Mike stepped out of the dungeon gate, the light of the outside world washing over him. As he crossed the threshold, the oppressive pressure that had clung to his body vanished.

"Ah… that feels better," he muttered, stretching slightly.

The moment he emerged, the entire area fell into silence.

Dozens—no, hundreds—of eyes turned toward him.

Guards, adventurers, support staff… everyone froze.

He had walked out alone.

No party.

No injuries.

Not even a hint of exhaustion.

It was as if he had gone for a casual stroll rather than clearing one of the most dangerous Rank 3 dungeons in the region—the Crownless Kingdom, a place that usually required a full party of elite adventurers just to survive.

"…He came out alone," someone whispered.

"No way… he went in by himself, didn't he?"

"Did he… actually clear it?"

A ripple of disbelief spread through the crowd.

Then someone voiced what everyone else was thinking.

"Is he a… Blessed One?"

The words carried weight.

In this world, those who awakened special powers—Talents—through the Origin System were known as Blessed Ones. Unlike in Mike's original world, where awakened individuals were rare and mostly others trained through structured systems to get powerful, here everyone received a system upon awakening. Only a very small number, however, awakened Talents, and those people were revered, feared, and sometimes worshipped.

Mike looked at the crowd staring at him with envy, awe, and disbelief.

Hah… you guys are actually the lucky ones, he thought silently. At least here, everyone gets a system.

In the Elden World, not everyone was blessed like this. Only a handful awakened system, and the rest had to struggle endlessly just to get powerful. Power there wasn't something guaranteed—it had to be earned if one failed to awaken the Origin system.

Mike sighed inwardly.

He didn't linger. With the dungeon cleared and nothing more to gain here, he began to walk away.

As he moved, his thoughts drifted.

I should head to an Ice-type dungeon next… to get Ice affinity gem or I can also go to an Apex Class Dunegon boss and then I will have more chance of gaining Ice Affinity either through absorbing the boss power or through loot.

Then a another thought cross his mind.

And… my fourth talent is coming tommorrow too.

A small smile tugged at his lips.

"Hello?"

The voice broke his thoughts.

Mike turned and saw the same priestess from earlier—the one who had shown him concern before he entered the dungeon. She looked nervous, her hands clasped tightly in front of her.

"Um… c-could you help us?" she asked carefully. "We'll pay you properly, of course."

Her tone was hesitant, as if she were afraid he might refuse—or worse, take offense.

Mike studied her for a moment, then glanced past her at the group of adventurers waiting anxiously behind.

He sighed softly.

"…What kind of help?" he asked calmly.

The priestess's eyes lit up with a flicker of hope.

"Let's talk somewhere else," she said quietly.

Mike nodded, and the two of them left the dungeon area, heading toward the nearby city—Lima, one of the major hubs near the Crownless Kingdom.

She led him into an inn and reserved a private room before inviting him inside.

"Please, have a seat," she said politely.

Mike sat down, studying her in silence.

"So," he said at last, "what exactly do you need help with?"

She took a small breath, then spoke carefully.

"My name is Melina Le Devone. I am one of the Saintess Candidates of the Devone Empire."

Mike's eyes narrowed slightly as he looked at her again.

Blonde hair, emerald-green eyes, refined features—she was undeniably beautiful. Yet something about her didn't match the images Mike had seen before. In cities across the empire, statues and murals of the Saintess candidates stood tall—radiant, flawless, almost divine.

And she didn't look like them.

She isn't the same, he thought.

"You don't really look like the Saintess from the statues," Mike said bluntly.

She gave a small, resigned smile. "That's because I'm wearing a disguise. I can't just walk around freely, you know."

She reached up and removed a thin circlet resting on her head. The moment she did, a faint glow faded from her body—and what appeared beneath it made Mike pause.

Her presence changed completely.

She looked… unreal.

A soft, natural radiance surrounded her, like sunlight clinging to her skin. It wasn't flashy or overwhelming, but quietly overwhelming—pure, warm, and unmistakably divine. For a moment, Mike wondered if he was seeing things.

"It's part of the ritual," she explained. "Every Saintess candidate receives a blessing that enhances their appearance when in public. It's meant to inspire faith."

Mike raised an eyebrow. "So… propaganda?"

She let out a dry laugh. "Something like that."

Then her expression turned serious.

"There are three Saintess candidates in the Devone Empire," she said softly. "I'm the youngest—and the weakest. The others are far stronger… and far more ruthless."

She lowered her gaze, her fingers curling slightly.

"I was sent here not because I'm trusted," she admitted. "But because this region is considered expendable."

Mike leaned back, studying her carefully. "So you want my help."

She met his eyes, her voice quiet but steady.

"Yes," she said. "I want to survive."

Her gaze hardened.

"And for that, I need someone who isn't bound by the church, the nobles, or the so-called 'will of the gods.' Someone who can move freely… someone like you."

She met his eyes directly.

"You cleared the Crownless Kingdom alone," she said. "So you're strong—even if you're only Rank 1."

"I used undead," Mike replied calmly. "I don't think your Divine Empire would approve of that."

"That's not the point," she shook her head lightly.

"Do you know why there are three Saintess candidates?" she asked.

"To choose the best one?" Mike replied.

She shook her head again.

"No. It's to decide which family will rule the Devone Empire in this generation."

"You mean each Saintess comes from a different family?" he asked.

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