Chapter 106: Sorry, We Don't Need Gods

After leaving Xerath behind and ascending, Ethan and Cheng Long’s descent slowed considerably. Around them hovered a palpable emotion—anger.

To prevent himself from succumbing to this sentiment, Ethan’s sacred flame blazed ceaselessly within him, purging every trace of distracting thought.

Compared to Ethan’s lifelong misfortunes, Cheng Long, who often lamented his bad luck, was actually a fortunate man. The surrounding emotions stirred little resonance in him; rather, years of cultivating his mind and temper had made him deeply averse to this baseless, aimless fury.

Thus, although their progress was slow, it remained steady.

“I think I’ve arrived, Cheng Long,” Ethan suddenly halted. He felt the sacred flame within him tilting persistently in one direction. “Please wait here for me. I’ll be back soon.”

Cheng Long nodded. The previous experience with the Sun Disk had taught him an important lesson: sometimes it’s best to heed the instructions of experts, or even those relatively more knowledgeable.

Following the passage forward, Ethan’s eyes were drawn to the patterns engraved along the walls. These murals seemed to weave a story.

It was a simple tale. From the paintings, it appeared that a revered elder had fallen ill with an incurable disease. His contributions were so great that the people believed he deserved to undergo a sacred ceremony.

Among the murals depicting the ritual, Ethan recognized the Sun Disk that Cassius had longed for. The inscriptions were in Shuriman script. Though he had never studied this language, he instinctively knew the words: Ascension Ceremony.

The ailing elder struggled up the steps, his frail body making the usually simple journey to the Ascension Altar arduous.

When the elder collapsed before the altar, another aged but robust man pushed past the soldiers blocking the way. Amidst the clamorous crowd, he hurried up the altar steps, lifted the fallen elder, and with resolute eyes, pressed onward.

After climbing the final steps, the man seemed to fulfill a final wish. He placed the elder within the altar, closed his eyes, and awaited divine judgment. The Ascension Ceremony allowed only one person to enter at a time.

Yet, perhaps because they were brothers, or for some other reason, the man was not destroyed. Instead, alongside his brother, he completed the ascension beneath the dazzling radiance of the Sun Disk.

The two brothers, transformed by their ascension, took on beastly forms—the elder becoming a tall, slender figure with a canine head and human body, and the younger turning into a massive crocodilian shape.

“This is the story of my brother and me. I believe it should not fade with time. How do you find my mural painting skills?” a voice spoke from behind Ethan as he viewed the final mural.

Startled, Ethan turned to see a canine-headed ascended being standing there—the very figure from the mural.

As Nasus appeared, Ethan’s sacred flame flickered, confirming to him that he had found the right person.

But Nasus abruptly interrupted Ethan’s ritual gestures. “No need for ceremony. Besides me being an ascended and you not, we’re not so different. As for the flame’s direction, that’s merely because I once studied the deities of the Fire-worshipping Cult.”

Ethan was momentarily speechless. He understood Nasus’s meaning: his sacred flame originated from the faith he once followed—the Fire-worshipping Cult. Nasus was no significant figure within any sect; he had simply studied the cult’s scriptures thoroughly, so thoroughly that even the sacred flame was misled.

While Ethan remained silent, Nasus studied him intently. Seeing that Ethan was merely quiet and that the flame within showed no adverse reaction, Nasus’s mood remained good. He had seen many people break down after learning the truth—denying themselves and collapsing mentally. After all, Shurima was an empire built step by step after Odin’s complete eradication of the Fire-worshipping Cult. One could say they inherited the cult’s legacy.

Many scholars had studied ancient texts, only to discover that their faiths and gods no longer existed. They refused to accept this harsh truth, bringing countless troubles to Shurima.

In terms of character, Ethan had already surpassed more than ninety percent of mortals Nasus knew.

“What’s wrong? Did I ruin many of your plans?” Nasus asked Ethan.

“Not exactly ruined,” Ethan shook his head. “Those plans were never viable in the first place. I originally came to express my gratitude and then resign from my priestly role.”

Ethan looked up at Nasus, as if seeking permission to relinquish his priesthood.

“Why would you want to do that?” Nasus found it hard to understand. He could see that before becoming a priest, Ethan was an ordinary man with little time left to live. The sacred flame and priestly status brought him strength and longevity—wasn’t that a blessing?

“I’m sorry, but I intend to devote my entire life to the liberation of this land. I cannot do this as a priest of a god. I don’t want them to think I’m merely replacing one figurehead above them with another divine one,” Ethan said earnestly. Though he was grateful to the Fire-worshipping Cult for granting him a second life, becoming a priest or missionary was something he could not accept.

Suddenly, Nasus laughed heartily. He saw many reflections in Ethan—Rexxar, who since childhood vowed to guard Shurima’s borders; the once-unfavored prince Azir, determined to lead mortals to prosperity; and Xerath, who spent his life striving to eradicate Shurima’s slave caste.

Some succeeded in their aspirations, some failed for various reasons, and some strayed in pursuit of their ideals. Nasus was genuinely curious whether Ethan would ultimately succeed.

“You needn’t worry about this. You’re not worshipping some god; you’re worshipping yourself!” Nasus declared to Ethan. “The Fire-worshipping Cult has long vanished with history. The sacred flame now burns solely because of your faith, your perseverance, your spirit—it is uniquely yours. Try to embrace it; it is but a part of you.”

Moved by Nasus’s words, Ethan for the first time deeply felt the sacred flame. Until now, he had always thought of it as something belonging to others, something to be returned.

Watching Ethan enter this state so swiftly, Nasus sighed with admiration. If Shurima still stood, Ethan would surely be a prime candidate for the Ascension Ceremony.