Divine Kingship

Chapter 653 (The Finale) What We Hoped For

In the autumn of the 342nd year of the Divine Calendar, which is also the autumn of the 1st year of the Supreme Calendar.

The deceased are not truly dead in this world.

Ferocious beasts were born in this world.

The living try to survive in a world overwhelmed by death and strife, while everything else seems to be trying to destroy them.

Every day, in almost every part of the world, people are dying.

Rand could not bear the successive deaths of those he had nurtured in his Sanctuary.

But even this leader, whom everyone sees as a beacon of hope, sees no glimmer of hope for solving the problem.

After more than a decade of trials and tribulations in this world, Rand is no longer the young man who had just transmigrated here.

However, the accumulation and improvement of experience and skills do not seem to be enough to solve the current... apocalypse.

Yes, the end of the world.

Many people have become pessimistic and believe that the end of the world has come. How could humanity possibly overcome such a predicament?
Rand then handed over command to Tanl once again.

Then, accompanied by his personal guards, he rode the Dragonblood Eagle and left the Ratman City.

Rand decided to go outside and see if he could find any opportunities.

The current predicament was completely unexpected, and this was the only way Rand could think of a solution.

If all else fails, retreat with your men to the North or to the Underdark.

But that would likely turn humans into a rare race, and other monster races loyal to Rand, as well as allies like elves and dwarves, might even face extinction.

The deaths of RAND's students, the soldiers who fought alongside them, will be meaningless, and many more will die.

Rand found it hard to accept this outcome.

Many people became desperate after realizing that there was a God of War after the undead. Rand saw many people commit suicide, and of course, many more died from the undead, plague, rats, and ferocious beasts.

Especially rats.

Rats were numerous in this era. These creatures, which used to be relegated to the sewers and hated by everyone, now carried a terrible plague and were given a gift by the god of struggle, becoming frenzied and terrifying.

Those undead, due to their inherent death nature, receive less blessing from the god of war.

Of course, it's not that no one is resisting. At least for now, despair has not completely spread. Rand's previous move of sending missionaries and believers from the Sanctuary to various defense lines to spread their faith was a step to stabilize morale and keep the overall spirits up.

This inevitably cost Rand many of his own people their lives, but it was indeed a correct move.

At this point, Ranta and Chad's defensive lines were already firmly engaged in combat.

Ranta and Chad charged ahead, while behind them, soldiers roared as they charged.

"For the future of humanity, for our families!" This was the slogan most of the soldiers shouted.

When the mission was placed upon them, when they realized they were no longer fighting for the ambitions of some nobleman, or simply to pay less tax, the soldiers were filled with fervor.

Those who had faith, or who later accepted faith because of the missionaries of the Torch Church and the Church of the Goddess of Harvest and Health, would fight under the slogan of "For the Goddess, for His Majesty Rand."

For them, fighting for His Majesty Rand is the future they desire.

Even those without faith will gain some understanding of His Majesty Rand's ideals due to the influence of these people.

Karin and Berlan were still unable to destroy the pale king of the land, but with the arrival of elites from various countries, the pressure of facing the undead elites was greatly reduced.

The high-ranking officials of the Sanctuary also went to assist the Red and White Kings.

At least the danger over there won't escalate.

Many of the civilians they rescued also enlisted in the army after reaching the rear defense line, hoping to inherit the will or aspirations of those who gave their lives to save them.

Although many noble knights didn't care about the lives of commoners at all, they saved them only to prevent the undead army from expanding.

However, as the number of civilian soldiers increased, their will and courage actually gained the recognition of many nobles and knights.

This battle among the survivors has led many to come to understand each other better.

Even those nobles and royalty who hated Rand had more or less come to understand some of Rand's ideas.

Unfortunately, the significance of these changes requires a prerequisite: the survivors must win.

Rand spent half a month traveling to many places.

The situation is deteriorating.

Karin and Berlan had to return to rest.

Elsa broke through to the King level, but still couldn't change the overall battle situation.

Luca's life was kept afloat by Rand, but it was unknown when he would wake up.

Rand couldn't even find the true form of the god of struggle.

This deity, whose power is based on struggle, is more cunning than one might imagine. Perhaps trickery and conspiracy are also part of the power of struggle.

