]
Then he glanced at Rei's equipment.
A robe layered over a dozen times, robes over robes.
His staff was inlaid with mithril, topped with a huge, crystal-clear mana conduit gem, while the shaft itself flowed with liquid demon gold.
Then he noticed Rei's hands.
All ten fingers were covered in rings glittering with gemstones.
Even the pendant around his neck looked ridiculously expensive.
Not just one.
A whole collection—as if he was wearing them by the pound.
…
Evenly matched?
Matched where exactly?
…
Was he supposed to be evenly matched with this Origin Mage?
Or evenly matched with that absurdly expensive mountain of equipment?
Did the guy even need to cast magic to beat him?
He could probably just walk over and beat him to death with the staff.
[Countdown — 2]
"I surrender!"
Before the battle even began—
The opponent immediately surrendered.
"Huh?"
Was that really necessary?
Kid… your fighting spirit is a little weak.
Rei had originally planned to use this match to experiment further with Origin Conversion of All Laws.
He didn't expect the guy to instantly forfeit.
[Victor: Kanzaki Rei]
[Current Win Streak: 300]
Just like that, he secured a 300-win streak, and even conveniently ended Artrendo's streak along the way.
A hollow victory.
The rewards began to settle.
A beam of light descended from the sky.
White leaves folded together into the shape of a bowl, and a spring of multicolored, ink-like water appeared before him.
[Spring of Origin]
A legendary spring said to inspire mages and help them comprehend Origin Magic.
But… just moments ago, Rei had already succeeded.
Without relying on any external help.
Still, having it was better than not.
He checked the rankings.
He was probably still far from first place in points.
After all, Artrendo had also been maintaining a long win streak. Before encountering Rei, he had been undefeated as well. Their score grinding had been roughly similar.
Rei glanced at the points.
Oh?
The point multiplier coefficient had changed to 10.
Was it because he defeated Artrendo?
Or because he comprehended Origin Magic?
Regardless of the reason, his score had jumped dramatically.
Originally, Rei had assumed that since others had played far more matches, even if he defeated the first-place player, he wouldn't be able to take the top spot immediately.
Now it seemed…
This coefficient existed specifically to correct that imbalance.
There were still 200 more consecutive wins needed for the mysterious grand prize.
But honestly… he was tired.
Not physically.
Just bored.
Every match ended in the same instant kill. Only the fight against Artrendo had been remotely interesting.
If every match in a game was just pushing forward and crushing the opponent…
It would get tedious.
Three hundred wins was enough for today.
He'd stop here.
On the way, he'd visit the Life Church.
Now that he had comprehended Origin Magic, he could finally advance to a Level 3 Mage.
Even after leveling up and moving into a new competitive bracket, win streaks remained preserved.
Originally, the streak was earned in the Level 2 bracket.
But after leveling up, he would become a newcomer in the Level 3 bracket, where maintaining a streak would actually become even harder.
So win streaks didn't reset with level advancement.
If you could keep winning even after entering higher brackets—
That was real skill.
Rei stretched lazily and exited the arena.
Passing the front desk, he saw the familiar receptionist.
He greeted her casually.
At the same time, he noticed the slime lamp sitting neatly beside her desk.
Apparently she hadn't thrown it away.
Rei had given it with the attitude that it wouldn't matter even if she discarded it.
Leaving the arena, Rei pulled down his hood and put on a half mask.
His figure gradually became distorted and blurry in the eyes of passersby.
Enchantment: Sensory DisturbanceEnchantment: Cognitive Blur
At the same time, he wore a ring with Enchantment: Fate Concealment.
It was said this enchantment could cause diviners to see unclear or incorrect results.
He hadn't offended anyone… but everything he wore was incredibly valuable.
And he still had the appearance of a child.
Highly recognizable.
Rei remembered when Akasei had been harassed at the Adventurer's Guild.
That man clearly hadn't even known Akasei—yet he still picked a fight.
It made Rei realize something.
This world definitely wasn't full of good people.
He had encountered many decent individuals so far.
But that didn't mean evil people didn't exist.
Especially in a world where professions like these existed:
AssassinThiefDeath PriestSkin Stealer
Rei arrived at the Life Cathedral.
The City of Circles was completely different from a small place like Rhein Town.
Here there was a complete church structure—clergy, proper altars, statues of gods.
Even on the streets you could see priests preaching and praying.
In his previous life, Rei would've ignored these kinds of religious fanatics completely.
But in this world…
Gods undeniably existed.
