《Lord of Glory》


 CH 1

    There was a very prominent story recorded in Oloson''s Cassily Bible. A powerful alchemist who specialized in the power of day and night finally succeeded to set foot in God''s realm. The devil tempted and corrupted him in order to cause him to fall from the side of the light. Even though he was immortal, watching his lover die was heartbreaking. Thus, he used God''s power to save his lover, ignoring God''s warning. The two of them lived happily ever after...


    The Great God, on the other hand, was enraged. Resurrecting the dead was a violation of God''s iron law. As a result, God punished him by murdering his beloved, who could no longer be resurrected.he alchemist was overcome with grief, but the demon on whom he had been relying on was nowhere to be found. So, he---a mortal fueled by hatred---decided to fight God. In the end, he died because of God''s divine punishment.


    Nevertheless, his method of entering God''s realm was recorded in his scroll. As it flowed down the long river of history, it had been peered at by countless people who had vainly attempted to resist God.... That scroll originated from the hands of an alchemist. So, since the descendants didn''t know the name of the scroll, they took the alchemist''s surname and named it the Ripley Scroll.


    £­£­£­£­£­£­£­£­£­£­£­£­£­£­£­£­£­£­£­£­£­£­£­£­£­£­£­£­


    "Onix, you answer. How do you stabilize a boiling sulfur solution with white copper(cupronickel)?"


    In the middle of a lecture hall with towering white stone pillars, marble-covered walls and floors, and mysterious ancient murals carved onto the ceilings, a beautiful woman with red hair in a white robe was frowning. She tapped the alchemy platform in front of her, looking angry at a white-robed student about ten meters away from her. The student who had just awoken from his slumber appeared befuddled. The student, whose name was Onix, got called out and it made his face flushed immediately. The students around him lowered their heads and softly snickered. No one dared to secretly tell him the answer.


    "Um... This...." Onix''s voice became increasingly smaller. He had an argument with his classmates yesterday. That''s why he dozed off in the morning class, completely forgetting it was Feng Li Er''s, an alchemy tutor who must never be offended in class.


    At the same time, a man with messy black hair stood beside a half-opened wooden door next to the lecture hall. He was dressed in shabby and coarse black clothes, holding a wiper and a broom in his hand. The 20-year-old man with a handsome but dirty face was observing this scene carefully. He unconsciously showed a contemptuous smile. His name was Paladin, which meant holy and pious. Such a name was immensely unsuitable for this place.


    Paladin was acutely aware of his predicament. His biological parents, who made no attempt to hide their faces, left their newborn son in front of the college''s gate without saying goodbye. Not even a single letter or message was left. They only left a tattered bamboo basket and a cross necklace worn by the newborn. Paradoxically, not only did his parents not want their son, but they also outed themselves as members of the continent''s most powerful organization, the Holy See---which was wanted and hunted down---in front of a branch of the Freemasons'' Association.


    That''s right. On the Oloson Continent, the Freemasons'' Association was both a dangerous and harmless organization. As an organization filled with mysterious alchemists, they didn''t care much about things outside, didn''t have much attack power, and didn''t have many members. They did, however, threateningly preach that Enos, the true god of the Holy See, was a heretic. They advocated for the equality of all things in the world. They believed that the world wasn''t created by God, but by the invisible laws of the universe. This clearly posed a significant threat to the Holy See''s prestige and rule. Both sides launched a thousand-year-long pursuit and hunt.


    Paladin didn''t care about these things. What he cared about was that his parents forced him to wear the symbol of the Holy See, the mortal enemy of the Freemasons'' Association, on his body and then abandoned him in their hands. Surprisingly, the members of the association didn''t get angry. Hypothetically, he thought it was some kind of insult. Thus, he chose not to commit suicide. He grew up as a slave who cleaned and did chores. He was given the sacred name Paladin, which was ironic. Paladin was rendered speechless by such mockery.


    Paladin chuckled softly as he leaned on the wall in front of the door, watching Onix squeak and struggle to speak.


    "Idiot, use clover to reorganize the magic circle and assist it using the four sequence formulas."


    Of course, Paladin wasn''t stupid enough to let these people, who looked down on him hear. He also didn''t want these people to know that his knowledge of alchemy was already comparable to their teachers''. The only reason he didn''t dare was because he wanted to live longer.


    Teacher Feng Li Er abruptly stopped frowning without waiting for Onix''s response. She sighed deeply and waved her hand. The murder weapon on her chest shook violently. With an expression full of disappointment, she said, "Okay, okay. Let''s call it a day."


    As soon as she said that, all of the students in the classroom immediately picked up their textbooks. The sound of them sliding tables and chairs and then rushing towards the door could be heard. Seeing this scene, Paladin was startled. His disdainful expression quickly changed to one that appeared dull and silly. He picked up the broom and pretended to sweep the floor.


    Crash! A large group of students, both male and female, all handsome and beautiful, poured out from the doorway while talking and laughing. When they saw Paladin, one of them burst out laughing and stepped forward to playfully touch his head. With a smile, the student then said, "Fool, do a good job."


    "Hahaha, my leather shoes are dirty, please lick them for me," someone else joked. Paladin wore a timid and fearful expression as he tried to avoid those who teased and insulted him.


    Paladin''s pitiful and terrified expression was noticed by a student who was holding a beautiful female student in his arms. He suddenly became interested and teased, "Fool, you''re so old. You can''t possibly have touched a single woman yet."


    After speaking, he suddenly pushed the woman in his arms towards Paladin. "Hey! This is for you!" The woman screamed as she was thrown towards Paladin. This caused Paladin to continuously back away in fright. However, he couldn''t help but touch the woman''s soft waist and smell her fragrance. His face quickly turned bright red.


    "Hahahaha! Look at this, the fool is blushing!" said Onix, the male student who had previously fallen asleep in class. When he saw Paladin''s appearance, he became overjoyed and couldn''t help but laugh.


    What was even more insulting was that the female student who was thrown into Paladin''s arms suddenly stared at Paladin with disgust and hatred, as if he were something dirty. She quickly slapped Paladin''s hand on her waist, hurriedly walked away, and returned to Onix while muttering angrily, "Honey, stop playing with this kind of thing! The thought of this thing touching me makes me sick!"


    When Paladin heard this, he cowered and squatted on the ground, his head buried in his arms. Onix, who saw this, immediately burst out laughing. He was having a blast.


    "Don''t be angry! I''ll go back to the dormitory later and comfort you well!" After saying this, he wrapped his arm around the woman''s waist and swaggeringly left together with a group of smiling and happy classmates.


    Other students who were leaving the class turned a blind eye to this situation. Paladin''s existence was shunned by the entire branch of the Freemasons'' Association. Rumors circulated that he was a moron who could only do menial tasks and mundane daily chores. Coupled with the ironic name, some people dismissed the idea of being caring to him.


    Even if Paladin wasn''t pleased with the branch''s leader, there was no reason to jeopardize his future. He still needed the woman''s benevolence for a little longer. Therefore, Paladin had no one to talk to within this whole branch of the Freemasons'' Association.


    Around this time, the students who were in their twenties were nowhere to be seen. The mural-covered corridor was devoid of people. The silence was so deafening that the sound of leaves being blown by the wind could be clearly heard outside. Slowly, Paladin stood up. The hand that was trembling with fear displayed incomparable calmness. His face was obscured by the shadow of his jet-black hair, but there was no sign of dullness, timidity, loneliness, nor fear this time.


    If people from this branch saw him right now, they would definitely be blown away. The famed fool, the idiot, and the timid coward was completely gone with no trace of the past. Instead, he had a ferocious and vicious expression! His eyes were wide open while his pupils constricted. The corners of his mouth were distorted by hatred and a desire for destruction, exuding a chilling and terrifying aura that made people shudder! Rather than calling him a fool, it was better to call him a demon in human skin!


    The corner of the evil and gloomy mouth moved slightly. A hoarse voice with a vengeful aura could faintly be heard.


    "A bunch of rubbish, trash! I, Paladin, won''t stop here! One day, you''ll have to pay a heavy and irreversible price one by one!" After that, Paladin, whose face turned dull again, picked up the broom and bucket. He slowly walked to another path.


    In a dark and small attic, Paladin slowly pushed open the dilapidated wooden door. He skillfully lit a match by the door. The damp and smelly room was immediately illuminated by a dim oil lamp. It was a small room, less than forty square meters in size. The room was filled with all kinds of cleaning utensils. But strangely, there were piles of books lined up neatly on the ground. Needless to say, there was an ocean of books.


    Among the book piles was a dilapidated alchemy platform with a hole caused by an explosion after some alchemical failure. Apart from a few test tubes containing unknown drugs, there were also several worn-out parchments on the platform, which were filled with beautiful runes and alchemy tutorials. Obviously, Paladin was not the fool that others thought he was. On the contrary, he had been studying alchemy day and night. His knowledge and expertise in this area were enough to make any mentor feel ashamed.


    Paladin, who had just set down the tools in his hand and was about to relax, was suddenly taken aback. He was surprised to discover that the cleaning brush he had brought with him had been left in the lecture hall!


    "Hey, I''ve got to go there again." Paladin sighed in frustration.


    He extinguished the oil lamp, carefully shut the door, and walked towards the classroom. From the tower''s windows, an endless forest and mountains could be seen looming from the outside, shrouded by the chilling night. It gave the once vibrant corridor a strange and eerie aura. There was something unusual about this night.


    The enveloping night was just like the gods'' veil concealing true terrors within! Even the bright moon in the sky seemed strange right now. Paladin had no idea that his life would change dramatically on this mysterious and distant night....

 CH 2

    CW : Sexual Acts


    Paladin returned to the classroom, walking with his tired feet.  He took back the brush from the window and let out a relieved sigh. He was about to turn his head and walk away when a long-suppressed moan stopped his footsteps.


    "Ah... Um... Professor, don''t thrust so hard...."


    Paladin''s eyes instantly narrowed. Anyone who wasn''t a moron could figure out what this meant. Paladin, however, was uninterested in sex. It wasn''t that he didn''t care, but from his point of view, he didn''t have enough food and clothing and couldn''t even maintain his dignity. So, he didn''t have the mental capacity to think about these things at all. Nevertheless, this was a good opportunity!


    A wicked smile appeared on Paladin''s face. He slowed his pace and gently pushed open the lecture hall''s door, revealing a small gap. Paladin was well aware that no students would enter the classroom because it was already dark. Those wastes of space must have been frolicking with women and chasing pleasure right now. That was why he dared to be so bold, trying to get a glimpse of what was going on.


    "Teacher Feng Li Er, Professor Francis!" Paladin''s squinted eyes widened instantly. He saw Francis, the most respected old professor in the branch, standing in front of the alchemy table. His fat belly jiggled as he pressed his wrinkled body against Feng Li Er''s plump (in a good way) body. The most popular and attractive female tutor could only writhe incessantly!


    Paladin suddenly felt a sense of danger. This kind of secret was too big and would only do him harm. Turning his head, walking away, and completely forgetting what he saw was the wise thing to do! Keeping this in mind, Paladin swallowed deeply. As he was about to turn away, the old professor smirked, laughed, and said, "I have good news for you, my baby. The scroll is indeed in the branch''s possession. I already know where it is. Our beautiful days are coming soon!"


    Paladin came to a halt as soon as Francis said this. Intuition told him that more important information would be revealed.


    Sure enough, the look on Feng Li Er''s charming eyes suddenly changed. She exclaimed in surprise as she enthusiastically looked at the old professor, "Really? You found the Ripley Scroll! Where is it? Hurry, tell me!"


    "What....!!" Paladin, who was hiding behind the door, let out a low cry of surprise. He immediately covered his mouth suppressing the shock and disbelief that surged through his mind! He relaxed after confirming that Francis and Feng Li Er had not heard his voice. But when he heard what was said next, he fell into an even greater shock!


    "The Ripley scroll! The god-defying mythical item owned by the person who set foot in God''s domain and resisted God''s attack! Does... it really exist?"


    Paladin, who had secretly studied various ancient and modern cultures, alchemy, history, and so on, understood exactly what they were talking about. This Ripley scroll, which was only a small part of the myth, can be said to be a very popular one. Because, among the great myths, only the Ripley Scroll myth told the story of a man attempting to resist God. Unlike other clich¨¦s in which heroes defeat demons and gods save the world, this one was blatantly about fighting God!


    Paladin remembered the myth but was very disapproving of it. Let''s not talk about whether there was a God or not. Even if there were a God, who could resist the power that surpasses the world? But just now, the professor actually said that the scroll existed and the location was already known! Didn''t this imply that there was indeed a God and the ability to resist God? Could one truly enter God''s domain?


    For Paladin, who had been oppressed and bullied since he was a child, all of this was genuinely too exciting. He had to keep a low profile all the time! At the same time, Professor Francis, who had heard Feng Li Er''s urging, pulled out all of a sudden. He took his robe and put it on. Then he smiled and stated, "Well, I''m going to tell you today. I don''t know how many years I would have spent looking for it if it hadn''t been for your alchemy and relationship with the dean."


    Feng Li Er abruptly stood up, regarded him suspiciously, and inquired, "Right now? I''ve been looking for it for so many years, there''s no need to rush."


    "No way, it has to be today! The place where the scroll is stored is very unusual. It''s a stable dimensional space. The entrance is in the academy''s basement, but its seal is unbreakable. Even if a dragon appeared, the seal wouldn''t be broken. When there is a solar or lunar eclipse, however, there will be a small gap in the seal. You can enter and exit in just one hour! Obviously, this one hour is insufficient!"


    "It happened to be today! So, without further ado, gather the necessary tools." Feng Li Er''s expression was serious.


    When she saw Francis nod, she immediately put on her robe and said quietly, "Let''s go. For five years of investigation and infiltration, we had been waiting for this day. I believe the next chance to enter will be hundreds of years later."


    When the excited Francis led the way, Paladin immediately moved away to hide behind the classroom''s door. He peered out from behind the door, with eyes full of greed and madness. He couldn''t stop himself from muttering, "The power of God.... The power of God! If I get it.... No, there''s no ''if''! I have to get it! For sure!"


    Paladin held a blade that was typically used to repair windows in his hand. He then trailed behind them. His ego, ambition, and greed were flaring.


    The further they walked, the more frightened Paladin became. The two of them walked through the sports room, the cafeteria, and even the dormitory. They went straight to the huge library located in the centre of the branch''s castle. Just when he was thinking about how the two could fool the librarian while hiding in the back of a door, he saw Francis wordlessly took out his short wand.


    A blue light flashed in an instant. The librarian, who had no idea what had happened, immediately got frozen into ice. He crashed to the ground and then shattered to pieces!


    "Let''s go, it''s in this library. Of course, we can''t let the librarian stay alive," Francis said. Feng Li nodded in understanding at this. After stepping over the corpse, the two went straight into the depths of the basement.


    "Is... he dead?" Paladin emerged from behind the door, his face filled with horror. An inexplicable excitement and joy coursed through his body as he gazed at the shattered corpse of the librarian who had always looked down on him. It was the thrill of pursuing power and the joy of vengeance!


    Swallowing deeply, Paladin walked around the frozen corpse and cautiously followed them inside.


    "This is it.... You wait." Francis and Feng Li Er came to a halt in front of a floor. The stone floor had a mural carved into it. The mural was nearly impossible to find unless they looked carefully. Moonlight cascaded down from the window next to them. Then, it was reflected by the engraved seal on the ground.


    At this point in time, Paladin hid behind a bookshelf in the distance to monitor their every move. However, they suddenly fall silent, remaining motionless in their positions as if waiting for something to happen. The moonlight suddenly dimmed, just as Paladin became suspicious. Francis, who was looking up, had an excited expression on his face. He couldn''t help but exclaim, "Here we come!"


    Paladin turned around to look. Something was consuming the bright moon that was hanging high in the sky. Its shape was changing from round to crescent. And it kept going until all that remained of the moon was a single bright circle of light!


    Boom! At that moment, circles with mysterious and widespread runes immediately appeared around the engraved seal on the floor while emitting dazzling bright light!

 CH 3

    Paladin, who was hiding in the distance, was dumbfounded. The dense alchemy runes that emerged around him were not only extremely esoteric and difficult to decipher, but also had never been seen before! These were the lost alchemy!


    While Paladin was still stunned, blue light suddenly burst from the engraved seal surrounded by countless runes. With a "krrr" sound, the seal split in half. An underground passage large enough for an adult to enter gradually revealed itself.


    "Hahaha! Here I come, Ripley Scroll!" Francis jumped up and down in delight. Feng Li Er had been rendered speechless by her own excitement. She then immediately lit up a magic lamp and walked in without hesitation.


    Paladin slowly gulped. He closed the door and trailed behind them as carefully as he could after carefully checking his surroundings and confirming that no one else was alarmed by the sudden burst of light. The passage was pitch-black. Through the faint light produced by Francis from afar, Paladin could vaguely see the dilapidated and withered stone walls around him. Paladin then held his breath and softened his steps. He was afraid of being noticed by the two people in front of him.


    Francis and Feng Li Er were obviously in a hurry. Their anxious steps echoed throughout the passage. An hour was indeed insufficient.


    "Is it right here? Francis... Oh, it''s amazing!"


    Not long after, the two of them walked into a dead-end. Paladin hid in a corner as he watched them nervously. A massive stone slab stood in front of the two. The stone that was supposed to be broken now emitted an incredible amount of power!


    The stone''s surface was densely packed with mysterious runes, while its periphery was full of colourful runes cruising leisurely like fish in a pond. Feng Li Er''s eyes instantly widened in surprise and disbelief at such a miraculous sight.


    Francis, who stood next to her, enthusiastically took out a slab engraved with an ancient seal from his sleeve. Paladin could tell it was similar to the stone on the library floor with just a glance. Both had an ancient seal engraved on them.


    "Hehehe, this is great! Ten thousand years ago, 325 top alchemists, led by the association''s president¡ªall powerful and knowledgeable alchemists in the entire Olosen Continent¡ªwere mobilised to incorporate Ai Menglik''s great sealing technique. The entire technique contains 40,000 rune sequences. It¡¯s regarded as the almost impossible-to-solve seal of God! The greatest spectacle in alchemy! A masterpiece!" Francis was so excited that his eyes got teary. With trembling hands, he continued to mutter to himself. The mystery of the myth would soon be completely unravelled.


    Feng Li Er, who was initially perplexed, regained her composure. But then, she went silent for a while as suspicions arose in her mind. She asked, "Is it really just the Ripley Scroll in here, Professor? If it''s just a scroll, why did so many powerful alchemists band together to seal the entrance that year? Isn''t it enough just to destroy the scroll?"


    Upon hearing this, Francis reigned in his excitement, turned around, and sneered. "What do you think we¡¯re up to right now? Feng Li Er! We''re alchemists. And at this moment, we''re pursuing the legendary alchemist''s pinnacle achievement! The key to enter God''s domain! Ten thousand years ago, the president and those alchemists were just like us, freemasons who were pursuing the truth! Who would be willing to destroy this kind of art, no, a priceless treasure!? But still, we can''t let the public know of it..."


    "That''s why they chose to seal it, right?" Feng Li Er nodded understandingly. She didn¡¯t look offended in the slightest by the rude way Francis spoke.


    Francis chuckled. He stroked the engraved seal in his hand and stared madly at the tiny gap in the middle of the huge floating magic circle


    ¡°You are really understanding. Back off, there might be arcane waves triggered by the chain reaction, don''t get caught in it..." he said while lowering his voice.


    Feng Li Er nodded slightly and took a step back. Seeing this, Paladin immediately squatted down and looked around for something to grab on the ground. His experience in alchemy might not be as high as Francis'', but he was familiar with arcane waves.


    In alchemy, arcane waves were defined as a chaotic riot of pure magic elements produced when the runes'' order of sequence was destroyed, moved, and or increased. It spread out like ocean waves. Although its destructive power was not particularly strong, if one was not cautious, violent magical elements could penetrate their entire body. Consequently, all of the nerves and soft tissues in their body could get damaged. Hence, it couldn''t be handled carelessly.


    At this moment, Francis'' originally wretched face suddenly became serious. Slowly lifting the engraved seal, he pointed it at the small gap and shouted, "Ali in fifty degrees! In the name of the lunar eclipse, open your arms, Ai Menglik!"


    The engraved seal in Francis'' hand immediately exuded an extremely dazzling light as soon as he chanted the spell. Paladin, who was lying on the ground, was horrified when he saw the light blue smoke wisps that flowed from the stone¡¯s gap came flocking to Francis, who stood in front of the seal. It looked like a swarm of hundred birds returning to their nests!


    Meanwhile, at this point in time, on the topmost floor of the entire Freemasons'' Association castle tower, a white-bearded old man dressed in a white robe was sitting on the bed. He abruptly opened his eyes and jumped out of the bed. The golden band around his arm indicated that he was the school dean of this association branch, Capps Ryan!


    Ryan had a terrified expression on his face. He ran to the window and looked up. His eyes, which had been calm before, became panicked in an instant!


    "How could this be¡­." Ryan muttered.


    The previously dimly lit night sky had now turned pitch black. The bright moon, which had hung high in the sky, also lost its last remnants of light. The entire world was enveloped in complete darkness. The most evil creatures that had lain dormant in the darkness were beginning to emerge....


    The power of destruction and transcendence! Ryan gulped. Something crossed his mind. Like a drowning man grasping at straws to survive, Ryan immediately ran to the bookshelf and carefully took out a box made of pure gold from the dark compartment. After opening it carefully, he discovered a piece of sheepskin parchment that had to be extremely old inside.


    When examined closely, it had to be a product of an unrecorded era in history. Definitely something with great research value. However, Ryan didn''t have time to care about that right now. He hurriedly took out the parchment and unfolded it. As he read the simple words written on the parchment, his face became very desperate. It was as though he had fallen into the abyss.


    Tap!


    Ryan''s hand trembled. The parchment fell to the ground as his grip on it loosened. He collapsed like a ragdoll, looking as if he had lost his soul. His eyes were filled with pain as well as panic.


    "Why¡­. Why!? Why is it me? Why does it have to be on my turn?!"

 CH 4

    Right now, only a loud bang could be heard inside the secret underground passage. The engraved seal in Francis'' hand instantly transformed into a dazzling ball of light and smashed into the gap that had just opened with a whoosh. The dense sequences of runes that were floating around the stone''s periphery suddenly stopped moving. Francis took a small crystal ball from his sleeve and held it tightly in his palm.


    Seeing that, Paladin''s pupils shrank. Despite the distance between them, he could feel powerful energy swinging back and forth between the runes. It was as if sharp knives lightly grazed his cheeks!


    "It¡¯s an Arcane Wave!" Francis yelled. Before he finished yelling, a puff of blue smoke overflowed from the middle of the runes that had previously stopped moving. It rapidly began to merge, forming large waves. It rushed like a tsunami towards Francis and Feng Li Er, who were just standing there nervously


    Paladin tightly clenched his fists. Thin sweat began to form on his forehead. Although he knew the destructive power of arcane waves shouldn¡¯t be that powerful, this sealing formation was laid by hundreds of the continent¡¯s top alchemists. The seal had a total of 40,000 sequences of runes! Even for a great formation, having twenty sequences of runes was already remarkable. Then, what about the arcane waves released by a formation with 40,000 sequence runes? Paladin doubted it would be harmless.


    When that wave-like smoke was about to pounce on Francis, the crystal ball in his hand suddenly emitted white light, forming a shield that covered his whole body. The waves rushed to him without any delay¡­.


    There was no sound of something crashing nor tearing! It was silent, very silent. Paladin only saw a flash of light and the next thing he knew, the smoke waves had already vanished. Just when Paladin pondered if his knowledge about arcane waves was wrong, the sound of something crashing could be heard from two different sources located in front of him. Following that, a large amount of stone that had been crushed into powder fell, immediately covering the ground with gray powder.


    Feng Li Er, who was taken aback by this spectacle, stood up while shaking all over. At this moment, her normally sweet voice trembled a little.


    "Professor¡­ Professor! Francis!"


    Feng Li Er felt a little bit scared when she saw Francis remained motionless. Although she was also an alchemy instructor, she was far behind Francis in terms of special research on alchemy and experience in studying the Ripley Scroll. Once Francis was dead, let alone facing the problems that were bound to arise after entering the seal, it¡¯d be difficult for her to successfully enter the seal. Right at that moment, Francis suddenly moved.


    "Ahhh¡­. I¡¯m dying of pain¡­." Francis turned his body with difficulty. Droplets of blood could be seen seeping from the skin of his arm. The crystal ball in his palm had lost its dazzling radiance and had turned into powder that was scattered on the ground.


    "My great Enos! Professor, you scared me to death!" Feng Li Er noticed that despite the fact that Francis was bleeding, it was nothing but mere cuts. The smile of a winner bloomed on his face. Feng Li Er couldn''t help but sigh with relief, pat her plump chest, and smile coquettishly.


    Unexpectedly, Francis turned and reprimanded her angrily, "Feng Li Er, pay attention to your words and actions! We are alchemists, freemasons who pursue the truth. How can we use the name of the God of Light, Enos¡­. Tsk tsk tsk, this really hurts. The Guardian of Bamir¡¯s crystal ball is destroyed, what a waste.¡±


    Francis'' reprimand was automatically ignored by Feng Li Er. She looked at the remnants of the crystal ball that had turned into powder on the ground in surprise. She then covered her mouth and exclaimed, "The Guardian of Bamir¡¯s crystal ball? Professor, where did you get such a high-quality magical item?"


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that! Come on, the seal is completely fine now... We don''t have much time left, so let''s go.¡± Francis obviously didn''t want to tell her where he got the magical item. So, without hesitation, he pulled Feng Li Er towards the gap in the stone.


    Paladin, who was still hiding in the distance, had just finished confirming that he was unharmed. When he went back to observe them, Francis and Feng Li Er became one with the seal and disappeared. Paladin licked his lips. He decided not to follow them right away. He was going to wait for a moment.


    Francis and Feng Li Er''s relationship, in Paladin''s opinion, was not as good as it appeared to be. For him, his greed for the power that could enter God¡¯s domain was indescribably strong. If he were either one of those two, he¡¯d definitely find an opportunity to get rid of the other party. After all, the temptation was too great! Everyone would naturally lose the constraints and norms formed by morality in the face of power that could rival God''s. Think about it! Once such power was obtained, the moral values that kept oneself in check would be nothing more than a ridiculous toy! After all, gods were above morality!


    "It''s time!" Paladin had been staring at the seal for a whole ten minutes. Waiting for ten minutes was such a waste of time when time was so precious, just like the situation right now. Paladin stood up and charged forward without hesitation. He ran into the seal with a confident expression on his face. His entire body began to blend with the seal.


    "Ugh..."


    Paladin fell from a very high altitude. His entire body suffered from the intense sensation of weightlessness. When Paladin¡¯s feet touched the ground, Paladin¡ªwho was at his limit¡ªimmediately fell to his knees and vomited, which was embarrassing.


    As soon as he came to his senses though, Paladin was taken aback by the spectacle in front of him. The cave was so huge that the end could hardly be seen. Massive mushrooms covered the ground and walls. Strangely enough, these mushrooms emitted a soft blue glow. As a result, this massive, previously dark cave was lit up by a stunning coral blue light.


    Astonished, Paladin slowly stood up. He noticed many blue particles floating near the mushroom head when he looked at the huge mushroom that was a head taller than himself. These countless particles emitted blue rays of light. Paladin dazedly looked up. The 100-meter-high stone ceiling above his head was covered with these strange mushrooms. The bursts of blue light made this cave look so beautiful and mysterious. As he was silently admiring the beautiful scenery, the sound of arrogant laughter immediately brought him back to reality.


    "Francis, I bet you weren¡¯t expecting this at all. I avoided the large corrosion scroll you spent a lot of money on, and instead, it fell on yourself! Hahahaha! Old pervert, how does it feel to be struck by your own spell?"


    Paladin, who was caught off guard, immediately lowered his body. He moved quickly and quietly towards the sound. Hiding behind a clump of mushrooms, he saw Feng Li Er, with a bleeding wound on her shoulder, standing proudly in front of Francis, who was lying on the ground. Francis¡¯ entire body was green, his flesh was festering, and his face was filled with pain!


    Paladin unconsciously sneered, but his attention was immediately drawn towards the things behind them. A small altar stood nearby, as did four human-shaped stone statues that knelt on the ground and hands raised above their heads. The statues seemed to be devout servants of God. In the hand of one of those stone statues, there was an old and ragged scroll placed inside a simple iron box. That should be the Ripley Scroll!


    The look in Paladin¡¯s eyes instantly changed to ecstatic and greedy. He stared at the scroll in the iron box, wishing he could fly and snatch it away. Even so, he knew now wasn¡¯t the right timing, so he had to be patient. Neither Francis nor Feng Li Er were people he could confront head-on. He had to be like a poisonous snake waiting for an opportunity to deliver a fatal blow. A merciless fatal blow!


    "Ripley Scroll, just wait a minute. You¡¯ll be in my hands in a few minutes!" Paladin muttered frantically. He tightened his grip on the knife in his hand and lowered his body even more.

 CH 5

    CW: Graphic Depictions of Violence, Mentions of Suicide


    Feng Li Er was fully complacent. She looked at Francis, who was lying on the ground, while wielding a dagger in her hand. His body began to disintegrate into a shapeless mass. She then smiled and said, "The victory has been decided, Francis. The scroll is now mine!"


    Paladin, who was hiding behind a clump of mushrooms, was shocked when the rotting Francis managed to speak in a low voice. His remaining eye that was filled with hatred glowered at Feng Li Er.


    "Feng Li Er! Do you think you¡¯ve killed me? Is the scroll yours now? Do you think the organization will stand by and watch you steal the scroll?!"


    "The organization..." Feng Li Er''s eyes flashed with fear for a split second. But then, it changed into waves of passion.


    "The organization treats the two of us as outcasts. Despite spending years searching for the scroll, the organization was unable to find any trace of it. What a waste! The organization has painstakingly planted spies in the Freemasons¡¯ Association over the years, but so far, none have made it to the top!"


    ¡°Although the two of us are professors and mentors in this branch, there are still people like the dean who suppress us. A stubborn old man who refuses any benefits! We are being treated as outcasts and discarded in this branch like garbage! Do you not understand, Francis?!"


    Francis'' rotting body trembled. Unconsciously, he averted his remaining eye. He agreed with her inwardly.


    ¡®That''s right, what Feng Li Er said is right. The organization has abandoned us. For the past three years, there has been no regular contact. We''ve clearly been abandoned. Those hateful illuminati, the God-Defying Alliance of God-Defying Gods!¡¯


    Feng Li Er swung the dagger in her hand as she noticed Francis had fallen silent. With a self-deprecating smile, she said, "It''s all over, Francis. For the sake of the good years, I¡¯ll give you a happy ending. It¡¯s ugly to die by rotting, right?¡± After that, Feng Li Er walked towards Francis while raising the dagger in her hand.


    "Bitch! Don''t even dare to think about it if I can''t get it! You''re going to die here with me!" Francis suddenly yelled, filled with hatred. His hand, which was on the verge of rotting, suddenly lifted and pointed at Feng Li Er. Feng Li Er''s body, however, unexpectedly tried to jump to the left.


    Boom! The explosion ripped a large hole in the ground where Feng Li Er was standing. Feng Li Er''s body flew into the air as she shrieked and screamed miserably. With a bang, she crashed into several mushrooms and fell helplessly to the ground. Paladin jolted in surprise. He noticed that Feng Li Er''s legs had been severed at the root. She was screaming incessantly while lying on top of a mushroom.


    "AHHHHHH!" Feng Lier clutched her missing legs with a painful expression on her face. She could feel the strength in her body rapidly draining away.


    Feng Li Er, who was extremely unwilling to die, roared bitterly, "Francis! How dare you¡­. How dare you!" With difficulty, she returned her gaze to Francis'' motionless body on the ground. His eyes had lost their luster. Perhaps that spell just now had exhausted the few breaths he had left.


    "Cut it out, old ghost. Why won''t you let me go when you¡¯ve already died¡­." Feng Li Er''s eyes were filled with despair. Now that her legs had been blown off, even if she got the scroll, she was sure she wouldn''t be able to get out. When the time was up, the seal would be reset. Bleeding to death in this ghostly place was her only option!


    Tap, tap, tap!


    Just as Feng Li Er was about to commit suicide, the sound of footsteps coming from behind undoubtedly lit a newfound hope in her heart. ¡®But, why is someone here?!¡¯ Feng Li Er pondered. She looked back with difficulty and immediately saw a greedy-faced young man with shabby clothes and messy hair walking towards the stone statue containing the scroll. Seeing this, Feng Li Er''s pupils shrank.


    She couldn''t help but say, "Paladin, the slave? How did you get here¡­.?


    Contrary to her expectations, Paladin paid no attention to Feng Li Er. His attention was completely focused on the statue where the Ripley Scroll was located. He simply regarded Feng Li Er as nothing more than air.


    Feng Li Er got goosebumps when she saw Paladin¡¯s eyes. This ordinary-looking, lowly slave with no rights or freedom, had raging flames burning inside his eyes! It was a raging inferno of chaos, longing, destruction, and greed! Feng Li Er was terrified and fell silent. She could only stay there and watch Paladin walk towards the Ripley Scroll.


    "Ah... is this... a power equal to a God¡¯s?"


    Paladin walked to the stone statue and picked up the scroll inside the iron box with trembling hands. He carefully spread it open. Against his expectations, except for the three ancient characters at the bottom, there was only a very strange and weird pattern drawn on the scroll. The pattern consisted of naked humanoid creatures, male and female, kneeling on the ground in agony while forming a perfect circle. In the middle of the circle, a complex magic circle with four patterns engraved on it was drawn.


    Paladin, who had studied alchemy pretty thoroughly, could tell right away that this was the base of magic and alchemy, the theory of the four elements! This represented the tetrahedron of fire, the icosahedron of water, the cube of earth, and the octahedron of wind. This was what all things were made of, the four base elements! In the middle, it depicted a huge and faceless human figure with clouds above its head and the ground under its feet. No breasts, no genitalia, and therefore, no gender. This symbol was the symbol of the god!


    On its chest, there was a carefully drawn heart that exuded a radiant light. exactly in the center of the circle. The ancient text was written with the most ancient characters ever. Although there weren¡¯t many demon languages that have been deciphered so far, Paladin was self-taught himself. Plus, he also specialized in deciphering the language of demons somehow. The writing could be interpreted as ¡°The Philosopher''s Stone! The great alchemy medicine in the legend of the heretic, the fifth element, the panacea!"


    Paladin''s face was full of shock. Cold sweat began to form all over his body. In fact, the fabled Ripley Scroll wasn''t difficult to understand, but also surprisingly simple. Paladin, who had seen many codes and riddles in the manuscripts of many alchemists, could understand how The Philosopher''s Stone was made and what its function was with just a glance. As a result, he was shocked even more!


    "How is this possible¡­. The Philosopher''s Stone has the ability to disintegrate and reintegrate matter at will, regardless of the size of its mass?! This... is truly the power from God¡¯s domain! But, I need to use the lives of countless living people to create it¡­. Refining countless living people as materials..."


    At this time, Paladin''s morality and conscience awakened and began to attack his voice of reason. Paladin couldn''t help but take a few steps back, unknowingly releasing the scroll from his hand. Waves of monstrous thoughts raced through his mind.


    "Man, the lives of countless people! Do I have to sacrifice the lives of others in order to gain power? Do I have the right to take away the lives of others? Is it wrong for me to do so? But this power was extremely tempting... No! I am a human, a living human being! What''s the difference between me and a beast if I do those things?"


    Ps: Don''t be fooled by the end of this chapter.

 CH 6

    CW: Graphic Depictions of Violence, Gore


    At present, just before Paladin''s conscience was about to overpower his desire, something suddenly grabbed his leg. Startled, Paladin looked down and saw Feng Li Er hugging his leg with one hand. Meanwhile, her other hand grabbed the scroll that fell on the ground and was about to turn and crawl away!


    Right at this moment, Paladin''s conscience, which had just gained the upper hand, was instantly defeated by his inflated desire. He charged forward with bloodshot eyes, pressed Feng Li Er under him, and viciously said, "Give it back to me! Give me the scroll!"


    Feng Li Er ignored Paladin''s rage. She instead clenched her teeth and tried to crawl towards the sealed gate in the distance with determined eyes. However, how could Paladin allow her to do so? As the saying goes, evil sprouts from within. When confronted with temptation, most people simply succumb to darkness.


    "Let go, let it go! I''m telling you to let go of the scroll!" Paladin said, as he tightly gripped Feng Li Er''s slender and tender neck.


    "Oh, cough, cough!" Breathing was extremely difficult for Feng Li Er, who had been grabbed by the throat. Her face began to turn purplish not long after.


    Reacting purely out of survival instinct, she opened her mouth wide and stuck out her tongue. She immediately let go of the scroll and grabbed Paladin''s arm with both of her hands. Her grip was so tight that blood began to trickle down his arm. The sight of blood completely wiped out Paladin''s last semblance of reason, reducing him to madness.


    "Die, die, die! DIE FOR ME!"


    With bloodshot eyes, he pressed down harder, putting all of his weight onto his arms. Feng Li Er''s legs had previously been severed. Obviously, she¡¯d lost a lot of blood. This was her final and last fight. The pressure from Paladin¡¯s attack caused her eyes to almost pop out of their sockets and her tongue to loll out of her small mouth.


    The hands that had clasped his arms before began to flail erratically. Shortly after, Feng Li Er died as the last dregs of her energy were depleted. Her once-beautiful face had turned hideous, and her skin had turned blackish purple. Paladin, who had descended into madness, had no intention of letting go. His hands were still clutching the broken neck.


    "AHH!" Paladin let out an inhuman roar. He drew a dagger from his cuff and stabbed Feng Li Er''s dead body with all his might over and over and over again!


    He was no longer attacking to kill the enemy, but rather to express his deep-seated fear and resentment in his heart. Even he wasn''t sure whether he had stabbed her dozens of times or hundreds of times. When his arms started to become sore, his sanity finally returned.


    The next thing he noticed was that Feng Li Er, who was underneath him, had died a long time ago. Her once-pretty face and well-proportioned figure had been riddled with so many stabs that all that remained was a disgusting chunk of rotten meat. Paladin tossed the dagger away at once. The frantic and distorted expression on his face was replaced with fear.


    "AHHHH!" Paladin let out a terrified cry and collapsed to the ground like a frightened rabbit. He stepped back vigorously, trying to get as far away from the corpse as possible. The corpse¡­. He killed her with his own hands!


    "I killed her¡­. I killed her!" Paladin murmured. His expression abruptly changed. A wave of nausea washed over him, causing his stomach to convulse. He then lowered his head in order to vomit.


    "Cough, cough, cough... Cough, cough, cough... Hahahahaha!" Paladin turned to face Feng Li Er''s corpse, which was lying nearby, after the nausea subsided. His expression changed to one of morbid delight. He couldn''t help but laugh out loud.


    That was right, he was a slave. Someone who was looked down upon and bullied by others. He actually killed that very beautiful and powerful mentor, Feng Li Er! He killed her, murdered her so cruelly that her corpse was so unsightly!


    "Yes, it''s unsightly. Very unsightly!"


    Paladin abruptly stood up, strode over to the corpse, and snatched the Ripley Scroll from its grasp. He then carefully tucked it away in his clothes. Seeing that time was running out, just when Paladin was about to turn his feet to leave, there was a sudden rumbling sound from the four stone statues that had originally housed the Ripley Scroll!


    Paladin sharply turned his head and vigilantly observed the slightly trembling stone statue. When he found nothing amiss, he turned to leave. But then, something strange happened. The stone statues that were kneeling on the ground moved towards the surroundings as if there were pulleys beneath their feet. With the rumble, the ground began to move and split into several massive openings. Next, a massive rectangular thing slowly rose.


    Paladin blinked, his mouth agape. Naturally, he took a step forward. The rumbling ceased, and a huge rectangular stone tablet was displayed in the place where the Ripley Scroll used to be. It was fifty meters in both length and width!


    "Huh? What''s this?"


    Paladin narrowed his eyes and approached it with caution. There was an inverted tree engraved on the huge stone tablet. The roots of the strange inverted tree were on top, while the canopy was on the bottom! Strangely, the leaves took the shape of blades. Ten circles encircled the entire plant, from the leaves to the roots. There were notes written in one of the oldest human languages in each circle.


    Near the roots, there was something written that could be read as ¡®The Road of the Fire Sword.¡¯ Paladin stepped forward, stroking the rough tablet that had gone through many years. The words ''Material and Kingdom'' were written in the circle closest to the leaves. Paladin, who was familiar with alchemy, could quickly understand that what was written was about the current world, the material world that can be seen and touched.


    Paladin couldn''t help but frown when he subconsciously looked up. ''Gluttony, Sex, Laziness, Envy, Pride, Anger, Greed'' was written above the seventh circle. That was right, these were the seven deadly sins human beings had committed since the birth of the Holy See''s Cassily Bible!


    Paladin was filled with apprehension. Why was something from the Holy See stored in the place where an alchemy scroll was sealed by the alchemists themselves? He began to feel a little regretful; he should¡¯ve read the Cassily Bible to expand his knowledge. But, how could there be a bible in this Freemasons'' Association, which was hunted down by the Holy See? That wasn¡¯t a problem Paladin bothered to care about before.


    Paladin continued to look up until he saw the ninth circle. Pure Reason'' was written in the circle closest to the roots. And the word ''God'' was written in the last root, which depicted the sun.


    Tap!


    "This¡­. God?! Could this stone slab be a guide on how to become a god? Such a blasphemous thing...How could it possibly belong to the Holy See?!"


    Paladin visibly turned pale with fright in an instant. He took another step back. But, before he could figure it out, countless runes on the cave''s floor suddenly lit up. The runes started floating and moving!


    "No, the time¡¯s almost up!" Without hesitation, Paladin turned and ran. He dashed to the sealed door, yet still couldn¡¯t resist the urge to look back at the massive stone slab in the center.


    "What¡¯s going on with that stone tablet? What is the Ripley Scroll''s connection to the tablet?"

 CH 7

    **CW: Graphic Depictions of Violence, Gore


    Paladin grabbed the scroll in his arms and heaved a sigh of relief after confirming it was still there. He was about to leave when he suddenly heard the sound of hurried footsteps from outside the door. Paladin paused and was about to hide, but it was too late.


    An armored guard, fully equipped with a spear and a chain-sickle, spotted Paladin. He immediately pointed the tip of the chain-sickle at Paladin and shouted, "Who are you?! The dean ordered that all students have to be at the dormitory. What are you doing here?!"


    Paladin subconsciously took a step back while racking his brain for a solution. Inwardly, he felt a little horrified.


    ¡®The dean gave an order like that? Could it be because of the Ripley Scroll? Does he know something? Not good!¡¯


    The guard, who remained vigilant, suddenly noticed the ice chunks that had already melted halfway scattered all over the ground near the door. Inside the chunks of ice, there were pieces of meat and blood. He also saw a pair of eyeballs and a ball of hair. His eyes widened in surprise.


    The light in Paladin''s eyes burned ferociously as he sensed an opening. Paladin approached the table, picked up a porcelain bottle, blocked the guard''s escape route, and hurled the bottle at the guard''s head.


    Bang! The guard fell unconscious on the ground without having the chance to let out a single sound. Without hesitation, Paladin took off the guard''s armor and clothes and put them on. Confirming that there was nobody else in the passageway, Paladin stuffed the guard¡¯s body into a large sack used to store books under the table. He then dashed to his room, the small attic, while carrying the sack.


    "Take a look around! If you see a student or tutor going outside, they should be executed right away! This is the order of the dean!"


    Paladin, who was running as fast as he could in the corridor, saw tens or even hundreds of guards gathered at the bottom of the castle, listening to their leader''s command. The guards immediately heeded the command and started to search around while holding a big sword and a chain-sickle.


    "I have to hurry up. I can''t stay here any longer. I have to get away from this place." Paladin, still clad in full armor, made up his mind. He then moved his feet to run towards the tower.


    With a bang, the dilapidated door was slammed shut. Paladin casually dropped the sack filled with the guard''s body on the ground. Without saying a single word, he began to take off his armor.


    "Haa, haa, hahhh¡­."


    Paladin was wearing full armor that weighed about twenty pounds and ran quite far while carrying a man on his shoulder. He laid down on the ground, still in his sweat-soaked clothes. He was panting for air and feeling exhausted. But, there was no time to rest right now.


    The Ripley Scroll was taken out by the Paladin, who determinedly spread it open. Without delay, he picked up a carving knife and decided to carve the circle drawn on the scroll onto the ground. Using his self-taught technique for many years, carving a mere magic circle was a piece of cake.


    Paladin opened the carving knife as he took note of the parts where the four elements were situated in the magic circle. He then took a bottle of water from the table and poured a little water onto the engraved icosahedron. In a typical tetrahedron, a wooden stick was ignited and placed within. The soil he got from the flower pot was sprinkled inside the cube. With gritted teeth, Paladin proceeded to drag the fainted guard to the center of the magic circle and immediately jumped away. His actions caused a light breeze to blow at the last octahedron....


    There was silence¡­.


    And more silence followed.


    Nothing had happened so far. A panicked expression began to manifest on Paladin''s face. He hurriedly examined the scroll while murmuring, "Why¡­. Why didn''t the magic circle work? Why didn''t it activate?"


    As he examined every inch of the Ripley Scroll, Paladin''s pupils contracted when he saw the figure of a human heart in the center of the magical circle, which symbolized God, the one who would control the spell.


    "Yes, the heart! How can the heart beat if there is no blood? It requires my blood because I am its owner! A key drawn with my blood!" When he murmured this to himself, Paladin suddenly remembered an instructor''s words he had eavesdropped on during a lecture. ''To activate the magic circle, you need to design a key to unlock and operate the magic circle. Choose wisely. What kind of key do you have in mind?''


    Paladin became enlightened. He immediately picked up the carving knife from the ground. He promptly cut his finger and tapped it on the guard''s chest. But then, he hesitated.


    "The key¡­. What kind of key.... Ah! What if it has something to do with God? One that conveys the message of ''The Philosopher''s Stone versus God¡­. Hahaha!"


    Paladin''s expression became vicious. Without further ado, he drew an inverted cross using blood on the guard''s chest.


