Chapter 99: Nine Fragments of Divine Blessing

Chapter 99: Nine Fragments of Divine Blessing



Eagle Henry, no longer in his youth, had silver-white hair that shimmered softly in the candlelight, his face etched with the marks of time, wrinkles that bore witness to his honor and hardships.

His posture was stooped, but he still tried to stand tall, as if to maintain the dignity of his past.

But he was old.

So old that he wouldn't even retort to jokes made at his expense.

By his side was Asis, dressed in an extravagant outfit.

Compared to his father's composure and calmness, Asis's eyes flickered, constantly glancing towards the door.

"They're here."

Henry's ears twitched, and he stepped forward to greet them, a smile appearing on his face even before he spoke:

"Welcome, Mr. Karl!"

"Mr. Karl."

Asis bowed respectfully.

"Asis, my friend," Karl said, offering his hand to support Asis.

"No need for such formality."

"Mr. Henry, it's good to see you again."

Karl's attitude put both men at ease, as the apologies from the past few days seemed to have worked.

"Sit!"

Henry gestured for them to sit:

"Please, take a seat."

"I've always disagreed with Berd's decisions, but as you know, Karl, my voice in the Scythe Brotherhood carries less and less weight."

"Sigh."

He sighed helplessly:

"Not everyone respects the elderly, especially in Free Harbor. Old folks who've lost their strength are destined to be abandoned."

Seeing no response from Karl, Henry shook his head and took out a wooden box.

"Click!"

The box lid opened.

Inside were four fragments of Divine Blessing.

"Only four?" Karl took the box, his face betraying no emotion, but his heart already stirred with ripples:

"Only four?"

"A few years ago, the Brotherhood exchanged a Supreme Seal with the Duke's envoy and used up all our savings," Henry explained:

"So, this is all we have for now."

"As you know, it takes a hundred fragments of Divine Blessing to get a Supreme Seal, and it took the Brotherhood many years to gather that many."

A hundred fragments.

Karl's fingers twitched, his heart pounding.

If he had been given a hundred fragments, he would have become a Full Wizard or Legendary Knight by now.

The Supreme Seal was good, but it definitely wasn't worth a hundred fragments, at least not in his eyes.

But what use did Ferdinand Duke have for Divine Blessings?

Could it be that...

the other party was like him, able to extract Essence from the Divine Blessings and transform it into their own power?

"Actually..."

Asis's eyes flickered, and he opened his mouth to speak:

"There might be more, but the Divine Blessings are collected by Second Elder Belde, and he said there are only these four."

"As for how many he has, only he knows for sure."

Hmm?

Karl raised an eyebrow.

"Asis!"

Henry frowned slightly, displeased. Although he didn't like Belde either, he didn't want the Scythe Brotherhood to have another dispute with Karl.

"Karl."

Turning around, he softened his voice:

"Apart from the Divine Blessings, we also have half a Legendary Beast, which I've already sent to the Dragon King Merchant Guild."

"I heard you were collecting these, so consider it as the Brotherhood's apology."

"Mhm." Karl nodded:

"Thank you."

"That Frost Lady is in the Flame Tavern's kitchen; if handled promptly, it should only be missing a leg."

"Asis!"

Henry quickly spoke up:

"You go!"

"Yes." Asis stood up, and just as he was about to leave, he remembered something and stopped to ask:

"Karl, the last time we met, you said that if I wanted to become a Grand Knight..."

"Do you have a way?"

"Hmm..."

Karl paused for a moment:

"I had a potion back then that could increase the chances of a Peak Knight breaking through to become a Grand Knight."

"Ah!"

"What?"

Upon hearing this, both Asis and Henry's faces changed.

"Really?" Asis's body trembled:

"Karl, are you telling the truth?"

He had once aspired to become a Grand Knight, but after several failed attempts, he had become disheartened.

Now, his emotions were stirred, and he struggled to control his excitement.

No wonder! No wonder! That's why Lula and Odysseus from the Dragon King Merchant Guild suddenly became Grand Knights, turning the tide in their favor.

It must be because of this! He didn't think Karl was lying, after all, becoming a Grand Knight isn't something that can be faked.

However...

This matter is of utmost importance to the Dragon King Merchant Guild, and it should have been kept strictly confidential.

Karl noticed the doubt in their eyes and smiled:

"There were a few bottles of the potion, but I don't have it anymore."

