"…Take yourself as an example—at Sequence Four, you can already be considered a demigod…" Truman explained the knowledge of sequences to Hermes, using examples from battles between extraordinary beings.
"So that's how it is!" Hermes' expression was filled with admiration as he glimpsed into a new world.
"I must have unintentionally fulfilled the ritual requirements back then. And I was lucky enough—plus, I've always been good at managing the madness of my pathway…"
Hermes was indeed fortunate, but his natural talent and spiritual sensitivity were also exceptional. After becoming a Manipulator, he frequently traveled to sites where extraordinary beings clashed, observing their battles—even actively influencing them—to uncover hidden patterns.
Unknowingly, this aligned with the acting method, stabilizing his mental state.
Truman's presence was more like guidance, helping Hermes integrate all his mystical knowledge into the sequence system, forming a cohesive whole.
"Thank you, Angel, for granting me knowledge." Hermes bowed to Truman, addressing him with reverence.
"Just call me 'Sir.'" Truman helped Hermes up.
"Yes, sir!" Hermes showed deep respect.
To him, Truman might already be a prophet of humanity—guided by the Creator to impart these seemingly blasphemous secrets.
"Take me to the largest human city-state you know." Truman hadn't forgotten his plan.
"Then let's go to the Silver Nation!" Hermes thought for a moment before mentioning a name that Truman vaguely recalled. "That's the best place for human life that I know of."
Hermes continued, "They worship the Goddess of Harvest, whose authority allows the nation to produce abundant food. It's one of the few places where people don't have to worry about starvation."
"Silver City?" Truman's expression turned slightly odd. This feeling of participating in history was truly peculiar.
"Silver City is the largest city-state of the Silver Nation…"
Hermes possessed a mystical item that allowed for teleportation. He used it to transport Truman to Silver City.
Their figures became faint, then vanished completely. When they reappeared, they were in a massive city.
The city, built by giants and human slaves, was both ancient and majestic. Stone pillars lined the streets, each engraved with symbols of harvest—wheat, springs, flowers, and grass.
All the pillars pointed toward a single location—a grand altar dedicated to the Goddess of Harvest.
Many humans kissed the ground, praying devoutly toward the altar.
Aside from that, there were mudbrick and rubble houses everywhere, resembling the Athens in Truman's memories.
This was the real state of human society. After all, the City of Deep Darkness had been reshaped by the Goddess—it was her domain.
"Sir Angel, are you here to meet the Giant King?" Hermes asked cautiously.
"No, I'm here to find heretics," Truman said as he observed the ancient Silver City. "You've traveled here before. Have you heard of anyone worshipping the Sun?"
"The Sun?!" Hermes' pupils contracted slightly before returning to normal.
Naturally, "the Sun" referred to the one who awakened from the Sea of Chaos. In later mythology, it was recorded that during the late Second Epoch, He awakened as a true god and began reclaiming the Creator's authority.
But to become a true god in one step? And even a dual-pathway god?
The madness of such an existence could crush anyone's will. Even possessing the uniqueness of the Thief pathway couldn't prevent "God" from awakening.
Even assuming He was born as a god, He would still need a large number of followers to maintain His humanity once He became aware of His situation.
And in one of the largest human city-states, it was highly likely that His followers existed.
Where there are believers, there are traces.
According to the later Elven Chronicles, this was the Era of the First Flame—meaning the Twin Epoch of the late Second Epoch wasn't far away.
But what truly convinced Truman was the Goddess' attitude.
When Truman proposed alliances and strategic plans, She showed no surprise at all. Perhaps… She had already considered this long ago and knew of His existence.
"As expected, you know something." Seeing Hermes' reaction, Truman became certain.
Hermes had always been reserved. Even now, he revealed little—he was an Audience, after all. It wouldn't be surprising if he hid a few personas deep within his mind.
"Dreams become reality, fantasies manifest…" Instead of pressing for answers, Truman looked down at the Book of Fantasies in his hand.
"Hermes, how did you travel outside the Land of the Doomsday Wolf?" Truman asked.
"I always wander near the divine kingdoms of ancient gods to observe extraordinary creatures…" Hermes responded instinctively.
"I originally planned to go to the City of Miracles to observe dragons…" Hermes' eyes widened slightly, and his breath grew rapid. He looked at Truman again, this time not just with respect, but with fear!
To be influenced into changing his mind without realizing it—this level of power was beyond imagination.
Truman pondered over this.
"The Book of Fantasies can actually interfere with real fate like this?" If he weren't the one experiencing it, even an author wouldn't believe it!
Truman placed his hand on the Book of Fantasies and, with a thought, wrote his next plan into it.
"This is basically a portable 0-08…" Truman blinked.
"How do you know about the Sun?" Truman asked as they walked through Silver City's streets. The people around them ignored their presence due to psychological concealment.
"…I once wandered in dreams," Hermes admitted. His Audience abilities to read thoughts were useless against Truman, so he had no choice but to answer, "I caught a glimpse of the Sun."
"Heretics?" Truman glanced at the Harvest Goddess' altar and asked softly.
"Yes. They're so devout—almost fanatical. Even in dreams, they praise the Sun." Hermes continued, explaining how he had discovered them.
Truman paused. Hmm, that certainly fit the stereotype!
"Then I should be able to meet them today."
The two had already arrived before the Harvest Goddess' altar. Truman could faintly sense something.
The altar was massive, its edges engraved with depictions of the Goddess' miracles.
It was the foundation of Silver City's existence. Though they suffered occasional attacks from maddened monsters, if the casualties grew too high, even the Giants would protect them.
More importantly, they never had to worry about food. Compared to other human city-states, they lived far better lives.
Hermes followed Truman while remaining cautious of the Giants. This was a nation that worshipped the Queen of Giants and was near the Giant Court—there was a real risk of encountering Giant patrols.
"Hm? That fast?"
At that moment, Truman let out a soft murmur of surprise.
Hermes followed Truman's gaze and saw a tall, slender man with long silver hair. His features were delicate and soft, and he held a stone tablet, carefully sketching the murals of the Harvest Goddess.