Ch.359Garden of Paradise. Hulen Plains (3)

Before leaving the Huren Plains, a total of approximately 3,400 soldiers requested discharge, and approximately 3,400 new recruits enlisted.

“Must you really go? The Sun still needs your strength…”

“My body and mind are already exhausted. I’m not young anymore, and I wish to settle here and spend the rest of my life in peace.”

“If that is your decision, I cannot stop you. Here is your retirement pay. The Sun will continue to protect you.”

The beautiful landscape of the Huren Plains had a significant influence on this situation.

In truth, while the Sun’s Army rarely engaged in direct combat due to its powerful symbolism, the real issue lay in the very act of serving a “god.”

Just as all apostles ultimately become terminals of their god, gradually losing their sense of self, the soldiers of the Sun’s legion were slowly losing their identities while their sense of mission intensified.

The Four Great Gods could only infuse divinity into beings at the level of apostles due to their limited power, but the Sun was far more powerful—perhaps it was inevitable that its mere presence would gradually erode one’s sense of self.

Of course, the apostles had chosen to become pawns out of their extreme reverence and love for their god, so they experienced no adverse effects. The problem was that the Sun’s soldiers hadn’t made such a commitment.

Most of them had families and hometowns to return to. If they forgot their families and lost their connection to their homes, wouldn’t they become nothing more than toy soldiers?

Officers and non-commissioned officers with clear “roles” could somewhat protect their identities from the Sun’s influence, but the lower-ranking soldiers who simply “followed orders” experienced proportionally faster erosion of self and worse side effects.

Eventually, soldiers who reached their limits had no choice but to discharge in large numbers. Meanwhile, 3,400 new recruits—energetic young people from Huren who wished to follow the Sun—joined after demonstrating their physical and mental capabilities under the supervision of non-commissioned officers.

Training these new recruits would take considerable time, but since they had enlisted with the “mission” to serve the Sun from the beginning, it would take much longer for their minds to deteriorate.

*

“This has been happening all this time…?”

“I apologize for not informing you earlier.”

“No… it’s not your fault. This is all because of my arrogance. You have nothing to feel guilty about. Don’t blame yourself too much.”

Victor, who had been unconsciously boasting, now wore a dejected expression.

Understandably so, as Victor truly had no idea the soldiers were suffering such hardships.

Being far above the legion commander in rank, Victor rarely met ordinary soldiers except those on the bridge, who were specialized operators less affected by the influence. Moreover, he only conversed with officers of at least field rank, leaving him with no way to notice such serious issues as the dissolution of identity.

Simon resided in the library, while the dwarves were holed up in their workshop-cum-quarters, absorbed in creating all manner of extraordinary items, further limiting their contact with the soldiers.

“Such things were happening?”

“That’s what I’m saying. What should we do?”

“Hmm… I’m not sure. It’s difficult for me to say. This is beyond human power to resolve…”

“If even you say that, it means there truly is no solution…”

The biggest problem was the lack of a solution.

There was one approach—semi-forced rotation of personnel, continuously discharging existing soldiers and recruiting fresh ones to maintain an army of sound-minded individuals. However, this wasn’t suitable for the Sun’s Army, which needed to continue its pilgrimage.

The fact that these side effects had only now appeared despite their long journey suggested that the erosion progressed slowly. It also confirmed that officers, non-commissioned officers, and the Sun’s priests—those who needed clear purpose and autonomy—remained largely unaffected by identity erosion for considerable periods.

However, it was impossible to make everyone in the army a priest, officer, or non-commissioned officer. While special forces might consist entirely of officers, the Sun’s Army itself was already a kind of special force, making it difficult to restructure the rank system.

Beyond the unique aspect of marching with a god, it was a versatile legion capable of airborne operations using shuttles and full-scale firepower warfare with tanks and armored vehicles—truly deserving of the special forces designation.

“For now, it’s best to observe. The good news is that you’re aware of this now. You can gauge whether you can control this or not. If you can control it, that’s good, and even if you can’t, at least you’re aware and can take measures.”

“Sigh… things are getting more troublesome. Is it truly impossible for gods and humans to mix?”

“If they could mix, either they wouldn’t be human, or they wouldn’t be gods.”

When Simon said this, Victor gave a bitter smile.

He knew how much it violated the laws of the world for a true god—not just an apostle—to walk proudly on this earth.

Nariakira Saburo and Victor Walker had become perfectly merged beings after their ascension in Belka. Now, he was Nariakira Saburo playing the role of Victor, while the Sun above was Victor Walker playing the role of Nariakira Saburo.

Even his wife Raisha couldn’t escape this equation. That was what becoming a god meant.

Living in the same world was entirely possible.

But interacting as equals in the same place? That was a completely different matter, and currently impossible.

*

The Sun’s Army conducted a comprehensive mental health assessment and subsequently discharged an additional 2,300 affected soldiers, recruiting 2,300 new ones to replace them.

Having successfully removed those who had reached their mental limits and infused the army with mentally resilient new recruits, the Sun’s Army was busy training and handing over responsibilities to the 5,700 new soldiers. The departure was delayed by about three days because some of the discharged personnel had been from the engine room.

“Current time: March 3rd. Initiating takeoff procedures.”

Finally, on March 3rd, 1204, the Sun’s Army and the Sun God were ready to depart from the Huren Plains for Karkata, the ninth continent.

“The Sun is departing!”

“Don’t leave! We need you!”

“Alas! When the Sun leaves, only darkness remains!”

As the Sky Warden prepared for takeoff, the soldiers hurriedly returned to the ship, while citizens wailed in sorrow at the rising of the Sun.

The impact of a divine being on the human mind is profound—like a walking psychotropic drug. Though not exactly a positive reaction, Victor chose to interpret their wailing not as withdrawal symptoms but as the cries of fragile humans physically separated from their god.

And since the god thought so, it would be so, with no need for counterarguments.

Woooong!

The massive propulsion systems moved in various directions, pushing against the earth, while anti-gravity lifts activated and hydrogen-filled gas cells inflated, lifting the million-ton warship back into the sky.

The plains soon became like a miniature garden below, and they soared higher than the clouds, with the world beneath their feet.

The massive turrets with their whale-whisker-like gun barrels rotated, hundreds of CIWS systems swiveled, and dozens of missile launchers froze in place. This enormous vessel, rightfully called the emperor of the skies, carried 200,000 people serving two gods.

“Destination set: Karkata Continent!”

“Confirmed. Heading to Karkata Continent! Navigators, relay coordinates to the helmsman!”

The bridge bustled with activity, with orders and communications flowing through voice tubes.

In this scene, where a fabric of words and language seemed to be woven, even a god couldn’t help but feel awe.

His journey had now reached the ninth stage, with only four continents remaining before the end.

And on the day his journey, adventure, and pilgrimage concluded, Victor would ascend the throne, extinguish this world’s sun, and become the Earthly Sun that would light thirteen suns.

“Engine output normal. Current cruising speed 123 km/h. Accelerating to 360 km/h.”

After this final communication from the engine department, the Sky Warden fell into silence.