Rand returned to the city of the ratmen.

The crux of the problem is clear: the gap in strength between the two sides is too great. So what if we could turn the tide and balance the power between them?

"Do you think there will be any problems if I resurrect some warriors and make them fight for me?" Rand asked Lysa.

Rand seems to have some adventurous plans.

"Due to the destruction of the avatar and the severe damage to the original body, the god who controls death has temporarily departed. If you decide to use the power of death now, you can indeed raise some undead to fight for you, and you don't need to worry about the undead going out of control and turning against you, but this may not be able to turn the tide of the battle."

Lysa meant that Rand, as a mediocre undead controller, could only control a very limited number of undead.

"And you might find it hard to explain why you can control the undead. Human kingdoms have been destroyed in many ways, and everyone is very sensitive. If you do this, people will inevitably suspect that you are in league with the Apostles of Calamity, or with the God of Struggle. What benefits are you gaining by betraying humanity?" Lysa said seriously, although she knew very well that Rand must have figured these things out.

“What if it’s a living dead person?” Rand asked. “Wouldn’t that solve the problem?”

"What's the meaning."

“The power of the God of Struggle allows me to give flesh and blood to others or to strip them of their flesh and blood,” Rand said.

"Those should just be chunks of flesh attached to the surface of the body, right?" Lysa had some understanding of the divine power of the various evil gods.

"What if we add the divine power of the Goddess of Dark Abundance to activate it?" Rand asked.

“Those are just living pieces of flesh attached to the surface of the skeleton’s body, but they are not living people and lack the crucial soul,” Lysa pondered. “However, because many people in the Sanctuary have a strong trust in you, you can naturally gather some souls that have never disappeared, but such souls can only exist for a very short time. If they are stuffed into evil creations, they will be easily corrupted by the power of evil gods.”

Lysa somewhat understood Rand's idea, but she warned, "You will pay the price for forcibly bridging the conflict of the gods' powers."

“A little risk is tolerable. By joining the power of the Torch Goddess, we can avoid being corrupted by evil forces,” Rand said.

"Then this problem is solved. The ability to maintain the sanity of the living soul can be achieved using the power related to my guidance," Lysa said slowly.

What was originally an impossible task now seems to be possible.

Because the powers of the gods are mutually exclusive, Lysa had never considered combining these powers before.

"Then there's one last problem. Souls are inherently fragile, and only those souls that go to the Kingdom of God can exist for a longer time under God's protection. How do you plan to solve this problem?" Lysa knew that Rand must have a solution.

[Blessing 8: The Everlasting Legacy of Rand]

Rand was initially puzzled by the effect of this blessing, but it took him a long time to figure out some of its functions.

It's not very useful. It allows him to supply power to the soul like a god, keeping the soul alive, but without a body, this mere survival is meaningless; a gust of wind could easily blow the soul apart.

"I can infuse power into the soul so that it does not perish quickly."

As for where Rand's power came from, Lysa already knew.

She comes from the dark goddess of abundance, who is now known as the goddess of harvest and health, as Rand has redeemed her.

This god is the only one who is completely devoid of reason and subjective will.

Rand can usurp the power of this god to do his own thing; that's how he rescued Ranta.

Moreover, Rand had just sacrificed an incarnation of a god to this mother goddess.

The Mother Goddess would not be stingy with the provision of even a little power.

“Then, shall we give it a try?” Rand asked.

"Give it a try," Lysa sighed.

She knew that Rand could not bear the destruction of reality as much as the risks and the price he would pay for such an action.

But I can't help but think about it.

If something really happens to Rand, will she become like the other mad gods?
However, if successful, it seems that many things will truly change.

If it succeeds, then in a sense, Rand is the god of these resurrected beings, and the main world will have the nature of Rand's divine kingdom in a certain sense.

Because of Rand's weak power, Rand will not be driven out of this world.

Perhaps one day, Rand's power will accumulate to the level of a god and he will be banished from the world, but until then, Rand can stay in this world for a long time.

The first choice was naturally Fenris Shepard, Rand's favorite and a senior member of the Sanctuary. Unlike Tanl, he was a nobleman and a messenger of the Torch Church, and had long been an indispensable member of the Sanctuary.

