Chapter 1538: Chapter 1532: Failure from the Distant Past
Ronald immediately stepped forward, ready to approach the metal box on the altar.
He took two steps across the hall in front of him, walked up to the altar, and reached out to grasp the target in front of him.
Snap—
"Is it... that simple?"
Effortlessly, without any danger or obstruction.
Ronald extended his right hand, casually grasping the box as if he were picking up a water cup from the table at home.
He then simply gave it a gentle tug.
The metal box floating above the altar was easily brought before Ronald’s eyes.
"Huh?"
Ronald instinctively glanced left and right.
After the metal box was taken away, no spell reaction was triggered. The quiet secret chamber remained silent, and there was no change to the altar beneath his feet.
Everything was as usual.
Except for the metal box in his hand.
"..."
Ronald left the altar with a slightly bewildered expression.
Based on common sense and his own experiences, he felt something should happen now. Even if not a deadly spell attack, there should be some traps like poison arrows or falling rocks!
But reality didn’t unfold that way.
Is this the standard of precaution for an artificial godhead?
Surely the church wouldn’t go to such lengths to hide something that isn’t the artificial godhead, right?
Thinking of this, Ronald’s grip immediately tightened.
Click—
The metal box itself had only a simple mechanical latch, easily opened.
Boom!
A burst of light appeared in his vision.
Before Ronald’s eyes, an infinite array of words seemed to float, revealing a certain truth; countless people knelt before him praying, presenting their life’s sufferings, happiness, disillusionment, and growth; the power manifested so clearly, so close, within reach.
This encounter was sudden.
The information flooding his mind was vast and boundless.
Ronald stood there dazed, immersed in the visions in his mind, struggling to discern whether they were his own memories or someone else’s narration.
[Danger]—
Just as Ronald’s gaze became vacant, sinking deeper and deeper.
He suddenly shuddered, his eyes instantly regaining clarity, quickly snapping the iron box shut.
"The Origin of Species" helped Ronald escape the predicament.
The [Instinct] spell provided alertness during crisis, pouring a cold bucket of water on his confused thoughts.
Ronald grasped this opportunity tightly.
This prevented him from continuing to drown in the endless divine mechanism he had just seen.
"Artificial godhead..."
Ronald held the iron box in front of him.
He carefully felt the latch above, ensuring he had locked it tightly before letting out a breath of relief.
Now, all previous suspicions were unnecessary.
The box contained the artificial godhead, otherwise Ronald’s previous encounter couldn’t be explained.
The moment he opened the box and saw the glowing item inside.
What he felt was endless information and the accompanying power.
Ronald even had a premonition.
If not for the [Instinct] spell’s warning, and he did not resist the temptation to easily seize the power, continuing along the process.
This artificial godhead would indeed become his.
But the ensuing price...
Judging from the rare warnings issued by the [Instinct] spell, it probably won’t be a pleasant experience.
Moreover.
If fusing this artificial godhead is truly that simple.
Why didn’t the church in the past dispatch someone to use it and change their previous situation with such unparalleled power?
"Whether in the past or at present,
all the gold under the moon,
will not bring peace to these weary souls."
Ronald cautioned himself with the verse of greed from the "Divine Comedy."
The spell with magic power soothed intense emotions, bringing Ronald’s mindset back to calm, restoring his ability to act appropriately.
"Indubitably, the artificial godhead is dangerous."
"And faced with unknown dangers, gathering information and confirming the situation is always the first priority."
Ronald glanced around.
Besides the altar in the center, the hall was surrounded by various platform tables, piled high with numerous document records.
No exaggeration to say.
Across the entire Holy Capital, even the entire world.
There’s probably no place more suitable for exploring the truth behind the artificial godhead than here.
With his goal clarified.
Ronald immediately began to act.
He placed the iron box containing the artificial godhead close to him, and began searching for relevant text records in this secret hall.
This action quickly yielded results.
Or perhaps everything related to the research in this hall actually pointed to the artificial godhead in Ronald’s possession.
The purpose of the secret hall’s establishment has become so ancient that it cannot be verified.
But when the church faced a crisis back in the day, its sole function here was to manufacture this artificial godhead using available technology.
Ronald searched for documents throughout the hall.
From the church’s priest initiating the plan to the Frank priest executing the first stage... up to the completion of the artificial godhead.
Everything about the artificial godhead can be found in clear text records here.
Even the crisis Ronald encountered earlier is explained through these written records.
—Human beings long for the protection of God, and God longs for human faith as well.
The artificial godhead without a physical manifestation also possesses these natural traits.
To have a physical form, the artificial godhead will actively merge with a person meeting the conditions, helping them embark on the path to becoming a god. Consequently, it collects faith, advancing to the final destination.
But the price to be paid is the transformation of the individual’s personality.
How does innate holiness—people do not know.
But this artificial godhead is actually derived from modifying the original, its essence is the same as the original, an aggregation of endless will and information.
After actively merging with it, one’s personality and will are disturbed by this information, moving towards an inhuman realm.
Stance, ideology, character...
All sources of self-awareness will differ wildly from before.
So is oneself still the same after acquiring power and having one’s thoughts altered?
"What a ridiculous notion!"
Ronald would never accept such an outcome.
But considering the mystical people’s enthusiasm for spells and the original—
If told there’s an easy pathway to becoming a deity, hesitaters might be few; but the majority would surely embrace it!
As for the old church, the reason no one attempted to merge with the artificial godhead.
Is because they understand the consequences of such a choice.
After experiencing abandonment by a deity, facing imminent crisis, they have no reason to willingly inflict another equally problematic burden upon themselves.
The church’s casters needed to find a way.
A means to fuse the artificial godhead without being affected in their consciousness.
Did they succeed?
Thinking of this, Ronald scanned the surroundings.
The empty, quiet hall and the silent Holy Capital above, untouched for thousands of years, both spoke of the same answer.
—Failure.
