Awakened Earth!!

This gold has become magical due to the high concentration of mana surrounding it. Magical gold is particularly fascinating because, when it becomes infused with magic, it can develop unique properties or characteristics, unlike other metals. Most metals, when they become magical, don't change much from their original form. For example, magic steel is essentially regular steel imbued with magic, with the main difference being its significantly increased durability. Additionally, magic steel seems to have an evolutionary function—at least, that was the case in That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime. However, I wouldn’t necessarily call it evolution. If you keep pouring mana into it, magic steel can eventually transform into an entirely different metal. I can’t recall the exact name of that metal, but it’s the one Rimuru’s sword is made of. It started as magic steel, but over time, and with a large amount of mana, it evolved into this more advanced material. Still, calling it "legendary" isn’t entirely accurate—there are many magical metals that are far more powerful. Rimuru’s sword turned out so well because his magical energy caused it to evolve, creating a unique variant that was exceptionally durable, even compared to the standard version of that metal.

Anyway, the point is, gold is probably the best non-magical metal in terms of mana conductivity. It took several hours to finish engraving all the runes I needed. The runes flowed into the fountain, and the enchantment was complete. Now, you'd need to use detection magic to sense that the fountain was enchanted unless you had sharp senses capable of picking up the faint traces of magic leaking from it. Before, it would’ve been obvious that it was enchanted, as even with small runes, a basic detection spell could detect the runes. Honestly, even a four-year-old child could probably learn to cast such a basic spell. It’s not difficult, and even the magically adept people pick it up quickly.

The fountain would allow humans to evolve more efficiently. The downside, of course, was that they might also die in the process. But ultimately, my plan was to ascend to godhood by using the faith method. While I had always intended to refine the fair energy into true divinity, I had put those plans on hold since I didn’t yet know how to achieve that.

After locating Kingpin with my clairvoyance, I wandered around New York City, searching for a suitable location to build my church. Once I found one, I began planning my approach. My intention was to strike a deal with Kingpin, but there was one problem: I didn’t have an identity in this world. This wasn’t my Earth, so I had no legal means to purchase land. That meant I needed an alternate approach, and acquiring Kingpin's services seemed like the best option.

Though I suspected money wouldn’t interest him—he likely had plenty of that—I could offer something far more valuable. With Sophie’s help, I planned to offer him a second chance at life, something someone in his position would definitely need. The deal was simple: I would give him an item that could save him from death, and in return, he’d help me acquire the property I wanted—a church, ironically.

Typical humans build their churches on places of power without even realizing why. Well, maybe some of them knew, but those were rare exceptions. While Sophie worked on creating the item, which would take a few days, I scouted the old church’s location. It wasn’t in a "good" neighbourhood, but that hardly mattered to me. No ordinary human could harm me, and even the more powerful entities in this world wouldn’t pose much of a threat. The item I offered Kingpin was a bracelet, a one-time-use magical artifact. If he ever suffered a fatal blow, the bracelet would shatter and fully heal him. It was exactly the kind of thing invaluable to someone in his line of work. Magical items like this don’t degrade over time, so whether it’s used tomorrow or a thousand years from now, it would still function perfectly. Kingpin was, naturally, surprised at first but quickly composed himself. I explained that the property I wanted was essential to my plans and that I had no legal identity here. As part of the deal, we signed a magical contract, ensuring both sides upheld their end. Breaking a magical contract comes with consequences, varying based on the severity of the breach—at worst, it could result in death.

Once the deal was settled, I used a time spell to restore the old church to its former glory, removing all the religious symbols. I teleported the enchanted fountain inside, ensuring it would draw plenty of energy from the ley line it was built on. The church itself was concealed with a spell so that only those truly seeking it would be able to find it. I began using runic enchantments to enhance the building further, making it difficult for anyone to locate unless they were actively searching. I didn’t want it to be easy for just anyone to come, especially since the process I was offering could easily kill them.

I sent out a global telepathic message, using thought communication to inform people that the age of heroes had begun. I told them they were nothing more than cannon fodder, leaving their fates to chance. If they wanted to take control of their own destiny, they should seek me out. I made it clear that the process would likely result in death, but for those determined to evolve beyond their human limitations, I would grant them power. Of course, I warned them not to blame me if they died in the process—I’d given them fair warning. Only those willing to put in the effort to find the church had any chance of surviving the transformation.

Just as I finished configuring the fountain to deal with any corpses that might pile up—by rapidly decaying them and turning them to dust—someone had already found the place.