Eren acted as if he was taken aback by Jivem's sudden proposal.
Jivem smiled before speaking further.
"I know it's sudden. And I also know that people on Jiren don't like to involve themselves with the path of the divine. But please hear me out before making your decision, young man."
Jivem sat back in his chair and assumed his priest-like calm demeanor once again before continuing.
"A Ranker's talent and potential is determined by the Individuality they cultivate ever since they started on their Ranking Journey. Your Individuality tells me that you could achieve great things if there's a force supporting you in the continent of Onianum.
I don't know how they did things in Jiren, boy. But here, you'll need a strong backer, an organization that can back you up. That is if you don't want to be taken advantage of by the hyenas that are prowling here.
Your Individuality also tells me you are strong and capable. It also tells me that you are very compatible with our god's teachings. Your Individuality exudes a solitary pursuit that isn't dependent upon the allies you might gain along the way.
You harness feelings of loneliness in your heart. You know about our god's divinity, right? If you say yes, not only will we get a promising Templar in the future, but you will also gain a strong backing in the form of Ishgaar's Temple."
Eren was genuinely surprised by how much the Archpriest was able to deduce about his personality by analyzing his Individuality– his aura. He had to say that the man in front of him was very perceptive.
'I guess, no matter the path of a practitioner, anyone who could win over Sages easily isn't someone I can take lightly of,' Eren thought to himself.
"The feelings of loneliness, huh?" Eren smiled bitterly before responding.
"As of yet, I am not sure about following a god's teachings, Archpriest Jiren. I am still a newbie on Onianum. So I'd like to explore this continent a bit before I make my decision. Who knows? I might not be a suitable candidate to follow God Ishgaar's teachings in the future when I am done with my exploration," Eren said calmly, giving Jivem the reason he had already prepared well in advance.
Eren had already guessed that Ishgaar's Temple might try to rope him in considering the kind of enemy he had dealt with and revived. He had come to realize that the coven of witches he had taken care of was seen as a great threat by the Ishgaar's Templars. So this proposal was bound to get offered to him.
"That's a good point, young man. But do you know why the Skills offered in God Ishgaar's Skill Tree are so destructive in nature?" Jivem asked his next question in an attempt to persuade Eren further. It was as if he had already expected a "no" from Eren and still wanted to turn it into a "yes".
"I… I don't know. Please enlighten me," Eren said to Jivem, maintaining his cool and listening patiently. Even though he would never join Ishgaar's Temple, it never hurt to listen. And he wanted the resources offered by the temple. So saying a blatant "no" to them wasn't in his best interest.
"Most of the Skills offered by God Ishgaar's Skill Tree are destructive in nature because the feeling of loneliness is destructive at its core. Or rather, it will eventually bring destruction to those who cultivate it within their heart if it is not handled properly.
If people fail to channel their feelings of solitude the right way, they will corrode them from within, turning them into bitter-minded people that can only cause harm and chaos to the world. I am not saying you will embark on the destructive path because of your Individuality. But things will go much more smoothly for you if you join us.
God Ishgaar will set you on the right path and help you make sense of your feelings of solitude. His teachings will help you grow your Individuality in the right direction. We will also provide you with a sought-after Tantra that is suitable for your Individuality.
And if you perform well as a Templar for us, we will provide you with the remaining Ranking resources as well. Of course, you will be issued a Hex Artifact set that is tailored for your personal use."
It seemed Jivem was keen on taking Eren under his wings. The latter's curiosity was obviously piqued when Jivem included a suitable Tantra for him as one of the potential rewards if he were to join the Templars. However, he knew gaining only one Tantra at the cost of sacrificing his freedom wasn't a trade suitable for him.
"How can I follow God Ishgaar's teachings when I enjoy the company of women?" Eren said and shook his head. "You are giving too much importance to me, archpriest Jivem. I don't think I deserve to waste your time."
"Haha," Jivem chuckled when he heard Eren's words.
"I don't blame you if you think all of God Ishgaar's followers are all loners with no partners in their lives. You have come from a neutral continent after all.
While it is indeed the case, for the most part, not all of god Ishgaar's followers are hermits. There are people like me as well. I have four wives and seven children. And yet, I do just fine as a follower of Ishgaar, am I not?"
Eren was genuinely taken aback by Archpriest Jivem's personal information. He couldn't have imagined that the man sitting in front of him was also a "player" so to speak. A priest with four wives.
"How?" he asked while looking at Jivem with confusion.
"Hahaha. Married men can feel lonely too, young man," Jivem chuckled before continuing.
"In fact, there are times when married men feel most lonely right in their homes even if they are surrounded by the people they love and care about. The feeling of solitude doesn't exactly go away when you find yourself surrounded by a crowd.
The feelings of loneliness are universal and one of the most primal feelings one could feel irrespective of their circumstances. This was why our God was able to form his own pantheon. It was because his Divinity allowed him to grow at an exponential rate.
So it's not about the amount of feelings you feel in your heart. It's about how you control them. It's about how you use them as fuel to shape your reality."
One had to say that Jivem was very persistent. As such, the discussion between Eren and him was stretched for hours on end.
In the end, the Archpriest finally gave up on recruiting Eren right away. He felt that letting go of a stellar candidate like Eren go away was indeed a bit regretful.
But he would have been tagged as a salesman rather than a priest if he had kept pestering Eren about the same topic. As such, he let Eren go after giving him the resources he had promised.
However, Jivem managed to make Eren perform a few tasks for the Ishgaar's Temple in the future. Jivem just didn't want to let go of a promising young man just like that. So he hired Eren's help by practically turning him into a mercenary.
Eren didn't want to attach himself to any temple right away. However, doing mercenary work was something he was comfortable with for the time being. Jivem also promised good rewards for all his successful mission completions so there was no reason to hesitate.
Thus, the butcher finally agreed with Jivem on something, ending the debate between them.
***
"So it seems you will be working with me in the capacity of a mercenary," Akel Aloom addressed Eren with a smile on his face. "Hahaha. Archpriest Jivem doesn't look like it but he can be very persuasive when he wants to be," Akel said while patting Eren's back in a friendly manner.
"It will be a pleasure working with you, Akel." Eren smiled back. "I want to regain my access to the Menaka's Blessing. You must have been briefed by Archpriest Jivem, I take it."
"Indeed," Akel said. "Follow me."
Akel led Eren to Brol's city administration hall where Menaka's Blessing could be given to all those who were born in the region. The people in the city hall were confused when they saw that a grown man was standing inside a runic circle that was usually used by kids.
Akel took care of all the formalities on behalf of Jivem and allowed Eren to cut through the crowd and take Menaka's Blessing on a priority basis. Eren stood motionlessly, allowing the runic circle to get activated and impart a brand on his soul.
Eren felt a connection to a divine entity as soon as the brand on his soul was established. While his eyes were closed, he saw a vast spatial emptiness that was filled with nothing but stars and asteroids in all directions. And right in front of him was a beautiful yet colossal cosmic figure of a goddess who had her eyes, ears, and mouth sealed.
This entity was none other than Goddess Menaka, the one who ruled over an all-encompassing Mesh.
Inheritor of Elder Ichor!
A thought rippled through Eren's mind as he felt his vision was getting blurred just by looking at the goddess' cosmic figure. He felt that the regular mortals weren't even allowed to lay their eyes on the goddess' true form during the ritual to accept her Blessing.
It was only because he was a demigod and the fact that he was the true inheritor of God Aleph's divine throne that she had made an exception for him.
