The Archangel Flame hovered in midair, its bright yellow wings—now reinforced with gleaming armor plating—fully spread. In its grasp, the flaming sword pulsed with an intense heat, causing the temperature in the room to rise ever so slightly.
"Woo…"
Sensing the overwhelming power radiating from the summoned angel, the little Barghest instinctively shrank back, tucking its head down as it scurried behind Sakeer's legs for shelter.
Sakeer, however, was focused entirely on the third-rank angel before him. His gaze roamed up and down its divine form, a glimmer of intrigue flickering in his eyes.
"Faith magic… is kind of interesting."
Reflecting on the spell-casting process, he realized something rather peculiar—
It hadn't required any belief in a fixed deity at all.
During his brief meditation, Sakeer had done nothing more than visualize himself in his mind's eye.
"If the casters of this world can believe in the Six Great Gods…"
"Then why can't I believe in myself?"
After all—he was a player.
And then—
As if responding to his thoughts, he had suddenly sensed an invisible field of magic.
To confirm his theory, Sakeer had begun imagining angels—not just from this world, but from the various works of his past life.
And just like that, he once again felt that same mysterious force stir within him.
So… what exactly was this force?
If he had to describe it—
Sakeer furrowed his brows, lowering his head in thought.
It wasn't quite mana… nor was it something as direct as divine intervention.
Instead, it felt as though his own will had been transmitted into something greater, triggering a reaction within this unseen magical entity.
No—
It was more than just a reaction.
It was a judgment!
But what was being judged?
That part, Sakeer couldn't fully grasp yet.
What he did know was that the process occurred instantaneously—too fast to properly analyze in the moment.
Shifting his gaze back to the Archangel Flame, he instinctively tested their connection.
Sure enough, he could manipulate the angel's movements with nothing more than a thought.
Even without issuing direct commands, the summoned creature prioritized his protection by default.
This kind of summon…
"It's too well-suited for me."
As someone deliberately disguising himself as a magic caster, this spell was perfect. He could command powerful summons while keeping his close-combat abilities hidden.
"With my current Faith Casting Level, I've reached Level 40."
"That means I should be able to cast up to Sixth Order magic (Level 36–42)!"
This thought flashed through his mind as he closed his eyes once more.
Currently, his convertible faith professions had increased to four—
Priestess (10Lv)Priest (10Lv)Forest Priest (10Lv)High Priestess (10Lv)
With his recent experience, re-entering meditative focus was effortless.
A pulse of mana surged outward from his body.
But—
The next moment, it abruptly dissipated!
Sakeer's eyes snapped open, his expression flickering with both shock and confusion.
"What? I… failed?"
Refusing to accept the result, he closed his eyes again and concentrated.
Yet—
The outcome remained the same.
No matter how many times he tried, he was unable to summon a Fourth Order angel.
And then—
It clicked.
"I see!"
Sakeer's eyes sharpened with realization.
When he had successfully summoned the Third Order angel, the sense of judgment had been present, but not particularly strong.
However, attempting a Fourth Order summon?
The resistance was undeniable.
This meant that the judgment process was real—and now, he finally understood how it worked.
1️⃣ First Judgment: Mastery of the Spell
Before an angel could be summoned, the caster had to possess knowledge of the corresponding magic.
Sakeer had already mastered Angel Summoning, so this condition was easily met.
Passed.
2️⃣ Second Judgment: Caster's Faith Level
To wield faith magic, the caster's Faith Level had to be high enough.
Given Sakeer's immense faith energy, this requirement was also satisfied.
Passed.
3️⃣ Third Judgment: Summonable Level Restriction
This was where the problem arose.
To summon a Fourth Order angel, the summoned creature would need to be Level 22–28.
But—
Sakeer himself was only Level 21.
And in this world, summoning creatures of a higher level than the caster was strictly forbidden.
Failed.
The so-called judgment process was nothing more than a systematic verification of conditions.
When he failed to summon a Fourth Order angel, it wasn't because he lacked power—
It was because he lacked the required level.
His mind raced as he processed this revelation.
"So, in other words…"
"The limitations of Faith Magic are not bound by belief—"
"—but by strict rules, just like a game system."
And with that, everything finally made sense.
