Chapter 65: Advancing as a Knight!

Chapter 65: Advancing as a Knight!

Two items.

One is a crown resembling thorns, crafted from white jade.

The Thorned Holy Crown is said to be a divine test tailored for certain special followers, wearing it would result in a bloody head and a hundred claws scratching at the heart.

Even so, one must not waver in their faith to pass the test of the gods.

The other is a black, long nail.

It is also known as the Sacred Nail.

In folklore, a deity's earthly incarnation was said to have died from this nail piercing their heart.

At this moment, the two items fly out of the package on their own, and strands of aura drift out from within.

The aura disperses into the Fragment of the Divine Domain.

The space of the fragment begins to expand.

Simultaneously.

Essence: 0.6

The two items bring Karl 0.6 essence, which translates to a 0.3 boost when used for attribute allocation.

The City Guard, occupying the entire Black City, has indeed collected valuable items, and they prove to have good treasures.

This is an unexpected delight!

Karl waves his hand and summons the data panel.

Name: Karl

Constitution: 1.47

Psychic Energy: 1.92

Essence: 0.6

Professions: Knight Attendant, Apprentice High Mage

There aren't significant changes, except for advancing from an Apprentice Wizard to an Apprentice High Mage, and his essence is no longer zero.

Karl strokes his chin.

He doesn't plan to save the essence for later use, but he's torn between adding it to his constitution or psychic energy.

Increasing psychic energy would undoubtedly benefit his mage training, but it's not yet effectively convertible into strength.

Adding to constitution...

It's advantageous in the short term, but the long-term value is questionable.

"Let's add to constitution!"

Karl's eyes narrow, and the constitution stat slightly jumps, rising from 1.47 to 1.77.

Future concerns can be dealt with later.

The encounter in the Black City has proven that for now, enhancing his constitution is a safer choice.

"Hmm..."

Warm air currents surge through his body, and the enhanced strength causes Karl to clench his fists instinctively.

"This power..."

"It can definitely crush ordinary knights!"

Even against knights who have mastered battle aura, Karl is now confident in his ability to defeat them.

Additionally...

Life Elixir!

Taking out the three Life Elixirs he acquired, Karl places them on the table and turns to fetch a crystal ball.

The crystal ball is a low-quality enchanted item.

It can cast the Analysis Spell three times.

Holding the crystal ball, Karl channels his psychic energy and chants:

"Hua...Ci..."

"Shua!"

As the chant ends, the crystal ball glows with soft white light, and the halo envelops the three Life Elixirs.

Karl squints, observing the elixirs through the crystal ball.

White light!

Three white lights flicker, some larger, some smaller, and one even has black streaks.

"Impurities?"

The Life Elixir with black streaks indicates that the refining process didn't adequately process the materials, resulting in a final product with minor impurities that might affect its effectiveness when consumed.

The size of the lights and the intensity of the glow represent the quality of the elixirs.

There are no other colors, indicating no tampering with the elixirs, such as poisoning.

Picking up the highest-quality Life Elixir, Karl strides to his usual training spot and directly swallows the elixir.

Without hesitation,

Without delay.

He chooses to break through right at this moment.

"My constitution is now stronger than ordinary knights, and with the Fragment of the Divine Domain's perfect control over my body, there's no reason for my breakthrough to fail."

Karl exhales and assumes a stance, silently activating the Titan Breath Technique.

"Huff..."

"Inhale..."

"Huff..."

With each breath and the technique's rotation, the latent life energy within his body is gradually stimulated.

The Life Elixir he consumed transforms into countless warm currents, flowing from his stomach to his limbs and bones.

In Karl's perception.

He feels like a pulsating life force field, and the core of this field...

Is his heart!

"Thump!"

"Thump!"

As life energy continuously surges, his heartbeat grows stronger, and the blood flows with a roaring sound, like an unending river.

"Focus!"

His mind sharpens, and the Titan Breath Technique shifts, unleashing a powerful suction from his heart that engulfs his entire body.

Countless strands of life energy abruptly converge.

Time seems to stand still.

Karl's consciousness slips into a daze.

