Chapter 274: Shadow Strike

Chapter 274: Shadow Strike



"No problem, High Priestess. I'll take care of this," Holand said with a slight smile, exuding confidence.

"Forgive my boldness, but I feel it's necessary to remind you," Raksoor said, his expression turning slightly worried as he noticed Holand's overconfidence.

After all, Holand was on his home turf, carrying out a task for the Serpent Cult on their behalf. If he succeeded, everyone would be delighted.

But if something went wrong, it might damage the relationship between the two churches, as the Serpent Cult could blame them for setting them up.

So, it was better to voice his concerns upfront.

"Don't worry! Holand was granted the essence of the Shadow Snake's bloodline, and assassination is his forte," the High Priestess of the Serpent Cult, sensing Raksoor's worry, turned and smiled reassuringly at him.

Without hesitation, Ren popped the cork from the bottle, and a faint aroma reminiscent of stewed meat with star anise and cinnamon wafted through the air.

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"It lasts for half a month?"

"This Fortifying Elixir is a body-strengthening potion, created by the renowned Royal Alchemist Guild Master Austin. It is believed to be his own concoction."

However, this also heightened their desires in certain aspects.

He stared at the doorway in disbelief, and indeed, the figure had already disappeared into the shadows by the entrance.

"Hmm, that's not right!"

But the young man, unburdened by such concerns, burst into the room, shouting and calling for attention.

A lively young man in leather armor from the Swordsman Branch of Nom Province entered the room, exclaiming, "Hey, everyone!"

The fangs of a venomous snake aren't exceptionally hard due to the need for injecting venom; they are hollow inside. When Ren's Intermediate Steel Body clashed with the snake's fangs, it was like biting into solid iron!

"Clang!"

"The Fortifying Elixir is a training aid that, when consumed, enhances the physical qualities of the user to some extent for half a month. The improvement varies from person to person, typically ranging from half to one-tenth."

"Alright, Captain."

Technically, Ren was from the Swordsman Branch of Minster Province, while they were from the Swordsman Branch of Nom Province. Nonetheless, they were all Swordsmen.

With his experience in consuming various potions, Ren immediately drank the entire Fortifying Elixir!

"And how could their perception be so sharp?"

"Wait, that sounds a bit awkward."

Ren checked his attribute panel: Physique: 39, Strength: 43, Agility: 36, Spirit: 52. His long-neglected Agility attribute, a previous weakness, had increased from 35 to 36 points.

Upon entering the bath, Ren transformed it into a giant metal basin and scooped water over himself. After a while, he changed it into a large ladle, placed it on his head, and enjoyed a thorough rinse.

After listening to Flay's story, Roland and Alex exchanged bewildered glances.

This process lasted for about half a month, and the effects of the potion gradually diminished to a more moderate level.

"Ren, a Golden Rank Swordsmaster and captain of the 'Maestus Siege Hammer' squad, also known by the same nickname as his squad," Flay explained, then paused as if realizing something was amiss.

After a few seconds, Ren felt a sudden surge of heat in his stomach, and his entire body began to rapidly heat up.

What if they blamed him for the mission's failure?

"Damn, who wears half-plate armor while taking a bath?"

Meanwhile, he followed the secret markings provided by the Dark Flame Church and calmly entered a room in the annex.

Holand, standing in the shadows, seemed to possess a unique talent that allowed him to remain undetected by the nearby patrol guards, even when they passed by just a few meters away.

"That's not right. This is the work of a Shadow Snake!" Ren immediately realized the problem.

Using the Shadow Snake's stealth, they launched a surprise attack, ensuring a swift and decisive kill. The others had no time to react, and by the time they realized what was happening, Holand had already made his escape.

"The last room on the second floor seems to be occupied by a woman, judging by the silhouette. Hmm, she's actually..."

Just as Ren, naked, was about to step into the bath, he noticed the ten hardened electrum ingots that Olena had brought earlier, placed in a corner of the room.

Ren delivered a swift kick, sending the shadow figure flying into the air. In the next instant, the hardened electrum transformed into sharp spikes, piercing the figure's head and pinning it to the wall.

"His nickname is the same as his squad's name, indicating the absolute trust his teammates have in his strength," Captain Roland interpreted the situation differently from Flay.

Compared to the Earthshaker, the other squad members were outsiders.

"Hey, you're leaving before I even finished speaking?"

"Your Excellency, you're here!" The terrified informant turned around and saw a man in a black cloak standing in the shadows behind the room's door.

Without time to don the Knight Armor, Ren grabbed a piece of hardened electrum and transformed it into a Greek-style half-plate armor, covering his vital areas.

