Surviving as a Barbarian in a Fantasy World

Chapter 153: Divine Power (4)

“The power of divinity can also be imbued into weapons. You know what that means, don’t you, Ketal?”

“Of course.”

The Grace of Kalosia.

It had once been imbued in Ketal’s axe.

“The method is similar to imbuing divinity into a body. Just think of it as putting it into a weapon instead.”

“Hmm.”

Ketal closed his eyes and prayed.

He hoped for the power of the gods to dwell in his weapon.

At that moment, his axe began to radiate a golden aura.

Kiiiing!

“Ohh!”

Ketal exclaimed.

His axe, once jet black, now glowed with a golden light.

The contrasting colors highlighted each other beautifully.

Rakza murmured in awe.

“You’re adapting quickly. Many believers struggled with this.”

“There’s nothing difficult about it. With this, I can defeat evil, right?”

“Yes. Although demons will defend against it, if you can break through their defenses and strike at their essence, it’s possible.”

“Oh-ho.”

Ketal grinned broadly.

He could now face demons on his own.

Rakza continued explaining.

“Besides simply imbuing weapons with divinity, there’s much more you can do. Simple restrictions and vows can also be made.”

“Restrictions and vows?”

“Yes.”

It was possible to impose a restriction on someone, making them unable to lie, or create a bell that could detect lies, among other things.

Ketal’s eyes sparkled.

“Like the restriction Naplas placed on the bandits.”

“Of course, there are limits.”

If the target didn’t agree or if they were of a certain level of strength, they could resist or see through it.

But up to a certain level, it was effective.

“And you can also use a veil of deception to conceal yourself. Additionally, you can heal minor injuries or illnesses.”

“There’s a lot you can do.”

“The versatility of divinity is one of its greatest strengths.”

Rakza smiled.

“Then let me explain how to handle it.”

Rakza taught Ketal how to wield divine power and its applications.

Ketal absorbed each lesson into his mind and practiced.

The process was incredibly enjoyable for him.

The fact that he could use various techniques through divinity was secondary.

What made him truly happy was the act of handling divinity itself.

The power of a great god.

He was wielding the mysteries of fantasy with his own hands.

It felt like he had become a character in a novel.

Yes, this was what he had always wanted.

To wield the mysteries of a fantastical world.

That opportunity had been given to him since he first arrived in this world.

Only the cursed snowy plains had ruined everything.

But no more.

The dreadful snowfields could no longer be an obstacle for him.

Now, he could enjoy this world.

Ketal eagerly learned how to handle divinity, and Rakza was amazed at his speed.

“You’re learning quite quickly.”

Divinity was simpler to utilize compared to aura or mana.

But it was still relative.

As one of the great mysteries of the world, it wasn’t inherently easy.

Perfectly wielding divinity required considerable effort and time.

Some believers took years just to handle divinity.

Yet Ketal was learning at an astonishing pace.

Even compared to outstanding believers, there was little difference.

This greatly surprised Rakza.

“I thought you’d be slow because you’re a barbarian.”

Learning was an accumulation process.

The more one studied, the faster they learned, and those who hadn’t studied much were slower.

Considering that Ketal, a barbarian, probably hadn’t studied much, his speed seemed almost genius.

“You’re remarkable. This must be your first time learning something like this, and you’re this fast.”

Ketal smiled silently.

He continued to learn and practice how to wield divinity.

At one point, the divine power ceased to emerge.

“What’s happening?”

“The divine power stored in the bracelet has its limits. Once it’s fully consumed, you can’t use it for a while.”

“It’ll recharge over time, right?”

“Yes. According to records, it takes about a day or two.”

“I see.”

There were some limitations.

He would need to use it judiciously.

“Then we’ll stop here for today.”

“Alright. When the divine power recovers, can we continue learning?”

“Of course.”

Rakza smiled.

“Come to me whenever you wish. Considering the grace we’ve received from you, this is a very minor thing, so don’t feel burdened.”

* * *

From then on, Ketal’s routine became simple.

When his divine power recovered, he would go to Rakza to learn how to handle it.

Once the divine power was fully consumed, he would rest in his quarters or help with the restoration of the sacred ground.

Then, when his divine power recovered again, he would learn more from Rakza about its applications.

It was a repetitive cycle, but it was a precious time for Ketal.

In fact, it was to the point where Rakza seemed a bit exhausted.

“You’ve almost learned everything already,”

Rakza muttered with a tired expression.

It hadn’t been long since Ketal began learning divine power, yet there was little left to teach.

What remained were minor applications and practical experience.

“Well, it’s fun. But there are clear limitations.”

Divinity was certainly versatile.

It could heal wounds, lift curses, and even combat evil.

It could impose restrictions and vows.

But there was always a prerequisite condition: it didn’t work beyond a certain level.

Healing was only effective for minor wounds, and only simple curses could be lifted.

Restrictions and vows worked only if the other party accepted them or if they were below a certain level of strength.

Due to the peculiarities of Ketal’s body, even physical enhancement was impossible.

Though the versatility was high, the limitations were equally clear.

Rakza said apologetically,

“You rely on sacred relics to wield it. Given the limits on the quantity and quality of divine power, there’s no helping it.”

“I see.”