Now it made sense!

Henry understood.

Without the potion, there was no need for confidentiality.

"Ah!"

Asis, on the other hand, was filled with regret, and the thought of what he had missed made him feel remorseful.

If only he had asked a few more questions...

Sigh!

He looked dejected, his whole being seemed to have lost its spirit.

"Mr. Karl."

Henry tentatively spoke up:

"Can that potion be made again?"

Asis eagerly waited, hoping to hear an affirmative answer from Karl.

"Well..." Karl hesitated:

"Currently, it's not possible."

"But if there's ever a chance to make it again, I'll definitely let you know."

"Good!" Asis didn't wait for Henry to speak:

"Mr. Karl, please remember to notify me."

"Sure."

Karl smiled.

He didn't mind doing business with the Scythe Brotherhood or the Sea Serpent Guild, and in fact, he had planned to do so.

His goal was to use the 'Rampage Potion' to gather Divine Blessings from Free Harbor, which was his true intention.

As for the Dragon King Merchant Guild...

As long as he could become a Full Wizard or Legendary Knight, other people's opinions didn't matter.

Henry stroked his chin.

He could understand the meaning behind Karl's words.

Making that kind of potion was difficult, but not impossible, implying that it would not be cheap.

Price?

As long as he could become a Grand Knight, any price could be negotiated.

Serenity Coins?

He should think of a way to get some Serenity Coins.

...

Bidding farewell to the two of them.

Karl boarded the carriage and took out the Serenity Coins.

Here are four coins, plus the five coins Lula gave, making a total of nine coins.

Nine Serenity Coins transformed into Essence, providing Mental Power or Physique, but it would take him several years of hard cultivation to accumulate.

"Once the Water Monkeys reach the shore, refining the Rampage Potion, in Free Harbor, the Serenity Coins will continuously gather in my hands."

"A Full Wizard!"

"A Legendary Knight!"

Karl smirked, feeling his mood lighten, and his future seemed smooth, even his thoughts became more agile.

"Huff!"

Aya lightly pulled the reins and stopped the carriage.

"Uncle Karl, what happened up ahead?"

"Oh!"

Karl lifted the curtain, his gaze fixed on the front, but before he could see the situation, his eyebrows furrowed.

This mist...

There's a problem!

The battle aura gathered above his eyes, but he couldn't see the situation ten meters away, which was very abnormal.

Ordinary mist wouldn't block the vision of a Grand Knight.

"It wasn't like this yesterday!"

Karl got off the carriage and walked forward.

At the corner of the street, several figures were squirming, but he didn't know what they were up to.

"Clatter..."

Karl's footsteps paused, and his expression gradually turned grim.

"Uncle."

Aya parked the carriage and quickly followed, heading towards the corner.

"You guys, what are you doing?"

"Ah!"

Before she could finish her sentence, she was startled by the scene before her and her face paled instantly.

But the figures squirming on the ground, their bodies covered in blood, several broken corpses scattered on the ground.

The head of one rolled to the side, the baby's body had its chest cavity hollowed out, and a severed arm lay in the mud.

Cannibals!

Something was eating people!

Although she had seen many gruesome scenes, the sight of people being eaten alive still challenged her ability to cope.

"Hiss..."

Aya's voice startled the squirming figures, and they turned to look, hissing strangely.

"What is this?"

The 'monster' before her had a human figure and appearance, but its skin was dark blue, and some parts were covered in fish scales.

Its eyes were like icy blades, flashing with madness, frenzy, and bloodlust, without a trace of reason.

They were like monsters from the deep sea, with seaweed wrapped around their bodies, and they exuded a fishy stench.

Merfolk!

"Aya."

Karl spoke in a low voice:

"Come back."

"Yes."

Aya's throat rolled, and she took a step back.

"Hiss..."

"Swish!"

The monster lying on the ground obviously wasn't going to let her go, hissing as its body pounced quickly.

Their bodies were elongated, muscles well-built, and their explosive power was astonishing.

Under the cover of the thick mist, they were like a barrage of arrows, and Aya's breath caught.

However, she wasn't afraid.

Because she knew she wouldn't be harmed.

"Buzz..."

An invisible wave of power emerged from behind, instantly enveloping the entire area, trapping the approaching monsters.

Minor Magic Field!

Gravity Distortion!

"Bang!"

