Myth: The Ruler of Spirituality

Since the flood wiped out civilization, and the mortal realm was in turmoil, countless springs and autumns have passed over the land.

To the deities, this wasn't an excessively long period, but for humans, it had already become an era too significant to ignore. It was long enough for a newborn to grow into adulthood, long enough for their migrating paths to traverse mountains and seas, and long enough for mortals to establish new institutions during the process.

However, this time, there was no Prometheus to guide them, and the gods likewise did not interfere in this process. Except for the followers of the Goddess of Hearthfire bringing the knowledge of the old era under the divine will, the new generation of humans was entirely in a state of natural growth.

They learned of the existence of deities in this world and saw those terrifying behemoths from the West retreat before the Sacred Fire; they marveled at the greatness of nature, worshiped the sun, the moon, and rivers, and, although the deities never directly revealed themselves, among the mortals, there was still a considerable amount of faith and adoration for them.

However, this era was not just characterized by warmth. Hidden behind it was more primeval strife and slaughter. As they migrated eastward, the humans, originally assembled in one place, gradually drifted apart, and when they reunited, they often faced not friendly exchanges but cruel fights to the death.

Only when granaries are full can one learn manners, and only when food and clothing are sufficient can one understand honor and disgrace. But without the care of a prescient deity, and without a suitable place to settle down and develop, the new generation of humans often lived in the uncertainty of not knowing if they would see the next day.

They would fight each other for food and engage in combat with other human groups that discovered the same habitable plains.

In this process, a special class emerged among humans.

This was knowledge once passed down by Cohen among humans, a method to strengthen the body, refine the blood and increase strength. It was brought to humans by the followers of Hestia, along with the knowledge of the old era, and during the entire migration, it sparked an unparalleled burst of inspiration in different human tribes.

In Cohen's hands, it was merely a summary of the Golden Human King's path to becoming stronger. Although he was the founder of the system, he didn't delve deeply into it. He was not even very clear on how he made progress below the Transcendent (fifth order) realm.

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Or rather, more precisely, as the first Golden Humanity, his natural gift made him overlook various challenges, advancing like a juggernaut without paying attention, and by the time Cohen turned back to understand, he had already stood too high to personally experience the feel of ordinary humans progressing step by step.

Apart from Cohen, in the hands of Bronze Humanity, it was merely an optional ability. Previously on the Aurora Plains, there was no fighting among humans, and this method to empower oneself could only be used on wild beasts. At that time, humans had no need to venture outwards; instead of combat, they were keener on learning how to avoid danger.

Thus, in a short span of a decade or so, no real developments were made on this transcendent path; it remained rough and basic and would have been more of a joke if not for Cohen.

But now things were different. Among the fourth generation of humans, facing the threats of migration and wars with their own kind, in an environment where only the fittest survived, the basic instinct for life to survive was ignited, sparking different flames of wisdom.

Many died in this process, the majority accomplished little, but some individuals with extraordinary talents achieved differing results; they found their own direction on the very first transcendent path of humanity.

These individuals, with their powers, gained followers and became the leaders of different human groups. And after finding suitable places to live, with the support of their people, they completed their transformation in status—from chieftans to kings.

However, in this era, whether as kings or high-ranking officials, responsibilities far outweighed rights. Although they possessed a status far above the ordinary people, they also necessarily had abilities far beyond others. Even their descendants often had to earn their position through martial prowess and merits, rather than being born extraordinary.

So, as the years went by, traces of human presence gradually spread out into the distance. Step by step, they covered the entire Eastern Region with human existence.

At the same time, huge cities were erected in the southeastern part of the land with the help of the Goddess of the Magic Net, a migrating group heading north finally halted its steps, and even deep within the earth, new species began to emerge.

But at that moment, there was still no contact or exchange between them. Perhaps the beginning of it all would have to wait for the emergence of another catalyst.

This catalyst could be called Typhon, could be the founding of Athens, or the birth of Mycenae. But whichever it was, it wouldn't be far off.

...

The East Sea, The Island of Lemnos.

Above the great sea, the waves churned tumultuously, yet as they approached this small island, they quieted down. This was not a normal phenomenon, but those who witnessed it were not surprised, for the island, originally known for its unpredictable currents and climate, had become harmonious in weather since a decade ago.

On its surface, the Eastern Region was comprised of a vast plain, the west rugged with rocky terrain, and at the center stood a towering mountain belching billowing smoke. Such islands were not uncommon at sea, but in recent years, traces of human activity had emerged here.