    Bzztt bzzzt! The magic circle engraved on the floor flashed red and roared so loudly that it made his ears ring. Paladin jumped away quickly, watching everything unfold in a frenzied state.


    The sound of the magic circle jolted the sleeping guard awake. The guard, who was suffering from a splitting headache, reluctantly opened his eyes. In the nick of time, he managed to catch a glimpse of Paladin, who was standing in front of him with eyes full of madness and desire and a happy smile. It soon became the very last thing he saw.


    "Ugh!" The guard felt like he was being bitten by countless bugs. The pain even pierced through his bones. He couldn''t stop himself from screaming.


    Paladin took in the sight of the guard''s body and blood melting rapidly, turning him into a skeleton in no time. The flesh and blood that had turned into smoke gathered in one place. It condensed into a small, almost invisible, reddish stone that fell to the floor with a crisp thud.


    Paladin took a step forward and immediately picked up the stone. The shrill of restless souls could be heard distantly from the Philosopher''s Stone. The ecstatic Paladin suddenly calmed down as a new question popped into his mind.


    ''The Philosopher''s Stone was successfully refined, but I didn''t gain much power from it. At best, it gave me the ability to freely disintegrate something. It appears to be a reintegration tool¡­. Wait! Fusion! Disintegration and reintegration¡­. Isn¡¯t fusion the answer?!¡±


    Paladin''s eyes lit up. It would be fantastic if the Philosopher''s Stone could be fused regardless of material, even with magical elements.


    "Hahahaha! The idea of fusing it with magical elements is quite daring! This is simply the power of the gods! The power of the gods!" Paladin had a crazy expression on his face. It was obvious that he didn''t have the slightest qualms about attempting his bold idea.


    Paladin, on the other hand, was a little embarrassed. He was impoverished. He''d never seen a magic scroll, let alone a magic core that could store magical energy. Where would he find any magic elements to fuse?


    Time had flown by. Paladin was so preoccupied with his anxiety that he didn''t realize it was already morning. The first rays of sunlight pierced through thick clouds, entering Paladin''s room through the window and shining directly on his table.


    "Huh?"


    Paladin suddenly smelled a faint burning smell. He was startled to see the magnifying glass on the table when he turned around. The magnifying glass concentrated the sunlight into a single point, making it far more powerful than before. The concentrated light burned a small hole in a white piece of paper. That burning smell definitely came from there.


    "This..." The corners of Paladin''s mouth gradually lowered as he focused his full attention on his hypothesis. He didn''t possess any magic elements, but perhaps, sunlight could work? After all, the essence of the Holy See''s holy magic was, to put it bluntly, similar to sunlight.

 CH 8

    **CW: Graphic Depictions of Violence


    Paladin gulped. Forcibly suppressing the fear in his heart, he placed the Philosopher''s Stone on top of his right palm and stretched it towards the dazzling beam of light!


    "AAAAHHHHHH!"


    When the gathered light struck the Philosopher''s Stone, the magic circles instantly lit up. Something miraculous happened. The extremely bright sunlight passed through the Philosopher''s Stone and went under his skin!


    At that moment, Paladin felt as if all of the pain in his entire lifetime had condensed into one and coursed through his body. The scorching sunlight felt like countless bugs biting through his skin and moving back and forth between his muscles, blood vessels, and bones. The burning sensation that permeated his bone marrow nearly caused him to lose his mind. His instinct was constantly screaming at him to withdraw his hand.


    "NO!"


    Eyes bloodshot and body drenched by sweat, Paladin was determined. He knew for sure this method could work and indeed, it could be fused. How could he simply withdraw his arm and waste all of his previous efforts?


    "No¡­. I desire power. I want to acquire what I lack. That which I yearn for! How can this insignificant pain demotivate me?! How can I fall to my knees and beg for mercy?!" Paladin gritted his teeth.


    Paladin''s bloodshot eyes were now actually shedding blood. As he was tempted to withdraw his right hand, his left hand firmly gripped it in place. For the first time, his body was at odds with his heart.


    "Hehehe¡­. HEHEHAHAHA! Come on! I, Paladin, won''t ever give up! Power. I''ll get the power!" Paladin became feral. A crazed smile bloomed on his lips while blood and tears streamed down his face. He roared at the Philosopher''s Stone which was gradually shrinking.


    Rather than saying he was venting his pain, it would be more accurate to say he was venting his pent-up resentment and desire that had accumulated over the previous twenty years and more. Just when Paladin''s legs were beginning to weaken and his consciousness began to fade, the Philosopher''s Stone in his palm finally cracked and integrated into his arm.


    When Paladin noticed this, he immediately withdrew his arm. Unfortunately, as he collapsed to the ground like a corpse, his left hand accidentally knocked over the magnifying glass. His eyelids felt as heavy as a mountain and teary as a river. Waves of drowsiness came rushing in.


    "No¡­. I can''t sleep right now. Absolutely can''t sleep¡­."


    Paladin was well aware that, should he fall asleep, the guards who were on duty would witness all this. He''d be so dead if that were the case. Paladin, the orphan, forcibly suppressed his drowsiness and sat up weakly. He reflexively checked the condition of his heart that had undergone fusion. It didn''t matter whether he checked or not, the sight that caught his eyes shooed his drowsiness away.


    At present, the blood vessels connecting his right wrist to his heart had glowed a bright golden color, as if golden crystals were embedded in his flesh.


    "Is this¡­. The light element?"


    Paladin examined his hand, his eyes were filled with uncertainty and anticipation. His expression changed out of nowhere. He then stood up quickly and looked around in surprise. With the expression of someone who just witnessed something unbelievable, he exclaimed, "What are these...!"


    Right now, Paladin could see more than 50 golden orbs floating around him. Meanwhile, when a certain distance was crossed, the earthy yellow, red, and/or white orbs in the distance were pushed away by the golden orbs'' violent attack. Afterwards, the orbs proceeded to float around him again. Paladin began to understand a little more after seeing this. These orbs were the elements of magic. Natural magic elements that floated in the air! These were the most basic magic elements that all things were made out of.


    If the earthy yellow orbs represent the element of earth, red represent the element of fire, blue represent the element of water, and white represent the element of wind, what about the golden element that floated around him?


    "Sunlight! The sunlight! That''s right, I used sunlight, so these must be the element of light, the purest element!"


    Paladin''s heart was overjoyed. However, there was one fact about these golden bubbles that he couldn''t ignore. That was the light element''s extremely strong aggressiveness and instability. It had nothing in common with the Holy See''s gentle holy magic. Simply put, Paladin got a magic element that no one had previously owned nor mastered. One of the purest, yet extremely aggressive elements!


    "Wait... I can see magic elements, I can actually see magic elements!"


    When Paladin finally calmed down, this fact shocked him. According to common knowledge, the elements of magic were found everywhere. Magicians were all sentient beings, but none were said to be able to see magic elements. His ability to see the elements implied that he himself had also become an element of magic!


    "I... fused with light magic element... Perhaps, I became a magic element as well? Am I still a human? Or, a monster?"


    Paladin felt conflicted. He didn''t know whether this was a good or a bad thing. Would there be any repercussions in the future? What was certain was that he had gained power. The very power he dreamed of.


    The dilapidated door was suddenly kicked open. Two fully-armored guards pointed the chain-sickle to Paladin. One then cursed at Paladin and yelled, not even bothered to spare a little glance at ¡®them¡¯ behind him.


    "Paladin! You despicable slave! Report to the dean! Call all personnel to gather here! Can¡¯t you hear me?! Hurry up!!" The taller guard shouted. However, before the taller guard finished speaking, he was mistakenly stabbed by the guard behind him. The guard was too shocked when he saw the gloomy room, the skeleton, and the magic circle engraved on the floor.


    "Oh¡­. My Enos¡­." The taller guard could only gasp before falling down.


    Paladin''s eyes narrowed as he exuded great murderous intent and madness. He then proceeded to run, quickly approaching the stabbed guard. Paladin, who was running right now, could clearly feel the golden light element surrounding his body vibrating frantically with extreme excitement!


    Paladin chanted something in his heart. When he opened his right hand, the golden elements immediately flocked to his palm. A miracle occurred. The fingers of Paladin''s right hand transformed into five golden thunderbolt-like light blades! A slight crackling sound could also be heard.


    With an ecstatic smile plastered on his face, he stabbed the foolish unconscious guard in the chest with his right hand. The guard¡¯s thick armor felt as brittle as paper to Paladin. One more stab was enough to pierce through the guard''s armor, skin, large intestine, and tailbone. The stab resulted in a hole that passed through the guard¡¯s body.


    "Enos, bless us!" After the initial shock of the terrifying scene in front of him, the guard who stood behind the stabbed guard regained his senses. In terror, he raised his chain-sickle and attempted to stab Paladin.


    "HAHAHA!" Paladin let out an uncontrollable laughter, his face vicious. The right hand that had passed through the guard''s stomach was drawn out to catch the chain-sickle¡¯s sharp blade. The sharp blade made of steel was cracked deeply in five different places solely because of the strength of Paladin¡¯s bare hand.


    It was already too late for the guard when Paladin succeeded to grab the blade of his chain-sickle and proceeded to pull it hard. The guard lost control of his weapon and was pulled right into Paladin''s attack range.


    "DIE!" Paladin grinned and slashed the guard¡¯s head with his right hand after letting go of the chain-sickle. The guard''s head, together with the iron helmet he wore, was severed violently from his body. The corpse fell to its knees. It couldn¡¯t be more dead than this.


    "That''s right, that''s right! This is the taste of power! This is the real Paladin!"


    Paladin, who was laughing hysterically while looking at his right hand, didn''t realize that his expression no longer showed half of the hesitation and pity it had before. Instead, there was an insatiable desire to grow stronger.


    Was he still Paladin? Yes, Actually, this was the true Paladin.

 CH 9

    CW: Graphic Depictions of Violence, Gore


    Paladin dashed to his room and began packing his belongings. He decisively took a glove from the cabinet and wore it on his right hand to hide the dim golden light emitted by his hand. After packing some dry food, he packed the short knife.


    His footsteps came to a halt just when he was about to open the door. A small silver-plated cross necklace that was casually placed on the table caught his attention. This cross was Paladin''s most valuable possession. The only thing that had accompanied him since he was abandoned at the door of the Freemasons¡¯ Association. It was also the reason why the most humiliating name was bestowed upon him by the organization. It was more fitting to say that it was the only token from his parents, who never bothered to hide their faces.


    Paladin expressionlessly picked up the cross and put it in his bag. He opened the Ripley Scroll. He was resolved to perfectly memorize the magic circle. After memorizing it, a fire was lit and the scroll was burned. If an alchemist saw this scene, they would definitely bite off the Paladin''s flesh. After all, the Ripley Scroll was the highest masterpiece of alchemy, a legendary and fantastic scroll. Even if it was no longer needed, no one would have the heart to set it on fire.


    However, Paladin only glanced silently at its ashes before turning around and leaving. In his opinion, the role of this legendary scroll was to bestow great power onto people. As for Paladin, he naturally didn''t want the scroll to get snatched someday in the future. Other people should come out and snatch the Philosopher''s Stone directly from him in order to gain its power.


    "Power, It¡¯s enough for me alone to have it¡­." Paladin muttered. He quietly left after completely destroying the magic circle he had previously carved on the ground beyond recognition.


    On the way, Paladin deftly avoided the guards who were patrolling back and forth. When he passed the dormitory area and reached the side gate, two figures emerged from the dormitory area while clinging to each other.


    "Onix~ Where did everyone go? Why is there no one?"


    When Paladin heard her voice, an evil smile bloomed on his face. He quickly hid behind the wall and removed the glove. His fingers became five thunderbolt-like light blades once again. The two were sticking close to each other, with disheveled clothes that were the same as yesterday afternoon. The identity of the two were Onix, the student who teased Paladin, and his charming lover!


    The smile on Paladin''s face widened. He was worried about how he could escape now that the castle was full of guards. Just in time, these two idiots fell right into his lap. It was much easier to trick the guards into opening the side gate if he put on a student uniform.


    At this moment, Onix and his girlfriend had already exited the corridor. Onix was about to say something to her when he noticed Paladin, the pitiful slave, squatting in the corner. He laughed sarcastically.


    "You idiot, here¨C" Before he could finish his words, Paladin gave a sinister smile and ran towards him. His right hand, which had transformed into blades of light, stabbed the woman in front of Onix, who was about to sneer. There was a loud bang¡ªpossibly because the attack was fueled by Paladin¡¯s hatred¡ªand there was a gaping hole in the woman¡¯s entire left chest. Blood and internal organs immediately splattered all over the floor.


    "Eh..." Onix saw this and was stunned for a while before he showed some reaction. But, how could Paladin wait for him to regain his senses? Paladin turned to face him, leapt forward, and tackled Onix in one swift motion. The light blades in his hand dissipated to cover Onix¡¯s mouth and nose. His other hand grabbed Onix''s throat tightly.


    "Wwmmghh!" Onix let out a series of terrified whimpers, flailing his hands weakly and frantically. Since he didn''t have any fighting experience, his movements were predictable and too weak. Paladin sat on top of Onix''s body, happy and refreshed after rubbing his victory on Onix¡¯s face. Paladin gradually increased the strength of his grip.


    Looking at Onix''s terrified bloodshot eyes that flicked from side to side, Paladin''s eerie smile gradually faded as he laughed out loud.


    "You¡¯re lucky to die this way. Don''t dirty my clothes. Hahahaha!"


    Crunch. Paladin strengthened his grip more, directly crushing Onix¡¯s throat. Then he stripped the corpse of its clothes and wore the student uniform. He looked like a regular student after changing his clothes.


    Paladin picked up his bag. Not far away, four or five guards stood guard at the side gate. He then moved his feet quickly out of the corridor, leaving the two corpses there. Lying on the ground miserably as their bodies gradually went ice cold¡­.


    "Which department do you belong to? Don¡¯t you know that the dean had just ordered all of the students to gather in the hall?" said one of the five guards guarding the side gate when he saw Paladin walking silently towards them with his head down. Although they couldn¡¯t see his face, the student uniform still made the guards more or less relax their vigilance. After asking politely, the guard stood up and waved his chain-sickle.


    "Ah¡­. Is this the side gate? Oh, yeah¡­. I went to the wrong location." Paladin said with trepidation. While slowly advancing towards the guards, he secretly stretched his right hand behind his back, ready to take off the glove. Paladin, who still hung his head low, showed a nervous look on his face as if this was his first time being lost. At that moment, a voice suddenly came from behind Paladin.


    "A student? Why is a student still loitering here?! Didn''t I order all of you to gather in the hall?!" Paladin''s eyes instantly widened and his body trembled uncontrollably. He then lifted his head. With a silly smile plastered on his face, he turned to look at the person behind him.


    A frail young man. This was the man¡¯s first impression in Paladin''s eyes. But then, Paladin suddenly realized that, despite his skinny stature, the man''s firm eyes made Paladin afraid to look at him directly. The long coral-blue hair hanging over his shoulders and his silver-white pupils cemented the fact that Paladin had never seen this person before in the more than 20 years he had worked here.


    Although Paladin''s status was humble, he had taken care of the entire castle¡¯s inhabitants¡¯ sundries. That was why he had even met the dean, Ryan, several times before. This man¡¯s appearance was so distinct that it was impossible not to leave the slightest impression! Furthermore, he hadn''t heard of a new mentor coming to the branch, so the identity of this person was worth pondering over.


    Moreover, what made Paladin raise his guard the most was the presence of 1,200 blue orbs¡ªwhich were water magic elements¡ªjumping up and down jubilantly around this tutor! Paladin had obviously never seen an alchemist with such powerful magical power, as the magic elements surrounding the man floated around like a stream of water.


    The man with magical power formed by two thousand magic elements had to be a famous alchemist. Considering that Paladin himself had only the power of fifty magic elements, and was already easily overpowering ordinary people. This only made Paladin become more alert.


    Keeping that in mind, Paladin pretended to be stupid, and dazedly inquired, "Excuse me, teacher, why haven''t I ever seen you in the school?"


    Even though it was subtle, Paladin noticed a slight agitation in the eyes of the frail tutor in front of him.


    ¡®This person is really not a tutor here! He is an outsider who has snuck in!¡¯


    The skinny man frowned, pinched Paladin''s ear as if they were close, and reprimanded him angrily, ¡°Kid, I''m a botanical tutor! I asked you because your back is familiar to me. Why are you running around by yourself again?! Come back with me! The dean is already very angry!"


    Paladin was taken aback. He couldn''t help but laugh inwardly when he saw the guard''s puzzled expression.


    ¡®You brought this to yourself, outsider. Don''t blame me.¡¯


    So, Paladin innocently tilted his head and sucked his thumb. He then asked, "Who are you? I don''t know you."


    As soon as he said that, the guards noticed that something was wrong. They¡¯d never seen this mentor before! Coupled with the student''s questions, their vigilance had been increased to the extreme! The leading guard pressed forward, waving his chain-sickle. He scowled and yelled, "Please, Sir, do not move. Show us your armband and ID. Otherwise...."


    The man who called himself Nasura shook his head helplessly. He took out his identification and armband from his bag. Nonchalantly, he said, "Why are you guards so nervous? I¡¯m a newly transferred tutor from the headquarters. Take a look at this if you don''t believe me."


    The guard hadn''t noticed the contradiction in the man''s words in that short frame of time. If he was a newly transferred tutor, how could he recognize a student from here? The guard subconsciously walked forward and gradually lowered his chain-sickle.

 CH 10

    CW: Suicide


    Paladin, who was pretending to be stupid, narrowed his eyes. Nasura, who had a helpless expression at first, changed it to one of seriousness. His eyes were filled with burning killing intent. Paladin watched Nasura''s feet move away from Paladin as he took out a small magic wand from his sleeve. He held it firmly in his hand. If you looked carefully, you¡¯d find that the surface of the dark wand was engraved with dense runes. That should be an advanced magic wand, as it had twenty sequences of runes etched on it.


    "The Hands of Winter," Nasura whispered softly. A surge of cold air appeared on the edge of the wand. The breeze swept quickly towards the five guards, causing their expressions to change abruptly. Spectating all this, a thick layer of sweat formed on Paladin''s forehead. He saw the guards, who were about to shout for help, become instantly encased in ice. He could only see the gleaming reflections of the frost.


    The corpses looked as if they were frozen in time. This meant that they were frozen to death in an instant.


    "Tch... It''s a shame that I have to use magic to kill a few people who have no idea what magic is." Nasura put away his wand with disgust and turned to look at Paladin with his cold eyes.


    Inside, Paladin¡¯s mind was in disarray. Paladin, who had only recently gained power, was far from being an opponent to Nasura. To survive today, he could only pretend and prove himself to be harmless. Therefore, at this time, Paladin maintained his dumbfounded expression. He squatted down and looked at the guards, who had been frozen into ice sculptures, with apprehension on his face.


    "What¡­ What happened to them?" Although Paladin said these words, beads of sweat trickled down his body. Nasura would¡¯ve noticed something was wrong if it hadn''t been for his long black hair covering his face.


    Nasura looked at the foolish man in front of him and shook the hand that was holding the wand. The murderous intent in his eyes grew stronger. Just when Paladin was about to get attacked by magic from behind, he hastily turned and ran away as if his life depended on it.


    Nasura lowered his hand and murmured helplessly, "I am a noble magician, how did I fall to the point where I torture and kill ordinary people¡­. You are lucky, idiot." Nasura put away his wand, looked at the towering castle above his head, and ran upwards.


    "Phew¡­." Paladin breathed a sigh of relief after confirming the terrifying magician had gone away. He knelt powerlessly on the ground and kept wiping away the sweat that was about to fall.


    "I''m so tired... I really want to sleep."


    Paladin was very exhausted. Although he had been working all year round, what he had experienced from last night to this morning had rendered his body and spirit incapable of bearing the burden. He needed to sleep to recharge his batteries. He needed sleep to refresh his body. However, he knew this wasn¡¯t the right time to sleep. Escaping from here was the topmost priority. To keep himself awake, he pinched his thigh quite hard. After recovering from the severe pain, he carefully opened the side door and walked away.


    Because of the dean''s order, all of the students and tutors were gathered in the hall right now. They all had solemn and puzzled expressions on their faces. Originally, if the dean issued such an order, it should¡¯ve been because of something important. Even all of the guards in this branch were dispatched. However, despite the long wait, the dean still didn''t show up. Everyone became increasingly impatient.


    The hushed voices of discussion could gradually be heard in the initially quiet hall. The teachers were also being indifferent to this. All of them frowned and looked preoccupied with their own thoughts. Among this large group of tutors, a dull person was sitting in the corner. They were so inconspicuous that they literally merged with the shadow in the corner.


    The person was an ordinary-looking young woman. Those who saw her would only think the golden hair didn¡¯t suit her. Adele was her name. She was an ordinary tutor who taught the basics of forming formations. She was unremarkable in appearance and extremely introverted. As a result, not many people were willing to get along with her. This such ordinary and introverted tutor was squatting in a dark corner, playing with a carving knife with a magic circle engraved on it.


    The sharp carving knife twirled flexibly on her slender fingertips as if it was made to be in her hand. Her ordinary face revealed a level of excitement no one had ever seen in her before. As if some thought abruptly popped into her mind, Adele''s excited expression vanished in an instant. She then turned with a worried face and timidly spoke to the frowning instructors beside her, "I think¡­. let''s go up and see the dean¡­. Maybe he fell asleep?"


    Several tutors around her exchanged smiles and made eye contact. Unexpectedly, this introverted Adele was so cute and she deeply respected the dean. When they gave it some thought, Adele¡¯s suggestion was right. Sitting still was not an option.


    A male tutor who was next to her nodded with a smile and said, "Okay, let''s go and see what the dean is doing. Adele, let''s go together."


    "Well..."


    So, under the lead of several tutors, Adele justifiably left the hall and walked towards the tower on top of the castle. When her face was obscured by shadows, more crazed and excited expressions emerged.


    "It''s over¡­. It''s over¡­. Everything¡¯s over¡­." said the dean, who hadn¡¯t shown up at the hall for a long time. He was still cooped up in his attic. Slumped on the chair, looking at the antique scrap of paper made of leather with an unresponsive and decadent look. He kept muttering to himself incessantly.


    A bronze mirror placed on the table behind him suddenly flashed golden. The smooth mirror surface began to deform. A human face pressed against the smooth copper mirror''s surface, as if trying to get out of the mirror. The face slowly turned and spoke, "Ryan, have you found it?"


    Thud! The decadent dean, Ryan, who was slumped on a chair, came to life in an instant. He jumped off the chair and fell to the ground in fright. There was no trace of surprise on his face regarding the voice that could be heard from behind. Still, he crawled over in a desperate manner. Looking up and pleading at the face inside the mirror. With tears and snot flowing freely down his face, Ryan said, "Not yet¡­. No."


    "Ah, that''s it. I already searched that place¡¯s inside and outside hundreds of times and still couldn''t find it. The scroll that was already determined not to be here, unexpectedly appeared right here¡­."


    "My lord, I¡­."


    The face in the mirror looked down at the person in front of him. Ryan was still begging desperately. He nodded slowly and said, "Don''t worry, as a mason, you are excellent. I will notify the Ministry of Security. We will take care of your wife and children, as well as your illegitimate child who is studying in the Duchy of Kasmi."


    As soon as he said this, Ryan¡¯s lifeless and distressed eyes instantly lit up. The old dean bowed again and again.


    "Thank you¡­. Thank you very much, sir. Thank you."


    The face in the mirror silently nodded. Next, a golden light flashed and the bronze mirror returned to its original state. Apparently, the so-called elder had left. Ryan stood up slowly. A relaxed smile appeared on his face. It was a relief.


    Ryan took out a rope from the cabinet and hung it on the beam of the room. He then made a circle with the rope by tying a knot. The rope was slowly wrapped around his neck and tightened. The smile on his face grew brighter and brighter. He stared at his feet and kicked the chair under him. His entire body was shaking. There was a guttural cracking sound coming from his throat. After a while, there was only silence¡­.

 CH 11

    With a snap of a finger, the door to the dean''s bedroom was covered with a thick layer of ice. The door was kicked hard until it broke and scattered all over the floor. Without hesitation, Nasura stepped over the scattered ice on the ground and walked in with a stern expression and his long blue hair flowing behind him like water.


    "Uh¡­ I''m too late. You''re so cunning, Ryan." When Nasura entered the room, the first thing he saw was Ryan, the dean, hanging from the beam. He said it like a nagging mother who was a little upset. It was barely visible, but a guard''s frozen corpse lay on the floor behind Nasura, outside the broken door. Nasura seemed to have killed everyone he encountered on his way up.


    "Who are you...? Don''t move! What is your purpose in pretending to be a tutor and killing the dean?!"


    Right at that moment, Adele and the group of tutors arrived on the top floor. They saw some guards frozen into ice on the way here. So, they took some precautions. One of them had gone down to inform the guards stationed below. Adele and the other three tutors approached the door together with extreme caution.. Then, Adele happened to see Nasura, who was standing still inside the room.


    Nasura turned his head slightly and saw three men and a woman dressed in teacher''s robes standing behind him. He immediately put on an innocent face and said, "Calm down! When I arrived, the dean had already hanged himself. I am innocent!"


    "Turn around!" The male tutor who led the group was being extra cautious. While speaking, he pulled out a small crossbow from his sleeve. The floating runes around it proved that the weapon was a magic item.


    "Don''t blame me for shooting if you asked for death!" he continued.


    Nasura''s eyes hardened in an instant. He abruptly turned around and waved his hands at the male mentor. Cold air immediately rushed towards Adele and the others. Adele''s terrified expression abruptly changed 180 degrees. She excitedly brandished two knives. Her eyes were gleaming with bloodlust.


    This branch''s situation was messy and there was a big turmoil brewing.Paladin continued to flee into the dense woods. He discovered a clean bear cave without piles of waste, but full of healthy green grasses. He decided to pick this cave as a place to take a rest.


    Paladin, who was now lying down in the cave, was secretly glad that he was a slave who was looked down upon. They let him do all the dirty work. The chefs in the branch were usually the ones responsible for traveling dozens of miles to purchase ingredients. This purchase could earn them more profits as oil and water were two of the most expensive commodities in that era. As a result, it was considered to be the better dirty work. But, no one wanted to run back and forth for tens of miles on the road. Naturally, this menial work fell to the humble and uncaring slave, Paladin. Thanks to this, Paladin was familiar with the route and able to escape safely.


    More or less, he knew that there was a branch of the Freemasons'' Association located at the border of the Duchy of Kasmi, the Kingdom of Aixinzhe, and the Kingdom of Nubia. Logically speaking, there should''ve been numerous disputes that could¡¯ve led to war at the border shared by those three countries. But, the branch was located in a remote place. A thousand-year-old forest, complex hills, and broken barriers surrounded it. That, plus the monsters lurking in the woods. Marching and fighting? Even wanting to pass through the forest safely was out of reach for ordinary people.


    Paladin smiled as he patted the muddy soil around his body. He''d made up his mind. He''d go to the Duchy of Kasmi once there was no danger anymore. The Duchy of Kasmi was different from a kingdom. It had no king, only a grand duke who bestowed the title of duke upon someone in each region of the country to govern territories that had been divided by the grand duke.


    Each duke ruled and owned the land that had been passed down through their bloodline. Their ancestors had actually cooperated before the country''s land was divided and distributed to each of them. The cooperation and the division of land were contradictory. As a result, the law was riddled with flaws. Furthermore, there were no such idiots who cared to fix those flawed laws.


    The Duchy of Kasmi was a small country with a population of less than five million people. As far as Paladin knew, although the Principality of Kasmi had no law enforcement, their army was notoriously tough and heroic. Paladin still remembered the tall mercenary he was introduced to, the one who admired the army of the Duchy of Kasmi. If only the Duchy of Kasmi had enough gold coins to arm and pay the army, Aixinzhe and Nubia, Kasmi''s neighboring kingdoms, couldn''t be considered as Kasmi''s opponents! One could only imagine how powerful this duchy was.


    Paladin, who had a lot of thoughts racing through his mind, felt exhaustion wash over him. Today, he had stayed up all night, had killed for the first time, had suffered from fusing with the Philosopher''s Stone, and had fled for a long time. Now, it was already past his limit. He was still plotting how to make money in the duchy and live a happy life. However, before he knew it, his eyes had closed and his mind had fallen into a deep sleep.


    He had no idea how long he had slept. He felt as if his entire body was stuffed into an hourglass that was still functioning. Paladin slowly opened his eyes. A blank white space. Paladin couldn''t see anything with his eyes because nothing existed. There was nothing left in this world. Surprisingly, Paladin didn''t seem to be shocked in the slightest.


    Confused, he sat up and touched the invisible ground, which was also white. The confusion in his eyes became more and more intense.


    "Who am I?"


    At this moment, Paladin was as clueless as a newborn baby. He was looking at his naked body without any surprise or shame.


    "Wahh, wah¡­ uwaah, wah, wah.."


    The sound of a baby crying could be heard continuously in this quiet and frightening blank space. The voice came from behind Paladin. Perplexed, he turned around. The next thing he saw was a completely pitch-black baby lying on the ground. The baby''s delicate hands and feet flailed as the irritating crying sound came from its mouth. The baby looked completely out of place in this blank space.


    Right now, Paladin didn''t feel afraid at all. No, it would be more accurate to say that he had no idea what it meant to be afraid. He proceeded to look at his hands and feet in confusion. And then, he slowly crawled towards the crying baby. Looking at the baby, who had no other color except pitch-black, Paladin slowly said with a neutral tone, "What¡­ are you?"


    The baby refused to communicate with Paladin. It continued to cry very loudly. Paladin couldn''t help but ask again, "What are you?"


    There was still no response. This blank space was starting to get annoying to him. The same could be said for the sound of the baby crying. Paladin gradually raised his hand. The baby''s crying abruptly stopped as he was about to touch the baby''s black skin.


    There was nothing but silence. The silence was devoid of any indication of life. The space seemed even more lifeless now that the baby''s crying had stopped. Paladin suddenly missed the noisy sound of the baby crying. He didn''t want to bother the child any longer and hoped the child would continue to cry.


    The baby, who had stopped crying, sat up and opened its eyes, revealing the same black eyeballs and pupils beneath. Something strange happened. The little guy, who was less than three inches away from Paladin, suddenly opened its mouth. With a rough adult voice, a mixture of a male and a female''s voice that was definitely not a child''s voice, he uttered, "I''m hungry! Feed me!"


    Whoosh! Paladin abruptly opened his eyes and jumped up. But, he hit the stone ceiling of the cave above his head.


    "Haah, hahh, haa..."


    Fear. Paladin felt unprecedented fear all over his body. Not because there was something he was afraid of, but because of the embodiment of fear itself. Paladin''s eyes were wide open. The smell of earth and grass tickled the tip of his nose. It felt nostalgic, as if he hadn¡¯t been able to experience these for a thousand years. His hands touched the soil and stones on the ground.


    After confirming that he was no longer in the blank space, he breathed a sigh of relief, patted his head, and muttered to himself, "So it was merely a dream..."

 CH 12

    On the topmost floor of a tower in the branch, Nasura held his magic wand in hand as he carefully and solemnly observed Adele, the grinning tutor who was standing in front of the corpse. Looking at it now, the tutors who had come together with her all dropped dead in a pool of blood. On the back of their heads, there were similar-sized cut marks. All of this was done by Adele, who was standing in the center of the room. She was holding two knives with an off-putting smile on her face.


    "Who... are you?" Nasura could feel a sense of danger coming from this woman. The feeling he felt only when he was attacked by the Black Murloc King in Maras Swamp. However, this sense of danger came from a woman who looked weak, a woman whose height was a head shorter than his.


    Nasura saw Adele leisurely moved her arms and put the carving knife on her waist. She simply ignored the magic wand pointed at her forehead in Nasura''s hand. She then used her fingers to comb her messy hair.


    "Answer me!" At first, Nasura only raised his eyebrows. But when he noticed Adele treating him like air, he yelled angrily.


    However, a weird smile bloomed on Adele¡¯s lips. She put down the hand that was combing her hair, touched her nose with a strange expression, and said, "Well, it must be you who I felt in the hall. An aura as cold as an ice serpent. Am I right, Hellitt? Or should I say, Nasura, the Great Ice Mage of the Tower Forest Mage Association?"


    Hellitt of the Forest of Towers. That was one of the top three mage associations on the entire continent of Olosen, surpassing hundreds of others. It was both mysterious and powerful. So powerful it could even destroy kingdoms! Nasura, the mage, turned out to be a great mage from Hellitt!


    At this moment, Nasura''s eyes widened. He took a few steps back. In a sudden burst of alertness, he muttered, "Her breathing technique¡­. She turns out to be a hound of the Assassin Alliance."


    Assassin Alliance, an organization of assassins who lurked in the dark. Its members were very widely distributed. Not even they themselves know how many members were there. Each one was a highly trained assassin. It was a veritable bloody and greedy organization. As long as someone paid them, they would use all of their strength to eliminate the targeted party.


    The outstanding ones in the organization were taught a special method, which was the detection breathing method. It was said to be able to expand the spiritual senses, feel the magic of nearby creatures, and visualize them. The outstanding assassins, who were lucky enough to obtain this method, were awarded the title of ''dark pathfinder dog'' in the Assassin Alliance. These powerful assassins were nicknamed ''The Hound'' by outsiders.


    Right now, Nasura felt a little nervous. There was no doubt that a hound of the Assassin Alliance was lurking here to spy on the legendary treasure. And judging by the appearance of her familiarity with other tutors, she seemed to have been lurking for a long time. Unlike himself, who had just received the temporary order, who immediately rode a stag and rushed here with all his might. It was hard to determine whether this assassin had some advantageous and valuable informations he didn¡¯t know about.


    Adele, who was standing on the opposite side, might''ve seen through Nasura''s thoughts. Seeing the subtle change in his expression, she immediately said with a smile, "Yes, I am a hound. But it is all in the past. Now I''m just a stray dog that escaped from its owner''s house."


    Nasura was startled. This woman claimed to have defected from the Assassin Alliance? It would make her a target for an assassin of the same caliber! Was this woman telling the truth?


    Adele''s unremarkable face showed a strange coquettishness. She covered her smile and said, "Why? Don''t believe it? I am the one who decapitated thirteen of my compatriots and colleagues¡­. I see that Your Excellency got an order and came here in a hurry. In other words, that scroll is really here!"


    The excited Adele suddenly noticed the puzzled expression on Nasura''s face. Seeing that, she became confused. Then, she heard Nasura ask, "Scroll? What scroll? I didn''t receive any orders about any scroll!"


    "Hmph! Come on, Your Excellency the Great Mage. This isolated and barren branch can make the Tower Forest do almost anything for this single scroll. I believe it won''t be long before all of the world''s major organizations arrive here one by one. At that time, you''ll be insignificant. Do you still want to continue lying?"


    Nasura suspected something was really wrong, seeing that Adele didn''t appear to be lying. The urgently delivered magic letter was not as simple as it appeared on the surface. Nasura lowered his guarded wand, took a step forward, and stated frankly, "I was just passing by, but I received an urgent order to investigate potential treasures and clues. It doesn''t tell me what it was at all."


    As soon as he said this, even Adele was a little surprised. But, she recovered in an instant. With fear imbued in her ridicule, she said, "Respected great magician, Your Excellency Nasura, it seems that you are not very favored by the mages. I haven''t said this to anyone at all¡­ but it seems you guys from the Tower Forest are so rich and powerful that even a great magician is merely a pawn..."


    "Hmph, stop talking nonsense! If this really is a big secret, how do you know about it?" Nasura immediately asked the crucial point that was on his mind.


    Unexpectedly, Adele dismissed it without even thinking about it, "Why do you think I escaped from the organization? Fortunately, those bastards in the Assassin Association didn''t know that I''d learned the secret. Otherwise, they wouldn''t have sent only thirteen outstanding assassins. If they knew, they would have hunted me down with fifty senior assassins who''d slaughter every town I passed by!"


    Nasura didn''t care whether Adele was alive or dead. Right now, he thirsted for information. He was curious and was eager to know what could make the Tower Forest, one of the three top organizations in the Olosen Continent, feel anxious.


    It should be a secret, but apparently, Adele had plans to tell him. As soon as she finished speaking, she laughed a little awkwardly and said in a soft voice, "To show my sincerity, I will tell you. There''s a shocking secret hidden deep in this ordinary branch of the Freemasons'' Association. A nearly forgotten and disbelieved secret that''s been known by the major organizations."


    "Tell me! What is it?!" Nasura was a little impatient. But then, he heard the most shocking words in his life.


    "It''s the Ripley Scroll... Hehe, judging by your expression, it appears that you are also aware of the scroll mentioned in the myth that the entire continent knows of, but believes it does not exist."


    ¡°The scroll of the one who betrayed God!?¡±


    Nasura''s eyes widened. Although he expected that there would be some kind of artifact or holy object here, he never expected that it would be the scroll of the one who rebelled, which was recorded in the Cassily Bible he read as a child!


    "That... is the greatest disrespect to the god of light, Enos, or even the god of darkness, Belair, and the god of nature, Jacono! This is blatant blasphemy! The Holy See will definitely intervene, those religious lunatics are bound to come. This is not a safe place to stay for long!" Nasura, who was covered in cold sweat, muttered to himself. He suddenly looked up and saw Adele, who was seriously excited. The latter nodded back at him with folded arms.


    "Now you know how dangerous this place is and how little time we have, Your Excellency the Great Mage."

 CH 13

    His mind and heart were contradicting each other. However, Paladin decided that he had had enough sleep and crawled out of the bear cave. He immediately felt refreshed.


    As for the emergence of various forces throughout the entire Olosen continent, it wasn''t something Paladin could pay attention to right now. What he wanted most now was a good meal, a mansion, a few beautiful and attractive concubines, and a luxurious life that everyone envied.


    This was what Paladin considered to be the loftiest ideal. As for why he needed to obtain strong power to get these measly things, Paladin still couldn''t understand. After all, such a lavish lifestyle existed only in dreamland to him. For now, he had to come back to reality.


    Paladin clutched his messy black hair in distress, feeling a little worried.


    ''I escaped from the branch. I believe people won''t find out soon. Nobody will pay attention to a lowly slave. Furthermore, given the situation of the branch, there must have been quite a commotion. They won''t notice my disappearance if no one mentioned it. Still, I can''t use this name anymore.'' Paladin thought helplessly.


    In fact, he quite liked the name Paladin. Although the people in the branch used the name as a means to humiliate and ridicule him, when that point was ignored, the name¡¯s meaning was very sacred. Compared to other slaves, it could be considered a blessing among the disastrous names he could''ve gotten instead.


    "Hey! You¡­. The man in front! Oh, Great and Mighty Enos! You must be the messenger sent by Him to rescue His humble servant!" At that moment, a shout came from outside the forest.


    Paladin turned around to face the source of the sound. There stood a priest dressed in a black robe. The priest was staggering over with his exhausted body, carrying a small bag. Paladin took a step back and raised his guard. Behind his back, he removed the glove from his right hand. If the opponent made any unruly attempts, he would immediately go for the kill.


    Unexpectedly, when the priest arrived near Paladin, he slumped down on the dirty and muddy ground, and clasped his hands together.


    "It must be Thee, the Great and All-Knowing God, who protects your servant in the dark. Thou sent a guide when I got lost!" the priest said, full of devotion and gratefulness.


    "You are..." Paladin continued to step back. He was so alert that he didn''t dare to relax in the slightest. Apparently, the priest noticed Paladin''s vigilance and knew that the other party had misunderstood him. So, he laughed and said, "Hello, honorable sir. I am a priest from Lore Province in the Duchy of Kasmi. The Supreme God summoned me. I am specifically traveling to Nurba to serve Him as the local church''s priest. Sir, may I inquire how to get to Nurba?"


    Nurba. Paladin knew that place. It was a town quite far away from here. It would take half a month to get there by carriage. The way there spanned across half of the Duchy of Kasmi. If it weren''t for the fact that the town was rich in iron ore and the Duchy of Kasmi paid special attention to it, Paladin really wouldn''t have known of it.


    Paladin deliberated for a moment. Let alone thinking about whether the road was safe or not, he didn''t know his destination yet. If so, it was better to follow this priest first. This could also serve as a disguise to deceive others. In addition, he could also make some extra money. As soon as he thought about these, Paladin gave a friendly smile and said, "I am a servant of God who wants to serve the great Enos. I also come from a very devout congregation. Naturally, I can accompany you to Nurba so you can arrive at the location you''re assigned at."


    "Ah! That''s really great!"


    This priest obviously lived a pampered life. If the dirt on his face were wiped off, the white and tender skin underneath would be revealed. Before the priest could finish saying his thanks, Paladin cut him off, "Since we¡¯re serving the great Enos, we won¡¯t die without salvation. But you see, I am so poor and destitute. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to travel long distances."


    The priest was taken aback for a moment before nodding and pulling a small bag of gold coins from his backpack. He took out five gold coins while still smiling and handed them to Paladin.


    "I will thank you through these, sir. Please take me to Nurba."


    Paladin accepted the gold coins with sparkling eyes. His eyes wandered for a bit to the small bag in the priest''s hand. It was brimming with gold coins! Don''t laugh at him, though. He had only seen gold coins his entire life, never touched them even once. Now that he had five gold coins, he felt very ecstatic.


    Still, he couldn¡¯t help but secretly think, ¡®A whole bag full of gold coins! There must be at least forty coins inside¡­. No, it should be fifty coins! My God, if I ever get that much money¡­.¡¯ Paladin himself hadn''t noticed because he was too preoccupied with his blooming excitement, but his chest was swelling with happiness that there was no room for anything else.


    Keeping that in mind, Paladin took the priest''s bag and skillfully carried it behind his back. He then said, flatteringly, "Father, please go first. This journey is not short."


    The priest immediately put away his gold coins. He felt good after being charitable to someone. Little did he know that he had done one of the most stupid things he could possibly do.


    "Based on your clothing, you seem to be a student or a trainee. What do you study? History? Art?" the priest asked casually. He was feeling happy because his shoulders were freed.


    Paladin narrowed his eyes and replied with a smile, "My uniform does look good, but I''m actually just a craftsman. I only learned how to do some stone carvings."


    "Oh, so you''re a stonemason." The priest nodded in disappointment. Masons, in his aristocratic opinion, were simply civilians who were being ruled. He assumed Paladin was a noble who was studying to be a priest, so he was a little disappointed. How could the thought that an alchemist called himself a stonemason ever cross his mind?


    In this ancient time, books and knowledge were rare. The masons who built houses were considered the most learned and profound. It was the first occupation that was exposed to mathematics, statistics, drawing, and writing. That was why the alchemists were proud to call themselves freemasons. It was alluding to the fact that alchemists were the first to connect and investigate the truth.


    "Father, be careful. Slow down."


    In the blink of an eye, an hour had passed. In the meantime, Paladin humbly led the priest across mountain ridges, demonstrating his experience as a slave. The priest laughed at Paladin¡¯s bootlicking gesture.


    Seeing that the time was ripe, Paladin began probing the priest''s background. "Dear priest, Nurba is your destination. Even if you make it through this vast forest, you still won¡¯t arrive at Nurba," Paladin cautiously stated.


    Hearing Paladin¡¯s question, the priest answered without thinking, "Don''t call me a priest. I am not one yet. Hey, my father is a low-ranking nobleman who runs some business to support the family. As the second son, I am not eligible to inherit my father''s businesses. Because my father had spent so much money managing it, he simply told me to go to church and become a priest."


    The priest then continued, "But I had bad luck hiring those scumbag mercenaries. I told them to protect me on the journey. Who knew they¡®d rob me as soon as we left the city! Fortunately, I didn''t let them take my money and ran into the forest. Sure enough, those treacherous scumbags dared not chase after me! Hahaha! God will curse them! "


    Paladin looked at the angry priest and nonchalantly said, "Father, you are extremely fortunate. You know, if your direction is even a little bit off, you could end up in the depths of the forest, where man-eating monsters lurk, where ordinary mercenaries would never dare to enter."


    "Ah! That''s it! Sure enough, Enos blesses me all the time!"


    Paladin¡¯s qualms gradually dissipated as he witnessed the idiot priest¡¯s stupidity. His mind was busy fantasizing about him snatching the priest¡¯s gold coins and happily went on his way. Who would¡¯ve guessed that the priest''s next sentence would completely perplex Paladin.

 CH 14

    "By the way, a long time has passed but I never introduced myself. My name is Paladin Flamel. What''s your name?"


    Thump!


    Paladin came to a complete halt. He turned his head to look at the idiotic priest, his face filled with disbelief. He couldn¡¯t help but ask, "Father, can you repeat your name?"


    "Paladin Flamel."


    The moment the priest uttered these words, Paladin crumbled as if he had been hit on the head with a hammer. ¡®So there is such a coincidence in the world?! Doesn''t that mean¡­. I can become Paladin Flamel?!¡¯


    "What''s wrong? Why did you fall silent?" The priest, whose name was also Paladin, looked at Paladin with suspicion.


    The latter quietly put down the bag. He lowered his head and said, "Father, who is that person behind you?" The priest immediately turned his head to see who was behind him, but all he saw were grass and bushes that blocked the sunlight.


    "There¡¯s no one..."


    Just as the priest turned his head back, he caught a glimpse of the ferocious and ecstatic Paladin pouncing on him. Paladin grabbed the priest''s chin with one hand and the priest''s forehead with the other. He quickly turned the priest around and stuck to his back with his strong and skilled hands!


    "You... What are you doing?! Let go or I''ll be very angry!"


    The captured priest was enraged and terrified. He had no idea what the man, whom he had known for only an hour, was up to. But then, Paladin told him exactly what he was trying to do.


    With his evilly curled lips, Paladin lowered his head slightly and whispered to his ear, "Paladin Flamel, don''t you want to know my name? Let me tell you. My name is Paladin too."


    The priest''s pupils shrank as soon as he said that. Even the stupidest person would feel they are in danger right now. Paladin, of course, wouldn¡¯t pass up this opportunity. He suddenly raised his head, looked at the gaps in the leaves where the sunlight passed through, and murmured happily, "Fate is smiling at me!"


    The hand holding the priest''s chin twisted decisively to the side before he finished speaking. A crisp crunch was heard. As soon as Paladin let go, the priest¡¯s body fell to the ground, his neck crooked. There was still a mixed expression of doubt and fear etched on the priest¡¯s face. Until the end of his life, he still couldn''t figure out what benefit Paladin would gain from killing him.


