Chapter 112: The Purple Spirit's Auspicious Beginning

“Then, there’s only one question left… Can I truly be considered a god?”

After the two restless horses, agitated by their master’s unconsciousness, finally calmed down, Roland brusquely pushed the collapsed traveling merchant aside and sank into deep thought.

In essence, he was certain there was a fundamental difference, but in terms of status, Roland honestly harbored little worry.

He had often lamented the worn-down “Thousand Wisdom” of the Holy Lord. Though the specific spells, incantations, and even responsive abilities had been completely eroded, the wealth of experience and mature capacity for learning embedded within that worn wisdom remained intact.

Back in the Fate universe, the magic taught by Medea required only a brief moment for Roland to master thoroughly, even innovating upon it. This innate talent had once made Medea herself feel somewhat inadequate. To this day, Roland had yet to encounter a spell he couldn’t learn.

If, after receiving the power called Grace, he could also bestow Grace upon others, the potential would be immense.

“However, I mustn’t be careless…”

Though gods officially sealed away their powers, this was mostly to preserve the rules of the game. When faced with mortal peril or upon returning to the heavens, that power would be unleashed.

Though most gods appeared lackadaisical in daily life, when their power was freed, they were formidable adversaries.

In the Earth Erratum world, while not as overtly powerful in the original work, those who had elevated their Grace rank had clearly demonstrated city-level achievements. Among adventurers, the strongest even surpassed many ordinary servants in combat prowess.

From this perspective, Roland’s desire to steadily transform that power into his own, turning the past into experience that propels him forward, could be well fulfilled.

Every adventurer at the top of the world had discovered their potential through life-and-death battles and relentless training. Though the domains and directions of gods’ familiars varied, all divine Graces were the same—aimed at unearthing the unknown potential of mortals.

Therefore, for Roland, the value brought by the power called Grace was even greater.

“After all, I am now the embodiment of infinite possibilities.”

Roland absently stroked his ring, observing his current state.

[Key of All Spirits]

— Possessed Familiar: Kamiza Inoru · Super High School-Level Hope (Contracted)

— Familiar Draws Remaining: Two

— Status: Can traverse (Fate universe)

When he decided to depart, Roland casually contracted the newly acquired familiar—not out of arrogance or forgetting the consequences of casually contracting new familiars, but because Kamiza Inoru was perfect to complement his own power.

— Familiar [Kamiza Inoru · Super High School-Level Hope] (Contracted)

Appearance: Your eye color will turn vivid crimson.

Effect: Kamiza Inoru bestows upon you a fate favored by infinite talent, becoming the embodiment of hope. If your own capacity is insufficient to bear the weight of this talent, your personality will be diluted or even destroyed.

Granted Abilities:

Super High School-Level Hope (Pseudo): An unrepeatable miracle, an artificial genius born under the blessing of fate, possessing all super high school-level talents, representing the embodiment of all possibilities in the conventional human world. In every known human developmental path, you are the future incarnation.

Super High School-Level Hope (True): The future born from despair, the true embodiment of hope. The more desperate the situation, the easier you become the savior holding hope, delivering victory.

Requirement for Assimilation: Become everyone’s hope during a desperate catastrophe.

Roland glanced over the information on the Key of All Spirits, a touch sentimental. Though the abilities were simple—just two—he was certain that if upon his initial crossing he had found this familiar, its color would have been glaring scarlet.

Kamiza Inoru, or Shō Hinata, held the dual roles of protagonist and antagonist. Though nominally an artificial genius, honestly, from any angle, the title “Super High School-Level” almost equated to superpowers.

Though the familiar originated from a modern, magicless world, many of its talents were absurdly overpowered: predictive analytical abilities, essentially luck that made wishes come true, and numerous outrageous black technologies.

Kamiza Inoru, embodying all abilities, was said to be the “mechanical god” whose allegiance decided the victor.

Omnipotence—such was the first impression this character left in the original work.

Yet the cost of this power was severe. The so-called destruction of personality was no joke. Endless talent would overwhelm the original self, and with everything achievable and the future predictable, the world would lose all meaning.

Even if Roland had been the first to acquire Kamiza Inoru as a familiar, he would not dare contract it. Otherwise, he would likely live mechanically like a tree.

But now, for Roland, this familiar’s color was pure white. When he first confirmed it, he could hardly believe it—it was his first encounter with a pure white familiar.

Reflecting on his current state, he felt at ease.

Though these talents were akin to superpowers, his humble origins meant he was at best a possibility worth noting. The worn Thousand Wisdom was still Thousand Wisdom—this capacity was fundamentally different. Not to mention the Sixth Beast, the incarnation of human sin. Neither was something to be trifled with.

Thus, Kamiza Inoru’s influence brought no negative effect; instead, it enriched him considerably.

Though the assimilation condition was peculiar, it was hardly concerning. Desperate catastrophe? In the multiverse, there were countless such scenarios. Even in the Fate world, Roland himself qualified for that title. If the opportunity arose, he would complete it without hesitation.

For now, he was in no rush. He needed to find a foothold, gather information about familiars, and confirm the current timeline as paramount.