In a moment.

Like the awakening of spring thunder, life blooms.

A life-force aura surges from Karl's body, and the abundant life energy washes over his limbs and bones.

Life Seed!

It's located right where his heart is.

Karl opens his eyes, deep in thought.

"The so-called Life Seed is actually the heart, and as blood flows through it, the nutrients strengthen the Life Seed."

"The life energy contained within the Life Seed also nourishes the knight's body as the blood circulates."

"They complement each other until the Life Seed receives enough nutrients to take root and sprout within the body, becoming a Great Knight."

"When the Life Seed's root system extends to various parts of the body, completing the true evolution of life, that's when one becomes a Legendary Knight."

The so-called knight training.

Is a process that allows life to evolve.

Karl stops his movements and stands up, and as he stretches his limbs, a crackling sound fills the air.

The sound starts like firecrackers, gradually resembling thunder.

Until...

"Boom!"

An invisible aura pushes away the surrounding air, and Karl's clothes flutter vigorously, making a loud noise.

Battle Aura!

The aura that can enhance a knight's attack power, boost defense, and even pose a threat to intangible beings like ghosts! Only knights with robust life force and a certain mastery of breathing techniques can unleash this battle aura.

Many knights never grasp this skill in their lifetime.

Today, Karl had just become a full-fledged knight, and he was already able to unleash the power of the Life Seed.

This was not surprising.

Despite his recent advancement, his vitality had always been stronger than that of an ordinary knight. Combined with his perfect control over the Fragment of the Divine Domain and his meticulous training in the Titan Breath Technique, it was only natural that he could now manipulate Battle Aura.

"Whoosh!"

Karl grabbed the broadsword lying nearby and swung it effortlessly.

The heavy blade felt as light as straw in his hands, and as he swung faster, it created a piercing sound that filled the air.

Battle Aura surged with each swing.

In the blink of an eye, the area around him, within several meters, was almost entirely enveloped in sword shadows.

What once required his utmost effort was now achieved with little exertion.

"Boom!"

The broadsword slammed into the ground, and if it weren't for the Fragment of the Divine Domain, even the earth beneath would have been shattered, leaving a shallow pit.

"Ah, that feels good!"

Karl felt his entire body invigorated, and the boundless energy within him surged. He couldn't help but let out a loud shout.

Immediately, he waved his hand and summoned the data panel.

After becoming a full-fledged knight, he felt as if he had undergone a complete transformation. His strength had undoubtedly improved significantly.

Name: Karl

Constitution: 2.1

Psychic Energy: 2.0

Essence: 0

Occupation: Knight, Apprentice High Mage

"Hmm?"

Karl's expression changed slightly.

"Such a huge change!"

His data panel had undergone a significant transformation after becoming a full-fledged knight.

His occupation had changed from Knight Attendant to Knight, and his constitution had skyrocketed from 1.77 to 2.1," he noted.

Even his psychic energy had increased from 1.92 to 2.0.

"The Life Seed's evolution has enhanced my constitution, which is normal. But such a massive boost..."

Karl pondered, "It must be because of the Titan Breath Technique!"

The Titan Breath Technique was said to be a training method personally taught by the Deity to his loyal followers, used to guard their divine realm and resist invasions from other deities.

It was clearly stated that this technique greatly improved one's constitution, especially strength, allowing mortals to possess the power of ancient giants.

As for psychic energy...

"A robust body leads to abundant mental energy. Moreover, the evolution of the body includes the mind."

"A slight increase is understandable."

"In any case..."

Karl stretched his body, "I'm incredibly powerful now. Ordinary knights would likely fall after just a few moves."

"Hmm..."

He glanced at the clock nearby, and a look of surprise appeared on his face.

"Has two days already passed?"

The clock not only recorded the time but also the date, and it had been two days since he consumed the Life Elixir.

It felt like only a moment had passed.

Karl's figure appeared out of thin air amidst the swaying grass.

"Hmm?"

Upon returning to the other world, he sensed an unusual atmosphere and instinctively looked towards the direction of the Black City.

