Show menu NOVEL BIN5Novel SSS Class Awakening: Start With A God-Level Choice System Chapter 31: No Place For Heroes In The OtherworldSSS CLASS AWAKENING: START WITH A GOD-LEVEL CHOICE SYSTEMC31: No Place For Heroes In The Otherworld
Chapter 31 - No Place For Heroes In The Otherworld
Regardless of mana and aura cost, Ainsworth used Freedom Of Movement (SSS) to go from convenience store to convenience store, and mall to mall.
He also didn't let go of department stores and whatnot. As long as it was a place with rich supplies, he emptied it.
To prevent others from seeing and recognizing him, Ainsworth also activated Presence Concealment (A) and Disguise (C) at the same time.
Even if he used Freedom Of Movement (SSS) for instant and unrestricted movement, his class trait which turned it into a passive skill had drastically reduced its mana or aura cost so Ainsworth wasn't drained.
In just under ten minutes, he looted every useful supplies he could find within the city.
While he was moving from building to building, he spotted survivors but ignored them, focused solely on hoarding. Because of that, during those ten minutes, his hoarding was uneventful.
Once his scavenging spree was complete, Ainsworth paused atop a mall rooftop, gazing at the streets below.
There were hordes of zombies swarming the streets, and scattered survivors fleeing in panic. Some were already outside while others were caught mid-escape.
From his vantage point, Ainsworth spotted a man shove a young child toward the undead to buy himself time. The sight drew no surprise, only a quiet shake of his head.
"In a world stripped of law, human nature blooms—its petals rotten, its stamens reeking of betrayal. How pitifully glorious... the true face of mankind."
Yet despite the cruelty on display, Ainsworth made no move to intervene. Neither to save the child, nor to punish the man.
Further down an alley, he saw another act of depravity—several men dragging a struggling girl into the shadows, her screams fading as they silenced her by force.
But even that left no ripples in his heart.
He still remembered that in the Awakener's Code, Code 1 was: Never develop any attachment to the entities in the Otherworld.
Aside from that, Code 5 was: Mind your own business. The less you meddle, the lighter your burden.
Furthermore, Code 4 was: Humans from the Otherworld are not our Earth's humans. Since they aren't Earth humans, they are of a different race.
Ainsworth stood motionless, watching the scene unfold with an icy calmness.
He had studied at Edenbridge High and trained for this. His role here wasn't to be a hero or a judge of morality; it was to complete the Otherworld Mission, no matter the cost. This was work, and it had its price.
The Otherworld was a place where rules were different, where survival often meant forsaking the very humanity he had left behind on Earth.
The Awakener's Code was written and compiled clearly by his predecessors. Each mission was a battlefield, and in a war, attachments only weighed you down.
He didn't have the luxury of compassion here. That kind of emotional investment could get someone killed—or worse, jeopardize the entire Otherworld Mission.
His eyes lingered on the dark alley, but only for a moment. The girl, the men, the violence—it was irrelevant.
He had more important things to focus on. The Otherworld Mission had to come first. And once it was done, he could leave with Rian and Dante and return to Earth with the two of them.
Before he teleported away, a fleeting thought lingered in his mind, 'Sigh... My sister Kyla had been on several Otherworld Missions, yet she remained the sweet, kind sister I knew.'
'Even when she bragged about wiping out an entire country in the Otherworld, she still cooked breakfast for me every morning when I woke up.'
Ainsworth paused, the thought lingering longer than he intended. 'Like her, I too shouldn't let the Otherworld define me. It's easy to lose myself here, but when I return to Earth, I'll shed the inhumanity of this world and take back the humanity I left behind.'
With that thought grounding him, Ainsworth set his mind on the task at hand, reminding himself that the Otherworld was a place for survival, not sentimentality.
His humanity would remain with Earth. The Otherworld had no claim on him.
...
In a single step, Ainsworth arrived inside the dormitory where he saw Rian and Dante inside.
However, unlike the undamaged dormitory room from before when he had departed, the door of their room had been blown apart.
Near the ruined entrance, the hallway was littered with countless zombie corpses. There were also conspicuous human corpses that were severed into several parts. Those human corpses wore the male student uniform of this school.
Dante let out a sigh of relief when Ainsworth appeared, "Bro, it's good that you returned safely. I was worried you encountered trouble which took you longer to return than expected."
Ainsworth nodded and asked, "What happened after I left?"
Rian, who was sitting at the side, clearly in a bad mood, cursed while pointing at the severed human corpses, "Those motherfuckers forced their way into our dormitory when Dante and I didn't let them in."
"I didn't have any sword at hand so I could only use my sword of light to cut these bastards. They even led the zombies from the hallway here so I had to kill those zombies as well."
In a perfect world, Rian had expected that he and Dante would just wait for Ainsworth's return. But the world wasn't perfect, and things didn't go as they'd planned.
Other survivors in the male dorm had herded zombies toward Rian and Dante, either out of desperation or spite.
Rian gave Ainsworth more context and according to him, those male students had wanted to ask for Rian and Dante's assistance in dealing with the zombies or at least let them in before the zombies caught up.
However, Rian and Dante had a good family upbringing. When they were still a child, their parents had taught them not to open the door to strangers.
Yet, those male students were outnumbered and since they were about to die, they wanted to bring Rian and Dante down with them due to Rian and Dante being "selfish" and only caring about their lives.
Hearing Rian's recounting, Ainsworth solemnly said, "If you and Dante were normal humans like them, the two of you would have died."
"Let this serve as a lesson for us to treat this world indifferently. Only with power can we protect ourselves so completing the Otherworld Mission is of utmost priority."
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Show menu NOVEL BIN5Novel SSS Class Awakening: Start With A God-Level Choice System Chapter 32: Strategy Choices For Completing The Otherworld MissionSSS CLASS AWAKENING: START WITH A GOD-LEVEL CHOICE SYSTEMC32: Strategy Choices For Completing The Otherworld Mission
Chapter 32: Strategy Choices For Completing The Otherworld Mission
Both Rian and Dante agreed with Ainsworth, especially Rian. Those male students who barged into their dormitory had left Rian in a bad mood and made him realize their teachers weren't lying to them.
In this Otherworld, they were nothing but invaders and so, they should have the mind of one. Treating the natives of this world kindly would only be their downfall.
Taking out bags of potato chips from his system inventory, Ainsworth tossed one each to Rian and Dante which prompted their thanks.
While they were eating junk food, Rian asked, "We already got food and supplies that could last us for years. What should be our strategy for completing the otherworld mission?"
Dante commented, "We could choose from a lot of strategies. We could either just focus on working together as a team, or even join or start a human survival base."
"We don't have to fight for food and supplies now that we have plenty of it so that solves one of the most difficult problems in a zombie apocalypse."
Ainsworth double-checked the otherworld missions and there were the ones available:
[Main Missions for Unknown Difficulty]
[Main Mission 1: Kill 100 Ordinary Zombies, 10 Elite Zombies, and 1 Special Zombie.]
[Main Mission 2: Obtain 10 sun crystals and 10 moon crystals.]
[Main Mission 3: Obtain 1 special-rank artifact.]
The main mission for 4 and 5 couldn't be completed yet since their mission content wasn't revealed yet.
After Rian and Dante got to check the main missions again, Dante suggested, "If we want to complete 2 and 3 at a much higher score, the three of us alone aren't enough."
"If possible, it's best we can control those military-established human survival bases and take control of their leaders, letting them do our bidding."
Rian interjected, "Even if we can control them, main mission 1 can only be completed by the three of us. I don't know how strong an Elite Zombie and Special Zombie are since we only encountered ordinary zombies but with Ains's mobility, we can easily leave if we can't defeat them."
Ainsworth nodded "That's true. I can take on the role of a scout and with my class exclusive skills, even if we can't defeat those stronger zombies, I'm very confident in my freedom. No one in this world can stop us if we want to leave and retreat."
Recalling what he had experienced, Ainsworth informed Dante and Rian, "I have encountered an evolver in this world and they are humans who have a benign mutation after being infected by the zombie virus. They gained resistance from the zombie virus and could use superpowers they awakened to fight against zombies."
"The one I encountered had the superpower of ice. However, I spent most of my time looting and hoarding those supplies so I never found any artifacts, sun crystals, or moon crystals."
Ainsworth added, "Speaking of which, I find it surprising that there are sun crystals and moon crystals. From their name alone, they should be crystals formed from the essence of the sun and moon. I never encountered them and I don't know their usage."
"After all, this world takes on the genetic mutation and evolution route so I have no idea what's the use of those crystals."
Thinking of a worst-case scenario, Rian speculated, "What if the sun and moon in this world are different from most worlds and contain special properties?"
Listening to Rian's speculation, Ainsworth and Dante's expressions became solemn as the speed of eating their potato chips slowed down.
From what they knew, even in most worlds, the sun and moon were just the sun and moon. They were either three suns, five moons, or even a shattered moon but that didn't change the fact that they were all normal suns and moons.
Otherworlds that had a sun and moon with special properties were very rare and encountering an otherworld like that would lead to too much unpredictability, thereby increasing the difficulty of completing the Otherworld Mission.
Soon enough, Dante suggested, "We shouldn't make an enemy of the evolvers in this world, or at least not on the surface. As much as possible, we need to use them as pawns in uncovering the secrets and dangers of this world."
