I Reborn as a God Within a Statue, And You Ask Me to Enslave All Gods?-Chapter 126 --The Ritual Begins

Village Chief John took this matter extremely seriously. He dared not be careless. Seeing Thomas inquire, he maintained a solemn expression and nodded firmly.

"Thomas, we’ve been planning this event for several days now. There will be no mishaps."

John understood better than most—today was a critical day for the ritual. Deus Initium would be watching them, observing every person in the town.

If this ritual could satisfy Deus Initium, many of His devotees might receive divine blessings, furthering their journey along the path of awakening.

Some might even be chosen to become deities under Deus Initium’s command.

In an atmosphere that was both festive and solemn with anticipation, Thomas took a deep breath and walked steadily to the altar at the front of the town square.

As he stepped onto the square, the gentle morning light broke over the horizon, casting a thin veil of light over everything in town.

Behind Thomas, the town’s devotees had already gathered. Each held offerings in their hands, their faces stern with reverence, all gazing toward the temple at the front.

Whether they were native townsfolk or newcomers who had joined over time, every single one of them understood deeply just how important Deus Initium was to their lives.

Without Deus Initium, they would have nothing they had today.

If the town wished to continue to thrive and prosper, it would need the guidance and protection of Deus Initium.

That was why their faith grew more devout and pure with each passing day.

And everyone hoped that, after this ritual, the blessings of Deus Initium might fall upon them personally.

From past rituals, they had learned a pattern: the more devout they were, the greater their chances of receiving divine favor.

Many had lined up here since last night. If not for Village Chief John and his team keeping order, the entire square would have descended into chaos long ago.

"All of you!"

Suddenly, Thomas, standing before the temple, gazed at the rising sun and raised his voice, his tone resonant and clear:

"Today is once again the day to offer our worship to Deus Initium. You’ve all experienced His guidance firsthand. The grace He has shown us—no lifetime would be enough to repay it!"

"Now we offer this ritual to Deus Initium, placing Him in the center of our hearts. This is the only thing we can do!"

"Each ritual is a moment of communion between us and Deus Initium!"

"To bow and pay tribute to Him is our greatest honor!"

"So now, all devotees, follow me—let us pray, sincerely and humbly, to Deus Initium!"

With that, Thomas bowed low before the statue of Deus Initium and then knelt reverently on the ground.

The crowd of devotees behind him, dense as ants, followed in unison. They too knelt down, their faces filled with reverence, excitement, and sincere gratitude.

Their prayers were heartfelt and silent. Each wished they might be the next to receive divine favor from Deus Initium.

After all, if chosen, their strength, combat prowess, and even their status within the town would be elevated dramatically.

In Annasi Town today, those who truly commanded attention were not merchants, scholars, or craftsmen—but those blessed by Deus Initium.

Even the most respected figures of the past now stood behind those anointed by the divine.

At the same time, not far from the ritual platform, Lord Tom of Black Iron City had arrived early in the morning. Gazing upon the vast crowd packed into the square, he was struck by genuine awe.

He had made a rare early start today upon learning that Annasi Town would be holding a grand ritual for Deus Initium. He intended to personally take part in the ceremony.

Yet to his surprise, despite arriving early, he found the plaza already filled to the brim.

Even he, a lord of his domain, could only remain on the outskirts of the crowd. Offers of money to buy space were refused outright—no one was willing to give up their spot.

"So, the ritual to Deus Initium is truly about to begin..."

He looked upon the scene, murmuring with wonder. "What a grand occasion. I’ve heard that in previous major rituals, Deus Initium always bestowed blessings. Many villagers became awakeners... and the town even gained resources like Rich Soil and healing herbs..."

He couldn’t help but wonder, "Could I receive a blessing from Deus Initium today?"

Annasi Town was right under his nose, and it had produced one miracle after another. Even Tom, once a staunch atheist, found his beliefs shaken.

His curiosity toward Deus Initium had grown profoundly.

Perhaps, during this ritual, he might even witness the descent of a real god.

Especially after witnessing Thomas purging spellbeasts and Aberrations both inside and outside the city using the power of "Hell," Tom no longer doubted the existence of Deus Initium.

Still, having never seen the god with his own eyes, he harbored a healthy curiosity.

Who was this god, absent from all recorded history?

What kind of divine power did He wield?

Surely, such a being could help him finally break through the bottleneck that had plagued him for so many years.

As Lord of Black Iron City, Tom had always been its strongest awakener, having reached Tier-4 Peak. It was a respectable level of power.

But in the face of spellbeasts, it wasn’t enough.

He had been forced to compromise, constantly seeking new methods to grow stronger.

He could not bear to watch the people under his rule become food for spellbeasts.

Yet the bottleneck stood like a mountain on his path—immovable.

But now... now he saw a glimmer of hope that might shake that mountain.

He saw the hope of all humanity.

If humans could place their faith in Deus Initium—if they could follow Him—perhaps they could march toward a glorious future.

This shift in his mindset made him all the more devout.

His desire was simple: for the people under his jurisdiction, both in the city and in the wild, to never again suffer under the threat of spellbeasts.

He wanted humanity to once again stand at the center of the world.

It was a grand dream, yes—but he believed it could be achieved, passed down through generations. Deus Initium’s arrival was proof of that hope.

Elsewhere in the plaza, other awakeners were also kneeling and praying devoutly, hoping for Deus Initium’s protection and a better future.

Many of the Black Iron citizens who had followed Lord Tom to Annasi Town were initially overwhelmed.

They had never witnessed such a magnificent scene.

But that shock quickly turned into awe and reverence.

They weren’t citizens of Annasi Town—but thanks to Thomas and his allies’ efforts to cleanse the area of spellbeasts, they had already benefited greatly.

For the first time in a long while, they could live in peace.

And for that alone, they too offered their devout prayers with hearts full of gratitude.