The charging monsters were like a head-on collision with an invisible wall, falling straight to the ground.

After advancing to an Advanced Wizard Apprentice, Karl activated his Zero-Ring Wizardry, allowing him to exert several times the power on his opponents.

Knights,

Could be easily suppressed.

These monsters were fierce, but at most, they were Knight Squires, far inferior to Knights.

If he concentrated the power of wizardry...

Karl raised his hand in a gesture.

"Buzz!"

An invisible force descended from above, and the ground in front suddenly shook, sinking half a foot.

"Bang!"

The monsters couldn't bear this pressure, and their bodies exploded, turning into a pile of bloody flesh.

Karl retracted his palm, his expression grim.

'Not only affecting vision, but also hearing, perception, and even spider senses are dulled.'

"What's going on with this mist?"

'What's happening?'

Karl took a step forward:

"Let's go."

"Yes."

Aya was about to hitch the carriage.

"Forget the carriage." Karl shook his head, his voice firm:

"I have a bad feeling."

Although he hadn't studied astrology, the premonitions of an Advanced Wizard Apprentice weren't weak.

...

The Pier.

Here, the stone steps were well-arranged, the buildings elegant, mainly made of stone and wood.

The sea breeze blew, the sails fluttering, the boatmen and sailors shouting.

On the shore, goods piled up like mountains, workers busy transporting.

This bustling pier not only supplied the people of Free Harbor but also shipped to other cities.

How many people's lives depended on this pier.

But now.

Silence.

The bustle of the past was gone, broken ships, and pale corpses quietly floating on the water.

Houses collapsed.

Warehouse goods spilled onto the ground.

Various tools, materials, and supplies scattered everywhere, broken pieces swaying slightly in the sea breeze.

"Clatter!"

"Clatter..."

A sound came from somewhere, a Merfolk chewing on a corpse, its fish-like eyes rolling, then it suddenly darted out.

"Swish!"

"Swish!"

More and more Merfolk appeared in various places, in the blink of an eye, they formed a tide, rushing into Free Harbor."

Soon.

"Ah!"

"Monster!"

"Run for your lives!"

Screams and shouts echoed, but the thick fog muffled them, preventing them from traveling far.

"Boom!"

The water surged.

6◇9◇book◇bar

Gigantic tentacles emerged from the water, pulling and tugging at buildings, slowly revealing a mountain-like body.

Dozens of strange spiders crawled out from the tentacles, their joints resembling wooden structures, making a creaking sound as they moved. Several of them vanished in the blink of an eye.

A group of twisted monsters emerged from the mud, moving slowly like writhing sludge, leaving a trail of viscous fluid that corroded everything in its path, including steel and stone.

Various bizarre creatures emerged from the sea, approaching Free Harbor.

…………

Sea God Guild Outpost.

Compared to the Dragon King Merchant Guild and the Bloodscythe Aheng, the Sea God Guild's outpost was the closest to the Endless Sea.

It was also the first to be impacted.

"Boom!"

With a loud crash, the Sea God Guild's outpost gate was smashed open, and countless Merfolk swarmed in.

"Block them!"

"Kill!"

As one of the three major powers in Free Harbor, the Sea God Guild not only had a Peak Knight who was acknowledged as the top expert among Peak Knights, but also numerous Knights and Knight Squires.

Fully armed Knights rushed out from the outpost, charging towards the invading Merfolk.

On the walls, towers, and various hidden spots, archers quickly fired their arrows, raining down like a heavy shower.

"Whoosh!"

"Whoosh whoosh!"

Rows of Merfolk fell to the ground.

Even larger ballistae were brought out, and the thick arrows could easily pierce steel plates.

The continuous fire of the ballistae sprayed steel arrows, pinning the Merfolk to the ground.

But...

"They're too many!"

Someone shouted:

"Monsters! We can't hold them back!"

In just a short moment, there were already thousands of Merfolk in this slum, and even more were approaching from behind, making it difficult to count.

At least ten thousand!

It was known that each Merfolk was comparable to a Knight Squire, and they were Knight Squires who didn't know pain.

Even if surrounded by three to five Merfolk, it was difficult to escape.

Ten thousand Merfolk were enough to overturn the survival of Free Harbor.

Moreover, the number of Merfolk was likely more than ten thousand!

"Where did they all come from?"