Rian agreed, "We indeed can't go solo and just rely on our three-man team to complete all the otherworld missions. If we can make use of those evolvers, our chances of survival would be much higher."
Undoubtedly, after experiencing and witnessing the darkness and cruelty of the Otherworld, Rian, and Dante had no intentions of becoming a virgin holy mother.
Ainsworth inquired, "So, we can all agree to not go solo?"
Both Rian and Dante nodded after hearing Ainsworth's inquiry.
They knew that with their capabilities, it was not impossible to complete the Otherworld Mission without using the natives as pawns. However, doing so would yield less rewards in comparison to using the natives.
After he got to know Rian and Dante's ideas, Ainsworth was about to make a decision for their strategy in completing the Otherworld Missions but he soon heard a familiar notification sound in his mind.
-Ding!
[Loading choices...]
-Ding!
[(1) Go "solo" with your three-man team in completing the Otherworld Mission, without having any major affiliations and support from the natives of the zombie apocalypse world.
(Reward: God-Level Survivor)]
[(2) Let your team join a military-supported human survival base and become part of the survivors gathered there.
(Reward: God-Level Soldier)]
[(3) Invite and gather survivors from all over the city and beyond and establish a human survival base with your team as the founding leaders.
(Reward: God-Level Commander)]
[(4) Declare yourself as the "Savior" of mankind. Gather survivors under the guise of protection, instill faith through doctrine, and form a loyal cult that worships you as a divine being. Shape their beliefs, enforce obedience, and create an empire of fanatics masked as salvation.
(Reward: God-Level Cult Leader)]
[(5) Choose none of the given options and choose your own path.
(Reward: None)]
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Show menu NOVEL BIN5Novel SSS Class Awakening: Start With A God-Level Choice System Chapter 33: God-Level Cult LeaderSSS CLASS AWAKENING: START WITH A GOD-LEVEL CHOICE SYSTEMC33: God-Level Cult Leader
Chapter 33: God-Level Cult Leader
When he saw all the choices displayed by the system, Ainsworth didn't hesitate and chose Choice 4.
Afterward, he used the choice reward and gained the God-Level Cult Leader talent.
Soon after, countless knowledge and experiences flashed in his mind, as if he were a god-level cult leader who had founded religions, led empires of fanatics, and sparked divine crusades across multiverses.
From ancient psychological manipulation techniques to divine-sounding doctrines, from sacred symbolism to the art of charismatic deception, Ainsworth was flooded with every method needed to create, grow, and sustain a cult—even in a world crawling with zombies and despair.
'Not bad... this is insane. I even know how to make my own holy scripture and create a hierarchy of believers with assigned roles and duties.'
'It's not just brainwashing. I can twist desperation into belief. Fear into devotion. As long as I frame it as salvation, even the most rational survivor will kneel.'
'Whether it's turning a warehouse into a temple, assigning titles like "High Priest" or "Saint of Cleansing Flame", or coming up with rituals to bind loyalty—my brain's basically running like it's already led a thousand cults before.'
'Hell, I even learned how to stage miracles using smoke, light, and illusion magic. Theatrics and divine presence are included. But since I am not a magician, I can just substitute it with my Ultimate Freedom skill.'
'Now, whether they're desperate survivors, curious scavengers, or power-hungry outcasts... it doesn't matter. If I want to, I can make them all believe that I'm the only light left in this apocalypse.'
'And the best part? The more devoted they become, the more influence I gain over them. I don't need to control everyone with power—I just need them to worship.'
A grin formed on Ainsworth's lips.
The God-Level Cult Leader talent when combined with his God-Level Charm talent would produce devastating effects.
And if he combines it with his S-rank Evolver sub-class's class-exclusive skill Hive Mind (S) and bestowed his believers with the father zombie virus, then not only would his believers become fanatically loyal to him, but they'd also become evolvers.
Currently, his internal archive contained zombie virus evolution strain of ice superpower obtained from Chloe so if he wanted to, he could mass-produce ice-based evolvers.
However, he would bestow his believers with a specific evolution strain only if the believer awakened an inferior superpower. Otherwise, he intended them to awaken their superpower without using any predefined evolution strain so that he could collect more evolution strains.
Whether it was for convenience or to practice in his Evolver sub-class's usage, Choice 4 was what solved Ainsworth's needs.
Building a human survival base and becoming its founding leader wasn't that bad except for the downside that he couldn't fully control the survivors and there would be high risks of betrayal unless he used his Hive Mind (S).
Joining a military-established human survival base or just going with the trio was also out of his considerations. The former would restrict his team's freedom and they'd have to do other people's bidding. On the other hand, the latter would make completing the Otherworld Mission a lot slower and more inconvenient.
After deciding to start a cult as his team's strategy for completing the Otherworld Mission, Ainsworth explained his idea to Dante and Rian.
After he gave them the plan he had envisioned, Ainsworth added, "When I establish the cult and frame myself as the Virus God of Evolution, the two of you can be the High Apostles in the cult."
"We can call our cult as The Church of Evolution. After all, only outsiders would call what we establish a cult while we, the founders, as well as those who would join it in the future, would not deem it as a cult but a real religion."
Hearing Ainsworth's explanation, Rian agreed, "Sounds fine to me. My class is related to the hero and the sword so I can take the role of the Church of Evolution's sword against those heretics and non-believers."
Dante nodded, "I'm fine with anything since I'll leave most of the decision-making to you, Ains. Just tell me what my role and duties are and I'll fulfill it."
Receiving Rian and Dante's agreement, Ainsworth further informed them about the finishing touches of his plans.
He also told them about his ability to control the zombie virus and make those who received his father zombie virus part of a hive mind. Moreover, he didn't need to tell or explain anything about how he got that ability and whatnot since an Awakener's true ability was a secret.
Just like how Ainsworth didn't know the skill set and true definition of Rian and Dante's classes and skills, the two of them were the same towards him.
After a quarter of an hour of planning, the three of them had already known what they would do for most of the part in their time in the Otherworld.
And it just so happened that the three of them heard loud noises outside the male dormitory building. When they peeked outside through the windows, they saw that a bunch of students of from this school had formed a group.
Those students encountered hordes of zombies when they were leaving but they were prepared and were armed with makeshift weapons, mostly melee.
More importantly, Ainsworth saw that at the front of their team's formation, an average-looking male student was leading their group.
The average-looking male was wielding a metal bat and slamming it to smash the heads of the zombies. However, unlike how most would do it, he would create arcs of lightning in his body, transfer it to his metal bat, and release its power when striking the zombies with it.
Unlike Chloe's usage of her ice superpower which she mostly used in a battle mage-like fighting style, the lightning evolver male student was fighting a brawler who just got additional elemental damage to pack more punch.
He rarely threw streaks of lightning against the zombies and mostly killed them with his lightning-infused metal bat.
When Ainsworth saw the lightning evolver male student leading the group of survivors like a self-proclaimed hero, a glint flickered in his eyes.
He smirked and muttered to himself, "Perfect. A flock in need of direction."
"These students... they're survivors, yes. But! What they truly need isn't just protection. It's purpose. Guidance. Salvation. Evolution!"
His gaze sharpened as he watched the lightning arcs dance across the metal bat.
"And who better to give them that... than their God?"
Ainsworth turned to Dante and Rian. "Looks like it's time to begin the first Chapter of the Church of Evolution. We'll welcome them with open arms, and guide them into the future they never knew they needed."
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Show menu NOVEL BIN5Novel SSS Class Awakening: Start With A God-Level Choice System Chapter 34: Church Of Evolution's AttireSSS CLASS AWAKENING: START WITH A GOD-LEVEL CHOICE SYSTEMC34: Church Of Evolution's Attire
Chapter 34: Church Of Evolution's Attire
Hearing Ainsworth's words, Dante and Rian agreed.
Just as Dante and Rian were about to jump down and join the group outside, Ainsworth raised a hand, stopping them.
"Wait."
The two froze mid-motion and turned to look at him, confused.
"What's wrong?" Rian asked.
Ainsworth's smirk deepened, his golden eyes gleaming with eerie conviction. "We can't just barge in like common survivors. That might work for others, but not for us—not for me."
He stepped away from the window, clasping his hands behind his back as he spoke with the weight of a prophet delivering a revelation.
"I'm not approaching them as another struggler in the apocalypse," Ainsworth said. "I'm descending upon them as a savior. A divine being. The one who holds the answers they've never asked and the salvation they never knew they needed."
Dante raised an eyebrow. "So... what's the plan then?"
Ainsworth turned toward them, eyes gleaming with ambition. "We enter not as equals. We descend as divinity."
He snapped his fingers. A semi-transparent system interface appeared in his mind as he navigated through his inventory.
"I've hoarded enough clothes, fabrics, and materials from the mall raids. Might as well put them to use."
He took a slow breath, and with a single mental command, he activated his class exclusive skill, Ultimate Freedom (SSS).
A light vibration filled the air, subtle at first, but soon resonating with the strange vibration of reality itself.
From seemingly nowhere, threads of gold, black silk, and blood-colored cloth burst into the room, swirling around the trio like a whirlwind of divine intent. Buttons, chains, clasps, enchanted runes, and thin plates of obsidian-colored alloy danced in the air, orbiting Ainsworth as though he were the axis of a new world.
The room dimmed for a breath—then flared with light.
It wasn't mana surging recklessly, but something far more controlled. Every thread, every shimmer, every glint of metal responded to his will like an orchestra under its maestro. This was no tailoring—this was divine crafting, and his skill obeyed his vision to the letter.
Cloth folded itself. Runes stitched themselves in precise spiral patterns. Embroidery wove in and out with living light, forming emblems that pulsed like a heartbeat. It was evolution manifested into attire—both grotesque and beautiful in a single breath.
The swirling storm slowed. One by one, the garments floated gently toward them.
Ainsworth was the first to reach out.
His coat shimmered like black oil over obsidian, its silk reflecting faint hues that shifted like bacteria under a microscope. The gold lining that traced his collar and sleeves glowed faintly, forming spirals and evolutionary motifs—subtle, but unmistakable in their symbolism.
A deep crimson mantle draped over his shoulders, the fabric thick and rich like the robes of an ancient king, though it curled at the edges with chaotic, organic patterns that spoke of life born through struggle.
A bone-white mask, half-formed like a bleached skull fused with circuitry, slid across the left side of his face. It did not hide his beauty—it refined it, amplifying the unnatural allure granted by his God-Level Charm.
His silver-blue hair spilled slightly over the crown—a twisted circlet of black metal and golden spires, jagged like viral tendrils—and the entire ensemble made him look less like a man and more like a deity sculpted from biology and divinity.
The Church's sigil had been stitched over his heart: a three-eyed ouroboros wrapped around a silhouette of a human figure, and though it was made of thread, it moved—shifted—with viral energy embroidery, its serpentine eyes watching with eternal awareness.
Ainsworth said nothing at first, simply adjusting his mantle as if it had always belonged there. The transformation felt natural, inevitable. Like evolution answering a call.
Next came Dante. His broad shoulders and thick muscles filled the doorway as the uniform materialized around him. A white trench coat slipped over his massive frame, the interior black as coal.
While not towering over everyone, Dante's physique was clearly more imposing than Rian's, his strength radiating with every movement. The coat fit him perfectly, hugging his shoulders and biceps, giving off the aura of a powerhouse.
The contrast made him seem both angelic and imposing, like a soldier reborn for divine purpose. A crimson scarf coiled loosely around his neck, curling down his chest like a serpent shedding its old skin.
His belt carried silver chains engraved with unfamiliar runes, and his right sleeve bore the cult's sigil—subtler than Ainsworth's, but no less potent. A silent declaration: High Apostle.
Then Rian stepped forward to receive his.
His new attire was sleek and sharp, built for movement and charisma. A sleeveless black coat hung over a mesh inner shirt that shimmered with faint light, like stars buried beneath obsidian.
Across his bare shoulders and back, tattoos inked in radiant purple emerged from the threads themselves—animated by mana, glowing softly like molten veins.
A long sash trailed from his waist, deep blue and embroidered with the Church's scripture in a language that no one had taught him, yet he instinctively understood.
They were the clothing effect brought by Ainsworth's Ultimate Freedom (SSS) skill. Not only was their clothing effects flashy and divine, they were also gave attributes such as added defense even if not much. At least, it was far more durable than regular clothing.
Rian turned, the tattoos flaring as he moved.
A grin played on his lips. "Now this," he said, "is how you dress for world domination."
Dante chuckled. "You're not doing things halfway, huh?"
Ainsworth clasped the edge of his mantle, flicking it with a quiet flourish. "Halfway? Please."
He turned toward the window, his voice now a reverent whisper laced with steel. "A god must look the part before he acts the part."
Outside, the world was as mundane as always. The survivors below remained unaware of what was about to descend upon them as they kept on fighting the zombie horde.
"Let's go," Ainsworth said, the mask catching the light as he looked down. "It's time to show them the future."
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Show menu NOVEL BIN5Novel SSS Class Awakening: Start With A God-Level Choice System Chapter 35: Welcome To The Church Of EvolutionSSS CLASS AWAKENING: START WITH A GOD-LEVEL CHOICE SYSTEMC35: Welcome To The Church Of Evolution
Chapter 35: Welcome To The Church Of Evolution
The moment Ainsworth uttered the word "go", the air shifted.
He stepped forward first, his new white-and-gold mantle fluttering behind him like wings of judgment.
The mask he wore gleamed in the pale daylight, casting an otherworldly glow upon his face. It did not hide his identity but elevated it instead.
Dante and Rian followed a step behind, garbed like apostles flanking a descending god.
They leaped down from the third-floor window with practiced ease, Ainsworth's boots tapping against the pavement with unnatural grace. Not a speck of blood or dirt touched his pristine attire.
The three of them descended without any resistance, defying gravity. Due to Freedom of Movement (SSS), Ainsworth was free to move as he pleased.
With his Ultimate Freedom (SSS), he let Dante and Rian temporarily share the effects of his Freedom of Movement (SSS) skill until their descent from the third floor.
The horde of zombies outside the dormitory was still thrashing against the group of survivors — chaos and growls filling the campus yard.
And yet, the moment Ainsworth landed... the battlefield paused.
Not literally. Zombies still lunged, bats still swung, but attention shifted. The kind that didn't need shouts or explosions to be noticed.
The kind that drew eyes like gravity itself. As if... Ainsworth was the center of the world.
Someone shouted, "Who the hell—!?"
Then, Ainsworth raised one hand.
He didn't shout. He didn't beg for attention.
He claimed it.
Golden light bled from beneath his left-half mask—then flared into a corona of divine luminance laced with pulses of sickly violet, like strands of bioluminescent DNA unraveling across the air. The aura wasn't warm. It was evolutionary, transformative, and viral.
And then it hit.
An invisible wave spread from Ainsworth's body—Pathogen Control unleashed with a calculated will.
The ambient viral energy particles, drifting like unseen pollen in the air, suddenly trembled as if a god had spoken in a forgotten tongue only sickness understood.
Every infected body on the battlefield—every groaning, blood-smeared zombie—froze.
Ainsworth's body glowed with shifting strands of violet and gold, and from him radiated a pressure that wasn't just through sheer will, but biological dominance. The kind of pressure the first virus must have felt when it encountered a cell that wanted to be infected.
And then... the impossible happened.
Dozens of zombies, mid-charge and mid-snarl, knelt.
Some buckled at the knees. Some crumpled to the ground. Some simply fell to their hands and began trembling—not from pain, but submission. Their eyes, once glassy and mindless, glowed faintly with violet light.
It was like watching feral beasts prostrate before their alpha. A collective biological bow.
Ainsworth's voice came next.
Low and velvet. Carried across the field like a secret written in thunder.
"Kneel."
Not just to the zombies, but to everyone present.
His Freedom of Speech (SSS) amplified by his God-Level Charm, wove through the minds of every survivor present, bypassing language, logic, and resistance like a refined psychic pathogen.
Words didn't echo in their ears. They echoed in their cells.
The lightning evolver leading the survivor team stumbled back a step, lowering his metal bat. His lips parted, confusion clashing with awe.
Ainsworth walked forward, arms extended—one man amid kneeling zombies and staring survivors, not stained by blood but by divinity.
He released the pressure that came from biological lifeform superiority. Especially the lightning evolver, when he was standing in front of Ainsworth, he felt the benign mutated zombie virus in his body succumbing to Ainsworth.
As for the rest of the survivors, they felt a natural affinity towards Ainsworth.
Ainsworth was releasing his God-Level Charm wantonly, and those with weaker Spirit attributes or mental fortitude were entranced by his appearance that transcended gender, race, and species. It was simply divine!
Under the effects of God-Level Charm and the charisma of a God-Level Cult Leader, Ainsworth spoke while using Freedom of Speech (SSS):
"You've suffered. You've endured. You've fought like prey pretending to be predators. But now, the apex has arrived."
"You may call me Ainsworth. You may call me God. But above all—remember this. I am the first virus that does not kill. I awaken."
Ainsworth's voice resounded in every student's ears, like the temptation of a devil, the manipulation of a politician, but the allure of a god.
Before the students and the lightning evolver could reply, Ainsworth took the initiative again and turned his head slightly, amber-gold eyes locking with the lightning evolver's.
"Tell me, little spark. How long will you swing that stick, hoping not to die? Join me. I'll show you how to live."
One of the kneeling zombies shuddered—then stood.
But it didn't charge.
It turned around slowly, dragging its gaze across the humans like a sentinel. No longer an enemy, no longer mindless.
Ainsworth had rewritten its hierarchy.
Rian stepped forward and acted, almost reverently, whispering as he looked at the stunned survivors.
"Behold. His eminence the Virus Lord, the God of Evolution."
Dante let out a low chuckle and picked up a shattered steel pole. He planted it into the ground beside Ainsworth like a flagstaff—and upon it, impaled a twitching zombie head like an offering.
"We didn't come to rescue you all," Dante said. "But something far more, as this is a revelation."
Ainsworth lifted one hand again, and a pulse of viral energy cascaded through the field—subtle, but felt.
Some of the students shivered.
Some cried.
Some... smiled. As if finally, something made sense.
"You were meant to change," Ainsworth whispered, his voice now intimate and tempting. "To become more. That is what I offer—not salvation, but transformation. Not heaven. Not hell. But ascension."
Then, with glowing eyes and the poise of a god who had just claimed his first congregation, he declared:
"Welcome... to the Church of Evolution!"
And one by one, they knelt.
Not because they were forced to.
But because something in their bones told them they should.
Something inside them, like a primal instinct, convinced them that the man—no, god!
It convinced them that this Virus God who incarnated in human form descended just to bestow them with a chance of evolution, all for their sake!
Yet, they knew. They knew that their sinful self was unworthy of god's love and mercy.
Nevertheless, they all came to a single conclusion.
They were born in this world to evolve under the Virus God of Evolution's guidance, all for the sake of the Church of Evolution's great cause!
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Show menu NOVEL BIN5Novel SSS Class Awakening: Start With A God-Level Choice System Chapter 36: The Hive Mind Of All BelieversSSS CLASS AWAKENING: START WITH A GOD-LEVEL CHOICE SYSTEMC36: The Hive Mind Of All Believers
Chapter 36: The Hive Mind Of All Believers
Witnessing the lightning evolver and the rest of the students kneel in reverence toward him, Ainsworth knew that his plan had worked.
'The combination of God-Level Charm, God-Level Cult Leader, and Freedom of Speech is more broken than I expected. The synergy of those three could easily make those with weak Spirit attributes pledge their utmost loyalty to me.'
'Even if I dare ask the lightning evolver and the rest of these students to sacrifice their lives for my sake, they'd not hesitate to do so. And to further ensure their loyalty as well as strengthen the Church of Evolution's first batch of believers...'
Waving his hand, purple-colored viral energy appeared on top of Ainsworth's right palm. Countless father zombie virus manifested on his right palm.
On his left hand, he took out a wine bottle from his system inventory and held it.
Afterward, he infused the father zombie virus into the wine inside the wine bottle, contaminating it with the father zombie virus.
Moreover, Ainsworth also used his Pathogen Control (S) skill to drastically reduce the chance of a malignant mutation and drastically increase the probability of becoming an evolver to anyone drinking the wine.
With a snap of his fingers, dozens of wine glasses appeared, floating gently in front of every student.
The bottle levitated, then tilted by his will. Each glass was filled, not with wine, but with the prospect of their future.
Ainsworth's voice rang out. His voice wasn't loud but resonant.
"Drink, my children. This is the blood of evolution, the first sacrament of your new birth. Through this divine elixir, I offer not hope... but power."
The lightning evolver trembled as he gazed into his glass. The liquid shimmered like liquid lightning, glowing softly in the low light.
His heart pounded in a mixture of anticipation and excitement.
'Is this... really it?' he thought. 'The thing I've been searching for? Not just power... but purpose?'
Others shared his awe.
A girl with cracked glasses clutched her glass with reverence, tears welling in her eyes. 'Even if this kills me, I'll die knowing I tried to become more.'
A burly jock-type muttered under his breath, "If this guy is a god, then this is goddamn nectar. Cheers, I guess..."
Then, they drank.
One by one, the divine wine touched their lips.
And then it began.
Their eyes widened.
Bodies convulsed.
Some cried out. Others gasped. All of them felt something awaken inside them.
The lightning evolver's veins crackled with renewed voltage, his powers doubling, refining, and surging into a new form. Lightning coiled around his fingers like obedient serpents.
The lightning evolver, Ken Rogers, became stronger than before. Previously, he was only an Ordinary Evolver and now, he had become an Elite Evolver.
For comparison, Chloe was at the peak of Ordinary Evolver when Ainsworth met her. After she had survived the ordeal of eating the zombie foie gras, she would also be at Elite Evolver.
A red-haired girl's skin glowed as fire ignited from her fingertips, then on her back, burst forth phoenix-like wings made of flame.
A quiet boy clutched his temples as his irises turned silver. Telepathy and memory reading coursed into his mind.
One boy's exhalation caused the air around him to become windier. With a flick of his wrist, gusts of wind traveled through where he was pointing.
"Wind power, noice."
However, not all superpowers awakened by Evolvers were flashy.
Some gained enhanced intuition, others felt their reflexes spike, and one girl blinked and found herself five meters away—short-range teleportation. Another simply felt her skin harden into armor-like iron.
And despite the chaos, not one mutation turned grotesque. No one screamed in agony. No one collapsed.
Because Ainsworth had tailored this gift and it all went according to plan. Even if it didn't, he was prepared to let them have a do-over in their evolution.
Soon, the once ordinary students stood reborn. Their gazes no longer held confusion or fear—but worship.
Devotion.
"You have evolved," Ainsworth said gently, standing before them like a shepherd among lambs. "You are no longer merely human... but apostles of the new era."
And they believed.
Or more like, after they drank the "divine" wine infused with the father zombie virus, they were all now part of the Hive Mind.
Because of that, Ainsworth felt a one-way connection with all his first batch of believers. It was a connection where he could connect to them but they couldn't do the same to him.
If he wanted to, he could access their memories and even forcefully take control of their bodies. He could also command them to do whatever he wanted them to do and even if he ordered them to commit suicide, they'd do so without any hesitation.
With the Hive Mind (S) skill, Ainsworth didn't have to worry about their betrayal of the Church of Evolution.
If Ainsworth's brainwashing caused by a synergy of God-Level Charm, God-Level Cult Leader, and Freedom of Speech (SSS) had made them devoted and fanatic believers, then the Hive Mind granted a kill switch hidden in their mind.
They wouldn't be aware of the kill switch unless Ainsworth told them to.
Even now, when Ken and the rest of the students were marveling at their power as well their connection with each other in the Hive Mind, they all attributed it to their lord god Ainsworth's miracle.
The thought of the Hive Mind being used to metaphorically put a slave collar on their necks never crossed their minds.
With how brainwashed they were, Ainsworth only thought of the Hive Mind being added as an insurance on his control over them. However, he never doubted their loyalty and devotion as even without the Hive Mind, they would still sacrifice their lives for his sake.
At least, one of its perks was that he could communicate in every mind of his believers and issue orders to them, further solidifying his divine status as the "Virus God of Evolution" in their minds.
After the student group evolved, there were now 1 Elite Evolver and 43 Ordinary Evolvers among them. None had remained as an ordinary human and they all became evolvers.
Pleased with their evolution, Ainsworth raised his hand, and with a gentle snap of his fingers, radiant threads of light wove together in the air, forming robes of black and violet—each bearing a symbol of the Church of Evolution.
His voice echoed not through the air, but directly into their minds—calm, powerful, and absolute.
"Wear this, my chosen. These vestments are not mere cloth, but a symbol of your rebirth—your transcendence."
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Show menu NOVEL BIN5Novel SSS Class Awakening: Start With A God-Level Choice System Chapter 37: Override: Ultimate FreedomSSS CLASS AWAKENING: START WITH A GOD-LEVEL CHOICE SYSTEMC37: Override: Ultimate Freedom
Chapter 37: Override: Ultimate Freedom
Ainsworth's voice echoed directly into his believers' minds—calm, powerful, and absolute.
"Wear this, my chosen. These vestments are not mere cloth, but a symbol of your rebirth—your transcendence."
"Let the world see and tremble, for you are no longer children of a dying age..."
"You are apostles of the Virus God of Evolution. My will made flesh."
"Through you, the new era shall rise."
The robes floated down, wrapping around each student in glowing threads that fused to fit them perfectly—armor-like, ceremonial, and sacred.
And in unison, they knelt again—this time not just with loyalty, but with purpose.
As they knelt, the robes settled upon them like divine blessings—black as midnight, trimmed with iridescent violet.
As they gazed upon Ainsworth, awe filled their hearts, as though they were gazing at the sun for the first time.
One of the students, Ken Rogers, the newly ascended lightning evolver, raised his head slowly.
"My Lord... my God... I was lost. Aimless. But now I see. You are the dawn... and we are the light that follows."
A red-haired girl with flaming wings knelt with her hands clasped over her heart, tears streaking her soot-marked cheeks.
"I was afraid of dying... but now, I fear only a life without serving You, O God of Evolution. Let my flames burn away Your enemies."
More followed.
"I offer my fists to crush Your foes."
"I offer my eyes to watch for those who deny Your light."
"I offer my voice to spread Your gospel."
One by one, they pledged.
All different, yet all the same.
Ainsworth's eyes gleamed—not with madness, but with boundless vision. He raised a hand and the very air silenced in reverence. Even the wind dared not breathe.
His voice rumbled like distant thunder, solemn yet warm.
"My beloved apostles... This world, once called Terra, has become a crucible of extinction. A judgment rendered in the form of the dead—risen, mindless, and devouring."
"The Zombie Apocalypse is not merely a plague—it is evolution's cruel trial. The old world was stagnant. Corrupt. Rotting from within long before the dead clawed free of their graves."
"But now... now, you have been chosen. Not by chance. Not by fate. But by design."
"For where others were abandoned, I found you. I shepherded you before the rot consumed your souls. Before you forgot what it meant to reach... higher."
He stepped forward, golden light pooling behind his feet with every step.
"You are not like them. You have not been forsaken. You have been uplifted."
"Yet many more remain lost. Their minds are blind. Their bodies are frail. Their faith shattered. They wander... sheep without a shepherd."
"You shall guide them."
"Go into the ruined cities. The blood-drenched alleys. The broken shelters. Find the frightened. The hopeless. The angry. Speak to them."
"Preach to them of evolution. Of purpose. Of salvation."
"And if they listen, offer them the sacred wine."
"If they resist... do not despair. For even in resistance, the seeds of faith may be sown in pain."
"Convert them."
