Saya burst into laughter within Souta's mind.
"Souta, with the backing of Imperium, it's no wonder you've been able to accomplish seemingly impossible feats. Even carving all those intricate inner spells, a task that should be impossible, becomes achievable with the support of Imperium."
Souta fell into silence. He rubbed his chin, and the thoughts flooding his mind all circled back to the system.
Was this system granted to me by Imperium?
The origin of the system had always been shrouded in mystery.
"But there's one thing that's rather peculiar about it..." Saya paused for a moment.
Souta raised his eyebrows and asked, "What is it?"
"You mentioned encountering a Great Lamb, right?" Saya inquired.
"Yeah, so what?" Souta nodded in response to her words.
"How do you know it was a Great Lamb? Great Lambs have various forms. They might appear as an elf, human, dwarf, or even a monster. They can take the form of any creature in the world. Those who received the Blessing of a Great Lamb in the past weren't even aware of their blessing. They only realized it after attaining godhood and could fully analyze the strength they were using. Moreover, only gods possess the ability to distinguish Great Lambs from others," Saya explained.
Souta was about to speak when Saya interrupted him.
"Don't claim that the Great Lamb introduced itself to you. It rarely manifests, and countless people aren't even aware of its existence. Sometimes, even gods remain oblivious to the presence of a Great Lamb," Saya said.
"How do I explain it?" Souta looked up.
Observing Souta in this state, Saya shook her head. "Never mind, you don't have to tell me. The most important thing is that you possess the Blessing of the Great Lamb, and you're already aware of it. Many of the chosen individuals are completely oblivious to the fact that they've received a blessing."
"It's reassuring that you possess the Blessing of the Great Lamb. This implies that you won't experience what the No God Emperor went through. While I'm not aware of the finer details, this is definitely a positive for you."
Souta acknowledged her words with a nod. "Doesn't it make me stronger?"
"No, it serves as a symbol that you have the backing of Imperium. That in itself is quite significant," Saya replied.
"The support of Imperium, huh?" Souta muttered.
He shook his head and set those thoughts aside. Currently, there was little he could do about it. After all, he hadn't even attained the status of a god. He planned to contemplate this matter once he had amassed enough power.
Souta stood up and scanned the entire mansion.
"I'll be gone for a while..."
In an instant, he vanished from his position. He reappeared outside the mansion, gazing at the colossal Botano Clan tree.
"The Five Master Clans... Their strength is even greater than I had imagined."
Souta roamed the third zone, striving to memorize the landscape. He also surveyed the majority of the citizens with his own eyes.
The population included a significant number of ordinary individuals lacking any combat abilities. Among them, there were C-rank and B-rank individuals. Souta noticed that some of these people had undergone training in the past, evident from their abilities. However, when it came to Rank A, only a handful existed in the entire zone. Souta could easily count all the A-ranks he spotted using just his two hands; most of them were part of influential families and served as guards for the third zone.
As he drew nearer to the massive tree, Souta encountered a growing number of experts patrolling the vicinity. Even S-rank individuals from the Botano Family were present.
...
Hono Flaem and her trusted aide, Arche, walked through a dimly lit basement. Their footsteps reverberated, and the torches along the walls cast a faint glow.
Eventually, they reached the deepest part of the basement. A metallic door stood before them, adorned with countless floating letters.
"Open thyself to the blood of the Flaem Family," Hono uttered in a hushed tone.
With a resounding thud, the ground began to tremble, and the letters slowly rearranged themselves. The door creaked open, revealing an expansive room housing a stone tablet at its center.
"Clan Leader... Are you planning to open this?" Arche inquired, her gaze fixed on the stone tablet.
"No, doing so could lead to chaos. This was left behind by the previous clan leaders. They advised me to unseal it only when our nation gives rise to another god," Hono explained. "It's been centuries, and yet no one in our nation has managed to attain the rank of Freedom Realm. It's truly lamentable."
Arche explained, "It's due to the All Filter Barrier Formation. It provides us protection but also hinders our growth. The barrier has been suppressing our ability to become stronger. Despite having the blood of the Five Master Clans, outsiders are unaware of the sacrifices we've made."
