Meanwhile at the surface, at the central part of the continent, Central Theocratic States.

Following the arrest of Theo Holland 3 months ago, who was now dubbed by the people as the demonic Hero, the northern kingdoms now had to rely on their soldiers and commanders, as immediately as he was arrested those that had contact with him was executed except for the second prince of Seclosia who was only put on house arrest.

The Central Theocratic states were made up of multiple city states and bishoprics, all followed and were united and under the control of the central church, the Church of Vita.

There are currently 2 religions in the continent, one was the Theocratic State’s, The Church of Vita and the Imperial Religion of Cotiadanus. One valued life only, the other valued life and Death, so it was normal on which was the most popular religion, The Church of Vita said that if they die without any sins they’ll be accepted by Vita’s hand which will gift them immortality or reincarnation to continue their life.

Whilst the Imperial Church of Cotiadanus, respected both life and death, but most of their preaches and speeches were about that everything has an opposite “when there is love, there is hate” and “when there is light, there is darkness”, that’s why “when there is life, there is always death.”

They were only popular by the masses of the Empire, but over the course of the years their influence and followers dwindled when the Demonic forces and the Heroes arrived, most of the heroes gave their support to the church of Vitas shaking their once stable influence and religious control.

Many citizens soon flocked to the Church of Vitas seeking a new faith, beliefs, and wish they were welcomed with open arms by the Church of Vitas, but that was when everything fell apart.

When there is no death, then there is no end, nothing will change, nothing will end, everything will be the same, hatred will continue, lies will resume, greed will again circle…

***

Kingdom of Seclosia, town of Tiale, eastern regions of Seclosia, it bordered with the western Imperial Border. Aristotle, Hero of Wisdom and Knowledge along with another hero, Naoki Saitou, Hero of Shelter and Protection, where sent by the church of Vita to inspect one of their local churches that filed multiple requests for support and aid, they had been sending aid over the course of an entire month, and the bishop of the province being cautious had sent the two, currently resting heroes to aid them.

The two heroes were currently walking on the way to the town, normally, Naoki was supposed to go alone but Aristotle who was at a nearby room overheard another ‘Mysterious’ happening, and being a philosopher, he wanted knowledge, so he volunteered.

[Aristotle] [Title: Hero of Wisdom and knowledge] [Level: 37]

“So, Sir Naoki, from the eastern island of Japan, may I ask what timeline are you from?”

Aristotle asked Naoki who was just right beside him, asking in a composed and subtle manner, Naoki who was a 21^st Japanese teen and a NEET with barely any communications skills was talking with a philosopher and orator who had made tons of speeches and theories about life and even tutored one of the most greatest military leaders, was currently talking to a secluded Japanese teen that barely knows anything about life.

“Ah, well, I come from the age of communications…”

He said whilst lacking any communication, the young Aristotle was a man that yearned for knowledge, when he died of old age, he was suddenly called up to the audience of the God of Knowledge and Wisdom and gave him a deal to know more about life, being the curious man, he is, accepted.

“I see… in this so-called age of communication, what happened to Athens?”

Athens, the Greek-city state Aristotle started in, ever since he got transported to this world his mind was more enhanced since he returned to his younger self, but still he couldn’t forget the place where he started his career, even though he was no longer in earth, he still loved Athens.

“Um, Well…”

Shit! if I’d known that I’d talk with an influential man I could’ve researched more!

Naoki was a NEET, like I said a SHUT-IN, though he went outside from time to time he didn’t communicate with anybody and when he was summoned by the God of Shelter and Protection, he thought of multiple mangas and light novels, he thought he’d be a hero that’d save the world.

But it wasn’t, instead he had to share the glory with 19 other heroes that were all from earth and had more amazing backgrounds like a gambler, a princess, etc. unlike him who was somebody that locked himself in his house for weeks to come.

“Um, I hadn’t researched much about Athens but, I could’ve guessed... invaded?...”

He replied, unsure of his answer and just guessed what he heard, in response Aristotle laughed at the young man.

“Maybe, you’ve reminded me some of my students.”

Ah, is he somewhat referring to Alexander?

A man with experience and intelligence over the years talking with a secluded and uncommunicative Japanese teen was something Naoki never thought would happen in his life. The two Heroes laughed like friends, though the age and time gap were wide they still communicated normally.

[Naoki Saitou] [Title: Hero of Shelter and Protection] [Level 31]

“Come to think of it, Sir Aristotle what do you think of this “Another world” that we are supposed to save?”