"Additionally, there's some breaking news. Today, several formidable experts with powerful auras have arrived."

After absorbing the essence of snakes, the Serpent Cult's followers would naturally be influenced by some of the snakes' innate traits, and this is the result under various secret techniques' control.

It can be considered a Shadow-type 'Invisibility' technique, but it requires a shadowed area to achieve the effect of invisibility.

"You little brat, who's belittling themselves? Even if their strength is on par with mine, didn't you consider their age? They're of the same generation as you, and that's the scariest part." Roland couldn't help but feel amused and exasperated.

Almost simultaneously, another shadow darted out from the side, biting Ren's other calf.

"A full-body enhancement?"

Even through infrared vision, one could see the opponent's well-defined physique, and his gaze lingered for a few seconds.

This brought the two closer together.

Unless the opponent was a formal wizard, it would be more troublesome. With innate sorcery defense and extremely high perception, it would be easier to detect the approaching Shadow Snake.

His Physique attribute increased from 38 to 39, and he was about to cross the threshold of 40.

This assassination should go smoothly! "Mhm, rest assured, I'm a professional assassin! Laksool, I'll set off now." Holand bowed slightly to Laksool.

However, Ren stopped.

Without Roland's instructions, the curious Flay went to find out.

"Hmm? Two months?" Alex, usually calm, widened his eyes in disbelief. "Is this for real? That's too exaggerated!"

But now, things were different. An entire team of five Earthshakers, along with the Nom Province Swordsman Squad, were present, so he could take the medicine with peace of mind.

Holand turned back and saw Ren, who should have been bathing, now wearing a half-plate armor.

As for the experts? They were completely absent.

"Physique and Agility have improved, but Strength hasn't increased."

The next moment, the man in the black cloak vanished into the shadows.

"Two snakes?"

"But don't forget, besides mastering the Intermediate Technique in swordsmanship, you've also mastered the Intermediate Technique in shield defense. Combined, your combat power isn't weaker than Ren's." Flay comforted his captain.

"Flay, the new guy you're talking about, he's not newer than you, right?" Another young man, holding a gilded book, closed it and looked at his companion with a smile, teasing him.

The flawless version is on BookBar 69! 6=9+Book_Bar

Flay was the shortest-serving among the three, having joined the Swordsman Branch just two and a half years ago.

Cookie was kicked away, but Holand's figure was exposed again! "Damn! You mutt!"

The next second, the shadow jerked, and its two fangs snapped, causing it to writhe and roll on the ground in pain.

"By the way, did you ask the Earthshaker about that guy? Why do they show such respect towards Ren?" Alex suddenly remembered something and asked.

At that moment, he sensed something.

A Shadow Snake? Laksool nodded. He had heard of this peculiar snake species, capable of controlling shadow power, possessing the innate ability to turn invisible in shadowed environments, and also possessing deadly venom.

"Its effects are even better than some of the potions used by the Swordsman Branch!"

"A newbie?" The burly Roland looked at his teammate in surprise.

"Less than two months! Alex, are you sure he's a newbie?" Flay blushed at the teasing, his neck stiffening.

He walked through the shadows in the garden, stopping at the corner of the villa's shadowed wall. The next second, two small black snakes crawled out of his wide sleeves and disappeared into the shadows with a whoosh.

In Holand's opinion, once Ren's precise location was known, the rest would be easy.

Suddenly, a dark figure flashed by in the garden.

"Instructions: Repeated use weakens the effect. It is recommended to take it once every 1-3 months based on individual physique. —Royal Alchemist Guild, Austin's Creation."

Ren narrowed his eyes at this.

Instantly, he couldn't help but move, walking over and transforming it into a solid metal ball weighing about fifty to sixty kilograms, which he held in his hand.

"If it's a full-body enhancement, it's definitely a good thing!"

His bedroom had a small built-in bath.

【Congratulations! Your Agility attribute has been improved!】

"Additionally, if it's truly impossible, Holand's safe retreat is not an issue."

At this moment, the system prompt sounded: 【Congratulations! Your Physique attribute has been improved!】

"The effects of this Fortifying Elixir are even better than the previous Strong Potion of Strength!"

"Do you still want to catch up to me?"

Slap!

Ren, drenched in sweat after taking the medicine, naturally needed to take a shower.

He didn't know how the other party had entered.

At this moment, Holan had a clear view of the movements within the spacious three-story villa.

"So soon? Well, a surprise attack will be most effective." Laksoor nodded with a smile.

He intended to finish this task early and return as soon as possible.

