Chapter 379: It's Easy, Isn't It?
⤷ Zeus: Will the teacher who's been doing nothing but conduct theoretical lessons behind the scenes finally set an example for everyone?
⤷ Odin: He's undergoing the tertiary education course at level 1 and without skills? That's dauntless of him.
⤷ Allah: Look, his Karma's ranked A despite D already being extremely difficult.
⤷ Isis: Isn't this a mockery of the students?
⤷ Amon: Forget it. It won't take long before he gives up.
Mollansoft's goal was to take over the Fantasy Institution.
But that was impossible with power and money alone.
If they wanted to succeed, they needed to win public opinion.
If the faculty members made a serious mistake, it would justify their change in ownership.
The inspectorate wanted to tarnish the honor and authority of the Fantasy Institution by humiliating me.
Therefore, my participation became public.
▷ Notice: The faculty members have carefully considered the Heroes' complaints and concluded to execute no revisions or amendments in educational policy. Instead, a live broadcast of a faculty members' demonstration of an adventure shall be held in the mollanphone community. The students can view his stats in real-time, and he won't receive any support from the system. Please do not miss the broadcast.
It was an invasion of my privacy, but I thought this was a good opportunity. After all…
I had suffered from boredom for far too long!
The time had come to teach everyone what an adventure would look like if the Hero were a normal person, not some recluse.
⤷ Odin: Ha… Did he just acquire an S-rank Faith skill right from the beginning?
⤷ Zeus: Mollan's Teachings?
⤷ Allah: Are there really people who believe in that religion?
⤷ Piko: Long live Mollan!
The ignorant inhabitants of Fantasy would learn of Master Mollan's greatness!
Mollan's Teachings united everyone!
If I were a "Hero," I would've already had an SS-rank skill and reached MAX in one day, but that didn't mean much.
After all, the Hero profession was trash.
I had to work tirelessly on my Faith.
"Mollan's Teachings!"
"Is the Summoned Hero a follower of Mollan's Teachings?"
"How did this happen…"
"Subdue the Hero this instant!"
As soon as they saw I was a follower of Mollan's Teachings, an uproar immediately arose.
They thought I was a nobody, but they summoned a G-Class Hero who knew the whole truth about their world.
This was just the beginning.
▷ Type: Skill
▷ Name: Faith
▷ Grade S
▷ SS: Punish heretics.
▷ S: Brainwash heretics.
▷ A: Find heretics.
▷ B: Recognize heretics.
▷ C: Resist conversion.
▷ D: Resist false preaching.
▷ E: Strengthen faith through prayers.
▷ F: Belief.
The Faith skill was fully revealed only from S-rank onwards.
If one's belief weren't enough, it would be difficult to find any use for this skill, so I understood why the Heroes didn't use it.
But I was different.
The inspection team gave me a new vessel, but I was still the first apostle of Mollan's Teachings. Hence, my faith knew no limits.
"Listen, foolish heretics!"
I taught them the difference between mollan and mullan.
"Mollan's teaching is blasphemous— Oh! Glory to Mollan!"
"I believe in the Goddess— Kh! No! I only believe in Mollan!"
"Think about it! There can only be one god, and that's… Mollan!"
"Mollan is… the truth!"
However, at level 1, my skill was far from being absolute.
The princess, palace knights, and wizards resisted its S-grade effect.
"Grab him!"
"That's the fallen Hero!"
"Stop him!"
The Holy Empire's heretics showed hostility towards the MAX-Class Righteous Hero.
Therefore, a fair punishment awaited them.
"Well, I've been meaning to level up anyway."
My body suddenly became heavy not long after, and it wasn't due to my low level.
Unable to use highly destructive spells since we were in a building, the mages instead applied debuffs on me.
"I've got him under my spell!"
"Do it now!"
"Grab him!"
The knights accompanying the imperial princess rushed at me.
If I succumbed to them here, I wouldn't be worthy of being called the G-rank Hero.
However, it would be unwise to fight knights and wizards at level 1 and without any preparation, considering their level had reached 500 here in the tertiary education course.
Hence…
"Mollan's loyal followers! Rise against the heresy that has swept this country asunder!"
"Mollan!"
"Help the Hero!"
"Mollan! Mollan!"
The ones I had brainwashed blocked the knights' attack with their bodies and attacked the mages casting spells from a safe distance.
This folly wasn't made possible by my skill alone.
Madness.
Combined with the strength of my faith, Madness, a characteristic of my profession, manifested itself in full.
"What are they doing?!"
"Protect the princess!"
"They're out of their minds!"
"Into formation! Now!"
In the blink of an eye, I caused confusion and disarray to dominate near the Summoning Circle of the Wizard Tower.
Giving up on the idea of capturing me, the palace knights hastily turned around and formed a perimeter around the princess to protect her.
As expected.
"Haaaa!"
"Aaaaahhh!"
One by one, the followers who leaped at the knights and mages fell, their blood splattering all over.
None of the princess's guards had been killed yet, but they were forced to kill their fellow citizens.
"Onwards, loyal followers! No surrender!"
"I give up… Huh?!"
"Hey, why… Ph!"
Between their 6th and 7th cervical vertebrae, I graciously grabbed the believers who tried to escape out of fear.
How dared they flee in the face of heresy?
If they were only going to show weakness anyway, their lives would be better used to strengthen me.
Skrrr!
