Chapter 588 - Chapter 588: Chapter 524 Consecution "Naturalist (1/2)

Chapter 588: Chapter 524 Consecution “Naturalist

Upon the boundless ocean, a vast azure extended to the horizon, the waves gently swayed as if nature’s most distant lullaby.

In this vast expanse of water, a whirlpool spun abruptly on the calm sea surface, neither a product of a storm nor a masterpiece of the tide, but rather a phenomenon caused by mysterious forces beyond natural laws.

Directly above this whirlpool, a priest clad in a blue robe hovered.

His robe fluttered with the wind, resembling a deep blue patch in the profound ocean, blending with the surrounding milieu while seeming detached from all else.

The High Priest of the Sea God Cult, Ian’s face was serene and solemn, his eyes tightly closed, immersed in a meditation transcending the mundane.

Around him circulated a mysterious force indescribable, neither visible light to the eye nor a sound to the ear, but rather a deep and subtle mystical stance.

To this day, Ian had ascended to the 6th Rank on the Path of Knowledge, with powers considered formidable even within the Dawn Church.

“Naturalist”

That was a path not even Byrne had trodden on before, in fact, had their circumstances been interchangeable, Byrne would have reached the 6th Rank and perhaps even further.

However, the end dedicated to the Divine is not a bad outcome either.

A “Naturalist’s” enhancement of Spiritual Power and physical abilities followed a ratio of eight to two, also gaining two rather interesting Extraordinary powers.

These were “Collecting Samples” and “Impression.”

In the Spirit Realm, his image was that of an old man with black and white beard.

The ritual required to become a Naturalist involved numerous contacts with various forms of life, witnessing many landscapes and minerals, among others… It was best to document them all.

In essence, it was about becoming extensively knowledgeable.

As a Naturalist Extraordinary Exponent, one could conduct a short ritual upon contact, thereafter documenting specific information about a life form.

He could then learn all the details about that life form’s species, such as what Extraordinary materials they could become, and their strengths and weaknesses.

As for the “Impression” ability, it involved “imagining” recorded life forms back into memory, then using a certain amount of Spiritual Power to summon a projection of that life form out of thin air.

The strength of a life form’s projection did not depend on the strength of the original but on the amount of Spiritual Power used; if a little Spiritual Power summoned a dragon projection, it still wasn’t a match for a rabbit projection summoned with a lot of Spiritual Power.

Although the strength varied with the amount of Spiritual Power used, summoned projections still retained the original species’ characteristics. Ian had tried using the same amount of Spiritual Power to summon a projection of a dragon and a rabbit, and eventually, the dragon’s projection won after a tough fight.

Because no matter what, dragons inherently held advantages over rabbits.

Simply put, it was a very versatile summoning ability.

“The most important point is that the Projection Summoning ability has no quantitative limit. As long as there is enough Spiritual Power, I can summon very many from any species to serve me,” Ian murmured to himself.

“It’s a pity that it is still limited by the upper limit of Spiritual Power… but I am already content.”

For instance, the current scenario where he had summoned some invisible Flying Feathered Demon Beasts beneath him, making it appear as if he were floating in the air to others.

With the vast number of animals and demons in the world, many possessing incredible racial characteristics, what Ian needed to do now was continuously accumulate and “Collect Samples.”

On the sea surface, fine ripples danced to a mysterious rhythm, the trajectory of constellations, the breath of the ocean, and even the changing winds at the far horizon, at this moment, resonated subtly with Ian’s mind.

Ian’s eyes remained closed, his eyelids seemingly containing endless tranquility.

As a black shadow gradually emerged on the distant horizon, a steam-powered ship slowly entered the area, its steam engine roaring, powering the massive vessel forward through the waves, with white steam tracing paths between the azure sky and the sea.

As the ship drew closer, the people on deck began to notice the priest in the blue robe hovering above the whirlpool.

They were first surprised, then reverent, and finally deeply worshipful.

“It’s Lord Ian! Look, everyone, that’s Lord Ian!”

“Respected Lord of the Sea! Your Excellency Ian!”

“We are truly lucky to be able to see him here!”

Crew and passengers alike halted their tasks, stood at the deck, knelt by the railing, hands clasped together, their gazes devoutly directed at the priest suspended above the sea surface.