"The bloodline of the Five Master Clans... They claim the barrier doesn't limit us, but rather, it restricts our movement. We're not allowed to venture more than fifty kilometers away from our nation," Hono said with a chuckle. Stepping forward, she added, "The duty of the Flaem Clan is to guard this stone tablet and wait for the right time... the moment a god finally emerges within our nation. That's when this will be activated."
"You're an exception," Arche said in a subdued tone.
Hono turned her head and smiled, "Indeed, I originated from a branch family outside the nation. When the god perished, only those within the nation remained bound by the contract. My great-grandfather was just an ordinary family member outside the nation. Well, it doesn't matter now. The instant I entered Selnes Country, my bloodline was purified, and this place bound me."
"Is that truly the situation?" Arche inquired.
"Yes... I'm endeavoring to discover a means to shatter it," Hono responded.
"Have you found a solution?"
"Yes, though executing it is quite challenging. Only gods possess the capability to breach it, or I would require the petals of the Corruption Fly Lord—the Monster Lord of Disobedience," Hono paused and continued, "And ultimately... to ascend as a god myself."
...
Schine Windi, the Head of the Windi Clan, perused a document containing various pieces of information.
He raised his head and cast a glance at the young man in his early twenties. Seated in a vacant chair, the young man maintained his silence. He sported short blonde hair, smooth skin, and a pair of blue eyes.
He was Edmar Windi, Schine Windi's son.
"Edmar, our nation confronts a crisis. What are your thoughts on this?" Schine queried in a solemn tone.
"Father, we simply need to safeguard our country. Let the Holy Lands and the Large Countries handle the battle against the Army of Gluttony. Our circumstances prevent us from engaging in an all-out war," Edmar responded.
"Circumstances, hmm?" Schine directed his gaze back to the paper in his grasp. "We can't afford to remain idle. What if those powerful entities decide to disregard us and permit the Army of Gluttony to ravage our nation? We still must provide assistance to a certain extent."
"The bloodline of the Five Master Clans restricts our departure from the nation; otherwise, we'll face severe consequences," Edmar stated.
"We must still give our utmost effort. As the Five Master Clans of the Selnes Country, it is our obligation to safeguard our nation against these invaders. We cannot remain idle; this is our homeland, and we must stand up to protect it," Schine declared resolutely.
Edmar chose not to respond verbally; instead, he merely fixed his gaze on his father.
...
Souta arrived near the colossal tree of the Botano Household. He cautiously advanced, striving to suppress all the energy within his body.
His gaze settled on the mansion atop the tree.
'A barrier... Infiltrating without detection is a challenge. And it's not just a single barrier—it's composed of several layers.'
The residence of one of the Five Master Clans was heavily fortified. Even his room in Ekatoe City lacked the level of security present here. Souta comprehended the reasoning, considering that the foundation of the Astros was not as established as that of the Five Master Clans. He anticipated that his organization would eventually possess a robust headquarters.
Souta gradually drew nearer, eventually positioning himself on one of the branches of the tree. The area was studded with sensors, yet he managed to evade them all with considerable effort.
It took him a full hour to navigate around all the sensors.
'Next, I'll attempt to investigate the other clans as well. I need to verify certain matters.'
The information he had acquired from Sande of the Durim Corporation encompassed numerous details not commonly known about the Five Master Clans.
According to the information, Paente Botano had six children. Only five of them were known to the public. The sixth child was a young girl, approximately seven years old. She possessed an unusual body endowed with potent plant-based abilities. The strength of these abilities was so great that it rendered her weak due to her inability to control them.
Souta proceeded with caution and before long, he identified a broad leaf upon which small houses had been constructed. A barrier enveloped the area.
'Hmm... This barrier is distinct. It's purely sensory in nature. Although attacking it would easily disable it, I can't risk doing that, as it would alert the experts within this vicinity. However, I might not be able to pass through the barrier physically, but my energy might work. It seems the barrier only detects tangible objects.'
Souta surveyed his surroundings before he heard a faint voice.
"Excuse me, sir, who are you?"
Turning his head, he beheld a girl with long green hair reminiscent of plant tendrils. Her eyes were a pure white, and she donned a simple white dress.