    Paladin breathed a sigh of relief. He stripped and changed into the clothes of the priest with the same name as him. Paladin, who was currently dressed in a black priest''s robe with a hemp rope tied around his waist, nodded in satisfaction. He then squatted and started collecting the priest''s belongings.


    After putting the small bag filled with fifty three gold coins into his arms with a smile on his face, Paladin spotted a letter lying inside the big bag alongside two intersecting keys and a strange crown in the middle. Paladin, who took it out immediately, saw that the paint had been peeled off in some areas.


    The letter appeared to be addressed to the priest. In order to live as this priest for a long time in the future, Paladin must know as much as possible about this person''s life. He needed to do this so that he didn''t accidentally reveal that he wasn''t the real Paladin Flamel.


    It was tragic.


    Paladin carefully took out the letter. The faint smell of books wafting from it made Paladin happy. He took it out of the envelope and meticulously read it. The content was as follows:


    Flamel, the pious and kind priest,


    During his three years of study in the monastery, he not only won the title of priest, but also the respect and love of others. Through the recommendation of his godfather, Priest Fr. Sicilian, Vicar of Fenrir, the priest Paladin Flamel is officially assigned to serve as the rector of the town of Nurba. To educate the congregation and focus on The Almighty and Great Enos.


    In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.


    The Duchy of Kasmi¡¾The Hierarchical Priests of the Archdiocese of Kasmi¡¿


    July 2, 7266 AD


    Paladin''s hands trembled with excitement. This letter turned out to be that stupid priest¡¯s appointment letter! This was a very important proof. If Paladin wanted to use the priest¡¯s identity, this letter was the best cover!


    After excitedly tucking the letter away, Paladin began to dig for two hours. Then, he buried the priest''s body in the ground. After carefully covering it up to ensure it couldn¡¯t be noticed, Paladin didn''t even think about resting. He instantly let go of his past identity and left the forest. Right at this moment, the uneasy feeling that had accompanied him gradually subsided. Because, the one who left the forest was Paladin Flamel. An insignificant noble who became a priest. The foolish Paladin, who was looked down upon in one of the branches of the Freemasons¡¯ Association, had died when he obtained the Ripley Scroll.


    At the same time when Paladin was applauding himself because he had acquired a new identity, Nasura, the great magician who recently learned that the Ripley Scroll was stored here¡ªat one of the branches of the Freemasons¡¯ Association¡ªwas shocked for a while. He then strode past Adele, who was still dazed, and went downstairs.


    "Hey! What are you doing?!"


    Nasura removed Adele''s hand with a flick of his hand. With a serious expression, he said, "Does it need to be said? The adjudicators will come soon. The Ripley Scroll has nothing to do with me! I just want to get out of this ghostly place as soon as possible. Those lunatics don''t treat mages well!"


    Adele shook her hand helplessly and joked, "Poor Nasura. You¡¯ve been dazzled by the potential danger. It won''t be long before the members from other forces squeeze in. Will the Freemasons¡¯ Association remain silent? No. When they watch the lunatic adjudicators come to kill, there will definitely be a lot of action! Isn¡¯t it too cowardly to run away now? And, while it''s unclear whether you¡¯ll be able to see the legendary scroll with your own eyes, as a mage, you really don¡¯t want to see what¡¯s written on it?¡±


    These words moved Nasura''s heart and caused him to question himself. Although the adjudicators despised mages, they were nothing to the blasphemous Freemasons¡¯ Association. When there was a conflict between the Freemasons¡¯ Association and the adjudicators, there¡¯d be some chance to get some clues. As long as there was a glimmer of hope, he might be able to see that legendary scroll.


    With such thoughts in mind, Nasura''s frown gradually eased. He folded his arms and said domineeringly, "You are an assassin, so you should have some idea. Don''t be difficult; just say it."


    That was a sign of willingness to cooperate. Naturally, Adele would not break the mage''s pride. While covering her smile, she said, "Come with me. Change your clothes first. You¡¯re still too eye-catching in this mentor''s robe."


    After she finished speaking, she grabbed Nasura''s hand and ran downstairs. Although Nasura was taken aback at first, the greasy touch of her hand caused his heart, which had been silent all this time, to begin pounding wildly. However, he didn¡¯t say anything. He simply stared deeply at Adele in front of him, letting her hold his hand while running downstairs together. After a while, they disappeared from sight.


    Inside the empty room, the quaint piece of parchment that was taken from the golden compartment fell to the floor. Suddenly, a green flame was lit, consuming the parchment. It only took a moment to burn the parchment to ashes. As a result, the things written on that parchment would never be known.

 CH 15

    Paladin was in trouble. He had been walking for almost ten days. His supplies and food had run out. He eventually reached the edge of the endless forest and saw a bustling town not far away. Barely able to keep his tired eyelids open, Paladin listened to the faint noise coming from the town with a relieved smile on his face. He muttered, "Oh, Enos! I swear I''ll never go back into that forest. That''s not a place ordinary people should go!"


    Paladin, who had no prior experience living in the forest, had endured a great deal during these few days. Because he was afraid of being discovered by others, he didn''t dare to light a fire. In the middle of the night, he ate the raw meat of the roe deer he hunted while enduring the stench. He dug up the wet soil and drank muddy water. In the middle of the night, he was almost bitten to death by fist-sized mosquitos! It was simply a nightmare!


    While smiling, Paladin''s previously exhausted body suddenly became fully energized. He let loose and ran to the town that looked like heaven in his eyes. He knew that with the gold coins the priest had, he could eat well, dress warmly, and sleep well here.


    The town was different from Paladin''s expectations. The street he was walking on was so crowded that everyone could barely see his priest''s robe. The pedestrians on the road ignored him with an expression Paladin was familiar with. Apparently, this pattern was very common here. Observing the passers-by, Paladin noticed that, with the exception of a few shopkeepers and travelers, the town was mostly filled with warriors wearing various armor, long swords on their waists, and shields on their backs.


    The armor had a faint blood stain on it. That was what happened if it wasn''t cleaned after being stained with blood. In addition, Paladin also saw rangers clad in leather armor, armed with crossbows and daggers. These people were either in small groups or alone. Some of them were also carrying the bodies of dead monsters that had one or two fangs and sharp claws. They went to and fro on the street.


    Paladin knew that these people were either mercenaries attracted by the forest''s battleship profits and state subsidies, wandering bards, or travelers. It was natural. After all, there were many ferocious and dangerous monsters lurking in the depths of the forest that bordered the Duchy of Kasmi, the Kingdom of Aixinzhe, and the Kingdom of Nubia.


    The monsters were not only powerful and fast, but some of them could also use magic! The magical beasts, in particular, were capable of forming magical crystals within their bodies. The magic crystals were crystals that were used by battleships to absorb and store magic elements. The more powerful the magic beast, the better the magic crystal it produced. The higher the quality, the higher the price on the market. According to Paladin''s knowledge, a piece of fire element magic crystal produced by a fire-swallowing snake could be sold for five gold coins.


    Five gold coins were enough to feed and clothe a normal family for a year! It was easy to imagine how huge the profits were. The Duchy of Kasmi saw an opportunity to profit and built walls around the forest''s borders, stationed heavy guards inside a few large cities and dozens of towns, and allowed these mercenaries to come inside to sell their hunting spoils.


    The Duchy of Kasmi collected a hefty 60% tax on spoils and regular hunting license fees. As a result, many poachers crossed the city wall because of their unwillingness to pay taxes. However, aside from being hanged, Paladin had never heard of the poachers who could be rescued. When he was thinking about this, Paladin stopped walking. In front of him was a picture of a tavern with a sword stuck in a tree.


    "The Forest¡¯s Sword Tavern?" Paladin muttered to himself. Suddenly, he noticed that he needed to take a rest. He swallowed deeply and subconsciously touched the bulging gold coins in his pocket. Paladin finally pushed the jingling wooden door open with one hand and walked straight inside.


    "Hmm¡­."


    Paladin immediately covered his mouth and nose after entering the tavern due to the pungent smell of alcohol and some strange stench he smelled inside. He began to look at the people who were inside the tavern.


    Groups of bare-chested and/or fully armored mercenaries with pitiful-looking girls in their arms, busy squandering their rewards and drinking ale. There was a traveler who might¡¯ve arrived after a long journey. He had no intention of paying attention to other people. His attention was completely focused on filling his stomach with the barbecue on the table. The knife and fork in his hand moved so quickly that they left afterimages.


    Two tall drunk men were fighting like there were no other people inside the tavern. A small group of soldiers wearing expensive armor were sitting on the side. They ignored the fighters and chatted with each other about women, money, and their lord. The tall and thin middle-aged man was humming nice but rude songs while playing the organ. Most likely, he was a bard.


    An elderly man with a bloated stomach sat at the counter, pouring rum while wallowing in boredom. He appeared to be the boss. To him, the cloudy rum in front of him was more interesting than these people. The tavern was filled with songs, shouts, fights, and laughter. Nobody noticed or cared about the distraught young man at all.


    Paladin checked everyone out. When he was about to step forward, his eyes suddenly narrowed for a moment. All because of the man in a black robe seated at the edge of the tavern. The thing that caught his attention wasn¡¯t the person, but the two hundred and sixty fiery red magic elements coiled around this person. It looked as evident as a torch in the night from Paladin''s point of view.


    That man was a magician. Furthermore, the fully-armored warrior sitting next to the magician also had more than 20 earthy yellow elements hovering around him. Before Paladin had the chance to analyze why the man who seemed to be a warrior could also use magic, the black-robed man who had been motionless all this time suddenly raised his head which was covered with a black hood. He might¡¯ve sensed Paladin''s gaze. A pair of profound and wise eyes locked on him right away. Paladin turned his head and walked straight to the counter, pretending to be in a hurry.


    The three others who were sitting in the same seat as the black-robed magician followed his gaze and spotted Paladin. One of the women, who was wearing tight leather armor and armed with a bow and knife, immediately whispered, "O''Neil, what''s that man¡¯s deal?"


    Next to the woman who appeared to be a ranger, a drunken male soldier who was clad in fine armor said with his tongue out, "Liriel, he¡¯s just one of the poor travelers who visit this tavern hundreds of times a day. Or should I say, ¡®Have you taken a fancy to this boy?¡¯¡±


    "Orkney! Watch your words! Her fianc¨¦ is still sitting here!" A handsome red-haired boy, who had two short knives hanging on his waist, heard what Orkney said. After teasing her, he quickly retorted and revealed himself to be Liriel''s fianc¨¦.


    At this time, the sorcerer O''Neil, who was covered in black robes, kept his head down again. If it weren''t for the long black hair that was exposed under the hood, his slightly hoarse voice would make people mistake him for an old man. He said, "That man was wearing the clothes of a priest. He should be a clergyman who is going to be a priest at the church. Just now, the moment he looked over, I felt that my connection with magic became a little loose¡­. It feels strange, I''ve never felt like this."


    Liriel, the ranger, lightly shook her wine glass when she heard this. While helplessly smiling, she said, "My respected Master O''Neil, although I don''t know magic, you are so careful and say things like this from time to time. I really can''t stand the personality of intelligent people."


    On the contrary, Orkney, the soldier¡ªwho was still smiling and slightly tipsy¡ªset his glass down. Suddenly, the signs of inebriation on his face vanished. He turned his head to look at Paladin with an extremely serious expression.

 CH 16

    Paladin, who had no idea he was being observed, took a deep breath. He was no longer the humble slave Paladin. He was a priest of noble birth, Paladin Flamel. Therefore, not only he must display the piety of a priest, but also the elegance and calmness of a nobleman. However, Paladin had no idea how to behave as an aristocrat because he had never seen real aristocrats before. Fortunately, the professors in the Freemasons¡¯ Association were usually gentle, knowledgeable, generous, and decent. While picturing how the professors behaved, he attempted to imitate them.


    Paladin showed a gentle and modest smile. One of his hands lightly held and raised the cross given to him by his parents, which was hanging on his chest. He then spoke slowly to the old man at the counter in a fanatical, reverent tone, "Oh, the Great and the Almighty Enos! Venerable old man, I came to your inn guided by the light of God. All I want is hot water, bread, a knife, and some clothes¡­."


    Who could¡¯ve predicted that the old man would tap the table impatiently while frowning before Paladin finished speaking? He then spread his hands and rudely said to Paladin, "Money, young priest! Even if Enos himself comes to visit, you still have to pay money!¡±


    "Hahahahaha!" The entire tavern burst out laughing as soon as the old man said that. The mercenary and sergeant both looked at the embarrassed Paladin and laughed loudly.


    One of the tall mercenaries immediately let go of the girl in his arms. He then smiled and pointed at Paladin, mocking him.


    "Oh! Dear priest, even Enos has to pay! If there''s no money¡­."


    Before he finished speaking, all of the mercenaries in the hall laughed and exclaimed in unison, "GET OUT!"


    Paladin was neither sad nor happy, but he showed a frustrated expression and pointed at the group of mercenaries.


    "How can you say that? Call Him the Great Enos! Don''t you have any faith? This is blasphemy, a naked blasphemy!" Paladin shouted.


    The laughter that had just stopped became even louder, provoked by what Paladin said. As a result, the laughter became more intense.


    "Oh, what a pitiful priest. We¡¯re all mercenaries, a job that regularly deals with blood spilling on the knife''s edge. Enos, the God of Light, naturally has been blessing us. Otherwise, we wouldn''t have survived to this day!"


    One of the mercenaries laughed, which made the others join in. Paladin, who displayed an upset expression, kept glancing at the mage. The people at the mage''s table were deafeningly quiet. They didn''t seem to want to join the mercenaries in making fun of him at all.


    Seeing that, Paladin was relieved. He let out a soft snort, tossed a gold coin, and jumped onto the counter. In a low voice, he made a firm statement.


    "Do you think this amount of money is enough to give a God''s servant a rest for his tired body, old man?"


    Wait, wait a minute! The noisy tavern quickly quieted down. Everyone¡ªincluding the mercenary, the girl, the bard, even the waiter, and the old man¡ªstared at the gold coin thrown on the table. A gold coin, yes, it was a gold coin!


    It wasn¡¯t that these mercenaries were so poor they haven''t seen gold coins. They''ve seen it. A lot. But, they had never seen anyone willingly spend more than ten silver coins in such a third-rate tavern! The priest actually did that and threw a gold coin! Didn''t this mean he¡¯s rich?!


    The old man was the first to react. Paladin watched him snatch the gold coins at a speed that even the top instructors from the Assassin Alliance couldn¡¯t match. After biting and rubbing it for a while, he nodded with a strange expression.


    "It''s real gold. Allow me to prepare the best room for you, Father."


    Boom! As soon as the old man said that, the originally quiet tavern was in an uproar! This miserable and poor-looking priest was very rich! The mercenaries, who came here to make money, all stared greedily at the scrawny Paladin.


    "Look at his form," the mage O''Neil, who had kept his head down the entire time, said hoarsely.


    The old man looked at Paladin in pity, as if it was over for Paladin. He slowly said, ¡°What is your name? Where are you from? The Grand Duke ordered that those who stay in the towns at the border are required to register."


    "Paladin Flamel."


    "Paladin... eh? Ah!"


    The old man nodded slightly when he wrote Paladin''s name on the paper. But then, he came to a halt. It was as if he recalled something about the surname. Throwing away the quill in fright, he looked at Paladin in surprise and asked cautiously, "My lord, what did you say your name is?"


    "It¡¯s Paladin Flamel."


    "My Enos! It''s the nobleman!" The old man jumped up in terror.


    The mercenaries also exchanged surprised glances. Paladin, on the other hand, calmly took out a badge from his cuff, which depicted a lion kneeling on top of straws. It turned out to be the emblem of the Flamel household!


    "Master, please, please!" The old man¡¯s attitude shifted, he began bootlicking. He was inviting Paladin to go upstairs, but Paladin abruptly came to a halt. He turned around to look at the mercenaries, who had regretful expressions on their faces, and said, "As you can see, I''m a priest on his way to the church. Nurba is my destination. Are there any brave warriors who are willing to escort this God¡¯s servant to Nurba? Of course, you''ll be financially compensated."


    Paladin¡¯s attitude could be described as neither humble nor overbearing. He showed genuine elegance. No one in the room doubted his true identity.


    Hearing that, the mercenaries'' previously regretful eyes instantly lit up. This was a fantastic opportunity to be acquainted with a nobleman! Although information about them was scarcely leaked, it was widely known that anyone who murdered a noble would be hanged. Still, being able to curry favor with a nobleman was also a valuable invisible asset. Although it couldn''t be said, some benefits could be obtained from this.


    Just when the large group of mercenaries were about to make a move, the mage O''Neill, who was sitting in the corner, suddenly nodded. When Orkney saw this, he immediately stood up and exclaimed, "My lord, how can these trash who can''t even hold a dagger escort you? Allow us to protect you all the way there.


    The mercenaries who were present immediately glared at them. However, they quickly dropped the idea of teaching those people a lesson after seeing the mage, O''Neill, slowly rose to his feet with sparks flickering on his fingertips.


    "Mage, that''s a mage! Don''t give up your life here just for the sake of a mere job!"


    Paladin narrowed his eyes imperceptibly when he saw the mercenaries surrounding him dared not speak out. He was hoping to hire some of these common mercenaries. They could be used as material to refine the Philosopher''s Stone on the journey.


    Given that the mage''s team had offered themselves and that the mage had more than 200 magic elements floating around him, it''d be extremely difficult for Paladin to deal with them on his own. If he didn''t agree to their offer right now, it''d seem very strange. It''d be suspicious if he turned down a powerful team in order to hire ordinary mercenaries to protect him, a noble. Even though he was essentially a curious person, he was aware that his false identity would be put at risk.


    In this brief moment, when Paladin was contemplating countermeasures in his mind, a sense of crisis pierced his heart. It felt like ice had directly hit his face. Paladin''s expression instantly changed. When he turned his head to look, he noticed that the tavern''s windows were dazzlingly bright. It was as if hundreds of magic lamps exploded at the same time.


    The strange thing was that none of the people present noticed anything unusual, the dazzling white light, for example. Only the mage, O''Neill, who was shrouded in a black robe, raised his lowered head. He appeared to be a little tense, completely the opposite of his previous silence and calmness!

 CH 17

    "What... what''s going on outside?" Paladin spoke up, slightly surprised.


    The old man turned his head to take a look. He then excitedly rubbed his hands, took a step forward, and smiled.


    "There''s another guest!"


    At this moment, Paladin''s pupils shrank rapidly. The dilapidated wooden door swung open. Six people, dressed in white hoods and long white robes that swept the floor, walked inside. Their clothes were also adorned with delicate golden laces. A drawing of a dead man hanged on a cross was printed in the middle of the robe.


    Paladin''s forehead began to sweat profusely as his hands, which were hidden in his sleeves, began to tremble slightly. He was no longer ignorant of the Holy See, as he had been ten days ago. The strange coat of arms drawn on the letter of recommendation from Nurba and on the foolish priest¡¯s Cassily Bible was actually the symbol of the Holy See. A crown was placed between two crossed keys. It symbolized the Keys of Heaven and the Papal Tiara worn by the Pope, which meant the supreme authority of theocracy.


    Furthermore, the symbol of a dead man hanged on the cross meant that they were obeying the command of God''s incarnation, just like Judas, the thirteenth apostle of God who betrayed Him! According to the Cassily Bible''s Gospel of Judas, the traitor Judas obeyed God''s command to rebel and then hanged himself on the crooked neck tree. In the Holy See, he was seen as a martyr.


    Amidst the huge hierarchy and influence of the entire Holy See, this symbol terrified priests and monks. The Order of the Martyrs was at the beck and call of the Pope and the Thirteenth Cardinal. That was the official statement. Actually, the more accurate and popular name for the group was Inquisition!


    They instilled fear in the hearts of all heretics and potential heretics with its existence. The group was a powerful military organization the Holy See used to capture and judge heretics. A lunatic and fanatical monster was said to be supporting them from the shadows!


    Paladin was too shocked to speak. The moment these priests, also known as adjudicators, walked in, a white light shone so brightly it almost blinded Paladin''s eyes.


    "Okay¡­."


    Paladin raised his hand subconsciously to block the white light. He was even more taken aback when he realized the dazzling white light was coming from the river-like light elements that were coiling around the six priests. Paladin checked with his vision, and discovered that each priest possessed at least 3,000 magic elements. The one with the most magic elements turned out to be the priest who was walking in front, with a terrifying number of 6,000 magic elements!


    Paladin immediately lowered his arm and cursed inwardly. He secretly cast a glance at O''Neill. At this point, the latter¡¯s image of a powerful mage had vanished without a trace. He was standing while holding the wand, looking extremely nervous. His body was hunched, ready to flee at any moment.


    Right now, the whole tavern was plunged into silence. The mercenaries, who had traveled all over the world, had heard about this coat of arms symbol to some extent. Everyone was like a frightened baby bird, not having an ounce of courage to look up. Paladin could even hear his own beating heart. He immediately lowered his head, attempting to alleviate the oppressive feeling brought by these people.


    ¡®What do I do?! I encountered people from the Inquisition! By the way, they must¡¯ve come for the branch. Maybe they¡¯re going there for the Ripley Scroll?! The formula of the Philosopher''s Stone cannot fall into the hands of the Holy See. These cretins will just destroy the treasure! I... what was I thinking? I am a nobleman now. A nobleman who is about to become a priest, Paladin Flamel! As long as I maintain this fa?ade, there¡¯s nothing to be afraid of!¡¯


    Paladin, who barely suppressed his fear, raised his head slightly. He had adjusted his mindset and was now fully prepared to become Paladin Flamel. He could not show the slightest flaw.


    The leading priest of the Inquisition had entered the tavern with five people trailing behind. The priest then proceeded to look at the very nervous mage, O''Neill, who was in the corner.


    "O''Neill, what''s wrong with you?"


    O''Neill snorted, as if the brief eye contact just now didn''t cause him to slightly tremble. The fidgety Orkney and his fellow party members finally couldn''t bear it anymore. They drew out their swords to protect O''Neill from the side. They were keeping a close eye on the six silent priests.


    The leading priest pulled his white hood down. Without taking O¡¯Neill¡¯s attitude into heart, he said softly, "Mage, put down your wand. We don''t give a damn about you."


    Obviously, O''Neil wouldn¡¯t disarm himself simply because his mortal enemy said so. The hand holding the wand not only did not let go, but it also trembled slightly. The leading priest said nothing, but the five priests behind him all warned in unison, "Put down your magic wand, blazers, unbelievers, and spellcasters! Otherwise, we, the six executive officers, will follow the rules of St. Magellan. The contract statutes are here to deliver you into the arms of God!"


    When O''Neill heard this, he was caught off guard. He hesitantly set his wand down. The Treaty of St. Magellan was a contract signed between Magellan¡ªthe most powerful magister in ancient times¡ªand the Holy See, which was full of conflicts. The two parties agreed that as long as the mages did not violate relevant laws or deliberately attack the Holy See¡¯s personnel, the Holy See also could not launch unreasonable attacks on the mages.


    Ever since, for thousands of years, these two forces that wanted to eat each other had coexisted peacefully. That was why O''Neill lowered his wand. Because of the existence of the contract, the clergy of the Holy See could not attack the mage without any reason, at least not in public. So, he nervously relaxed his guarding stance.


    The priest, who was the executive officer, snorted slightly and disdainfully. Then, he went straight to the frightened old man next to Paladin. His snow-white boots stepped on the loose wooden floor, making it creak. Along the leading priest¡¯s path, all the mercenaries and travelers jumped away and stood aside as if avoiding a disaster. Paladin was afraid that if he stood next to this evil spirit and his crime was discovered, he would be punished.


    The leading priest ignored the insignificant people around him. Tossing a bag of gold coins over, he quietly said, "Prepare two bags of bread and six pots of clean water."


    "Uh, oh! Father, these¡­.. There are too many..."


    "It''s okay, go get it."


    The old man looked at the heavy gold coins in his hand. His previous fear was instantly overcome by the joy of receiving gold coins. He kept giggling and dashed to the kitchen, starting to pack up the bread and water he had prepared earlier.


    Paladin swallowed deeply. Although there were no signs of abnormality on his face, cold sweat broke out on his palms and forehead.


    ¡®What if, what if I get caught?! Will I be seized and tortured to death in court?¡¯


    The more Paladin thought about it, the more frightened he became. Just when he looked at the leading priest, whose upper half of his face was covered by the shadow of the hood, the priest also turned his head. The two bright eyes that were obscured in the shadow were observing Paladin up and down. Paladin''s hair stood on end immediately. It felt as if he was surrounded by hundreds of man-eating monsters. However, Paladin quickly returned to his calm state. With gritted teeth, he crossed his hands and clenched his fists. Lowering his head, he said in a pious and worshiping way, "The Great and Almighty Enos! Thou are the All-knowing and Loving Lord, who sent thy punisher on earth before me, the humble Paladin Flamel!"


    When the priest in front of Paladin heard Paladin''s words, he let out a good-natured laugh. Paladin watched the priest calmly open his hood. A delicate and flawless skin was revealed. When combined with the ear-length golden hair and light green eyes, it revealed a face that made people have an urge to worship. Even Paladin himself was horrified by the beauty of the Inquisition''s executive officer.

 CH 18

    "I see, you are a cleric who will soon be a priest of the church. Furthermore, you are actually a nobleman! We, your brothers and sisters welcome you, a servant of God. Welcome to this big family." These words were delivered with the utmost elegance. Those who did not understand the situation would have thought that the priest who spoke was the real nobleman.


    Paladin was a bit stunned by how politely the rumored cruel and ruthless ecclesiastical murderer of the Holy See treated a lowly cleric. It far exceeded his expectations. He thought the man would also be disdainful, ignoring one of their own. That was undoubtedly the outcome Paladin wanted to see most.


    The leading priest was so handsome that the surrounding mercenaries were dumbfounded. Those third-rate girls were also blushing, their hearts were pounding fast as they daydreamed of stepping forward to hug the priest and kiss him. Fortunately, all this was inside their heads. If they really did it, they would only be treated ruthlessly as the priests of the Holy See expressly stipulated that they were not allowed to touch women.


    For a brief moment, the handsome priest was stunned. He shook his head helplessly and whispered sincerely, "I forgot to introduce myself. Morris is my name. I¡¯m the chief executive officer of the sixth court of the Holy See¡¯s Inquisition. Brothers and sisters, it''s an honor to meet you."


    "Uh, oh¡­."


    Paladin couldn''t get a grip on himself. In his opinion, this high-ranking priest, Morris, was kind of odd. Paladin wasn¡¯t able to figure out what the other party wanted to do. No one could follow his way of thinking.


    At the same time, Paladin secretly clicked his tongue. This Morris claimed to be the chief executive officer of the Sixth Court of the Inquisition. According to the manuscripts he got from the dead priest-to-be, the Inquisition was divided into two departments. One was called the Magistrate Hall while the other was called the Inquisition Hall.


    The former was in charge of arresting and killing heretics while the latter was responsible for affirming and recording the heretics. The court was split into thirteen court halls. In other words, there were only twelve others who were at the same level as Morris. One could imagine how great this person''s power and position were.


    Morris, who was still smiling, stared at the silver cross that was hung on Paladin¡¯s chest. The only thing that was given to him by his parents who hadn¡¯t bothered to hide their faces. Morris¡¯ smile widened.


    "Mister Paladin, the cross on your chest is one-of-a-kind. Can you please take it off and show it to me?"


    Feeling that something was wrong, Paladin had no choice. He took off the cross with a smile and handed it to Morris.


    "Hmm~ very interesting. Where did you get it?"


    Although Morris smiled brightly, Paladin only felt a piercing coldness coursing through his body. He subconsciously lowered and crossed his hands. His eyes avoided Morris''s eyes. Paladin pretended to be indifferent and said, "It''s nothing. I bought it from a wandering ascetic. If Lord Morris likes it, he can take it."


    "No, no, thank you, priest, for your kindness." Morris laughed and returned the cross to Paladin. Hearing this, Paladin was secretly relieved.


    After that, the ecstatic old man emerged from the back door, with two big bags of bread and six pots of water in his hands. When Morris saw that the dry food had arrived, he folded his hands piously and said, "See you later. May the Supreme God of Light always bless you."


    "Bless you too." Paladin hastily returned the salute.


    Morris, on the other hand, turned around. Along with the other five executive officers who were carrying the bread and water in one hand each, he opened the door and walked away.


    The possibility of being in danger had finally passed. Paladin only wanted to raise his hand to wipe the thin beads of sweat off his forehead. Morris, who was about to step out of the tavern, suddenly stopped. He turned around and suddenly shouted, "Paladin!"


    "Ah? Did Lord Morris call me? Is there anything else I need to do?"


    The sudden shout made Paladin shake. Fortunately, his real name was also Paladin. That was why he was able to respond and look at Morris without any hesitation. Morris observed Paladin''s reaction. Out of nowhere, he laughed innocuously. He reached out, put on the hood that was on his back, and nonchalantly said, "It''s nothing, I¡¯m just kidding."


    After that, he really left the tavern. He and his five companions rode the tall white horses. The six of them proceeded to gallop away, leaving a cloud of smoke on their trails. When it was confirmed that Morris and the others had left, Paladin''s expression darkened in an instant. If one looked closely, they could still see the previous nervousness on his face. The hands that were partially exposed outside the sleeve were trembling violently.


    ¡®Did Morris find out that I was a fake? He should¡¯ve noticed, but there¡¯s no definite evidence or motive. Even he himself doesn''t believe in his own guesses, which is why he left so easily. What''s more, there are branch matters waiting for them, so why waste time on an unknown priest?¡¯ Thinking so, Paladin noticed the old man approaching him with the intention of gaining his favor. Was it because he saw Paladin had quite a close relationship with Morris, the chief executive officer, so he wanted to win him over?


    Suddenly, Paladin felt an indefinable fire blazing within. At this point, the mask he had been wearing for a long time fell off.


    "Old thing! Take me to the room!" Paladin flicked his sleeve and went straight to the stairs. Although the old man was upset, he didn''t dare to speak out. Paladin smirked as he stomped his feet while following the old man.


    At this time, Morris and his party were galloping on horseback. Their destination was a branch of the Freemasons¡¯ Association from which Paladin had succeeded to escape. A tall executive officer, who galloped beside Morris, noticed Morris¡¯ silence as he was thinking of something from under his hood. He couldn''t help but lean forward to Morris¡¯ side and softly ask, "Chief, what''s bothering you?"


    "That priest named Paladin is very suspicious..."


    Hearing this, the tall executive lowered his head and waited for an explanation, knowing Morris would explain everything in detail shortly. Morris'' deep voice made its way through the howling wind and reached the ears of the executive officer.


    "The test just now confirmed that his name is indeed Paladin. He doesn¡¯t seem to be a fake, but it feels strange. Yes. Why does a cleric on his way to becoming a priest in the church have no idea about proper etiquette when meeting another priest?! It''s extremely strange."


    If Paladin heard what Morris just said, he''d collapse to the ground in terror. However, the tall executive officer responded indifferently.


    "It''s nothing, my lord. You heard it too, he is a nobleman. Maybe he spent money to buy a position. He didn''t go to a monastery for systematic studies at all."


    Morris waved his hand and immediately said, "Let''s not talk about whether he bought a priesthood status or not. The cross on his chest is the same with the one worn by the executive officers of our Inquisition, which is blessed with holy purification. Can you buy it from anywhere?"


    Hearing this, the tall executive officer was a little stunned.


    Unexpectedly, Morris continued, "Besides, when I was talking to him, his forehead, palms, and back were sweating. When I asked him about the cross, he avoided my gaze and crossed his hands. A very obvious self-defense maneuver."


    "Then, what about it?"


    Hearing his subordinate''s question, Morris looked up at the white clouds covering the blue sky and murmured, "He''s too nervous¡­."

 CH 19

    "Father Paladin, we''ve arrived at Nurba," O''Neill said from outside the carriage.


    Paladin immediately put on a show and tried to get out of the carriage. With arms crossed, hands clasped, he reverently said, "Thank you! Thank you very much for thy protection. Enos must''ve discreetly blessed and protected this faithful servant from above. That''s why no bandits were encountered."


    Liriel, the ranger, gave Paladin a sidelong glance when he stiffly got out of the carriage. She lowered her head and whispered to Orkney, who was standing beside her.


    "What, there aren''t any bandits encountered along the way? This damn priest would have been skinned a long time ago if the bandits hadn''t noticed there was a mage here! And now, he''s only thanking Enos."


    "Shhh! Keep your voice down!"


    Orkney hurriedly covered her mouth, afraid that the priest would hear. He also carefully observed Paladin''s reaction, but there was no sign of anger. After all, in Orkney''s opinion, mercenaries like them, who always seek to earn some money even if it was the result of blood being spilled, were fortunate to be acquainted with and gain the friendship of a priest.


    Paladin inhaled deeply as he stood outside the carriage. There was a faint scent of earth in the air. Almost all of the fatigue from traveling vanished. He clearly heard Liriel''s words, but didn''t care. He was now disguised as Paladin Flamel. A zealous young master aspiring to be a dutiful priest for The Holy See.


    His dream was to be able to stand on his own two feet, marry a beautiful wife, and amass a large sum of money. Eat well and live a good and respectable life. However, it was hard to predict when he''d accomplish all of them.


    With such a sweet daydream playing in his mind, Paladin took a step forward. The scenery before him left him a tad disappointed. Men and women dressed in various clothes were walking on the relatively wide stone road.


    Occasionally, there were one or two mercenaries carrying goods, sweeping past one red brick house after another. It was obvious that a cleric dressed in the priest''s black robe was not uncommon in such a wealthy town. Passers-by simply glanced at him and walked away indifferently.


    Uncomfortable, extremely uncomfortable. Paladin had the impression that he was being underestimated. Passers-by only gave him a few sidelong glances in response to his poised new persona. Within him, an unknown rage erupted. O''Neill, who was standing by the carriage''s side, noticed Paladin''s expression change. So, he politely extended his hand to point at the dilapidated building in front of him and said, "Father Paladin, your church is here."


    "Oh! Thanking all of you for escorting me all the way here."


    Paladin insincerely took out three gold coins from his sleeve and handed them to O''Neill, who readily accepted them. O''Neill frowned as he watched Paladin carry his luggage and walk towards the church.


    Paladin silently stood in front of the large dilapidated wooden door. He swallowed, pushed the door open, and walked in after ensuring O''Neill and the others behind him had left. Creak, clink! The old door creaked and clanked unpleasantly.


    A gentle and warm light streamed into the room through the massive glass window, which depicted a portrait of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It added a touch of holiness to the otherwise gloomy church. Paladin lifted the cloth bag in his hand while observing the church¡¯s condition. He pondered about his future after being assigned to this church.


    He couldn''t help but start shouting, "Is there anyone here? Hello? I am a cleric from Fenrir. I came here on the recommendation of my godfather, Sicily. I am here to serve as a priest."


    Paladin didn''t expect a gust of cold wind to come from behind him as soon as he finished speaking. Fearful, he jumped away and turned to face the source of the wind. There stood an elderly man dressed in a black robe. His hair was white and his eyes were gloomy. His gaze was locked on Paladin. The vigilant Paladin also noticed the Holy See''s symbol embroidered on the robe, which was a coat of arms with two crossed keys and a triple crown in the center. This old man was a priest!


    The frightened Paladin calmed himself. The fact that the old man''s body was surrounded by dark magic elements nearly knocked him to the ground! Although the number was not large¡ªjust over sixty¡ªit was not something a priest should have!


    "Kid, are you assigned to serve here?"


    The old man turned a blind eye to Paladin being shocked and wary as he held out his hand. At this moment, countless thoughts were racing through Paladin''s brain.


    ¡®Is this man a priest here? If not, then is he a black sorcerer who is waiting for the newly appointed priest to hunt them down?¡¯


    It''s worth noting that the man was surrounded by only about 60 dark elements, which should be enough to kill a real priest.


    ''Does that imply he is a fallen one? A priest who has faith in the fallen!'' Paladin thought.


    Paladin carefully took out the letter of recommendation from the bag and handed it to the old man.


    "This old gentleman, are you the priest stationed here?" Paladin inquired.


    The old man flipped the letter and nodded as if it was a matter of course.


    "Please call me Northam, do not call me a priest. I resigned from my position as a priest not long ago."


    "Oh? Resignation? Why?" Paladin blurted out, perplexed. It was amazing that someone didn''t want to be a priest, which was such a glamorous identity.


    Northam opened the envelope and glanced at the contents of the letter. He then spoke slowly and methodically, "I resigned from the priesthood to pursue a life as a missionary. I shall travel the Olosen Continent and spreading the glory of God in every nook and cranny."


    Northam nodded perfunctorily and handed the letter back to Paladin. Then he took a stack of black priest robes from a nearby row of seats, as well as the license for the local church and a priest''s scepter that was lying around. The old man handed them all to Paladin and said, "This is basically everything you should need. If you believe there is a manpower shortage, go to Hermes Abbey in the east of the city and speak with Phoebe."


    Northam suddenly sneered, but his smile somehow looked sad.


    "If you paid enough money, they would specially rush to choose and give you a bunch of beautiful virgin nuns."


    Paladin froze when he heard this. Having been initially wary of the other party''s dark element, he finally relaxed a little. The Holy See didn¡¯t seem to be as sacred as it appeared on the surface. They were, after all, also human beings with various desires and needs.


    ¡®It''s fine. It¡¯ll be more convenient for me to do things this way.¡¯ Paladin thought while secretly laughing in his heart.


    Northam picked up the crutch beside him and nonchalantly said, ¡°However, according to the recommendation letter, you are a nobleman. Hey, maybe the nuns won''t be enough to satisfy you."


    Paladin found himself at a loss for words. He stood there silently watching the depraved priest stumble to the wooden door while clutching his crutch, leaving the church that had been his home for decades.Paladin''s eyes flashed with a strange expression as he blurted out, "Northam, why did you abandon your faith in Enos? What benefits did Belial, the God of Darkness, bestow upon you?!"


    Bang!


    The wooden crutch was violently slammed on the slate floor. Northam slowly turned around. His once gloomy eyes were now filled with murderous intent and shock. Without saying a word, Northam''s hand, which was hidden in his sleeve, moved quickly. A dark green magical bullet with the intent of taking life is heading straight for Paladin''s head!


    Paladin''s pupils shrank immediately. When he realized the black magic bullet was about to pierce his skull, he quickly raised his right hand. His entire palm was covered in golden light magic elements. With it, he firmly caught the flying magic bullet. He caught it easily as if he was catching a leather ball!


    "What!"


    Northam was taken aback when he saw this young priest catch his magical bullet with his bare hands. Bare-handed! Rather than using a magical shield or dodging it, he catches it with his hand! Incredible! Northam was terrified.


    But, Paladin wouldn¡¯t give him a chance to stay dazed. Paladin could clearly feel the magic bullet being violently consumed by the dense golden elements coating his hand. Paladin shook his hand roughly without hesitation, causing a ripple to appear. The magic bullet was easily extinguished.


    It was too late for Northam to say anything. Paladin stepped hard on the ground, felt the force, and leaped towards Northam with a whoosh. Northam only saw something flashing before Paladin appeared in front of him. Paladin grabbed the wooden staff with one hand, turned around, and hit Northam''s rough and wrinkled face with it.


    The latter was only able to scream and spit blood from the corner of his mouth. He fell to the ground. Nonetheless, Paladin had no intention of stopping. Without a pause in his movements, his left hand threw away the wooden stick while his right hand slapped Northam on the cheek. The golden magic elements around his hand and the momentum of his movement increased the power of his slap. Northam flew into the air before being pressed onto the hard floor.


    Bang! The sound of something cracking came from the floor. Along with it, Paladin felt a liquid gradually wetting the palm of his hand. Only then did he remove his hand and move it to grab Northam''s neck. At this point, Northam''s face was covered with blood. Several of his teeth had fallen out. Northam could only let out a groan.


    "How about that, fallen one? Or should I refer to you as Northam the dark sorcerer?¡± Paladin stated smugly.


    Northam could barely open his eyes. He saw the young man looking down at him condescendingly. The young man''s brown eyes were slightly glowing golden in color. Coupled with the eerie smile he cracked right now, he looked like a god!


    Northam immediately returned to his senses. He then snidely remarked, "I do not know how you found out. What do you want to do to me? Send me to those Inquisition fanatics? Or do you want to put me to death right here? In the name of Enos?"


    Northam continued to speak with strong disappointment and anger in his eyes before Paladin could respond, "Go ahead! Kill me right here! I''ll die in the church where I stayed for decades! Anyway, the so-called Holy See has fallen and is no longer pure. The clerics have forgotten their baptismal vows, while the bishops have filled their heads with women and money! Can''t Enos see that the Holy See is corrupt?! He sees it, but ignores it! Is He truly the God we seek? He is just some bastard above the clouds who looks down and mocks us, little people!"


    "So, is that why you borrowed the power of the dark god, Belial?"


    Paladin''s smile faded gradually. A strange thought popped into his head and quickly took over his mind. Hearing Paladin''s words, Northam, who was losing control, yelled with red eyes, "No! All of the so-called gods are all bastards! Enos is a jerk and Belial is no different! But unlike Enos, who deceived me, Belial is more direct. He gives as much as He gets!"


    "Huh? So, what are you planning to do?"


    Paladin still looked at Northam from above. The latter believed he had no chance of being spared. With red eyes and a hoarse voice, he yelled, "Destruction! I intend to use Belial¡¯s power to bring down the corrupt Holy See! I want this already clouded Holy See, the abscess planted in the center of Olosen, to be completely erased from the world!"


    Paladin smiled slightly. This was one of the few fanatics whose faith had crumbled! What would happen to them next? Of course, they''d be risky and extreme. The black sorcerer, on the other hand, could be useful to Paladin.


    ¡®Perhaps, the matter of collecting the raw materials for the Philosopher''s Stone can be handled by this shady Northam.¡¯ Paladin, who was thinking this, nodded slightly. He let go of Northam''s neck, completely ignoring the odd look he was giving him. The golden magic elements coiling around his body surged wildly, transforming into a glove with dancing golden arcs attached to Paladin''s right hand.


    ¡°What is this?! Lost magic? No, no! It''s not magic if there are no spells or fluctuations in the four elements! Is it divine power? Impossible! No god would be so generous to give divine power without a chant! What kind of power is this?" Northam¡¯s whole body jumped as he muttered in disbelief when he saw the magic elements that kept changing shape and form on Paladin''s hand. He was very taken aback. Paladin proudly raised his hand and the miraculous magic elements that kept changing shapes on his hand vanished without a trace.


    Thrilled, Paladin said, ¡°This does not belong to any magical divine power. I call it power against the gods. Northam, are you interested?"


    Northam, who was still stunned, quickly calmed down. After seemingly realizing that he was not in danger, he asked quietly, "Kid, what on earth are you trying to do?!"


    "Me? It doesn¡¯t matter. You can make use of my strength while I make use of your identity. Also, please address me as Father Paladin!"


    Northam bowed his head and remained silent. He was obviously hesitating about something. Meanwhile, Paladin''s smiling eyes became colder and colder. If the old man still couldn¡¯t figure out how to behave, he did not mind killing a useful pawn.


    Finally, just when Paladin was about to lose his patience, Northam let out a deep sigh. His eyes brightened with excitement and anticipation.


    ¡®This kid''s power has never been seen before. So I can''t guarantee it will work. If I fully cooperate, there may be a glimmer of hope to eradicate the Holy See!¡¯ Keeping this in mind, Northam raised his head and exclaimed, "Father Paladin!"


    Paladin''s wide and outlandish smile was the only response he received.

 CH 20

    The next day, Paladin was sitting inside the confessional as a newly assigned priest, listening to people recounting and confessing their sins from the neighboring booth. Paladin thought the concept was very new to him at first, but after hearing the confessions of seven people, he was thoroughly annoyed. The sins uttered by these commoners were nothing more than trivial things like stealing the neighbor''s eggs the day before or looking and being envious at the beauty of a friend''s wife. When the eighth rancid-smelling peasant entered to confess, Paladin covered his nose and began to question whether his decision to disguise himself as a priest was correct.


    Paladin, dressed in a brand new black priest''s robe, was covering his nose with his sleeve. He suddenly felt a strong desire to return to the back room. After Northam had agreed to cooperate and became his temporary partner, Northam informed him that this church had a basement which functioned as a storage room containing wine barrels and dry rations. Paladin, who desperately needed a secluded location, was overjoyed


    In particular, Paladin realized a significant point. The most basic requirement for him to advance, to have a good life and a high position, was that he must have power! Paladin, who had just discovered the sweet taste of abusing power, naturally couldn¡¯t wait to refine more Philosopher''s Stones again to increase his power.


    As a result, Paladin, who was filled with desire, instructed Northam to capture some of the town''s peasants tomorrow night, preferably those unloved, unpleasant rogues! This way, even if someone went missing, not many people would pay attention. After all, Paladin was too young and it¡¯d be extremely dangerous for him to presumptuously win over a depraved priest.


    That Northam could also simply leave and never return. Paladin would¡¯ve nothing to do with the opposing party. Fortunately, luck was still on his side Because when night fell after a rough day for him, when Paladin eagerly returned to the back room, he was just in time to see Northam in a mess, propped up against the wall with bated breath.


    Paladin couldn''t care less whether Northam was alive or dead. He lowered his head and noticed four sacks of varying sizes on the ground. Paladin was able to identify two old men and two children in the dim light despite the fact that it was not very obvious. They had filthy hair and greasy faces. Obviously, these people were beggars on the street. Paladin nodded in satisfaction. He looked at the street''s empty intersection and said, "Good job, has anyone noticed you?"


    Northam shook his head tiredly. He took the water bottle from his pocket, and began drinking.


    "Stop drinking, let''s carry them into the basement together. Staying here any longer could be potentially dangerous."


    After saying that, he picked up the children and entered the church. Northam hesitated as he looked at Paladin''s back, wanting to say something but he didn''t say anything at the end. So, he grabbed the remaining sacks and followed Paladin¡¯s footsteps.


