Only God
Chapter 244 - 209: The Son of Kagawus’s Prophecy

Chapter 244: Chapter 209: The Son of Kagawus’s Prophecy

The question-laden voice ceased, and the scepter about to shatter the blind priest’s skull halted mid-air.

The hermit shifted his gaze away and turned his back.

The High Priest Ora and the entourage of blind priests stood rooted to the spot, not daring to breathe too loudly.

Out of the secret forest emerged a young Three-eyed Ape-man in his twenties or thirties, dressed in simple, clean clothing, his face calm and serene, resembling a lone scholar removed from the world.

"Grandpa Naya, what has happened?"

The young man emerged from the shadows, scrutinizing the group of uninvited Three-eyed Ape-man priests.

Ora slowly lifted his eyes to look at the young man.

Those eyes were pitch black, possessed of a strange magic power, like a swamp that appears ordinary at first glance, but should one stare too deeply, they would inevitably sink into it, until submerged in the bottomless abyss.

"You... who are you?"

Ora asked tremulously.

Hermit Naya glanced at the High Priest, making Ora’s skin crawl.

"My name is Antion."

"Antion?"

Ora had never heard of anyone bearing this name; it was exceedingly rare.

Typically, the names chosen by Three-eyed Ape People were related to deserts, rivers, or Kagawus, or they were historical names.

Take Lam, for instance. As the founding King of the Ajia Kingdom was named Lam, almost one-twentieth of the nobles in the Ajia Lands bore the name Lam or its variants: Raman, Lammon, Ruo Mu.

Seeing Ora’s confusion, Antion explained:

"This is a name from the Elves,

bestowed upon my parents by Kagawus through prophecy.

This name is said to come from a mortal whom even the mysterious Kagawus could not forget."

Ora was astounded, sweat beading his neck.

In other words, this name was personally given by Kagawus.

The young man before him had a name bestowed by the Divine...

Who... exactly was he?

The hermit tapped his wooden staff, and the dull thuds curbed Ora’s wish to question further.

High Priest Ora closed his mouth, watching the hermit with trepidation and bewilderment.

That was the legendary hermit, versed in the secrets of the Divine...

Guided by Kagawus, he had spent countless days and nights on this isolated island.

The hermit regarded the unwelcome guests with an indifferent mien.

On the other hand, his disciple, Antion, was the first to ask:

"Why have you come here?"

Ora hesitated for a moment, just about to reveal his original intention.

But the kneeling blind priest interjected:

"O Hermit and the disciple of the Hermit, we have come because of the prophecy, because of the revelation from Kagawus!"

Ora blanked out for a moment but quickly grasped the blind priest’s intent.

To blurt out their original intention would likely lead to rejection, or worse, endanger their lives.

But... if it was in the name of a revelation from Kagawus...

"We indeed came because of Kagawus’s revelation!"

After speaking, Ora humbly added,

"I am the head priest of the Great Ajia Temple, Ora."

Antion looked curious, and after exchanging a glance with the hermit, he continued to inquire:

"A prophecy? What sort of revelation did Kagawus give you?"

Ora, slightly energized, said:

"Kagawus has revealed to us that ’the Hermit must embark on our ship to the lands of Ajia.’"

After these words, the hermit looked over.

A chill ran down Ora’s spine.

He realized something...

The prophecy stated that the hermit must take their ship, but it did not say that he and his companions could return alive...

The horrifying thought lodged itself in Ora’s mind, sending shivers through his body.

"Since it is a prophecy, it must be a revelation from Kagawus."

Antion’s calming voice fell.

Ora looked to Antion like a drowning man clutching at a straw.

Compared to the reclusive and fearsome hermit, his disciple—the gentle-natured Antion—offered Ora a glimmer of hope for life.

Antion waved them up, saying:

"Rise, do not fear, I and Grandpa Naya will not harm you."

With that soothing voice, the hearts of the gathering of priests settled, their legs trembling as they rose from the ground.

The blind priest pressed one hand to his forehead and the other to his chest, praying to Kagawus, still shaken.

Then, the hermit turned coldly and uttered,

"Follow me, we set out tomorrow morning."

The reaction from Naya left Ora somewhat perplexed; he had not expected the reclusive sage to accept their words without suspicion.

Ora looked at the hermit and suddenly felt that he had long been prepared, long been waiting.

Was that legend true too?

Ora murmured in his heart.

The hermit had always been waiting for the confirmation of a certain prophecy.

Antion and the hermit led the group deeper into the secret forest, and after passing through the layered shadows, the space before them suddenly opened up.

A clear spring flowed from an unknown source into a gentle river bordered by wildflowers, with no branches overhead to obscure the view, and a crystal-clear sky when one looked up.

On a hill in the distance stood a double-storied wooden house, rustic and simple, with salted fish hanging outside, a few scattered farmlands below, and a stone platform for drying sea salt, covered in coarse grey grains.

Those priests, who spent their days immersed in spices, fine wines, and the gold and silver treasures before the Divine Statues, were astounded at the sight of the old and the young living a life of piety in such a primitive setting, faithfully worshipping Kagawus.