Facing the incoming short spear, Holan naturally wouldn't choose to resist head-on. He dodged with a quick movement, but this slowed his speed further.

"The fourth room on the second floor seems to have a woman taking a bath. Hmm? What a stunning figure!" As he observed Ren, Holan's peripheral vision caught sight of a nearby room.

"Flay, continue,"

Meanwhile, Canon could also start the Earth Serpent's control ritual earlier.

Ren, covered in sweat from head to toe, was drenched in no time. His entire body was dripping with sweat, as if he had just been pulled out of a sauna.

"The third room on the second floor has someone taking a bath, undoubtedly Ren, but what is he doing with his hands?" Holan nodded and then furrowed his brows in confusion.

However, the wooden box had a hidden mechanism. The inner walls were adorned with intricate patterns, indicating a formation designed to preserve the 'Fortifying Elixir' within the transparent square glass bottle.

Rather than using 'short-range teleportation', a powerful sorcery.

Seizing the opportunity, Ren immediately threw a hardened electrum-transformed short spear with all his might.

Then, he picked up the skull warhammer nearby and smashed it through the window, chasing after the dark figure swiftly.

As Ren approached rapidly, he suddenly lost sight of the figure, causing him to halt and observe carefully.

"What a peculiarity!"

"But this is quite impressive!"

Previously, with only himself guarding the Earl, Ren felt it wasn't the right time to take the elixir.

"Method of Consumption:"

"Ren is in the third room on the second floor, facing south, in the main building of the villa," the insider informed Ren, who had received instructions from above, that someone would be looking for him. So, he quickly calmed himself and responded.

Regardless of the number of techniques the opponent mastered, as long as they were a Great Knight, even a Peak Great Knight, according to the toxicity of the Shadow Snake, if bitten, it would be fatal.

"However, boss, don't underestimate yourself. Although this Ren Viscount seems to have mastered the advanced hammer technique, he might be a step ahead."

"Woof!"

"Hehe, this guy is taking a bath, isn't this the perfect opportunity? I was initially worried that he might be wearing special inner armor or something while resting, but with the Shadow Snake, it might not even penetrate."

At this moment, there was a white label with black text on the bottle:

"Additionally, this is produced by the Royal Apothecary Guild, and Austin might be the name of a renowned apothecary master." Holan thought to himself.

Holan looked at his calves, and there were only two small wounds.

Meanwhile, Flay, having finished bathing, wiped himself down and was about to step out of the bath.

Holan, who had saved an outsider, felt a sense of pride.

However, as the leader of the Swordsmaster Branch, Langger naturally couldn't ask too many questions. Tell me in detail!"

Holan couldn't help but laugh, his mood greatly improved.

They knew this young Ren Viscount was capable, but they didn't expect him to be this skilled!

If the opponent had truly merged with the Shadow Snake, he would be a born assassin.

At this moment, he stood in the shadows of a tree in a garden.

Soon, Ren opened the wooden box, revealing a transparent square glass bottle filled with blue liquid inside.

This sight made Holan's heart burn with anticipation.

"However, Flay's words make sense. This time, he's alone, and you, boss, have my sorcery to enhance your strength. Overall, our combined power should surpass this Ren Viscount."

Of course, if the enemy were a formal sorcerer, Holan wouldn't have chosen the Shadow Snake's stealthy approach.

Why was Holan so confident in his stealthy approach? The reason lay here. His infrared vision allowed him to see clearly, and the two small Shadow Snakes continued to swiftly approach their target.

Holan, the High Priestess of the Serpent Cult, had also arrived at the Earl's villa.

Ren, on the other hand, immediately activated 'Beast's Eye' and observed the entire Earl's residence from the perspective of the Blood Feather Gryphon.

As he was about to leave, the insider quickly added, "However, sir, I can't guarantee that he's definitely in the room, as he might also be in the training room, which he has visited more frequently lately. The indoor training room is in the third room on the second floor of the villa."

Meanwhile, in a room within the Earl's residence.

This couldn't help but make Ren curious about the 'Fortifying Elixir' with such excellent preservation. He examined the bottle carefully.

The team leader and the team member quickly sensed this.

In the midst of the battle, Roland delivered a powerful kick, accompanied by a strong gust of air, striking the head of the second Shadow Snake.

"Ah, Lord Holand, there's an informant within the Baron's mansion. I believe they can accurately inform you about the room where Roland is located," - in the city of Maestus County.

"Then, for a while, we can further enhance our strength."

"The Fortifying Elixir is quite good. This is the secret of the Hereditary Baron's family."

