How is a Divine Species different from an ordinary creature?
The answer is Faith!
A Divine Species can absorb the Power of Faith to enhance its power, and even gain new abilities.
As for the Power of Faith, Isaac knew of three types. The first was the most conventional: the power of [Faith], which came from the belief all living beings placed in a Deity. The second was the power of [Observation], the Power of Faith collected by Wizards, born from the spread of stories. The third was the power of [Existence], the Power of Faith of Noble Knights, drawn from the people living within their territory.
A Divine Species can absorb the Power of Faith that comes from [Faith]. This is a privilege exclusive to Deities!
This is because the Power of Faith derived from [Faith] contains too many wishes and aspirations; only a God can ignore these countless stray thoughts.
An ordinary person would take this for granted. After all, they are gods. If they weren't special in some way, how could they be called gods?
But a Wizard would ask why. Why can Deities absorb the Power of Faith with such ease? If it were a matter of raw power, then why can even weak Divine Species do so? And why do they remain unaffected?
One question after another surfaced in his mind. Slowly, a heretical idea began to form...
Of course, the original author of the manuscript in Isaac's possession wasn't powerful enough to be a Godslayer. So, he chose to dissect a Divine Species, which shared a common origin with Deities. In doing so, he finally found the answer—a special energy network!
This energy network permeated the Divine Species' entire body and was the key to its ability to perceive and absorb the Power of Faith. The manuscript hypothesized that this network was the most rudimentary form of a Divinity and that it might one day develop into the very Divinity that grants a Deity its immense power!
However, this was merely speculation without any proof, so Isaac only gave it a passing glance before setting it aside. He focused his attention back on the special energy network itself.
The first step of Totem Refining was to use the Power of Faith to create this very energy network on the target subject.
Isaac was currently stuck on this step. Because he didn't know Alchemy, he could only resort to surgical methods. He was skilled in surgery, but...
He failed.
Because performing this surgery required cutting open nearly the creature's entire body, including vital organs like the heart and brain!
Normally, you wouldn't call this surgery. You'd call it premeditated rat-murder.
However, thanks to the existence of amazing Magic Spells, the rat wouldn't die instantly.
It would just die a few moments later, after enduring a painful dissection...
Cause of death: dissection...
Heh heh...
Whether it was a Demonized Rat or a Demon Rat, their Life Force was simply too weak. They couldn't last until the surgery was complete.
'Increase the number of Life-Sustaining Magic Spells?'
'No, engraving the Divinity Network requires me to chant Magic Spells to guide the Power of Faith. There's no extra time to cast Life-Sustaining Magic Spells...'
'Engrave the Divinity Network in segments?'
'No, the Divinity Network is a single, integrated whole...'
"..."
"..."
One idea after another surfaced in Isaac's mind, only to be dismissed just as quickly.
And so, at the cost of sacrificing batch after batch of brain cells, the experiment proceeded in an orderly fashion... by going absolutely nowhere...
The sun sank toward the west, and its golden light spilled into the laboratory, falling on the manuscript paper before Isaac and pulling him from his deep contemplation...
"Aah..."
Heaving a heavy sigh, Isaac rose to his feet. He stretched by the window, loosening his stiff joints, then walked over to the Crucible. He lit the fire beneath it and casually tossed in a few handfuls of Silver Moon Grass to brew.
Knight's Secret Medicine, an essential supply for a Knight's Cultivation. It wasn't difficult to make—it could even be brewed without Magic Power.
He didn't drink it himself, but Barton and the others needed it for their training. Perhaps his reward to Barton had inspired the others. The Guard Team's training intensity had clearly increased lately, and with it came a higher consumption of Knight's Secret Medicine.
Normally, these supplies should have been procured from outside. After all, even the most minor lord is still a lord. What kind of master serves his own retainers?
But for one, his territory produced Silver Moon Grass, so brewing it himself saved a lot of money. For another, a Legendary Mage's Crucible needed to be "seasoned" by occasionally brewing Magic Potions, which would effectively increase the success rate of future concoctions.
Thus, a Legendary Mage would generally not let their Crucible lie idle for long. They would often brew potions to keep in reserve, even if they were just to feed a Magic Pet.
Because for a Legendary Mage, the process of brewing potions was in fact a minor ritual. Under the influence of this ritual's field, the Crucible would naturally become dif—
Hm?
Isaac, who was stirring the pot with a ladle, suddenly froze. A spark of inspiration flashed through his mind. 'A ritual...'
'Yes! A ritual! Since brewing a potion is a ritual, why can't the surgery be a ritual, too? To use a ritual to complete the Totem Refining? Or to cast the Life-Sustaining Magic Spells?'
Seizing this sudden spark of inspiration, Isaac became incredibly excited. He no longer cared about the brewing Knight's Secret Medicine, tossing the ladle aside and turning back to his desk. He sat down and began to write furiously!
SHHHHHK—
A Demon Claw emerged from the nape of Isaac's neck. Its palm split open, revealing a single scarlet eye. This sinister eye watched Isaac for a moment, and after confirming he had no intention of going to eat, it floated slowly out the door.
Just outside the laboratory, the Demon Claw saw Smith standing guard at the door. It waved at him, then continued to float with practiced ease toward the dining hall. Smith, long used to such sights, simply continued to stand his ground, keeping watch for Isaac.
Although Isaac's power was now on par with his own, Smith had grown accustomed to this life. For the past ten-odd years, he had always watched over Isaac this way, and the future would be no exception.