"Mr. Caelus, what do you think?" Back at the residence arranged by Babel, Aurora asked Caelus.
"She has a firm goal, the means to strive toward it, good personal charisma, and a high level of conviction. If she can persist and has a little luck, she should be able to save Kazdel and bring a brand-new change to this homeland of the Sarkaz."
"I think so too. She is indeed a fine ruler, but unfortunately, to me, this ruler has not yet reached the point of being truly stunning. Moreover, Kazdel alone has already exhausted all of her efforts, and judging by the current situation, Theresis has the upper hand. She might be able to save Kazdel, but she definitely cannot save more people. And I don't just want redemption for Kazdel alone."
After speaking, Aurora suddenly knelt before Caelus. She clasped her hands together, like a devout nun praying to a deity, and said, "Sir, I implore you to bestow your divine name upon me, so that I may proclaim your greatness and existence. It should not be only I who receives the salvation of a deity. I want to spread this faith, to let those who dwell in darkness see the light. Even if that light is extremely distant and illusory, it at least gives people the hope to continue living, allowing more people to survive until dawn arrives on this dark land."
Caelus looked at Aurora and said, "I do not mind you proclaiming the existence of a deity. Although I am not a god myself, the blessing you received and this power are indeed gifts from a true deity."
"Therefore, you may go and proclaim the existence of that deity, preach the teachings of that deity, and let more people believe in that deity. His name is God."
...
Meanwhile, in an area of intense conflict somewhere in Kazdel.
"Sir, the frequency of the fighting is starting to decrease. I estimate that it won't be long before this battle ends."
A Sarkaz dressed like a mercenary, about 2.45 meters tall, was speaking to the gentleman in front of him, who was clearly much shorter than him yet whom he respected immensely.
The young Sarkaz man, wearing moon-white robes, with emerald-green long hair and horns resembling tree branches, was watching the battlefield below with compassionate eyes.
"How many more innocent people have lost their lives in this war?"
"Sir, we clearly have the strength to forcibly suppress both parties below, so why do you stand by and watch?"
"Because this is an ideological battle."
The man clasped his hands together and said in a compassionate yet helpless tone, "This is ideology, it is a dream, it is a fight for the future. Theresa and Theresis are both fighting for Kazdel, and the compatriots who follow them are also fighting for that reason. This war is not about profit. It is a battle that will determine Kazdel's future."
"I could forcibly intervene and convert them, but that would be no different from erasing their free will. How would that differ from killing them? And if we rely on strength to forcefully suppress them, friction and conflict will inevitably appear within the ranks, eventually leading to bloodshed. All we can do is allow those on the verge of death to survive as much as possible. This ideological battle will determine the direction Kazdel takes. It is not something we can control."
"But sir, compared to the distant future promised by those two rulers, to us, you are the hope that can lead us Sarkaz to a better future, and even rebuild Kazdel!"
"I cannot," the man shook his head and said. "The deity granted me the ability to heal countless wounds, and also granted me knowledge and insight, but I do not have the ability to manage and guide all living beings to salvation. I am, after all, only one who has been endowed, not one who has been enlightened. I can only give you hope, impart knowledge to you, and teach you how to move forward. But truly leading you to the destination is something I have not even achieved myself."
"Moreover, I am a sinner entangled in sin. These actions are merely repayment for the sins and karma I owed in the past. Since the starting point is a rotten seed, how could it bear beautiful fruit?"
"Therefore, I will not interfere in this ideological battle. After one side truly wins, I will try to communicate with that leader. If they are willing, I will gift this bestowed ability and knowledge to them. Perhaps that leader, who possesses the ability to command and can see a more distant future, will be able to lead us toward a farther future."
"Sir, are you truly willing to give away your hard-won powerful abilities, and even your immortal physical strength, to others?"
"What else should I do? My own immortality and my own strength ultimately belong to only one person. But if this gain can be shared, allowing more people to move toward a better tomorrow and see the dawn of hope, then what does one person's gain or loss matter?"
"Only by turning oneself into firewood can one light that small radiance, allowing people in the darkness to see a faint glow. When that time comes, I hope you will all remember that this light did not come easily, cherish that light, and make that light shine even brighter. In the future, not only the Sarkaz, but even more people suffering from oppression and hardship will be able to attain salvation."
A gentle smile was on the man's face. He had never felt any reluctance regarding the power and wisdom he had received. Just as he said, if it was for the sake of all living beings on this land, he would rather turn everything he had into the cornerstone of the road, just so that those who walked this road in the future could have an easier journey.
The tall Sarkaz mercenary was filled with reverence upon hearing the man's words.
"Alright, we should head down. The war has ended, and there are still many people on the brink of death. There is still time to save them."
The war had ended, meaning this ideological battle had concluded. Those who were rescued could no longer participate in this ideological battle. They would all be integrated into the group behind the man. This was why he had become a third-party force.
And because those who were rescued felt the gentleness and compassion from the power of Abundance, coupled with the grace of having their lives saved, they would tacitly agree to follow behind this master to witness for themselves the struggle between the rulers, and who would ultimately be victorious.
Everyone entered the field and began treating the wounded and those on the verge of death, while the winning side watched them without any intention of taking action.
At first, some did try to stop the master's treatment, but the master simply clasped his hands together and offered no resistance, allowing his body to be slashed by swords, pierced by arrows, burned by flames, and struck by explosives.
But no matter what injuries he sustained, the man's body would recover rapidly, while those who attacked him would become increasingly hesitant and unable to bear it, until they knelt on the ground, threw away all the weapons in their hands, clasped their hands together, and wept as they repented before him.
This extremely bizarre situation was the reason this third-party force continued to grow, because anyone who harmed, or even restrained and bound this person, would cause the perpetrator's mental state to undergo severe distortion. Although it would not lead to direct defection, they would be unable to participate in battle for some time afterward.
At this moment, as the man was treating those on the verge of death, a person dressed in black robes and carrying a longsword walked over.
The man revived a seriously injured person, then stood up and looked at the newcomer, saying, "Confessarius, does your ruler wish to see me?"
"Lord Theresis would like to have a chat with the Master. I wonder what the Master thinks?" The Confessarius, who had the appearance of a young man, asked the person in front of him with a smile.
"I will not favor either side in this war. I am only responsible for treating those who have not yet died after the war has ended." After saying this, he stopped looking at the Confessarius and continued on to the next injured person.
(To be continued.)
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◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 200 Power Stones.
◇ You can read the ahead chapter on Pat if you're interested: p-atreon.c-om/Blownleaves (Just remove the hyphen to access normally.)