Chapter 64

The Soul World has a variety of professions, and you can switch to a different one midway.

As I mentioned before, a knight can advance to become a paladin, or they can totally switch to an entirely different profession.

The most interesting part is the fusion of magic and science. If you meet certain events, you can become an ‘Iron Man’ straight out of a movie.

Magic manifests through language. And if you become Iron Man, magic is used automatically based on probabilities.

The AI is decent enough, but its downside is that the high end is low. It has a high low and a low high style.

In this way, the Soul World offers numerous professions, and whatever you choose is entirely up to the player.

And the upcoming advancement event is deeply related to ‘priesthood.’

‘Random events also pop up from time to time.’

The branching point related to advancement—specifically the priesthood advancement event that appears from the beginning—is nothing much.

It’s like going to a religious place to enjoy a chocolate pie in a training camp. Speaking from a player’s perspective, of course.

This world has immense religious authority, and demons really do exist here. The structure is such that their status can’t help but be high.

The moment you insult the god, it’s “You heretic!” or “You demon!” as they judge you. It’s quite a frequent situation.

Fortunately, if no one hears, it’s fine to curse the lord; cursing the god in a place where no one knows is acceptable.

The gods are aware that this world isn’t kind or fair, so they turn a blind eye.

‘Chaos doesn’t care about that though.’

The moment you start cursing even a little, your faith plummets. So, I can’t even swear in my heart.

Anyway, priesthood events happen once per season. So, priest-related jobs can be obtained at any time.

For the current students, it’s like an annual event, but newcomers feel differently.

“So, you can become a priest if you do well?”

“Probably? But becoming a priest isn’t that easy.”

“If you do become one, your treatment changes. It’s not bad to have hope.”

Priests, or rather, the entire faith-related job group is rare. They have been precious since ancient times.

Without a doubt, the one who wields the lightning ability, Gulrak, is an example. And the typical supporter, Gaia, is even more so.

As for Chaos… let’s skip that for now. Most believers are strong, but they’re all quirky, making them a pain to deal with.

Thus, priests are an extremely rare asset, and their treatment reflects that. Just becoming a priest means you’re instantly recognized.

High-ranking officials in each nation know the power of priests and try to recruit them by any means.

However, priests are those who dedicate themselves to religion rather than the state. They aren’t easily swayed by money or fame.

‘Unless they’re not patriots, they mostly belong to Byzantine.’

No matter how good the treatment is, it’s incomparable to what Byzantine offers. Moreover, only Byzantine has a ‘temple.’

Above all, becoming a priest isn’t easy with just any faith. Stats-wise, at least 70 or above is required.

Even the beautifully balanced knight reportedly had a faith around 20 when created. You can sense how stringent that is.

It’s plain weird that Chaos picks believers just for fun. Take Kara for instance; her faith must be incredibly high.

“Luna, where will you visit first?”

The stunning beauty with sharp eyes, Grace, asked Luna in an elegant manner.

She’d been sitting next to Luna for who knows how long. Surprisingly, Lee Yeon-joo was sitting right next to Grace.

“Well, I’m thinking of visiting the Gaia sect first, but… I’m not quite sure yet. What about you, Grace?”

“I plan to visit them all. Such opportunities aren’t common, right? You think so too, right, Yeon-joo?”

“Y-Yeah!”

Lee Yeon-joo stumbled over her words in response to Grace’s question. She seemed a bit uncomfortable.

Understandably, sitting next to Grace got her quite a bit of unwanted attention.

For her, who wanted to avoid gathering attention, that was both uncomfortable and frustrating.

“Then what about Sivar? Are you gonna follow Luna?”

I was next in line after Luna. The seating arrangement was Grace, Luna, and me, so I had to lean forward.

I shrugged in response to the curiosity sparkling in her eyes. It didn’t matter to me.

‘All we need to do is find the magic circle there.’

Opportunity doesn’t come often, but now it’s different. It’s a chance that comes every season, so I need to be sharp.

On the downside, I’ll probably catch some flak for it. There’s a high likelihood Rod will complain as well.

As I preemptively apologized in my mind, I plotted my future plans.

“Grace, Sivar probably doesn’t care where he goes since he’s chosen by Chaos.”

Luna answered for me. It’s the fact that I’ve been chosen by none other than Chaos.

Grace’s eyes widened in amazement as she looked at me.

“Chaos… the Lord? Sivar’s chosen by the Lord?”

“Yeah. Not entirely sure, but Sivar said so. He mentioned receiving the choice of chaos.”

“Hmm…”

Grace looked at me with a curious expression. To be fair, her reaction was normal.

It’s already rare to be a priest, but being a follower of Chaos is even rarer. You don’t choose; you get chosen.

On top of that, each believer is incredibly strong in specific fields and has a ton of personalities. They’re what you’d call oddballs.

“That makes sense. Aren’t all of Chaos’s followers a bunch of… weirdos?”

“That’s what I’ve heard. But, they say newcomers are taught various histories, so I plan to bring them along just to broaden my horizons.”

“I see. Since you’re a follower of Chaos, the Saint might take an interest in you.”

