At the same time, in other rooms, Roto was brought in and stared in horror at the Abyssal Worm before him. Although he had already been told to accommodate the object of redemption to combat the whispers of the Abyss, he still couldn’t suppress his trembling body. The worm gnawed its way into his heart, devouring it and making a home there. This process inflicted a twofold torment, both physical and mental. Those who couldn’t endure it and didn’t follow control, the worm would immediately burrow towards their head, and at this moment, the gray-robed person beside them would chop off Roto’s head. Those who managed to withstand and maintain their sanity would complete their coexistence with the worm and become an official Lightkeeper.

The dead bodies were dragged away like garbage. These corpses would be chopped into meat paste to feed livestock or used as fertilizer. In Divpo City, all resources were precious, as Roto himself knew. The Roto who successfully completed the parasitic process embarked on another path. By refining their sins, they could attain redemption, and at the same time, they received the Priest’s Divine Power to combat sins. The remaining task was to maintain piety and not be consumed by the desires of sinful objects.

The hardships are a test for every believer, signifying greater possibilities with greater difficulties. The devout will certainly be redeemed, just like the First Sacred Sect Master of years past.

Their eyes were filled with fighting spirit and hope.

In very rare cases, some Roto, like Batty, possessed powerful Spiritual Ability and talent. They awaited not the worms, but Divine Relics. Those who found a match were undoubtedly very fortunate. Typically, Roto weren’t worthy of such opportunities, but there were always exceptional circumstances.

There were those who could not complete the matching. The unmatched would return to the altar to continue merging with the Abyssal Worm. After enduring the torment of the Divine Relic, facing the worm again, it was easy for them to be bitten and die. The worm’s greed for the scent of the Divine Relic would easily drive it mad, causing excessive devouring, which would result in a very tragic death for Roto.

Unknown how much time had passed, Batty regained consciousness to find a “saber” inside him, a pitch-black saber seemingly with a faint, hidden scabbard. This filled his body with power, immense power.

“Batty, congratulations. Your piety and fortitude have received the noble recognition of the First Sacred Level. This Ancient Divine Weapon is entrusted temporarily to you. You must use it to guard the outer lighthouse and purge sins. This is a gift, and you must swear not to speak of this to anyone!”

“Yes, My Lord!” Batty bowed low, prostrating himself on the ground, then swore a Silence Spell in the name of the Trinity.

Batty withdrew, and several gray-robed faces also bore satisfaction. This Divine Relic carried a heavy aura of malice and hadn’t found a suitable bearer for a long time. If it continued, its power would gradually dissipate. Anyway, its dissipation would be a waste. Existence equates to possibility; it was unexpected that this Roto could truly endure it. If fortuitous, the Divine Relic would stabilize, undoubtedly benefiting Divpo City.

After several days of training and disciplinary measures, over eighty successful Lightkeepers were grouped into more than forty teams, accompanied by the Captain of the Attendants and servant soldiers transporting supplies to the lighthouse. Once the Lightkeepers and supplies were delivered, the teams would head back, with Lightkeepers awaiting the next supply team and orders.

Lightkeepers held a higher status than servant soldiers, who were above ordinary Roto. Young Lightkeepers could see the admiration and reverence in the eyes of servant soldiers. Although the Captain of the Attendants looked down on these Rot, they were relatively courteous to Lightkeepers, highlighting the importance of the Lightkeepers.

The Captain of the Attendants would halt at the outermost village, leaving the rest of the journey to Lightkeepers and servant soldiers.

Near Divpo City, it remained very safe, thanks to the protection of the Trinity. However, safety wasn’t guaranteed in the villages. Once monsters were discovered, villagers would run to the nearby lighthouse for refuge. But as they moved away from the village, the fog thickened, barely revealing distant glows. Those were the outer lighthouses, Divpo City’s most outer defense line.

The lighthouse’s glow comprised two elements: one being white light, which was the Light of Redemption bestowed by the Trinity, inherent to the lighthouse and possessing great penetrative power. The other glow was from torches burning black oil, blending with the white light to expand the range. If the Lightkeeper encountered issues, without someone replenishing the black oil, the torches would extinguish, drastically reducing effectiveness with only white light left. In such cases, a new Lightkeeper had to be quickly dispatched.