"I will never forget your noble sacrifice! At least not until tomorrow!"
My level went up swiftly.
I didn't have the Hero perk's five-fold experience multiplier, but it was still much better than being stuck at level 1.
Level 1 → Level 24
As a result, the effectiveness of my skill increased.
Master Mollan's followers bought me enough time to apply his teachings to myself, thereby changing my body structure to some extent.
The wretched body that the inspectorate gave me had way too many overgrown muscles.
In order to properly strengthen the body, you need to eat enough meat, but this much is enough for now.
The first apostle of Mollan's Teachings would establish justice in the land of heretics.
"Haha! I'll show you how it's done!"
*****
Mollansoft wanted me to reach the 100th floor of the Demon Lord's Tower as a regular student.
The means and methods didn't matter.
This was conducted to determine if it was really possible to break through the 90th floor at this difficulty level.
I had to prove that it was.
⤷ Allah: Wow! He started at level 1 and already made such a mess…
⤷ Zeus: How did this happen? Someone please tell me this is a hoax!
⤷ Odin: I've been monitoring his stats. There was no manipulation applied to it. The efficiency of all his actions is just off the scale.
⤷ Isis: I should seriously consider joining Mollan's Teachings.
⤷ Amon: Wow! And I did everything in my power to recruit the princess! What the hell is he doing?
Before them was the True Hero!
I shouldn't be compared to social outcasts.
The principle I used was simple.
Snowball effect.
I brainwashed level 50 beings at level 1 and level 100 at level 10…
In accordance with that, I arranged it so that only the princess and one 500 level knight would remain by the time I was done.
"How is this possible… Kh!"
The knight protecting the princess couldn't understand how I was able to grab his neck.
What was confusing him?
If one were a True Hero, it would be possible for them to defeat a level 500 knight even at level 100.
Skrrr!
This battle ended the moment my Faith, which I worked tirelessly on, reached SS rank.
SS rank effect: Punish heretics!
Combining it with Master Mollan's teachings, my foolish opponents' spines broke like fragile twigs.
The princess was the only one left.
"What about you?"
In response, the princess fell to her knees and said, "Mollan's Revelation Chapter 5, Verse 8. The stupid heretic who refused to believe in Mollan witnessed his miracle firsthand, instilling faith within her. Is that enough to answer you?"
"It is."
I immediately realized the princess striving to take the throne of the Holy Empire had joined Mollan's Teachings to enter into an agreement with the countries of the Northern Continent.
Her faith might seem weak, but she truly believed that God would help her fulfill her ambitions.
"I…"
"Would usurping your father's throne please you? I know you, silver fox of the Lanuberk family."
"… I swear loyalty to you."
No longer needing to pretend, she rushed to kiss my feet.
Her clothes and lips were smeared with blood, but she didn't care.
This was her true character.
Throwing my head up, I said, "It's easy, isn't it?"
"What?"
"Nothing. Forget it."
Anyone could become an A-Class Hero simply by watching this broadcast.
*****
After that, the princess and I invited all the Holy Empire's influential people to a reception.
Naturally, it was to turn them into loyal followers.
They all readily accepted it.
I didn't even break a sweat.
⤷ Odin: Hahaha! I can't doubt him anymore!
⤷ Isis: The Holy Empire, the starting point of all Heroes, fell into a faculty member's hands in just two weeks.
⤷ Luke: Why couldn't I do that? I feel ashamed…
⤷ Allah: Don't jump to conclusions. Those who easily succeed through religion also quickly fail because of the same religion.
⤷ Piko: Wow! This is impressive! Mollan.
All the nobles of the Holy Empire converted to Mollan's Teachings.
And I didn't even have to brainwash them all.
The nobles were prepared to praise even a normal slime if it would mean preserving their status and well-being.
Soon enough…
"Greetings. I am Green Cake, the great explorer. I came here out of my sheer desire to meet the Hero.
My adopted child joined my party in the guise of the green-haired boy I knew.
Although he didn't say it out loud, his appearance hinted, "I already know who you are."
Immediately after that, Disco joined as well.
"… I won't bother you."
Judging by her expression and tone of voice, she seemed unhappy that things didn't go the way she wanted.
I answered with the Righteous Hero's smile.
"Don't worry. It won't take long to conquer the Demon Lord's Tower."
I didn't need ten years.
Because…
▷ Race: Arch-Human
▷ Level: 134
▷ Job: Monk (Faith → Divinity ↑)
▷ Skills: Faith SSS, Incitement S, Fabrication S, Deal A, Karma A…
▷ Status: Divinity, Holy
By negotiating with the nobles of the Holy Empire, I became a monk.
Monk.
The stronger my faith, the higher my Divinity rose, which now could make even angels fill up with envy.
The advantage of this job was that I could achieve Z-rank and higher without having to break my skills through their limits.
If my Faith were ranked ZZ, my Divinity would be as well.
I could even reach the level of a religious leader in this way!
Moreover, I could just slowly change specializations as I progressed towards the Demon Lord's Tower.
"Wait! How do you plan to break through the 80th floor?" Disco asked, glaring at me.
"Why does it bother you?"
"You'll be fighting a group of six people, including your clone, and you want to challenge it without companions. I have no idea how that would be possible…"
"Just watch."
Satan's method was wrong.
I would show those who followed me how to properly clear the 80th floor.
It was easy too.