At that moment—

I flinched when Grace mentioned ‘Saint.’ That’s the one person I’m most uneasy around.

Players refer to her as ‘Saint Rize,’ and she’s a person with unique traits in this world.

It seems like she has earned extra love from Chaos, even stronger than Rod. One clear sign of that is her youth.

Though she’s around the same age as Rod, she’s gone through a full cycle, making her significantly stronger.

‘I really hope that person doesn’t show up.’

Like priests visiting each season, she also appears with a certain probability as a random event.

Her appearing after the academy’s collapse has skyrocketed, but I can accept that as understandable.

The chance that she’d show up during the first advancement event is practically zero. Still, I can’t let my guard down.

Just because it’s a near-zero chance doesn’t mean it’s 100% zero; I’m a follower of Chaos after all.

Receiving ample affection from Chaos means no one knows when or where she might pop up.

“Grace, do you know anything about the Saint…”

“I only know by hearsay. I just know she has unique beliefs.”

Typically, saints provide support from the back. Their personalities are usually kind and gentle.

But Saint Rize is different. She steps in directly like a strict supporter.

Eliminating the roots of harm beforehand is the hallmark of a true supporter, or so they say.

She has the ability to implement that philosophy, which makes her stand out.

True to her name, she’s boisterous and generous as a saint. It’s a personality fitting for a follower of Chaos.

“Kara, do you also know about the Saint?”

“I know of her, but I don’t really have a connection, so I don’t know what she looks like. Besides, some say she’s beautiful, while others say she looks scary. I can’t grasp how she actually looks. The combo of being both a Saint and a ‘Wilderness Instinct’ is odd.”

As Kara mentioned, it’s a mystery how ‘Wilderness Instinct’ and ‘Saint’ could even combine.

‘Wilderness Instinct’ generally conjures images of muscular brutes, while a saint is associated with delicate women.

Yet, Saint Rize possesses powers that defy imagination. It’s unbelievable unless you see it yourself.

Could you believe someone who can freely switch between a muscle-bound brute and an ordinary woman? Rize can do that.

“Isn’t it strange? Even you are incredibly powerful. Rize could be in the same case as you.”

“I fight with lightning, not with fists. Moreover, the rumor has it she can cause earthquakes with her punches, meaning she ought to possess strength at least equal to Sivar.”

Not really. That person’s physical strength is exceptionally unique in this world. I wanted to say that.

If my physical capabilities are already near the end spec, then Saint Rize surpassed it and some.

Just her strength alone is probably in the high 150s. She could even hit 160.

At that time, her figure would truly be… something to behold. Not a spectacle, but a sight that leaves you speechless.

“But is that ‘Wilderness Instinct’ or ‘Saint’ coming this time? I don’t care since I’m a follower of Gulrak, but I’m still curious.”

“Given that she’s busy, it’s very unlikely she’d come, don’t you think, Grace?”

“I think so too. She’s a representative of Byzantine but doesn’t usually involve herself in matters like this.”

Right now, she likely has no interest. At least not until before the academy’s collapse.

Unless it’s a command from a demon or Chaos, she generally doesn’t care about worldly matters.

While it’s impossible for a saint to be politically free, Rize isn’t bound by such constraints.

In this world, where power translates to strength, it’s possible to move freely like Rod.

‘That’s the core problem.’

Being free means she could cause any type of mischief. Especially since she’s a follower of Chaos.

The reason I’m so worried is simple. Let’s say a player is chosen by Chaos.

The moment she spots him, he’ll be kidnapped right away. I’m not kidding; he’d really be kidnapped.

‘And then the forced level-up begins.’

The strength of Chaos is that having low faith is okay, but the drawback is that having low faith is also okay.

Whether the player’s faith is high or low, it means Rize will forcibly level them up.

Naturally, the player won’t be able to enjoy various events, and they’ll suffer through all sorts of pain.

If the outcome is poor, they’d run away, but it doesn’t guarantee a negative result.

You can achieve explosive stat growth in a short time, causing a dilemma for the player.

‘Not for me.’

Already having stats nearing the end spec means I don’t need Rize’s teachings. For me, skill is more important than stats.

The same goes for events. I’ll be busy trying to find the demon’s magic circle during this advancement event.

“Alright, everyone pay attention. As you all know, soon we’ll have archbishops dispatched from Byzantine visiting us. Which religion to visit is up to you, and those not interested don’t need to attend.”

Before long, Malboro informed us about the schedule. The priest event will span a week.

This includes the weekend. It’s considerate for those who can’t make time during the week.

To transition into the priesthood, one must visit a single religion for three days.

I just need to tag along with Luna, and I’ll be done. Gulrak can be approached through Kara.

“If you attend, you’ll receive various snacks. And…”

Knock, knock—

As Malboro continued explaining, someone knocked on the classroom door. Both Malboro and the students turned their attention to the noise.

Knocking generally indicates someone completely unrelated to the class. So Malboro also looked puzzled as he stepped forward.

Creak—

“Uh…? ”

Without even asking who it was, Malboro opened the door right away. At the same moment, he registered a surprised expression.

