Chapter 16: When Gods Won't Help, I Will

"Everyone, pick up the pace. We are an elite team after all," EeDeChi shouted as she hopped off the center of the teleportation array, casting a disapproving look at a few teammates who stumbled along behind her.

Surrounded by towering stone pillars embedded with palm-sized magic crystals, magical energy flowed through the grooves carved into the pillars, emitting a ghostly blue light that shimmered like a starry galaxy. This was the central teleportation hub in the capital of the Baharuth Empire.

The reason they could instantly travel from Golden Sheaf City on the border to the capital of the Baharuth Empire was thanks to EeDeChi's decision to splurge a significant amount of money to use the magical teleportation array, despite objections.

Teleportation arrays, the quickest and most expensive means of transportation in this world, were typically only accessible to nobles and high-tier magic casters. Of course, anyone with enough gold could experience the thrill of instantaneous travel.

EeDeChi had originally planned to jump from the empire's border directly to a point near the Sorcerer Kingdom, but budget constraints meant they only made it as far as the empire's capital.

Teleportation worked by using massive magical power to warp space, creating a narrow transit tunnel that squeezed individuals or objects through it, pushing them out into another space. For ordinary people, teleportation felt like being torn apart, both body and soul, an extremely unpleasant sensation.

However, EeDeChi bounced off the teleportation array still lively, whereas Barrett, Sean, and Stella staggered about as if they were drunk.

Stella, with the weakest constitution, slumped in a chair in the teleportation hall, her hands trembling as she cast a 2nd Tier Divine Magic spell, "Gaia's Smile," which finally helped her catch her breath. She then cast blessing spells on Sean and Barrett, helping them gradually recover.

EeDeChi watched with interest as Stella, dressed in a cleric's short skirt, chanted Divine Magic spells. She appreciated her skills but shook his head and commented, "Stella, your outfit is too frivolous, not suitable for our team."

"What?" Stella responded, looking puzzled as she held a holy symbol in her hand. "But this is the standard attire for female clerics and priestesses."

Her outfit, a well-fitted clerical uniform striped in blue and gold, perfectly highlighted her shapely figure. Her chestnut soft shoulder-length hair peeped out from under a cream-colored cloth hat, and she wore a pair of white deer leather boots, holding a magic wand, looking every bit the pitiable young maiden. No wonder Sean was so attentive to her, constantly fussing around her.

EeDeChi glanced around at the other adventurers and slapped her forehead, "Right, this is an isekai, no wonder all the female clerics, priestesses, and warriors dress like they're cosplaying, with such revealing and frivolous clothes! It would be different if this were Dungeons & Dragons."

"What are isekai and cosplay?" Stella asked curiously, batting her eyelashes as Sean leaned in to listen to EeDeChi's somewhat incomprehensible remarks.

Barrett, however, had grown accustomed to EeDeChi's strange expressions and continued to check his backpack's equipment without comment.

EeDeChi waved his hand dismissively, "Never mind, you wouldn't understand. Just know that you need to take off these frivolous clothes and beef up your defenses. Start with a full set of armor and chainmail undergarments, and don't forget a bucket helmet that covers the whole head, leaving only two slits for the eyes."

"Oh, Gaia above, but I'm a cleric, not a heavy-armored warrior," Stella protested with a pitiful look after hearing EeDeChi's description of the armor.

"I'm the captain, and you need to follow my orders, and this is for your own good," EeDeChi stepped forward, closing in on Stella.

"Captain! That armor is too heavy; even if Stella puts it on, she won't be able to move easily. It'll slow everyone down!" Sean quickly intervened, standing between EeDeChi and Stella.

Although he was slightly taller than EeDeChi, his nervous demeanor against EeDeChi's imposing presence was like a hen protecting her chicks in front of a tiger.

For some reason, Barrett seemed to agree with EeDeChi. He disliked seeing those teenagers, dressed in minimal attire, daring to be heroes and adventurers.

EeDeChi turned his stern gaze back to Stella and instructed firmly, "Can't wear heavy armor? Then you need to train more! Look at you, all skinny and dressed up like that, are you going to a hentai anime battle scene?"