The Black City was perpetually shrouded in a gray mist.

From the outside, the city resembled a colossal beast lying on the earth, exuding an ominous gray aura.

The thick fog lingered, refusing to disperse.

The walls, towers, and buildings were partially obscured, adding to the city's enigmatic aura.

Today, a towering gray pillar appeared in the center of the Black City, and countless tendrils of fog spread out in all directions."

It was as if...

"Countless tentacles were enveloped in fog, spreading out from the Black City towards the surrounding wilderness and forests."

Wherever the fog passed, the vitality of all living things within its reach withered.

Visible to the naked eye, the greenery of the forests withered, birds fell from the sky, and one could only imagine the dire situation within the city.

It seemed...

Few, if any, would be spared!

"Boom!"

A wave of energy, like a tsunami, surged from the center of the Black City, one after another.

The surrounding forests shook, animals scattered in panic, and even the clouds in the sky were pushed away.

"What's happening?"

Karl's face turned pale, and he instinctively took a step back.

The Black City seemed like a furious beast, unleashing its long-suppressed rage without restraint.

Despite the distance, the invisible force still made Karl's heart race with fear.

He focused his gaze on the edge of the fog, where numerous black dots were desperately fleeing, trying to escape before the fog enveloped them.

City guards, merchants, and mine slaves...

Regardless of their previous identities, they were now all panic-stricken fugitives.

Those who couldn't escape fast enough were engulfed by the fog, screaming as they fell to the ground, their lives snuffed out in an instant.

Fortunately, the fog wasn't spreading too quickly, and adults could still outrun it if they sprinted.

However, human strength was limited, while the fog showed no signs of fatigue, and more and more people were being swallowed by it.

"Gulp..."

Karl's throat moved as he turned and ran towards the rear.

This heavenly might was beyond human resistance. The confidence he had gained upon becoming a knight vanished in an instant.

He was far from the Black City, so he didn't have to worry about the fog catching up, and he could still see a few people on the road.

Those who escaped were either in groups or alone, but everyone was wary of each other.

No one spoke.

They all ran with their heads down.

After running for a while longer, a chaotic noise came from ahead, and Karl looked in that direction, his eyes narrowing slightly.

Two groups were fighting at the edge of the forest.

One group consisted of men and women, their clothes tattered and their faces gaunt. They were probably escapees from the Black City, and despite their numbers, they were clearly at a disadvantage.

The other group was mostly well-equipped soldiers, fighting with skill and precision—they were the city guards.

"Sir, can't we just leave everything behind?" one of them shouted as he fought. "You don't need to kill us!"

"Hmph!"

The rider on horseback waved his spear and coldly replied, "It's too late for that now!"

Before he finished speaking, the rider squeezed his legs, and his horse instantly accelerated. The spear in his hand thrust forward with added force.

"Pfft!"

A long spear pierced through the chest of the man who was speaking, lifting him into the air before slamming him back down onto the grass.

His body twitched once and then lay still.

"Sixth Brother!"

A villager cried out in anger and despair, "Let's fight them to the death!"

"Kill!"

"Killing one is no loss, killing two is a gain! Brothers, don't be afraid, let's charge together!"

The crowd continued to shout, trying to boost morale, but it couldn't make up for the disparity in strength between the two sides.

The City Guard had several Knight Attendants, and among them was a top-notch expert.

The resistance was swiftly suppressed at a visible pace.

"Swish!"

"Pfft!"

A City Guard swung his longsword, about to strike down an opponent, when his body suddenly stiffened, and he collapsed limply to the ground.

Blood and brain matter oozed from the back of his head, his skull shattered by some unseen force.

"Lu!"

The nearby City Guards paled at the sight, their eyes darting to the outskirts of the battlefield, landing on Karl.

"Is it you?"

He pointed his sword at Karl and took a step forward.

"Heh..."

Karl chuckled lightly, and with a gentle wave of his arm, a glowing Arcane Missile flew out, followed by another.

The power of the Arcane Missile was no less than that of a Crossbow, and if it hit a vital spot, even a Knight Attendant would have no chance of survival.