Due to the classroom’s layout, one couldn’t see who was behind the door at all. But judging by the reaction, this person must be someone extraordinary.

“Excuse me, were you in class? If you were, I’ll come back later.”

A woman’s melodic voice drifted from beyond the door, enchanting whoever heard it.

“Oh, no… that’s not the case, but… then why… no, I did hear some news, but…”

It was the first time I’d seen Malboro stammer like this. He didn’t act this perplexed the first time he saw me.

Meanwhile, Malboro alternated his gaze between the students and the person behind the door, then politely made way.

Finally, the person behind the door thanked him, slowly entering the classroom.

“Wow…”

“So pretty…”

“Who is… this…?”

Alongside the students’ gasps, the atmosphere shifted dramatically. Even Kara was taken aback.

The woman who entered was beyond merely beautiful. If all the beauty in the world were to be embodied, it would feel like her.

Her shimmering silver hair, not as captivating as Grace’s, yet her feline-like eyes were something else, finished off with sapphire-colored irises.

What about her figure? She bore a size reminiscent of Eli’s potion pouch, evidently strong.

Although clad in a perfectly fitting nun’s habit, it became a surprising charm that one couldn’t ignore.

“Hello, students. Shall I start with my introduction? My name is Rize Martina. I’m an insignificant servant of Lord Chaos.”

Saint Rize made a sudden appearance. Truly unexpected, catching me completely off guard.

The other students appeared equally flustered. Each was understandably confused by the entrance of the renowned figure known as both the ‘Wilderness Instinct’ and ‘Saint.’

Even Grace, who likely has her own sources of information, was astonished. This was just way too sudden.

“Why is the Saint here…?”

“No, more importantly, did we get any word about her visit?”

“I had no idea at all…”

Naturally, confusion reigned. Rize seemed to anticipate this reaction and merely smiled gently.

Soon, as the commotion settled, Rize began to survey the students.

Her breathtaking beauty made everyone—both boys and girls—blush or twist their gazes away awkwardly.

“Wait, you don’t look like you have any muscle, and your chest is so big; how can you be a ‘Wilderness Instinct’? Does that even make sense?”

Only one person, Kara, looked on with a voice of bewilderment. She certainly seemed less muscular than one would expect of a ‘Wilderness Instinct.’

However, that’s how she may appear as a ‘Saint’; if it were the other way around, the story would change.

All that massive pouch would turn into solid pecs. The circumference size would match perfectly.

“I’ll be showing my face a lot from now on, but today, I will just speak my part and leave. Is there anyone here who has been chosen by Lord Chaos?”

Rize observed all the students with a smile on her face, probably anticipating something.

I turned my head away, trying hard to ignore her. I kept my head down, hoping to avoid notice as she scanned the room.

The moment I made eye contact, I’d be kidnapped. If that happened, I couldn’t fulfill the event or anything meaningful.

“Um, uh…”

“Ah, are you perhaps a follower of Chaos?”

“Oh, I’m not but…”

But the world doesn’t operate according to my will.

“Sivar has been chosen by Chaos and…”

“?!”

Luna revealed this in my place. She disclosed the fact that I was chosen by Chaos.

I couldn’t blame Luna for this; she knew nothing about Rize.

It’s not wrong to say you’re chosen by Chaos—Luna must have thought it was okay to speak up.

“Sivar? Who’s that?”

Rize, typically disinterested in anything other than worshipping Chaos or dealing with demons, seemed unaware of me.

I tried to act like I didn’t know, subtly nudging Luna at my feet to indicate she shouldn’t say more.

However, our Luna is a blank slate for context clues. She stared at me with an expression saying, “What now?”

On the other hand, Rize was quick on the uptake. The moment she saw Luna looking in my direction, she wore a face as if she’d spotted her prey.

“Oh, there you are.”

She moved a couple of steps closer without a hitch. It looked like just a couple of steps from the outside.

But in a blink, she reached right in front of me. Just like that, in two steps.

“Is that… spatial manipulation?”

I heard Lee Yeon-joo murmur softly. It’s a technique akin to instantaneous movement.

Either way, Rize reaching right in front of me posed a problem. I stiffened up, looking up at her.

Through the enormous pouch of divine power, I caught glimpses of Rize’s face. She wore a look filled with curiosity.

“Your eyes… are red. But they’re infinitely pure. The combination of purity and ferocity… what a truly fascinating mix.”

“……..”

“Your name is Sivar, right? Sivar.”

Then, Rize’s follow-up statement was:

“Would you be interested in following me?”

That provoked a sense of ‘fear’ in me for the first time in a long while. Though it wasn’t cold, my whole body trembled like a leaf.

Rize wasn’t exerting any force; my body was simply reacting that way.

Moreover, my wilderness instinct was loudly screaming. It was telling me to get away from Rize right away.

If I got entangled with that woman, I’d be in for all sorts of trouble and hardships.

Thus, I yelled desperately as Kara had taught me before.

“I, I don’t want to!”

It was a clear expression of rejection.

---