    Slam! As the trapdoor leading to the basement swung open, Paladin and Northam walked in with four unconscious people on their shoulders. Northam casually threw them to the ground and lit the torch beside the wall. It gradually brightened the very dark basement. Paladin took a look around. Paladin glanced around. The basement was, as Northam stated, quite large. Aside from a few barrels of fruit wine, there were sacks of dry food and wheat. There was still a lot of unused space. Paladin nodded in satisfaction and waved his hand.


    "Get out. Remember to lock the door."


    Hearing this, Northam paused and couldn''t help but ask, "Paladin, why do you want them? You are a Father, Paladin!"


    Before Northam could finish his sentence, Paladin turned his head, stared at Northam grimly, and corrected his inappropriate address.


    "Father Paladin."


    Northam lowered his head, speaking slowly and deliberately, "What are you doing to need to lock these people up for? Tell me what you really want to do, now that we''re in this together."


    "The time is not right, I will tell you later."


    Northam was irritated by the apparent perfunctory tone, which prompted him to ask angrily, "What exactly do you want to do? You''re not going to sacrifice them while they''re still alive, are you? Sacrifice them up to some evil god!"


    Paladin raised his brows, although that wasn¡¯t the case, but it wasn¡¯t far from it. Northam saw Paladin¡¯s expression darkened, his eyes filled with viciousness and cruelty.


    "You don''t have to worry about my business. And what does the existence of these scumbags have to do with you? Don''t you think a man who has faith in the fallen, a black sorcerer who kills innocent people indiscriminately, shouldn¡¯t be concerned about the lives of a few insignificant people?"


    Perhaps these words of Paladin crossed Northam¡¯s bottom line. His face turned bright red and he roared with anger, "Insignificant? They are living human beings! I know you are a nobleman, high above, who look down on these slave-like lowly people and call themselves noble blood. But I¡¯ll tell you what, Paladin. Humans, even in poverty, can breathe, grieve, and be heartbroken! They are all living people, just like you and me!"


    Unexpectedly, Northam''s self-righteous ranting hit Paladin exactly seven inches deep in the chest. In a flash, Paladin''s pupils contracted violently as the scenes of the miserable and humiliating life he had in the Freemasons¡¯ Association for twenty years flashed through his mind. It flashed right in front of his eyes, just like a flying horse watching flowers swooshed past it.


    "You are the same as them. You are as low and poor as them. You are no different from them," a voice in Paladin''s heart said.


    "No!" Paladin suddenly roared, his eyes bloodshot. He stared viciously and ferociously at the still enraged Northam.


    He thought to himself, "No, I''m different! I''m not the same as these insignificant garbages at all! What exactly are they? Begging on the street, every meal is less than the previous one. They have hands and feet, but they are incapable of supporting themselves. All they know is how to accept alms! How much have I paid for freedom? Killing people, running away, eating grass roots, hiding in bear caves. I have abandoned morality because it only led me into a life of poverty and lowliness! Now I am a nobleman, a higher person than a commoner, Paladin Flamel!"


    Head full of this thought, Paladin''s brow furrowed, only to be interrupted by a snap. Suddenly, he slapped Northam. Paladin looked at the latter''s stunned and unbelieving eyes. He grimly sneered.


    "I think you are living more and more backwards, dead old man. As a black sorcerer who is studying forbidden dark magic and necromancy, a cruel executioner and butcher, how dare you preach anything about life to me? Hahahahaha! GET OUTt"


    Northam was yelled at in the face by a junior. His face was already purple with anger. He glared, pointed at Paladin in anger, and warned him, "You''d better remember your promise to bring down the Holy See." After saying that, he flicked his sleeves, climbed up the stairs, and slammed the door shut.


    Inside the basement, which was suddenly darkened, Paladin looked at the door in front of him with a grim smile. Taking the quill out of his sleeve while laughing maliciously, he said "Don''t worry, Northam. When I drain you of your value, I¡¯ll absolutely throw you away like a broken rag."

 CH 21

    Taking out the quill and inking it, Paladin laid down on the ground to draw the Philosopher''s Stone alchemy circle on the ground. Drawing from memory, Paladin''s flawless sketching was completed. He looked at it quite complacently. Paladin was about to turn around and palace a child on the magic circle when he heard something. The previously sleepy child lying on the top with closed eyes suddenly opened his eyes. He jumped out of the sandbag with unmatched agility. With a piece of broken glass that had been hidden in his hand for quite some time, he stabbed viciously at Paladin who was squatting down!


    Paladin¡¯s hair instantly pricked up. With horror inside his eyes, he subconsciously jumped back, trying to avoid the sharp glass. Who would have known that the child was very agile? Seeing that he missed, he didn''t stop. He kicked his feet to catch up with Paladin''s speed. The sharp glass in his hand went straight to Paladin''s eye socket!


    Death! Paladin could clearly sense death approaching. At this point, Paladin''s desire to survive outweighed all other desires, prompting him to scream in horror, "DON¡¯T!"


    Paladin''s foot accidentally tripped over the hand of an unconscious beggar, causing the former''s center of gravity to shift and making him fall to the ground. The beggar had also made up his mind to kill the young priest. When he saw Paladin fall to the ground, he changed the posture of his wrist and stabbed down fiercely. Paladin continued to move backwards with his hands on the floor, avoiding the boy''s blade.


    In horror, he begged, "Please, please! Don''t kill me, I don''t want to die! What do you want? I''ll give it to you!"


    Hearing this, the boy who missed the hit spit out in disgust. Without responding, when he saw Paladin retreating to the wall, he immediately leaped and attempted to stab the desperate Paladin.


    "NO!"


    Following Paladin''s horrifying scream, Paladin subconsciously stretched out his right hand, seeing that the sharp glass was about to pierce his neck, and grasped the sharp glass in the boy''s hand. The boy was stunned. The sharp glass was firmly held by the priest but neither his flesh nor skin were torn. Not a single drop of blood was spilled.


    What surprised him even more was that the pupils of the priest, who was huddled in the corner at this moment, were emitting a dazzling golden light. The entire eyeballs were bathed in golden light. Shining bright in this dark basement, it was difficult to look at.


    Shocked, Paladin glanced at the firmly grasped blade. Suddenly, he recalled that his hand was fused with golden light elements. His original frightened and desperate expression changed instantly.


    "Go to hell!" he said, with a crazy and playful eerie smile.


    In an instant, the table had been turned. The boy saw Paladin exert force and rubbed his hand. The glass shard instantly turned into powder. Paladin looked at the boy whose eyes were filled with disbelief. Dissatisfied with the movements of his hands, Paladin¡¯s right hand was instantly wrapped in golden light magic elements and transformed into a pair of gloves with five light knives. Ruthlessly, he shoved it in front of the boy''s face.


    The boy, who had never seen this kind of ability, panicked. However, the advantage lies in the agility of his body and the fact that Paladin wasn¡¯t good at close combat. Paladin attacked back and forth dozens of times but surprisingly, the teenager managed to dodge every single time.


    "Bastard, continuing to dodge! Want to escape, huh?"


    Somewhat exasperated and tired, Paladin attacked again. Unexpectedly, the boy, who had gradually calmed down, picked up the pole that was originally used to carry logs on the ground. With that one stick, he swung it to Paladin''s face fiercely. Paladin grabbed the wooden stick. His angry eyes transformed into ecstasy in an instant. He couldn''t stop laughing.


    "I¡¯m so stupid, so stupid!"


    Paladin completely ignored the solemnity of the boy''s gaze and stretched out his right hand. The light that was originally condensed on his fingers disappeared, vanished, and deformed. It turned into a lightsaber that was more than three feet long and made of golden light. Seeing this, the young boy''s face changed drastically. He was about to run away when Paladin sneered and said, "Trying to run? It''s too late!"


    In fact, Paladin never knew his magic element well enough. When he saw the boy hitting him with a wooden stick, he realized that the magic elements'' form was constantly changing, so he didn''t have to stick to claws. Then, driven by his thoughts, these elements morphed on his arms. Very obediently gathering together, obeying Paladin''s ideas. And then, it formed a sword.


    The boy couldn''t dodge in time. As a result, his wrist was severed by Paladin''s sword. Before the boy had the chance to cry out in pain, Paladin grinned and slashed his sword again on the boy''s knee. The boy finally fell to his knees as he cried out in pain. With a wave of his hand, the sword made of light in Paladin''s hand scattered. He stuffed the rag used to stuff the wine barrel into the boy''s mouth so hard that he couldn''t even scream.


    Hearing the boy, who was lying in the pool of blood, whimpering out of pain, Paladin indifferently dragged him and the other three into the magic circle. He was so excited. Skillfully, he poured water on the edge of the center of the circle, lit a fire, blew some wind, sprinkled some soil, and then stepped into the center of the circle. Ready to bite his finger to activate the circle with his own blood. Although the boy who had lost a lot of blood had no idea what the terrifying priest was going to do, he had a vague feeling that his life was in grave danger.


    In a trance, he glanced at the crazed and excited Paladin. The boy was barely able to raise his remaining hand to remove the rag from his mouth. At his dying moment, when he felt death approaching, his pale lips trembled. He could only utter a weak, "Why¡­?"


    Paladin stopped his hands and turned to face the boy. Instead of becoming enraged because the other party removed the cloth, he said disdainfully, "You won''t understand and you will never understand."


    The boy¡¯s expression weakened even more. He weakly asked, "Why? I am¡­ innocent¡­."


    "This matter has absolutely nothing to do with you."


    Squinting, Paladin looked down at the boy. He wasn''t looking at a person right now; he was looking at an inferior creature. The contempt in those eyes was palpable. But right now, the boy who had a pale and angry face smiled nostalgically. Almost like a parting last word, he said, "I have a mother who¡¯s waiting for me to go home¡­. and she will miss me day and night, sob.¡±


    When Paladin heard this, he couldn''t stop laughing. He sarcastically said, "That''s why you''re lying here now, weakling."


    Paladin bit his finger and drew an inverted cross in the center of the circle. When the action was completed, the magic circle immediately roared while emitting a strange dazzling light.


    Feeling that his strength and thinking ability were being devoured by an invisible big mouth, the boy took one last look at the man who had ruined his life, this crazy priest. However, he only saw the priest standing up in the center, the inverted cross under his feet. His arms were opened in a welcoming manner while his face was filled with indescribable joy.


    "My entire life has been a joke." The boy, who had only believed in kindness and happiness in his heart all his life, muttered to himself. Finally, his empty eyes were closed forever.

 CH 22

    Paladin was genuinely ecstatic as he held the olive-sized, gem-like Philosopher''s Stone in his hand. After quickly storing it in his pocket, Paladin took out the ink absorber from his pocket and began to wipe off the magic circle drawn on the floor. The contents written in this magic formation were entirely his only. Therefore, it must be destroyed whenever a Philosopher''s Stone was successfully refined. If someone else saw and copied it, it''d be over for Paladin.


    Without giving a single glance at the four skeletons strewn on the floor, Paladin climbed the stairs, put on his gloves, and pushed the door open.


    "Ah, you are finally here, Father Paladin.¡±


    As soon as the wooden door opened, Paladin noticed Northam lift his hand in surprise. It seemed like he was about to knock on the door. When Paladin saw this, he laughed maliciously.


    "Northam, you sure look relieved. Did you not hear the loud fighting noises coming from the basement just now?¡±


    "Yes, I did hear. However, Father Paladin ordered that no matter what, I shall not enter."


    Paladin snorted at Northam¡¯s excuse. He slammed the wooden door shut behind him with the back of his hand, took the door¡¯s key card from his waist, and swiped it on the lock.


    "Father, what happened to the four of them?¡± Northam inquired after hesitating for a long time.


    "What happened to them? Northam, that''s not a question you should be asking. You just have to keep in mind that I''m the one who''ll destroy the Holy See.''''


    Paladin turned around after seeing Northam nod reluctantly at his answer. Before going upstairs, he continued, "I have some personal matters to attend to. If I didn''t come down before dawn, please inform those who come to pray that the priest is ill."


    "Certainly, Father Paladin."


    The sound of the door closing confirmed that Paladin had entered his room. Northam threw the attic a complicated gaze before turning his head to look solemnly at the entrance of the basement. Lost deeply in his thoughts.


    Inside his room, Paladin took in the view of the clear night sky outside the window. He sat quietly on a stool, his hand playing with the Philosopher''s Stone. Not a single word was uttered. As if in a trance, it wasn¡¯t until the morning sun cast its harsh sunlight through the window and shone on Paladin''s hand that he came to his senses. He silently raised his head to look directly at the sunlight. Not a single care was given about the pain and discomfort it caused his eyes. Paladin rose to his feet with a smile plastered on his face.


    Paladin took a huge magnifying glass from the box beside the bed and positioned it in front of the window. The sunlight that fell directly on the magnifying glass condensed into an extremely dense beam of light that shone onto the table. A burning odor immediately filled Paladin''s nose. Paladin smiled slightly and sat down at the table. A magnifying glass wasn¡¯t difficult to obtain, especially in wealthier towns like Nurba. It was always available in any shop that sold alchemy and magical supplies.


    Ordinary alchemists and Freemasons'' Association alchemists held fundamentally opposing views. The alchemists who joined the Freemasons'' Association firmly believed that Enos, the God of Light, was nothing more than a sham. They also believed in an invisible force that ran through the world and was greater than all the Gods. The truth, the fundamental law, and/or the essence of the universe. You could call it whatever you want.


    For the Holy See, this belief was simply a slap in the face. Contrary to those who joined the Freemasons¡¯ Association, ordinary alchemists were talents that no forces or countries would ever turn down. In comparison to mages, who controlled magical elements and thus had powerful strength that made them difficult to control, alchemists didn¡¯t have many deadly abilities. They only performed enchantments and/or created magic items and supplies. Nonetheless, those were extremely valuable. As a result, as long as you weren''t an alchemist from the Freemasons'' Association, you could find a decent job and live a life free of worries about food and clothing.


    Paladin removed his gloves and examined the veins on his wrist, which were emitting a faint golden light. With the quill, he drew the disintegration and reintegration magic circles on his wrist. Lastly, he placed the Philosopher''s Stone on top. Paladin then took a deep breath. If you looked closely, you could see that Paladin was currently sweating profusely and continuously gulping his saliva. Those were, in fact, signs of fear.


    It was natural, because he had previously experienced the sharp pain that tore into his soul when he was fusing with the light element before. Normal people would never want to do it again. Because if one wasn¡¯t strong enough to withstand the pain, they could fall unconscious from such severe pain!


    "What are you afraid of?! Gaining power comes at a price and this is a worthy exchange! What''s the point of hesitating if the cost is only pain?" Paladin tried to persuade himself. His head was slightly lowered, his somewhat pale lips trembled. He continued to prepare his mind.


    "Reaching my dream life and obtaining the power to dominate others, all of it depends on you! What are you afraid of?!" As soon as he said that, Paladin¡¯s eyes turned red. Fully determined, he stretched out his hand. The condensed beam of light immediately focused on the Philosopher''s stone and in an instant, the magic circles drawn on his hand activated. The olive-sized Philosopher''s Stone was glowing red. It broke down the sunlight that shone on him, made it flow into Paladin''s arm, and reintegrate it again!


    "AAAAHHHH!¡±


    Paladin''s eyes instantly widened. He tilted his head and cried out in desperation. The pain was like a swarm of razor-sharp knives piercing his every pore. It was like being dead, getting resurrected, and then dead again. It kept on repeating, never stopping. Blood began to gradually flow out of his pores. It trickled down onto the floor, staining the ground under him until a pool of blood was formed. Paladin¡¯s entire body trembled, his teeth gritted.


    Paladin felt like he couldn''t stand it anymore and was about to collapse. When his last vestige of sanity was submerged by endless pain, Paladin''s tightly shut mouth suddenly formed a curve. He then began to laugh madly and irrationally.


    "Hehe, hahaha! HAHAHAHA! Very good, not bad! Power, I can sense an influx of power! That''s exactly what I want! ¡±


    When Paladin was laughing maniacally, his eyes were brightly glowing golden. This supposedly sacred golden light appeared gloomy and terrifying when reflected on the ceiling. As the olive-sized Philosopher''s Stone¡¯s power ran out, Paladin jumped up sharply and used his hand to topple the magnifying glass. He fell unconscious on top of the pool of blood and fell back into a deep sleep.


    Paladin sat motionless on the ground in the empty space. A pitch-black baby was lying his head on Paladin''s wrist. Its mouth cracked open to wail.


    "Feed me, feed me, feed me."


    Paladin sat like a puppet, his head blank, simply unmoved by foreign objects. His eyes gazed at the blank space in front of him, unfocused. However, some changes started to appear, when compared to before.


    The befuddled Paladin noticed a strange and familiar pattern emerging on the ground in this empty space. An upside-down tree with branches separated from its trunk. Ten circles were drawn on the branches. Paladin noticed he was in the circle closest to the leaves. It also had text written on it. Paladin read it word by word, his initially unfocused eyes gradually cleared. Finally, he jumped up with a bang.


    Feeling kind of lost, he said, "Material and kingdom? Isn''t this the drawing on the stone tablet that came out after the Ripley Scroll was taken?! No, this is a dream! A dream I had before!¡±


    He was startled awake and realized that he was in a dream. Paladin hadn¡¯t yet come to his senses when he heard a persistent childish voice say, "Feed me, feed me, feed me!"


    "Ugh!" Paladin was startled. He flicked his hand to push the pitch-black baby onto the ground. It appeared unscathed. Once again, Paladin laid on the ground and yelled at the black baby who had moved to come closer to him, "Don''t come over, don''t come over!"


    However, the black baby ignored Paladin¡¯s request. It continued to lick its lips and yell at Paladin to feed it. Paladin attempted to flee, but discovered that he couldn''t leave the circle with ''Material and Kingdom'' written beneath his feet. There was an invisible barrier directly in front of him as soon as he moved. He simply couldn¡¯t leave at all.


    "Feed me, feed me!"


    The black baby grabbed Paladin''s thigh and crawled up childishly and strangely, its mouth still repeating the boring two words. Paladin stared at the baby in horror, and for some reason, he felt an incomparable closeness to the baby. It felt like someone close to him. Finally, Paladin asked the question he held back deep inside.


    "You, who the hell are you?"


    But, who would''ve guessed? As soon as he asked that, the black baby, who had been repeating those two words over and over abruptly stopped. At first, it was stunned. Just as Paladin was about to ask, the black baby flashed a terrifying and crazed smile.

 CH 23

    Paladin''s eyes shot open. He quickly sat up on top of the pool of blood, while violently gasping for air like a drowning man trying to climb ashore. His terrified eyes darted nervously back and forth. Only after confirming that he was in his room did his racing heart begin to calm down.


    "That thing, is it really just a dream?"


    Paladin sighed deeply as he held his head with one hand. Suddenly, his previously tired gaze became fierce. He couldn''t help but become dazed as he took in the sight of his surroundings. With trembling hands, he stroked the empty air in front of him. Meanwhile, he expressionlessly muttered, "All of these are magic elements!"


    From Paladin¡¯s point of view, the air in front of him was currently filled with countless magic elements. Fiery red fire magic elements writhed around the charred table top, azure water magic elements floated freely in the air, and grayish-white wind magic elements floated violently alongside the water magic elements. There were also a lot of earth magic elements piled on top of tables, furniture, and floors!


    These were the most fundamental elements from which everything was made out of. The mysterious veil had been lifted from Paladin''s eyes, completely unraveling the secrets inside in front of him. Paladin watched all this in shock. His trembling hand slowly reached out, attempting to touch the water magic element floating in front of him.


    Something unexpected happened. Paladin''s hand hadn¡¯t touched the water magic element yet when the golden light magic elements that were hovering around him suddenly ran amok, slamming water magic elements that were near them fiercely. Before Paladin got a hold of himself, he discovered that all magic elements that approached him, regardless of type, were attacked by the golden light magic elements surrounding him and were sent flying far away.


    Paladin, who stood up slowly, looked around the dream-like scene surrounding him. It was as if he were in a sea of bubbles. However, unlike the elements manipulated by the mages, these elements that wander the world operate in an irregular and scattered floating pattern. The words that could best describe the scene in front of him was, ¡®A miracle. A treasure he possessed nobody else could ever imagine!¡¯


    Paladin stood still with a strange smile plastered on his face. He opened his hands, fantasizing about embracing the magic elements and fell into ecstasy. But the next scene he saw took his happy mood to a whole new level.


    Right now, the golden light magic elements were coiling around his body, forming bands of halo. Slightly dazed, Paladin counted carefully. Next, his face lit up with joy.


    "Three hundred and ten! A whopping three hundred and ten light magic elements! That''s a fivefold increase over my original ability, which was only 60! Five times increase!"


    Paladin, who was dancing in excitement, suddenly recalled about the raw materials he used to refine the Philosopher¡¯s Stone last night.


    "Wait a minute, the Philosopher''s Stone I previously refined with one of the association¡¯s guards gained me sixty golden light magic elements, meanwhile the one refined with the lives of four people has an increase of exactly two hundred and forty golden light magic elements. Doesn¡¯t this mean that an ordinary person¡¯s life essence can be exchanged for sixty golden light elements when fused?" Paladin murmured, beginning to understand the concept.


    Paladin nodded devilishly. As if he had discovered a new continent he rubbed his hands and walked to the table by the window, all the while muttering in a crazed tone


    "Let''s say, this thing has nothing to do with the individual''s age, physical condition, or gender. A person''s life essence can be exchanged for 60 light elements. If I use ten people, a hundred, or even a thousand people at a time to refine the stone, I, Paladin will have an immense amount of magic elements! Hahahaha!¡±


    Paladin couldn''t help but laugh slowly. One could no longer see a semblance of humanity in his eyes which were full of countless ambitions. He was akin to a monster that had broken free of its chains. Hissing, roaring and fiddling with its claws as if it couldn''t wait to have a taste of flesh and blood.


    "Hah! For the first time, I realized how wonderful life is!" Paladin sighed and raised his red face. Subconsciously, his gaze trailed to look at the beautiful scenery in the distance through the window. Pride fully bloomed in his chest. Unfortunately, there was something wrong. His prideful spirit hadn¡¯t had a chance to be released when his entire body instantly froze because of the view out of the window.


    The buildings and towering walls that Paladin should¡¯ve seen were no longer visible. There were no white clouds and blue sky, no green trees and grass. A bizarre scene assembled by countless magic elements was taking place. The magic elements were all swimming in an irregular and slow manner. Vaguely, Paladin could feel that these elements were moving in the same way as the runes on the powerful seal inside the Freemasons¡¯ Association that led to the place where the scroll was stored!


    Paladin, who was slowly gathering his thoughts, suddenly noticed that the direct sunlight shining down couldn¡¯t be seen in this composition of magic elements. But, Paladin¡¯s attention was elsewhere; he was concerned with the fact that the sun was already high in the sky.


    "It''s already this late! Couldn¡¯t that old thing, Northam, do something bad while I was away?" Paladin, who thought so, immediately frowned. Without a second thought, he immediately put on a black priest robe and went downstairs to check.


    "Northam, Northam!" Paladin shouted.


    Northam was no longer in the front hall. Seeing this, Paladin felt more and more unhappy. He couldn''t help but start cursing.


    ¡®Where would he go?¡¯ Paladin pondered. Still frowning, he kept on looking for Northam. Suddenly, when the corner leading to the basement caught his gaze, an extremely bad premonition came to his mind.


    In an instant, Paladin eyes immediately went from gentle to sharp, full with endless brutality. He quickly walked to the basement¡¯s entrance. When Paladin arrived at the entrance and saw that the wooden door was pried open, his eyes immediately glowed golden.


    Paladin clenched his teeth tightly, muttering sinisterly as he made his way towards the basement, "Northam, you''d better get out of here. If I catch sight of you. you''ll definitely understand what regret is!"


    Paladin''s vision was unaffected by the dark passage, thanks to the additional magic elements he recently obtained. One step at a time, Paladin entered the basement. A familiar voice containing remorse and pain could be heard.


    "It''s all my fault, it''s all my fault! I was blinded by impulse and ended up hurting innocent lives for nothing! Enos! O great God, please inflict divine punishment on me, this lowly and foolish servant!"


    When Paladin heard this voice, he looked for the source of the sound and saw Northam. His hood was lowered, his snow-white white hair was hanging down, his face was filled with dense wrinkles. He was on his knees, hands clutching the trash¡ªa skeleton, to be precise¡ªabandoned by Paladin with a runny nose and teary eyes. He was crossing his arms painfully in front of his chest, desperately trying to repent for his sins.


    "Northam, what are you doing?!"


    Suddenly hearing someone behind him, Northam panicked and turned around. His cloudy old eyes erupted with bitter hatred upon seeing the culprit, who was no other than Paladin.


    "Paladin! Tell me, tell me clearly! Tell me what happened to these skeletons! What the hell did you do to them? Do you have any kindness or mercy left in your heart? You lowly, filthy demon!" Northam shouted.

 CH 24

    Paladin''s eyes narrowed as he slowly took one step forward. His tone of voice was eerily flat and unsettling. "Northam, I had told you not to come in."


    "Answer my question!" Northam, not wanting to be outdone, spoke back immediately. Paladin came to a halt about five meters away from Northam. When he heard Northam''s question, a playful smile appeared on his blurred face lit by the torchlight. He couldn¡¯t help but burst out laughing maniacally while flippantly raising his right hand and leisurely removing the right glove, showing his pale right hand to Northam.


    "Take a good look, Northam! This is the reason, and this is the power!"


    Northam, who was furious, felt as if a bucket of cold water had been dumped on his head. He couldn''t believe his eyes when he saw Paladin''s right hand brightly glowing golden just like a crystal. The palm that seemed to be crystallized was connected to the wrist hidden in the sleeve. There, several blood vessels that had a magical crystallization appearance were shown. What shocked Northam the most was that the spot that was crystallized emitted a dazzling golden light in the dark night!


    In an instant, Northam realized. With a calm voice, he said, "Paladin, this is your magic ability to control the power of the magic elements. You''re willing to tell me, so you''re planning to kill me, right?"


    Paladin looked into Northam''s eyes and nodded approvingly. He took a gentle step forward and proudly stated, "You are no match for me, Northam. ¡±


    ''Especially now that I can control three hundred light magic elements,'' he added in his heart.


    Northam only nodded in dismay. With the look of someone who had just realized the truth, he whispered. "I must¡¯ve been tempted by the devil to assist you settle down and do such things. Only a sliver of the notion has already pushed me to do regrettable things in my life, such as allowing innocent people to be sacrificed in vain."


    Who knew that when Paladin heard this, he immediately laughed with disdain. Taking another step forward, he sarcastically said, "Oh, the hypocrisy of the dark sorcerer. Doesn¡¯t acknowledge that the root of the problem is you, so you put all of the responsibility on the ethereal devil. Are you trying to flee? Escaping consequences because of your ridiculous conscience? You are nothing more than a worthless weakling. What makes you different from these losers scattered on the ground?" Paladin pointed to the four skeletons on the ground, with an expression of indescribable contempt.


    He threw such an insult, but received no reaction from Northam. Northam only sighed deeply and said, "Paladin, there is one thing I must tell you before I die."


    Hearing that, Paladin snorted softly and took a step forward, a playful smile plastered on his face.


    "Go on. Say it before your last words."


    But when their distance was only two meters apart, Northam, who had his head lowered, suddenly raised his head. His eyes were filled with murderous killing intent.


    "I''m going to die after you!" Northam roared.


    Paladin really had no idea that Northam would pull out his wand. A small black light shone on the tip of his wand, rushing forward and stabbed Paladin''s forehead.


    At the moment when Paladin was about to be stabbed, Northam noticed Paladin''s expression. There was no panic, no fear. There was only that sickening eerie snicker on his face.


    ¡®Something is surely wrong! There must be some kind of a trick!¡¯ The thought occurred to Northam, but alas, it was too late. Paladin''s sinister smile suddenly widened. A burst of golden light shot out from his eye. The corners of his tightly closed mouth cracked.


    The right hand moved so fast it left afterimages to grab the hand Northam used to hold the wand. Looking at Northam¡¯s face paling instantly, Paladin grimly laughed.


    "Foolish! I¡¯ve long seen through your ruse!"


    Actually, Paladin only recently discovered that when Northam discovered that it was him who came to the basement, Northam immediately pulled out his wand. Originally, Paladin would never have known about that. However, the dark magic element hovering around Northam collectively surged to his left hand. Anyone would¡¯ve noticed.


    When Northam tried to pull his hand back, Paladin smiled. The golden light magic elements around him moved like an extension of his arm. Rushing to integrate onto his right hand before rushing into Northam''s arm. Something incredible happened


    Northam screamed. His arm that was grabbed by Paladin burst into flames. The flame was extremely hot that his flesh got burnt and poofed into ashes instantly. Tongues of fire began to spread on his arm bones. Paladin, on the other hand, was getting more excited. There was no sign of burns on his hands.


    Paladin yanked Northam¡¯s hand. With a snap, Northam''s burnt arm got ripped. Sparks were flying everywhere. Paladin looked at Northam, who was screaming and clutching what was left of his arm. With a sinister smile, Paladin raised his foot and kicked Northam in the stomach. As his body flew to the wall and collapsed on the ground, the latter could only whimper. Blood was flowing uncontrollably from the corners of his mouth.


    "Old man, it appears that you are no longer of much use. It would be more dangerous for me if I left you alive." Paladin laughed at his own words.


    Gently shaking his hand, he gradually inched closer towards Northam who collapsed in the corner. Seriously injured, Northam could barely lift his head. his eyes filled with pain and fear as he watched Paladin approaching him.


    Without the slightest hesitation, Paladin lightly grunted as he casually spread open his right palm. A lightsaber instantly coalesced in his right hand. Ruthlessly, he swung his hand. Northam''s other hand, which was flung to the floor far away, immediately emitted a burnt odor.


    "AAHHHHHHH!" Northam let out a heartbreaking scream.


    However, Paladin frowned at that and said unhappily, "Be quiet! There are civilians up there! Shut up!"


    After that, Paladin quickly swung his lightsaber again. Northam''s screams ceased, his eyes dimmed. A large stream of blood gushed from a thick bloody wound on his neck.


    Paladin quickly jumped away, avoiding getting sprayed with blood. When he flung his hand, the lightsaber dissipated. He crouched down to check if there was anything of use on the old man¡¯s body. After searching for a while, Paladin not only found five gold coins and a bottle of anesthesia refined using dark magic, but also a book with an old cover and folded edges made Paladin feel like he hit the jackpot.


    Paladin picked up the book and saw a painting that depicted a priest hanging on a cross on the cover. Moreover, the book had the same symbol as Morris¡¯¡ªthe Inquisition¡¯s chief executive officer¡ªrobe. This meant the book was from the Inquisition. Paladin was stunned for a split second before bursting into ecstasy.


    "Hahaha, this old thing really has some treasure. The Herald of the Hanged, the Inquisition''s Sacred Execution Magic!"


    Paladin excitedly flipped open the book. The book was full of spells and the magic elements that corresponded to the spells in order. This was clearly a magic book that documented magic and its application!


    Paladin was aware that the priests couldn¡¯t learn the Holy See¡¯s magic spells. In general, priests were only capable of non-aggressive magic like healing, bondage, blessings, and so on. The Inquisition, on the other hand, possessed the divine magic specially prepared for executioners to hunt heretics. That was why the book was a rare and precious treasure!


    Paladin was ecstatic; this was his first encounter with traditional magic, and he knew he''d have to work hard to understand it. But just as Paladin was about to put the magic book into his pocket, a wave of exhaustion washed over him. It swept his whole body, this strength was rapidly fading. Eventually, he unintentionally fell to his knees.


    "What the heck is going on?!"


    Paladin couldn¡¯t figure out what was going on as he was unable to come to his senses. However, he was astounded to see with his own eyes how his arm was aging rapidly. The originally smooth arm he used only a few moments ago began to sag and wrinkle like that of an eighty-year-old man. Even old age spots gradually appeared on his skin out of nowhere!


    "What''s happening? What the hell is going on?!"


    Paladin who saw all this finally couldn''t control his overflowing fear and screamed.

 CH 25

    Some loud screams could be heard coming from the basement. At this point, the rapid aging had spread to Paladin''s entire body, instead of just his arms. In a short time, Paladin, who was originally in the prime of his life, had become an old man in his twilight years.


    Paladin stood up, his body trembling. He looked at his bark-like hands incredulously. When he touched his cheeks, he felt that the skin of his face was definitely not much better than the bark of a tree. Paladin''s face was filled with horror. Immediately, he pulled up his hood to cover his face, ran out of the basement on wobbly feet, and went straight to his room. He had to find out what had happened to him.


    After slamming the door shut, he hurriedly took out the dusty mirror. When the dust had been wiped away, Paladin instantly fell into unknown fear.


    "Are you kidding?! What is this? What the hell is this!¡±


    The reflection in the mirror was of an elderly man with white hair, a white beard, and a frightening face. The old man was none other than Paladin. Such a drastic change. Paladin couldn¡¯t calm down at all. He took a few cautious steps back and sat on the stool. His panicked eyes darted left and right.


    He couldn''t stop himself from muttering, "I''m growing old! This phenomenon occurs when there¡¯s a loss of life essence. Why does this happen? Did I eat something wrong? Or, is someone trying to hurt me?! Could it be Northam? No, he doesn''t have the strength. Wait a minute! It''s Morris! It has to be him, because he¡¯s so powerful."


    Paladin, who had been speculating wildly, abruptly came to his senses. He slapped himself in the face, trying to calm down his increasing panic.


    "Calm down! I should calm down, I can''t keep going like this. I''ve finally gained power, how can I stop here? Wait a minute! Power!"


    Paladin suddenly had an epiphany. He glanced down at the blood vessels on the palm of his right hand that looked like crystals. Recalling the words a professor had repeated over and over again when he was eavesdropping a lecture at the Freemasons¡¯ Association.


    "Everything in the world has a price. You have to pay as much as you get.¡±


    "How much will I be required to pay?" Paladin''s tone gradually became bitter, but his eyes were clearer than ever. "It turns out that I haven''t paid enough. It''s far from enough."


    Paladin, whose eyes began to show some understanding at the time, determinedly whispered something. His tone was ruthless. "If it is really because of the fusing with the light magic elements that I''ve run out of life essence, then can the Philosopher''s Stone, which was originally refined by using human life, help me replenish my life? Today, my body is powerless and weak, like an empty shell. I believe I might die of old age in a few days."


    Paladin abruptly raised his hand and looked at his crystal-like veins where something was flowing slowly inside. A hideous expression appeared on his face.


    "Then tonight, just for tonight! For the sake of my life and my future!"


    Right now, even when scrutinized closely, Paladin''s eyes contained no worries other than moving forward.


    Night gradually enveloped this rich and peaceful town. Everyone chose the dark to do anything unseen, which was a miraculous coincidence. Rather than avoiding detection, it was more likely because the darkness gave people a sense of security.


    Paladin went outside clad in a black robe. Instead of showing his usual fake gentle demeanor, he quietly sneaked into a clothing store. Trying to find someone sleeping in the dark who¡¯d become his victim-to-be. Paladin simply didn¡¯t have the time and mood to be choosy with the ingredients. Keeping in mind that should he fail to find someone, he could still snatch a sum of money, he pried open the store¡¯s door with a crowbar. He then quickly entered, leaving a puff of smoke.


    Despite the darkness, Paladin could see that the glass counters on both sides were full of fine fabrics thanks to the moonlight. That, however, was not why he came here. He came for the family who was sleeping inside. Creak. Gently pushing the door open, Paladin was surprised to find a huge double bed. The elderly couple was sleeping in each other''s arms on top of the bed. Between them was a baby wrapped in a swaddling cloth. The baby was sucking something sweetly.


    Paladin didn¡¯t know and didn¡¯t want to know if the baby was drinking fresh milk or whatever, as it was none of his business. Calmly and quietly, he tiptoed to the window. He then carefully took out two handkerchiefs coated with the anesthetic left by Northam. Just when he was about to cover their noses with it, the baby who had been sleeping soundly suddenly woke up. When the child saw a strange old man with a hideous face standing in front of him, he immediately cried out in fright.


    Paladin''s expression changed in an instant! The couple gradually opened their tired eyes and saw Paladin. They were about to scream when Paladin''s heart was burning with determination. With the two handkerchiefs, he covered the couple¡¯s mouth and nose. The husband and wife struggled violently, but were helpless. Northam''s anesthetic was really extraordinary. Their breaths slowed before they fainted.


    "Wahh, wahhh wahh!"


    The baby''s crying became more and more intense. Paladin remembered that he vaguely saw some lights outside the shop. Afraid of being noticed by passers-by, he quickly picked up the handkerchief in panic and covered the baby''s mouth and nose.A muffled cry could still be heard through the handkerchief. Panicked and terrified, he shoved the handkerchief into the baby''s mouth. He didn''t stop until there was no longer any sound.


    Thump. Paladin quietly and cautiously walked to the window. Trying to see whether the people outside noticed something amiss with the sound. However, they just cursed sleepily and blew the candle to continue sleeping. Only then did Paladin feel deeply relieved. His aged body couldn¡¯t withstand such activity. Paladin''s forehead was already covered with a fine layer of sweat.


    The exhausted Paladin gasped for breath. When he turned around, he was instantly petrified on the spot. The baby was now stiff and motionless. His round eyes were staring at the ceiling. His face was purple, proving that the baby had unfortunately died. Paladin swallowed deeply, pulled out the handkerchief from the baby''s mouth, and stuffed it into his sleeve.


    He began to search for jewelry or money inside the store. Paladin felt guilty; he had just killed a baby by mistake. Whatever the way, the outcome would still be the same. The baby would be dead sooner or later. Paladin''s burning guilt and conscience vanished as he thought of the tempting Philosopher¡¯s Stone.


    Paladin looked at the three pieces of silver jewelry and thirty-five gold coins that were clinking against each other in his hand. A happy smile bloomed on his face. Who wouldn¡¯t get ecstatic when they got a big sum of easy money? Paladin was no different.


    However, the most important thing to do right now was to refine the Philosophers'' Stone using the couple on the spot. Paladin could clearly feel his energy and physical strength rapidly declining. He even believed that it wouldn''t be long before he didn¡¯t have the strength to stand.

 CH 26

    Paladin, who became increasingly sluggish, rummaged through the cabinet for a bottle of ink. When he found one, he dipped his finger directly into it and tore open the worn carpet on the floor. Skillfully, he began to draw the magic circle. After that, he lit a fire, poured water, blew some wind, and sprinkled soil on it.


    After finishing all these, Paladin gasped for air. He dragged the two sleeping couples into the magic circle, stood straight in the center, and drew some of his blood. Boom! Boom! Boom! There was a flash of a blinding light. Paladin picked up the soybean-sized Philosopher''s stone lying on the ground with one hand. With his sleeve, he wiped the magic circle off the floor. After glancing left and right and seeing nobody else, he dashed towards the church. Leaving behind the family of three¡¯s corpses in the store.


    Paladin stumbled into the room, closing the door with a shake of his hand. He collapsed to the ground weakly. Right now, he was terrified because he clearly felt that he was dying. His limbs became so weak and his brain began to get confused.


    Paladin''s feet were practically numb at this crucial moment, so he had to clench his teeth. He steeled his resolve, supported himself on the ground with his weak arms, and muttered resentfully, "How can-how can I just die here?! Dying in a humble and lowly way, which is because of old age? I''m Paladin, the one who¡¯d be a great figure in the future!¡±


    Harboring deep grievances, Paladin failed to walk to the counter. He laid limply on the floor. A sliver of life essence was rapidly escaping him. Paladin dazedly laughed. He continued to laugh as he looked at the ceiling. His strength was no longer sufficient to draw the Dharma Array, the reintegration and disintegration magic circle. He didn''t even have the strength to climb onto the stool. Aside from despair, there was a deep unwillingness clearly reflected in his eyes right now.


    While in a trance, Paladin¡¯s journey in life, his own humble and lowly life, was played in his mind from the very beginning. He had never been cared for. His life was inferior to that of pigs and dogs. Every day was filled with humiliation and burden. At that point in time, he was studying more desperately than any student. All because he was convinced that only by mastering knowledge could he get ahead, get rid of his original life, and gain respect. That was, until he came across the scroll¡­.


    The Ripley Scroll, which recorded the recipe for the legendary great medicine in alchemy, the Philosopher''s Stone. Paladin was unable to resist the strong temptation and took it for himself.


    "Sure enough, I gained power and a life with freedom. I have a high status; if I could add a beautiful wife to that, I''d be satisfied."


    Paladin had a self-deprecating smile on his face as his eyes gradually became unfocused. Just as he was about to slowly close his eyes and wait for death to take him, the visage of a man and a woman with blurry faces suddenly popped in his mind. They were looking at him with a smile. The inexplicable intimacy that came from these two people made Paladin understand in an instant that these were his biological parents whose appearance had been forgotten by him.


    That moment, a nameless fire suddenly ignited in Palatin''s heart. His heavy eyes opened instantly, filled with endless malice and madness.


    "Get away! I don¡¯t need your pity! I''m not a rabid dog wagging its tail pleading for mercy!" Paladin said hoarsely.


    He firmly grasped the philosopher''s stone in his hand, threw it into his mouth with all of his remaining strength, and swallowed. He laughed nervously, a smug smile plastered on his crazed expression.


    "Even if I, Paladin, die, I don''t want your pity! Even if my body burst due to the Philosopher''s Stone¡¯s huge power and no single bones remained, I am me and will always be me! ¡±


    Paladin was desperate. After swallowing the Philosopher''s Stone, his body felt like a dying plant that was being rained on. Paladin''s exhausted body was warmed by an endless warm current.


    "Aaaaah! So comfortable! ¡±


    Unlike the previous sharp pain that ran through his body, Paladin felt more comfortable than ever. He was pleased to see his dry wrinkled skin regained its smoothness and tenderness. Endless strength gushes out of his whole body. It was as if the exhaustion he felt before was but a dream.


    Paladin rolled over and immediately stood up. Looking at his young self in the mirror, he looked happy.


    "It turns out that it can be swallowed raw. Hahahaha! I, Paladin, do not deserve to die in that manner!"


    However, as soon as the words were spoken, Paladin''s body began to age again. Obviously, it wasn¡¯t that fast this time. Paladin was only slightly stunned before laughing viciously.


    "The Philosopher''s stone refined with two people isn¡¯t enough? I''ve fused with the magic elements using four people at once, the Philosopher''s Stone refined using only two people couldn¡¯t be enough at all. Fortunately, there are plenty of people in the town. There are raw materials everywhere."


    Paladin, who was smiling, seemed to have abruptly remembered something. He fell into deep thought for a while. Not long after, he suppressed his excitement and said, "Wait a minute, if I swallowed ten Philosopher''s Stones in one go, doesn''t that mean my lifespan will be ten times longer than others? What if it''s a hundred people, or even a thousand people? Will I be immortal? I can live forever! Hahaha!¡±


    A faint foreboding laughter echoed in the room. The people, who were still asleep at this time, would have no idea that they had been seen as raw materials to be squandered at will by a highly revered priest.


    The dark night gradually lit up when the sun began to rise up into the sky. A ray of sunlight illuminated the interior of the town''s church. Paladin, who was sitting on a pew with a manic face, couldn''t help but softly laugh as he looked at an egg-sized bright red Philosopher''s Stone lying in a handkerchief.


    "Ten portions of life essence, a Philosopher''s Stone made with a whole ten portions of life essence! Ah, what a lovely color. It¡¯s eye-catching, as if it¡¯s filled with endless blood. It is mine and mine alone!¡±


    Paladin picked up the Philosopher''s Stone and swallowed it with one gulp.


    "Hah, hahah! Hahahaha!"


    Paladin''s gradually aging skin was instantly rejuvenated. His skin looked as if it had been painted with a layer of white paint, showing an unusual snow-white color. Although his appearance remained the same, it was a little more bright. He looked a few years younger than his actual age of twenty-two.


    Paladin was pleased with his own body. He was not afraid of things falling apart and getting caught because the majority of those who died were beggars and stragglers, not the people of this town. The only ones who could be identified were the couple he murdered previously. But he was unafraid because the bodies had turned into skeletons. Ordinary soldiers would only think it was the doing of a black sorcerer.


    Since a black sorcerer was presumably involved in this matter, it was necessary to seek the assistance of the local priest. That priest was no other than Paladin himself. He would never report it to the Holy See and would never allow it to be sent to the magistrate from the Inquisition. Moreover, the lord of this town didn¡¯t care about the life or death of civilians while the soldiers and the captain of the guard couldn¡¯t contact the Holy See. So, as long as he didn¡¯t report it, he could get a vast variation of raw materials to choose from.


    Paladin couldn''t help but laugh again when he remembered this delightful fact. Now, all he had to do now was change into a suitable costume and wait for the soldiers to arrive. Inviting him to perform the show.

 CH 27

    There were some hard knocks on the dilapidated door. Several anxious-looking soldiers dressed in leather and cotton armor were standing in front of the church, constantly knocking the wooden door. Knock knock knock. Listening to this series of sounds, Paladin, looking as if he just woke up, opened the door dressed in a priest''s black robe. When Paladin noticed a few guards who appeared terrified and anxious, he frowned suspiciously.


    "How many have come to pray or repent?¡±


    The leader of the soldiers was anxious. He wordlessly stepped forward and pulled Paladin with one hand. He opened his mouth to explain while moving, "Father, please forgive our rudeness! It''s extremely important!"


    It was uncomfortable. He was dragged away by about three or five thick and large men. He frowned and pretended to be angry. Then, he flung his hand away from the guards


    "Whatever the matter is, it will not prevent me from worshiping the Almighty God! Do you know how blasphemous it is to skip your morning prayers?¡±


    The guard, with an I''ll-kill-you look on his face, didn¡¯t dare to pull Paladin anymore. Instead, he began to beg bitterly.


    "Father, something happened at that clothing store. The captain of the guards requested that we inform you of the location, saying that only you will understand!"


    He couldn¡¯t say it more bluntly. The things a priest knew of except healing were about heresy. Paladin, who knew the truth, pretended to have a moment of realization. He pulled the guard back solemnly, walked quickly to the place of the shop, and said angrily, "If you talk to me in that way, I will not help you.¡±


    The guard squeaked and couldn¡¯t say anything. In fact, he didn¡¯t dare to say anything. If the pedestrians on the road heard, it could cause quite a stir. So, Paladin and a few guards rushed to the scene of the crime.


