Chapter 127: Was I Swapped Out Just Now? (Part 1)

Chapter 127: Was I Swapped Out Just Now? (Part 1)



At this moment, Rain noticed that after the battle with Andrew and the accumulated combat experience from previous encounters with 'Carave' and 'Fog Demon', his Bear Sword Technique had reached lv5 (1988/2000).

Just one final step away from breaking through to lv6.

So, when Jennie came running over from the carriage, her face filled with worry, her long skirt held up in her hands, she was met with a surprising sight. Rain, who had been drenched in sweat and in visible pain, suddenly stood up with a joyous expression, his spirit rejuvenated.

Jennie was left dumbfounded!

"Lord Rain, are you alright?" Jennie stammered, still in shock after a while.

"Huh? Miss Jennie, why are you here?" Rain asked in surprise.

Could the Crowley family be involved in this matter too? Rain's vigilance was heightened after being ambushed earlier.

"I... I came to deliver something to Lord Rain."

"Wait!" Rain gestured for silence.

He had heard screams coming from within Shiny Gold Town again.

This time, the voices were chaotic and a bit farther away, but Rain's perception allowed him to discern that it was a group of people screaming and shouting.

It seemed that the Black Flame Church had sent more than just Andrew this time.

Moreover, their objective appeared to be more significant than simply killing him.

Rain's suspicions about the Black Flame Church's intentions grew.

Glancing at Andrew's body beside him, Rain realized that the corpse needed to be preserved as evidence, and he hadn't had a chance to collect his spoils of war yet.

After a moment's thought, Rain turned to Jennie and said, "Miss Jennie, please help me collect my spoils of war."

"Huh? Spoils of war?" Jennie was taken aback for a moment, not quite understanding until Rain pointed at the unfamiliar knight's body nearby, and she grasped his meaning.

"I'm going to investigate the situation in town right now."

As Rain prepared to rush back to the town, he paused and added, "By the way, Miss Jennie, it's best if you leave Shiny Gold Town immediately."

At this moment, Jennie was staring at the bloody and mangled corpse, her mind in a daze.

How... How should this be handled?

Hearing Rain's reminder, she snapped out of her trance and hastily replied, "Okay, Lord Rain!"

Just then, two cavalrymen were galloping towards them from the direction of Shiny Gold Town.

Rain's eyes narrowed, and he gripped the Radiant Greatsword with both hands, assuming a battle-ready stance.

"Wait... Lord Rain." Jennie was startled to see Rain drawing his sword.

"Oh?" Despite Jennie's reassurance, Rain remained vigilant.

After all, getting tricked once was enough; he couldn't afford to be careless again.

The two cavalrymen quickly dismounted and saluted Jennie upon arrival, then urgently said, "Miss Jennie, the church in Shiny Gold Town has been attacked. The town's guard forces are weak, and we suggest you leave immediately."

"The church?" Rain's pupils constricted slightly as he quickly made a connection.

Today was Sunday, and there would be at least a hundred or two hundred people in the church. Lord Rain,

Andrew and the Black Flame Church?

Could the Black Flame Church be planning a blood sacrifice in Shiny Gold Town? Rain had heard about the heretic cult's sacrificial incident in Mo'nem Town during his squire training.

After becoming the Night Watch Captain, Rain had specifically looked into the related files, and the reality was even more gruesome than the rumors; over a hundred people had died in Mo'nem Town.

The Empire's official conclusion blamed seven or eight bandits, but Rain knew it was a temporary measure by the County City to calm the public and reduce the heat of the situation.

Reflecting on it now, it was highly likely that the Black Flame Church was behind that incident too!

"Cough, I won't leave. This is Deputy Sheriff Rain of Shiny Gold Town. You two, come at the right time. Help me collect the spoils of war." Jennie quickly assessed the situation and declined the cavalrymen's suggestion.

Jennie had a clear understanding of the situation.

Although staying in Shiny Gold Town was dangerous, it was also an excellent opportunity to deepen her relationship with Rain.

"Spoils of war?" The cavalrymen looked around and immediately spotted the bloody mess, startling them.

