Jason Kin looked at the loli-sized Laffey standing before him, a faintly meaningful smile tugging at his lips. According to the system's explanation, once a shipgirl was enlightened, her body was no different from that of a human. They had the same warmth, the same soft and smooth skin, and they ate and drank just like ordinary people. The only difference was that they could summon their ship equipment at will and equip it on themselves. Once they put on that gear, a shipgirl became an incredibly lethal weapon.
"Benson-class destroyer Laffey at your service, Master. The ears on my head aren't real, so please… stop staring at them." Laffey spoke listlessly, her voice tinged with shyness as she caught Jason Kin's gaze fixed on her.
"Heh, didn't expect you to be so flat-chested," Jason Kin teased with a grin, glancing at her chest.
Laffey fell silent, puffing her cheeks and giving him a frosty, prideful look. "Master, you're awful. First time meeting me and you're already saying that? Now Laffey's in a bad mood."
"Ha, you really are the cold-and-proud type. Come here, let me touch you," Jason Kin said in a tone that left no room for refusal.
Flustered, Laffey's cheeks flushed red as she walked up to him. "Master… be gentle, okay? Laffey's afraid it'll hurt."
"You little brat, what are you imagining? I just want to feel your skin and see if you're really as the system described—exactly like a real person," Jason Kin replied helplessly.
"Master, what are you talking about? Laffey is a real person," she said with a giggle.
When she came close, Jason Kin reached out and pinched her delicate cheek, then gave her arm and slender waist a quick squeeze. Sure enough, she felt exactly like a human. He had to admit that having such a loli hanging around was a huge temptation. Fortunately, he was an upright man and had no improper thoughts toward little girls. After all, "three years minimum" wasn't just a joke. As for whether that stance might change in the future… that was a question for later.
After bringing Laffey into being, Jason Kin was left with only 151 Faith Points—scraping the bottom of the barrel. For a god, Faith Points were everything. Faith came from believers, so his top priority now was to strengthen his followers. The more believers he had, the more faith he could harvest. And with enough faith, he could condense divine power. It took one million Faith Points just to condense a single wisp of divine power, which meant he was still a long way off.
With a thought, he released his divine sense. Above the harbor, the colossal phantom of a Life Tree slowly materialized. Beneath it, cross-legged in radiant holy light, sat a figure whose face could not be seen. That figure was none other than the demigod Jason Kin himself. As a demigod, he could project his consciousness into the void. It was not much use for fighting, but perfect for awing ordinary humans. His very first priest had been recruited with this exact trick, and now he planned to use it again to shock his believers and deepen their devotion.
He gazed down at the worshippers kneeling in prayer. Suddenly, he spoke. Heaven and earth thundered. The Life Tree above the harbor radiated waves of divine light, exuding unmatched holiness. At the same time, a mighty divine presence emanated from the figure beneath the tree, enveloping the kneeling believers. The divine might was like an unyielding prison. In an instant, every worshipper pressed against the ground was filled with reverence and awe. They had never witnessed anything so miraculous. Now they were one hundred percent certain the Lord of Life truly existed.
Jason Kin's gaze swept across them. Priest Vogt's eyes shone with fervor and excitement. "Great and holy Lord of Life, god of the Life Church's faith, please grant your protection to your humble servants!"
"Great and holy Lord of Life!!" All fifty-some believers shouted as they knelt. Feeling the god's gaze upon them, their faith became even more devout.
"I am pleased with your offerings," Jason Kin's voice boomed. "This is my reward to you."
A rolling thunderclap followed. His voice echoed across the harbor—not only to his believers but also to the nearby ordinary townsfolk. As his words fell, beams of pure white holy light shot forth, landing precisely on each believer. The moment the light touched them, they realized in shock that their wounds were healing at a speed visible to the naked eye. Within mere breaths, all injuries were gone. Feeling whole again, the believers were overjoyed, bowing to their god with utmost sincerity.
Then Jason Kin raised his hand once more, sending a streak of crimson light directly onto Priest Vogt. "Priest, you have done well. This is my personal reward to you. I grant you the Holy Light of Life—use it well, and spread my divine might!"
Sensing the wondrous power flowing into him, Vogt let out a trembling shout. The rest of the believers prostrated themselves in fanatical devotion.
"Great Lord of Life, your humble servants thank you for your blessing!"
"We will not fail your expectations. We will spread your glory so that the Holy Light shines upon the world!"
"The Lord of Life's power is eternal! The divine flame shall never be extinguished!"
As they chanted, Jason Kin immediately noticed the faith channels between him and each believer thickening and stabilizing. They had all become zealots. A grin spread across his face. Fifty-six zealots—just like that. For a god, believers were the foundation, and zealots were the backbone among believers. One zealot could provide ten Faith Points a day, ten times that of an ordinary devout believer. This was wealth. Precious, irreplaceable wealth. If Faith Points were money, then each believer was a walking money tree.