    After passing through the crowds gathered near the store, Paladin and a few guards were about to enter when they noticed a yellow-bearded man with a bulky body like a tiger. He was dressed in chain armor and equipped with a hammer pinned to his waist. He was observing everything seriously. Examining the two skeletons on the ground. Paladin''s footsteps alerted the captain, who was startled at first. When he saw the person who was approaching, obvious relief showed on his face. He then waved his hand.


    "You guys go out, I want to talk to the priest for a while."


    The soldiers nodded and left one after another. Paladin looked at the two skeletons on the ground and jumped in fright. With a contorted face, he said, "Captain, what''s going on here?!"


    The captain of the guard looked at Paladin who looked frightened and unconsciously felt a little bit of contempt. If he wasn¡¯t mistaken, the priest was the son of a nobleman. Seeing such horrifying corpses must have been a first for him. The captain of the guard, who thought so, smiled.


    "Father, you are a local priest. Logically speaking, murders in Nurba should be the responsibility of mercenaries and private soldiers. However, as you can see, the couple who owned this clothing store went out yesterday as they received a business deal. Today, they were already dead on the ground and turned into bones. Even their two-month-old baby was brutally murdered. It''s obviously not the doing of an ordinary person. It is clearly not the work of an ordinary person. As a result, we''d like to ask you whether this incident could be linked to a dark sorcerer." The captain of the guard cautiously asked. Deep inside, he was very worried. Although the person in front of him was only a priest, the other party was a nobleman, and The Holy See was behind him. Not to mention, things involving dark sorcerers were too sensitive. If one articulated it badly, they could get implicated.


    The captain of the guard was wary. Paladin''s face stiffened, but he muttered inwardly, ¡®So it¡¯s just private soldiers and mercenaries who check on these trash people. If this is the case, then I don''t have to worry too much."


    The corners of Paladin''s mouth slightly curled upwards. In fact, Nurba was part of a territory ruled by the Count of Torch. The territory included not only Nurba, but also ten nearby villages, two towns, and a city called Edelweiss. In the past, the count could send his own private soldiers to guard it. However, the Duchy of Kasmi imposed serious restrictions regarding the nobility¡¯s private soldiers. As a result, the Count of Torch was only able to recruit a thousand private soldiers. One more and the count could be charged with treason.


    Fortunately, there were mercenaries in this world who were willing to wield knives for money. While preventing his power from being dispersed, the count could still station some soldiers in his territory. Therefore, Paladin wasn¡¯t worried at all. Mercenaries only knew of gold coins and women. Too easy to fool.


    Paladin''s alarmed expression softened slightly. Directly ignoring the captain of the guard who stood next to him, he wore a gloomy face as he stepped forward. Then, he squatted down.


    "Father, do you notice anything?" The captain of the guards inquired hastily. He came to be a captain of the guard just to settle down and avoid having more blood splattered on the edge of his knife. Who would¡¯ve thought that he would run into such bad luck?


    The captain of the guard was lamenting in his heart when he noticed Paladin''s expression. He jumped away immediately.


    Paladin quickly crossed his hand on his chest, and said with a reverent expression, "The Great, All-knowing and All-powerful Lord! My Father and My Mother. Your humble servant asks thee to send down light to expel the evil that crawls in the darkness. Shouting thy holy name, Enos! Bless me!"


    Paladin took out holy water from his sleeve and sprinkled it around. Clutching the cross on his chest, he began to pray.


    "Father, what the hell is going on?!" It wasn''t until Paladin stopped praying that the captain of the guard eagerly asked.


    Paladin solemnly put down the cross, turned his head, and said the last thing the captain of the guard wanted to hear.


    "Captain, it is true. This was done by the dark wizard. There are dark wizards nearby, and I must report it to the Holy See so they dispatch an executive of the Inquisition to deal with it."


    "What?!" The captain of the guard yelled in surprise. When he realized that his voice was too loud, he looked outside to confirm that no one was paying attention. He then pulled Paladin to a corner with one hand, pleading anxiously and flatteringly.


    "Father, you are the priest of this town and the godfather of all the children here in the future. Obviously you don''t want to see this beautiful place destroyed by people from the Inquisition, right.¡±


    The captain of the guard understood that the Count of Torch didn¡¯t care how many civilians died, but it would change once the executive officer of the Inquisition came. In a fit of rage, the count wouldn''t mind making a mercenary his scapegoat. So, the captain of the guard really didn''t want Paladin to report it. This didn¡¯t only concern his own future, but also his life and family!


    Paladin naturally understood what was on the captain''s mind. When he saw that, he pretended to be angry and reproached, "Captain! Watch your words and deeds! You are openly denigrating the Inquisition in front of a priest!¡±


    "Father, you misunderstood. Although the Inquisition is God¡¯s weapon to bring justice and eradicate evil heretics, it is not good as it indirectly destroys the lives of the people."


    The captain, who knew that he had said the wrong thing, immediately tried to make up for it. A sincere smile appeared on his face when he uttered those words to Paladin.


    Paladin smiled secretly in his heart. Let alone being begged to not report it, even if the captain threatened him with a knife, he wouldn¡¯t do it. On second thought, even if nothing was reported, he could reap some benefits out of this situation.


    Paladin, who thought so, racked his brain. His expression looked indignant as he walked to the depths of the dark corner. Angrily, he said, "Although Your Excellency is correct, it is not good to destroy people''s lives. Indeed, that is not the Holy See¡¯s intention. You cannot, however, allow the dark wizard to keep on refining evil magic! This is absolutely not allowed!¡±

 CH 28

    The captain looked troubled. Rubbing his hands, he took two steps forward to stand behind Paladin and whispered, "But¡­."


    Before he could finish speaking, Paladin suddenly turned his head. His face that appeared sacred now was sporting a bizarre greedy smile.


    "The black sorcerer is a devil who has betrayed humanity and their faith. The criminal in question who had lived inside the town should also be some poor and vicious person who can¡¯t ever be forgiven by Enos."


    "Huh?" The captain was taken aback, but before he could react, Paladin lowered his voice and laughed darkly.


    "We have reasons to believe that such a criminal who killed his own kind is also a black sorcerer who can cruelly and ruthlessly slaughter innocent people!"


    In this instant, the captain''s view of this immature and stubborn young noble priest was suddenly covered with a layer of blood. The holy light on his head dimmed as well.


    The captain''s expression changed as he fixed his gaze on Paladin and spoke cautiously, "What if it''s not a black sorcerer who murdered them? What if someone else dies?"


    Who would¡¯ve thought that Paladin would shake his head and sarcastically say, "No black sorcerer would be so stupid as to kill a civilian instead of killing a priest first. Is he trying to lure the Inquisition? This heretic, in all probability, has already left the town and will never come back." Once he said that, Paladin saw the captain sunk down.


    With a bright smile, Paladin continued, "Of course, eradicating the black sorcerer and bringing happiness and stability to the people is our duty. But even so, I am a priest from a foreign country who can not even eat a bite of meat, ah."


    The captain looked up in shock at the smiling Paladin, but then calmed down. With increasing caution, he asked "What do you want?"


    The captain no longer wanted to continue chatting with this hypocritical and greedy priest. He only felt as if he had been badly teased by a junior and it was very uncomfortable.


    But, as if nothing had happened, Paladin said in a wolfish tone, "I heard that the deceased is the owner of the store. They own not only this clothing store, but also an iron factory, and a pottery factory. Because there are so many iron smelting plants, his business could be considered deserted. However, it still can be considered a large family business."


    The captain''s eyes narrowed. He felt compelled to slash this beast with his sword. But then, he heard Paladin say, "The iron smelter is refining weapons, too ferocious. If I am in charge, I can calm the murderous intent in the people. As for the pottery factory, Captain, you can be in charge of that."


    The captain''s eyes, which had been narrowed earlier, opened instantly as he was stunned. There was greed mixed in with the anger in his eyes. But he still asked cautiously. "I''m just a head soldier hired by the lord. If anyone reports it, I''ll be replaced at any time!"


    "Captain! The Count will not care about such an insignificant town. You and I will join forces, gathering the soldiers and merchants beneath us to control the road to the public market and deliver the iron! Not only will the people be safe and happy, but we will also be prosperous and wealthy!¡±


    The captain still hesitated. Uncertainty still laced his voice. "What if the people disagree to be below us? You are just a priest. If someone else comes to replace you or you''re transferred away, you''ll have to go away. I will be damned!"


    However, Paladin pouted and sneered. "You underestimate me, Captain. You don''t think I''m willing to be a priest for the rest of my life, do you? In less than three to five years, I will join the diocesan bishop as a staff. By then, I will be in a position of great power and no one will dare to touch you!"


    "Phew." The captain exhaled deeply. For the first time, he realized that this kid, who was only half his age, had made him afraid! Forcing down his fear, the captain tentatively asked, "What if I say no?"


    "No?"


    Paladin''s expression darkened instantly. His hand darted forward to choke the captain and press him to the wall. The latter was taken aback and attempted to break free, only to discover that this scrawny priest was far stronger than him.


    "Heh heh heh, you''d better not have such thoughts, Captain." Paladin laughed grimly, leaned in close to the captain¡¯s face, and continued, "You''d better think about your family, captainI''ve heard that you have three beautiful daughters, an elegant and respectable wife, and a beloved youngest son who is only nine years old at the time. He is going to be my godson in a year! You''d better think it over."


    As he spoke, Paladin playfully slapped the captain''s face. The latter had anger burning in his eyes, but deep inside, there was a deep fear. Paladin had accurately hit his weakness. He was now in his forties and had a lovely wife, two lovely daughters, and a bright and capable son. He couldn''t bear the thought of losing the warmth of his family after tasting it.


    "Good for you." At that, the captain gritted his teeth.


    Paladin, however, smiled, and said, "So, a deal?"


    Only when he saw the captain nod did he let go of his hand. The latter immediately touched his painful neck. In the mirror next to them, the captain could see five red and swollen finger marks on his neck. He was shocked again inwardly.


    ¡®This kid, I heard that he was a nobleman. Unexpectedly, he¡¯s so powerful!¡¯


    The captain was stunned and fell silent. He didn''t pay attention but Paladin, who was adjusting his gloves, suddenly asked, "This town belongs to the Diocese of Rineke. Captain, you are also a mercenary who has traveled all over the world. Do you know what kind of person the bishop of the Diocese of Rineke is?"


    The captain, who was concerned about his family, responded in a good-natured voice, "He? He''s nothing more than an old pervert! Others are unaware, but I am. He once hired me to apprehend runaway slaves, all of whom were female slaves purchased from slavers! Each one was tortured beyond human comprehension, just like you!"


    The captain''s sarcasm had no effect on Paladin, who instead smiled thoughtfully. In his mind, he thought, ¡®Like women? That''s a good thing. Soon, I¡¯ll go to the slavers in Edley to see if there are any good ones.¡¯ Paladin nodded slightly after thinking about it.


    He then looked at the captain and said with a smile, "Do not worry, as long as you do not have any extra ideas, we will join forces. This town will be run as what we say. By the time you are old and retired, your son will also inherit a large amount of gold and family business. Isn''t that great?"


    As soon as Paladin mentioned the captain¡¯s son, his expression immediately improved a lot. He had spent a long time contemplating how to make his son suffer less in the future and live a better life. For him, it was a pleasure to do this.


    Paladin just smiled. When he was about to open the door to leave, he suddenly turned around and said, "Captain, I still don''t know your name."


    "Kaleqi."


    "Oh, Captain Kaleqi. I hope we get along well."


    When he was about to push open the door, Kaleqi, who was staring at Paladin''s back, suddenly questioned, "As a priest, are you not afraid of being cursed by Enos for such blatant blasphemy and violation of priestly virtue?"


    What he got in response was a mere strange and profound smile from Paladin.


    Paladin raised his head to look at the endless sky as he walked down the street. He softly murmured in a contemptuous tone, "God? He is just like a child, standing at the edge of the sky watching us playing below. God doesn¡¯t care about morality, righteousness, and evil. Because if they did, they wouldn''t be entitled to the moniker ''Bastards Standing by the Clouds''."


    Paladin laughed, suddenly remembering what Northam had said. An unreadable smile adorning his face as he strode towards the church.

 CH 29

    That was how it ended. Kaleqi, unable to bear the excitement and thrill, gave Paladin the contract for the iron smelter the very next day.


    ¡°Although the iron smelter plant is expensive, there are numerous iron smelters here, so pottery factories are more valuable. Why did you opt for the former?" Kaleqi questioned, feeling suspicious.


    In response to Kaleqi''s question, Paladin closed the door with a non-committal smile. Indeed, as Kaleqi stated, the ironworks profit in Nurba was clearly lower than that of the pottery factory. The thing was, Kaleqi didn¡¯t anticipate other ironworks to close down one after another for various reasons like accidents, death by disease, murder, annexes. So, Paladin just smiled grimly. He could do anything for a large sum of gold coins¡­.


    During the weekdays, Paladin continued to celebrate Mass and hear confessions. He was currently locked away in his room, concentrating on the magic book he had gotten from Northam. He gazed at the magic book greedily, gesticulating something with his hands.


    Finally, Paladin stood up and began to chant the incantation of Light Arrow, the first spell recorded in the magic book, "Kado waka waka, that wisp of Silova, the kabi is sharp!"


    As soon as he finished chanting the spell, Paladin gaped in awe. His eyes, which could see all of the magical elementals floating in the air, were caught off guard by a flash of several silver rays of light. The light formed a cone with each other vertically and horizontally. Inside, the light cut a staggered line that was similar to a circular road at first glance.


    Hundreds of pure white light elements floated in from the window before Paladin could react, as if they were drawn to the floating cone made out of light in front of him. Something strange then happened. As soon as these white light elements approached Paladin, the golden light elements around him rioted violently, as if provoked by something. The golden light magic elements swarmed and slammed into the white light magic elements.


    Paladins were stunned. Presumably, these white light magic elements were the Holy See¡¯s. These, according to common sense, were real light magic elements. But, given his ability to see all magic elements, why didn''t he find any white light elements in the sky? Instead, he could see the dense and active golden light magic elements from the sunlight that were exactly the same as the other ones surrounding him. The black sorcerer who believed in Belairl was the complete antithesis of the Holy See. Paladin had never seen that sinister and dark black magic element before. Were these two magic elements the true light elements and/or dark elements? Did these two elements really exist in the world?


    Plunged into endless thought, Paladin finally snapped back to his senses a while later. He witnessed hundreds of white light magic elements being knocked away by the golden magic elements and dissipating without a trace in a short period of time. At the same time, the frame formed by the convergence of light floating in mid-air dissipated.


    The interlocking paths in the frame, which were as orderly as possible, collapsed. Paladin was astounded to see a circle of invisible ripples spread out from the collapsed structure. All of the free magic elements were swept up by the ripples and flocked on the top of the structure. It was extremely violent and wildly pounced on Paladin.


    Paladin''s knowledge of alchemy that was gained through eavesdropping and self-study over the years, was not in vain. He reflexively jumped and shouted, "The structure of the magic sequence has collapsed! An Arcane Wave is coming!"


    Paladin jolted when he recalled that moment before in the Freemasons'' Association. He was hiding in the passageway that led to the Ripley Scroll. Professor Francis caused a violent collision of the elements by destroying the structure of the sequence that made the magic, causing an Arcane Wave.


    And now he was witnessing the creation of an Arcane Wave with his own eyes. Witnessing the structure of a magic sequence, which could only be felt and perceived by meditating. He also witnessed how the magic elements transformed into magic. Paladin was ecstatic to discover that his unusual and eccentric point of view, not only saw the magic elements, but also saw right into the most fundamental and primitive nature of magic!


    Paladin then calmed down. He saw the Arcane Wave rushing towards him. Only to be attacked by a swarm of over 300 light elements hovering around him, crushing the rioting magic elements in the Arcane Wave. Paladin effortlessly solved the magic backlash caused by the changes in alchemy and magic!


    Paladin stood there in a daze, staring at his hands with a half-crying expression on his face. Incredulously, he murmured, "Turns out I¡¯ve severely underestimated myself."


    Before he finished speaking, Paladin narrowed his eyes. Picturing the magic structure of the Arrow of Light he had just seen in his mind. He was pleased to see that the exact same conical structure appeared in front of him with a single stretch of his hands. Without hesitation, Paladin directed the golden light magic elements into the structure. It worked in a fundamental order according to the magic sequence he had just seen. A miracle occurred. A golden cone of light instantly converged in Paladin''s hands, shining with a dazzling and eye-catching light.


    Paladin suddenly felt mischievous. He knew in his heart that even though they had converged into a light cone, they were still like an extension of his arms, similar to the free golden light magic elements around him. When he was thinking about it, he noticed the arrow of light that glowed golden immediately turned. Following Paladin¡¯s imagination, it moved back and forth, entwined between his hands, did somersaults from time to time, and wandered around. Seeing this, he nodded in satisfaction.


    With one hand, Paladin waved at the vase on the table. The golden cone instantly flashed a golden light and dashed towards the vase. Crack! Paladin clicked his tongue in response to the loud noise the vase made when it exploded and shattered. Paladin, taken aback by its power, simply stepped forward to investigate. He got even more shocked when he discovered that the wooden wall behind the vase had also been pierced, leaving a massive hole.


    "Whether it''s Enos the God of Light or Belair the God of Darkness, who knows what kind of power this is!"


    For the first time, Paladin felt terrified of his own power. He couldn''t help but ask himself if he could really control such a terrifyingly powerful force improving at such a terrifying speed. This thought was instantly extinguished by the desire in Paladin''s heart.


    Paladin had no idea that his ability is more terrifying than he initially expected. If a mage had been present at the scene, they would¡¯ve had a mental breakdown and died of anger. He was able to cast the spell by looking directly at the essence of the magic, watching it being cast once, and understanding the structure and sequence of magic!


    Moreover, power was even stronger! This was no longer at a genius level, but it was an insult to all magicians in the world! Trampling on the tens of thousands of years of magical knowledge gained through numerous life and time. Furthermore, if Paladin had more exposure on this matter, he could create his own magic or even arrange and combine magic structures by himself. An existence that stood above magic, the power of the gods! The power of creation!


    What made matters worse was that Paladin''s mental strength was surprisingly strong. A newcomer who had only been exposed to orthodox magic for a few days could already use spiritual power to control magic at will, something that even a great magician couldn''t do. Powerful spiritual power was precisely the power for which many magicians had worked and pursued their entire lives.


    At this moment, Paladin came to a realization. In fact, the magic that the world regarded as a miracle and was passed down from generation to generation was simply about constructing a framework and distributing sequences with incantations. Magic was created by injecting magical elements into the frame that were compatible with it.


    A melting pot could be used as an analogy. The spells were sketches drawn by the predecessors in search for the truth. The sketches were the furnace. The magic element was the furnace''s flame. Depending on the affinity, its firepower could be increased or decreased. Thus, these provided power for the furnace, allowing it to function properly. Finally, the melting pot in the work was the magic.


    Some mages could cast spells instantly because they had a deep understanding of the structure through meditation and multiple practice, could draw without incantations, and poured magic elements directly into magic. This was plausible to those powerful magic teachers in ancient legends, such as St. Magella. He was given the title of saint and created many powerful and wonderful magic spells. He no longer needed to use incantations to draw frames, distribute sequences, and create magic because he had already understood the true meaning of magic by meditation.


    Even so, it paled in comparison to Paladin''s terrifying ability at the time. St. Magella sacrificed almost his entire life to reach that level, whereas Paladin accomplished it in a matter of days. Moreover, St. Magella couldn¡¯t see the magic elements at all, hence he also couldn¡¯t see the magic structure. He could only sense magic and magical elements for a little bit using meditation.


    Paladin, on the other hand, directly saw them with his naked eye. Magella had to get the feeling before correcting it a little bit to make magic spells. This process took at least a few months. To create new magic, Paladin only needed to change a few parts of the spell. St. Magella¡¯s process was like a blind man feeling an elephant. A blind man had to spend a long time feeling something was obvious at first glance. Moreover, it was extremely prone to errors.


    It could be seen that Paladin¡¯s potential was unimaginable. Just that at this time, he still wasn¡¯t aware about that.

 CH 30

    Paladin couldn''t help but have new doubts after witnessing the power of his strange golden light element. The Arrow Of Light''s framework required at least a hundred elements to function normally before it could form magic. If the magic elements he possessed could be depleted in a single breath, how quickly could they be replenished? Paladin had to know this, as he might encounter enemies in the future. His life would be at stake, so he had to make careful calculations.


    Paladin squinted his eyes and three structures of Arrow of Light appeared in front of him, exactly as he desired. Three hundred light elements swarmed out of his body, flocking to the three structures. There was a flash of golden light and three golden light arrows were suspended in the air. Following Paladin''s fingers, the structure immediately disintegrated and vanished. Paladin immediately closed his eyes to carefully examine how this works.


    Surprisingly, the Light elements commanded by his arms were completely indifferent to Paladin''s order at this time. Frowning, Paladin opened his eyes to see sunlight streaming in through the window. It was densely filled with golden light magic elements. Paladin wanted to instruct these magic elements that were the same as the one he had to get closer to him, but it didn''t work. The only thing the sunlight did was shine on his body, making him feel a sense of comfort. Occasionally, one or two golden elements strayed into Paladin''s elemental belt, becoming a part of the Magic Ring.


    This, however, was far from satisfactory. If it had such a slow recovery rate, Paladin could confirm that a civilian with a machete could slaughter himself indiscriminately as soon as his magical elements were depleted.


    "Hahaha, Naru, today''s harvest is good. You''re a lucky kid to get so many fish!"


    Paladin was becoming annoyed when laughter rang out from outside the church. He opened the window and looked down, just in time to see a rough fisherman surrounded by a crowd of friendly civilians laughing and lightly hitting him. Paladin didn''t care about these people at all, his attention only focused on the old cart behind the fisherman. Fresh fish of various sizes were alive and kicking in the huge fishing nets placed in the cart.


    When a ray of light hit the top of his head, Paladin realized instantly. A smile gradually appeared on his face. There was a river near the town. Because it was downstream, many schools of fish gathered nearby to look for food. It was human nature to harvest so much. That, however, wasn''t the thing that shocked Paladin. It was none other than the fishing net. Yes, the fishing net.


    Paladin stomped his feet, mocking himself for his stupidity, and muttered with a wider smile on his face, "I¡¯m so stupid. Just like a fishing net can catch a large group of fish in one net, I can use my golden elements as a fishing net. Therefore, I can catch the golden elements in the sunlight, just like those fish!¡±


    The excited Paladin immediately waved his hands. Only about five or six golden light elements were spread. Paladin controlled them with his consciousness. He willed them to fiercely wrap and pull the sunlight that was shining down like a fishing net. A miracle occurred. He captured 50 or 60 elements in a single breath. Paladin''s energy immediately increased. He then used more than 60 elements that were at his command to catch more magic elements.


    In two different parts of the world, just as Paladin plunged headlong into researching magic and developing his own power, the branch of the Freemasons¡¯ Association saw a different scene ten days after Paladin escaped. At this time, various forces were mixed there. Some forces even expressed their stance by directly and domineeringly placing all students and professors under house arrest, sealing the entrances and exits, and searching the entire castle. The once-quiet and silent learning paradise was now rife with violence and repression. The Scarlet Sandstorm Mercenary Group, one of the largest mercenary groups on the Olosen Continent, was the most arrogant.


    Nasura, the Great Ice Mage, and Adele, the Assassin Alliance''s hound, were disguised as a professor and a student. They stood on top of the tower, looking down at the mercenaries, who were dressed in leather armor and wielded long swords. Nasura straightened his wrinkled collar. With a gentle voice laden with disgust, he said, "What a bunch of savage and stupid pigs! Their actions are telling Freemasons¡¯ Association¡¯s high-level officials that the secret has been exposed! Speaking of which, who is the leader of this mercenary group? He¡¯s able to figure out the secret, which is the Ripley scroll!"


    Adele, who had been closing her eyes, opened them abruptly. Fragrant sweat flowed out of her pretty white face. While frowning, she said to Nasura beside her, "Let''s get out of here!"


    "Huh?"


    Before Nasura could react, a mercenary came up the roof with a clatter. When he saw the two of them, he immediately drew his sword and yelled, "Why are you here?! Shouldn''t you all be in the basement?!"


    Adele¡¯s eyes narrowed. She wouldn¡¯t let his words go. Her curvy body instantly became a blur. The next moment, she had arrived behind the mercenary, her fingers stained red. Only a snap could be heard. The mercenary had his eyes wide open when blood immediately streamed down out of the wound on his neck. Nasura teleported to Adele''s side and said with a frown, "What¡¯s wrong? We¡¯ve searched for ten days and finally identified three targets. Are you going to give up right now?"


    "These days, people from all the major forces have been coming in," Adele said, shaking her head gruffly.


    Other kingdoms, duchies, and even the Emma Empire have all sent representatives. The situation was becoming increasingly complicated.


    ¡°I sensed that the lackeys from the Assassin Alliance have also arrived. A tutor, along with two hundred hounds to boot. Although I am confident that my breath holding method will not be detected by them, but you¡­"


    Nasura faintly froze, and then curiously asked, "Me? You can just go, you don¡¯t have to care about me at all, right? What¡¯s the purpose of you telling me this?"


    Adele blushed and feigned anger. "What''s the point of talking right now! Just run away! None of the three targets are even in the Association right now. We won''t have much to lose!"


    Ignoring Nasura¡¯s reply, Adele took him by the hand and flew down the tower. Nasura looked at the her back which was in front of him. A warm smile bloomed on his face.


    Boom! Shortly after the two of them fled, the three-meter-high gate was knocked down by a huge force. When the smoke and dust cleared, a creepy man dressed in tight black clothes with a black hood and mask could be seen. He retracted his fist. The mercenary who was about to alert his group that there was an invader was struck by a cold current through the side of his body. His sweaty hair stood on end because behind the man who had blown the gate away with one punch, there were hundreds of people dressed in the same clothes! Everyone wielded two sharp and long daggers in their hands.


    "You guys, who are you?" One of the mercenaries who led the group boldly stepped forward and asked.


    The masked man nodded slightly and four people jumped out from behind him in a flash. The mercenary was immediately dismembered and fell to the ground in pieces.


    "You guys! How dare you kill the captain! I, Grand Master Monrik, will not forgive you!"


    Despite the fact that they were being threatened by a powerful force, these mercenaries, who were already used to gruesome situations, spoke up and threatened them. Hoping to chase away these terrifying guys. Unfortunately, he was wrong.


    ¡°Bow to the darkness and serve punishment to the light," said the leading black masked man in a low voice after lowering his head. He then turned around to reveal the bloody blade symbol painted on his back.


    As soon as the words were spoken, hundreds of men dressed in black¡ªboth outside and behind the man¡ªimmediately knelt down and raised their hands above their heads. They shouted frantically, "A sharp blade in the darkness! Impose the punishment of the dark upon the light!"


    "Kill them!"


    Hundreds of men in black dashed and jumped towards the terrified mercenaries. They looked like a black whirlwind bringing upon a rain of blood.

 CH 31

    "Wait, wait, wait. I am a special envoy from the Kingdom of Nurba, you can''t kill me!"


    "I am the Grand Knight from the Aixinzhe Kingdom. Kill me and wait for the kingdom''s revenge."


    "I''m a disciple of the Archdruid from the Nature Temple! We have no grudges or animosities towards one another!"


    "Assassin Alliance, my father is acquainted with a few of your high level officials. You should think about this carefully!"


    The mercenaries witnessed the people in front of them being instantly dismembered. As the sharp blades swept in like a storm, the people from major forces who were hiding their identities finally couldn''t stay hidden. Obviously, these butcher assassins only followed the orders given to them, which was to kill. They didn''t give a damn about their identities. Without hesitation, they severed these people''s necks and limbs.


    Except for the initial screams, no other sound could be heard. Within a short period of time, only the assassins from the Assassin Alliance remained in the entire large square. Thick bloodstains and fragmented limbs strewn on the ground were the mercenaries¡¯ only visible traces that were left.


    The group''s leader, the masked man, grunted lightly and spoke to a thin man beside him, "You go with the other nine mentors to finish off all mercenaries in the vicinity, regardless of their identities. The fewer our opponents, the better for our alliance and the scroll."


    "This subordinate understands." The skinny mentor agreed. Along with the other nine, they immediately flashed and disappeared.


    Mentors! All ten of them were mentors! According to Adele, the assassins known as the Dark Pathfinder Dog were the backbone of the Assassin Alliance. A mentor was on an even higher level than them all. This masked man, however, had the authority to order these mentors!


    Then, who was he if he wasn''t one of the Assassin Alliance''s leaders who controlled the organization? The masked man motioned to the two hundred hounds following him. They immediately followed the masked man into the castle''s grocery room. As soon as he pushed the door open, a sharp blade that glowed red targeted the gap in the man''s mask. It was such a critical moment, but the man simply smiled disdainfully and didn¡¯t move at all. The sharp blade that had tried to stab him had broken into pieces ,while the one who had attempted to stab him had been kicked into the room.


    The masked man slowly walked in. Light streamed in through the crack of the door, illuminating the visage of the assailant. Thick eyebrows, big eyes, and a shaved beard. If one didn''t see his magnificent and solid top quality mercenary corps armor, they''d think he was a peasant stranded on the wrong side of the road.


    Even with the fine armor, he had a full footprint dent on his chestplate. One can only imagine the masked man''s strength. What was odd was that the masked man didn''t seem surprised when he saw him. He stood with his arms crossed instead. In a relaxed and joking manner, he said, "Winnie, sweet little Winnie. How long has it been since I last saw you? Oh, twenty years ago, you were still an immature youth. The noble and outstanding mentor of the Assassin Alliance, Winnie. Perhaps you should be known as Grand Master Menglik now."


    The masked man¡¯s words were shocking. This seemingly loyal man was not only the Crimson Desert''s leader, but also an Assassin Alliance mentor! No wonder the Mercenaries of the Crimson Desert knew the secret regarding the scroll.


    Winnie, who was bleeding from the corner of his mouth, looked at the masked man in horror. Barely able to squeeze out a few words with his trembling lips, he said, "An Observer, Crimson Blade... Teacher, your voice is still so youthful even after twenty years. What methods did you use to stay young?"


    "Well, I''ll tell you, but only after I finish my business," Crimson Blade casually said.


    This conversation had revealed a shocking truth. Among the Assassin Alliance, there was an existence that overrides the tutors. They were known as the Observers. Crimson Blade was definitely not the only one. There were so many more Observers. Despite the fact that the Crimson Blade''s face couldn¡¯t be seen, in addition to his teenager-like voice, he was the teacher of this middle-aged head mentor. Crimson Blade waved his hand gently. The mentors quickly nodded and departed. Only the two of them remained in the room.


    "Bah!" Seeing that there was no one else, Winnie gradually calmed down. He spat out a small amount of blood, looked at Crimson Blade with hatred and said, "What are you waiting for? Kill me. I¡¯ve betrayed the alliance for twenty years. I never thought I could live this long. In fact, my life ended the day you murdered my fianc¨¦e!"


    "You were so talented back then, it wouldn''t have taken you long to become an Observer like your teacher and me," the Blood Red Blade said regretfully. ¡°Get real power! That''s why I told you the secret about the scroll. But you wanted to leave the alliance and live a normal life for a woman? A single village woman? Hahahaha! Look at your appearance. The constant affection has made your skills rusty. Not only have you not grown in the past twenty years, but you¡¯ve greatly deteriorated!"


    Crimson Blade suddenly calmed down after rambling angrily. Winnie kept silent, not saying a word. It didn¡¯t intrigue him anymore. His voice instantly turned cold.


    "Tell me! Who told you the secret about the scroll in the first place?! Who exactly is the traitor?!"


    "Hehehehe..." Winnie continued to laugh slowly and sarcastically.


    "What are you laughing at? Answer my question, traitor." Crimson Blade''s tone was filled with murderous intent, but Winnie didn¡¯t care in the slightest.


    Raising his head slowly, Winnie looked at the red glow hovering between Crimson Blade¡¯s fingers. His sneer grew wider and wider.


    ¡°Teacher, how does this powerful power feel? To obtain it, you need to open the Black Gate and summon demons. This power must be a lot of fun. Being corroded by the power of demons as the flesh began to rot piece by piece every day at noon. Eventually transforming into a skeleton, complete with thoughts and feelings. The gradually increasing pain must feel extremely refreshing! Hahahaha!"


    Crimson Blade''s heart exploded with murderous intent the moment Winnie finished speaking. He kicked Winnie¡¯s armor fiercely, stepped on his chest before letting out an angry and shocked roar, "How do you know?! It''s him, it must be him who told you the scroll! Tell me, who the hell is he? Who!"


    The furious Crimson Blade hadn¡¯t expected the fact that the Observers secretly borrowed the power of demons to strengthen themselves would be discovered by others. Crimson Blade was consumed by endless rage and terror. He didn''t expect Winnie to show him something he didn''t want to see


    Smiling, Winnie flipped open the lapels of his coat, revealing bronze skin. Characters appeared to be painted on the skin with a special paint. At a glance, the knowledgeable Crimson Blade recognized that it was ¡®God¡¯ written in an ancient ritual language. Referring to the Great and All-powerful God. However the characters were written upside down.


    Step, step, step. Crimson Blade took several steps back. Even that mask couldn''t conceal the fear and shock in his voice.


    "The Illuminati, the Alliance against God, the most heinous heresy! Have they¡­ infiltrated the top echelons of our Assassin Alliance?"

 CH 32

    "Heh heh heh, teacher. I joined the Illuminati before I realized that the Assassin Alliance and the Illuminati are like a rat and a griffin!"


    Crimson Blade fell silent for a while. The red glow between his fingers was sucked back into his palm, before it turned into a devil''s claw, complete with black scales and sharp nails. After that, he issued an ultimatum.


    "Say it, you traitor. Who the hell is the spy in the upper echelons?"


    "Ahem, ahem, I won''t tell. You will never find out¡­."


    "You!"


    Crimson Blade saw how stubborn Winnie was. He was about to break his neck in a fit of rage when- Bang! Outside, there was a violent explosion. Faint screams could be heard from inside the room. Crimson Blade gave Winnie a fierce look and noticed that Winnie also looked stunned. Without hesitation, he took out some herbal medicine and forced Winnie to swallow it. The latter began to tremble all over, his limbs went limp, and he collapsed. Seeing that he was no longer a hindrance, Crimson Blade quickly exited the room to check the situation outside.


    As soon as he jumped out of the room, Crimson Blade saw a sharp blade emitting a white light cut down a mentor in front of him in half. Crimson Blade was completely covered in blood. He wiped off the blood a little, revealing two ice-cold eyes in the hollow of the mask. When those eyes saw who the visitor was, they instantly radiated a violent gaze. However, he couldn''t help but let his voice loose to scream out, "The Thirteenth Secret Order, the Order of the Martyrs. The Inquisition!"


    The long sword filled with white light was lowered until it touched the ground. The handsome and captivating face hidden beneath the white hood was soon revealed. Moreover, each of the five people standing behind him held a cross sword, was dressed in fine silver armor, and wore a hood. Who were they if not Morris and five others who had previously encountered Paladin?


    Morris raised his white-gloved hand slightly, placed it on his chest, and bowed in respect. Despite the fact that the entire huge square was filled with the corpses of the Assassin Alliance¡¯s assassins who had been cut in half, he calmly said, "Rare, very rare. Today, we encountered an Assassin Alliance¡¯s Observer it seems. I, Morris, stood up for the Great God and was able to eradicate the garbage that has been polluting the earth."


    "Crazy believer! State your name! Do you have the qualifications to do this?" Crimson Blade¡¯s tone became increasingly colder as he roared loudly.


    Morris was not irritated in the least. He simply shook his hand gracefully and softly said, "Excuse me, I am Morris, Chief Executive Officer of the Sixth Court of the Inquisition. These are my subordinates. They are all great servants of God. We came here to eradicate the heretics.¡±


    "Hmph!" The Crimson Blade snorted disdainfully. Red light wrapped around his hands, transforming them into ferocious and massive demon claws. He yelled arrogantly, "Code name Crimson Blade, one of the Assassin Alliance''s eight Observers. Destroy all enemies!"


    As soon he said that, Morris'' gentle expression darkened. Those two beautiful eyes began to exude a frightening murderous intent. Not only him, but his five subordinates also raised their heads angrily and bowed down. Waiting for Morris to give an order.


    Morris stepped forward, intending to tear up this heretic. Although Morris was still indifferent, his tone was no longer as gentle as before. It was filled with endless disgust.


    "You poor and filthy Assassin Alliance. You have abandoned human dignity and presumptuously used black sorcery, opened the Black Gate, and signed a contract with the reptiles of the abyss!"


    Before he finished saying those words, Morris was already scowling. He could not tolerate the existence of demons. That was the greatest blasphemy against the true god they worshiped, Enos. What more, this Assassin Alliance¡¯s assassin actually used the power of demons in front of them. He really challenged their bottom line.


    Morris raised the cross sword in his hand that was emitting a dazzling white light before the Crimson Blade could say anything.


    "What are you waiting for?!" he exclaimed, his face pious.


    Behind him, the five executive officers knelt on one knee and raised their cross swords above their heads. Right now, tens of white figures appeared from outside the gate. They all knelt on one knee behind Morris, holding the cross swords in their raised hands as well.


    In the blink of an eye, hundreds of people were already kneeling behind Morris. The white robes they wore created the illusion of a white ocean. Crimson Blade took a step back, stunned. Although he was not proficient in the Convergence (Breath Holding) method, it was still extremely powerful. However, he hadn''t noticed anyone outside! These people were either able to hide using their own breath-holding technique, or they rushed to the area in an instant! The latter was obviously more plausible.


    Hundreds of executives behind Morris immediately roared loudly, "We are the daggers and the poison. We are the broom of the true God! We sweep away all evil!"


    Morris shouted once more, the crossed swords in his hands became more and more dazzling, even the magnificent white robe on his body exuded floating white arcs of light. "Where is your faith located?!"


    "You must have a dagger in your left hand and poison in your right hand. Shout the name of the true god, Enos and hang yourself on the cross! May you become the Holy Spirit and unite with tens of thousands of compatriots to fight to the death with countless demons in the abyss!"


    As soon as the executives behind him finished speaking, Morris put down the raised cross swords, bowed his body, looked at the shocked Crimson Blade with endless murderous intent, and roared in a low voice, "Amen!"


    He transformed into a white light, dashing towards the Crimson Blade. His sharp sword going straight for the Crimson Blade''s head.


    The moment Morris moved, tthose kneeling executive officers immediately followed and stood up. Brandishing the cross swords in their hands and rushing towards the Crimson Blade, becoming bundles of white light. Aside from anger and hatred, those several hundreds pairs of eyes revealed fanatical beliefs ordinary people can never comprehend.


    Anyone who wasn''t a fool could see that the Crimson Blade was fighting a group of lunatics, very strong lunatics. It was bad. Crimson Blade wasn¡¯t stupid; on the contrary, he was quite smart. The moment Morris approached, Crimson Blade¡¯s whole body glowed red as he swished up and ran towards the mercenary leader, Winnie.


    "Don''t flee! You wretched heretical devil!" Morris yelled, chasing after him.


    Assassin Alliance, however, had one of the best escape capabilities. The distance between the two only gradually widened. Even when there was a loud bang, Crimson Blade kept on sprinting, paying no attention to Morris who was clamoring behind him. He then kicked the closed door where Winnie was in.


    Seeing the situation inside, he was stunned for a split second. It was because of this momentary negligence that Morris, who was quick-eyed and quick-handed, succeeded to catch him. Morris waved one hand across the air and a few white chains went around Crimson Blade, wrapping his whole body tightly. The shackles of the chains jolted Crimson Blade out of his trance. Such delicate magic could be destroyed by the Crimson Blade with a single breath.


    However, he didn''t have much time to do that. The next moment, when a large group of executive officers who were following Morris saw this, they didn''t need any orders to move. With a single wave of their hands, hundreds of white chains swarmed up, completely binding Crimson Blade.


    "Ahh! Despicable, despicable!" The Crimson Blade was tightly bound by the chains. It would take a long time to untie. His extremely angry eyes were exposed under the mask. Those eyes inadvertently looked back at the room, revealing a little sadness.


    Winnie, who was supposed to be paralyzed and unable to move, was decapitated in the room by someone with a sword. He was already dead and couldn¡¯t be more dead than this. The Crimson Blade understood. He understood very well. As expected, Winnie must¡¯ve been assassinated by others from the Illuminati. Emotions swept his whole being because of the feeling of betrayal and the death of an old friend. The eyes beneath his mask glowed a destructive red light.


    Morris didn''t really care, as the Crimson Blade was temporarily bound. His cross sword that was glowing with a dazzling white light was about to slash down to end him once and for all when Crimson Blade suddenly fell to his knees. Red light intensely shone from his eyes, as if he couldn¡¯t control it anymore.


    Clang! There was a sound of metal clanking. Morris was shocked to discover that his full-strength sword swing using holy light had been bounced back. Looking down, Morris instantly raised Crimson Blade¡¯s chin. There was a light and shallow mark on Crimson Blade¡¯s forehead.


    A black light shot out from a mountain far away in the sky, breaking through the sky with a loud bang. In the blink of an eye, a big hole opened in the sky above Morris'' head. A black light struck down, hitting Crimson Blade who was kneeling on the ground.


    "The Black Gate! You opened the Black Gate¡­! Be careful! Everyone, be careful!"


    When Morris was taken aback, the reed light from Crimson Blade¡¯s eyes penetrated the mask. Suddenly, he let out a ferocious voice that certainly was not human. Thrilled at the prospect of wreaking havoc.


    "I have come¡­ to the human world!"

 CH 33

    Morris, whose expression looked unbearably ugly, roared loudly, "Watch out! He has summoned the contracted demons from the abyss through his own Black Gate!"


    Just as Morris''s words left his mouth, Crimson Blade, who had been keeping his head down, suddenly moved.


    His dangling arm suddenly moved so fast it disappeared. That arm then tried to grab Morris'' chin with its claws, attempting to sever the human''s head. Morris, on the other hand, wasn''t going to die easily. After all, he bore the title of the Chief Executive Officer of the Inquisition. The moment Crimson Blade made a move, Morris had already brandished his cross sword and blocked the attack. A dazzling white light spread across the long sword.


    Unfortunately, Morris still underestimated the opponent''s strength. The magic sword in Morris''s hand, made of high-quality materials and filled with holy magic, was smashed to pieces by the claw. Morris'' pupils contracted viciously. However, Crimson Blade¡¯s next kick was extremely swift and violent. It shattered the magic-enhanced robe he wore on the outside, reaching the armor made of mithril inside. The impact of the kick went straight into Morris'' stomach.


    "Wooah!" Morris screamed in agony and flew into the air. Leaving an obvious trail of blood behind.


    Boom! Morris fell to the ground. His subordinates immediately stepped forward to assist him. They were taken aback that the chief they admired and respected had been seriously injured by the opponent''s kick.


    "Don''t pay attention to me, watch out for the enemy!" Although Morris¡ªwho could only stare and barely able to stand up¡ªsaid that, he felt a little desperate inside. Right now, the previously weak Crimson Blade no longer existed.


    Crimson Blade staggered and slowly stood up. Like a baby learning to walk, he used his limbs in a strange way. Eventually, he growled impatiently, "The human body is too troublesome."


    Crimson Blade propped up the mask. The mask cracked because of a single touch from him. A mouth with barbed jaws and a pair of enormous fangs were revealed. Immediately after, a pair of crimson eyes several times larger than a bull''s eye could be seen. Crimson Blade¡¯s original hair was gone, replaced by two massive horns that were curved in the edge. The body swelled rapidly, the skin turned black, and scales grew, covering his whole body.


    His human feet twisted and deformed into hooves, resembling those of cattle and/or sheep. After a while, this behemoth had grown to the size of the branch''s wall. Its shadow engulfed all of the executive officers present. Morris and the others looked at all this in shock. Prickles appeared from all of the huge monster''s joints, and its entire body burst into flames. Its back, which was covered in bone spikes, trembled. Two massive bat wings surrounded by flames flapped open soon after. Because of his wings, the entire castle was shrouded in darkness.


    The sleeping monster awoke, still a little groggy. The massive crimson eyes widened suddenly. Flames erupted as its eyes examined the tiny creatures below. The huge nose sniffed, smelling the earthy fragrance of earth. Finally, it excitedly opened its big mouth full of fangs, roaring energetically at the executive officers below.


    "ROAR ROARR ROARRR ROARRR!"


    A massive wave of sound roared, accompanied by the pungent odor of sulfur on the surface. Many of the executives began to cower in fear, lowering their swords. Morris, who was fast to calm and compose himself, cried out in disgust. These executives were the best believers and soldiers. Even so, it was natural for them to be terrified if they encountered such an inhuman demon that only existed in legends and myths. All he had to do now was boost their and his own morale.


    "Faithful believers! What are you hesitating for? Have you forgotten the vows you made to the true God before? To eliminate evil and uphold God''s justice! If you lay down your weapons now, you might be able to escape with your lives. However, what you''ve been guarding your entire lives will no longer exist! Your faith would crumble, and your lives would lose their luster! It will be difficult to look at the condemning eyes of the younger generations directed at you! Is that really what you want?!"


    "No! No! No!"


    Morris'' words uplifted their morale. The executive officers'' eyes, which had been a little scared at first, became full of determination. They raised their swords again and took out the crossbows on their backs.


    "For the Great and Almighty Enos! Return to God¡¯s embrace after death!" they shouted in unison.


    Morris was relieved. The executive officers immediately raised their crossbows, arrows drenched with holy water. They then pressed the trigger, targeting the demon''s head and huge body. Whoosh whoosh whoosh! The sound of arrows piercing through the air pulled the demon''s attention from its initial excitement.


    It finally realized that these tiny things approaching were actually attacking it. The seemingly thunderous crossbow shot did not hurt or even itch its body. The arrows fell to the ground without leaving a mark. Well, even though it didn''t care about being bitten by a group of ants, it was still uncomfortable. This was what the Great Demon Uruses was thinking at the time.


    Uruses shook its enormous head, causing the tower that came into contact with its curved horns to collapse. Looking at the dense crowd of white-robed humans below, it exclaimed loudly, "Humans! You puny humans are attacking me? You will be silenced by the blazing flames of the Abyss!"


    As soon as the words were spoken, a massive fireball condensed on the big devil''s mouth full of fangs. With a bang, a fireball in the size of a carriage went straight to Morris and the others.


