Global Game: Developing a Knight Clan-Chapter 62: Twilight of the Gods, Book of Truth

Chapter 62: Chapter 62: Twilight of the Gods, Book of Truth

The moment the subtitles announced that the CG was playing.

All at once, Lince’s consciousness felt as if it had been transported to a terrifying world.

This was a world where billowing black smoke filled the sky.

Peering through the black smoke from a bird’s-eye view, one could faintly discern countless ancient buildings shrouded below.

But tragically, the world beneath the shroud of black smoke was utterly still and silent.

Not a sound could be heard, nor was there any sign of life.

The place was frighteningly silent, like a world reduced to apocalyptic ruins.

As his perspective gazed down from high above, Lince felt his chest tighten.

It was then that a series of anguished, unwilling cries suddenly echoed from the sky where Lince’s viewpoint was situated.

A deep male voice: "It shouldn’t have ended like this..."

An indignant female voice: "We tried everything. Why couldn’t we stop any of this from happening?!"

A sobbing female voice: "Is there nothing left for us Deities, for our world, but the end and utter destruction?"

A booming male voice: "The world on the other side has been eroded by the power of cataclysmic destruction. We cannot allow our world to suffer the same fate. All that remains is for us to sacrifice ourselves."

A voice of agreement: "Correct. As long as faith endures, our true spirits will eventually allow us to return to the mortal world when the time is right. It is time to make the final choice."

A resolute female voice: "Then, everyone, regardless of whether we were enemies or friends, what is there to hesitate about now that it has come to this? Let us offer everything we have. We must seal that Star Road and block this path for the calamity to spread."

An inhuman voice: "AGREED!!!"

A grim voice: "There’s no other way! Due to our negligence, we have all been anchored by the calamity. If we don’t risk it all, the entire world will be left without hope! Let’s gamble everything."

"..."

And so, after these voices faded, Lince saw the entire kingdom shrouded in black smoke suddenly erupt with a dazzling white light.

The white light illuminated everything, and even caused white flames to rise up throughout the entire kingdom.

The white flames burned everything. At this moment, all matter within the kingdom seemed to rapidly turn into motes of light and float towards the endless high heavens.

At that moment, Lince couldn’t help but close his eyes!

It was all just too blinding. Shrouded in a vast, searing whiteness, he couldn’t see a thing.

And just then, without any warning, Lince’s consciousness abruptly returned to the body of the Rock Steel Giant.

Everything he had just seen and heard, although it only lasted a short three to five minutes, felt just like a dream.

But Lince knew that it was all real.

[Congratulations, Player. By meeting the minimum requirement of Tier Five, you have triggered the hidden ’Divine Echo’ cutscene.]

[You have discovered a true facet of this world. You have obtained the final relic of the ’God of Truth and Knowledge’.]

[Reward Issued: Book of Truth (Fragmentary Page) · Divine Tier]

[Book of Truth (Fragmentary Page) · Divine Tier: This is a gift from the Divine Echo of the God of Truth and Knowledge!]

Authorities:

1. True Understanding Deconstruction: Passively analyzes any system of power it comes into contact with—such as Magic, Combat Techniques, or Alchemy—and automatically generates books for study and practice. (Fragmentary Page: Deconstruction is currently limited to abilities below High Tier. The ritual requires an equivalent amount of Magic Power, which can be substituted with Magic Crystals).

2. Root Link: Upon activation, can sense all Believers in Truth within a five-hundred-li radius; non-believers are excluded. It can also seal and release the abilities of believers. (Fragmentary Page: Only the authority’s constraint upon the souls of believers remains. Requires an equivalent amount of Magic Power, which can be substituted with Magic Crystals).

3. Authority of Space-Time: Automatically binds to the Player’s consciousness. Unrestricted by space-time, but subject to suppression by the varying rules of different worlds. Specific details must be explored by the user.

(The Authority’s anchoring effect tied to the corresponding Deity’s Divinity has been removed. Untradeable, undroppable, and restricted to Player ’Lince’ and his current role.)

???

Lince fell into silence.

The terrifying information from the CG cutscene, as well as the reward, left Lince profoundly shaken.

