Chapter 2: The Flames of War
Pirate Domain.
Soren stood on the lighthouse, gazing at the prosperous harbor before him, lost in thought.
Navigation requires guidance; a lighthouse is an important facility for a port. This lighthouse, standing 210 meters tall, was constructed with the help of the Witch Council. Due to the complexity of ordinary construction techniques, only witches could effortlessly erect such a tall building. Thanks to the existence of this lighthouse, the nearby shipping routes have become much safer, with its guiding light visible even from a great distance in the dark.
The howling sea wind blew against him.
From here, Soren could easily overlook the entire harbor. He observed the Ocean Temple and the Temple of Wealth, established on either side, and murmured, “The Pirate Domain.”
“As an industry, piracy essentially belongs to the domain of ‘plunder.’”
“But a real ‘plunder’ domain should be full of aggression, containing various subcategories. Take the King of Werewolves, Yenogu, for example; he is the deity of the domain of plunder. Werewolves do not engage in production due to their nature, relying instead on plundering others to survive.”
“Pirates, too, are a group that does not engage in production.”
“If it weren’t for the rules I set, they would have to rely on robbing merchant caravans to survive.”
“The limitations are still too great.”
“Pirates are essentially no different from mountain bandits, outlaws, or horse thieves. It’s just that because they operate on the sea, their numbers and abilities are much higher than those in other plunder industries.”
“The potential is too small.”
“It is nearly impossible to influence the domain of ‘plunder’ through the ‘pirate’ domain. It seems to exist only as an extension of domain ability.”
Soren’s hair fluttered in the wind.
Having clarified his thoughts, he gained a clearer understanding of his future plans.
“Pirate Domain: You have an unprecedented reputation among pirates, and this domain ability allows you to gain additional bonuses in any matters related to piracy. You will be more easily revered, worshiped, and followed by other pirates. When you defeat a group of pirates, you can more easily compel their surrender. In battle, you can activate the ‘Pirate Domain,’ and within this domain, any pirate will receive a courage bonus equivalent to the sixth-circle spell ‘Greater Heroism.’ This ability is a domain ability with domain priority!”
[Notice: Fear divinity and legend strengthen certain effects of the Pirate Domain.]
………………
That is the ability of the Pirate Domain.
Every domain has special abilities; the Shadow Domain can traverse the Shadow Plane at will.
“Greater Heroism [Sixth-circle Spell]: This is an enhanced version of Heroism, greatly inspiring the courage of others. When imbued with Greater Heroism, the target temporarily gains a +4 morale bonus, becomes immune to any fear effects, and receives temporary hit points equal to your spellcasting level, up to a maximum of 20 temporary hit points.”
Courage.
It can make a person stronger; some who should have already died managed to accomplish remarkable feats simply because their belief was strong enough to keep them going.
Such is the temporary life bonus effect similar to ‘Greater Heroism.’
Many real-life examples exist where individuals severely injured, who should have died, struggled against death due to their beliefs and courage!
The power of belief is so strong.
Soren’s Pirate Domain has been enhanced by fear divinity and legend. The specific effects are uncertain, but immunity to fear is likely the enhancement from fear divinity, while the legend bonus should manifest in morale bonuses. Soren possesses 10 wizard levels; within the range of the Pirate Domain, his pirates can gain an additional 10 temporary hit points, nearing the vitality of a profession level.
Clearly.
This domain ability does not enhance his own combat power.
Soren descended from the lighthouse and watched several drunken pirates being dragged away from the tavern by the patrol team for fighting. He murmured, “Why do I always feel like I might just tread the path of piracy all the way to the end?”
Pirates hold too much weight in his forces.
Soren felt it was necessary to develop some other powers or train the pirates into a real army.
………………
With clarified thoughts, his ideas became more defined.
Soren unhesitatingly chose ‘Linguistics,’ ‘Read Magic,’ and ‘Planar Communication’ for his demigod abilities.
He could start working on teleportation from his wizard levels; planar travel is part of a high-level wizard’s duties, and Soren’s wizard profession level is approaching that threshold.
As for the ability to ‘Shape-change,’ that is not something to consider in the short term.
Soren currently has no divine power. Completely relying on Killing Experience for mastery is very costly, so he could only choose the most important ones.
Linguistics and Read Magic have significant implications in any plane.
Soren cannot always rely solely on telepathy, particularly since it consumes a lot of mental energy.
Next is ‘Planar Communication’; this ability is crucial. Whether Soren can actively control his connection with half-elves depends entirely on this demigod ability.
Theoretically.
Soren is now in a transitional period from ‘demigod’ to ‘pseudo-god.’ He already possesses the ability to develop believers and communicate with them.
Now.
What Soren needs is to await a truly devout believer to contact him, then utilize his ‘Planar Communication’ ability to tell them his [True Name]!
—Soren.
Perhaps he cannot yet grant divine techniques, but as long as he can communicate, that’s a start!
………………
Leaffall City.
The flames of war have left this beautiful city riddled with scars. The city is crowded with refugees fleeing from various places. The frenzied attacks of the half-orcs and werewolves have affected many areas, forcing residents of numerous towns and villages to escape to Leaffall City, as only a city can provide them refuge at such times. The simple wooden fences cannot stop werewolves at all, and even the towering walls of Leaffall City have suffered severe damage in the ongoing siege.
Among the enemies are traces of abyssal werewolves, and the primitive yet brutish giant catapults wielded by half-orcs are extremely powerful!
They have the support of the Abyss Lord.
Some siege engines clearly exceed expectations; this is not a trick that half-orcs could handle.
The Temple of the God of Half-Elves and Wanderers.
Even though this deity has completely fallen, and even the statue has lost its luster and collapsed, his priests have not all left because of this.
Life still goes on despite the loss of faith.
The attacks of the half-orcs and werewolves have increased the pressure on the city’s defenses. Although the priests cannot wield divine techniques, the battle skills they trained back in the day remain. They are not powerless spellcasters; they are armored figures who can wield war hammers and cast spells. The priests have started to join the battle, fighting on the front lines like warriors.
They are priests with faith; they will not easily fall!
The faith in the deity may be lost, but the faith to protect this city and the vulnerable still remains.
A deafening battle cry resounded.
The temple gathered a large number of refugees; however, the vast majority were elderly, weak, women, and children. Adult men had all been conscripted as militia. This once sacred and glorious temple has now turned into a refugee shelter, filled with the cries of children; mothers wept while soothing their children, all of whom had, to varying degrees, lost their loved ones in the turmoil.
They lacked food.
The half-orcs launched their attacks before the crops ripened. A beautiful young mother, unable to feed her child due to hunger, broke down in tears as she heard her baby wail. Even though she squeezed her gradually drying breasts with all her strength, she could still not produce a single drop of milk to satisfy her hungry, crying child.
She hadn’t eaten in several days.
Others looked at her with pity, but they were powerless to help, as what they could offer was just a watery porridge with a countable number of rice grains.
The sound of the child’s cries cut through the young mother’s heart.
Trembling, she took out the dagger she always carried at her waist, its cold blade shining, and stared at her child in her arms. With the dagger, she cut her finger.
Bright red blood flowed out.
She placed her finger in the baby’s mouth, and the hunger made the young child suckle desperately. The mother tenderly wiped the blood from the corners of the infant’s mouth, finally revealing a faint smile on her pale, beautiful face.
………………(To be continued ~^~)