Against ordinary soldiers, it was even easier.

"Clang!"

An Arcane Missile sent a weapon flying.

"Bang!"

Another Arcane Missile seized the opportunity to slam into armor, shattering the fragile iron plate with a crack.

"Pfft!"

The last Arcane Missile found its mark.

The soldier's body trembled, and he fell to the ground, following his comrade's fate in just a few breaths.

"Spell Seal?"

"Be careful!"

"He can't cast many more!"

The City Guards cried out in alarm, their initial fear turning into anger. Two riders quickly turned their horses and charged towards Karl.

Such a powerful Spell Seal was a rare sight.

However, casting any Spell Seal would consume energy, making it difficult to cast them consecutively in a short time.

In their simple understanding, there were no exceptions.

Karl raised his hand.

Flame Seal!

Flame Seal!

Arcane Missile!

...

Fireballs the size of washbasins flew out one after another, exploding in mid-air, the flames causing the horses to whinny and rear up.

Amidst the chaos, the Arcane Missiles acted like daggers in the hands of assassins, piercing the throats of the riders and swiftly reaping their lives.

Karl continued to cast spells as he advanced, alternating between Arcane Missiles and Flame Seals, taking down City Guard after City Guard.

At a distance, he used Arcane Missiles.

At mid-range, he employed Flame Seals.

In close combat, he showed no fear! A group of over ten City Guards, along with several warhorses, faced Karl alone, yet they had no power to resist.

Even...

They couldn't escape! The speed at which the horses turned was far slower than the incoming Arcane Missiles, and turning to flee would only expose their vulnerabilities.

This was a one-sided slaughter, not a group of City Guards hunting down Karl, but Karl massacring the City Guards.

"Boom!"

A fireball struck a warhorse, exploding with a mighty blast, tearing the horse and its rider to shreds.

The next moment,

The battlefield was strewn with blood and flesh.

'As expected!'

'Wizards are indeed swift in taking lives, like grim reapers, and they can do so safely from a distance.'

'Even a team of elite knights would have to retreat if faced with a formal knight, and even if they eventually win, they'd likely be injured, and total annihilation is out of the question.'

'But wizards...'

'...can handle it with ease!'

As he fought, Karl even had the leisure to ponder.

"Overall, in a one-on-one situation in a relatively confined space, knights are stronger, but in other scenarios, wizards hold the advantage."

"Hmm..."

"A wizard's strength depends on the sorcery they master, as well as the enchanted artifacts and potions they possess."

"A knight's strength, on the other hand, is more pure."

In a short time, the City Guards, who had been boasting their prowess, now lay dead or injured.

Karl approached the crowd on foot.

"There's no need to be nervous."

He noticed the tension in the group and stopped in front of them, asking, "I just want to know what happened inside the Black City?"

"Knight... Sir Knight."

A middle-aged man stepped forward from the crowd, stuttering, "Thank you for your help. Please, take whatever you want from us."

Although Karl hadn't displayed any martial techniques, in their understanding, someone this powerful must be a knight, and addressing him as Sir Knight was appropriate.

"I said,"

Karl shook his head,

"I just want to know what happened inside the Black City?"

"Yes, yes."

The man nodded repeatedly and said,

"We don't know what happened either, we only know that it's related to something beneath Pit Two."

"In a short time, the entire Black City was shrouded in dark energy, and many people underwent strange transformations on the spot."

Recalling the situation, fear filled the faces of those on the battlefield.

"At that time, the city was already in chaos, and the city gate was damaged. We took the opportunity to escape, and later we heard that Pit Two released another wave of dark energy."

"Now..."

He looked in the direction of the Black City and shook his head lightly,

"I fear there may be no survivors left in the entire Black City!"

"Sir Knight, it's related to something beneath Pit Two."

Upon hearing this, Karl slowly nodded.

Below Pit Two?

No surprise!

"Then..." The man cautiously asked, "Sir Knight, can we leave now?"

"Let's go."

Karl waved his hand, turned around, and approached a severely injured City Guard. He crouched down and spoke softly, "Now, it's your turn."

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end