Kain listened intently as Serena continued her explanation through their mental link, her words painting a picture of the Western Continent's twisted hierarchy of power.
"Their entire cultivation system," she said, "is structured like a pyramid—an immense, unforgiving one, where those at the top grow fat on the devotion of those beneath them."
Kain's eyes flicked to the Holy Son, who was still calmly weathering the Eastern girl's fury. "So it's a scam? Do the followers get anything out of it?"
"Not a scam," Serena corrected. " And yes. They get protection. Although things are relatively peaceful now, aside from the odd beast-tide or Abyssal attack, keep in mind that less than a millennium ago, humanity existed mostly in the form of isolated city-states, frequently destroyed by rampaging spiritual creatures. Back then, that centralized structure of worship—the promise of divine guardianship—was seen as necessary for survival. It was a pact built on fear."
"But now?" Kain asked.