He died fighting for the Holy Land.

When the remains were brought back, their dilapidated state was unbearable to look at.

Rand was in great pain because of this, but now, it seems there is a way to salvage the situation.

“Then, Fenris Shepard, I grant you the title of the first to be resurrected.”

"First, I command you to awaken in the authority of the incarnation of death."

Fenris's body slowly rose to its feet. It was a battle-hardened body covered in wounds, but thanks to preservation measures, it had not yet decomposed.

"Secondly, I gave you flesh and blood through cruelty."

Those originally broken, scattered pieces of dead flesh that were barely hanging on the bones were now tightly fitted into their proper places.

"Then, I bestow life upon you as the Queen of the Church of the Goddess of Harvest and Health."

Those stiff, cold, gray, lifeless flesh and blood began to come alive, wriggling and churning.

“In the name of Rand, I guide your soul; with the flames of the Torch Goddess, I shield you from all evil; with the power of the Moon Goddess, I grant you reason.”

"With, ... with the blessing of Rand Nicholas, I wish you long life."

Lysa watched everything closely, ready to provide support should anything go wrong.

And now, it seems that success is on the horizon, and a miracle is about to happen.

Lysa watched Rand nervously, fearing that something might have happened to him.

When Fenris stood up again, he was quite bewildered. The first person he saw was Rand, so he wasn't surprised. It seemed that the yellow-haired king wasn't so powerful after all, as he hadn't completely killed him.

He really thought he was going to die, but he didn't. He had to admit that His Majesty Rand's medical skills were truly miraculous; he was saved even in this state.

Fenris stretched his limbs and adjusted the surgical drape that looked like a shroud around his waist, making himself look more presentable.

He then knelt on one knee: "Your Majesty, there are many elite undead in the north. Please allow me to lead the army to assist them and avenge my humiliation."

Rand reluctantly helped Fenris up.

"Are you feeling unwell right now?" Rand asked cautiously.

"Hmm, I feel a little lightheaded, but otherwise I feel great. It doesn't hurt or itch. Your treatment is truly amazing." Fenris said, then his voice turned somber. He had survived thanks to His Majesty Rand's treatment, but the warriors who fought alongside him were not so fortunate.

However, fighting for His Majesty Rand, his death was worthy of it, and he certainly wouldn't regret it.

Back then, he thought Tanl had been deceived by Rand, but now he himself has become an elder of the Sanctuary.

“It seems to have been a success,” Rand said. “Then I can continue.”

“Your Majesty Rand, do you have someone else who needs treatment? Then I won’t disturb you any longer…” Fenris was quite perceptive; it seemed His Majesty Rand had more important matters to attend to.

But is there someone else His Majesty Rand needs to treat? Fenris's heart tightened, and he cautiously asked, "Who is he treating?"

Fenris was somewhat afraid that either Serai or Tanl might also be seriously injured.

“No, I’ll explain it to you now. You’re actually dead,” Rand said.

Fenris paused for a moment, rubbed his hands together, and felt pretty good.

“So now…?” Fenris asked.

Rand then began to explain very patiently.

"So you're saying I'm not alive right now?" Fenris asked.

Rand nodded: "Right now you are just souls with bodies. In a sense... if I am a god, you are my messengers sent to the mortal world. I can't guarantee how long you can exist. Right now, I need your strength to fight for me."

Fenris is now a complete divine creation, and his body is far more powerful than it originally was. Moreover, a dead person cannot be killed a second time.

But at least it should no longer be suspected of being an evil creation of the dead, a god of struggle.

“Of course, Your Majesty. Let us fight for you once again.” Fenris was not disappointed at all. He should have died long ago. It was not a loss for him to live a little longer.

As for fighting for Rand... isn't that exactly what he wanted?

"Let my sword slit the enemy's throat for you." Fenris knelt on one knee again. ...

In the winter of the Holy Calendar 342, the war took a turn for the better.

The war had already entered its most critical phase.

This is the city of ratmen.

The ratmen have already suffered more than half their losses.

The other defenders in the rat-man city suffered similar losses.

It's truly a miracle that they're still fighting to this day.