Naoki asked, in his view, when he was summoned by the god and given [powers] then sent to this world, he thought he’d be a Hero like in the mangas and light novels he read, only to be heartbroken when he got a skill of a tank and there were also other heroes, not to mention the demons… Weren’t FEMALES!

In the novels he read, usually there would be succubus’s and beautiful, sexy and bouncy demons that would soon become part of the ‘Heroes’ Harem, yet, he was heartbroken. Instead he got a militaristic demon army that killed anything that stood in their way, even the demons were more powerful during their early levels.

There was even a day where Naoki thought:

Am I not the… protagonist?

¹Poor Naoki :c... maybe... for those that are currently reading this footnote i'ma delete this after a day or not because i'm very or sometimes forgetful

As he sulked in his thoughts, Aristotle finally responded his question.

“Hmm, personally, I only came here for knowledge and more about the humans and history here, if we're the same as the them, if they’re barbarians, in our world entities such as elves and dwarves were only myth, yet in this world they are alive and they are a minority.”

He said before looking directly at Naoki’s eyes and Added.

“I wanted to know more, I wanted to know more about this world, that is what I first thought, but overtime this “Hero” business came to my mind and said ‘if this world disappears what else can I continue my research and examinations on’, so I now changed my views and thought of this as community work for humanity.”

He said to him, unlike Naoki who mostly speculated that the mangas and light novel he read would be the same as what would happen here, was set aback with what Aristotle said, he was only doing it to ease his lack of knowledge, unlike Naoki who wanted the ‘Carefree and OP Hero life’.

“I see…”

Set aback, Naoki was unable to respond, following their conversation they now focused on walking to the town of Tiale, the place where the regional church was getting a lot of letters and requests for aid and support.

***

The two heroes dressed in commoner’s clothing successfully reached their destination, which was still, a bustling and busy town, there were merchants, townspeople, guards, bards, etc, the normal type of people that you would see in a town. For now they had to currently act as normal commoners from a nearby town, because if heroes where to suddenly come here the townspeople would be suspicious.

“So, Aristotle… Any ideas? It doesn’t seem like there is anything suspicious happening.”

“Not sure, Naoki, but they wouldn’t send that much complaints and letters requesting aid, the human mind can or cannot be easily tricked Afterall.”

He looked at his surroundings and assessed the condition and situation of the town, most people were doing normal everyday jobs, there were people buying items, there were people travelling, just normal day to day tasks.

Anybody would be easily fooled by this type of trickery, but for Aristotle, there was more than meets the eye.

[God’s Eye]

He said in his mind, before suddenly receiving a warning.

[Warning: Level too low!]

What!?

Aristotle suddenly stopped, as he tried using his unique ability, [God’s Eye] a skill that can easily analyze and understand what he sees, from physical injuries to mental pain, to books and artifacts, and maybe types of essences or magic that were lingered around, but for some reason it wouldn’t work it said his level was too low.

“Aristotle, do you think the church would fake something like this?”

Should I tell him?... No, for all I know there is just some rare artifacts here, that can’t be…

“Uh, I don’t know, maybe for a coup de tat but it’s a church, a religious organization, I doubt anyone would be stupid to topple and fight religion.”

He hesitated at first but was able to make a believable reason, reassuring Naoki.

“I see, well you’re right, the people here love their religion, still, why 2 churches, one is gradually weakening so I doubt it would still stand longer.”

…Religion!

Aristotle finally had a assumption regarding the town, he looked for a church, a church in the town and sure enough there was one, but it was in the middle of the town, whether you look at it at the eyes of a soldier or a commoner, it was in a bad position strategically.

“Say, Sir Naoki, about your special and unique skill, may I ask what is it?”

“Um, well, I have 2 currently, I’m still searching and practicing for more… but they are, [Spartan Wall] and [Fortified sphere].”

“Can the latter be used for the two of us?”

Aristotle asked whilst looking at the church.

“Um, well yes, but it might take a huge portion of my mana pool.”

“can it be enough to use spartan wall?”

He asked again, giving Naoki that he wanted to use both in a short amount of time, using both for the offense and defense.

“Well, maybe, it’d depend on what remains of my mana pool.”

“Then, hopefully we can’t depend on that mana pool.”

Aristotle soon walked to the church with Naoki being dumbfounded at first but soon followed pursuit and joined him, but Naoki could fell the gaze of the townspeople looking at them enter the church.