Roland reached out again, subtly altering the merchant’s memory. From prior intelligence, he knew this man was a trader operating between the nearby labyrinth city of Orary and the dungeon above it. Without precise coordinates, hitching a ride was no bad thing.

“Since I’ve come to this new world, might as well make the most of it.”

Roland rubbed his hands, once more focusing his spirit on the Key of All Spirits. Having reclaimed a familiar, he had earned two draws.

Previously, concerned with completing himself and lacking mental fortitude, he had set this aside. But now, in the new world, his urge to try his luck stirred again.

Though there was a chance of drawing familiars with unclear effects, useless ones, or even worthless ones, Roland was not overly worried.

The Key of All Spirits itself would select within the conditions to best meet the owner’s desires. Now, having fused destinies from three different worlds, even Roland himself was unsure what he truly wanted—how could the Key fulfill his wishes?

Fixing his gaze on the Key, he issued a silent command.

“Draw familiar.”

An unknown silver-white light flickered anew in his hand. Amid contraction and distortion, a strange brilliance gushed forth, causing Roland to pause slightly.

Before his eyes appeared a misty purple glow.

——

“—Giddyup!”

The merchant cracked his whip, urging the carriage forward, yet his curiosity still got the better of him as he glanced repeatedly at the young man sitting beside him, leaning back lazily.

The youth was striking—handsome features, pale but not frail skin, exuding a vibrant vitality. Most captivating was his archaic, mysterious aura, as though he was born free of worldly worries.

Such an aura was not cultivated, but the product of exceptional innate conditions.

Coupled with his peculiar but fitting attire, the merchant had only seen such traits on gods before.

Had he not witnessed this youth slay a suddenly appearing beast before losing consciousness, the misunderstanding might have lingered.

The merchant knew gods carried a unique aura, instantly signaling their noble status, though it could be concealed. Still, he understood one thing: gods could not easily slay such fearsome monsters.

According to the rules in the lower realm, gods sealed their divine power. Though people still revered them, over time, one truth became clear.

Sealed gods were mostly weaklings.

Without mortal danger, sealed gods were feeble—some monsters could easily chase them to desperation. Moreover, there was no reason for gods to seek amusement from him, so the merchant guessed the youth might be some noble or royal from a certain country.

Since the youth made no move to acknowledge this, the merchant wisely refrained from probing.

“Thank you so much… I never expected such a powerful beast near Orary. It’s strange…”

Orary, the labyrinth city at the world’s pinnacle, bore immense responsibility as the world’s center. Every day, countless hopefuls ventured here. Its special location and the congregation of most gods ensured its resources and technology were world-class.

New adventurers arrived daily; retired ones left quietly. Under these circumstances, large threats near Orary were unheard of, the merchant assured.

This was why he left his weapons in the wagon behind him. Today’s unexpected event made him sweat cold, fearing what might have happened if Roland hadn’t appeared. He profusely thanked Roland while pulling a heavy money pouch from his pocket.

“This is a small token of gratitude. Please accept it.”

“No trouble at all… but you just happened to solve my urgent problem.”

Roland casually tossed the pouch aside and nodded in satisfaction, then flung a bag of jewels far heavier than the pouch to the merchant.

“Consider this your reward.”

“Lord Roland… I can’t accept this…”

“No need to mind. If you truly want to compensate me, just introduce me to more information about Orary. After all, my current plan is to become an adventurer.”

“An adventurer, huh…”

Mentioning this special profession, the merchant sighed.

“I once dreamed of that too, but it’s too dangerous, so I gave up. But if it’s you, I’m sure you can become a powerful high-ranking adventurer.”

This was no flattery; it was sincere.

Divine Grace allowed mortals to grow rapidly, but differences in capacity still mattered.

The strength and endurance of dwarves, the agility and power of beastmen, and the innate magic of elves—all were racial gifts that created gaps.

Some adventurers, having received Grace and become level 1, were still defeated by unblessed individuals relying on their natural talents.

“High-ranking adventurer…”

Roland repeated the term with a playful expression.

Though it sounded impressive, the gap was larger than that between man and dog. After all, levels 2 to 6 were all called high-ranking.

Though Grace seemed like an official cheat, it highlighted disparities even more. According to the merchant, nearly half of Orary’s adventurers were level 1.

Some were limited by ability, but most lacked the qualifications to progress, stuck in limbo.

Even level 2 was top-tier in most familiars.

“Such a title won’t satisfy me. Though it wasn’t my original plan, now I’m determined to become a hero. Isn’t that how stories go? A young newcomer arrives in Orary, starting an epic hero’s saga.”

Roland shrugged, a strange smile tugging at his lips.

“That’s just a story…”

The merchant, suspecting Roland might be a runaway noble, offered a kind warning.

“The dungeon is dangerous. If you truly want to venture inside, equipment is essential…”

He glanced at Roland’s bare body without armor and sighed.

“At least get a sword. Without a weapon, the dungeon is impassable.”

“Who says I don’t have a weapon? My most trusted weapon has always been by my side.”

Roland raised his brow and turned, revealing the petite silver-haired girl clinging to him. She withdrew her gaze from the sky, fixing her vivid blue eyes on Roland, tilting her head in question.

“—You agree, Esther?”

(End of chapter)