"Can we really win?" The night was still noisy outside, filled with roars and the sound of blades piercing flesh.

There were sounds of stones falling from the city walls, the roars of monsters, the cracking of the undead, and the terrifying screech of rats.

The constant loss of comrades and the relentless fighting made it difficult even for the most determined and physically strong soldiers to endure.

"They're coming again! Hold on, hold on! We absolutely cannot let them get up here!!" The commander's voice was already extremely hoarse.

But it did nothing to improve the situation.

More and more giant rats, ferocious beasts, and huge humanoid monsters are appearing on the city walls.

Just as Quiro was about to ring the sacred bell again.

Special soldiers appeared inside the city walls.

That is the emblem of the Church of the Goddess of Harvest and Health.

"Reinforcements! Reinforcements are here!" some soldiers in the rear cheered.

But Kui Ruo just spat on the ground.

There are only two hundred people. What good are two hundred people? They will all die in one night.

It seems that Rand really has no one left.

Kui Ruo was also somewhat desperate.

The city of the ratmen may be destroyed tonight, or perhaps tomorrow night or the night after.

However, he didn't seem to regret listening to Rand's advice.

At least the Skaven city allowed the Skaven to build their own cohesion, and many Skaven were sent to the rear because of his agreement with Rand.

These rats from the gutter, they died in glory.

At least for now, no human would look down on these small rat-man warriors.

He still felt it was a pity.

Are the rat people destined to be overwhelmed just because they've gathered together?

First came the Apostle of Natural Disasters, then the God of Struggle, and will there come the Blood of Divine Nourishment or some other god after that?

Is the suffering of the living really that great?

Just as the ratman Quiro picked up his weapon, intending to personally hold the fort on the city wall for a while...

He noticed something different.

Those terrifying and ferocious monsters, those enormous monsters that could easily crush any mortal, were actually easily defeated by these church warriors whose armor was worn and whose steps were orderly but who did not show much strength.

These warriors are incredibly powerful.

They can easily sever the arms of giant beasts that are tens of meters tall.

Moreover, they seemed very difficult to kill; Quiro could see warriors with their hearts pierced but still fighting.

"What exactly did Rand do?" Quiro spat out another mouthful of blood on the ground.

He bared his teeth and then picked up his weapon, charging up the city wall, directing the battle as he went.

He didn't care what Rand came up with, even if it was something forbidden.

As long as there is hope, even just a sliver of hope, they can continue fighting.

"Everyone, cooperate with these warriors, and we will drive these enemies off the city walls!" the ratman Quiro roared.

……

The special power of the Church of the Goddess of Harvest and Health has appeared.

They have some powerful warriors who are difficult to kill.

Rand called them Heroic Spirits.

They are powerful, determined, knowledgeable, and highly qualified in all aspects.

This inspired warriors and even nobles from many countries to want to join the Church of the Goddess of Harvest and Health.

The fact that the Church of the Goddess of Harvest and Health in Rand could actually bring harvest and health was already very appealing.

And now, such terrifying warriors can still be born.

The turning point did not immediately change the course of the battle.

Under the siege of the monsters of the God of Struggle, the first line of defense has been completely breached, and only one-fifth of the clergy of the new holy city have returned.

Then the pressure shifted to the second line of defense, centered around the Skaven city.

Now there are signs that it might not be able to hold on.

Rand didn't care about this; he had already ordered a retreat to the third line of defense.

At this moment, the defensive line where Ranta and Chad were located received the order to retreat.

"Damn it, how are we supposed to retreat?" Gu, a soldier on this defensive line, cursed as he used his spear to kill a giant wolfhound that charged at him.

This place is now surrounded by the creations of struggle, and among our comrades are traitors who have betrayed humanity and become those giant monsters of struggle.

“We will have support; they will cover our retreat,” Ranta said as he appeared before the valiant soldier.

This defensive line has now lost a third of its men, and the city walls and other defensive structures are in dire need of repair. It's time to retreat.

These soldiers are now true warriors, and Ranta and Chad fight alongside them.

Even these warriors were exhausted and somewhat desperate.

They are no longer afraid of death, but is dying like this somewhat meaningless?

Just then, reinforcements arrived.