Their existence had been proven.
Rei still maintained a measure of respect toward the gods of this world.
At least…
Until the day he himself became one.
The Life Cathedral was packed with people.
Rei's small body was constantly pushed around in the crowd, making it difficult to move forward.
Was the Life Church really this popular?
Wasn't healing handled in the Hall of Life?
Just as Rei tried to push deeper into the crowd—
His feet suddenly left the ground.
Turning around, he saw Akasei.
The guy had simply picked him up.
"Yo, kid."
"You here to see Kumironi too?"
Rei blinked.
"Akasei… how did you know I just comprehended Origin Magic?"
Akasei stared.
"You comprehended Origin Magic?"
Rei nodded.
"Yeah. Just now. I defeated Artrendo, the Level 2 player who understood Ultimate Intent, and came straight here."
"Oh! That Artrendo kid?"
Kid?
Akasei, you're not that old yourself.
Akasei was only twenty, while Artrendo was nearly forty.
"I fought him back when I was Level 2," Akasei said casually. "Didn't expect he'd still be Level 2 after all these years."
That's not the point…
The point is I comprehended Origin Magic.
Rei sighed inwardly.
Sharing the news with this idiot might've been a mistake.
"But seriously," Akasei added, "you comprehended Origin Magic that fast?"
"It's only been a few days."
Rei's ears twitched slightly.
He suppressed the smile creeping onto his face and replied casually:
"It was alright. I suddenly had some inspiration. Around my 298th win, I managed to comprehend it—without using the Spring of Origin."
Even so, the corner of his mouth still lifted.
After all…
Comprehending Origin Magic in just over ten days felt better than getting promoted, getting a raise, and winning the lottery combined.
Even an adult wouldn't be able to stop smiling.
Akasei laughed.
"Haha! That's about as fast as Iz did it."
…About the same?
Wait.
What?
Rei's smile froze.
"Anyway," Akasei continued, "now that you've comprehended Origin Magic, you're about to advance to Level 3 Mage, right?"
"No wonder you came to the Life Church."
Rei nodded.
"Yeah. Also wanted to come see you guys."
He didn't mention that he had come specifically for the promotion. Saying it outright would sound a bit too utilitarian.
"By the way," Rei asked, "how long did it take Iz to comprehend Elemental Void?"
Akasei tilted his head while recalling.
"I think he said… about a little over a month after reaching Level 2."
"A little over… how much exactly?"
"How would I know? That's just what he said."
That answer left Rei feeling conflicted.
Had he comprehended Origin faster than Iz…
Or slower?
Suddenly Akasei tossed Rei onto his shoulder.
Rei ended up sitting on top of his head.
…This posture made Rei feel oddly complicated.
When he was small in his previous life, his father used to carry him like this.
So at this moment, his feelings were somewhat strange.
Still…
The view was definitely better.
Looking ahead, Rei could see Kumironi standing at the center of a platform, reciting scripture.
He had actually wanted to see what Kumironi's role in the Life Church was.
Was she really preaching endlessly like the priests outside?
Hard to imagine.
Even without relying on Kumironi, Rei could technically use Origin Magic — Primordial Source to advance.
According to Iz Parult's theory, the spell itself was valid.
But… considering it came from a notorious villain, if there was a safer, official method available—
Better not install that risky plugin.
"Sophia grants us life. Through her, all things are born, enlightened, grow, and endure. Above the heavens, beneath the earth, and within worlds we have yet to perceive, there exist soils where life may arise…"
She really was preaching.
The book she held was The Canon of Life.
Sophia—the Goddess of Life and Growth, and also a Moon Deity.
February — Month of Life and GrowthMoon Deity: Sophia
A Moon Deity was always a god.
But not every god served as a Moon Deity.
There seemed to be special rules governing that system, though mortals didn't know the details.
Only that the eleven months tied to Moon Deities and their seasons were fixed.
The only exception was May.
The Month of Purity, the only month without a Moon Deity.
But clearly…
Most people weren't here to listen to sermons.
Voices erupted throughout the church.
"Lady Kumironi! Please look at my child! Is he a once-in-a-generation genius?!"
"Can you awaken my daughter early?"
"Look at my child!"
"My kid has loved touching swords and warhammers since he was little! Is he destined to be a great warrior?!"
"My child has amazing talent! He memorizes magic textbooks every day—maybe he'll become a great archmage like Iz!"
…
Rei sighed inwardly.
The scene was almost tragic.
