I Gain a God-Tier Talent Every Level

Chapter 362

Since Lotty was still relatively easy to talk to, Rei decided to use the opportunity to learn things that were normally impossible to uncover.

"May I ask something?"

"Is this trial truly something that must be done?"

"If someone were accepted as a believer without passing a trial first, would something bad happen?"

Rei asked in confusion.

Lotty did not keep him in suspense. She simply replied,

"If it is merely a believer, then no, a trial is not necessary."

"But if they are to become my disciple, then a trial is still required."

"A disciple?"

"Yes. I do not know what your current era calls it now."

"But in essence, it is the method by which a god grants a mortal a portion of divine authority."

"Passing the trial also deepens the connection between the god and the disciple, allowing divine power to flow into the world more easily."

"So this is not merely a trial—it is also a ritual."

"During the trial process, a disciple can even be cultivated into an existence whose power closely resembles the god’s own."

"And some gods can even descend directly through the body of their disciple."

Rei’s tone lowered slightly.

"That does not sound like a good thing."

Lotty’s voice remained light, as though she did not think much of it.

"It is not so bad—it is, after all, a mutually beneficial arrangement."

"Besides, once an existence has ascended to godhood, in most cases they have little interest in possessing the body of an ordinary mortal."

"Anyone capable of attaining divinity possesses something exceptional by nature... ordinary mortal vessels are rarely worth coveting."

"And harming one’s own believers—if word of that spread—it would damage their faith."

"That would only make gathering followers more difficult."

"The gods dwell within their divine kingdoms and cannot descend into the mortal world."

"If they truly wish to complete the ritual that breaks their chains, they still need the efforts of their followers."

"And some disciples..."

"Are genuinely raised as heirs."

"Though no one has seen the true end of that path yet, perhaps the final descent requires another person to take the place the god originally occupied."

"The other Lunar Sovereigns may already be preparing for that day."

So that was how it worked...

Could it be that inheritors like Elaria and Rhine truly possessed a faint chance of becoming a Lunar Sovereign themselves?

These gods really were more practical than he had expected.

After answering Rei’s questions, Lotty did not give him any further chance to continue asking and instead said directly,

"The content of the third trial... is a choice."

"By now, you should already understand the nature of the Deep Earth."

Rei nodded.

"Yes. I understand."

"If Shinsen幻 was telling the truth, then the Deep Earth is where the thoughts naturally born within our hearts become a real world."

"Before I realized everything here was created by my own mind, I believed it was real."

"And because I believed it was real, it became real."

Lotty smiled.

"Exactly."

"So the third trial is your choice."

"I can make you forget everything that happened after you awakened."

"And return you to the beautiful dream of the Deep Earth."

"I will not go back on my word."

Lotty looked at him.

"What do you choose?"

Rei gave a helpless smile.

"I feel like I have already gone through this kind of test far too many times today."

"I have no intention of sinking into some beautiful dream."

"In the real world, my true parents are still waiting for me."

"And I still have promises to keep—with my master, and with the people in this world who have helped me."

"Though I have had thoughts of running away..."

"If I escaped like that, I don’t think my own heart would ever forgive me."

Of course...

There was another reason he did not say aloud.

This was only a future simulation.

Even if he chose something here, once the time ran out, he would still return to reality anyway.

After hearing Rei’s answer, Lotty nodded lightly.

"Mm... then you have also passed the third trial."

Heh...

What an absurdly casual trial.

Could you make it any more casual?

Normally, a divine selection trial would involve brutal tests of the heart, brushes with death, crises of faith, and countless ordeals.

But in his case?

It was settled with a single question.

It was obvious.

Lotty truly wanted him to become her disciple.

She was flooding the trial with so much leniency it might as well have been an ocean.

"You truly are talented."

"To pass three trials in succession..."

Lotty clasped both hands beside her face and congratulated him happily.

No...

Aside from the first trial being somewhat special, were the last two even difficult?

"There actually was some difficulty."

Rei had not voiced that thought aloud, yet Lotty had already anticipated it and answered.

"Not everything in existence can be solved through battle."

"But possessing overwhelming combat strength gives you the confidence to resolve most things."

"And the choice..."

"That verified the convictions inside your heart."

"If your heart lacks resolve, then even with great strength, you can easily be used by others."

"The purpose of a trial is to filter people."

"There is no need for excessive meaningless tests."

"And now it seems..."

"You truly are someone who meets the requirements."

Lotty continued:

"All that remains is the final trial..."

Rei blinked.

"There’s still another?"

Lotty nodded.

"Yes. There are four in total."

Normally, one would assume three trials meant the end.

He had not expected there to be a fourth.

Still, considering how easy the earlier stages had been...

The fourth probably would not be too difficult either.

Whoosh—

The world before him blurred once more.

When the scenery became clear again, Rei found himself standing above a restless sea.

"On the continent two million kilometers ahead of you..."

"there is the descent altar of Elthemis."

"They should be preparing the Offering of Ten Thousand Skins..."

"as part of their preparations for competing against me."

"Please destroy their plan."

Rei instantly understood the content of the final trial.

At least it was simple and direct.

Though...

Elthemis again.

An old acquaintance indeed.

Rei hovered in midair and stared into the distance for a brief moment—

Boom!

In an instant, his body transformed into a thin streak of light.

And shot straight ahead.

Lotty looked down at the fantasy world she had created.

The place where Rei stood now was itself a fabricated realm.

So fast...

Was that truly the speed of a Level 5 class-holder?

Lotty could vaguely sense it.

Rei was likely some astonishing genius.

In the outside world, he was probably already an existence of considerable fame.

Yet every trace of information around him was sealed so tightly it was impossible to see through.

It reminded her of a certain Lunar Sovereign whose name no one even knew.

But...

That was even better.

If Rei truly was a once-in-a-generation genius, then she had genuinely found a treasure.

A disciple was valuable for quality, not quantity.

Only...

His level was still too low.

Lotty’s thoughts raced as she began calculating future plans in her mind.

As for the fourth trial, she had never truly expected Rei to complete it perfectly.

As long as he could disrupt even part of Elthemis’s ritual, Lotty would already be satisfied.

Almost in the blink of an eye, Rei crossed the full two million kilometers.

His speed was shockingly fast.

It could not compare to a god’s.

But among class-holders below Rank 8, it was enough to rival even some of the elite Rank 7s she had seen before.

When he reached the destination—

Rei stood suspended in the air, but a wave of nausea rose uncontrollably in his chest.

Any human being who saw that continent would feel instinctive revulsion.

The entire landmass was built from skin.

Countless layers of human skin covered the continent from edge to edge.

It was impossible to imagine how many people had been slaughtered—

how many had been flayed—

to create something on this scale.

Even Rei could not help feeling anger.

These monsters...

had gone far beyond cruelty.