His final word echoed—not harshly, but like a divine law carved into the fabric of reality.
"The Church of Evolution will not fade like the old world's lies. We are not here to survive. We are here to ascend."
"You... are the first. But not the last."
"Spread the word, my chosen. Let the world evolve... or perish."
The believers rose, each one glowing faintly with the power awakened within them. Their expressions were calm, certain, and sanctified.
And as one, they answered:
"As you will it, so shall it be, Virus God of Evolution."
"All praise the Shepherd of the New Flesh."
"We are your limbs. Your voice. Your will."
And Ainsworth smiled.
A church had been born—baptized in virus, robed in faith, and armored with power.
However, Ainsworth felt that it still wasn't enough. He already established the religion which was the Church of Evolution and he even had a first batch of believers who were all evolvers.
Yet, the Church of Evolution didn't even have a church!
For Ainsworth, that was a huge problem. Even if his believers wouldn't mind, he would. He didn't like half-assing things and since he chose the cult establishment path, he would see through it to the very end.
However, Ainsworth knew that with his current power, it would take more than a day to build a huge church as well as establish the Church of Evolution's territory.
He already planned to transform the male student dormitory into the main church of the Church of Evolution while the entire school would become the Church of Evolution's territory.
Ainsworth couldn't do it in a day as it would destroy his image if he, a "god", were to engage in construction work for an entire day. To further solidify his image as a god, he would need to create the church in just an instant.
Fortunately, Ainsworth remembered that one of the class traits of his Freedom Freelancer class allowed him to access power stronger than his current one.
[SSS = Once a day, for a duration of ten seconds, you can override Ultimate Freedom (SSS) allowing you to use it without any consumption, and achieve doing anything you want as long as it doesn't exceed your limit by a huge gap.]
Although he could only use it for ten seconds, that was only due to it having a duration of ten seconds based on the real world. But if he entered that state within 10 seconds, then since he is stronger than before, his speed would be faster and so would his reaction time.
In other words, ten seconds would pass in the real world, but he could perceive those ten seconds much longer.
After making a decision, Ainsworth narrowed his eyes toward the male student dormitory in the distance.
He extended his hand toward the skies.
Then, he whispered.
"Override: Ultimate Freedom"
In that instant, the world froze.
The clouds halted their drift. The dust hung still in the air. Even the distant wails of zombies dulled into silence.
Time slowed. Slowed further. Slowed until it yielded to his will.
His mind burned with clarity, processing thousands of thoughts a second.
He stepped into the boundless version of himself—where creation was only a thought away.
Ten seconds in the real world.
An eternity for a god.
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Show menu NOVEL BIN5Novel SSS Class Awakening: Start With A God-Level Choice System Chapter 38: Basilica Of TranscendenceSSS CLASS AWAKENING: START WITH A GOD-LEVEL CHOICE SYSTEMC38: Basilica Of Transcendence
Chapter 38: Basilica Of Transcendence
Ainsworth closed his eyes and in his mind, he envisioned.
From the crumbling dormitory, foundations erupted in radiant black and violet marble, reshaping in an elegant spiral formation that rose skyward.
Towers adorned with glowing helix-shaped spires grew like fangs from the earth, reaching to pierce the clouds. Cathedrals don't grow, but this one did. It was like a living organism, adapting and evolving, and would absorb the zombie virus and viral energy in the outside world as a power source like electricity.
Of course, since Ainsworth was aware of the uniqueness of the sun and moon in this world, he also allowed it to absorb the sunlight and moonlight and convert it into energy.
It wasn't a matter of how and why it was possible. But just because, in this state, Ainsworth was free to do almost anything, as long as it didn't exceed his power by several levels. Aside from his lack of firepower to back it up, his versatility and nigh omnipotence now were akin to a god, he could do almost anything.
In the cathedrals, stained glass windows materialized in real-time, each pane depicting the moment of Ainsworth's revelation, the Virus God descending into flesh, and the sacred moment of the first believers' kneeling.
Inside, the great altar glowed with bioluminescent veins, built of solidified viral energy—the heart of the Church.
An obsidian throne rested behind it, formed in the shape of a cocoon, and it pulsed with warm light and subtle respiration, as though alive.
Long hallways emerged, each lined with rooms that the believers would use: meditation chambers, sacrament laboratories, virus scripture archives, and conversion halls with viewing galleries.
Due to his knowledge as a God-Level Cult Leader, Ainsworth could easily visualize what his cult, the Church of Evolution, needed. Nevertheless, even if he didn't have that talent, he could just visualize his wants and needs, and the Override: Ultimate Freedom state would patch up the ones he hadn't thought of.
After the hallways, an underground labyrinth was situated which consisted of three levels.
The first: A training facility for future believers, guarded by viral constructs. Zombie corpses could even be fed to the cathedral and on that floor, the excess viral energy could be used to construct friendly zombies that could be used as soldiers and guards.
The second: A sanctum of evolution research, where experiments and sacred wine refinement would be held.
To automate everything and make it so that he wouldn't have to use his Evolver class to do everything himself, his believers only needed to put zombie corpses in the device and it would manufacture the divine wine he gave.
The father zombie virus infused into the machine would contaminate both the regular wine and the zombie corpses and it would then merge into the final product—a divine wine capable of human evolution that awakened the potential contained within a carbon-based creature's DNA.
At the very bottom, a palace was situated.
Lit in gold, black, and deep violet, with luxurious rooms that rivaled the dream palaces of ancient kings.
Here would reside the Trinity of Faith: Ainsworth, Rian, and Dante.
It was their divine residence in this world, spacious, impenetrable, and holy.
Only Ainsworth, Rian, and Dante could enter the underground palace. Since the cathedral was alive, it would reject and expel any intruders in order to ensure that only the three of them could live there peacefully.
Furthermore, the materials used to construct the underground palace and even the entire underground labyrinth itself were powerful enough to withstand the blast of nuclear bombs.
After he finished transforming the male dormitory into the Church of Evolution's cathedral, his attention shifted towards the school grounds.
Viral threads spread like roots through the concrete and soil, infecting—but not destroying—everything.
The surrounding area shifted. Crumbling walls were replaced with monoliths engraved with the Church's creed.
The school itself bent to his will, reshaping into a sanctified campus-temple hybrid, complete with perimeter walls, towers, and watchposts. Even those who attended the school would be surprised that the surroundings of the cathedral used to be part of the school.
Within the area, Zombies groaned in confusion as the virus within them reacted—not with hunger, but with obedience.
Ainsworth lifted his hand and clenched it.
"Convert."
Hundreds—no, several hundreds—of zombies froze mid-motion, trembling violently. Their rotting flesh glowed as black-violet light coursed through their veins.
Their bodies collapsed into liquid essence.
That essence slithered across the ground into collecting pods that sprouted from the earth, distilling instantly into flasks of shimmering sacred wine—ready to be consumed by apostles to strengthen their viral affinity.
Of course, the viral energy used was the excess. Ainsworth still left enough energy in the cathedral's battery to power it up for a few days.
Soon enough, ten seconds have passed.
The divine storm of evolution ceased.
The new cathedral stood—The Basilica of Transcendence, towering above the land like the origin of a new world.
The Church of Evolution had a home.
Ainsworth's body shimmered as he stepped down onto the now-purified courtyard.
A deep gong echoed throughout the campus—artificial, yes, but resonant. A divine signal to commemorate the establishment of the Basilica of Transcendence.
The scattered survivors—those hidden in gym lockers, science labs, and under piles of corpses—were suddenly pulled by an unseen force. Not harshly, almost gently.
They were brought in front of the basilica's grand entrance, where believers like Ken Rogers stood in full ceremonial garb.
Dozens of terrified, confused students stared at the impossible sight.
A black marble church that wasn't there a minute ago.
They were dumbfounded as the school they had attended for years had changed into something they could hardly recognize.
And above them, from the sky-walk balcony—he appeared.
They didn't know who "he" was, but when they gazed at his appearance, they couldn't help but marvel at how perfect someone could look.
Clad in radiant divine robes, his eyes burning like stars, his voice like silk across their minds.
"My children..."
"You have wandered long through the land of death. But despair no more."
"For today, you have been found."
"This is not a school anymore. It is a sanctuary. It is the home of the new world."
"I am Ainsworth, the Virus God of Evolution. And you... are my flock."
"You may not believe it yet. That's fine. You are frightened. Confused. Weak."
"But I will guide you. I will feed you. I will teach you. I will evolve you."
"Some of you may leave. But you will return."
"For this is the only place left... that has hope."
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Show menu NOVEL BIN5Novel SSS Class Awakening: Start With A God-Level Choice System Chapter 39: Letting The Believers Complete The Main Missions On Their BehalfSSS CLASS AWAKENING: START WITH A GOD-LEVEL CHOICE SYSTEMC39: Letting The Believers Complete The Main Missions On Their Behalf
Chapter 39: Letting The Believers Complete The Main Missions On Their Behalf
Ainsworth lifted his hand. Sacred wine flasks floated into the air, distributed to the believers.
"To my faithful: prepare the feast of awakening. Tonight, we baptize new blood."
"To the lost lambs: come. Drink. Learn. Rise."
"Or fall behind the new evolving era."
The crowd trembled—not out of fear, but awe.
Some wept.
Some fell to their knees.
If someone were to ask them for a reason why they did so, even they couldn't answer immediately.