"Damn it! The Dark Flame Church is truly trash. What kind of useless intelligence is this? A mission that should have been foolproof failed."

At that moment, Lord Holand, who was in the garden, felt a sharp pain in his mind! "Hmm? How is their body so tough? Is it some kind of innate ability?"

The next second, his figure disappeared into the shadows.

As for determining whether Roland was in the room, Lord Holand had his own methods.

"It seems that the Empire's Great Nobles' secrets are not to be underestimated," Roland thought as he glanced at the label on the bottle, his mind working.

"Hmm."

Lord Holand turned around, letting out a cold laugh.

The smell was quite pleasant, making one's appetite stir.

"Yes, it's absolutely true!" The young man in leather armor nodded confidently.

"Also, the Swordsmaster Branch's elixir is mass-produced. You can tell just by looking at the signature; it's made by the Royal Pharmacist Guild's Minster Province branch," Roland recalled.

Although the Serpent Cult worshipped the Devouring Serpent and their doctrine had nothing to do with reproduction and offspring, it was completely unrelated.

"Whoosh!"

At most, he could give a final blow and be done with it.

However, the Spirit Hound 'Cookie' didn't stop. It sniffed the ground and then, with its eyes wide open, looked in a certain direction and continued to rush forward quickly.

Lord Holand calmed his emotions and thought, 'Let's get the job done first.'

The power of the hammer strike Roland had used in the conference room was awe-inspiring, and naturally, Langger's three men were quite curious about Roland.

Instantly, Lord Holand's eyes turned into snake-like vertical pupils, with the irises a dark yellow. At this moment, in Lord Holand's field of vision, everything turned into red and blue, with high temperatures appearing red and low temperatures appearing blue.

Suddenly, a thin, black shadow, like a flash of lightning, bit down on his calf.

But after a while, Roland felt a sense of lightness throughout his body! He felt refreshed and invigorated.

"So thirsty?"

The next second, the Spirit Hound 'Cookie,' who had been sleeping soundly on the first floor, woke up. The Blood Feather Gryphon 'Blood Cookie' quickly flew into the sky from the training ground on the ground floor.

In fact, this was Lord Holand's innate ability from the Serpent Blood Essence - 'Shadow Skin Technique,' which allowed him to merge with the shadows, making it impossible to be discovered by ordinary people's naked eye.

"Huh?"

"Captain, I've already inquired with the beautiful young lady from the Minster Province branch. You won't believe it, but this Roland Viscount is just a newcomer!"

"Is it because his innate power is already quite strong?"

"That's what makes it even harder to believe. It's because Roland saved the lives of two of their team members!" Flay spoke with a dry mouth, gulping down a large mouthful of water.

At that moment, he muttered under his breath:

"Hmm? The informant rubbed his eyes!"

This was also the ability of the Serpent Cult's followers after integrating the Serpent Blood Essence into their bodies - Infrared Vision.

Just as the Swordsmaster Squad's three members were shocked by Roland's resume in the room, Roland was in the bedroom, preparing to take the 'Fortifying Elixir' given to him by the head maid, Shadiya.

Even if the opponent was fast and cautious, as long as they were bitten and a small amount of skin was broken, they would be severely poisoned.

The sound of breaking the window had obviously startled the others nearby.

However, they had no choice but to infuse various strange Serpent Blood Essences into their bodies to enhance their strength.

Without any hesitation, the frustrated Lord Holand turned and headed towards the main building.

"Where is Roland's room?" Lord Holand's voice suddenly echoed in the room.

"If we can make friends, we should do so." Alex agreed with Flay for once.

Flay became even more enthusiastic as he spoke.

Soon, Lord Holand, with a determined mind, took advantage of the night and arrived at the garden in front of the main building's villa.

At the entrance, Roland's expression changed. The scent was fragrant, but once it entered his throat, he felt a slight spiciness, like a mixture of white wine and a hint of mustard.

Hearing this answer, Lord Holand nodded. This information was sufficient for him.

And as the Spirit Hound 'Cookie' disturbed him again, Roland quickly bit down on Lord Holand.

Thus, the two figures near the mansion's gate began an intense confrontation.

Lord Holand wielded two thirty-centimeter-long metal spikes, which were cone-shaped weapons best at piercing armor. Roland, despite having the innate ability of 'Intermediate Steel Body,' was still unwilling to try and withstand the spikes.

As the opponent waved the metal spikes, their body was surrounded by multiple python-like black auras, both defensive and occasionally launching sudden attacks towards Roland. A powerful black air current occasionally struck out, its force formidable.

This kind of battle was a first for Roland.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end