    "Guardian Enchantment! Quick!" Morris shouted in horror.


    All the executive officers immediately threw down their crossbows, grabbed the crosses on their chests, and chanted loudly, "Great God, thou are my father and mother. May thy glory protect thy humble servants. Bring down mercy and justice, delighted to enlarge it.''''


    Amidst the chant, a large milky white shield surrounded the crowd. The extremely powerful fireball hit it all at once, exploding with a bang. The waves of crimson fire spread across the shield, causing the surrounding walls and facilities to collapse and burn. Morris stared in horror at the trembling shield, but fortunately it held out. He heaved a relieved sigh.


    The humans, who it thought would be destroyed in an instant in the face of its power, were unscathed. The Great Demon Uruses snorted from his nostrils in displeasure, letting out a huff of flames. However, the great demon was suddenly stunned. It felt the aura of the shield summoned by Morris and others. That familiar yet unfamiliar aura that disgusted all the demons in the abyss.


    The big demon''s indifferent expression changed. With a ferocious and angry expression, he roared. "Enos¡¯ aura! The aura of that dirty, despicable, hypocritical entity! You are priests! Despicable priests, tremble under the gaze of the All-knowing, All-powerful God of Darkness, Belial!"


    The great demon raised one hand. Massive lava sword the thickness and height of a tower gathered in his palm. If such a dreadful thing was to fall on them, certainly no one would be spared. So, Morris shouted determinedly, "Divine Punishment! Summon Divine Punishment!"

 CH 34

    At that point of time, on a mountain far from the Freemasons¡¯ Association, Nasura¡ªthe great ice mage¡ªwas leaning on the tree trunk next to him. He was taken aback by the massive demon towering over the castle in the distance. Before he could express his emotion, there was a faint sound of footsteps behind him. He closed his eyes and readied his wand. Nasura was about to cast an ice mist spell as soon as he turned around. But then, he saw Adele. Adele had disappeared halfway through the journey. She was now standing behind him, in a dazed state.


    Nasura exhaled and frowned. He immediately inquired, "Adele, where did you go?"


    Nasura noticed that her complexion was off. Moreover, her hands were covered with blood. Nasura''s stern expression softened. He took a step forward. Gently and carefully, he said, "What''s wrong with you? Did something happen? Don''t worry, we both are in the same boat now. If you have any difficulties, please let me know."


    These words pulled Adele out of her trance. She looked at Nasura who was smiling softly despite his confusion. Her once powerful and determined eyes were long gone. Tears flowed like a torrent of infinite declaration. She threw herself into Nasura''s arms, wailing and crying bitterly.


    Nasura stared blankly at Adele in his arms. The burst of her intoxicating body fragrance coupled with her soft body made him feel a little troubled. After a while, Nasura was about to comfort her when Adele pushed him away. In embarrassment, she looked at the trace her tears had left on his chest. Her pretty face flushed red.


    "It''s okay, it''s okay. I''ll just wash it." Nasura hurriedly comforted her. In fact, he wished Adele would always be this way to him.


    "Nasura, I just murdered my teacher and severed his head! I still remember him being so determined to ask me to kill him. I really couldn''t save him at that time." Adele surprisingly opened the door of her heart and spoke the words in her heart.


    "It''s okay, everything is okay. I''m still here with you." Nasura fell silent for a moment before stepping forward and hugging Adele in his arms. Although Adele struggled a little at first, he could feel her whole body softened not long after Leaning into his arms like a kitten¡­.


    At the same time, after Morris shouted his command, all of the executive officers were slightly taken aback before wearing a resolute expression. When the executive officers saw that the great demon''s huge flaming giant sword was about to strike down and kill everyone, they fell to their knees in unison, quickly took the daggers from their waist, and stabbed it at the back of their left hand. It was a chilling moment!


    Blood spurted from the palms of hundreds of people, splashing everywhere. However, they didn''t show the slightest pain. Instead, they crossed their bloodied hands across their chests and gazed up at the unpredictable sky above them.


    "Great God Enos! Bring down the scepter of punishment and wash away the filthy evil! We, with our blood as a medium, are willing to sacrifice our lives and return to the embrace of God!"


    As soon as they finished chanting, the huge lava sword in the great demon''s hand smashed down fiercely. Followed with the sound of wind and thunder. With a bang, it hit the shield. Surprisingly, the shield succeeded in deflecting the terrifying giant sword. However, the light shield was overwhelmed and shattered in return.


    "Hm? Enos'' lackeys still have some tricks on their sleeves!" The great demon looked at the giant sword that bounced off his hand. It smiled and stared at the frightened executives below. Finally, it raised the giant sword once more to dispose of these ants in one blow. At such a critical moment, the executives looked at each other with a relieved smile on their faces and shouted in unison, "Amen!"


    Rumble! There was a thunderclap in the sky. The gigantic demon was about to slash down when it suddenly froze. He raised his massive and ferocious head, but was horrified to see that the sky, which had previously been clear, was now obscured by dark clouds. Lightning bolts slithered through the dark clouds like large snakes. Wow!


    A crack suddenly appeared on the clouds above its head. It opened like the eyes of a human, revealing the bright sunshine behind the clouds. Like a miracle, the buildings of this Freemasons¡¯ Association¡¯s branch were dark as they were shrouded in dark clouds. But then sacred light streamed from the huge hole that appeared in the middle of the clouds. It was truly a breathtaking sight!


    In a trance, the great demon looked up at the hole above its head. It seemed to hear the prayers and pious singing of countless people that were coming endlessly from the hole. Morris and the others looked at this scene, their eyes were filled with tears as they clasped their hands together. Praying in a low voice devoutly.


    All people within a radius of ten miles¡ªincluding hunters, merchants, and mercenaries¡ªopened their mouths and watched this scene in shock. What a miraculous scene! Right now, it didn¡¯t matter whether you have faith or not. Those who had a good impression of Enos and the Holy See all fell to their knees devoutly, cried until their clothes wet with tears, and chanted unfamiliar scriptures excitedly while confessing their sins.


    The scene astounded Adele and Nasura as well. She was about to kneel unconsciously when Nasura pulled her up. He, too, was barely hanging on. With a solemn expression, he said "Do. Not. Kneel. to. God!"


    In response, Adele looked at him with her serious and bright eyes.


    The Great Demon Uruses¡¯ huge crimson eyes showed unprecedented fear. With a trembling voice, it couldn''t help but murmur, "Enos, Enos!"


    Others couldn''t see it, but he, the great demon, could vaguely see it. There appeared to be a pair of cold, white, and bright eyes without the slightest emotion looking at all this with contempt from the hole in the sky. The great demon started to retreat. It could clearly feel the Lord God''s unrivaled power. The feeling was the same as in the abyss. The feeling coming from the altar of Belial, the God of Darkness.


    There was no chance of either victory or survival. The great demon was about to spread its massive wings in order to flee when a pure white thunder as wide as a tower instantly struck down from the hole in the sky. Hitting straight into the great demon¡¯s body.


    "Oooh ah ah ah!"


    The flames on its body had been extinguished while the scales all over its body had been blown to smithereens. Thick black smoke emanated from its body.


    "No! Enos, you can''t do this!" The great demon wailed in despair. It fell on his knees as its body began to fade away rapidly. It certainly wouldn''t be long before not even ashes were left of this powerful great demon.


    Unfortunately, the great demon''s luck was even better than it thought. The executive officers, who kept on chanting, suddenly began to tremble all over. The blood on their hands instantly evaporated. Their bodies shriveled up like a balloon. Not even having a chance to scream before they went as limp as a piece of paper, dead as one could be.


    The chanting stopped. The desperate great demon noticed that pair of indifferent eyes in the hole slowly closing. In an instant, the thunder vanished, the dark clouds dispersed, and the hole also closed. There were no traces left of the previous miracle that happened between heaven and earth. If it weren''t for the floor cracked by the thunder, it might as well have been a dream.


    "No.... NO! Oh Enos! Have thou abandoned your followers?!" Morris wept out in reluctance to the sky.


    The great demon¡ªwho had survived the divine lightning¡ªhad no desire for vengeance. It was desperate to survive. With a laugh, it spread open its broken wings. Gathering a storm of encouragement for itself, it desperately flew towards the mountain range that had previously burst into black light. After a while, it was nowhere to be seen.

 CH 35

    The great demon, engulfed in black smoke, flew to the edge of the cliff. Finally, it sighed in relief and cursed angrily, "Keep your body safe, human. Otherwise, the contract that you and I signed will be void!"


    As soon as it said that, the great demon¡¯s body shrank rapidly. The horns on its head, the scales on its body, its tail, and its huge wings disappeared. Only a long-haired man who collapsed powerlessly in the jungle remained. Taking a closer look, the man looked absolutely stunning, complete with a bit of heroic feeling. He would be considered a handsome man if it weren''t for the bloody eyes that made his face look a little hideous. It was hard to imagine that for such a cold-blooded masked man, Crimson Blade''s real face was so handsome!


    Barely able to sit on the ground, Crimson Blade opened the hole in the tree next to him, which safely held a black stone plate the size of a dinner plate inside. If Morris was here, he would know at a glance what that was. That was an heretical evil thing that could communicate with the abyss and summon demons, the Black Gate! The very exhausted Crimson Blade picked up the Black Gate and stuffed it into his chest. He threw a complicated glance back at the branch of the Freemasons¡¯ Association before grunting and walking away with difficulty.


    Right now, at the association, Morris stared blankly at the executive officers who had collapsed in front of him. The bodies of these executive officers had shrunk, like mummified corpses dried by the scorching sun. Not even a trace of blood remained. Morris looked around, dazed, at the three remaining executive officers. He sighed helplessly. He understood, understood very well. The price for summoning Divine Punishment was the flesh and blood of all those who participated in the prayer. The more lives, the greater the Divine Punishment¡¯s power.


    Some of Morris'' faith were shaken for a brief moment.


    "The Divine Punishment is called one of the Holy See''s most important divine arts. The price is the living¡¯s flesh and blood. What is the difference between such divine art and evil, dark, undead magic?"


    He wavered for a short time. Morris quickly dismissed those thoughts.


    "How can the dirty and evil necromancy magic be compared with the divine magic of the Holy See? They differ by bounds and leaps from necromancy. Those who sacrifice themselves are able to gain salvation and return to God''s embrace. It should be a good thing." Devoutly, Morris smiled.


    The Holy See''s doctrine prohibited suicide as a means of returning to God''s embrace. Sacrificing oneself for the sake of others was an exception. They were bestowed with the highest honor.


    Morris was about to pray for his fallen subordinates with a smile on his face when his ears picked up on a small movement. With a stern expression, he turned his head and shouted towards the castle. "Who is it?! Come out!"


    The door was pushed open. Three groups of people emerged, each holding a different weapon. It included some trembling students from the Freemasons¡¯ Association. Morris saw a mage wearing a cloak and holding a wand with sharp and cold eyes. The ring on his hand clearly indicated that he was from Hellitt, a wizard from the Forest of Towers.


    There were also others who were dressed in leather armor made of magical beasts¡¯ skin and light iron. Their hands were holding thin, rune-carved swords. The group used magic and swords, thus was between mages and swordsmen, The Brotherhood of Magic Swordsmen! Among them, the most conspicuous ones were a group of huge, bulky, savage men wearing tattered and hideous leather armor, wielding giant axes and hammers. Such a special body shape. Morris immediately knew that this group were barbarians who fought with the Black Orcs in the north all year round. Belonging to the current Rurukh dynasty of the barbarians. Awakened with formidable physical strength passed down by bloodline to serve as a foundation for traversing the continent.


    These three groups of people purposefully avoided the two men who were standing in the middle, walking leisurely in the courtyard. One of them was wearing a gorgeous robe, his every move was elegant. His shawl and long black hair added to his eccentric appearance. He should be a big noble, but Morris had no idea to whom he belonged or what power he possessed.


    When compared to the other person, he made people feel as if he wasn¡¯t human. A dazzling blond hair, plain robes, and no weapons on his body. Just like a regular person. This one, on the other hand, was the one Morris was most concerned about. A person who could make him unable to see their origin in the slightest was obviously beyond his own knowledge. Humans had always been innately afraid of the unknown.


    Morris looked at the two men in the middle with caution and said, "Hellite from the Forest of Towers, the Brotherhood of Magic Swordsmen, the guards of the Rurukh Dynasty. What are you people doing here?!"


    The tall barbarian leader shook his huge armor and dangled the huge ax in his hand. He stared right into Morris'' eyes before shouting loudly, "Does it need to be said?! You fanatics must have come here for that scroll. That¡¯s right. We, the Rurukh Dynasty, will not give up the treasure to you!"


    Morris stood up cautiously and stepped back slightly. The situation was now unfavorable to him. Not only was he injured, but most of his executive officers were also killed or injured. They would not be able to avoid death if they really wanted to fight. So, in a deliberate tone, he said, "There is no reason. Although you all know of the mystery from ten thousand years ago, after so many years, there is no doubt that the scroll is not here. Despite the fact that this branch has been respected for some time, you have all rummaged through it inside and out numerous times. Still, you haven''t even found the shadow of the scroll. What brought you here now, after thousands of years?"


    As soon Morris said that, a magic swordsman who was holding a glowing thin sword slightly adjusted his crooked enchanted armor. He looked at Morris with gloomy and sharp eyes . Sarcastically, he said, "Crazy believer. You Holy See don''t play dumb. Don''t think you''re the only one who has a copy of the Prophet''s Letter. Every major force has one.¡±


    "The Prophet¡¯s Letter? Where did you get it from?!" Morris'' pupils immediately contracted. It felt somewhat incredulous. He clearly remembered that written in the archives of the Holy See, all of the people involved in the Prophet''s Letter had been burned at the stake on the charge of heresy. None of them had survived.


    The black-robed mage who had been silent suddenly stood up. Slightly raising the top-level magic wand blessed with forty sequences of runes, he sarcastically said, "The Dark Sky, the Eye of the Night will close its eyes. Heaven and earth will be completely dark.The blasphemy would happen once more. The legendary treasure would be bathed in morning sunlight once more, but would be silent in flames."


    The shock in Morris'' eyes vanished as soon as these words were spoken. It was replaced by an icy expression. The passage spoken by the mage from the Forest of Towers was precisely the prophecy recorded in the Prophet¡¯s Letter. Obviously, that prophet had duped the entire Holy See. The precious Prophet''s Letter had been leaked and was taken by the major forces for themselves. All was secretly waiting for the coming of the Eye of Night, the lunar eclipse.


    "Then, how can you confirm the facts? It may not necessarily refer to the lunar eclipse last month, but rather in the future! If not, isn''t this a waste of your time?" Morris immediately questioned, but was countered by the magic swordsman.


    "That¡¯s why it''s just us minions who came here. The real boss didn''t even move. That''s why the Holy See only sent you, the chief executive officer of the court."


    Editor¡¯s note: What¡¯s with the author. These handsome guys keep on appearing :¡¯D Not complaining, tho. But it feels so unnecessary to put an emphasis on how handsome they are, kek.

 CH 36

    At this point, Morris had already intended to retreat. Given the involvement of several major forces, he must return alive to report this information to the Holy See. Morris, who was being cautious, noticed that the two men mysteriously standing in the middle turned their heads at the same time to look at the city gate on the right. Then, they exchanged scornful looks. At that very moment, that city gate suddenly exploded. Two groups of men riding horses charged into the city, chopping and stabbing what stood in their way.


    Morris and several people from other forces focused their gaze at them. Unanimously, they all raised their voices and yelled, "The Northern Black Orcs! The Royal Elves of The Nine Clans in the South!"


    One of the parties, as expected, was dressed in simple black armor, covered in black, and carrying a plethora of weapons. They were scowling and yelling at the group of people on the other side. On the other side, everyone had the same shade of green hair. All handsome and beautiful regardless of gender. Their armor was like a work of art, containing unrivaled beauty. In addition, the pointed ears under their hair affirmed that they were elves, a creature ordinary people would¡¯ve never seen in their whole lives.


    The barbarian had the strongest reaction when he saw the Black Orcs. Immediately raising his huge ax and hammer, grimacing while getting into a fighting stance, he roared, "Filthy, dirty black orcs! Today you will pay back the blood debt of my three thousand brothers on the Bega Grassland!"


    He was about to lead his men to charge those Black Orcs when a beautiful female elf pulled out her bow and arrow. She was tall and curvy, with pale green hair and smooth white skin. Her heroic eyes blinked angrily. All of these characteristics were typical of an elf''s beauty, which could make every man''s heart race.


    At that moment, her pointed ears twitched as she looked at the enraged barbarians. She immediately let out a beautiful voice, like a nightingale, "The Rurukh Dynasty of the Bega Grassland? We are the head of the Nine Clans of the Dark Forest, the descendants of the God, Salamander. I am the seventh royal princess, Windsor Salamander! I admire the bloodline of Marcus, the God of War, that flows in your veins. We may worship different gods, but if you and I join forces to defeat this vile race that only knows how to destroy and plunder, you will be able to befriend elves and discuss fine iron trade with our queen!"


    The elves were not fools, they loved peace. In the rich forest, there was no shortage of iron ore or precious metals. The Rurukh Dynasty, on the other hand, was in the freezing north where it snowed all year round. Iron ore was not only scarce, but also extremely difficult to mine. They mostly traded with neighboring human countries to purchase a small amount of iron at an exorbitant price. So, Windsor''s words were undeniably enticing to these barbarians.


    They would not only avoid border disputes if they traded with the elves in the south, but also obtain the iron ore they desperately needed. Elves were known to be notoriously peaceful. There would be no conflict of interest between them. The leader of the barbarians was not an idiot. Windsor''s words were credible. To them, those words were a glimmer of hope. A hope of being able to arm all the Rurukh warriors with weapons. All to destroy the orcs to unify the north and establish an eternal kingdom, As the captain of the Varangian guards from the Rurukh Dynasty, he would not let this opportunity pass him by.


    In response, the tall captain flicked his beard and yelled righteously, "You lowly black orcs! Not only did you plunder our hometown, but you also targeted our peace-loving elf friends! You who believe in the God of Darkness, Demons God Belial! I''m going to annihilate you today!"


    As soon as he said that, the barbarians behind him rushed forward with great vigor. Princess Windsor gently breathed a sigh of relief. If none of these forces helped them, the elves who had been given special orders to flee the dark forest might never be able to return. This was good, the situation had been reversed.


    Unfortunately, things were far from that simple. Before Windsor could smile, the Black Orc with protruding fangs, dark purple skin, and decent clothes narrowed his crimson eyes and joyfully shouted, "Summon the Bitter Water Dragon! The gifts for the devil can be organized first!"


    The Hellitt mages from the Forest of Towers, who held their heads high as if this had nothing to do with them, and the members of the Brotherhood of Magic Swordsmen suddenly became righteous at the same time. They each picked up their wands and magic swords. One of them shouted with anger, "Black Orcs! We have nothing to do with the conflict between you and them! If our brotherhood is to be involved, the Black Orcs'' camp will be gone by tomorrow. The flag of magic and sword will be hung there!"


    Followed by the mage from the Forest of Towers who immediately said, "The three masters will be prosperous, but anything else will be damaged. Only the fire and meteor from the myth will come to life. The forbidden spell will reappear in the north!"


    Who would¡¯ve known that the dirty and ugly Black Orc only laughed. It was full of hideous killing intent.


    "Humans, elves! I will kill all of you. None of you will be able to leave to tell others!"


    A loud and clear roar erupted from the sky. The sound pierced through the walls like a sharp blade and directly into people''s ears. Morris from the Inquisition, the mages from the Forest of Towers, the magic swordsmen, the barbarians, and Princess Windsor, all turned pale at the same time. The unarmed students from the Freemasons'' Association were already on their knees, covering their ears in pain.


    Just as the roars began to subside, three huge creatures were flying in the sky. They were flapping their wings. There were four straight horns on their heads, gray scales all over their bodies, and hideous huge barbed claws on their feet. TThey swooped in with a brutality that obliterated everything! Morris and the others were stunned when they saw these three massive creatures come to life. All of them exclaimed in shock, "Bitter Water Dragons!"


    Bitter Water Dragons were very vicious dragons that could only be found in the north. They were called dragons, but they belonged to the sub-dragon species. One could only imagine the heroic appearance of a real pure-blooded dragon or a giant dragon as written in mythology. Despite being a sub-dragon species, this Bitter Water Dragon lived and bred in the vast Hada Salt Lake in the north due to its long-lasting lifespan. Therefore, it could let out a very strong corrosive breath.


    The Great Hada Salt Lake tasted very bitter because it was too salty, so the local residents called it bitter water. The name of Bitter Water Dragon also originated from this. Because of its rough skin and thick flesh, the bitter water dragon was difficult to hurt or kill with ordinary sword magic. It was a creature that the army dared not provoke in the cold northern land.


    Morris counted and was in shock when he found out that these three were all adult bitter water dragons. Each of them was twenty meters long. Their two wings were fifty meters wide. Three heads swooped down, enough to kill more than half of the major forces present at the same time.


    At such a critical moment, the elves immediately readied their bows and arrows. The magic swordsmen took out the shield behind their backs. Preparing to withstand the dragons¡¯ deadly breath. The barbarians drew their huge axes, readying themselves to strike a fatal blow to the bitter water dragon. Morris and others also ran to the rear of the team, ready to treat the injured. The assassins who were originally suspicious of each other and the various forces that were at war, miraculously united to face this unfathomable enemy together.


    The black orcs who had already fled triumphantly smiled. They didn''t believe the three bitter water dragons could take on these major forces'' elites. However, it was worthwhile to significantly weaken them. With this, the Demon Lord''s task would be completed as well.


    It was a pity that the short-sighted Black Orcs didn''t care at all about the two people with unknown powers standing on the edge of the team, strolling casually in the courtyard. He had no idea what kind of enemies he would encounter on this mission.

 CH 37

    Princess Windsor, who was standing behind the shields lined up by magic swordsmen, noticed the two handsome men, whose identities were unknown, exchange a quick glance. The black-haired man in the Chinese robe smiled and said to the blond man who had been ignoring him, "Although you and I don''t know each other nor have we fought each other before, I have a feeling that these three sub-dragons will be suitable opponents for you to face. After all, this is also your family''s business."


    As soon as he said that before the major forces around him could react, the blond man wisely smiled. He nodded appreciatively and said, "Have you already seen through my origin, the fabled warrior lord?"


    Hearing this, he black-haired man was taken aback for a moment. However, he then smiled and took a half step back. Expressing that he would not interfere.


    Princess Windsor, who had been perplexed at first, was shocked to see this wise blond man take a step forward and look up at the three huge bitter water dragons that were swooping down. And those initially gentle eyes quickly transformed into an awe-inspiring and shocking gaze. His round pupils, the one a human being had, turned into a vertical pupil akin to a beast.


    A miracle happened. The Bitter Water Dragons, which were about to break through the tower and crush these humans with their sharp claws and fangs, suddenly halted midair. They looked warily if they sensed a huge threat. Their flapping wings looked panicked. A subtle feeling of wanting to turn around and run away arose. If one looked carefully, they would notice that the initially ferocious eyes of these Bitter Water Dragons were filled with fear. They feared something that was among the group of tiny human beings below. The majestic aura of a king was coming from down there.


    When he saw these Bitter Water Dragons, the blond man did not flee. His eyebrows frowned in displeasure. Suddenly opening his mouth, he let out a terrifying roar that scared all of the surrounding major forces. Making them fall onto the ground.


    "Roar, ROARR!"


    The mages, magic swordsmen, barbarians, elves, and Morris in the vicinity all felt a wave of terror. The powerful shockwave was enough to push them away. Even the shield of a strong person from the Inquisition like Morris'' was instantly destroyed by the shockwave. He fell to the ground powerlessly.


    One could imagine how violently the three Bitter Water Dragons were struck by this roar. They wailed and fell to the ground in unison. rashing into the surrounding towers and rolling together.


    However, when facing these tiny human beings, the Bitter Water Dragons didn''t have their previous ferocity anymore. They raised their heads and glanced at the blond man in fear. Sitting up reluctantly and burying their noble heads deep within their arms. They kept retreating in humility and fear, just like a commoner in front of the king. It wasn''t until they retreated near the city gate that they let out a roar of joy because they survived the catastrophe. They quickly spread their wings and flew away, as if fleeing from something.


    Dumbfounded. At the time, this was the most accurate portrayal of everyone. They all stared blankly at the blond man in the center who was straightening his collar. A thought flashed through everyone''s mind, "The giant dragon lost in the mythology has reappeared!"


    The first to react, surprisingly, were the mages of the Forest of Hellit. After all, these scholars spent their entire day in silence studying magic and arcane arts. They specialized in all knowledge. Thus, they were unrivaled in their knowledge of the continent. Before the others could react, these mages¡ªwho originally had a high and mighty demeanor¡ªgathered around excitedly as if they had just seen a lost mystery of magic. One of them said, "I have researched magic all my life. To be able to see the dragon that represents the crystallization of the mystery of magic before I die, now I can die with a smile on my face! Hahahaha!"


    "Tell me guys, will those instructors be envious of us when we return to the Forest of Towers? Oh Almighty God, this is a real living dragon!"


    "Oh my, it''s really a giant dragon, The illusion technique is so advanced, the details are so realistic you can even see the hairs! That''s awesome."


    A large group of mages gathered around the blond man, talking nonstop. Originally, they were wise. But now, they looked like lunatics who hadn¡¯t spoken for thousands of years. Commenting about the giant dragon feared by the world.


    Morris and Windsor were slightly stunned. They scolded these mages to quickly move, only for the dragon to be surrounded by other bootlickers.


    The magic swordsman spoke first, "Oh great dragon, our Brotherhood of Magic Swordsmen is now the most powerful organization, I hope to invite you to the headquarters to rest for a few days."


    As soon as he heard this, the barbarian was offended, "Your magic swordsmen are the most powerful? Our Rurukh Dynasty is in the northern land, ruled by the God of War! If Mr. Dragon visits us, he can ask for as many jewels and gold coins as he desires!"


    The barbarians took advantage of the dragon''s penchant for shiny things. When they were about to say the right things to convince him, Morris maintained his faithful and gentle manner while saying, "Holy Dragon, your clan once made allies with our Holy See in ancient mythology. Instead of going to these barbarians¡¯ uncivilized dwellings, why not visit our temple and bask in the holy light of Enos?"


    The beautiful and dignified Windsor couldn''t keep her cool when it came to the giant dragon. Her long pointed ears were tensing. She immediately sneered, "Allies? In mythology, it was your pope who declared the dragons as heretics. Now you have the nerve to call them allies? Mr. Dragon, our people in the Dark Forest value peace; these humans are only interested in power and profit. Why don''t you come and live in the forest for a while?"


    At the time, these forces were shamelessly attempting to woo the dragon. They all knew that the appearance of the giant dragon meant that he would return to the mainland again. Now was different from the ancient times in the mythology. Nowadays, talents had withered. Strong people had died or retired. When would the opportunity of meeting the dragon who crossed the continent back then appear again? They didn¡¯t know about that, but they did understand one thing. If one of the forces became a dragon knight or an ally of the dragon, the benefits would be so great, needless to say.


    The domineering dragon smiled awkwardly and said, "Because you guys can''t say my real name, just call me Odovic. I''m not here on behalf of the dragon clan, I just came here for fun."


    Even after Odovic explained, these forces that were determined to curry favor with the dragon showed no signs of letting go. The Black Orcs, who saw the Bitter Water Dragon were scared away by the sudden mysterious dragon, realized that the situation was not favorable to them. When they were about to flee, the man in the black robe who had slipped under the radar suddenly raised his hand. There was a dagger. Soon, a series of cutting sounds were heard from the city gate.


    Windsor and others instantly returned to their senses and turned their heads. Only to discover that the black-haired man had long since disappeared and had been standing at the far side of the city gates who knew when. What shocked them even more was that, with the exception of the leading orc, the heads of the other orcs had been severed. Their bodies limp, collapsed in a pool of blood.

 CH 38

    Fast, it was shockingly fast! Windsor and Morris looked at the scene, dumbfounded. The overwhelming shock made them unable to collect themselves for a brief moment. The dragon, Odovic, was now looking at the black-haired man. His eyes showed a dignified gaze and a bit of hatred.


    On the other side, the only survivor, the Orc leader, was sweating profusely. His trembling hands dropped the long sword. His mind was blank.


    The black-haired man smiled. Raising the dagger in his hand and pointing it at the Orc, he said, "You just mentioned a gift for the Demon Lord. I''m curious, who is this Demon Lord?"


    The Black Orc immediately came back to his senses. Unexpectedly, he gritted his fangs and said, "Kill me! The flames and the army of the Demon Lord will trample your human land sooner or later!"


    The black-haired man smiled faintly, but said glumly, "If you don''t say anything, I''ll go to a black sorcerer for aid. Their soul stripping magic is very effective. Even believers who has faith in Belial are able to do it."


    Soul stripping magic was a masterpiece of evil magic, a branch of the extremely cruel dark magic. They could forcibly strip the soul of a creature and put it in a specific container. One could do whatever they want to this soul. Whether it was searching for their life memories and offering them as sacrifices to the gods, or using dark alchemy to make evil magical items with it. It was a magic that the Holy See and other forces could not tolerate.


    And as soon as these words were spoken, the black orc''s face changed dramatically. His previously dark face turned a little pale. Morris became gloomy in an instant. For a fanatic like him, publicly requesting assistance from the black wizard would be a slap in the face to the Holy See. He, Morris, naturally couldn''t take it any longer and was about to stand up.


    Grab. Windsor, who was standing beside him, promptly held him with one hand. Her face was more solemn than ever before. She shook her head.


    The Black Orc who had an ugly face suddenly took out two scrolls from his pockets on both sides and tore them apart. Yellow light was coming from the ground beside him. As if it had life, the gravel ground moved by itself. It gradually condensed into two massive earth and stone figures. They were eight meters tall and there was a flickering arcane energy in the seams to keep the figures operating.


    "Two Earth Elemental Summoning Scrolls! It''s something from our Forest of Towers!" the mages shouted. Those were the fruit of their painstaking efforts. Who knew it would be used against them by the enemy? But then, whether it was the wailing mages, the observing barbarians, the inwardly uncomfortable Morris, the silently watching Windsor, or the silent magic swordsmen, everyone was terrified!


    When the smiling black-haired man opened his eyes, thousands of stars seemed to flow through his pupils in an instant. The two huge earth figures that were about to launch an attack froze and collapsed, returning back into soil and stones. Everyone was stunned. The mages from the Forest of Towers were all also stunned. Nobody knew what this meant better than they did


    The leading mage''s eyes were filled with disbelief as he muttered, "The magical structure collapsed? No, that''s impossible! It''s impossible for the magic that¡¯s activated using a scroll to get a structural collapse! Then, what is this?!"


    As soon as the leader finished speaking, a small mage behind him muttered, "This guy, is he a warrior or a colleague?"


    The magic swordsman and his gang jumped up excitedly. They believed that this mysterious and powerful figure was also a magic swordsman. Perhaps he was the most powerful among the magic swordsmen. Breaking the myth of a magic swordsman''s double cultivation in magic and martial arts.


    "You, what have you done?!" The black orc looked at all this in shock. Although he did not understand magic nor did he understand what this meant, he knew that the person who could break apart this magic was definitely not ordinary.


    The black-haired man smiled faintly and said nothing in response to the black orc''s question. Instead, Odovic, who was standing at a distance, said with a complicated expression, "A power that should not exist. It''s been three thousand years, warrior. Are you still not extinct?"


    "Neither of us is malicious. It was just a misunderstanding three thousand years ago. The leader has already apologized in person to your patriarch. You''re well aware of it."


    Feeling complicated, Ordovic nodded and stopped talking. The black-haired man ignored the Black Orc who was getting more and more nervous. He said, "Odovic! Son of the Red Dragon of Lunacy. You have the right to know my real name!"


    The black-haired man let out a series of strange and wonderful syllables. So odd that a human mouth wouldn¡¯t be able to make such a sound. When Odovic heard it, he bowed gracefully and wisely.


    "I honor you with your human manners, you are a warrior worthy of my, Odovic''s, respect."


    People like Windsor and Morris, who had previously been chattering and noisy, fell silent at this point. They felt that the power they were proud of was nothing in front of these genuine strong men. They were so embarrassed that they remained silent and swallowed their doubts.


    Unfortunately, the situation was volatile. When everyone in the major forces was getting emotional over the appearance of giant dragons and the mysterious warrior, Unfortunately, the situation was volatile. Everyone in the major forces was getting emotional over the appearance of giant dragons and the mysterious warrior when a huge underground world that was astonishingly large was unfolding. It was thousands of miles away and thousands of meters deep in an unnoticed forest pool. Beneath the heavy rock layers and tunnels, there was a huge underground city. There were stone houses and stone buildings. Everything was made out of stones. There was also a spacious road paved with stone slabs.


    Both sides of the road were adorned with beautiful and expensive magic lights that emitted a soft yellow light. There was a ten-thousand-foot abyss between the road on one side and the road on the other side. Cold underground water was flowing from the endless stone wall a thousand meters above the head, falling directly into the abyss. From a distance, it looked like a breathtaking waterfall. Artificial bridges were built so one could cross the abyss. If scrutinized carefully, a dense sequence of runes were carved into these stone bridges and buildings. It was used so the bridges and buildings could stand firm for eternity..


    Strangely, everyone on the street was dressed in cloaks and trench coats. These people, men and women, young and old, were either holding books or carrying a large number of alchemy experiments they had just bought from the store. If looked closely, one would find that the majority of the people wearing cloaks weren¡¯t human. There were elves with pointy ears, dwarves with big beards, orcs with fangs, and Mulams with their black skin as they originated from the desert. Occasionally, acquaintances passed by and greeted each other in a friendly manner. The place was filled with delightful peace and good manners.


    Past the endless stone houses and buildings and through the countless branches of the stone road, the center of this huge underground city was located there. The most conspicuous thing was not the magnificent castle nor the crowds of people walking through, but a stone statue of an old man with a book in his left hand and a hammer in his right hand, towering over the huge square.


    Countless passers-by would always pause in front of the stone statue. They only raised their heads to look at it. After watching silently, they walked away without saying a word. A massive stone slab laid beneath the stone statue. Hundreds of languages, including the elf language, ancient elf language, ancient demon language, desert mulam language, imperial language, ancient sacrificial language, orc language, barbarian language, and others, were used on the stone slabs. The text was densely written, but they all said the same thing:


    We are freemasons! In order to search for the truth and prove the truth, we would rather give up our freedom, hold a book and a hammer, and knock down the high god from the throne of truth with the hammer in our right hand. We use the book in our left hand to teach about life so everyone knows the truth. Recognize that their soul does not come from God, but from themselves!

 CH 39

    This vast and boundless underground city turned out to be the headquarters of the very mysterious Freemasons¡¯ Association. These madmen, devoted to alchemy and the pursuit of truth, had expanded the headquarters into an enormous city. Right behind the stone statue, there stood a castle without walls.


    There were stairs leading to the castle in all directions. Vaguely, it could be seen that all kinds of alchemists were carrying documents or potions, walking on the magnificent corridors. What was truly amazing about this castle was the huge tower suspended right above the castle¡¯s roofs. Beneath the tower, there was a large crystal ball that was emanating a magical luster and thousands of rune sequences enchanted with alchemy. This huge thing was suspended in mid-air.


    On the top floor of this suspended magic tower, suddenly a ball of white light lit up in the center of a dark hall, above the round table. What was inside the hall was immediately visible, illuminated by the white light. Around the round table, sat eight masked people. They were staring silently at the huge crystal ball in the middle, which was glowing white.


    What was shocking was that this crystal ball showed the situation in which the Freemasons¡¯ Association branch was invaded and searched by various forces from the past half month until the past ten days. The crystal ball only flickered, showing the events from half a month ago in less than a minute. After, the light dimmed until no more light was emitted. The entire hall was plunged into darkness once more.


    Such an uncomfortable atmosphere, yet none of these eight weird people spoke. The silence persisted, making the atmosphere feel torturous. It was overwhelming until a man on the west side of the table spoke up. His voice sounded old.


    "Willis, you are in charge of Branch No. 22. Please report your situation and the gravity of the situation."


    As soon as he said that, a man who was sitting on the east side sighed faintly. The tiny magic light streaming in from the window shone on the plain gold mask worn by the man called Willis. The outline of the mask was exactly the same as the face of the man who appeared in the branch''s mirror that day.


    "The lunar eclipse appeared and the scroll surfaced. It is identical as written in the Prophet''s Letter. Illuminati and other major forces mixed in and searched extensively. I''m pleased that the great seal of Emmonik was discovered. Even if it is, it is unlikely that the seal can be broken in less than a month," Willis slowly said.


    The other seven remained silent. Willis kept talking, but his words were vaguely reproachful, "Frodo, the Divination Bureau''s failure to predict the date of the lunar eclipse in advance is unquestionably a dereliction of duty. You are in charge of the divination bureau, so this also falls upon your responsibility."


    The old man named Frodo, who spoke earlier, nodded. He didn¡¯t care whether the others could see it or not. He said, "I¡¯ll take responsibility. After the meeting, I will voluntarily go to the Disciplinary Department to receive punishment. According to what we deciphered from the Prophet''s Letter, the scroll is most likely to have been burned. Our mission had been accomplished. What about the major forces who have infiltrated the branch?"


    Frodo had just finished speaking when the huge crystal ball suddenly lit up again. The crystal ball showed a strange man wearing a wooden mask on his head. When Frodo, Willis, and the others saw it, they pushed their stools aside and stood up. They proceeded to respectfully bow and salute the man.


    "President."


    "Sit down, I''m late on some news, I need to understand the specifics."


    Willis and the others smiled and sat down.


    "Today is the day the scroll will completely disappear. We, the association, are following the prophecy written in the Prophet''s Letter. Thus, we have given the truth of the scroll for the world to destroy. I have confirmed that President Uruk''s ten thousand-year-old magic mark has been destroyed. The scroll has vanished from the face of the earth," the president said in a low voice.


    Willis and the others were relieved, but there was still some reluctance. After all, they were talking about the highest achievement of alchemy. Although the method used should be classified as dark alchemy, no matter what, it was still alchemy. Willis was relieved because what the president said reduced his own responsibility significantly.


    After a moment of silence, the president suddenly turned his head and asked Willis, "The Branch¡¯s Dean, I remember his name is Ryan, the naughty boy. How is he doing?"


    Willis'' body trembled. Somewhat with a heavy heart, he said, "After seeing the lunar eclipse, Ryan became extremely anxious, knowing that the Prophet¡¯s Letter is referring to him. To avoid him being seized by people from other forces, I intimidated and lured him to self-destruct. As his last wish, he only hoped the president could take care of his family that is staying at headquarters."


    "Hey, Ryan, this kid. I watched him grow up. Okay, allocate three hundred gold coins to his family, enough for them to live."


    Willis nodded. The president in the crystal ball abruptly raised his hand, his face solemn. In an instant, dense runes appeared throughout the entire dark hall. Like water currents, it formed a complex and huge alchemical array floating on everyone''s table. The eight people immediately stopped making noise.


    "Vote, those who agree to destroy the 22nd branch of the Freemasons¡¯ Association, stand up,¡± the president said softly.


    "Agree."


    "I agree."


    "I also agree."


    One by one, seven people expressed their opinions until Willis was the only one left. Frodo sighed and said, "Willis, let him destroy what needs to be destroyed. We are sorry for the innocent children who will die in vain. We''ll have to pay this debt eventually. The branch can only be destroyed to thwart the selfishness of the major forces in their pursuit of the scroll."


    Willis remained silent when he heard these words. Finally, he nodded slightly and said, hoarsely, "Agreed."


    The president looked deeply at Willis through the crystal ball. Flowing with charisma, the president then said, "Eight people agreed. In my position as the president, according to the agreement of the Freemasons, I¡¯ll destroy the 22nd branch!"


    As soon as he said that, the huge and complicated alchemy array on the round table suddenly changed. Its numerous runes shifted and deformed. Surprisingly, it converged into thousands of alchemical formations, both small and large. Willis'' eyes caught sight of one of the small alchemical arrays floating in front of him. In the center of the alchemical array, ¡®Freemasons Federation, Branch Number 22¡¯ was written in ancient language.


    Numbers such as No. 23, No. 25, No. 76, No. 450, and so on were written in these thousands of alchemical formations of various sizes. In other words, two pieces of information could be gained from this. Not only did this terrifying alchemical formation have an indirect grip on all the branches, but there were thousands of branches, enough to cover the entire continent.


    At that moment, the president in the crystal ball nodded slightly. Eight people, including Willis, immediately stretched out their palms and pressed on the huge alchemical array floating on the table. In unison, they said, "Start the 22nd Branch''s decomposition spell!"


    The Freemasons¡¯ Association''s alchemical array marked with No. 22 immediately burst into a dazzling light. Its encircling runes dispersed one by one in all directions. This phantom almost brought the entire alchemical formation to life!


    Right now, at the Freemasons¡¯ Association Branch No. 22, the black-haired man and the dragon Odovic¡¯s expressions suddenly changed dramatically. The two exchanged a look. Odovic immediately jumped up, opened his mouth towards the city gate to mutter a few incomprehensible syllables. From his mouth, a huge ball of searing hot fire erupted. The blast blew up the gates. The black-haired man, not wanting to be outdone, opened his voice and shouted. "Everyone run away! Damn alchemists! How dare they attack so hard!"


    Morris, Windsor, and the others exchanged looks. Wondering what was wrong because they had no idea what had happened. From the ground outside the exploded gate, a dazzling light suddenly burst out, spreading to Morris and the others¡¯ feet at an extremely fast speed. When he saw the dense runes that had covered the ground beneath his feet, the mage of Heillitt from the Forest of Towers dropped his wand in fear. Thousands of them were floating on the stone floor. So dense if one didn¡¯t look closely, it was akin to a knee-deep river.


    TThe barbarians who were about to say they were staying to explore the search scrolls immediately swallowed their words. After exchanging glances to the left and right, a young magic swordsman who didn''t know what to do or what was important yelled excitedly, "Ow ow ow! These alchemists must be scared! Chief, let''s rush inside the castle and find the scroll now! The dawn for us, magic swordsmen is coming!"


    Who knew that the stunned leader of the Brotherhood of Magic Swordsmen would crack his hands and slap him. His face was full of fear as he shouted, "If you want to die, you stay! We''re leaving! If you find the scroll and don¡¯t die, you can take my position!"


    At this point, everyone understood that the countless runes on the ground were absolutely no laughing matter. Unsurprisingly, these five forces of people immediately scattered wildly towards the exploded city gate. The old mage, who was physically shy and weak, yelled in frustration while holding his breath, "Damn alchemist! How dare they paint the entire castle with decomposition alchemy formations! If I, Philip, did not die, I would definitely¡­."


    "Hey, don''t be so sure. Run for your life first!" A barbarian beside him lifted the old Philip and ran towards the city gate with big strides.


    "Let go of me, you savage and rude guy! Can¡¯t you be gentler?!" In the distance, old Philip''s angry curses could be heard faintly.

 CH 40

    On the hill outside the branch of the Freemasons¡¯ Association, a dreadful Morris, Windsor, and the rest of the crowd were dumbfounded. They stood there watching as the magnificent castle was engulfed in an incomparably massive pillar of light that emerged. The figures of those who did not have enough time to flee could still be seen in the distance. They wailed as they kneeled in the violent floating runes. Alongside the screams, they decomposed into dust and disappeared.


    Windsor trembled and whispered in terror as the pillar of light that was reaching the sky gradually fading away, "Everything is gone. All of it."


    The original magnificent castle was no longer there. It was as if ice cream had been scooped out of a piece of flat surface, forming an extremely curved circular sunken ground. Everyone was hesitant to speak in this strange silence. Odovic, the dragon, exchanged glances with the mysterious warrior. Then, the two just quietly left.


    Paladin, who was far away, had no way of knowing about the great turmoil in the Freemasons¡¯ Association. At the time, he was still drunk on developing and comprehending his own power. After discovering that he could capture the golden light element using his own element, Paladin had to acknowledge a fact. When darkness fell and there was no hint of sunlight in the night, it was impossible for him to replenish the magic elements. In other words, during the night, Paladin was very vulnerable. Once the three hundred magic elements surrounding his body had been depleted, unless daylight came, he would be nothing but an empty shell.


    This fact made Paladin sigh. On the other hand, if he chose to develop the use of the magic elements in the daytime first, he could capture the magic elements endlessly. If so, wouldn''t he have unlimited magic power in the daytime? The temptation was too great. However, Paladin had to learn the hard way that once he used the elements to coalesce magic to the limit of what they could hold, they could no longer absorb the elements.


    The reason was that his own limit at this moment was three hundred. He tried to make light arrows with three hundred magic elements while continuously absorbing magic elements when the spell was activated. However, absorbing and using magic elements at the same time wasn¡¯t possible. The amount of magic elements he could have at one time was limited. The previous attempt to replenish thousands, if not tens of thousands, of magic elements failed.


    There were some gains even if there were losses too, Paladin tried to console himself.


    Paladin also discovered that absorbing magic elements through the Philosopher''s Stone would greatly consume his life essence. He must use an equal amount of Philosopher''s Stone to restore the life essence, or he¡¯d revert to his previous miserable state, in which he nearly died of old age. The good news was that the number of magical elements gained from the Philosopher''s Stone would not diminish with age. At least, it provided him with some solace.


    At present, Paladin still had little contact with the outer world. As a result, he had no idea that a mage with over a thousand elements, such as the great ice mage Nasura, was a rare and unreachable high-leveled person on the continent. Simply put, those who attained a thousand magic elements would become great mages. Common mages possessed less than a thousand magical elements. While the mages required magic props to determine how many magic elements they possessed, Paladin only needed to see with his eyes.


    The magic guide was a level higher than the great mage. The maximum number of magical elements that one could possess to still be considered as a great mage was 5.000 magic elements. However, the maximum amount for a magic guide was considerably higher. The maximum limit was a whopping 50,000 magic elements. The magic power was so strong it could destroy an entire army. They were feared and fawned over by major monarchs, enough to turn someone into a legendary figure.


    Currently, only the leaders of the Three Grand Masters had reached the level of Archmage. The exact extent of their powers were unknown. Just like the mythical St. Magellan, who was bestowed the title of Saint by the Holy See. Although it was unknown how powerful he was, it was said that he alone directly overpowered the spell cast by ten great mages.