Sporadic monster roars reached the ears of the group, necessitating vigilance in the fog. At any moment, something could emerge from the darkness to snatch them away, perhaps beasts or Abyssal creatures. There wasn’t much difference; anyone surviving in such an environment was a predator.

Both Lightkeepers and servant soldiers underwent long-term training, exercising extreme caution. After several days of journeying, Batty gradually adapted to his new role, and his strength was felt by the servant soldiers. Since acquiring the Black Saber, Batty had an entirely different experience, even wishing to confront Abyssal creatures. During operations, they clashed with certain Abyssal creatures, and Batty was always the bravest, the Black Saber seemingly igniting a strong urge within him, drawing him to wield it.

Of course, before leaving, the ruler had warned in the discipline not to wield this saber lightly, as it was not his possession nor something he was worthy of. Each use would bring immense pain, only permissible in times of dire need to defend the lighthouse. Moreover, he must strictly demand more of himself, as from the moment of accommodation, he faced even more severe trials, from physical to mental. Naturally, if he could pass these, he would obtain the greatest redemption, extending beyond the ordinary level of the Sheren.

This trust, this potential filled Batty with immense excitement. Additionally, the ruler informed him that his sister, Aisha, had moved to a better environment, striving to become an excellent servant to serve the noble rulers, drawing ever closer to redemption.

Batty’s lighthouse journey was a bit far, located near the outer fringes of the outer lighthouse circle. The more arduous the task, the greater the redemption. Batty initially wanted to choose the toughest path. However, as he delved further, the lighthouse connections grew sparse, enveloped in a wholly murky world, able to navigate only by scattered glows. Torches were the sole reassurance for the group. They maintained a certain distance, though not too far apart, able to illuminate an area about seven or eight meters around. The servant soldiers trembled, with howls growing clearer, monsters seemingly about to appear at any moment. But Batty harbored no fear.

They had already engaged several times during the journey. From twelve, only six remained now, though the supplies suffered minimal loss. The Lickers were no match for him, only numerous. The servant soldiers couldn’t resist, with no terrain to hide. Nearing the lighthouse, they hadn’t slept in two days, sleep being most terrifying, as abyssal whispers continuously eroded them. If fear prevailed, madness ensued, even causing serpentine growth.

Serpentine growth led to capture both inside and outside the city, delivered to the Church. Such Fallen needed purification, not simple execution, to avoid pollution.

Batty finally reached his lighthouse. The remaining six companions carried supplies inside, completing their mission. The return journey was their own, likely a one-way trip. Such was the responsibility of servant soldiers.

Traversing together through Licker attacks, they forged battle camaraderie. During the farewell, Batty exchanged headbutts with the servant soldiers, deeply moving them. This gesture was the highest acknowledgment in their humble lives. The return journey was long, likely without an end.

The six Roto servant soldiers carried minimal supplies on the return, for dying on the path would be wasteful. Food was precious, not to be wasted.

Batty watched his companions depart with few words, then turned to gaze at the lighthouse he would long guard and live by. This was the place Roto would defend with their lives, the tower of hope for all Divpo City dwellers.

The lighthouse lights consisted only of the crystalline, highly penetrative white light shining atop. Curiously, Batty saw residual yellow light flickering, indicating the torch hadn’t completely extinguished. The previous Lightkeeper might still be alive. This mission hadn’t recalled the previous Lightkeeper. If alive, they would jointly guard this lighthouse, led by the successor Lightkeeper as customary. Often, successor Lightkeepers possessed a more stable mental state, and distant lighthouses might encounter such situations.

Batty ascended along the narrow stairs; the lighthouse was tall, and after a while, he reached the top. Through the faint light, his pupils contracted.

A creature full of lumps and tumors stood with its back to him. Its tiny head wobbled incessantly on its overly large body, emitting a hissing sound, with massive claws delicately stirring the torch. The flame flickered under its touch, as if nurturing its child. Hearing sounds behind, the small head spun 360 degrees to see Batty. The creature showed a long-awaited bright smile, all six skewed eyes turning together, its mouth splitting open to the forehead, revealing blood-red twisted muscles and sharp, razor-like teeth:

“Are you here to replace me?”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep