“Of course, you can also choose to pledge loyalty to me.” Allen’s voice was full of temptation.
“I am the God’s Messenger walking among men. Believe in me, and I can grant you salvation. What the Evil Gods can give you is only madness and destruction. Think carefully about your choice.”
“If you want to live, if you want redemption, then you are no longer ‘Boss Mad Bull.’ You are the Firebird I send into the enemy’s midst, a twenty-nine-year-old man named Michael Yundon.”
The spy was originally an illegitimate child who didn’t even know who his parents were, with a randomly given name.
Now, this “Michael Yundon” identity, this “Firebird” codename… actually… sounded pretty good?
“Now, recite my name…” Seeing the spy’s wavering resolve, Allen decided to strike while the iron was hot.
But the words caught in his throat.
Allen de Laval.
This was not his true name. It was merely the designation of this body, a mortal symbol.
It couldn’t bear that immense power, let alone become an anchor for gathering faith.
At that moment, an ancient, distant name, as if slumbering since the dawn of the stars, quietly ignited from the deepest part of his soul.
“Star-Chaser.”
He didn’t know why he recognized the name, but a soul-deep instinct told him this was the key.
“With your blood, with your soul, offer your loyalty to the ‘Star-Chaser.'”
Allen’s voice suddenly turned solemn and hollow, as if it no longer came from his mouth, but descended like a divine decree from the heavens above.
“Speak my name, and gain my power.”
He slowly recited a prayer that felt as though it had been etched into his very being.
“We are born from dust, yet we yearn to embrace the stars…”
The Spy—no, Michael Winton—murmured along in confusion, mechanically repeating after Allen.
The moment those ancient and unfamiliar syllables left his lips, his eyes snapped wide open!
BOOM!
A faint yet incomparably pure golden flame ignited in his palm out of thin air.
This flame was sacred, completely different from the twisted, maddening filth of the power he once received from the Evil God.
He could clearly feel a warm force washing over his Soul, burning away the Evil God’s marks and the maddening whispers that had plagued his mind day and night.
He… had been purified?
No, this was Salvation!
This was a true miracle!
The one before him was a true god!
Michael Winton’s eyes erupted with unprecedented fanaticism.
He struggled off the chair, collapsing to the ground, prostrating himself in near-mad devotion as he kissed the floor beneath Allen’s feet.
“My Lord… my Lord! I am willing to offer everything to you!”
Finn, Luca, and Johann witnessed this sacred yet bizarre scene, and the last trace of doubt in their hearts vanished completely.
The Leader was the Messenger of God.
There was no room for doubt.
Allen himself was a bit stunned by the result.
‘No way… did I just go this far?’
‘I only wanted to fool a Spy and test whether this strange power of mine could be “shared”… how did this turn into a live miracle?’
‘Could I actually be some divine being who descended to the mortal world with amnesia to experience human suffering?’
The absurd thought made him shudder.
But soon, he forced himself to calm down and analyze.
The awakening of his “sacred” power, the Faith Power he could channel—all of it pointed toward this existence called the “Star-Chaser.”
“Star-Chaser”… what exactly was it?
What connection did it have with the sleeping Creator?
Could it also be another Evil God lurking in The Supreme Heaven, just better disguised?
The mysteries grew larger and larger.
But at least one thing was certain.
The Evil God was the enemy.
The Observer was a neutral arbiter.
And this “Star-Chaser,” for now, seemed to be an ally.
Still, Allen knew clearly—any power gained without effort always had a hidden price.
One day, he would have to pay dearly for this blessing from the “Star-Chaser.”
‘Whatever.’
Allen lowered his head, looking at his clean, slender hand, then slowly clenched it.
If a price must be paid, then let it come even harder.
But before that, those who dared to script his Destined Tragedy—
Whether Sword-Bearing Nobles or the Evil Gods above—
Would have to pay first.
With that thought settled, the heaviness in his heart lifted.
As soon as he turned around, he met three pairs of terrifyingly bright eyes.
Finn, Luca, and Johann stared at him intensely, like three hunting dogs that had gone thirsty for seven days in the desert, fixated on a half-finished cup of water.
“Leader…”
Finn was the first to break, rubbing his hands nervously, his voice trembling with both excitement and flattery.
“We… we can also… do that?”
Allen’s eye twitched violently.
He almost blurted out a scolding about superstition, but swallowed the words at the last second.
Scold them?
He had just performed a “miracle” in front of them, purifying an Evil God’s follower on the spot.
Now if he started preaching about atheism and rational thinking, not only would they not believe him—he himself would feel embarrassed.
He looked at their eager yet reverent expressions and sighed inwardly.
‘Fine.’
Principles were rigid, but people were flexible.
These were revolutionary sparks he had personally nurtured. Future battles against Sword-Bearing Nobles and Cultists would be dangerous.
If they died in some conflict, it would be a devastating blow to the entire cause.
Giving them a means to survive was better than clinging to a theory he could barely justify anymore.
“Come here.”
Allen’s voice revealed no emotion.
The three instantly lit up with joy and quickly knelt on one knee before him, as devout as worshippers before a saint in the most sacred Church.
Allen looked at them, speechless, then dipped his fingers into the water cup one by one.
Imitating rituals from memory, he touched the water imbued with his power onto each of their foreheads.
The moment his fingertip made contact, a cool sensation turned into warmth.
“In the name of the Star-Chaser, I grant you the power to dispel darkness and protect the light.”
Finn and the others felt a gentle yet immense force surge from their foreheads, instantly spreading through their entire bodies!
This power was completely different from Engraved Emblem Power.
It didn’t rely on mental strength or consume stamina.
It came from something far more intangible—
Faith.
They could clearly feel an invisible connection forming between themselves and the Leader.
As long as their faith in him remained unshaken, this power would never run dry.
Allen watched the faint golden glow appear on them and couldn’t help but complain internally.
‘Good grief… am I leading a revolution or founding a religion?’
‘At this rate, am I going to create Paladins next? Should I start issuing uniforms and prayer manuals too?’
After finishing, Allen handed Michael Winton a note with secret contact information and sent him back.
From today onward, “Firebird” Michael Winton would become his direct piece—
A hidden chess piece outside the Organization of Dawn’s Children.
Allen had a vague feeling that the lurking Cult infiltrator within the organization was not simple.
Perhaps they represented another path of the Evil God’s Corruption of Humanity.
Before the Revolution succeeded, they might remain hidden.
But after that?
What unexpected changes would Dawn’s Children face?
In any case, Allen needed to prepare.
This Double Agent, “Firebird,” might help uncover clues.
After sending the Spy away, Allen turned back and saw Finn and the others still immersed in their newfound power.
They clenched their fists, feeling the energy within, their faces filled with fanatic devotion.
Their eyes were no different from Michael Winton’s earlier.
Allen’s expression instantly turned cold.
“Snap out of it!”
His sharp rebuke was like a bucket of cold water.
The three jolted, their joy freezing as they looked at him helplessly like children who had done something wrong.
“You are my trusted comrades. I gave you power so you can survive against evil—it’s a practical decision!”
Allen’s gaze fell on Finn, sharp as a blade.
“Especially you, Finn! You are a Preacher, responsible for ideological work! I warn you—do not mix personal worship of me into the organization’s doctrine!”
Finn’s face turned pale instantly.
“Remember, what we pursue is the truth of Equality! And the end of all personal worship is ignorance and enslavement!”
“If people place all their hope in some intangible god, they will stop thinking, stop resisting, and become puppets of faith! How is that any different from those followers of the Evil God?!”
Every word struck like a blade.
Allen clasped his hands behind his back and paced the room, each step pressing on their hearts.
“Yes, I possess special power. But first and foremost, I am human—a revolutionary who wants everyone to live like a human being.”
“If one day you build statues of me and worship me in memorial halls, then our Revolution will have completely failed.”
“I am Allen de Laval—your Child of the Dawn, your spiritual leader! I do not need your worship. The only thing you must be loyal to is the ideal of liberating all who suffer!”
He stopped, his cold gaze sweeping across them.
“If one day you forget your original purpose and stray from this path, I will not hesitate to take everything back and personally purge you. I mean it.”
There was no warmth left in those words—only absolute, chilling coldness.
The three flushed red and pale in turns, overwhelmed by shame, wishing they could disappear.
Only now did they realize—the Leader had long reached the limit of his tolerance for the growing culture of personal worship.
He was a Divine Emissary.
But more than that, he wanted Humanity to stand on its own.
They had nearly turned this Savior into another god that needed to be overthrown.
“Understood, Comrade Allen.”
The three responded in unison, their voices filled with lingering fear and guilt.
That word—”Comrade”—was spoken with utmost solemnity.
“I hope you truly understand.”
Allen withdrew his gaze and looked out the window.
The setting sun slowly sank below the horizon, its blood-red glow staining half the sky like a grand and tragic sacrifice.
Night was approaching.
And Dawn was still far away.