The world of the [Hero's Apocalypse] was vast.
Geography-wise, its author stated that the Continent of Divinica was similar to Earth's diameter—a staggering size of thousands of kilometers, most of which was covered in the veil of impenetrable darkness known as the Abyss Lands.
Culture-wise, whoever was behind this story noted that the lifestyle of this world was inspired by numerous cultures on Earth, especially in the Eastern World.
In particular, throughout the continent, Twelve Orthodox Churches governed, with each one having its own set of beliefs and traditions.
The Church of Luminary, governed by the Goddess of Light—the primordial being believed to be older than the creation.
The Church of Primordial Night, under the influence of the Goddess of Darkness—known as the 'twin' of holy light.
The Church of Arcana, which was overseen by the Goddess of Wisdom—or the Dragon God, the pinnacle of magic.
The Church of Yggdrasil, a religion ruled by the Goddess of Nature, specifically the one catering to the long-eared race known as Elves.
The Church of Resplendence, a holy place under the regulation of the Goddess of Stars—also known as the Fate Overseer.
The Church of Eternal Flame, which submitted to the will of the God of Creation—worshipped by the brute-like race, the Dwarves, as the Blacksmith God.
The Church of Crimson Truth, commanded by the God of War—that only had one ultimate doctrine that says, 'Strength is the absolute form of truth.'
The Church of White Snow—simply a church whose believers, particularly from the southern continent, the Arctic Empire, worshipped the Frozen God.
The Church of Abundance, led by the God of Harvest and Prosperity, often praised by greedy nobles and the common folk whose livelihood revolved around agriculture.
Then there's the Goddess of Luck, the Goddess of Death, and the Blade God of the Eastern World—all of which did not have any churches (main physical structures for worship), only scattered believers throughout the continent.
With these being said, that such numerous Orthodox Churches existed and were ruled by their respective gods and goddesses, the duality also held true—that the influence of deities unrecognized by these Churches also existed in this world.
They were labeled as unorthodox gods and goddesses OR fallen deities—like the enigmatic entity known as the Unseen God.
And in front of me was he/she/it's only Apostle in the original story.
Godfuckingdamnit!
I cursed, inevitably so.
Looking at the back of the figure that was cloaked, zealously praying in silence as he faced the shattered throne, my mind raced, trying everything I could to pull out deep in my subconscious every information I had about this entity—which could be said to be in the realm of demigod.
In other words, if I based my current circumstances on the flow of the original story, I would be the kind of beginner who just met someone who could be considered the 'final boss' of a major arc.
Fortunately, even in the original story, the Apostle of the Unseen was one of the most mysterious entities. After all, because of his nature and concealment, no one witnessed his true face.
No one ever encountered him.
Now, the important question was... What was this enigmatic person's role in the story?
The excitement I had earlier resurfaced, gradually regaining my composure as my companions were probably mentally tested in the conjured illusionary world by this being.
'Even when Alana flipped and destroyed the whole world in the end, she did not directly encounter this Apostle. But based on what had transpired, even this place was obliterated into oblivion.'
However, as strange as it could be, the power of the Apostle of the Unseen manifested in the outside world numerous times, baffling numerous scholars and magicians, even the genius of the Magic Tower of Infinitum.
In one of the instances in the story, during the seemingly endless wars against the demonkind on all fronts, both sides—demonkind and humanity—found it unfathomable that some villages across the continent just disappeared from the map without a trace.
Nobody knew the reason why the Apostle of the Unseen was concealing and transferring them as an act of salvation. But if there's one ambiguous truth regarding the existing divinities of this world—it was that not all unorthodox divine beings were inherently evil.
'I can't believe I've come across this opportunity.' I thought.
Even with the system being mysteriously shut down, which baffled me since I didn't know it could be affected by the powers of the Unseen God, I recalled the authorities wielded by this enigmatic apostle.
...
[Apostle of the Unseen God]
Description: [Once an ordinary man who had chosen to abandon his name to leave everything behind, to conceal it for eternity. In his dreams, an unknown voice of an entity that couldn't be seen resounded, "Be my apostle, and even I will forget your name."
[As it was written, "I will give you the power of concealment, for the innocent shall never witness evil.]
Age: [Immemorial]
Soul Order: [Demigod]
Talents: [The Inviting Soul], [The Zealous Hand], [The Face That Forgets and Remembers], [Messenger of the Indeed God], [Conceal World], [???], [???], [???].
Authority: [The Emptiness of Existence]
Mana Level: [Nigh Infinite]
...
Even though the Apostle of the Unseen was truly an overpowered being, as expected of an Apostle similar to others who would bring humanity to the brink of ruination, he possessed a single, fatal flaw.
[The Face That Forgets and Remembers]
-
Talent Uniqueness:
- If your identity was truthfully recognized, every power you have will indefinitely be sealed.
Remembering these significant details, as my surroundings seemed to be an isolated dimension due to his power, I planned on how to proceed.
Would I be able to kill him?
If everything held true, by recognizing his identity, even his demigod status would be nullified. Everything. If that happened...
But due to the system being down, I couldn't tell if there's a possibility to [Plunder] one of his talents...
Authority was exclusive—another form of power of the Apostles directly bestowed by their respective bestowers.
'I have no choice, do I? We are trapped here. I don't know what's happening to my sister and the others, but if I take too long... It'll be proven detrimental.'
Steeling my resolve, I gently approached the kneeling apostle.
However, just after taking a few steps closer, I heard his serene voice that sent chills down my spine.
"You, who's not from this world, enlighten me... why Princess Yuridika made that choice?"
"Wh-what-?"
Before I could react or even process what he had just said, my entire surroundings cracked and shattered, revealing a grandeur view that blinded my eyes for a moment.
The next thing I knew... was that a figure elegantly sat on an intricate high-back chair, revealing a beauty I had never seen in my life.
Purple eyes, flowing silver hair, and fair skin covering her stunning body... Alive and well.
"My advisor, what do you think? Should I adopt the children from the orphanage?"
I was dazed, unable to open my mouth as the very princess gazed at me, waiting for my opinion.
'What the hell...?'
It was at that moment that I realized I was transported to a piece of history that was never recorded.