Hawk's expression darkened as he held a trident and stood on a platform, looking down at the battlefield below:

"So many monsters appeared in the Endless Sea, near the wharf, and there wasn't even a hint of news?"

"Recently, there have indeed been some mysterious disappearances of ships, but..."

Berd's face was filled with bewilderment:

"Who would have thought it would be like this?"

Indeed, who would have thought that in the Endless Sea, there would be so many Merfolk, and no one noticed?

Where were they hiding before?

"Boom!"

A loud crash came from the western wall.

In the light of the torches, a ten-meter-long water centipede smashed through the wall, rushing into the crowd.

The huge centipede's body glistened with an eerie luster, and arrows that landed on it were instantly deflected. Its numerous claws and pincers grabbed anyone in its path, ensuring their demise.

Even Knights were no exception.

"Legendary Creature!"

Hawk's expression changed, and a stream of water appeared under his feet, propelling him towards the western side of the outpost.

The trident in his hand was said to have come from a vanished entity, possessing the mysterious ability to control water.

Combined with the Minor Force Field, Water Vortex, and Gravity Control, Hawk's strength rivaled that of Dragon King Zimorman and Bloodscythe Aheng, making him the top expert among Peak Knights.

"Go!"

With a low shout, Hawk brandished his trident.

The rampaging water centipede suddenly froze, as streams of water appeared out of thin air, binding it like chains.

"Boom!"

"Boom!"

It was as if thousands of bombs exploded, the water surging and impacting the centipede's shell, tearing apart its flesh and blood.

"Squeak squeak..."

The intense pain caused the centipede to shriek, its head glowing red, and a huge human face appeared, filled with anger.

The giant human face turned towards Hawk and pounced.

"Human-faced centipede?"

Hawk's eyes narrowed:

"How is it so big?"

The fog grew denser.

"Bang!"

A Merfolk that was charging towards them instantly exploded, turning into a spray of blood and water.

Karl put away his trident, his expression grave.

"So many?"

He had originally thought that only some strange sea creatures had come ashore in the fog, secretly killing and devouring people, but the current situation was clearly wrong.

Too many! In this slum, every alley had Merfolk lurking, killing and devouring the residents.

The fog was too thick!

With so many murders happening, how could no one have noticed?

Perhaps it was because Free Harbor was never lacking in slaughter, or maybe no one had expected there would be so many vicious Merfolk, or perhaps someone was already resisting, but Karl didn't know.

In any case,

It wasn't just this slum that had Merfolk.

"Let's go!"

With this thought, Karl waved his hand:

"Back to the guild's outpost."

"Yes."

Aya quickly nodded, her face pale and body cold from what she had witnessed.

"Wait a moment!"

Just as they were about to leave, Karl suddenly stopped, his hands resting on the sword hilt at his waist.

His expression was grave.

On the way here, he had never drawn his sword, only using sorcery to easily defeat his opponents.

But now...

"Whoosh!"

A black shadow rushed out from the distance, and in just two flashes, it appeared before them.

"Boom!"

The immense force and incredible speed caused the air in front of the fist to compress and vibrate, unleashing a hurricane-like gust.

"Dang..."

Two broadswords crossed in front of the fist, clashing with a burst of energy at the point of contact, and a figure was sent flying backward, skimming the ground.

It was Carl!

His face showed surprise, his hands trembled slightly, and his feet dug deep furrows into the ground.

What formidable strength!

"Swish!"

The attacker didn't stop there; they closed in again, unleashing a barrage of punches that left afterimages in their wake.

The air was torn apart by the force, creating columns of energy.

"Whoosh..."

A stream of water appeared out of thin air, instantly transforming into a ball of water, and multiple invisible force fields descended.

The figure's speed suddenly decreased.

A Merfolk?

The attacker resembled the Merfolk from before, but their body was more robust and towering.

Standing at over three meters tall, they resembled a miniature giant.

Their body was covered in scales, even their face showed signs of fish-like scales.

The speed and strength they unleashed were exaggerated, far surpassing that of an ordinary Grand Knight, and they could likely hold their own against a Peak Grand Knight.

However, even a Peak Grand Knight, after several rounds of suppression by wizardry, would be reduced to an ordinary Grand Knight.

"Open!"

Secret Technique—Gigantism!

Carl's body trembled, his shoulders shook, and in an instant, he transformed into a massive giant over five meters tall.

His Constitution also changed from that of an ordinary Grand Knight to a Peak Grand Knight.