He was momentarily lost in a state of bewilderment.

At that same moment, however, Resident Priest Oleg, trapped in the steel cage below, suddenly shot his eyes wide open!

It happened in the blink of an eye!

But in that instant, Oleg abruptly saw what looked like the phantom of a sacred page materialize behind the Giant Dragon!

Simultaneously, Oleg clearly felt a rapturous tremor rise spontaneously from his spirit, accompanied by an overwhelming urge to worship!

"How can this be?!"

"How is this possible!"

Oleg’s mind was once again in utter turmoil.

Because this kind of feeling was clearly described in the records of the Truth Church.

Only when devout believers sensed a Deity nearby, or were even granted an audience with the Deity of their faith, would their spirit experience such a powerful sense of reverence, like that of a pilgrim.

Moreover, in the records of the Truth Church, the God of Truth and Knowledge was indeed depicted holding a Divine Book.

Therefore, after vaguely seeing the fleeting phantom of a page behind the Giant Dragon and feeling the persistent adoration in his heart, Resident Priest Oleg could no longer contain himself.

"My Lord!!!"

Just as the Giant Dragon was looking down, seemingly contemplating how to deal with them, Resident Priest Oleg suddenly cried out involuntarily.

???

At that moment, it wasn’t just York and the others who were completely dumbfounded.

Even the Lionheart Knight beside Oleg stared at him in sudden, blank confusion.

But soon, Resident Priest Oleg came to his senses.

’This Deity before me can’t possibly be our God of Truth and Knowledge.’

’After all, according to the records, whenever the God of Truth and Knowledge performed a Descent to the Lower Realm, it was always by using the bodies of the Holy Son and Saintess, or even the Pope, as a vessel.’

A Giant Dragon?

’How could the God of Truth possibly use the body of such an Alien Race as Its vessel?’ 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

’Besides, the God of Truth and Knowledge wields the complete Book of Truth, a Divine Artifact—not just a single page.’

But regardless, Oleg had now come to a realization.

’This Deity before me must have some connection to the God of Truth.’

’Did a hostile God of an Alien Race steal a page from the Lord’s book?’

’That’s absolutely impossible.’

’Divine Artifacts self-defile. In the Church’s vast collection of ancient records, there has never been a case of a Deity being able to wield a Divine Artifact governed by the authority and rules of another god.’

’Therefore, there’s only one possibility I can think of.’

’This Deity must be on extremely good terms with the God of Truth, which is why It was gifted a page from the Book of Truth.’

’Even Its current Descent on the border of the Truth Church’s territory might be inextricably linked to the plans of the God of Truth.’

’Is the mortal world really about to relive the chaos of ancient times? Is that why the God of Truth and this unknown Deity are working together to shape the future of this world?’

At this moment, Oleg recalled what York had told the merchant about the coming chaos in the mortal world.

Putting two and two together...

’It all adds up!’

’This is an Oracle from the God of Truth! An indirect warning to us, the mortal Believers in Truth, delivered through the mouth of this unknown Deity’s favored one.’

’Yes! It all makes sense now!’

’As for why this unknown Deity chose York as Its favored one, and why It didn’t have York directly inform the Truth Church, instead baiting me and my men into suspicion...’

’All of this now has a reasonable explanation.’

’It must all be the arrangement of fate, just like the fated encounters between deities and mortals in the ancient tales that gave rise to a series of sacred stories.’

’York might seem ordinary, but his fate must be anything but.’

’Furthermore, if Your Majesty had instructed York to inform the Truth Church from the start, the mortals of the Church might not have even believed him.’

’After all, the Truth Church of today is not what it once was.’

’If York had informed the Truth Church directly, it would have undoubtedly brought even greater trouble upon the Swamp Territory, and upon Your Majesty, who has not yet fully drawn down Its Divine Power.’

’I know the current state of the Truth Church all too well—so well that I once fell into deep despair over it.’

’Besides, is the descent of a Deity something mortals should meddle in?’

’They don’t wish to reveal Their existence because They must have plans and arrangements for the mortal world. It could even be a measure to shield Themselves from the gaze of the Gods of the Alien Races.’