***

Aristotle and Naoki entered the room, to where they saw 3 men, 1 looked like a priest and was current kneeling and praying at the front and center of the church, while there were two paladins at the sides of the church, maybe they were guarding the praying priest.

There were only 3 people to be exact, there weren’t any churchgoers or deacons and other priest except for the one at front and the paladins.

The paladins noticed the presence of Naoki and Aristotle but the Priest-looking man was still at the front kneeling and praying, Naoki was currently confused as to what was happening but Aristotle was focused entirely on assessing their enemies and surroundings.

“Priest! May I ask, what brings you to this shabby church?”

Aristotle suddenly yelled inside the church, it was loud enough to distract the kneeling priest from his prayer, whilst being distracted but being a faithful believer, he didn’t pay any attention to Aristotle and continued his prayer like it was nothing.

“Aristotle-dono, a-are you sure we should be distracting a priest praying? Didn’t you just say earlier that the people of this world value religion?”

Aristotle didn’t answer the agitated Naoki leaving him confused by the current events, until the priest finally finished and stood up from his kneeling position.

“May Life and death continue to circle…”

He said in a whispery tone but because of the room, it echoed and was able to reach both Aristotle and Naoki at the entrance of the church.

The priest soon turned around and looked at both the heroes.

“Hero of Knowledge and Hero of Protection… it is an honor to meet you.”

He said whilst bowing at the two heroes that looked at him with a confused and wary glare.

“I forgot to introduce myself, how thoughtless of me.”

He soon walked a little closer to the two heroes but not too close as both parties were wary of each other’s movements, as he moved closer to the two heroes, he was just a young man with blond hair and violet eyes, he was wearing his church garments in their meeting.

“I am Archbishop Lovom, of the Imperial Church of Cotiadanus, I am normally supposed to be at the imperial church helping our faithful and loyal believers but there was something that caught my eyes.”

He soon looked at the two heroes with a very suspicious look and followed it with a story.

“Long ago, there was only one church, it was powerful and and it had no rivals, many people believed and remained faithful to the church as it kept its promises and blessing from the gods, but it all changed when a large-scale famine and plague suddenly happened, the people weren't prepared and in turn suffered, the northern regions became so cold that you would freeze within an hour, the southern regions became too hot for crops to grow, the east was a battlefield against the demons, and the west was no longer as fertile as it was before, but all the regions had 1 thing in common, they were all being ravaged by a deadly plague, this occurred at the same time when the demonic wars was taking its toll, but that was until a man came, claiming to be a prophet of the goddess of life, destined to save the suffering men, women and children.”

He looked at Aristotle and raised his hand at the same height as his chest.

“He claimed that he can grant eternal life to those that firmly believed and remained faithful to his goddess and to save the people from calamities along with the goddess’s blessing to the people and that was goddess Vita, the goddess of Life. I don’t know whether he was misleading the populace or not, but his preaches became true, when he said that the western lands would be so fertile the people would die of gluttony and also said that when the plague was cured, the bodies of the infected would be cured immediately as if god’s miracle, in return they would firmly believe and protect the goddess that saved them, devoting their entire life for her…”

He closed his eyes and soon talked in a sorrowful manner.

“And it was true, the western regions soon became so fertile that not even months had pass yet there were already healthy crops and produce growing and ready to be picked, it was so many that the people didn’t know what to do and before we knew it, people started dying left and right, it wasn’t poison but excess eating, was it that delicious? or that addictive? For them to die just by food. Then the people that were cured from the plague, from before, they only felt endless pain and suffering but hearing the man’s preaches and receiving the goddess’s blessings, they became fanatics, crazy and insane fanatics, that they would murder people just for insulting, being blasphemous or just simply being rude to the man’s preaches and the goddess. The people soon became angered and blamed the self-claimed prophet and his cult, the people that he wanted to save and value turned against him, angering him because of their betrayal, he then sent a warning to the people.”

After the priest finished his sentence, he looked at both the heroes with a serious glare, a glare that can kill.

“He was so angered and furious on the people he wanted to save that he cursed the people that there would be a day where greed, anger and hatred shall only rule and the day where Goddess Vita’s mortal enemy would collect the debt that was left by the goddess. It was such blasphemy that the Imperial Pope was so furious he killed the self-proclaimed prophet and ending his heresy and history in the world, but he left the Church of Vita to stand... a foolish decision...”

He soon turned around and looked at the Apse of the church before stating to the heroes.

“We are not your enemies’ heroes, we are the Church of Cotiadanus, we are here to save this world and stop those two curses for…”

Everything has an end!