Something within them had been stirred, they felt that the man in front of them was of divine origin.
A perfect existence that was untainted by the flaws of the impermanent mortal world. Someone who they could confide in, and would never judge them for their flaws but instead, guide them to the right path.
All of the survivors in the school were successfully converted into believers of the Church of Evolution.
Ken Rogers and other first-generation Church of Evolution believers had started distributing the sacred wine to all the newly joined believers.
As expected, all of them became Ordinary Evolvers and none turned into a zombie. The number of Ordinary Evolvers in the Church of Evolution far exceeded the evolvers gathered by the military as it has only been the first day since the zombie apocalypse yet the Church of Evolution already had more than a few hundred evolvers and several Elite Evolvers.
Observing those humans in Terra being successfully converted into his believers and controlled by the Hive Mind, Ainsworth started collecting their unique zombie virus strain patterns and kept them in his internal archives.
In other words, he now had a hundred superpowers since those that were duplicates were excluded from his count. Whether it was Ken Rogers' lightning superpower or another believer's wind superpower, Ainsworth could use it all.
After establishing his base in the Church of Evolution, Ainsworth gazed at his believers who were powerful enough to defeat most threats on the first day of the zombie apocalypse.
Knowing that he could issue commands at them via the Hive Mind, Ainsworth no longer cared about their subsequent actions as he didn't want to control them too much like a puppet.
As long as they fulfilled his objectives and goals, he didn't care what crimes his believers would commit. Nothing was more important to him in the Otherworld than completing Otherworld Missions.
Speaking of which, Ainsworth pondered, 'In the first main mission, it requires Dante, Rian, and me to kill 100 Ordinary Zombies, 10 Elite Zombies, and 1 Special Zombie. Exceeding that would yield more mission score later so the more we kill the better.'
'However, no matter how powerful the three of us are, it's still only at the limit of an E-rank Awakener. Our energy would run out if we killed countless zombies. After all, even the average person would feel exhausted if they were asked to go on a killing spree to kill mere pigs, let alone zombies that have no fear of death and pain.'
'The main mission requires us awakeners to do it ourselves if it involves a mission that requires our involvement like the zombie killing mission. Missions that only require us awakeners to collect like the artifacts and moon crystals could be done by others as it only required us to submit those to Earth's Will for it to be considered completing it.'
When Ainsworth analyzed it further, he realized, 'In other words, what's more important is that we could prove that we were the ones who completed the requirements of the main mission. Even if we steal moon crystals and sun crystals from those military bases and submit it to the main mission, that would still count since we got the loot and submitted it successfully.'
'So, the same could be said if I asked my believers to injure zombies to an almost-dead state and then let Rian or Dante do the last hit. Going even further, isn't my Hive Mind enough proof that I have full control over my believers?'
'Just like using a sword to kill a zombie doesn't mean the credit goes to the sword but instead, the wielder, then what's the difference between my believers and my property? With the Hive Mind, I own everything about them, and can fully control them.'
'Moreover, my believers only have autonomy because I allowed them to. But in reality, they are not much different from puppets or slaves that I own.'
'Since those awakeners who had summoner and tamer classes and even those with mind control-related classes could let others do their bidding and still were considered as completing their main missions, why can't I do the same?'
Reviewing the feasibility of his hypothesis, Ainsworth concluded that the feasibility of it was very high and was worth his experimentation on whether it was true or not.
If his hypothesis was true, then he could let his believers do all the hard work and heavy lifting while he, Rian, and Dante could just sit back and relax and reap the benefits of others' hard labor.
If that wasn't the case, Ainsworth didn't mind since he could still command his believers to collect badly injured zombies and let Rian and Dante do the last hit. That was already proven by other awakeners to work so he wasn't worried that such a method couldn't be used.
Just like those awakeners with a necromancer class, their undead could complete the main missions on their behalf. His believers and an awakener's undead weren't that different. They were both influenced by a class exclusive skill and could be reasoned out as part of the awakener's property.
With that plan in mind, Ainsworth informed Rian and Dante about it and asked them for their opinion.
In the end, they also agreed with his approach. However, they said they didn't want to be idle during the Otherworld mission, as that would be foolish.
After all, aside from completing the otherworld mission, the Otherworld was also a training ground for awakeners. Combat-related classes like Rian and Dante couldn't just sit around and do nothing as that would halt their growth.
In regards to that, Ainsworth didn't refuse as he also planned to improve his team work with Rian and Dante but the three of them decided to take on Special Zombies and above while Ordinary Zombies and Elite Zombies could be left to the believers of the Church of Evolution to deal with.
After holding a meeting with Rian and Dante, Ainsworth decided, "It's time to make use of the Church of Evolution. Even if I just recently established it, the believers could now be sent to start a crusade as well as complete my oracle."
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Show menu NOVEL BIN5Novel SSS Class Awakening: Start With A God-Level Choice System Chapter 40: Ainsworth's Oracle To All BelieversSSS CLASS AWAKENING: START WITH A GOD-LEVEL CHOICE SYSTEMC40: Ainsworth's Oracle To All Believers
Chapter 40: Ainsworth's Oracle To All Believers
After Ainsworth made that decision, he immediately gathered his believers inside the Basilica Of Transcendence, the Church of Evolution's cathedral, while he sat on the throne situated in it with Rian and Dante standing beside him on his right and left.
In front of him, Ainsworth saw all the believers of the Church of Evolution kneeling piously toward him.
All the believers were grateful of the Virus God of Evolution Ainsworth for granting them power and a second chance in life, leading them to the right path.
They were all evolvers who were powerful enough to be a big shot in a military human survival base and they were even qualified to start and build their own human survival base.
However, none of them ever had the thought of defecting as they knew that what they have were given to them by their Lord God. Such thought never crossed their minds as they felt and believed it was natural to serve someone so divine and perfect who gave them power and guidance in such times of peril where they needed it the most.
As long as weapons of mass destruction weren't used by the military, the Church of Evolution's believers were more than enough to deal with most of the threats in the world.
Ainsworth was confident that they could deal with any Ordinary Zombies and Elite Zombies while he, Rian, and Dante could deal with Special Zombies and stronger zombies instead.
With that in mind, Ainsworth's amber-gold eyes shimmered with divine radiance (special effects using Ultimate Freedom) as he rose slightly from his obsidian throne, cloaked in ceremonial robes laced with viral energy that pulsed like living veins.
His presence was overwhelming, like a tidal wave of awe crashing over the gathered believers.
Those believers all knelt in reverence. Their heads lowered as if in fear of daring to meet his gaze.
Activating Freedom of Speech (SSS), the air around Ainsworth bent to his will, his words no longer just sound, but commandments etched into the very minds and souls of those who heard them.
His voice resonated not just in their ears, but in their hearts. His words were glorious, terrifying, and undeniable, filled with hidden charm and charisma that drew temptation and sacredness.
"My children of flesh and virus—arise."
As soon as Ainsworth's words were heard, all believers heeded ardently.
Like strings pulled by unseen hands, they rose, wide-eyed and trembling in reverent silence.
"You were once prey. Broken. Abandoned. Powerless. But I... I have made you more. You have been reborn in my image—not as mortals, but as heralds of a higher design."
Ainsworth gestured, and behind him, the stained glass windows gleamed with golden light, each pane depicting the moment of Ainsworth's revelation, the Virus God descending into flesh, and the sacred moment of the first believers' kneeling.
And now, the previous scene of the second generation of believers' conversion and the current scene of them being bestowed with an oracle were added.
The altar in front glowed with liquified essence, where Divine Wine brewed from zombie corpses swirled like holy ichor.
"The old world has crumbled. And now, we raise our banners over its grave."
"Go forth, my chosen. Purge the unworthy—slay the zombies that infest this land. Let their corrupted flesh be offered to this sacred ground."
"Drag their carcasses back to this cathedral. From their wretchedness, I shall craft divine wine—and through it, grant new life to more of our kin. Let our faith spread like the virus: unstoppable, absolute, divine."
He raised a single hand, and in unison, the believers' backs straightened, their eyes now glowing with zealous fervor.
"Seek those who still hide in fear, in shadows, in denial. Show them the truth. Convert them—or discard them. For the world that rejects evolution shall be devoured by it."
"And should they accept our wine, should they kneel before this altar and drink of divinity—they shall be one with us. One with me."
His tone dropped into a dark, intimate whisper that somehow echoed with deafening force:
"I am the Virus God of Evolution."
"You are my limbs, my voice, my will."
"And this world—this world belongs to us."
A second passed.
Then, ecstasy erupted.
The silence shattered like glass under divine weight.
The once-kneeling believers burst into cries, chants, and sobbing laughter, their eyes glowing with fervor.
Some collapsed to the ground in fits of worship, clawing at the tiles, as if the very earth beneath their lord was worthy of their tears.
"ALL HAIL THE GOD OF VIRAL ASCENT!"
"He speaks! He speaks! I heard His voice in my blood!"
"Purge the unworthy! May their corpses feed His will!"
"Let evolution take me! Let me serve, let me BECOME!"
A woman in ragged academy robes tore open her sleeve, not to reveal a wound, but a radiant sigil of the Church, glowing beneath her skin. It pulsed with sacred rhythm, shaped by neither surgery nor ritual but by evolution itself, awakened by the purity of her faith.