    Unfortunately, Paladin could only see the magic elements. As a result, he could only see the mage''s or caster''s ability at a glance. He wouldn¡¯t be able to see the power level of different kinds of fighters and assassins¡ªfor example, magic swordsmen, barbarians with bloodline power, assassins from Assassin Association, and some powerful warriors or knights.


    Their power level could be classified using the ten classes established by the soldiers themselves. Just as mages had mages, great mages, magic guides, magic mentors, and archmages. The five lower ranks of fighters could fight against mages. The next four levels were strong enough to fight against the great mages. Meanwhile, the highest level of fighters could barely deal with magic guides. It was just that the power of magic was too strong. No matter how hard someone trained their body, they couldn''t resist the power of this world.


    This would result in the current situation in which justice was expensive while war was cheap. Because of this, countless warriors sought out various powers in order to strengthen themselves against mages. The magic swordsmen''s dual practice of magic and martial arts, barbarians'' bloodline method, Assassin Alliance''s power based on instant burst, dragon knights'' ability to make friends with dragons to strengthen himself, Paladin''s use of divine power, and so on were a few of them. It was a pity that they would all be unable to resist the powerful and wise group of mages.


    Although the power of his 300 magic elements was only comparable to that of an ordinary mage, the elements he had mastered were too strange. In addition, his elemental control was so good it made people feel suicidal. There was no danger even if he went up against a mage with combat power twice his own. Deep in thought, Paladin waved his hand casually. The three hundred light elements hovering around him immediately gathered in his palm.


    A tiny ball of light was formed, emanating a dazzling luster. These days, Paladin devoted himself to studying divine magic. Not only did he learn how to make the Arrow of Light, but he also learned other two magics that required less than three hundred magic elements.


    There was a sacred chain designed to bind enemies. The effect was mediocre. Paladin wasn¡¯t that impressed. Instead, it was another tasteless lighting technique that brightened Paladin''s eyes. As the name implies, the lighting technique consisted of creating a magical lamp to illuminate the surroundings. When Paladin used it at will, he discovered that it was one of the few magics that could be used without any magic structure! It was different from a fireball technique. Although a large number of elements could be used to boost its power, once the number of elements exceeded the limit of the magic frame, the magic would vanish due to the structure being squeezed out.


    A wooden barrel would be a good analogy. You could take a bath with a half-full wooden barrel, but you could also add more water. However, once the amount of water exceeded the capacity of the wooden barrel, it¡¯d overflow, wasting the water. The lighting technique, on the other hand, didn¡¯t have this flaw because it simply added condensed magic elements to increase the density and generate light and heat. Because there was no frame constraint, you could use up all of your magic elements. It didn''t look much. At best, it¡¯d become brighter. But, it was important to mention that Paladin''s golden light magic elements were violent and aggressive. Thus, the end result was quite different.


    Paladin smiled as he looked at the ball of light in his hand. Immediately, all three hundred golden magical elements surrounding him went crazy and became condensed. The light ball, which was only the size of a soybean at first, quickly swelled up like a sponge absorbing water. It continued to grow bigger. When Paladin used all of his magic elements, the light sphere had grown to the size of the mouth of a bowl. Paladin was pleasantly surprised to hear the faint crackling sound of energy collision coming from the light sphere.


    Without further ado, Paladin intercepted the extremely dense elements on the ball¡¯s surface. Just like piercing a small hole in a balloon with a needle. He then extended his hand and aimed it out of the window. Instantly, the light sphere burst. Forming a golden light beam as thick as a finger with a buzzing sound that made ears ring.


    This golden light beam darted across the church, through the houses, and struck a large tree hundreds of meters away. It was as simple as slicing thin paper with a knife. This large tree, at least a hundred years old, was easily sliced down the middle. High-temperature sparks radiated from the cut. The nearby houses collapsed with a bang. The emptiness felt when Paladin¡¯s magic elements were used up in an instant didn¡¯t bother him. Right now, he was looking at the disaster he had caused with a crazed face. The corners of his mouth formed a sinister arc.


    "This is exactly what I¡¯m looking for!"

 CH 41

    The next morning, Paladin stood in front of Enos'' statue. Receiving the prayers of the commoners who came. When he was smiling and holding the hand of a young girl to explain God''s mercy, the church door was suddenly kicked open.


    A middle-aged man in ornate clothes stood there with a wretched appearance and a beard bearded into eight. Two mercenaries in leather armor stood behind him, long swords at their waists. He grinned and shouted ¡°, "Paladin! You priest! You''ve blasphemed against Enos'' mercy! You should be thrown into the abyss and tortured to death by those demons!"


    Paladin''s face was devoid of anger in the face of verbal abuse. Instead, he turned to the stunned civilians with a gentle face and said, "Please leave, I have something to say to this believer." Civilians who didn''t want to get caught in trouble immediately heaved a relieved sigh and ran away without a trace.


    This was obviously what the fat merchant wanted to see. After allowing the civilians to leave, the door was closed. Then, the guards stood beside him. With a grim smile on his face, he said, "Paladin, you disregarded the doctrine and purposefully killed the shopkeeper, Prad. Then you¡¯re taking over the ironworks under his name! You are greedy for profit and have been deeply poisoned by the devil!"


    He abruptly lowered his voice and continued, "Automatically, as long as you admit your mistake, transfer the deed of the ironworks to me for safekeeping, and sincerely kneel down to lick the soles of my shoes, I will not report it to the bishop of the diocese."


    "Humph." Paladin grunted disdainfully. He looked at the merchant and said, "Smart people don''t spew nonsense, you want this iron smelter?"


    "That¡¯s right! You do have some brain. I just want the iron smelter. When something happens in Nurba, you can ask me to help you out. Trust me, you''ll think this is a good deal, given that I, a wealthy local businessman, will support and assist the priest." Surprised, the rich merchant nodded and stated his intention directly and openly. The normally kind and even shy priest¡¯s behavior had changed drastically.


    Surprisingly, he ignored the wealthy merchant and turned to the two mercenaries behind him, asking, "You are Kaleqi''s men, what are his orders?" The two mercenaries looked at each other, but fell silent. Paladin immediately nodded in understanding, still ignoring the rich merchant who was a little angry at being ignored. He then muttered, "Kaleqi should be the one in charge of the smelters. Are you trying to test me?"


    "Hey! I''m talking to you, a priest who lacks even the most basic manners!" The rich merchant became enraged and stepped forward, pointing at Paladin''s nose and cursing him. But Paladin gave him a sidelong glance, waved his hand expressionlessly, and knocked him to the ground with a slap. His right foot immediately followed with a hard kick to the fat stomach.


    "AHHH!"


    The rich merchant let out a heartbreaking scream. The two mercenaries jumped in shock and were about to draw their swords. However, they were forced to stop when they saw Paladin¡¯s darkened eyes. They felt as if they were being watched by a python coiling in the dry leaves. Staring at them, making the atmosphere feel suffocating and oppressing. As soon as they moved a little bit, the huge python would wrap itself around them and crush all of their bones.


    "How dare you hit me? Paladin, so you don''t want to be a priest anymore! I know the bishop of the diocese, you¡­."


    Paladin didn¡¯t let the angry rich merchant finish speaking. He grabbed his fat neck, lifting up the rich merchant who weighed more than two hundred pounds, and slammed him against the wall.


    "You''re a foolish and greedy lowlife with nothing but gold coins. Tell me, did you come here to get the ironworks for yourself or are you collaborating with those foolish colleagues who couldn¡¯t even move?¡±


    The rich merchant, who was already scared but still had some courage, turned his head to look at the mercenaries who stood frozen in place. He was about to scold them when Paladin¡¯s grip grew stronger and it squeezed his neck even more. His face instantly became red.


    "You haven''t answered my question yet."


    The rich merchant, whose neck was being squeezed more and more, realized that Paladin''s eyes no longer had the devotion and gentleness that a servant of God should have. Instead, those eyes were unbridled, crazy, and full of madness.


    At this point, the rich merchant was really terrified. There was a voice inside his head, telling him that if he didn''t say anything, this monster clad in the priest''s robe would really kill him!


    "I''ll say it, I''ll say it! It''s their words, Nari''s, Chira''s, and Dorren''s. I''m just snooping! Don''t kill me!" The rich merchant, fully panicked, told Paladin who his accomplices were.


    Paladin only nodded in understanding. These were the merchants who took up the majority of Nurba''s iron ore output. To put it another way, these few people represent all of Nurba''s iron smelters.


    Paladin had guessed so. He then removed his hand. The rich merchant immediately fell to the ground and started coughing. His neck was red like a rose. The rich merchant, who was relieved because he thought his opponent was actually scared to kill someone, was taken aback when he saw Paladin smiling and searching for the dagger he was wearing on his body. The rich merchant could guarantee that he only carried the dagger. He had no real intention of killing anyone. It was purely a gorgeous decoration the merchant had already worn for years, but had never been pulled out.


    Just when the rich merchant was worried that Paladin was really thinking of killing him, Paladin laughed, raised the dagger, and stabbed his own left arm.


    "Ahhhhhhh! Ahhhhhhh! That hurts!"


    Paladin pulled out the dagger. Immediately, bright red blood flowed from the arm. His eyes were becoming increasingly crazier.


    "You crazy man." The rich merchant and the two mercenaries looked at the scene in a daze. However, the obese rich merchant was the first to react and showed a look of fear.


    Paladin raised his head, cold sweat began to form on his forehead. With a conspiratorial smile, he said, "Early in the morning, you disturbed a sacred church, drove away the believers, and tried to murder a priest of the Holy See! Hahahahaha, you foolish fellow, you messed with the wrong person!"


    At that moment, the door that had been closed tightly was suddenly kicked open from outside. Kaleqi, together with a group of guards, walked in in a pretentious manner. Ignoring the curious people behind him, he yelled at the top of his lungs, "I heard that some people openly provoked the holy church! Huh? What''s going on here?!"


    Halfway through his line, Kaleqi saw the two mercenaries carefully pointing at Paladin who had a painful expression on his face and the rich merchant who was lying on the ground with a pale face. When he saw the blood rushing out of Paladin''s arm, his originally rational head instantly went blank.


    When Paladin saw the main character of the show approaching him, he screamed and collapsed to the ground. He covered his bleeding arm and started wailing. Kaleqii, who heard the scream, immediately came back to his senses. He quickly ran over and didn¡¯t forget to look at the rich merchant. But, he then saw that the other party''s eyes were blank, as if his feelings were dead.

 CH 42

    "Father, what''s going on?!" Kaleqi dashed over to Paladin and squatted. He looked at the serious injury on Paladin''s arm and said that in a concerned but reproachful tone. With a pained expression, Paladin wailed. He glanced at the civilians standing over the doorway, watching him curiously. Immediately, he cried out in aggravation.


    "I was listening to the believers'' confessions. Who''d have thought he''d break in? He claimed to be the master of Nurba. To prevent me from liberating the town under his control and enslavement, he purposefully planned the death of the Prad family. All of this is simply a plot to take over Prad''s ironworks! When he didn''t get his way, he became so enraged that he told me to kneel and then tried to kill me with the dagger in his arms!"


    Boom! Paladin said it extra loud so that the civilians outside could hear. It immediately caused an uproar. The civilians quickly whispered to each other.


    Kaleqi glared fiercely at Paladin. But then, he turned his head to look at the wealthy merchant. With a sad expression, he said, "Grundy, you are also a well known figure in Nurba. I can''t imagine that you would do such a thing. You mutilated Prad, whom you''ve known for over a decade, and plotted to take over his family business!"


    "No, no! He''s lying! This priest is deceiving you! That is not what happened, he''s lying!" Grundy jumped up, his face flushed bright red, as if he''d been beaten with chicken blood. He attempted to argue, yelling and pointing at the two people at the door, "They, the two of them, witnessed what happened. It''s different from what this looks like! Kaleqi, these two..."


    Kaleqi frowned. He was worried that this bastard would put all the blame on him. So, he immediately responded, "Yes, both of them are people from my escort team, but I have no idea why they are here! Tell me what you saw. You guys absolutely can¡¯t lie and falsely accuse others!" Kaleqi glared fiercely at the two mercenaries, who were at a loss for words and squeaked. That rich merchant Grundy was also looking at them nervously, expecting them to clarify the facts for him and kill this bastard priest Paladin.


    Paladin laughed cryptically. Calmly, he said, "You two, as guards, have a family of your own. Nurba''s stability is entirely your responsibility. I don''t think you will wrong innocent people."


    The underlying message was that ¡®the two of you now have jobs that don''t require you be on the knife-edge, have families like wives, children, mothers, and daughters. Your family will be destroyed if you dare to tell the truth!¡¯


    When the two mercenaries noticed Paladin''s warning look and heard the words brimming with murderous intent coming from him, they trembled. Exchanging looks with each other, finally they chose family over conscience. They lowered their heads and said, "It was Grundy who wanted to kill Father Paladin. That''s the truth."


    "Lies! Why are you lying?! Why?!" Grundy shouted in panic, only to be interrupted by a vaguely grinning Paladin, "Grundy, in this holy church, in front of the Great Enos, do you not even have the sense to repent?!"


    "Grundy, you bastard! How dare you do such a thing!"


    As soon as the words left Paladin¡¯s mouth, the civilians immediately raised the banner of so-called justice and began to criticize with righteous indignation.


    "I''ve observed him for a long time. This fat man is definitely not a good person."


    "After all, evil can triumph but the Great Enos will carry out the deed. Let this filthy villain be judged!"


    "Trial! Trial! Trial!"


    Upon closer inspection, they were not so much enraged by Grandy''s crimes. They were happy that justice had been served. It would be more accurate to say that these stupid people in the lower classes simply rejoiced and gloated because they witnessed the fall of a higher-ranked people, who were originally their superior. To put it bluntly, it was caused by their narrow mindset, which was ¡®if I can''t live well, neither can you.¡¯


    Paladin naturally despised these ignorant and greedy commoners, but he wore a holier-than-thou expression. He abruptly raised the cross placed on the altar and shouted righteously, "For killing others, trying to seize others¡¯ property, attempting to murder the priest of the church of the Holy See, I, Paladin Flamel, in accordance with the eternal and indestructible code of law, on behalf of the Supreme Enos, hereby declare that today you will be judged!"


    After Paladin finished speaking, Kaleqi said in a hushed tone, "Paladin, he should be handed over to our guard and reported to Count Torch. It is the standard treatment, ah."


    "You''d think a count would want to come for these civilians? Bothering him when he¡¯s making love to another nobleman''s daughter just because some other commoner was murdered? Don''t worry about that Kaleqi. I''m a nobleman too, I know these things very well." Paladin whispered in response. When he saw that Grundy''s face was already a deadly pale, he rode the heat and yelled, "Prepare the stake!"


    Waaaah! Shouts of excitement erupted from the civilians outside. They''d never seen a fire stand dedicated to the execution of heretics before.


    "You can''t do this to me, I''m a merchant! Not a heretic! You can''t execute me in the same way in which you execute heretics! I demand a fair and reasonable trial!" Grundy yelled, his voice cracking. Only one last hope remained for him, and that was the Count of Torch, the town''s lord.


    Who would have guessed that Paladin would only shake his head with a sad expression? He took a step forward, gently tugging Grundy''s messy hair to lift his head, and said, "You broke into the church with the intent of murdering the Holy See''s legal priest. What else could you be if not a heretic with blasphemous ideas? Grandy, may you find your way back to God''s embrace and repent of your sins."


    Grundy removed Paladin''s hand in disgust, pointed at his face, and shouted, "You bastard, this devil in the robes of God! I will not spare you! I won''t!"


    Paladin, however, simply ignored Grundy''s dying struggle. simply ignored Grundy''s dying struggle. With a smile on his face, he gently rubbed the red hand that had been slapped. He then faintly glanced at Kaleqi. The latter immediately understood.


    Kaleqi stepped forward, knocked Grundy down with a slap, and shouted, "Grundy has murdered people and intended to assassinate the priest. In accordance with the wishes of the priest, burn him at the stake!" After that, he turned to his subordinates and said, "Go, tie him up and take him to the prison for a while."


    The surrounding guards swarmed around Grundy and took out a hemp rope to tie him up. Regardless of how hard the latter struggled, it was in vain. The guards dragged Grundy, who was screaming miserably, away from the church.


    "I''ll go get sticks! I have a lot of thick sticks at home!"


    "Torches, get some more torches!"


    "I just came back from cutting some wood today, I''m going back to get it!"


    "Father, I''ll go help you, too."


    Seeing Grundy being carried away, these civilians couldn''t sit still. They spoke delightfully to Paladin before scattering home to prepare the materials for the stake. After a while, the church was empty. At that moment, there was only the sound of tearing. Kaleqi observed Paladin calmly tearing a strip of cloth from the edge of his robe, dripping some strong wine on it, and then firmly tying the cloth on the wound on his arm. The wound was treated with such a simple manner.


    From the beginning of the treatment to the end, Kaleqi watched Paladin. Whether from the excruciating pain he must''ve felt when he wiped the liquor on the wound or from the way he tied his arms, Paladin¡¯s face stayed expressionless. As if feeling pain was a normal thing for him. At this moment, Kaleqi seemed to feel that the fog surrounding Paladin''s true identity had thickened rather than lightened.


    ¡®Which ordinary pampered nobles will treat their own wounds? People who experience severe pain for the first time will scream uncontrollably. Is this Paladin simply a nobleman who spent money to become a priest? Why is he completely different from those people I met before?


    Paladin finished treating his wound and noticed Kaleqi staring at him in a daze. Displeased, he snorted and sarcastically said, "What''s wrong with the captain? Do you doubt my abilities? Stop staring. Instead, go to the prison and meet this unlucky man. I still have some things to do."


    While speaking, Paladin unconsciously wore a smug smile on his face, which only made Kaleqi feel a chill run down the back of his neck.

 CH 43

    Grundy was imprisoned in a cell deep within the dark and damp prison. He was leaning against the old stone wall with dead eyes. The sight made Kaleqi sigh. He squatted down and handed over a jug of wine to him.


    "Grundy, you should not expect those peers to come to your rescue. They forced you to come here and are willing to sacrifice you."


    Grundy, who was mutely opening his mouth to drink the wine handed over by Kaleqi, heard what Kaleqi said. Some colors in his eyes returned. He jerked up his head to look at Kaleqi and bitterly said, "We have known each other for more than a decade. You know deep down that I did not murder Prad. Originally, our Nurba was a very calm town. With the forest as barriers, war will not affect this pure land. Although the royal family''s special envoys keep the price of iron ore very low every time they come to take the purchase, it is enough for Nurba to become wealthy."


    Grundy''s chubby face was full of tears as he whispered angrily, "But since this Paladin came, my old buddy Prad and his family died. Surprisingly, many homeless people and travelers also went missing. This Paladin not only did not report to the Holy See, but also kept this matter securely under wraps!"


    Kaleqi sighed again. Putting the wine jug on the ground, he said, "He has just arrived in Nurba. He is young and vigorous. Naturally, he doesn¡¯t want accidents to happen in the town, where he is in charge of evangelizing. If not, his name will get smeared.¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not the case at all!¡± Grundy immediately shouted, his eyes were filled with despair. "In the church, he dropped the false mask he was wearing. This bastard doesn''t deserve being called a priest at all! He is insidious, vicious, and merciless! He solely cares about money, position, popularity, and promotion! Kaleqi, this man will be an absolute disaster if he will stay here!"


    Yet Kaleqi, who was facing Grundy, kept his mouth shut. Awoken from his reverie, Grundy seemed to have a revelation. He abruptly showed a desperate smile and added, "So you were bought by him too. What is it? Is it gold coins? Or is it women? You also get a share of Prad''s assets, right?"


    "I¡¯m doing this with my children in mind. I don''t want them to grow up and live a life similar to mine when I was young."


    Grundy laughed at himself when he listened to Kaleqi''s confession. "Carrot and stick, hahaha! It''s simply a disgrace that a mere child has played us!"


    In response, Kaleqi remained silent. Suddenly, the cell was plunged into an eerie silence. Neither of them spoke as their gazes drifted.


    At that moment, the sound of the iron door opening in the distance could be heard. The guard at the door shouted loudly, "Father, what brings you to this filthy place?" Followed by Paladin''s hateful voice, ¡°It is my duty to pray for the dead, so that he may return to God''s embrace."


    "Here he comes!" With a hateful gaze in his eyes, Grundy turned his head to Kaleqi and sharply said, "Kaleqi, you and I have known each other for over ten years and I have never caused you any trouble or asked for any favors. For the sake of our friendship, please take care of my wife and daughter, I beg you!"


    Kaleqi looked at Grundy''s pleading gaze. Finally, he slowly nodded. "I will take care of your wife and daughter. Don''t worry."


    "Thank you... Thank you."


    "Huh? The captain is also here?" Paladin had just arrived in front of the cell. He smiled when he saw the unexpected scene in front of him, which was Kaleqi squatting on the floor of the cell. Grundy immediately noticed that Paladin was holding a coal stove on an iron stand, complete with a squeaky iron pan on top. The tasty aroma of meat that was to-die-for was wafting from it. Kaleqi watched as Paladin walked in and placed the iron pot with the beef cooking on the floor. In confusion, he asked, "Father, what are you doing?"


    "Oh? I came to let Grundy pray for confession and have a good meal because he is about to return to God''s embrace." Smiling gently, Paladin stabbed a piece of fragrant beef with an iron fork and handed it to Grundy. He then said, "Eat. I purposefully added a bottle of Ysu red wine that costs a gold coin. It¡¯s very delicious."


    Grundy looked at Paladin with hatred and finally opened his mouth to eat the beef. Gulp! He swallowed it into his stomach.


    Paladin simply ignored Grundy''s gaze. Once again, he picked up a piece of beef, bringing it near Grundy''s mouth, and laughed. "When the execution takes place, those peers who asked you to make a mess will undoubtedly attend the execution. I hope you don''t say something obnoxious indiscriminately by then."


    "Bah!" Grundy shook his head, hitting the beef around his mouth, causing it to fall on the ground. While sneering, he said, "Paladin, you should be afraid. When the Holy See captures a heretic, they will definitely follow the rules and ask the heretic to confess their sins. When the time comes, I will definitely tell everyone about how you, a despicable villain, plotted to seize Prad''s assets and murder him with evil black sorcery! I will humiliate you in front of the entire population of Nurba! Let the Inquisition send you to the stake you built with your own hands! Go to hell!"


    "Hey¡­." Paladin looked at the beef on the ground and sighed. He turned his head to face Kaleqi and said, "Why did you tell everything to him? If I am out of luck, will the condition of your family be better?"


    Kaleqi was also a little upset. He looked at Grundy and said, "I promised to take care of your family, but now you are¡­."


    "What? Where is that warrior who dared to break into the magical beast forest alone and retrieve the Flaming Scorpion Lion''s tail?! Kaleqi, have all these years of living comfortably smoothed out the calluses on your hands?"


    Kaleqi shuddered and then turned his head away in shame. He didn¡¯t answer Grundy''s questioning. Just when Grundy wanted to ask a follow-up question, Paladin suddenly laughed out loud, "Family? Kaleqi, you promised to protect his family? Hahahaha!"


    "What are you laughing at, you heretical filthy evil creep?" Angry, Grundy immediately gave a deadly glare and roared at Paladin.


    "Hmm." Paladin responded. He abruptly removed the iron pan in which the beef was cooking and used the iron fork to pick a small piece of red-hot coal from the coal stove. When Paladin looked at Grundy, his darkened eyes were filled with twisted intentions. He then added, "Don''t worry, I''ll look after your family. I have to be good to them, hahahahaha! Just like Prad¡¯s!"


    "If you dare touch even a single strand of their hair, I will never let you go. All of my friends will also not let you go!"


    Paladin laughed and grabbed Grundy''s mouth to squeeze it open. The hand that was holding the burning red coal gradually moved closer. Paladin sneered and said, "Hmph, you noisy crow. I will make you never speak again from now on!" He was about to make Grundy swallow the coal when Kaleqi shouted, "Paladin, stop! You can''t do that!"


    Kaleqi¡¯s body trembled all over. Paladin stuffed the red-hot coal, which occasionally produced fire sparks, into Grundy''s mouth just as Kaleqi was about to step forward to stop it. Grundy''s eyes were filled with extreme terror. Then, Paladin tightly covered Grundy¡¯s mouth. Despite Grundy¡¯s trembling and struggling, coupled with the tears and snot flowing out as a result of the pain, he couldn''t spit out the source of severe pain in his mouth that was burning his mouth.


    After a while, Grundy passed out from the pain. Paladin calmly let go. Saliva flowed out of Grundy¡¯s mouth, along with blood and the coal. Paladin smiled and reached for a handkerchief from his sleeve to help Grundy wipe off the blood.


    Kaleqi put down his outstretched hand. He was glaring viciously at Paladin. With a very displeased tone, he said, "Why did you have to do it up to this point? Obviously, he is not much of a threat anymore."


    Paladin just casually glanced at him and stood up. Leisurely, he answered, "After he dies, bring me his family and children. Just say I''ll send them away and get them a place to settle down."


    "Will you be so kind?" Kaleqi immediately said that in a mocking tone.


    In return, Paladin was grinning sardonically. "What do you think?"

 CH 44

    The sharp pain spreading from Grundy''s mouth gradually jolted him awake. When he barely opened his heavy eyelids, his vision was filled with the frenzied populace that spat and roared angrily at him. At that, Grundy quickly came to his senses. Only then did he realize his hands and feet were securely tied to some wooden sticks. He observed his surroundings and was taken aback to discover that he was tied to a wooden cross. Stacks of dry firewood piled beneath the soles of his feet.


    The tidal wave of civilians that was surrounding him spat, threw garbage, and hurled curses at him. Furthermore, when some of Grundy¡¯s close friends saw that he was awake, they immediately shouted angrily at him, "Grundy, I was wrong about you! You murdered the Prads to take their gold and ironworks! And to think you¡¯d use such evil black sorcery! Ugh!"


    "This old bastard, I''ve long suspected that he is not a good person. Everyone, no need to be merciful. Just throw whatever it is in your hands!"


    The civilians quickly picked up stones from the ground and threw them hard towards Grundy''s body. It then struck the latter''s forehead, causing blood to flow. Only then did Grundy realize that he was in Nurba¡¯s town square. Almost every Nurba resident had come. His old buddies, too, were here. Hiding in the corner, watching all this unfold with cold eyes. He tried to open his mouth to explain, but all he could manage was a whimper.


    Grundy was immediately reminded of the horrible memory of Paladin stuffing a red-hot coal into his mouth. Chills immediately filled his heart. Even the bleeding wound on his forehead and the saliva spat on his body couldn¡¯t mask the chill he felt from the bottom of his heart. He was being played. That priest even took away his ability to try to justify himself in the end.


    Standing on a high platform in the town square, Paladin looked at Grundy¡¯s desperate and hollow eyes. After a subtle smile, Paladin showed his holy, gentle, and dignified expression.


    "Everyone, everyone! Please stop for a moment! Please listen to my words!" he shouted.


    When the enraged folks at the bottom looked up and saw Paladin, they immediately dropped the stones in their hands.


    ¡°Ah, oh priest. Thank you for exposing this despicable bastard. If you have any requests, we will certainly try to assist you in fulfilling them," said some elderly people with great respect. The people around nodded in agreement and looked at Paladin with a friendly and affectionate gaze.


    Paladin smiled and bowed to the crowd. In an emotional tone, he slowly said, "Grundy has lived in Nurba for far more years than I have. Although I am still young, I can see that Grundy is not a bad person at heart. He did open a factory, but he cared for the workers who worked hard every day. He loved his daughters, loved his wife, and helped the weak, which could even make me, a priest of the Holy See, feel ashamed."


    People listened attentively to his words. An unmistakably depressing smile adorned his sad expression. Paladin then continued, "But even so, these can never conceal the fact that Grundy was blinded by the darkness, for he committed such a heartbreaking crime. Our good friends, good elders, the Prad family, and also the children who can not even speak, have returned to God because of Grundy''s evil black sorcery and heartless soul. May we who are present here pray for them. Amen."


    The people immediately clasped their hands reverently and prayed. There were also some heavy emotions, as the Prad family¡¯s friends were silently in tears. Right now, Kaleqi, who was together with a few guards that were standing next to him, became more and more gloomy.


    "This kid. He arrived here less than a month ago and is already ruling the people of Nurba?"


    After a half-minute pause, Paladin pretended to wipe away the non-existent tears from the corners of his eyes and said solemnly, "Grundy committed such a felony, what should we do?!"


    "Burn him! Burn him! Burn him!" The people below waved their arms in agitation. Wanting to burn Grandy to death immediately. As for Grundy, who was listening to the words uttered, he was completely in despair. His eyes were blank. He still couldn''t figure out how his past actions, which were purely to test and threaten the priest, to let the priest know how powerful he was, would develop into what it was now. In a corner far from the crowd, there stood several big local businessmen who had ordered Grundy to do that. They were Nari, Chira, and Dorren. While staring angrily at Paladin, they whispered to each other.


    "This kid is so arrogant! Now he dares to execute one of ours in a non-dignified manner! He has no regard for us! Chira, don''t you know the bishop of this diocese? Tell him to take care of this young man who doesn''t know any better."


    The old man with a golden beard, who was called Qila, sighed helplessly. "Nari, did you say I knew him? I can only talk about us being acquainted with each other. In reality, it is me who is trying to flatter him. He is completely uninterested in me. This Paladin is technically his subordinate. Going before him to request that he denounces his subordinate? I don''t dare to go there."


    Dorren, the oldest of the bunch who had a white hair, spoke up. "This kid is too arrogant. Tomorrow morning, I will go find Baron Fetter and send him to speak to the Count on our behalf. Let this kid taste our power."


    The three old men plotted in secret while at this time, Paladin looked at Kaleqi and said, "Grundy committed a serious crime, but his wife and daughter are innocent."


    After saying that, Paladin waved his hand. Consequently, Kaleqi winked and several guards immediately brought Grundy''s dazed wife and his bewildered daughter. When he saw his family, Grundy, who was tied to the stake, struggled to say something, but to no avail. His tongue and throat were severely damaged. He couldn''t speak a word at all. If one looked closely, one could see him repeating the words, "Run away!"


    The crowd looked at the mother and daughter. Paladin turned to face the ordinary-looking redhead, who was Grundy''s wife, and said, "Madam, you are also aware of what your husband has done. Do you have anything to say to him?"


    The wife timidly raised her head, looked at Grundy with a tense expression, and then at the guard holding a long sword at his waist. She recalled what Paladin said to her in private not long ago.


    "Your husband murdered and also attempted a murder. He attempted to murder me! If you want to survive, there is only one way, which is to completely separate yourself from Grundy! Otherwise, you will be burned together with your husband! Even your daughter won¡¯t be spared!"


    Thinking of Paladin¡¯s words, the wife''s desire to survive finally gained the upper hand. With tears of shame welling up in the corners of her eyes, she blurted out, "Grundy, I have nothing to do with you anymore! Your daughter will also never be yours any longer!"


    At this moment, Grundy''s heart was burnt to ashes. His previously slightly expectant gaze had vanished. Slowly, he lowered his head, tears streaming down his face. Seeing that the job had been completed, Paladin smiled gently and said, "You did a good job."


    The wife did not dare to meet this young priest''s gaze. The priest''s eyes, in her opinion, were like a razor blade right now. Cutting open her husband over and over again. Paladin smiled indifferently before squatting down to ask the befuddled young girl in front of him. "What''s your name?"


    "I, my name is Fanny."


    Paladin nodded cheerfully. He took out a candy from his pocket and gave it to Fanny.


    "Brother will give you candy. So, you have to tell brother something, okay?"


    Fanny seemed to think of something for a moment before she took the candy happily and nodded happily. At this point, the frightened wife suddenly felt that something was wrong. However, she couldn¡¯t explain what felt wrong.


    "Your father has done something bad, so he must be burned with fire. Do you want him to be burned?" Paladin inquired, his voice gentle.


    In an instant, everyone in the square focused their attention, trying to listen with their ears. They did, however, see and hear the still young little girl nodding innocently and happily.


    "Burn! Burn him! Quickly burn him!"

 CH 45

    The entire square was in an uproar. While it was shocking, the crowd couldn''t help but feel that Grundy had done a lot of bad things that even his wife and daughter didn''t like him anymore. It could be said that his wife and daughter didn¡¯t want to get involved with him. His family was destroyed.


    Kaleqi, who stood beside Paladin, looked at the girl¡ªwho was still smiling sweetly¨C-in puzzlement and shock. He couldn''t understand how a girl less than ten years old could say such a cruel thing.


    The wife who was standing behind her turned pale instantly. She was about to slap the girl when she noticed Paladin''s sinister gaze. Her hand came to an abrupt halt. She had no choice but to put up with it for the sake of herself and her daughter''s future.Grundy, on the other hand, simply shook his head and smiled wryly. It was no longer a surprise to him. At this moment, he already knew how to see through Paladin''s tricks.


    The little girl was a little afraid of the crowd''s reaction, which was either taken aback or sighing. In her opinion, she had done nothing wrong. To this day, she remembered this gentle older brother telling her not long ago that her father had done something bad and wanted to leave them. The only way she could save her father was by letting him burn.


    If her father was burned, his wrongdoings would be wiped clean, so there was no need for him to leave them. The little girl was haunted by the big brother¡¯s words. Moreover, she believed that she couldn¡¯t live without her father. Thus, she must follow the big brother''s instructions and let father burn!


    Convinced that what she was doing was the right thing, the little girl''s eyes became firm. At that, Paladin sighed instead. He stood up and said, "Grundy''s wife and daughter have already expressed their displeasure with Grundy''s actions. For the sake of their future, I decided to give them the factory under Grundy''s name and the factory under the Prad family¡¯s name. Let Captain Kaleqi manage it on their behalf. So they could be clothed and fed well in the future. Afterwards, let them leave this sad place and go to other towns to settle down."


    At this moment, the crowd began to speak. "The priest is a good man. And, the two factories, ah, surprisingly he doesn¡¯t want to take them for himself."


    "The priest is too poor, take care of him more on weekdays in the future."


    "Hey, what a waste, giving the factories to this heartless mother and daughter.¡±


    The wife, on the other hand, looked at Paladin¡¯s gentle expression in shock. Trying to see some hints of his true feelings. Unfortunately, she couldn¡¯t find it at all. In her heart she couldn''t help but wonder, "This priest, is he really going to give me the factory?"


    She didn''t expect Paladin to be so gracious. However, Kaleqi just gave Paladin a look and remained silent. Apparently, Paladin had gestured something at him. Paladin observed the crowd¡¯s reaction beneath the platform, took out two factory deeds from his sleeve, and handed them to the wife.


    "It¡¯d be hard for you to watch, take your daughter down. What happens later must not be seen by her."


    Thus, the wife wailed and immediately ran off the stage, clutching the deeds and her daughter in her arms. She didn¡¯t even give Grundy another glimpse. All this was seen by the three old men hiding in the distance. Nari and Chira were silent.


    Dorren suddenly exclaimed, "What a powerful and vicious kid. I''m starting to like him a little."


    Nari interjected angrily, "Doesn''t Grundy want to say something? This is equivalent to dividing his entire possessions in front of him. Grundy''s wife and daughter are miserable. I don''t know if they''ll make it through the day."


    Chira suddenly retorted, "Do you think Grundy can still speak out? He¡¯s either sedated or his tongue was severed! Hmph, in all the years I''ve been doing business around the Duchy of Kasmi, I''ve never seen such a ruthless and unscrupulous kid."


    Although Chira¡¯s assumption wasn¡¯t right, he wasn¡¯t far from the truth. Paladin was very satisfied with the situation. When he suddenly clasped his hands together, the chattering crowd below immediately went quiet. They heard him saying, "Grundy, you are about to receive the trial of the sacred fire. Do you confess to your crimes?"


    As soon as he said that, everyone immediately looked at Grundy. Grundy, who couldn''t express his anguish, could only stare at Paladin with hatred. It was as if he wanted to firmly remember Paladin¡¯s appearance in his heart, so he could seek revenge on him should he become an undead. Ignoring Grundy¡¯s glare, Paladin nodded and said, "Since you don''t speak, you are tacitly acquiescing. Guards! Start the fire!"


    Several guards removed torches from the wall, went to the pile of dry wood beneath Grundy, and threw the torch onto the dry wood sprinkled with kerosene. Immediately, raging flames like fiery snakes danced around Grundy. After a while, the tongues of flame climbed onto Grandy''s body and reached his collar and nostrils. It burned everything that could be burned.


    "AAHHHHHHHH!¡± Grundy couldn''t speak, but it couldn¡¯t stop the scream caused by the severe pain all over his body. The scream made people shiver. It was as if the scream had merged with endless resentment and unwillingness. Some people even couldn''t bear it and turned their heads away, not daring to see such a tragic scene again.


    Paladin, on the other hand, watched with delight as Grundy''s screams faded, his clothes turned to ash, and his body turned to coals, exposing the burnt black bones. Gradually, the bones began to mangle. Eventually turning into bone fragments and disappearing together with the burning stake. Grundy was no longer in the world anymore.


    People left one after the other after the cremation. The guards cleaned the remains of the stake, sorted the ashes in a jar, and handed it over to Paladin. Paladin looked at the square that had become quiet and returned to the church with a smirk.


    As soon as he entered the church, he saw Kaleqi together with Grundy¡¯s frightened wife and curious daughter. Waiting for him for quite a long time. Paladin smiled and said to Kaleqi, "You didn''t bring any guards, did you?"


    "No, Of course not." Kaleqi replied.


    However, he saw Paladin waving his hand and said, "You will run the factory in the open and the contract will be given to you. I only need 30% of the income. The rest is all yours. How about it? Are you okay with it?"


    Kaleqi was taken aback for a moment, but quickly realized that as a priest, it was difficult to show up to work. Furthermore this option was also out of the question for Paladin. Kaleqi naturally nodded in satisfaction and promised, "This way, as long as there are no accidents, you and I will be allies in offense and defense, in advancing and withdrawing."


    Paladin smiled incontestably. He went up to the wife with a dark expression and said, "Where is the contract? Give it to me."


    Trembling, the wife took the contract out of her sleeve and reluctantly handed it over to Paladin. Paladin smiled and was about to take it away when he felt the wife''s death grip on the contract, unwilling to let go. Paladin looked at the woman and suddenly his heart was on fire. He slapped her across the face. With a bang the wife¡¯s body hit the table. She howled as she fell to the ground.


    The daughter was so terrified that she knelt down to assist her mother and yelled angrily, "Brother, why did you beat my mother?! You said that my father would not leave us as long as he is burned!"


    At this moment, the wife, whose cheek was in pain, sat up in shock. Her face was filled with hatred. She pointed at Paladin and tremblingly said, "You inhuman monster! How dare you deceive a little girl?! You scum!"


    Paladin grunted with great disdain and turned back to hand the contract in his hand to Kaleqi. When he saw Kaleqi''s heartless expression, he suddenly warned, "The benefits of being my ally are obvious to you. Now you have taken the majority of shares. You also have a share in the death of her husband. So, why hesitate?"


    Kaleqi nodded perceptively. He finally put on a straight face and left without looking back. As for how the mother and daughter would be treated by Paladin, it was no longer a question he wanted to know the answer to. He only knew that now, he was really rich. His family and his son could live a happy and beautiful life. And, that was enough.

 CH 46

    "Big brother, what about the promise you made regarding my father?!"


    When Paladin heard the little girl behind him ask him a question, he turned around and shut the door tightly with his hand. A terrifying, gut-wrenching smile spread across his face. Looking at the girl with tears welling in her eyes, he laughed and said, "Your father? He¡¯s been burned. Just like what you said to do, he¡¯s been burned. He¡¯s dead, understand? Your father is dead because of you! Hahahaha!"


    "No way! it can''t be! Brother, you were the one who said that Daddy would not leave us as long as he was burned!" the little girl remarked loudly.


    In response, Paladin stepped closer and said, "Yes, I did not go back on my words. You and your father will be reunited very soon!"


    As soon as he said that, Paladin casually threw Grundy''s urn, which immediately fell to the ground, scattering the ashes. And then Paladin sneered and said, "Come and see, this is your dad. Your daddy who has been burned to ashes! Whoa!"


    Seeing that Paladin''s shadow was about to cover the young girl, the wife, who was on the floor, burst out with unprecedented strength and leapt to her feet. Grabbing the cross used for Mass on the table, she slashed it at Paladin''s head.


    But, why would Paladin be scared of her? The wife saw Paladin casually waving his hand. Three hundred magic elements that were surrounding him immediately poured into Paladin''s cohesive magical constructs. In an instant, two chains made of golden light immediately shot out, tying the mother and daughter in a solid knot. Causing them to fall to the ground, unable to move.


    Despite being illiterate, the wife was aware of the existence of magic. She witnessed the magic chain appear out of nowhere. That very moment, she realized immediately that she had underestimated this scumbag. Paladin¡¯s magic power snuffed out the last vestige of her fighting spirit.


    The wife looked at Paladin and begged him, "Father, please let her go. She hasn¡¯t even turned ten years old! I''ll do whatever you want, but please don''t harm her!"


    Paladin snorted in disdain. Ignoring her pleading, he directly grabbed the mother and daughter''s hair, disregarding their miserable screams. He dragged them directly to the basement door.


    The wife, who was wondering what Paladin wanted to do, saw Paladin stretching out his hand and pressing a very inconspicuous magic circle with his palm on the stone wall. In an instant, a tall magic circle the size of one person appeared in front of the stone wall. Its center was filled with countless strange runes arranged in an orderly manner. Very skillfully, Paladin raised his other hand and moved the floating runes in the magic circle, as if arranging some code.


    The wife waited until Paladin lowered his hand. The magic circle disappeared. When the wall suddenly parted, a door came into view. Paladin pulled out a key and unlocked the door. She saw a long staircase extending into the deep darkness below. At this point, both mother and daughter had an extremely bad feeling. But before she could say anything, Paladin once again grabbed their hair with both of his hands and dragged them inside.


    As the figures of the three disappeared into the darkness, the door was immediately slammed shut. The stone wall was slowly moving back to cover the door, making it seem as if there had never been one, like before.


    The next time the stone wall parted, only Paladin leisurely walked out of there. Both the mother and daughter were nowhere to be seen. Instead, there was a bright red stone the size of a soybean in his hand. It was a beautiful untamed Philosopher''s stone. However, Paladin didn¡¯t rush to fuse with it. He waited silently for the night to fall by listening to the confessions of the common folks.


    And so, the night fell.


    As one of the richest men in town, Nari was lying comfortably on the bed in his home, preparing for sleepiness to come. He was exhausted from all of his activities during the day. Now, he just wanted to have a good sleep and talk about what''s going on tomorrow. But obviously, he wouldn''t even be able to see the dawn tomorrow.


    Somehow, his bedroom window had been opened. Paladin, clad in black, quietly entered the bedroom. He looked at Nari, who was slowly but surely snoring. When Grundy confessed yesterday, Paladin remembered very clearly that Nari was one of Grundy¡¯s colleagues. Now, all Paladin needed to do was to let Nari go to see Grundy. Carefully, he took out the alchemically refined drug. Gently opening the bottle cap, he let the powder inside fall on the tip of Nari''s nose. As Nari¡¯s snoring became more intense, the light green powder was sucked into his nasal cavity. Reaching his lungs and brain. It only took a mere three minutes for Nari to gradually stop snoring. He''d fallen into a deep slumber.


    Paladin smiled faintly. He took the hemp rope he had prepared from his waist, hung it on the beam, and then tied a dead knot. He effortlessly lifted Nari to place his neck inside the noose. After that, he grabbed the other end of the rope hanging on the beam and pulled it hard.


    Blink! Even if the drug was strong, being in such severe pain and unable to breathe made Nari wake up instantly. He awoke only to see that arrogant boy he saw during the day laughing and pulling a rope. The pain in his neck made him unable to breathe. Because of that, Nari''s eyes widened, his tongue lolled out, and his feet kicked haphazardly. He wanted to shout but couldn¡¯t. Reluctant and desperate, he glared intensely at the laughing Paladin. Eventually, his body went limp, hanging helplessly in the air. Nari¡¯s face had turned blackish purple.


    Paladin, on the other hand, calmly took the rope to tie a knot at the head of the bed. He went to Nari¡¯s desk, took out a pen and paper, opened the records and diary written by this old thing, and began to write a suicide note imitating the way Nari wrote and form sentences.


    This was not too difficult for Paladin, who had read too many miscellaneous books. At that time, he was very diligent in forging notes so that he could continue to own the books purchased by the association. It was also because of this that he was able to deceive the entire association and quietly take the expensive books they bought, the ones that weren¡¯t in the association¡¯s collection. As a result the real one wouldn''t be available in the association. Speaking of his history of forging notes, it had been more than ten years since the first time he did it.


    After finished writing, a triumphant smile appeared on Paladin¡¯s face when he read what he had written in the suicide note. The contents were:


    ''My conscience was remorseful as I watched Grundy''s trial today. Grundy died because of me. All this was the fault of the three of us: me, Chira and Dorren. We shouldn''t have been obsessed with Prad''s properties. I have to die.


    Please forgive my selfishness, my son. I can''t give you the family¡¯s business, which is established by the blood and sword of our family. I plan to give it to the poor Grundy''s wife and daughter. To make amends for them.''


    Paladin carefully tidied up the desk after checking that the suicide note was written correctly. When he confirmed that there were no mistakes, he quietly climbed out of the window and carefully closed it. He then vanished into the night once more.

 CH 47

    Next, Paladin went to Chira''s house and did the same thing. After that, he returned to the church, quietly waiting for dawn to come. He had no intention of killing Dorren. People would inevitably be suspicious if all three old men died. Only by letting one of them live and using the power of the false testament could Dorren die with dignity later.


    Paladin wasn''t in a hurry to kill, but he believed that any potential harm and instability should be completely eradicated. When these few merchants who led Nurba were all wiped out, their minions would be frightened. They lacked both feelings of righteousness and friendship. They only followed others and their goal was to make some money to settle down.


    After all those who dared to oppose him were dead, the most rational and only option for other merchants was to attach themselves to him. By then, Nurba''s iron ore industry would fall into his hands. Paladin would become Nurba''s true master. However, will Nurba, a single town, be enough? Obviously not! Paladin desired the position of bishop of the diocese. The one who was in charge of the entire diocese.