The reinforcements' armor was stained with blood, but it bore the iconic emblem of the Church of the Goddess of Harvest and Health.

"It's a heroic spirit!" The warriors, who had been somewhat desperate, suddenly had hope again.

They had heard of these powerful warriors, and if heroic spirits came to their aid, then there was hope.

Just as they had imagined, a few heroic soldiers were enough to drive back a group of rampaging monsters.

"We're retreating." Ranta and Chad breathed a sigh of relief and nodded to the Heroic Spirits. "Thank you for your rescue."

The spirits of the fallen heroes returned the greeting.

And this is happening in many parts of the world.

Many battlefields were able to hold on thanks to the arrival of heroic spirits, or at least allow the warriors to successfully retreat.

People gradually came to regard the powerful and familiar heroic spirits as heroes.

The limited number of Heroic Spirits currently available are not enough to influence the course of the battle.

The god of struggle, lurking somewhere unknown, may strike at any moment.

However, the situation was indeed changing little by little. The increasing number of heroic spirits, although causing concern among some nobles and royalty, did not lead to any foolishness in the face of impending doom.

The heroic spirits brought hope to many places of despair.

In the autumn of Holy Calendar 343, a year after Rand began the Heroic Spirit Project.

A terrifying three-headed wolf has appeared at Rand's residence.

Because Rand initiated the Heroic Spirit Project, he has returned to the Sanctuary, back to the Royal Palace, and back to His throne.

“Looks like you finally couldn’t sit still anymore.” Rand wasn’t surprised by the wolf’s arrival. “But unfortunately, you’re too late now.”

Rand smiled.

The wolf only howled.

All the world's conflicts and ugliness seem to converge here.

Rand, on the other hand, remained completely unaffected.

The god of war finally spoke in human language: "Rand, ... die."

It seems that even in his incarnation, the God of Struggle has not retained much of his rationality.

However, its power appears to be significantly greater than that of the Cataclysmic Apostles.

It seems that the struggles of the world have provided it with a great deal of power.

The hall where Rand was located began to twist and contort. The pillars, the floor, the ceiling, and the reliefs all seemed to sprout beast heads, as if they wanted to devour Rand, who was sitting on the throne.

Rand, on the other hand, simply stood up slowly.

They approached the embodiment of the god of struggle.

"Didn't you notice anything wrong?"

The god of war roared and howled.

The royal palace halls that were originally intended to be distorted have been restored to normal.

"You've discovered it?" Rand smiled.

The god of war could have profited from this, but now he is suffering a crushing defeat at an alarmingly rapid pace.

"This is my divine kingdom now, just like I advertised with the image crystal. This is now an earthly divine kingdom, a paradise of ultimate bliss," Rand laughed.

To become a god, one needs sufficient power and sufficient faith.

To establish a divine kingdom, authority is required.

But Rand had already gathered everything.

Compared to the level of a god, Rand's own power is pitifully weak, but he can borrow the power of other gods, such as his ability to usurp the power of the Mother Goddess.

Rand's belief was already firm enough.

As for authority...

At least for now, it seems that the authority of the Lord of Heroes and the King of Mankind is gradually being revealed.

These all seem somewhat half-baked.

However, temporarily transforming the royal palace area into Rand's divine kingdom is not too difficult.

The god of war had no idea of ​​this and therefore made no preparations to deal with it.

The god of war roared.

The giant, three-headed wolf-like monster charged toward Rand.

And in the magnificent royal palace.

Countless warriors suddenly appeared and raised their weapons against the god of war.

They were fearless, and they were invincible.

After a long time.

Rand, clad in the [Eternal Barrier], walked out of the palace carrying three heads as large as small hills.

“The war should be over by now.” Rand left the metal powered armor.

Berlan and the Ellie sisters were outside, as was Lysa, while other high-ranking officials or their own people were fighting outside: "It seems the problem is solved."

“Hmm,” Rand said.

"What are you planning to do in the future?" Ellie asked.

"After resolving this disaster, I will take a break for a while, and then I will establish the Lunar Empire and gather all forces to deal with any future disasters."

What happens next?

"If I get the chance, I'll go and cause trouble for Grand Duke Vladimir, the Apostle of the Scourge, and the God of Struggle."

(End of this chapter)