Volume 3 Messenger 106, The Source of Life

  A simple sentence, yet it conveyed too many unspoken meanings and revealed Maria's concerns and worries. That's why when he appeared in front of her, she felt especially clear and real, even this silent gaze was especially precious.

  Amon had the same feeling, and when he returned from his long journey to see Maria again, the one sitting in front of him was indeed the real Ako that was in his heart. Before, whenever he saw Maria, he would always be a little dazed and couldn't tell whether it was the holy maiden Isis or the girl Ako he met in Duke Town, and there was always an inexplicable conflict in his heart. But at this moment, he could finally see clearly that she was indeed her, both the Ako in his heart and the holy maiden in front of him.

  Amon didn't want to and didn't need to tell her, but on the night of the day he killed the two-headed snake and crossed the lake, he had seen her in his divine meditation. It wasn't a dream, it was as if it had really happened before. They returned to that small building in Duke Town, people were no longer what they used to be, he was now Amon, she was now Maria. But Amon still hugged her like he did back then, holding her body and stroking it, and truly kissed her... When the sun rose on the second day, Amon opened his eyes with a smile. As he stood up, the inexplicable knot in his heart for so long had been untied, looking very calmly at the world under the sunlight.

  At this moment, Amun's smile was as bright and clear as the sunlight. He smiled and said: "Holy Lady, I have two things to report to you this time."

  Maria looked at him too, with a sparkle in her eyes like stars on a quiet night: "I was just waiting for you to say that."

  Amun: "First of all, the task to be carried out this time. I have investigated the terrain and topography around the original site of Du Ke Town and handed over the recorded information to the Temple's Divine Committee."

  Maria nodded in satisfaction: "I have read your report, the description of the terrain and topography is completely consistent with the results of other channels' investigation. You also made a sand table for detailed demonstration. The most valuable thing is the distribution area of various monsters, the investigation you did is the most detailed, it must be obtained by trekking through those places on foot, this point is worth extra praise."

  "George the High Priest has made a request to reward you, but I temporarily suppressed the report and didn't approve it. It's not that I don't want to praise you, but the content of the report is not enough to reward your achievements. Ahmon, what's the second thing you want to say? Is it related to your personal cultivation?"

  Amun nodded and said: "Yes, as you expected, I have become a Seventh-level Great Warrior."

  Maria smiled, a pure and cheerful smile of a young girl: "Many people have already seen it, but you don't say it yourself, are you waiting for the first person to tell me? According to past conventions, the city-state will hold a celebration ceremony for you, and you will also receive the noble status of the Egu Empire. Go back and prepare well."

  Ammon: "May I ask what preparations I need to make?"

  Maria thought for a moment and smiled: "After I came to the temple, you are still the first subordinate to be promoted to Grand Warrior. Actually, there is nothing much to prepare. I know your name is Armon, but you also need a formal title, not only in the city-state's noble register, but also in the Temple's Power Awakening Ceremony."

  Amon's eyes widened slightly as he hesitated for a moment before responding, "The Second Awakening of Power ritual? I'm allowed to study the Divine Script and also cultivate divine magic?"

  The Holy Maiden rarely showed a few hints of playfulness: "Yes, I've already made arrangements. It's up to you whether or not you can achieve this feat. The second awakening of power isn't guaranteed to succeed, and only great mages can perform this ritual. Amun, I permit you to make your own request. You may choose any one of the great mages from the Temple of Isis to preside over the ritual for you as a special reward."

  "Are you going to choose the most accomplished 9th-level divine magic user, Wald, or me, who has just become a 7th-level divine magic user? Let me remind you that the higher the achievement of the divine magic user, the greater the possibility of success in holding the ceremony. However, it still depends on whether you can awaken the power granted by the gods. It requires a process, and the ceremony is only a symbol, like opening a door. I have never presided over one before, nor do I have any experience."

  "Everything has a beginning, I am honored to request the Holy Maiden to preside over my second awakening ceremony of power, and this is your first time presiding over such a ceremony, which makes me even more honored."

  Maria was smiling all the time, her eyes like a pair of curved crescent moons: "Alright then, it's settled. I'll preside over your second awakening ceremony for power, hoping to succeed."

  Amon stood up and bowed, saying: "Thank you, Holy Maiden. It will definitely be a success!" At this moment, when he called her Holy Maiden, Amon was as calm as when he called out to Eiko.