A trade-off.

Combat Technique—Sacred Judgment!

"Boom!"

The crossed swords slashed downward, combining the concentrated battle aura with a petrification spell, colliding with the burly Merfolk.

"Bang!"

"Bang, Bang!"

The Merfolk's strength was formidable, and they were fearless in the face of pain and death. Against any other Grand Knight, they would undoubtedly have the upper hand.

However,

They had encountered Carl.

"Pfft!"

The greatsword slashed down again, and the Merfolk raised their arm to block, but they didn't notice that their arm was already showing signs of petrification.

In an instant,

Their arm shattered, and their body was heavily slashed and knocked to the ground.

"Die!"

Carl thrust his greatsword downward, impaling the burly Merfolk into the ground.

"Go!"

Carl grabbed the Merfolk's corpse by the neck and leaped forward:

"Back to base!"

On the way back.

Screams and wails rose and fell, and even the fog couldn't block out the sounds that pierced their ears.

The entire Free Harbor seemed to have no peaceful place, and the tavern where Henry and Asis met had somehow turned into ruins at an unknown time.

Chaos!

Complete chaos!

At the guild base.

Lula and the others had already gathered.

Even the most oblivious among them now realized something was wrong, but the mist made it difficult to convey messages.

Fortunately, there were many experts here, and being far from the coastline meant that there weren't too many monsters around, at least for now.

...

The Fragment of the Divine Domain.

Carl appeared with a pile of items, ready to take action, when a blinding white light suddenly illuminated the area.

"Boom!"

The white light swept in like a tide and then quickly receded.

If not for the lingering afterimage in his eyes, Carl would have thought the entire event was just an illusion.

"What's going on?"

Carl was taken aback.

He had entered and exited the Fragment of the Divine Domain countless times and had never encountered such a situation, but he quickly regained his composure.

A corpse!

The burly Merfolk's corpse! The white light swept over everything, but only the Merfolk's corpse reacted, quietly disintegrating and dispersing.

It seemed to be repelled by the Fragment of the Divine Domain.

An epiphany rose in Carl's mind.

"Demon God's pollution?"

"So, everything tainted by the Demon God's power will be attacked by the Fragment of the Divine Domain?"

"Were these Merfolk born from the power of the Demon God?"

Carl stroked his chin, deep in thought for a moment, before taking out the Divine Blessing and converting all of it into Essence with a thought.

Name: Carl

Constitution: 3.29

Mental Power: 3.74

Essence: 0.45

"If I use Essence to enhance my Constitution, I can become a Peak Grand Knight, significantly increasing my strength. After gigantism, my Constitution could even exceed 5, rivaling a Legendary Knight."

"If I add it to my Mental Power, the power of Zero-Ring Wizardry and Supreme Seals will increase. More importantly..."

Carl's eyes flashed, and his thoughts concentrated.

Instantly.

The Mental Power column flickered, and the value directly increased to 3.74.

The previously uncontrollable Mental Power in the Inner Core naturally transformed under the influence of Essence, like compressing years of mental cultivation into a single moment.

The wonders of Essence never ceased to amaze.

"Increasing Mental Power can allow me to learn the wizardry of Bloodline Wizards, and as my Mental Power rises, my Constitution will naturally improve."

"If I focus solely on Constitution, it would take at least five to six years of arduous cultivation to raise my Mental Power by 0.45, based on my current progress."

"I can't wait that long!"

Shaking his head, Carl stepped out of the Fragment of the Divine Domain.

Lula and the others were already gathered in the hall, discussing matters.

"The fog is so thick that even those familiar with the terrain can easily get lost, not to mention the need to beware of monsters."

"The information is too chaotic and confusing."

"Some say that Pirate Island of Tortuga has turned into ruins, while others claim that no ships are sailing in the Endless Sea anymore."

"The Sea God Guild's base has been captured, and according to those who escaped, there are at least ten thousand Merfolk..."

"The situation of the Sea God Guild's President is currently unclear."

"The Scythe Brotherhood has sent people to inquire about the situation, but we're all still confused. What can we tell them?"

"Freeport is in trouble this time!"

Carl didn't participate in the discussion, and as the others deliberated and shared various pieces of information, his expression grew increasingly somber.

He didn't want Freeport to be in danger, and if it were...

Divine Blessing!

My Divine Blessing!

Please collect!

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end