She fell prostrate before the altar, pressing the glowing brand to the cold floor.
"My flesh heard Your voice before my ears did. My soul sang before my mouth moved. Make me Your temple, O Lord of Change! Let me shine as proof of Your truth!"
A group of five students who were new converts, linked their hands together and began chanting in unison, their voices synchronized like an organic chorus:
"From infection comes ascension.
From decay, new birth.
Through the Virus God, we are made pure.
Through His will, we transcend the curse of flesh."
Nearby, a boy with broken glasses screamed toward the Basilica with arms raised. "I was nothing! A coward! I hid! But You saw me! You pulled me from filth—let me be Your sword, my God! Your plague upon the old world!"
Two students, their forms sculpted by combat-based powers, slammed their fists to their chests in unison, each impact like a war drum.
"He is the root! We are His limbs! Through Him, we ascend!"
"Spread His dominion! Spread His law! Spread His Word!"
Dozens joined the chant, their voices a rising tide of religious harmony:
"Spread His dominion! Spread His law! Spread His Word!"
The Hive Mind took effect—not in disorder, but in sacred coordination. Each believer knew their role.
Former student council elites moved to reorganize battle squads.
Martial arts instructors and PE teachers, now Apostles of Strength, led drill lines in praise.
On the floor, a towering boy clad in shimmering viral plate armor, his evolved superpower, dropped to one knee before the throne. Serrated gauntlets folded over his heart, the living plating shifting like a second skin of controlled will.
"My Lord Ainsworth, God of Evolution and Eternal Bloom... my flesh is Yours to mold. My will is Yours to command. Let me be Your edge in this unclean world."
His voice triggered a cascade.
One by one, every believer dropped to a knee, fists across hearts, and thundered as one:
"If our blood may fuel the wine, take it!
If our hands may purge the impure, guide them!
If our lives may be spent in Your name, spend them!"
Above them, the throne of obsidian loomed like a monolith of divine judgment.
Their god did not speak.
He did not need to.
His silence was holy.
His presence—righteous.
But then—the obsidian throne pulsed.
No.
He pulsed.
Ainsworth rose, and the Basilica of Transcendence breathed with him.
The viral mist thickened, forming a halo behind his head. The black stone dais trembled underfoot as his figure eclipsed the violet flame.
He raised a single hand, palm open, fingers splayed.
"My beloved limbs. My apostles of ascent.
The world beyond these walls writhes in filth. Undeath. Chaos.
It screams for correction. It begs for purpose.
We shall grant it."
He began to walk.
Each footfall struck like a sermon etched in bedrock.
"Slay the dead who walk without mind.
Rend from their corpses the fuel for sacred wine.
Burn away the rot.
Seek the twin lights that pierce the veil—crystals of sun and moon, born from the sky's blood.
Bring them to me."
He stopped before the altar, letting the silence hang like a blade on a thread.
"And if you find relics marked with forgotten essence—unnatural artifacts that pulse with power...
Know this:
They were always meant for us.
Claim them. In. My. Name."
Gasps rippled like static through the congregation.
Sun crystals... moon crystals... divine relics...!
Then came his final command—etched into their DNA like a genetic imperative:
"Go now, my evolutionaries.
The world is your altar.
Convert it into blood and brilliance."
He spread his arms.
The divine mist exploded behind him, forming a virus-shaped corona as the Cathedral flared in violet glory.
The room shook—not with tremors of stone, but of resolve.
And so the crusade began.
Not in battle cries or banners—
But in doctrine.
In blood.
In divine purpose.
Let the world be rewritten.
A heartbeat passed—
Then the faithful moved.
Dozens surged to their feet, not in panic, but in formation.
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Show menu NOVEL BIN5Novel SSS Class Awakening: Start With A God-Level Choice System Chapter 41: Arriving At Another CitySSS CLASS AWAKENING: START WITH A GOD-LEVEL CHOICE SYSTEMC41: Arriving At Another City
Chapter 41: Arriving At Another City
All of the believers of the Church of Evolution started forming their own group in order to fulfill their lord's oracle.
Although they were divided into countless groups for efficiency, they were mostly split into three major factions.
The believers who called themselves the Bearers of Flame take it upon themselves to purify the world and eliminate the zombies in the world. They would bring and gather those zombie corpses into the Basilica of Transcendence in order to be brewed into divine wine.
On the other hand, the Seekers of Light would find the sun crystals and moon crystals and present them to their lord. Even if the Lord God didn't tell them about the appearance of those crystals and what their uses were, they never doubted that their Lord God was lying and that it didn't exist.
Instead, they believed that if it didn't exist, then that was the world's fault for not being aligned with their Lord's vision, and therefore, if they couldn't find sun crystals and moon crystals, they'd find a way to make one.
Of course, they wouldn't give a half-assed product or counterfeit as an offering to their lord but even if they didn't have any other choice but to resort to making it themselves, they'd do so without any lies and do within their limits to create the one that their lord needed.
The same went for the Collectors of Ruin, whose duty was to collect the artifacts that their lord spoke of. If such artifacts didn't exist, then their approach was the same as the Seekers of Light.
They would definitely beg for their lord's forgiveness if they couldn't even find what he had asked them for. But, it would even be a greater sin if they couldn't even show any effort and couldn't even make one that wasn't inferior to their lord's vision.
No matter what, it's either they could find it, or they couldn't then they would force the world to produce one no matter what the method and cost.
Those three factions were all led by Elite Evolvers, such as Ken Rogers, who headed the Bearers of Flame.
Nevertheless, each factions might have different duties, but they all had one overarching goal. It was their utmost priority to guide others into the right path like what their lord did and preach about the greatness and holiness of the lord.
Only when their Lord Ainsworth gets to rule over the entire world would the world be at peace!
...
Observing his believers doing his bidding, Ainsworth checked the Hive Mind and determined what they were planning, and he was glad that they didn't misunderstand his oracle.
'It seems that everything is going well. At this rate, it won't take that long for the Church of Evolution to take over the world and convert all of humanity into believers of the Church of Evolution.'
'When that happens, all human believers who had already become evolvers wouldn't be powerless against the zombies. If everything went well, they could even experiment on zombies and farm them of their zombie virus to create divine wines.'
However, Ainsworth knew that such a future would be quite far, and he might have already left the zombie apocalypse world with Rian and Dante before that could be realized.
Nevertheless, that didn't stop him from looking forward to such a future.
To be honest, Ainsworth didn't have many feelings for this world. After all, the zombie apocalypse world of Terra wasn't Earth, his home world and birthplace.
None of the people in the Otherworld were also his relatives, so he didn't care much about them. As for developing friends and growing attached to the people there, it was highly dissuaded and Ainsworth had no plans of doing so.
After all, the world chosen by the Earth's Will to conduct Otherworld Missions would vary and it was almost impossible for an awakener to go back to a world from the Otherworld that they were familiar with.
In other words, completing the Otherworld Mission meant that awakeners would leave that world forever and would no longer have anything to do with the people they met there.
Even if an Earth human married a wife in the Otherworld, they would have no choice but to bid farewell and never meet again. Because of that, it was highly discouraged by experienced awakeners to let rookies grow any attachments to the people of the Otherworld.
Ainsworth didn't disagree with such an approach, as even his establishment of the Church of Evolution was merely to make completing his Main Missions much faster and easier.
He was already prepared to leave behind all progress he had made in this world, but that didn't discourage him. He merely treated it as a good experience for him to test out his power as well as the rewards he obtained from the God-Level Choice System.
'Only power that can be used is power, while those that can't be used are a burden. If ever my believers found a Special Zombie, Rian, Dante, and I will hone our skills. Or better yet, to prevent ourselves from being bored, we can just leave the Church of Evolution and head to another city.'
'While the Church of Evolution's believers expand their influence in this city and gather all of its resources, Rian, Dante, and I can still sharpen ourselves in other cities that have more resources.'
'The Basilica of Transcendence could create divine wine without needing my presence and participation, so my believers can expand the Church of Evolution without requiring me to constantly command and control them.'
'Anyway, if I ever needed them to do my bidding, I can just send an oracle to all of them via the Hive Mind.'
After Ainsworth made that decision, he informed Rian and Dante about it and asked them to prepare their stuff and set off.
He didn't even ask for their opinions this time as he didn't need to. He knew his friends well and they didn't want to be idle as they all wanted to become stronger.
Like him, Rian and Dante also had their own reasons for risking their lives in the Otherworld in order to become stronger.
Rian wanted to become the rightful heir of his father's company to prove his maturity and skills, and then when he was the best version of himself, he would confess his love to Mira Evadne Whitmore, his crush.
As for Dante, he didn't want to tarnish the honor of the Krieg family. Like his father and grandfather, he wanted to protect his country and the world from those otherworld invaders who ruined Earth's peace.
Coming from a traditional military family, Dante wanted to uphold his family's honor and repel and even exterminate those invaders. If he became powerful enough, he even wanted to invade those Otherworlds that invaded Earth and let them have a taste of their own medicine.
Whether it was Rian's or Dante's goal, like Ainsworth, they all could only be achieved if they became stronger.
The Church of Evolution was merely a tool to make completing the first to third main mission a lot faster.
The fourth and fifth main mission wasn't revealed yet, so the three of them didn't know how difficult it was, but only when they had enough power would they have the confidence and ability to complete it.
Furthermore, that wasn't including side missions that they would encounter.