But after realizing how important Spirituality was, Rei could understand their desperation.
If he himself lost his spirituality…
He would worry too.
The feeling of clear perception, sharp thinking, and heightened awareness—
Once you experienced it, you'd never want to lose it.
Still…
There were simply too many people.
The surging crowd all wanted Kumironi to awaken their children.
How could she possibly handle that many?
Kumironi looked completely different from usual.
Standing on the pulpit, she had shed her usual gentle kindness.
Her gaze was calm and distant as she read the scripture.
Filled with a kind of divine impartiality.
As if the murmuring masses below had nothing to do with her.
"So, Akasei," Rei asked, looking down, "what are you doing here?"
"Maintaining order," Akasei replied.
"If anyone tries to rush the stage, I stop them."
Oh.
So he was basically a security guard.
Though having a Level 6 Warrior stand guard felt a bit overqualified.
"When does Kumironi finish?"
"About… two hours."
Seems he arrived too early.
"Want to walk around?" Akasei asked.
"Aren't you supposed to be on guard duty?"
"At this distance it's basically the same."
Considering Akasei's speed, that was probably true.
So Rei nodded.
Akasei moved through the crowd with surprising ease.
It was almost as if the people automatically parted when he approached.
After weaving through several corridors, they entered the inner section of the church.
Away from the crowded hall, the interior felt refreshing and spacious.
The courtyard was filled with greenery.
It felt calming and pleasant to look at.
The Life Church was truly grand.
Not just a single cathedral building—
But an entire complex of verdant structures.
Covered walkways stretched for nearly a kilometer, and priests in green robes could be seen everywhere.
"Most of these believers worship Sophia," Akasei explained.
"They follow the principles of Life and Growth. Many are healers or planters."
Planters.
Rei interpreted that as farmer-type professions.
"Oh, that over there… that's the Spring of Life. It relieves fatigue and can heal certain injuries and curses."
"But it only works for people who believe in Sophia."
"That tree is the Golden Tree. Clergy working here can pick one leaf every year. Each one sells for about 3 gold coins."
"That area is the Seed Section. You can collect crop seeds for free. Some special crops can only be grown with Life Church approval."
"Those crops sell for more on the market. Many planters join the church just for this. Free seeds and higher profits—it's hard to resist."
"Of course, some special crops require high planter levels and cultivation skill."
"That's the Prayer Chamber of Life. If you pray there about the lives you've saved or patients you've healed, it converts into Life Merit."
"You can exchange that merit for blessings—or extra healing uses."
"I heard if you accumulate enough Life Merit, you can even exchange it for a chance to resurrect someone. Though the cost is extremely high."
"Besides that, the church also has special farmland. Crops grow faster there, and the cultivation conditions are more lenient."
"As long as the crop isn't extremely demanding, it can usually be grown there."
"Of course, you need a certain position to apply for farmland. But most applicants are planters anyway. After two years of service, you can usually qualify."
"Oh—and over there you can collect free fruits and vegetables every day."
"Also, clergy of the Life Church get priority medical treatment and extremely high reimbursement rates at the Hall of Life."
As Akasei showed him around, talking nonstop, Rei felt his entire perception of churches being overturned.
He had always imagined churches as solemn places fueled purely by faith—where people worshipped gods who barely acknowledged them.
But seeing it firsthand…
The benefits were massive.
Free healthcare.
Free curse removal.
Free farmland.
Free seeds.
Daily free produce.
Priority treatment and medical coverage.
Rei almost felt tempted to convert.
From the Moon Deities to the War God—and now seeing the Life Church—
The gods of this world truly wielded immense influence.
After learning quite a bit about the church, they ate some desserts outside.
When they returned to find Kumironi…
They saw her collapsed into a chair in the High Priest's lounge, looking utterly exhausted.
Ah.
Even a Level 6 Healer could end the workday feeling like life had drained out of them.
"Oh, little Rei."
Kumironi looked over.
"You comprehended the Origin?"
Rei nodded enthusiastically.
"Yeah!"
"Impressive. Want to advance your class now?"
"If you're tired, Sister Kumironi, we can do it tomorrow."
Kumironi lay sprawled over the chair.
"Tomorrow then. Tonight I'll check your body first. Besides, the Advancement Hall should be closed by now."
She sighed.
"Luckily after today, I probably won't have to come again for the rest of the year."
"I never want to preach again…"
Rei blinked.
…Kumironi.
Is that really something a clergy member should be saying?