SCREW THE FAKE GODS!

♬♩♪♩(>◒< )

"It's a new dawn, it's a new day!"

[It's a new arc!]

♬♩♪♩(>◒< )

"What was that?"

[ If our lives were an epic it would be the start of a new chapter right now]

"Ah. I see. Still. I missed the light of day so much in the previous years. I'm glad you brought me out. This is definitely a miracle."

[Don't mention it. Oh yeah, where should we go now?]

"No matter where we go, we should leave the area controlled by the Lunar Keep. As long as we avoid human settlements running away shouldn't be too hard. Here let me do this *flash of purple light*."

[What was that?]

"Oh, simply a magic trick. It will remove our traces completely. As long as they don't send one of the guardians after us they won't even see our shadow. A little thing I picked up after roaming around for a while."

[That seems really useful. How about teaching me some?]

"Of course. You'll see it is really easy. It just requires some basic darkness affinity."

[Let's forget it then. I was thinking about journeying into the savage archaic forest. While a disaster zone, we should be fine as long as we avoid the beast kings. Any pursuer won't be able to launch a highly coordinated high manpower search either. That would be madness and attract every single beast to them]

"I have no complaints. Let's get going."

And so, our journey begins. We pass through forests, plains, and other kinds of wild landscapes ranging in between. We walk by day and walk some more by night. We rest a bit whenever we encounter terrain giving proper cover.

What surprises me the most is my friend's ability to scavenge for food. From weird bugs to digging hidden roots to hunting wild game. It is really impressive to see someone shoot down a bird with nothing but a stone. Using some fire magic to roast everything seems extremely useful too. Water magic is used to produce drinkable water.

[Say. Is there any kind of magic you cannot use?]

"Haha. This is both my luck and my curse. I am able to use every type of magic there is.

Well given I can find a proper training method. But sadly, my affinity is at the beginner level for all of them at best."

[How does one even classify magic affinity?]

"It goes as follows from weakest to strongest: Basic, beginner, intermediate, advanced, master, and finally legendary. While affinity is mostly set at birth it can be improved in various ways. One of it being a follower of a deity governing magic or anything related."

[I see. Why are there 6 tiers? How does it fit in the 5 ranks?]

"You can see a magic attribute of basic being the prerequisite to practice magic. This is being able to sense the magic element in a magic-rich crystal upon direct contact. A stronger affinity allows one to sense it from farther away and to manipulate mana related to said element more easily. If anything, magic affinity affects how fast one trains. Instead of meditating for hours, a few minutes might be sufficient. Instead of practicing mana control for weeks, a single day might be enough. This is the gist of it. I can't tell you much about it myself since I'm barely at the beginner rank. It acts a bit like potential."

[That is still pretty impressive. I couldn't even sense any kind of magic element at all. *sigh*]

"Don't lose hope haha. There are also more obscure magics for which a crystal is not available. Who knows you might have a talent for it?"

[Thanks! At least I did find a way to train that is suitable for me. I won't have to try and beg a magical god for some magical talent. A shame but still.]

"Talking about gods. How many followers does the unnamed god have? And how does one become a follower?"

[Oh. We are legion you see. There is a grand total of 1 follower of the unnamed god. That being me! As for how to join…how would a god that doesn't exist even refuse any follower haha.]

"Hum. I see! Then sectmaster I'm afraid that you misspoke. We are legion! A grand total of 2 followers including both of us."

[What about your wandering god?]

"Well. I've had enough of wandering aimlessly. I'd rather take control of my life as you'd say. If anything, I find the teachings of the unnamed god oddly interesting."

[Haha. Welcome aboard then. Just remember no matter how much you pray there won't ever be any blessing or miracle given is that fine with you?]

"Of course. Technically there already has been a miracle. Otherwise, I would still be rotting in the Lunar keep don't you believe so? 😉"

[Haha. I wouldn't call it a miracle. If anything, it is fate. Do you know what fate is my friend?]

"Of course! It is how everything happens for a reason!"

[And do you know what that reason is?]

"I am sadly lacking in insight sectmaster would you enlighten me?"

[It is random. Life is. There is no meaning. Just chance opportunities. Whether you take advantage of it or not is up to you.]

"..."

[Things such as fate are truly too elusive. Under no circumstance should you let such a thing dictate how you act. The only thing that matters is being true to yourself.]

"So, what about prophecies. Should we voluntarily go against it?"

[You should just ignore it. Prophecies are extremely useless. Have you ever heard of a self-fulfilled prophecy?]

"I've heard of gods that govern over the fate element. Not only can they predict the future, but they can also see the past. But as for self-fulfilling prophecy, this is a foreign term to me."

[Sometimes a prophecy only gets to be realized because you acted upon it. Let me give an example. Let's say the Lunar goddess sent a prophecy down saying that I should be hunted by all means right now, or I would cause trouble later for the sect. That would be a self-fulfilling prophecy because that would effectively be making an enemy out of me. Do you get it?]

"Sort of. What about people with certain fates at birth that are destined for great things?"

[So what? That is simply the world looking down on you. No need to take it to heart.]

"Isn't that kind of bad?"

[If I'm not mistaken a world doesn't have a consciousness by itself. Wouldn't that mean that it is simply some sort of magical construct? Probably a system made by the so-called gods. You simply have to realize what the fake gods themselves don't believe possible.]

"Going against gods?!"

[So, what. I told you before that I've passed myself as the Lunar goddess' champion, right?]

"Yes. How did you even manage that for a month?"

[Well I was summoned by her in the first place. That also means that I've seen her.]

"Yo-You've seen a goddess sectmaster ?!!!!"

[Indeed. Do you want to know how it was?]

"Of course !!!"

[Disappointing.]

"0_0"

[Arrogant, prideful, petty, haughty, vain, narcissistic, lacking insight and deceitful. Fun fact she doesn't even have the confidence to show her real appearance. She used a spell to change her appearance based on whatever the onlooker considers the epitome of beauty. Same with her domain.]

"B-But isn't she a goddess?"

[A god should be omniscient and omnipotent]

"There is no way any of the gods have that kind of power!"

[Then they are fakes. Let them fight for power. Don't be swept up in their bullshit. Now repeat after me: Screw the fake gods!]

"S-screw the fake gods?"

[Screw the fake gods!]

"Screw the fake gods."

[Screw the fake gods!]

"SCREW THE FAKE GODS!" ┗(｀O´)┛

[There you go] •ᴗ•