Ketal clicked his tongue.

‘In the end, I’ll have to handle aura or mana.’

Since it was a power received from others, it couldn’t be helped.

He needed to discover his own mysteries.

“How much is left?”

“At this speed, I’d say about a day or two more.”

“Two days, huh.”

In that time, his learning of divine power would be complete.

There would be no reason to stay here any longer.

‘I should start preparing to leave.’

He had stopped the invasion of evil, faced demons, encountered a god, and gained divine power.

It would be hard to be more satisfied than this.

But as with any beginning, there must be an end.

It was time to leave.

‘Where should I go next?’

There were many places to go.

He could seek out the Thieves’ Guild or head to the underground city.

He could go to the Magic Tower to learn magic or to the elven sanctuary.

Arkamis had asked him to visit, so he had a good reason.

As Ketal pondered his options, Rakza suddenly remembered something.

“Now that I think about it, we’re expecting reinforcements from outside.”

“Hmm? Reinforcements? Isn’t everything over?”

“We were too busy cleaning up to inform the outside world. That’s probably why.”

They had won.

The plains corrupted by evil were gone.

But that fact hadn’t been communicated to the outside world.

Kalosia’s sanctuary was in a remote area, far from any village.

Unless someone came directly, there was no way to know.

And since it was corrupted by evil, no one dared to visit.

As a result, Kalosia’s sanctuary appeared to still be under attack to the outside world.

Ketal chuckled.

“Schrödinger’s cat.”

From the outside, you couldn’t know if the cat in the box was alive or dead.

Kalosia’s sanctuary was in a similar state.

Rakza tilted his head.

“Schrödinger? What’s that?”

“Just talking to myself. But they’re really late. It’s been almost a month since everything ended, and only now are reinforcements coming.”

“Indeed.”

Rakza gave a wry smile.

Ketal stroked his bracelet and asked,

“So, who’s coming?”

Rakza replied, and Ketal’s eyes widened.

“An inquisitor of the Sun God and a magician from the Magic Tower.”

“…An inquisitor?”

“Yes. Why?”

“Hmm. Nothing.”

It must be someone else, Ketal muttered to himself.

* * *

In the forest, sunlight streamed down through the trees.

A woman with silver hair was standing under the sun.

She had her eyes closed, praying quietly.

Behind her, a man with brown hair asked,

“Aquaz. Are you finished?”

“Yes.”

The woman opened her eyes, revealing red irises.

“I’ve finished my last prayer. Thank you for waiting.”

“It’s nothing, between us.”

“Then, let’s move.”

Aquaz, the Chief Inquisitor of the Sun God, stood up.

“Let’s go save those who are being attacked by evil.”

The magician from the Magic Tower nodded.

They began to move forward, pushing through the forest.

The man muttered as he parted the undergrowth with his staff.

“We’re almost there

“We’ll soon reach the sanctuary of Kalosia.”

They were the reinforcements sent to aid the sanctuary of Kalosia, which was under attack by evil.

Aquaz muttered with concern.

“I wonder if the sanctuary has been able to hold out.”

“I doubt it,”

Said the magician with a vague expression.

“The Cradle of Darkness launched a determined attack. Without significant support, it’s hard to imagine the sanctuary has survived unless the Great God intervened directly.”

It might be partially destroyed, or in the worst-case scenario, it could have fallen entirely.

“If that’s the case… it could be disastrous. A demon might have descended.”

Aquaz gripped the symbol of the Sun God hanging around her neck with a serious expression.

“We might have to risk our lives.”

The man grinned at Aquaz.

“Don’t worry, Aquaz. I’ll protect you, even if I have to risk my life.”

His voice was smooth and filled with affection, causing Aquaz to smile awkwardly.

“Thank you, but I’m fine. The Sun God will protect me.”

“If push comes to shove, you can rely on me. It’s natural for earthly beings to help each other, right?”

“Ahaha… thank you.”

As they conversed, they arrived at the top of a hill.

Beyond this hill, they would see the plains where the sanctuary stood.

They crossed the hill with determination.

Before them lay the plains where the sanctuary of Kalosia was located.

“…Hmm?”

“What?”

Aquaz and the magician’s eyes widened in surprise.

There was no sign of the evil that had supposedly taken over the plains.

Instead, they saw an ordinary plain with the sanctuary of the god standing intact.

“…Huh?”

“What’s going on?”

They were bewildered by the unexpected sight.

The magician stammered.

“What? There’s no sign of evil energy. Did evil not invade at all?”

“No, I don’t think that’s the case.”

Upon closer inspection, they could see numerous traces of battle around the sanctuary.

The land was so dug up and damaged that it was hard to call it a plain anymore.

It was clear that a fierce battle had taken place.

Which made it all the more incomprehensible.

“Did the sanctuary manage to fend off the Cradle of Darkness’s attack on its own?”

“Is that even possible?”

But they couldn’t learn more just by observing from a distance.

The magician spoke.

“We need to go and see.”

“Yes.”

They crossed the plains and approached the sanctuary.

As they got closer, they noticed the bright atmosphere within the sanctuary.

Aquaz approached with a confused expression.

She spoke to a holy knight of Kalosia standing guard at the entrance to the sanctuary.