[The blood of the ancient guardian... has not descended upon the main plane for a long time]
Gauss suppressed the tumultuous emotions in his heart, trying to remain calm.
He attempted to respond with concentrated spiritual power.
"Greetings to you, Guardian of the Blue Lake, my name is Gauss, and I am an adventurer passing through here."
Gauss did not bother explaining the hunting competition or the Lake God’s blessing, for to such an unknown entity, these human activities should be of little concern.
Otherwise, during the previous Lake God’s blessing ceremony, He should have appeared, and the onlookers wouldn’t have been so surprised, displaying expressions as if witnessing a miracle.
As for why this time He appeared before him,
Gauss speculated it might be related to the ancient guardian’s blood mentioned in His words?
Is it connected to the "Ghost Form" or the "Sturdy Scale Bloodline"?
This so-called blood of the guardian seemed to have piqued the other’s interest.
He secretly pondered in his heart.
[Adventurer...]
The will of the Lake God caused ripples.
For some reason, Gauss actually sensed a moment of human-like thought and pause from Him.
A moment later, He seemed to have received some information.
Returning His attention to Gauss.
[So many years have passed on the main plane...]
"Are you a god?"
Gauss muttered.
He noticed the mention of the main world in His words.
As far as he knew, most of the gods in this world do not reside on the main plane but live on outer planes, possessing their own divine domains, which are also their power cores.
Gods wield incredibly powerful forces, but their true forms are subject to cosmic rules, preventing them from directly entering the main plane. They can only influence the world through followers, avatars, chosen ones, and celestial servants.
[God?]
He neither confirmed nor denied the question.
Instead, He continued speaking softly.
[My name is Mokthra, the gathered will of these waters.]
[Adventurer Gauss, have you come seeking my blessing?]
He continued.
"As per the process, that’s why I am here." Hearing the Lake God ask, Gauss replied earnestly without pretense.
But unexpectedly, the body formed by the lake water slowly shook its head.
[The threads of fate surrounding you are chaotic and brilliant, intertwined with many possibilities... a normal blessing for you is like a drop of water in a lake, vanishing instantly.]
[Moreover, there is an evil mark intertwined with your being.]
"An evil mark?"
Gauss blinked.
He hadn’t felt anything abnormal.
On the contrary, he had always progressed smoothly.
He looked down at his body.
Nothing seemed out of the ordinary.
[Step forward.]
The Lake God Mokthra continued.
Hearing Him say this, Gauss hesitated for a moment, then took a few steps toward Him.
His feet tread on the surface of the lake.
The water rippled, but surprisingly, it felt like stepping on some pliant fabric; he did not sink.
He approached Him.
He gently placed His arms on Gauss’s head.
Soon after, Gauss felt a deep green mark on his body slowly emerging.
"What is this?"
[This is a mark; it may come from a Devil, a demon, or some unknown Evil God.]
[He left a mark on you, allowing them to find you when needed.]
[This mark is not a curse; apart from revealing your position, it won’t harm you in any way.]
Gauss nodded in some understanding.
At the same time, he frantically recalled when this so-called mark appeared on him.
Before long, he had a guess.
His experiences with divine and devilish entities were actually not many. Besides meeting the Lake God this time, there was only that one incident...
His mind’s memory returned to when he had just advanced to become a Professional.
Back then, Gauss’s team wasn’t as large as it is now. He and Aaliyah, who had just joined the team, took on a commission to clear the Ratman from a church cellar.
If his memory served right, the Ratman elder, who seemed to be conducting some evil ritual, said:
"Lord Vesperilia... will watch over you."
So, was it during that encounter that the mark was left?
Because he only had a nightmare for one night, with no subsequent discomfort, and no checks revealed anything unusual.
He had forgotten about the incident.
Assuming it was nothing more than the ramblings of a Ratman at death’s door.
Unexpectedly, he had indeed been marked.
Although, according to the Lake God Mokthra, it wouldn’t cause him harm or any negative impact, it could indicate his specific location when the existence sought information about him.
This feeling of being watched made him feel uneasy.
Thus, he decisively requested of the Lake God Mokthra before him.
"Great Mokthra, since you can perceive this mark, could you please remove it from me?"
The silhouette formed by the lake water slightly fluctuated, and a serene voice with a hint of apology echoed within Gauss’s heart.
[I can’t do that.]
This answer made Gauss’s heart sink a bit.
[The origin of this mark doesn’t stem from a material or energetic curse but is a deeper binding closer to concepts and oaths.]
[Some creature sacrificed its life to create a sufficiently profound "causal entanglement" between you and its master, which has been recorded by the rules of the main plane.]
[My power, originating from this Blue Lake, governs water, nourishment, and harvest, but isn’t adept at resolving such forces.]
[However, you need not worry, for even to High Tier Devils, demons, or Evil Gods, their temporal dimension is longer than that of ordinary humans. A human’s life might end before any concern over the mark happens.]
[If you need, I can also help conceal this mark for a period.]
The Lake God Mokthra spoke unhurriedly.
His explanation made a certain sense truly.
To High Tier Devils, demons, or Evil Gods, who might have long surpassed the limitation of lifespan, decades or a century might just be the time it takes them to nap.
This was why Gauss had been marked for some time without encountering any abnormalities.
The mark had been placed by the Ratman elder at the cost of his life, yet his master, whom he served, might not necessarily care.
Or even if they noticed, they might not immediately pay attention to him.
Perhaps the opposite entity is "asleep" now.
By the time it wakes, decades might have passed.
Ultimately, to an Evil God, the priority of information transmitted by followers of varying levels must also differ.
Within a certain time frame, there might be countless messages coming from followers, and it’s impossible to "read" each one.
And that Ratman elder, undoubtedly, did not count as some powerful being.
"Then I would trouble you, great Mokthra."
Gauss, seeking assistance from the god, maintained a good attitude.
Mokthra’s transparent figure slowly nodded.
Then, a deep blue water sphere gathered in front of him.
The sphere eventually separated from Him and merged into Gauss’s body.
Gauss suddenly felt his body become much lighter.
[I have bestowed upon you an element of my original power, which can suppress the aura emitted by the mark. In this way, I can shield its effects.]
[Additionally, you can also utilize its power to form a weapon.]
[Whether a knife, sword, spear, or any weapon, it can transform freely.]
[Consider it a blessing from me to you.]
The Lake God Mokthra spoke gently.
[As for this mark, when your strength becomes sufficient, such external "marks" should be repelled by your own power.]
"Thank you! Great and generous Mokthra."
Gauss expressed his sincere gratitude to Him.
Although he didn’t understand why, He indeed was very kind to him.
Moreover, legends truly did not deceive, as the Lake God here was genuinely a very generous and kind deity.
Right from the start, He gave a weapon that could change its shape at will, which sounded excellent.
Additionally, He masked the unknown mark’s aura.
[Don’t be too quick to thank me.]
[I also have a request for you here.]
Before Gauss could continue expressing his appreciation in his heart, the voice of the Lake God Mokthra followed promptly.