  It's a sure thing, this ritual will definitely succeed because Amun himself is already a great magician. Once he has undergone the ritual, he can naturally use many divine techniques and people will only marvel at the saintess' miraculous powers. However, he is also very interested in this second awakening ritual of power, perhaps the cultivation of two-faced power can be borrowed from it.

  When he was about to bid farewell, Maria stood up and asked again: "Have you carefully read those classics I let you see?"

  She was referring to the military books and materials related to fighting with legions. Amun nodded, "Yes, in addition to the catalog you opened for me, I also tried my best to find relevant documents to study and simulated deduction for a long time."

  Maria said, "Just remembering is not enough, you have to think about how to apply it. You can travel through such a vast wilderness and learn so many military books, I believe you should have experience in commanding troops in various environments."

  "Saintess, are you implying something?" Amun thoughtfully asked.

  Mary answered with deep meaning: "You will soon understand; if you wish to establish a work that can forgive the tribe, success or failure depends on this one move."

  A few days later, the lord of Dreamflight City, Daja-Turjan, personally held a celebration ceremony for Arumon and issued an announcement. The people all heard the good news that Arumon, the glorious warrior of the Isis Temple, had been promoted to Seventh-Level Great Warrior.

  The name that Ahmon's drunkard father had given him when he was a child, Aroga Menos Messiah Hua Anra Ye Montemont, was finally put to formal use for the first time and would even be written in the temple's register by the high priest. However, this long string of titles was too cumbersome to call out normally, so people still called him Ahmon the Great Warrior.

  The one who was most excited about this news wasn't Arum himself, but rather his friend, the merchant Shio. Shio exclaimed to anyone he met: "My intuition is absolutely right! I knew from a long time ago that Arum would become a true nobleman, and today he's indeed become a great warrior worthy of respect!"

  When he got drunk, he often bragged to his friends around him: "Amon-sama once said that I also have hope of becoming a noble-sama in the future." His friends then teased Shio saying: "Give up already, what's with you? With this flabby body, do you think you can practice martial arts and become a great warrior?"

  Shortly after the celebration ceremony, Amun underwent another ritual in a small hall within the temple of Isis. The host was the noble and sacred lady who awakened the divine power bestowed upon him. This ritual would normally be almost impossible to succeed, as Amun did not devoutly worship the god before him, but instead gazed into his own heart, also silently watching Ake holding the staff.

  Because the ceremony was presided over by Saint Maria herself, the specifications were quite grand. Armon first had to bathe and burn incense, wear a beautiful and majestic armor, put on his weapons and pay homage to the gods with offerings, and accept people's congratulations. As Armon walked towards the ceremony hall, the warriors lined up on both sides of the long steps scattered lotus petals, while the priests in the temple chanted poems in unison, Maria wore a golden crown holding a staff standing in front of the altar.

  As the ceremony officially began, Maria gently raised the sacred staff of Isis, her movements indescribably noble and elegant. She sang hymns in praise of Isis, and a soft golden light emanated from the staff, enveloping Amun who knelt before the altar.

  "This is the 'Blessing of Isis', a divine technique. Maria first calmed Amun's mind and body, allowing him to feel the wonders in tranquility. Then, golden light began to flash and swirl around Amun's body like a floating gauze, with changes in brightness and darkness. This was the most basic divine power being exercised and released, guiding Amun into a state of deep contemplation."

  Mary's voice echoed in Ah Mun's mind - "Please put down all your troubles and hesitations, forget all your worries and sorrows.

  Piously pray to the gods and entreat them to grant you strength.

  As you enter deep contemplation, close your eyes and gaze at the solemn image of the divine spirit.

  It is like radiance from the eastern horizon rising high, bestowing blessings upon all.

  This glorious light dispels darkness, the earth awakens from its slumber, and humanity is no longer bewildered.

  Open your heart to welcome and absorb the power bestowed by the divine spirit.

  "You wake up in the fog and spread your wings to fly."

  Amon did not resist Maria's guidance, and when Isis' blessing enveloped him, Amon fully opened his heart and entered a calm and clear state of mind. Although he was not a follower of the goddess Isis, he also had no slight heart, merging his own beliefs into Maria's piety to carefully experience it.

  When Mary's voice echoed in his mind, Amun closed his eyes and really saw a "divine spirit", but it was not the goddess Isis on the high platform. The appearance of this "divine spirit" was exactly that of Mary. He also felt the power bestowed by the so-called divine spirit, which surrounded him, permeated between heaven and earth, like an eternal dynamic existence, like the resonance between nature and introspection.