"This is a criminal who reached the level of a Senior Knight. Lord Rain has defeated him. We're here to assist Lord Rain in collecting the spoils of war." Jennie explained.

A Senior Knight?

Was that bloody mess a Senior Knight?

The cavalrymen took a closer look and confirmed that it was indeed a plate armor knight. They exchanged glances, both seeing the same shock in each other's eyes.

It seemed there was no need to retreat just yet.

"Yes, Miss Jennie." The cavalrymen dismounted with newfound confidence and began collecting the spoils.

Rain glanced at Jennie, surprised by the noble lady's courage and the faith she had in him.

He nodded in approval, saying, "I'll go ahead. Follow me at a distance, and if the situation turns sour, leave immediately without hesitation."

"Yes, Lord Rain." Jennie's heart filled with joy at Rain's acknowledgment, and she nodded eagerly.

As Rain rushed towards Shiny Gold Town, he spared a glance at his Knight (Supernatural) panel.

After a moment's thought, he decided to allocate the newly earned skill point to the Break Limit.

The reason was simple: facing an impending fierce battle, he needed to enhance his combat capabilities.

The Break Limit was related to two Supernatural Abilities, 'Gigantic Strength' and 'Iron Skin', and with the additional point, both abilities should reach lv2.

With the allocation, the Break Limit instantly increased from 25% to 35%.

Suddenly, as if he heard the sound of shattering glass, or the turning of a key in a lock, Rain felt a 'restraint' deep within him snap open in an instant.

This sensation was peculiar!

It was as if Rain had been dancing with shackles on, and now, they had suddenly been unlocked.

Every cell in his body rejoiced!

"No wonder the 30% limit is a hurdle, and it seems that after breaking through, a certain restraint within the body is released."

"Now, I guess I've entered the realm of a Senior Knight!" Rain muttered to himself.

Before Rain could fully sense this change, his two Extraordinary Attributes also broke through to Level 2.

[Extraordinary Attribute: Gigantic Strength Lv.2 (Active)]



Gigantic Strength Lv.2 Effect: Significantly enhances physical strength.

(Note: The strength enhancement of the Extraordinary Attribute Gigantic Strength is directly proportional to the Break Limit value. The higher the Break Limit, the greater the strength increase.)



(Note: To reach the next level, the Break Limit value must be above 60%.)



[Extraordinary Attribute: Iron Skin Lv.2 (Passive)]



Iron Skin Lv.2 Effect: The body automatically absorbs stray metal elements, significantly enhancing skin defense.

(Note: The defense enhancement of the Extraordinary Attribute Iron Skin is directly proportional to Mental Power and the Break Limit value. The higher the Mental Power and Break Limit, the stronger the absorption and the greater the enhancement.)



(Note: To reach the next level, the Break Limit value must be above 60% and Mental Power must be at least 18 points.)



(Note: Extraordinary Attributes cannot be directly improved through skill points.)



As expected, both Extraordinary Attributes reached Level 2, and the requirements for the next level were also revealed.

To advance the Extraordinary Attribute Gigantic Strength to the next level, the Break Limit value must reach 60% or higher, while the requirements for Iron Skin are even more stringent, requiring a Mental Power of at least 18 points.

Rain's gaze shifted from the Knight (Extraordinary) panel, and as he looked at the approaching town church spire, his confidence soared!

Ten minutes earlier.

Flashgold Town Church.

The Gale and Sea Goddess Church, with its classic stained glass and spire design, stood tall and slender.

At the very top, there was a small gilded statue of the Gale and Sea Goddess.

Today being Sunday, the church was packed with town residents, young and old, devoutly praying to the Gale and Sea Goddess.

The hardships of daily labor and occasional disasters in this world resulted in a larger number of believers compared to Rain's previous life, and there were also many more devout followers.

At this moment, over a hundred town residents, men and women, young and old, led by the white-haired Priest Thomas, were praying earnestly to the Goddess, holding a conch shell.

However, a Black Flame Adept was standing in the spacious church hall, chanting an incantation, while seven or eight fully armed mercenaries, dressed as rugged warriors, stood guard around the hall.

Additionally, there seemed to be another Black Flame Adept, wearing a dark hood, standing silently in a corner with his head lowered and his hands clasped.

Below, the residents of Flashgold Town, who had come for the service, were now huddled together, trembling in fear.

Among them was a man with thick eyebrows, trembling.

He never expected that on this Sunday, right after completing his squire training, his mother would urge him to attend the weekly church service to seek the Goddess's blessing, hoping for success in the Habsburg Manor examination to become a guard.

But within half an hour of the service, a group of fierce-looking mercenaries stormed in, and Priest Thomas, who was leading the prayers, fell into a pool of blood.

The church hall doors were locked, trapping all the town residents inside.

Initially, Thick Eyebrows thought they had encountered a gang of bandits, but he wasn't too worried due to his family's wealth.

It was only when the black-robed man started chanting strange incantations that Thick Eyebrows connected the dots to the Demon Cult incident. His face turned pale in an instant!

After all, the Demon Cult was notorious for their deadly intentions.

The 'Fake Second Generation' had their advantages; at least they were well-informed. They knew who they were dealing with, or in this situation, Thick Eyebrows knew he was facing certain death.

Unlike ordinary town residents, who might not understand why they were dying until their final moments.

Thick Eyebrows had considered resisting, as he believed his swordsmanship could handle ordinary bandits.

But when he saw the town marshal, who had taught him swordsmanship, being felled by a single sword strike and lying in a pool of blood, Thick Eyebrows' confidence shattered like glass.

He dared not entertain any thoughts of resistance, as it meant instant death. Instead, hiding among the crowd as a coward might buy him some time.

At that moment, an image flashed through Thick Eyebrows' mind.

An image of someone shorter and weaker than himself.

During the squire training, this person had turned the impossible into reality, defeating Thick Eyebrows in a sword duel.

He wondered if that person would dare to draw their sword against these men. After some thought, Thick Eyebrows shook his head, most likely, they wouldn't dare either.

After all, the gap in strength was just too vast.

Although Thick Eyebrows had heard that the person became the town night watch, they were still an ordinary person. In the face of these fierce mercenaries, only a formal Knight would stand a chance.

A strange, eerie black aura permeated the air, causing the man with thick eyebrows to feel a sense of foreboding. He muttered to himself in a voice only he could hear, "Mother, you've done your son wrong, you know that!"

"Goddess, please save me!"

"I sincerely apologize for all my past mistakes, and I pray to the Goddess to send someone to save me!"

"I'm still young, I really don't want to die!"

At this moment, the man with thick eyebrows had never looked so devout. If Rain were present, he would have noticed that besides the man with thick eyebrows, many familiar squires, including his friend George, were also there.

This was because the next week, the Habsburg Manor was going to hold a squire examination.

Therefore, many squires came to the church with their families to pray devoutly, seeking the Goddess's blessings for a smooth examination.

At this moment, they all looked terrified at the scene before them.

At the very edge of the church hall, there was a familiar figure that Rain knew—his mother, Emma. She was bowing her head, trembling, and looking terrified.

In this moment, she didn't immediately pray to the Goddess for blessings, but instead, the first thing that came to her mind was her son, Rain, whose tall figure was growing taller day by day.

"With such a big incident, Rain, as the captain of the Night Watch, should be here by now, right?"

"No, no! Rain can't come!"

"The opponent has too many people, and their strength is too terrifying. Even if Rain comes, he won't be able to win!"

"Goddess, please keep Rain safe and sound!" Mother Emma silently prayed in her heart.

At this moment, a Blackflame Adept in a black robe was blocking the entrance of the church's outer square. On the ground, four or five bodies in the uniforms of marshals were lying in disarray, and across from them were the remaining twenty or so Night Watch members and a few marshals from Flashgold Town.

The Night Watch members drew their bows and aimed at the Blackflame Adept, while the marshals drew their longswords and surrounded him. However, they all looked tense, and a few of them were even pale and trembling.

The Blackflame Adept, who was playing with a black flame ball in his hand, seemed to have the aura of a formidable opponent.