"Captain, you can't bully people like this, forcing Stella to do something she doesn't want to. It won't hold up in the long run," Sean tried to reason with EeDeChi, cleverly using a different angle.

EeDeChi's beautiful eyes widened in challenge as she declared, "Who dares defy me... hmm..." 

She paused, reconsidering, then added, "You do have a point. Alright, Stella, let's make it a challenge. Teach me a healing spell of Divine Magic. If I master it within an hour, you'll have to strip off that outfit and put on chainmail. If I fail, you can keep dressing as you do."

Stella's eyes widened. "Is that possible? But, you know, Divine Magic can only be cast with a strong faith in the gods."

"Don't worry about it," EeDeChi waved dismissively. "Let me show you the strength of an orichalcum-level captain. Then you'll see, there's no good outcome from resisting orders!"

Still somewhat confused, Stella accepted the challenge. To cast Divine Magic, one first needed to have a loyal faith in the gods. Only after long periods of devout service could one receive the gods' blessings and borrow their mighty power through brief prayers.

Despite EeDeChi's high talent in Arcane Magic, and even if she were to start believing in a deity right now, it was unlikely she could convince a divine being to lend her power so quickly.

Moreover, EeDeChi had previously proclaimed herself an "atheist," believing in neither gods, demons. Overall, this challenge was heavily stacked against her.

The group of four headed to the wilderness on the outskirts of the capital. Stella knelt on the ground, clasped her hands around a round golden holy symbol, and murmured:

"Oh Gaia, I offer everything to spread Your love and glory in this world. Your faithful servant craves the bath of Your divine light."

On the ground were several ants that Barrett had just squashed. A soft white light flickered over the dead ants, and a few of them began to stir, waving their antennae and crawling away.

However, some ants remained motionless. Stella explained that the low-level healing magic did not work because those ants had been too badly crushed.

Barrett carefully squashed the ants that had just been revived, trying to leave the bodies intact.

EeDeChi began her attempt to learn Divine Magic. She held the round holy symbol, mimicking Stella's actions and muttering to herself, but nothing happened.

She tried again, still no response.

After the third attempt, still nothing.

Stella breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed unrealistic to learn Divine Magic in just an hour, and it was a relief she wouldn't have to change out of her cleric's outfit into cumbersome chainmail armor.

Stella was still a beauty-loving young girl and found the idea of wrapping herself in heavy armor quite unappealing.

EeDeChi, seemingly a bit annoyed, took a deep breath and stood up. Holding the golden icon of the Holy Mother in her left hand and drawing her giant sword with her right, she raised the sword high into the sky.

Kneeling on the ground, Stella watched her captain, confused about what she was trying to do. Barrett and Sean stepped back, surprised at EeDeChi's strange behavior and stern gaze.

EeDeChi spread her feet apart and stood up straight. Holding the holy icon in one hand and the giant sword in the other, she declared forcefully:

"Great Gaia, lend me your power. Please respond to my call sincerely and don't be foolish! If gods deny salvation's hand, with sacred blade I'll reprimand!"

As her words fell, a golden radiance spread across the ground within a radius of nearly twenty meters. A warm current flowed around, and all ants on the ground, whether crushed or intact, completely healed, flipped over, and vibrated their antennae as they came back to life, scurrying happily around.

Sean felt as if his whole body was soaking in a comfortable hot spring. A pleasant warmth flowed through him, and his left leg, previously injured by an ice wolf in the wilds, itched as the old wound healed completely.

Stella knelt there, her beautiful eyes wide with disbelief and reverence at the miracle before her. She whispered to herself:

"This is a 4th Tier healing magic, no, 5th Tier, maybe even higher!"

Barrett, also enveloped in the golden glow, felt similarly to Sean, but even more intensely. He could feel every cell in his body joyously growing, moaning, singing, and celebrating a new life. As a seasoned adventurer who had been roughing it for nearly twenty years, every old wound and hidden injury he carried was healing at that moment.

Most importantly, he felt the parts of him that had been bitten off by a crocodile in the River Fra—the penis and testicles—were regenerating at that very moment!