Rian, Dante, and Ainsworth weren't satisfied with merely completing all the main missions. To make the most of it, they wanted to trigger and complete as many side missions as they could, and the power they would gain that way would translate into securing a high rank within Edenbridge High.
At least, Ainsworth's goal was that since the school's ranking for their school year would now be based on their power and rank as an awakener, it would be best if he could become the Rank 1 student so that he could apply for more resources from the school.
...
After Rian, Dante, and Ainsworth decided to leave the city, Ainsworth left a spatial coordinate of the cathedral's third floor.
It was their private residence within the Church of Evolution so when they ever returned, Ainsworth could do so within an instant using his Freedom of Movement (SSS) skill.
After setting up a coordinate, Ainsworth then combined Ultimate Freedom (SSS) with Freedom of Movement (SSS) and let Rian and Dante warp with him across the city.
Since he didn't have the coordinates of other cities, he could only head there by teleporting within the maximum range of what his Freedom of Movement skill could cover and do it multiple times until he arrived there.
In the end, it only took him under ten minutes to travel to a city within the country that was several cities away from where the Church of Evolution was located.
He didn't want to just travel to a city adjacent to the Church of Evolution, as with how fast the Church of Evolution's expansion was, those believers of his would take over the city within just a week from his estimation.
After arriving at another city, Ainsworth, Rian, and Dante had already taken off their respective attire affiliated with the Church of Evolution.
Knowing that he had already left the Church of Evolution, Ainsworth breathed a sigh of relief as he complained, "Managing a cult while being revered and worshiped as a god is much more mentally draining than I expected it to be."
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Show menu NOVEL BIN5Novel SSS Class Awakening: Start With A God-Level Choice System Chapter 42: Dante's Fortress (SSS)SSS CLASS AWAKENING: START WITH A GOD-LEVEL CHOICE SYSTEMC42: Dante's Fortress (SSS)
Chapter 42: Dante's Fortress (SSS)
Hearing Ainsworth's complaints, Dante nodded, "True, bro. Posing as the High Apostle of the Church of Evolution wasn't something I ever expected to do in my life."
Dante wasn't religious, and he only assumed that in the Otherworld, he would fulfill his role as their trio's tank and fight heartily on the battlefield.
However, he never expected that in his life, he would scheme with Ainsworth and Rian in posing as High Apostles and a God of a made-up religion.
It couldn't be said that such a strategy had never been used before in the Otherworld. There were religious awakeners who had awakened classes that were related to faith and the clergy so those who were bold enough would even spread the religions of Earth into the Otherworld.
But, those people were merely crusading about religions that already existed on Earth.
Ainsworth, on the other hand, created his own religion that was even centered around him and his best friends.
It wasn't within Dante and Rian's expectations that Ainsworth would play in the Otherworld that way. Nevertheless, they weren't resistant to it since as long as it worked, then it worked.
No matter what methods were used, what mattered was the results. And so far, the Church of Evolution was very stable, even if it just recently recruited a lot of believers on its first day of establishment.
Alongside Dante, Rian nodded, "I only expected that as an awakener with the SS-rank Hero of Light class, I'd be our team's damage dealer. I even prepared myself to act like a hero if I needed to fool others."
"But pretending to be a sacred figure within a religion wasn't something I had written on my bucket list. I wouldn't say it was an unpleasant experience posing as one, but it definitely wasn't pleasant either."
Currently, Ainsworth, Rian, and Dante were in a dark alley. As they chatted with each other, they left the dark alley and headed to the streets, taking a leisure stroll.
Just as Rian finished his words, before Ainsworth could comment, nearby zombies had already noticed their location and were heading towards them.
Taking a glance at those Normal Zombies, Ainsworth lightly smiled, "Let's have our chat later. We can first test our skills against these fodders."
"[Formless Kitchen Knives]"
After a pair of kitchen knives materialized on Ainsworth's left and right hands, he added, "Oh, I forgot. I already tested most of my skills when I was hoarding supplies, so I'll let you guys have those zombies. I won't steal your kill."
Knowing their bro's intentions, Rian and Dante thanked him in unison, "Thanks Ains."
Speaking of which, except for Rian, who had taken action in the male dormitory, Dante hadn't used his skills yet after arriving in the Otherworld.
Dante had been itching to take out his shield and bash the skulls of these zombies, and finally, he and Rian were given the opportunity to let out some steam.
Firmly gazing at those hordes of zombies that were almost about to reach them, Dante knew he had no time to take out his shield and deal with multiple enemies simultaneously, so he immediately used his class exclusive skill.
Brown-colored aura surged within Dante's body, and after accumulation, it broke out like waves fluctuating through the air.
Dante's dark brown hair fluttered upwards as his clear blue eyes locked onto the zombies. With a brown-colored aura covering his entire body, he stomped the ground and shouted:
"[Fortress: First Form]"
Activating the first form of his class exclusive skill, Fortress (SSS), an invisible fortress emerged and manifested around Dante with him as the center.
When the fortress's first form manifested, invisible walls blocked the hordes of zombies, preventing them from further reaching Ainsworth, Rian, and Dante.
Running into an invisible wall, the faces and bodies of those zombies were planted in the air as if they had run into transparent glass. Due to the lack of intelligence of those zombies, they squeezed together and positioned their arms towards the trio, rushing into them, but couldn't.
It was like a stampede being stopped by a wall summoned out of nowhere. The zombies at the front were flattened by those at the back, who didn't stop pushing forward.
After summoning the invisible fortress, Dante realized that their trio was too powerful and the zombies weren't that strong.
Although he already knew it, seeing it in action, Dante knew that even if the three of them didn't go all out, they could still complete the first three main missions easily.
To inform his teammates, Dante explained while maintaining the invisible fortress, "This is only my class exclusive skill's first form, but with how dumb the zombies are, I can maintain it indefinitely since they are barely dealing any damage to it."
"What's more, the fortress protects those inside and prevents others from entering, but it doesn't stop those who are inside from attacking those who are outside."
Dante didn't even need to ask since Ainsworth could guess that Dante wanted either Rian or him to test his fortress, so he appeared in front of a zombie.
Even when the zombie was only half a meter away from him, that half a meter was something they couldn't cross, no matter how hard they tried, as an invisible wall separated them.
Yet, when Ainsworth held the kitchen knife in his right hand and stabbed it into the eye of the zombie, giving it a lobotomy, he didn't feel any resistance from the invisible wall.
Ainsworth didn't use his class to "free" himself from being "locked" inside the invisible fortress. He merely didn't feel any invisible wall when he attacked the zombie, as if the invisible wall didn't exist.
When Ainsworth pulled the kitchen knife out of the zombie's head, the zombie blood on his knife didn't stick to his knife when he pulled it back inside the invisible fortress.
Like a filter, the zombie blood was left on the invisible wall, leaving Ainsworth with a clean kitchen knife.
"As expected of an SSS-rank class. This is too powerful."
Ainsworth further realized why awakeners with SSS-rank classes were valued by the higher-ups on Earth.
If most SS-rank classes were just powerful, then most, if not all, SSS-rank classes had already touched the concept of rules and laws related to their specialization.
Just like Ainsworth's class that specialized in freedom, his freedom was reflected in his class exclusive skills and class traits, which broke the rules of the world. Just like how he got to choose a sixth difficulty in the Otherworld Mission, such feats already broke the predefined rules.
But unlike Ainsworth, who specialized in freedom, Dante's SSS-rank Immovable Shield class was based on defense. Because of that, Dante's class exclusive skills and class traits were biased towards breaking rules related to defense.
What was the ultimate form of defense?
Wouldn't it be that no matter how powerful the attack was, it could withstand it like an immovable object?
Then what level of defense would allow someone inside its protection to attack those who were outside it?
That was already breaking the rules!
At least, albeit not common, it wasn't that rare for some defense-related skills that have damage reduction or attack rebound. But so far, no classes below SSS-rank allowed someone to be both protected while still being able to attack those who were outside attacking the shield.
That was having the best of both worlds, and only awakeners with SSS-rank classes could have such privilege of breaking the established rules of the world.
After witnessing Dante's class exclusive skill, both Ainsworth and Rian were glad that he was on their team.
Just like having a powerful healer would be reassuring in a party, the same went for having a very sturdy and reliable tank. The two of them both knew that Dante's Fortress (SSS) skill wasn't his only class exclusive skill, so they were assured to have such a reliable teammate.
After Ainsworth tested Dante's Fortress skill, Rian didn't waste the time and space Dante gave them as he decided to summon his trusty weapon.
A surge of yellow-colored mana enveloped Rian's entire body as his silky black hair fluttered and his jade green eyes sharply stared at the zombies outside.
Forwarding both of his hands as if he were about to grab something in the air in front of him, Rian shouted, "[Sword of Light]!"
The air in front of him rippled as countless golden specks of light appeared and formed into a golden-colored sword made out of light.
Grasping the hilt of the sword of light, Rian immediately rushed towards the zombie hordes and slashed his sword horizontally.
He only needed to draw his sword once, as with just a single slash, all the zombies in front of him were obliterated and reduced to ashes.
As the Hero of Light, even if Rian's SS-rank class wasn't as heaven-defying as Dante and Ainsworth's, it was by no means weak.
His Sword of Light (SS) class exclusive skill had a purification effect and even had a natural advantage against creatures with dark and undead attributes!
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