The first few marshals who arrived had already fallen victim to the opponent's poison hand.

Among the remaining guards, the one with the highest position was Matteo, the shorty.

As the captain of the Night Watch, Matteo's fists were clenched tightly, his face flushed with anger, but he dared not order the archers to fire.

Matteo was never lacking in courage for combat, but facing a Blackflame Adept who had even defeated Marshal Hamilton, he knew that if he gave the order to fire, they might all perish here.

The black flame in the opponent's hand made Matteo extremely wary, as it was almost unsolvable for ordinary guards.

You say Rain didn't just kill a Blackflame Adept, it's not that scary, right?

That's right, but that was a Blackflame Adept in a severely injured state.

The one before them was a Blackflame Adept in his prime.

It's not the same at all!

Therefore, although they had surrounded the opponent, Matteo was almost certain that even if they fought to the death, they couldn't do anything to him.

Perhaps, before their own side was annihilated, they could inflict a wound or two on the opponent.

That's all they could do!

Although Matteo had already sent someone to chase after Lord Hamilton's team, it had been an hour since they left, and it was unlikely that they would make it back in time.

Additionally, Matteo had also sent someone to the nearby Habsburg Manor to seek help from Knight Lloyd, but it would take some time for the manor's reinforcements to arrive.

Therefore, although Matteo didn't have much confidence that Rain could defeat the opponent, the only person they could rely on at this moment was the newly appointed Deputy Sheriff Rain, who was still in Flashgold Town.

"You don't even have the courage to shoot at me, what a pathetic imperial law enforcement force." The Blackflame Adept mocked while playing with the black flame ball in his hand.

"So, you guys are the trash who killed Malt, right? You don't look like it."

"Fine, if you all stand still and don't move, maybe I'll spare your lives."

"Oh, I remember, you're probably waiting for that... what's his name... Rain, right?"

"Hehe, you're waiting for him, aren't you?"

"Too bad, you're not going to see him."

This made Matteo and the other Night Watch members' faces turn pale, and for a moment, they felt like their trump card had been seen through by the opponent!

From the opponent's tone, it seemed that Rain...

Suddenly, screams erupted from inside the church, one after another.

This made the Night Watch members who were inside the church with their families become agitated, and they turned to Matteo and said,

"Captain, let's fight to the death!"

"Yeah, let's fight to the end!!"

Otis couldn't help but laugh at the desperate declaration of these ants.

"Hahaha, fight? A bunch of ants, what do you have to fight with?"

At this moment, a young yet powerful voice suddenly rang out, "Has no one ever taught you to respect those who face death with courage?"

Instantly, Otis couldn't laugh anymore!

Because a person he never expected appeared in his line of sight, and in the sight of the Night Watch members as well.

"Rain!"

"Deputy Sheriff!"

When Matteo saw Rain appear, he suddenly felt like crying! The heavy burden on his shoulders was instantly lifted.

"Reporting to the Deputy Sheriff, the Blackflame Adept has taken control of the town's people in the church!"

"Matteo, you've worked hard! Leave this to me!" Rain said as he stared at the Blackflame Adept.

"You're the newly promoted Deputy Sheriff Rain?"

"That's impossible, you shouldn't be..."

"Where's Andrews? You're definitely no match for him!" The Blackflame Adept named Otis asked in a rapid-fire manner.

However, Rain naturally ignored the other party and silently drew out the Radiant Blade from behind him.

Otis furrowed his brows, unable to understand this situation.

"Could it be that Andrews fought you but let you escape?"

After some thought, Otis felt that this was the most reasonable explanation.

Moreover, seeing Rain's shattered armor, it seemed that Andrews had given him a thorough beating.

If this was the case, Rain must be a speed-type Knight with the Supernatural Ability of Agility.

No wonder! Otis instantly ruled out all possibilities and came to a conclusion he believed to be very reliable! For a speed-type Knight like Rain, the best strategy was to engage in close combat and fight head-on.

If Otis used a long-range attack like a Black Flame Fireball, the opponent's speed might be too fast, making it an ineffective move.