This wouldn't happen to people from other worlds.
After all, no one else shared Sakeer's unique situation—where his caster level exceeded his player level.
"For natives of this world, mastering higher-tier magic is a gradual learning process—"
"A process tied directly to the growth of their professional level."
But Sakeer's case was different.
"I was able to activate [Third Order Angel Summoning] because I had already mastered [Second Order Angel Summoning]. By leveraging a higher caster level to override its constraints, I forced the summoning to succeed."
Sakeer let out a low chuckle, a strange expression crossing his face.
"So this… is the magic system of this world's faith-based casters?"
The magical force he had sensed earlier—it wasn't something foreign.
Rather, it felt like a fundamental energy of the world itself.
"If that's the case, then the foundation of faith magic…"
He pondered, piecing it together.
It wasn't just about reciting incantations. Instead, it seemed to involve harmonizing one's own magical energy with the natural forces of the world—blending them into a single flow.
And faith?
Perhaps it wasn't about worshiping a deity at all.
Instead, it might be a means of attuning oneself to a particular aspect of nature's energy.
This was merely speculation, of course.
Sakeer wasn't entirely certain.
After all, in the game, faith magic had only existed as background lore—a feature of world-building rather than a mechanic he could interact with directly.
And here, in reality?
He hadn't yet had the chance to converse with a faith-based magic user to confirm his theory.
But—
With this personal experience, his understanding of faith magic had undoubtedly grown clearer!
Bang—
A faint magical disturbance rippled through the air, pulling Sakeer out of his thoughts.
His gaze snapped to the side.
The Angel Guardian—previously summoned through a magic scroll—was beginning to dissipate.
A gentle glow of light spread across its form as it slowly dissolved into shimmering particles.
Sakeer frowned, then quickly grabbed the pocket watch on the nearby table to check the time.
"A little over twenty-nine minutes… close to half an hour."
He tapped his fingers against the metal casing, silently calculating.
"That should be enough time for a typical battle."
Then, shifting his gaze, he turned his attention to the Archangel Flame—his own summon.
So far, it showed no signs of fading.
Unlike the Angel Guardian, it remained standing—unyielding, unwavering.
"So as long as it isn't destroyed, self-summoned angels remain for a longer duration?"
A thought formed in his mind.
"I should test its endurance."
Sakeer raised a hand and reached into the void, retrieving his short staff—[Silencer].
A pulse of invisible magical force spread out, enveloping the entire room in a suppressive field.
Fortunately, the hotel room had been designed for adventurer teams.
Aside from a bed and a small wooden table, there was little furniture to get in the way.
The space was open enough for combat.
"Attack me."
At his command, the Archangel Flame stirred.
A sharp red glow flickered across the eyepiece of its helmet, and in the next instant—
Whoosh!
The bright yellow wings behind it flared, and it launched forward with a burst of speed!
Sou!
The angel rushed him, raising its flaming sword high before bringing it down in a deadly arc.
Sakeer reacted instantly.
He ducked low, dodging the strike just in time. Then, using the momentum of his pivot, he kicked off the ground—quickly widening the distance between them.
His eyes flickered with analysis.
"Its speed is… decent."
"About the same as an adult Barghest."
His expression remained neutral as he twisted his wrist, summoning an iron sword into his grasp.
Just as he steadied his stance—
Bang!
The Archangel Flame surged forward again.
Its flaming sword crashed into his iron blade, sending a shower of sparks into the air.
Ding!
A sharp, grating sound of metal-on-metal echoed through the room.
Sakeer adjusted his stance, bringing his arms closer to his chest while slightly bending his legs to absorb the impact.
Yet, instead of strain, a flicker of excitement crossed his face.
"The strength… isn't bad."
His gaze flicked toward the Archangel Flame's sword.
He could sense it now—
The weapon was infused with both fire and divine magic.
Against undead creatures, the divine energy would be especially devastating.
But against non-undead opponents like himself?
The fire attribute would deal the bulk of the damage.
"Then—"
"—it's my turn."
Sakeer tightened his grip on the iron sword.
Then, with a sharp exhale, he shifted his weight and lashed out—
His foot struck forward in a powerful kick, aiming straight for the Archangel Flame's chest!
(End of Chapter)