With his rich combat experience, Otis quickly devised the best countermeasure against Rain.

Coincidentally, Otis was also quite skilled in close combat, proficient with a pair of daggers. Additionally, although his rank was only a Full Knight, his Supernatural Ability leaned towards Agility.

After considering all this, Otis confidently said, "You rarely escaped from Andrews' grasp, yet you didn't seize this fortune and still dared to come here."

"This is truly your tragedy!"

Rain was momentarily stunned by Otis' words.

Otis suddenly kicked off the ground and charged straight towards Rain.

Rain was once again taken aback by Otis' move. He had been thinking about how to avoid the Black Flame Fireball in Otis' hand and find an opportunity to engage in close combat, swiftly taking him down.

But what did he see now?

This Black Flame Adept wasn't throwing even a single fireball at him; instead, he was charging towards Rain, intending to engage in hand-to-hand combat?

Could there be some conspiracy at play here?

No matter, close combat was Rain's only advantage!

Since Otis was so confident, he might also be a power-type fighter. To be safe, Rain decided to unleash his full power!

Rain's Break Limit value had already reached 35%, placing him at the level of a Senior Knight. His Supernatural Ability, 'Gigantic Strength', had increased by 60%.

Rain intended to activate an additional 25% 'Power Burst', reaching a total of 120% power increase. He wanted to test the strength of his opponent.

Moreover, Rain felt that with this level of tripling, the duration and aftereffects would be greatly reduced, and if the time was short enough, there might not be any aftereffects at all.

This was the advantage of having a high Constitution.

No wonder the great man once said, "A healthy body is the capital for revolution!"

The reason Rain didn't go all out was that he needed to maintain some strength for the upcoming church rescue.

As the Black Flame Adept rushed towards Rain, Matteo watched intently, quickly speaking to the other Night Watchmen, "Wait, in a moment..."

But before he could finish his sentence, he stopped abruptly, muttering to himself, "Has Rain's strength reached this level?"

Suddenly, a pair of daggers appeared in the Black Flame Adept's hands, shimmering with a cold, sharp aura. In the blink of an eye, he was already close to Rain, ready to strike.

The high-speed attack created an air current that made the broken Plate Armor on Rain's body flutter noisily!

At that moment, everyone in the venue heard the sound of several bowstrings being plucked, and the source was none other than Rain in the center of the venue!

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Rain's body suddenly swelled, his muscles bulging, especially his chest and neck, which resembled a Zalas Cobra about to attack its prey, swelling nearly one and a half times its original size!

"Roar!!!"

A powerful roar echoed!

A substantial air shockwave emanated from Rain's mouth, spreading out in all directions, with Otis, who was charging towards him, bearing the brunt of the attack.

Otis' expression turned to one of sheer horror. He never expected Rain to have such a large-scale sonic attack technique.

This type of attack couldn't be dodged; one could only endure it!

Otis' reaction was swift; he retracted his neck, protecting his face with his hands.

"Boom!"

The gust of wind hit Otis, causing his ears to ring with pain, and his head buzzed.

But he instinctively felt something was amiss. As he was about to lower his hands to check the situation, he suddenly saw his left eye looking at his right half of his body, while his right eye saw his left half!

Before Otis could comprehend what was happening, his world went dark!

The onlookers on the sidelines covered their ears, their eyes wide with shock, staring at Rain, who maintained his attacking stance, and the Black Flame Adept, who had been split in two!

The Night Watchmen were dumbfounded, their minds filled with various wild imaginations.

"Is this the Black Flame Adept they feared so much?"

"Is this the one who severely injured Sheriff Hamilton?"

"This... this doesn't feel right. Was he swapped out just now?"

"It's like Rain just cut down a fake Black Flame Adept!"

Rain wasn't posing; at that moment, his Bear Sword Technique had reached Level 6 (124/3000), and memories of Bear Sword Technique Training began to flow into Rain's mind.

Simultaneously, various techniques were quickly absorbed into Rain's muscle memory.

However, this time seemed a little different.

Before Rain could fully experience this, he suddenly saw the church gate in front of him, opening from the inside!

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end