    The sacred hierarchy of the Holy See was divided into three ranks: clergy, priests, and bishops. The bishop was, without a doubt, the Holy See''s leader .Among the bishops, the bishop of a diocese held the lowest rank. An archdiocese was composed of about five or six dioceses. Each diocese was under the jurisdiction of a bishop. All of the dioceses in the entire archdiocese were responsible to the archdiocesan bishop, commonly known as the archbishop.


    The Duchy of Kasmi, for example, was a diocese. There were about ten archdioceses led by archbishops that would form an Episcopal Conference. Together, they managed the territory under their jurisdiction. One of the archbishops would be elected to be the head of the Episcopate.


    Further up, there were the bishops from the Holy City of Cassily. They led many deputy clerks, registrars, head priests, priests, and a class of clergies. Their rank was the same as that of the bishop, but they had relatively greater power because they were working for the holy city. The thirteen bishops who led and managed all of the dioceses together were also known as the thirteen cardinals. The thirteen cardinals were led by the Pope, the Apostle of God.


    The Inquisition had one cardinal in charge. Three other cardinals were in charge of the three major knight orders. Meanwhile, the remaining eight cardinals oversaw more than thirty dioceses that spanned the entire human kingdom. These were only the official ones. Additionally, there were also some local militarized branches of monasteries, cloistered orders, and knightly monastic orders that were unified under the orders of the pope. Plus, their number was huge.


    The most intriguing aspect was the presence of three monastic orders whose power spreads throughout the Holy See: Dominican, Franciscan, and Carmelite. They had a very loose system, not a strict one. However, the number of members was huge. Almost all clergy belonged to one of these three monastic orders.


    When holding meetings and Masses, the Dominicans wore black. They advocated the eradication of heresy, as well as the purification of poverty and chastity. This was why the majority of the Inquisition and the Knightly Orders were members of the Dominicans. The Franciscans wore gray. They advocated for poverty and peace. They didn¡¯t like to fight and didn¡¯t eat meat. Most priests and ministers were Franciscans. The Carmelites, on the other hand, wore white and advocated begging for food and rather than scavenging for wealth. The poor should be helped. They practiced asceticism on a daily basis to experience the mercy of God. So, the ascetics and preachers were developed from the Carmelites.


    With this in mind, there were numerous forces at work within the Holy See. Let¡¯s not even get started with the conflicts and factions among the various Cardinals of Calvary. The conflicts between the Holy See''s three major religious orders were enough to make many people''s hearts and minds tremble with fear.


    However, none of this concerns Paladin at the moment. Right now, his goal and vision were still too narrow. Full of anticipation and joy, Paladin waited for the arrival of dawn. Strangely, Paladin slept less and less these days, but he didn¡¯t feel exhausted. He was full of energy, without any drowsiness even when his original eight hours of sleep a day had been reduced to two hours a day.


    As dawn approached, the dark sky of Nurba was gradually covered by a layer of an azure veil. The door to Paladin''s room was being knocked on eagerly. Paladin calmly stood up and opened the door. There, he saw Kaleqi fully armored, together with a dozen anxious guards waiting for him.


    Kaeqi said, "Something happened! Two merchants, Nari and Chira, hanged themselves last night!"


    When Paladin heard that, he smiled briefly. That smile was soon replaced by an expression of shock and disbelief. He quickly wore his robes and walked out, while glancing at the guards around him.


    With a face that showed doubt, Paladin said, "Why? What motivated them to do this?"


    In response, Kaleqi sighed. He pulled Paladin''s arm and rushed to Nari''s mansion. Along the way, Kaleqi opened his mouth and gruffly said, "They all left a suicide note, in which states that they instructed Grundy to do all this. They committed suicide out of shame and fear of their crimes."


    "What?! They are the culprits?!" Paladin showed a surprised expression and looked at Kaleqi in disbelief. It made Kaleqi turn his head away irritably. He really disliked the feeling of acting with this jerk.


    The town wasn¡¯t large. Soon, Paladin and his party arrived in front of Nari''s villa. They could hear faint choking sounds coming from the house. The good thing was that this was early in the morning, so there were not many pedestrians on the road. However, some passers-by in twos and threes noticed that something was wrong, so they came over to see what happened. As soon as these passers-by saw Kaleqi and Paladin approaching, they approached them respectfully and inquired, "Father, Captain, what''s going on here?"


    Kaleqi didn¡¯t want to garner people¡¯s attention, so he simply answered, "I do not know." before instructing the guards surrounding him.


    "Guard the entrance and don''t let anyone else go up there. You, you, and you, go to Chira''s house. Tell them that the priest and I will be arriving shortly," Kaleqi gave the order with his thunderous voice. His companions and subordinates, who had been with Kaleqi for more than ten years, promptly obeyed his command. One group of men guarded the entrance while the other group darted towards Chira''s house.


    Kaleqi simply ignored Paladin''s envious expression, took him by the arm, and led him through the door and up the stairs. Seeing that no one was around, Kaleqi glared in annoyance and lowered his voice to question Paladin.


    "Did you do this?"


    "Mmhm." Paladin nodded heartlessly in response.


    Kaleqi, in return, let out an irritated growl. "You idiot, why are you in such a hurry! Grundy was burned at the stake yesterday, and you''re already doing something else today at dawn. If words get to the Count''s ears, the two of us will be the ones at the stake!"


    "Hmm?" Paladin suddenly stopped in his tracks. His eyes became icy. His right hand flew to grab Kaleqi''s neck.


    With displeasure, he said, "It is not your place to blame me, Kaleqi. You just need to do a good job to take care of the aftermath."


    Kaleqi had been a mercenary for over two decades. He''d even slain monsters. Yet, he was astounded to find that his muscles and strength were powerless against Paladin''s white hand. Based on the strength he felt from the white hand, if Paladin gave a little squeeze, his life would completely be over.


    After realizing the huge gap in strength between them, Kaleqi turned red. He grabbed Paladin¡¯s hand vigorously and said, "Got it¡­ I got it! Let go!"


    Paladin complied and let go.


    "Later, when we¡¯re up there, do not act on your own thoughts. Do everything according to my lead," Paladin said while glaring at Kaleqi. Ignoring Kaleqi, who was touching his neck, and the guilty expression on his face, Paladin climbed up the stairs to go to the second floor.

 CH 48

    "Ah! Father, you''ve arrived, the Captain too. Come and take a look. How could my father commit suicide?!"


    When Paladin and Kaleqi arrived at the second floor, a middle-aged woman with an elegant appearance leaped over and started sobbing. Disgust momentarily flashed across Paladin''s face as he sidestepped to avoid the woman. He looked at the few individuals who were present. Not far away, an elderly butler with a sad face and a grandson just in his teens were perplexedly looking at Nari¡¯s corpse. There was also an old man wearing full armor and wielding a massive two-handed sword who appeared to be a mercenary.


    Ignoring the butler and the child, Paladin carefully observed the mercenary. The reflective white armor covered his body tightly. Occasionally, some parts of the dark chainmail armor could be seen from the gaps of the outer armor. He also wore a helmet that fully covered his face.


    If it weren''t for the absence of any marks or coats of arms on his armor, Paladin would have assumed the man was a noble¡¯s private soldier or a knight. However, the plainly visible symbol made of four stars engraved on his chest made Paladin recognize that this big man had at least the qualifications of a four-star fighter. Albeit still unable to be compared to a great magician, the man was a relatively rare master among the fighters. But, judging by the fact that he didn''t even remove his helmet, he most likely had just come here not long ago.


    Thinking so, Paladin calmly approached Nari''s body that was lying on the ground with a look of horror on his face. The bedroom was beautifully decorated. The rope was still there, swaying in the breeze that entered the room filled with silver utensils. Paladin knelt down, his brows furrowed. He pretended to look at the corpse before standing up. Staring at the mercenary, he said, "May I ask who your Excellency might be? What kind of connection do you have with Nari, the owner of this home?"


    Kaleqi, who successfully broke free from the clingy middle-aged woman, immediately stepped forward and introduced the mercenary.


    "This is my friend Harvey. He is currently employed by the Duchy. He is the leader of a group of 100 soldiers."


    As soon as Kaleqi said that, Paladin immediately frowned and looked at Kaleqi The doubt in his eyes couldn''t be more obvious. At this exact moment, after some people of power in Nurba had been eliminated, Kaleqi actually brought his own friend, who in turn led and brought a hundred soldiers from the battlefield, here. The implication of Kaleqi¡¯s action made Paladin feel very uncomfortable.


    After glaring at Kaleqi, Paladin smiled and turned his head away. With a welcoming smile, Paladin suddenly started a conversation with Harvey.


    "A mercenary hired by the Duchy? Is the Duchy going to war? The nations that border this area are not close by. Is there something wrong? Why did Captain Harvey bring a hundred people here?"


    Nurba was merely a tiny town. Did you feel that the benefits are not enough and want to eat them all up, so you brought 100 soldiers here?! However, Harvey clearly didn''t understand what Paladin meant. Directly ignoring the topic of going to war, he put his hand on his chest and said, "The soldiers under my command are not fully equipped. I heard that Nurba is a place where iron ore is transported nearby, so I want to ask my old friend Kaleqi to make 20 sets of armor for us"


    Paladin frowned. After looking at Kaleqi who nodded slightly, Paladin smiled brightly. He stepped forward and patted Harvey, who was a head taller than him. Then, he slapped Harvey¡¯s shoulder armor and said, "Sir Harvey, you are really rich! Twenty sets of armor, half body or full body? Chain armor or plate armor?"


    Harvey raised his head and gave Kaleqi a doubtful look. He didn''t understand how this strange priest had the audacity to intervene in this matter. After all, all iron from the mines in Nurba were sold only to the Duchy. Selling them to others without authorization was either a minor or major felony. One would only face a minimal fine if the offense was minor. Otherwise, one would be hanged if it was a huge one!


    However, Harvey''s doubts were dispelled by Kaleqi. He saw Kaleqi approaching the two of them with a smile and softly said, "My old buddy Harvey, as the shepherd of our Nurba, the priest has the right to know what we have done for justice. Fear not, he is also one of Nurba¡¯s shareholders. Be bold and speak up."


    Harvey was about to speak when he was stopped by Paladin''s hand. Harvey saw Paladin smiling gently and then said, "Let''s wait until the issue here is resolved. I will properly talk to Mr. Harvey later."


    After seeing Harvey nodding in agreement, Paladin walked to the table next to them. He picked up the suicide note and pretended to read it several times. Then, with disgust, he said,: "It turns out that Nari, Chira, and Dorren are real heretics. Captain, you know what to do next."


    As soon as Paladin finished speaking, Kaleqi hummed. Drawing out his long sword with a hint of fervor, he pointed at the panic-stricken housekeeper and woman. Then, he shouted, "Guards! These people are heretics! Take them all away and send them to prison!"


    The guards downstairs instantly ran upstairs with high spirits, weapons ready in hand. They were very excited because they had heard from the captain that they would receive bonuses as soon as this matter was over. A whopping gold goin each!


    Paladin looked coldly at the guards, who were about to drag the crying women and the terrified housekeeper with grim smiles. The woman hugged Paladin''s feet miserably and begged, "Father! Captain! I honestly had no idea that my dad was a heretic, I really didn''t know! Please, show some kindness. Give me a way out! At least, at least please pray for Dad first! So he may return to God¡¯s embrace!"


    Paladin frowned in annoyance. Seeing that there were no other outsiders present, he shook his feet and freed it from the woman''s hand. But, the woman persisted and eventually angered Paladin by grabbing his pants once more.


    Paladin raised his right foot and stepped hard on the back of the woman''s hand. Ignoring the woman''s screams caused by the severe pain, he twisted his feet violently. With an angry smile, Paladin said, "Him? Pray for him? This heretic? Hahahaha! Let me tell you, whether he is a heretic or not, I will never pray for him! It is clearly recorded in the doctrine that a person who has committed suicide can not return to God¡¯s embrace. They can only be pulled by the chains of evil and fall into the mouth of the heretical God of Darkness, Belial! He shall be tortured for all of eternity!"


    After saying that, Paladin raised his foot and kicked the woman away in the forehead. Ignoring the blood flowing from her forehead, he shouted angrily, "Hurry up and take her downstairs! I can''t stand the heretical aura coming from this bitch for a moment longer!"


    Only after the woman''s screams had gradually faded away did Paladin gently say, "Please, both of you, Let¡¯s find a quiet place and talk slowly."


    Harvey watched Paladin sauntering down the stairs with an ugly expression. He couldn''t help but lower his voice and asked Kaleqi who was already used to it.


    "Kaleqi, is this guy truly a priest? I have traveled all over the world and seen some priests on the journey, yet I have never come across one of this kind.¡±


    "Okay, okay, Harvey. You only need the armor, so don''t think about the rest. You know, I get chills all over my body whenever I see him.¡±


    Harvey nodded in agreement. A fearful expression still lingered on his face when he followed Kaleqi downstairs. At the same time, he said secretly in his heart, "You are already so vicious at such a young age. Fortunately, you are not my enemy."

 CH 49

    Paladin stood in Nari''s backyard, admiring the waning yellow sky. With hands clasped behind his back, he said, "Let¡¯s get to the point. There are no outsiders here. Sir Harvey, what kind of armor do you need?"


    In this situation, Harvey answered bluntly and impolitely, just like Paladin. "Twenty pairs of chain armor and half-body plate armor. Plus twenty pieces of standard cross swords, hammers, and spears!"


    Unexpectedly, Paladin waved his hand and refused. "Impossible! Sir Harvey, you must know that considering my and Kaleqi¡¯s connection, the armor is no problem. The most we can do is make some deals under the table with our connections and then pay a little fine. Weapons, on the other hand, are absolutely not allowed! If word gets out, all three of us will be sent to the gallows! Even the Holy See will ignore me."


    Harvey noticed Paladin''s firm resolution and also knew that pushing to get what he wanted was unnecessary. Only then did Harvey say his original request. "Forty sets of armor, no weapons are needed. For each pair, I will give you one hundred and fifty gold coins! How about it?"


    Paladin and Kaleqi were startled. After glancing briefly at each other, Paladin was still a little taken aback when he said, "I can''t believe it, Sir Harvey. For a group consisting of a hundred soldiers, you can earn at least 6,000 gold coins. You are really rich!"


    Who knew that Harvey would wave his hand and say, "I didn''t buy it for my group. I bought it for my backings. There are too many who are involved, so you better not ask. Yet, when it comes to pricing, we are really generous .In the future, I might buy from you again, after all.¡±


    Paladin and Kaleqi immediately nodded knowingly. Inside Paladin¡¯s head, a picture of the situation became gradually clearer.


    ¡®This Harvey is hired by the Duchy. Plus, the person who hired him must be a powerful nobleman. He spent so much money to make armor discreetly. Moreover, he doesn''t want others to know it. Is what I think true? Is there going to be a war?¡¯


    Paladin nodded thoughtfully and suddenly asked, "When do you want the goods?"


    "The sooner the better. It can¡¯t be longer than two months."


    Paladin considered it and decided it was fine. Finding an unknown blacksmith to hurry work so it could be done in two months wouldn¡¯t be an issue. Paladin looked at Kaleqi, who also nodded in agreement. Then, he opened his mouth and said, "Okay, I''ll give it to you in two months."


    Harvey nodded in satisfaction. However, Paladin then continued, "I''m afraid you will turn to the other side, so you will have to pay me a thousand gold coins first."


    Kaleqi''s expression became a little ugly. In any case, Harvey was also his friend. So, it was a bit embarrassing to ask for money in person like that. But, Harvey only boldly nodded in response.


    "Alright, I will. However, one thousand gold coins is too many. I didn¡¯t have all of them in my body right now. Tomorrow. I¡¯ll have someone bring it to you tomorrow."


    At present, they discussed it carefully until they had to part ways before the sky became completely bright. Paladin suddenly halted, looked at Harvey who was about to leave, and asked, "Captain, if you can tell me, I would like to ask you something." The priest then bluntly asked, "You brought a hundred people, not simply just for the armor, right?¡±


    When Kaleqi saw the hesitation on Harvey¡¯s face, he immediately interjected, ¡°Harvey, say it, we are all in the same boat.¡±


    They saw Harvey nod and then whisper viciously, "Father, I only come out to do errands for others. I gain nothing from this. The Magical Beast Forest is located in between three kingdoms, which are only ten days away from here. Furthermore, the Duchy limits the number of imports and exports. The avaricious profits on the route to and from the road are enormous. If I don''t make a single fortune from the nearby caravan, I¡¯ll feel sorry for the minions who follow me.¡±


    Paladin gave a knowing nod. Mercenaries were notoriously unruly and dishonorable troops. They may switch jobs from mercenary to robber at any time as long as it was profitable. Just like the armies of many kingdoms. In times of peace, when the country didn¡¯t do anything special, most soldiers would go to war-torn countries to become mercenaries for one of the sides. Because they weren¡¯t from the country in question, there¡¯d be no psychological burden if they set it on fire, killed, and or looted there. As a result, many soldiers, including civilian mercenaries, liked to fight for other countries.


    Paladin suddenly remembered about the Philosopher''s Stone. So, he immediately requested something from Harvey.


    "Please send over any prisoners you catch to me. I''ll pay you five gold coins every person, which is twice as much than Airdrie''s slaves! I''ll take as many as there are available."


    Harvey wasn¡¯t the only one who was taken a little aback. Kaleqi also looked at Paladin in confusion. He couldn''t figure out why Paladin wanted so many slaves, regardless of gender or age. But it wasn¡¯t easy to ask about other people''s affairs, so he had to keep it to himself. Nevertheless, another layer of fog obscured his understanding of Paladin, making it even more difficult to see clearly.


    Harvey also didn''t understand Paladin¡¯s intention. He''d only known this priest for about an hour, so it was only reasonable. The other party desired to spend money, whereas he desired to make money. Why not give it a shot?


    Harvey slapped the breastplate on his chest, nodded happily, and said, "Don''t worry, Father, I will try my best to bring back beautiful women for you."


    Without refuting anything, Paladin smiled, and left with a flick of his sleeves.


    That was how things ended. Paladin and Kaleqi joined forces to announce that Nari, Chira, and Dorren were the ones behind the scenes. Dorren was disheartened, so he wrapped up his family¡¯s properties and escaped from Nurba overnight. There was no further news from him after that. Some folks who went out of town claimed that Dorren was robbed on the way and had his head decapitated by the robbers.


    In any case, Paladin was overjoyed now that all the ironworks under Dorren, Nari, Chira and Grundy¡¯s names had all become his and Kaleqi''s properties. Through Kaleqi''s decades of contacts, he discreetly recruited some blacksmiths who specialized in black market transactions to help make the armor.


    Paladin had a premonition that the Duchy was about to go to war. By then, a large amount of Nurba''s iron ore would flow into the Duchy. With this, he could make a lot of money. Roughly speaking, Paladin could get sixty gold coins every month. This was much more than just relying on donations from the believers.


    In the blink of an eye, seven days had passed. Paladin was in the church at the moment, holding gauze and hemostatic medicine to bandage the wounded arm of a young man who was lying in the bed.


    "Hurts, hurts, it hurts!"


    The young man didn¡¯t really have a name. Thus, everyone called him Uka. In the Duchy¡¯s local language, it meant reckless. He was wounded this time because when he went hunting in the morning, he ran into a wild boar. He was so lucky that only his arm was cut open. With a wonderful smile on his face, Paladin applied the hemostatic medicine and gently tied the gauze.


    Paladin breathed a sigh of relief. He smiled brightly and said to Uka, who had been treated, "Okay, the wound has been bandaged. However, you have to remember that you can''t go hunting for a few days. Otherwise, the wound will open again. It could also get infected. If that is the case, it will be very difficult to deal with."


    Uka stood up. His arm really felt much better. Looking at Paladin with a grateful expression, he said, "Oh, Father, thank you very much! However, my family doesn''t have any money, so I really don''t know how to repay you."


    Paladin shook his head casually. He carefully helped Uka walk to the door and said, "There is no need for a thank you gift. I am already overjoyed at the prospect of you being able to attend tomorrow''s mass as a believer."


    "Don''t worry, Father. I will definitely come." Uka looked gratefully at this priest who was no older than him, but was completely admirable.


    "Yo! Father!"


    Just as Paladin was about to go back inside the church, a middle-aged woman came with a bag of fruits and vegetables. She handed it to Paladin and said, "Thank you for officiating at my daughter''s wedding. Since you don''t usually eat very well, these home-grown fruits and potatoes are for you. I''ll let you have a taste."


    Paladin looked a little embarrassed at that, but he still took the basket. However, at this moment, a familiar figure walked over.

 CH 50

    "Oh, Enos bless you, reverend priest." Kaleqi had taken off his armor and changed into beautiful fancy clothes. He approached Paladin with a child in tow.


    "Kaleqi, I told you to maintain the stability of Nurba. Why did you come here?" Paladin said with a coy smile.


    The woman at his side immediately interjected kindly, "You guys talk. I have to go back to take care of my grandson."


    With that, she turned around and left.


    "Good morning, Father!"


    "Hello Father."


    "Father, when are you going to go to my store for some roast beef?¡±


    Kaleqi watched the passersby on the street greeting Paladin warmly. An invisible sense of reverence and affection permeated from the surroundings. Kaleqi stroked the silky hair of the child beside him and looked at Paladin, who continued to return the greeting.


    Kaleqi smiled and said, "You''re very popular now. Father."


    Paladin smiled. Looking at the curious child, he said, "Is this your son?"


    Kaleqi proudly and affectionately patted the back of the child''s head. He lowered his head to look at his child and urged, "Quick, introduce yourself. This is Father Paladin.


    The child was only about seven or eight years old, just as old as he can only remember his age. The brown hair made the curious child more and more adorable. He immediately answered in his childish and pure voice, "Father, I am Uther, the son of Kaleqi."


    When the kid was about to kneel down on one knee, Paladin immediately stepped forward to hold Uther''s body and said in an encouraging tone, "Good boy, don''t kneel down for me. You can only kneel before your parents and the king."


    Uther only understood half of what Paladin had said, and then he raised his head. His pink but handsome face was revealed in front of Paladin''s eyes.


    "Paladin, how is it? My son is not bad, right?"


    "Well, very good, very good, not inferior to those nobles at all." Paladin looked up at Kaleqi with droopy eyes. The latter nodded knowingly and led Uther into the church. Paladin came in after them and closed the door.


    Kaleqi looked at Paladin with a strange expression and said slowly, "Paladin, you don''t have a godson yet, right?"


    As soon as Kaleqi said that, Paladin turned to look at the serious Kaleqi, his face seemed to say ¡®you''re not like those kinds of people, right?¡¯.


    Sure enough, Kaleqi nodded in acknowledgement and said, "I want to ask you to become Uther''s godfather and baptize him. Will you oblige me?"


    Paladin''s face remained calm. He knew that this was a disguised attempt by Kaleqi to bring the two closer together. It was also to prove that there was no possibility of them becoming foes. But, on second thought, this was a good thing. He didn¡¯t have a godson now, so it could be used in exchange for Kaleqi''s trust. So, Paladin nodded readily.


    Uther was also a smart kid. When he saw Paladin nodding, he immediately knelt down on one knee and shouted respectfully, "Godfather, my godfather, your godson, Uther, is willing to accept the godfather''s guidance and encouragement."


    Paladin picked up Uther and looked at the boy with watery eyes, showing a heartfelt smile.


    "Good. There is a Mass tomorrow so wait for next week. I will baptize you next week." While saying this, Paladin took out a candy and handed it to Uther. Gently and kindly, he then added, "Go and play. I have something to say to your father."


    Uther turned his head to look at Kaleqi. When Kaleqi nodded in approval, he let out a giggle and took off like a bird that had just been freed. He joyfully ran out of the church and went to have fun with his playmates.


    "What a carefree kid. Kaleqi, were you like this when you were a child?" Paladin watched Uther from the window. Suddenly, he felt a strange feeling. He couldn''t help but open his mouth to ask.


    Kaleqi only responded with a hmm. Kaleqi touched his freshly shaved chin. Feeling the roughness of his stubble in his hands, he simply answered, "This is what childhood is like. They will all go through childhood, whether they are nobles or commoners. Paladin, haven''t you experienced it too?"


    "No." Paladin said without thinking. Then, he added, "I first ate candy at the age of twelve. It was not bought or given by others. Rather, I stole it myself. That was my entire childhood back then."


    Kaleqi frowned and looked at Paladin, whose eyes were lost in thought. He asked, "Stole? Paladin, considering you are from a noble family, was it necessary to steal candy?"


    That very moment, Paladin came back to his senses. Only then did he realize that he had said the wrong thing. His cold eyes that were staring at Kaleqi turned sharp like a viper. Scared, Kaleqi could not help but take half a step back. However, Kaleqi then heard Paladin say, "You care too much, Kaleqi!"


    "I''m sorry, please accept my apology." Kaleqi didn''t know where he made a mistake, so he bowed and apologized. However, he waited far too long for any form of reply from Paladin, so Kaleqi gradually raised his head in doubt. All he saw was Paladin''s indifferent face, as if his previous hideous expression never existed.


    Looking out the window at Uther who was playing peek-a-boo with the civilians, Paladin said, "Kaleqi, please assist me in informing the entire town that I wish to form a choir. Every choir member will be paid twenty silver coins a month."


    "A choir? Paladin, what is your goal? What good will it do you?"


    "No parish priest has the time and money to run a choir because it''s flamboyant, impractical and pointless." At this point, Paladin looked at Kaleqi indifferently. Then, he continued, "Yet it is this useless thing that appeals to those in positions of power. Isn''t it ridiculous? No, it¡¯s not. Useless people are fond of worthless things. Birds of a feather flock together."


    Kaleqi felt Paladin''s words were very ironic. He felt that he could never be friends with him, because friends were connected heart-to-heart and had equal standing. In his opinion, Paladin did not believe anyone was on an equal footing with him. In this scenario, everyone was simply using each other to seek benefits, nothing more.


    By noon that day, Kaleqi''s official letter was sent out. Some low-income families with multiple children quickly aim for that monthly income of twenty silver coins.


    "Oh! Praise Father Paladin, the apostle of God! Twenty silver coins a month, for God''s sake, my man only gets fifteen silver coins a month!"


    "No matter what you say, let my son join. Whoever steals my son¡¯s position, I''ll fight them!"


    "My son is strong and healthy. No adult can even compare with him in farm work. He is definitely the one!"


    "Bah! It¡¯s not about doing farm work, it¡¯s about singing! My son has been taught by the bards on the street, and that¡¯s an advantage!¡±


    In front of the church, a dozen children dressed in new clothes looked fearfully at Paladin, who was sitting at the table. Behind them, a large group of middle-aged women and mothers cursed at each other, abandoning their image just for the high salary of twenty silver coins. Their fathers also fought over the income that would certainly improve the family''s life.


    "Quiet, quiet!" Kaleqi, who was standing beside Paladin, yelled loudly. When the adults who were about to fight saw Kaleqi''s menacing eyes and a large group of armed guards behind him, they immediately calmed down, not daring to speak anymore.


    Paladin nodded in satisfaction while looking at the dozen or so children in front of him. However, he was feeling a little unhappy inside. A dozen or so were too few. Although it was more than enough to form a choir, it was simply not extravagant enough at this scale. After all, the number of people was too small. However, at this moment, the crowd that had originally crowded the gate suddenly exclaimed. They were shouting and cursing because they got pushed away one by one. Just as Paladin was wondering what had happened, a young girl wearing a big hat, dressed in a white and pink dress while carrying a bag rushed in. Then, she shouted loudly, "Father, count me in too!"

 CH 51

    ¡°Hahahahaha, big girl, do you want to join the choir as well?"


    The civilians nearby quickly burst out laughing when they realized it was a young lady. The pinkish face of the young lady immediately flushed red. She timidly looked at Paladin, hoping that this young priest would be graceful and accept her.


    At this time, Paladin''s face was expressionless, but his heart was in turmoil. Right now, all he could see was the large pile of the magic elements of the world. However, it was the rectangular hole in the bag on this little girl''s back that surprised him.


    That was right, the environment was composed of the four magic elements. Even the human body was made up of a numerous variety of magic elements. Paladin had never seen something like this before. In the ocean of magic elements, there was a dark empty hole without any magic elements.


    ¡®What is in this young girl''s backpack? Surprisingly, it isn¡¯t made out of the four elements? Does this mean it¡¯s some kind of treasure?¡¯ Paladin thought. The thought made Paladin suddenly laugh.


    "We''re only recruiting children for the choir. Young lady, you are a bit too old."


    As soon as Paladin said that, the civilians burst out laughing again. The young lady''s face was as red as an apple. She gently apologized to Paladin and was about to turn to leave the church when Paladin said, "Wait, you indeed are not able to join the choir but I do not have nuns now. Do you have the will and determination to become a servant of God?"


    The young girl was slightly taken aback. The civilians around her quickly fell silent. But then, they heard Paladin continue, "Fifty silver coins a month, what do you think?"


    The people around them were immediately in an uproar. They started to talk to each other. On the contrary, the young girl was slightly stunned before nodding excitedly.


    "Yes, yes! Father, I do! My name is Luna."


    "Good, Sister Luna."


    Paladin simply ignored the startled civilians who stood in front of the door and Kaleqi who was looking at him strangely. His eyes looked straight at Luna, or rather, straight at her backpack. The corners of his mouth curled upwards, showing an untraceable disturbing smile.


    "Luna, you must get out of this forest before evening comes. You also have to avoid being gnawed by hungry magical beasts in the middle of the night!"


    In the center of the Duchy of Kasmi, Aixinzhe Kingdom, and Nubia Kingdom, the huge forest full of magical beasts defended the borders of the three kingdoms. Two women in fancy Chinese clothes were walking in the forest with difficulty. Luna, the injured woman, accidentally stepped on a hunter''s trap. The ferocious and cold metal trap immediately trapped her white, tender, and smooth long legs tightly to the bones. The woman in front, who was wearing a luxurious white gown that had been ripped in some places because of the branches, immediately turned around and tried to use her arms that had never done physical work to break the hard metal trap.


    The strange thing was that although Luna got trapped and an extremely painful expression showed on her beautiful face that was deathly pale, she clenched her teeth and didn¡¯t utter a single cry. The other woman looked up at Luna, surprised, but then lowered her head to fiddle with the metal trap more vigorously. It was because they knew that if one of them yelled right now, they would not only attract the nearby magical beasts, but also the rebels who had followed them all the way here.


    The woman in the white dress could not stand it any longer. Her body was trembling slightly. Drops of tears indisputably dripping on the metal trap and Luna''s blood-stained leg.


    "Princess." A relieved smile suddenly bloomed on Luna¡¯s face. When the woman in white looked up to see Luna''s expression, some unpleasant thoughts flitted through her mind.


    "Princess, don''t worry about me. Even if the trap can be opened, I have already lost a lot of blood. So, Princess, please go now."


    "No!" The princess shouted out. She could not restrain her tears any longer. She bit her pink lips and said, "You and I grew up together. How can I leave you and escape by myself! You are not only my maid, but also my friend!"


    Luna was shocked when she heard this. She, too, was in tears. In shock, she berated her. "Princess Lucia, your Highness, did you forget the king of Aixinzhe, your father''s last words?!"


    Princess Lucia shuddered, the movement of her hands stopped. Tried to stifle her cry, she then whispered, "I have not forgotten!"


    Yes, she would never forget it in her life. Up until a month ago, she was a princess who was clothed in gold and held high in the sky. She was the daughter of the king of the kingdom of Aisinzhe, Ju De''an. That day, she was chatting and drinking tea with the noblewomen in the morning as usual. She also learned how to draw with Lex, the eldest son of Marquis Hierak.


    Oh, Lex, the elegant nobleman with melancholy purple hair who exuded an aura that fascinated her. Lucia admitted that she had loved him since the first moment she saw him. She hoped that her father would marry her to Lex, who would inherit the title of Marquis and become the leader of the Knights Order. Of course, King Ju De''an felt the same way as he watched the two of them grow older, already sixteen or seventeen years old, and fell more and more in love with each other. Ju De''an then suggested to Marquis Hierak for their child to marry.


    Marquis Hierak was very happy. The war general, who commanded a massive and powerful army, was guarding the border that was bordering the Duchy of Kasmi. After hearing the news, his usually stern face was filled with disbelief and excitement. It almost made Lucia laugh thinking about it. Everything was so perfect. For those few short days, Lucia seemed to live in honey. She considered herself fortunate in comparison to those who married far away to the nobles and royal grandchildren outside the town, never even knowing what they looked like before. She was undoubtedly lucky to marry the man of her choice. Unfortunately, things were far more horrible than she had imagined.


    All of the kingdom''s prestigious figures attended the wedding ceremony. The capital city would host a three-day party. Commoners and nobles drank free fine wine and danced traditional dances passed down through generations. The entire capital was filled with a joyful and beautiful atmosphere. In the largest church in the kingdom, St. Margaret''s Cathedral, Lucia wore a fancy wedding dress. She watched Lex come towards her, his purple hair was flowing. She listened to the words recited by the archbishop of one of the episcopal churches belonging to the Aixinzhe diocese. Then, she also heard her dreamy lover elegantly say yes. Lucia''s whole heart was about to jump out of her chest. Shyly, she, too, said yes. Lex embraced Lucia''s small waist that was covered by the white wedding dress and kissed her deeply.


    What followed was a party, an endless drunken festivity. Even the king and the ministers, who normally discussed the state of affairs and would even scold each other, raised their glasses happily. That was, until every one of them let out a groan of pain. Then, many nobles throughout the hall spouted black blood from their mouths and fell to the ground with a whimper. Lucia was terrified. She watched her biological father''s round dead eyes staring at her.


    What was even more frightening was, the door was kicked open next. Endless soldiers in full plate armor poured in, holding a longsword in each of their hands. They didn¡¯t say anything when they all raised the weapon in their hands and began to stab the dead nobles¡¯ body to make sure they were dead for real.


    ¡®Treason!¡¯ All Lucia wanted to do when the word popped in her mind was to seek the protection of her lover, Lex. However, Lex, this beastly bastard! With a victorious smile, he ordered the slaughter of the nobles who surrendered and did not dare to resist.


    "Lex, what''s going on?!" Lucia looked at her royal relatives and his father who had died unexpectedly with tears all over her face. She was caught in a vortex of unimaginable pain.


    "What''s the matter, my love?" Lex''s face was no longer elegant. The burning flame in his eyes made Lucia feel unfathomably strange. She saw Lex casually moving towards King Ju De''an¡¯s corpse. He took the crown from the dead king¡¯s head and put it on his own head.


    "My love, you are going to be a queen! Hahaha!¡±

 CH 52

    "Is this all because of your father, Marquis Hierak?! Has he been wanting to rebel since long ago?!" Lucia roared out. It made her tender voice sound a little hoarse. These words reached Lex''s ears, but he wore an unsettling expression instead. A look of hatred and accusation filled his face.


    "Lucia, you are disappointing me. Who am I? Lex from the Appanra Steel Clan! I am the descendant of the glorious and wise Appanra Steel Clan! That man, however-"


    At the end of his sentence, the soldier who had disposed of the corpses, came while carrying the body of an old man stabbed with numerous spears. Lucia could see at a glance that the old man was none other than Lex''s own father, Marquis Hierak.


    Lex looked at his father''s corpse with contempt and then cursed, "From the time the kingdom was founded, our Appanra Steel clan was the chief commander of the entire army. Without our clan, the Kingdom of Aixinzhe would have been destroyed by the surrounding kingdoms long ago!"


    Lex took a step forward, his face contemptuous. "This man is a disgrace as a patriarch of the Appanra Steel clan. He is holding a third of the kingdom''s military strength in his hands; the only army that has been tested through the numerous wars, but this idiot doesn''t even dare to think that the kingdom of Aixinzhe belongs to our clan! He has let me down too much. When I proposed a series of plans for rebellion, instead of getting excited and prepare the things we needed, he wanted to send me to your father to be convicted! This coward has been corrupted by chivalry values! He doesn''t deserve to be the patriarch, let alone the new king of Aixinzhe!"


    Turning his head to look the stunned Lucia in the eyes, Lex said, "God, on the other hand, favors me. He gave me a woman, a woman who will become a queen in the future. This rebellion would not have succeeded without you, Lucia. Without you, I wouldn''t have been able to get rid of all the generals and nobles in the kingdom who opposed me in one night! And you know what? It was ordained by God. Now, come. Come right into my arms. The kingdom is now all ours!"


    "No, no!" Lucia abruptly stood up. While leaning against the door and growling in pain, she said, "You broke my heart, as well as my love for you, you bastard with a human face and a monster heart! I swear I will make you regret what you did today as long as I''m alive!"


    Lex frowned. He walked towards Lucia, opened his hands, and said, "Don''t worry, honey. I still love you. I want you to bear me a son, a son who will inherit this land that has been conquered from our ancestors! Lucia, come."


    Who would''ve guessed that Lucia would keep getting further away. She didn''t have any intention to approach him at all.


    "You sadden me, love," Lex affectionately said. Suddenly he talked to the soldiers behind him with a stern face. "Take the queen to rest, she is already sleepy."


    "No, don''t come here!" Lucia leaned against the wall in panic, watching the soldiers expressionlessly raise their armored arms and were about to reach out to Lucia.


    Suddenly there was a flash of light, one that was akin to a thunderbolt before their eyes. When they went to look for the source of the light in question, they saw an old man with white hair, covered in a luxurious and bulky full-body plate armor standing in front of Lucia. There was a thin and long rapier in his hand. His expression was full of strong rage and hatred. After a ''boom'' sound, the bodies of the soldiers shook before blood burst out from their bodies all over. Their bodies and armor had been ripped apart. They became mere pieces of meat before falling to the ground.


    "Uncle Brandt!" Lucia cried with joy. She became happy when she saw who her savior was.


    Lex looked at the old man, whose previously sunken face immediately became icy. He said in a low voice, "Count Brandt, the head of the Two-Headed Dragon Knight. Brandt, The Sky Knight. I''m surprised you didn''t die from the poisoned wine!"


    "Sorry, Lex." Brandt shook the thin sword in his hand and gestured something.  A dozen or more people in various costumes emerged from behind him to protect Princess Lucia. He took a glance at the fallen Ju De''an''s body that was lying in a pool of blood. The next words that came out from his mouth next were full of an unfathomable rage.


    "Lex! You have assassinated the king and seized the throne, brutally slaughtering countless nobles in the process. Moreover, you''ve poisoned our king, my former best friend! What a shame that I''m old, so I no longer drink. Your efforts were futile."


    Lex retreated slightly to take out the magic props from his pocket. However, his subtle action was seen by Brandt. As a result, Brandt immediately threatened him.


    "Lex, you''d better make a wise decision. Despite my age, I still have the strength of a ten-star fighter. Furthermore, I am a magical swordsman. You won''t even be able to think of using any magic props."


    Sure enough, Lex stopped the movement of his hands when he heard Brandt''s warning. A ten-star fighter, that was the highest level of strength a fighter can achieve. It was the equivalent of half a magic guide''s power. Plus, he was also a magic swordsman. This meant his  strength potentially exceeded the fighter level standard that was used by the continent. He was not someone Lex could deal with.


    Brandt, with a triumphant smile on his lips, commanded his subordinates behind him, "Take the princess and leave the kingdom. The farther you go, the better."


    "No, I''m not going! Let me go!" Lucia looked at the warriors whose chest was either marked with five stars or seven stars and roared unwillingly. However, Brandt suddenly slapped Lucia in the face while glaring and shouting at her, "What are you screaming about?! I really can''t stand you spoiled nobles. Go! The kingdom has fallen. The lords of the land are either dead or switched sides! This is no longer Ju De''an''s Aixinzhe!"


    Lucia stared blankly at Brandt, who was angry but regretful. The tears in her eyes fell down again.


    "Here!" Brandt suddenly threw a small stone slab wrapped in cloth to Lucia''s arms. Seeing Lucia''s puzzled expression, Brandt said with a smile, "This is the treasure your father entrusted to me. He said the kingdom may be destroyed, but this stone slab must never be lost. It contains a power that could even make a giant dragon tremble."


    Looking at Lucia, who gradually got a hold of herself as determination filled her eyes,  Brandt suddenly teased, "Although I have not found out anything special even after decades of looking at it, it can be considered a relic from your father. Go, don''t come back! Find a place for yourself and live well, child."


    Clutching the slab in her arms, Lucia realized that Brandt was saying goodbye to her. She immediately struggled and cried bitterly, "Uncle, Uncle Brandt! No!"


    However, Brandt''s iron-hearted subordinates only gave him a military salute before silently carrying Lucia and fleeing away.


    "Don''t leave! Give me back my queen!"


    How could Lex let them take his lover away in such a grand way? Just as he was about to chase after her, Brandt blocked his way with the tip of his sword. His long white beard shook on his chin when he smiled and said, "Lex, don''t worry. Let''s have a chat with uncle."


    Lex stopped abruptly. He looked at Brandt who was unmovable and still smiling. Biting his lips and gritting his teeth, Lex said, "If you don''t want to let me pass, kill me! Just kill me!"


    "Of course I want to kill you!" Brandt answered immediately, causing Lex to take half a step back in fright. He vigilantly looked at the long sword in Brandt''s hand that was pointing at him. But then Brandt murmured, his tone heavy, "Of course I want to kill you. But once you die, Aixinzhe will really be finished. Nubia and Kasmi will never let this opportunity slip by. Everything Ju De''an lived for, his ambition is about to be destroyed. And Lucia? How can a person who can''t even kill a little rabbit govern the country?"


    After he finished speaking, Brandt firmly looked at Lex, whose mouth agape in a daze, and said, "Aixinzhe is now solely dependent on you. Although you''ve killed my friends, subordinates, and king, now I can only rely on you, kid."


    "Yo, Brandt is here too."


    The two fell into a strange silence when a calm and wise voice suddenly came from behind Lex. Brandt heard the voice and looked towards the source. His brows furrowed when he saw who it was.


    "So it''s your doing, old man."

 CH 53

    Lex turned around and exclaimed in surprise, "Lord Magician Saruman, you are finally here!"


    A man with white hair and purple robes emerged from the shadows. The elderly man was holding a high-level staff with glowing runes. He walked past Lex and looked at the nervous Brandt with a wise and calm expression on his face.


    "Old man, where are your Two-headed Dragon Knights? Are they out there busy partying? Why didn''t they come with you?"


    Brandt''s complexion became extremely bad. With great displeasure, he said, Saruman, you are the court mages'' leader. There was a coup d''¨¦tat and the king was killed. Why didn''t you do anything?"


    Saruman casually shook the staff in his hand, shaking the runes around it as well:, "Although I am a court mage, I am also a Hellitt, a magic guide from the Forest of Towers. I can''t and don''t want to get involved in the battles between kingdoms."


    "Hmph!" Brandt grunted lightly, but his hand that was holding the sword was sweating. A proof of how nervous this old man was.


    Saruman stared at him with narrowed eyes before he suddenly smiled and said, "Old man, since you are poisoned, don''t hold it back. It''s bad for your body."


    "What?! He was poisoned?!"


    Lex was ecstatic. He looked at Brandt, whose forehead was beginning to break out in a cold sweat. He raised his long sword, eager to try to fight Brandt. Who knew that Saruman would make Lex lower the longsword with a flick of his staff.


    Looking at Lex¡¯s angry face, Saruman sneered, "Even if he is poisoned, a ten-star magic swordsman is not someone you can face."


    Saruman laughed sinisterly, but Brandt only shrugged and wiped off his cold sweat. Suddenly, his lips formed a barely discernible smile.


    "Saruman, you didn¡¯t dare to come here earlier. Is it because you are afraid of me? You sure are aware of the limits of your own capabilities. In such a small hall, even if I am poisoned, once I become desperate, you will at least lose an arm, if not die! You are waiting. Waiting for me to be poisoned to death."


    Saruman''s face was expressionless, but his hand never stopped moving. When the staff slammed into the floor, three layers of azure glowing shield shielded Saruman''s body.


    "Humph, cowards. This is why I hate you magicians." Brandt laughed contemptuously. Casually throwing away his sword, he then sat down on the ground. Brandt leaned against the wall, his breath became labored.


    "Blame it on my greed. I downed two jugs in one sitting. I wonder, will the nosy Ju De¡¯an nag me again?"


    Lex was finally able to confirm that Brandt had been poisoned when he watched Brandt sweating profusely. Raising the longsword in his hand, he laughed.


    "I can''t believe I¡¯d have the honor to kill the Sky Knight. Haha, to think I¡¯d kill this old man my father often praised with my own hands!"


    "Stop it."


    Saruman remained calm as he stepped forward and blocked Lex''s path. Although his face was calm, there was a flash of anger in his eyes.


    "He is a Sky Knight, he cannot die in your hands. He should die in a more grand and heroic manner!"


    Lex, however, disagreed. His eyes were full of blazing anger. "Saruman! I am the one who is going to be the king of Aixinzhe! You dare to speak to me like that?!"


    "What''s so daring about it? Honorable King of Aixinzhe, if you want to taste Hellitt of the Forest of Towers¡¯ hostility, feel free to come and kill me!"


    After hearing the words Saruman had said, Lex completely froze. With all of his might, he held back his anger. Hellitt from the Forest of Towers. It was one of the three mage associations in the continent. Unlike the other two that were mysterious and distanced themselves from the matters concerning the continent, the Forest of Towers was very keen in the intersection of forces in the continent. As a result, the Forest of Towers had a much higher status than the continent''s other two mage associations. So high that even a kingdom had to think twice before opposing them. Their degree of hostility couldn¡¯t be taken lightly.


    "Old buddy, we''ve known each other for decades. Although all of them are unpleasant memories, at the very least, I can give you a better end."


    Saruman approached Brandt slowly. At the tip of his staff, an ice sword formed, accompanied by a gust of icy wind. Brandt only laughed weakly. His eyes had lost their luster and his face had already turned very pale.


    "Thank you so much. Please be fast, I already can''t see anything now."


    Saruman stood in front of Brandt. He stared at the dying old man, recalling the many fights and competitions the two of them had over the decades. From childhood fights and bullying, to the antagonism in their old age. Surprisingly, the good memories served no purpose. He couldn''t help but sigh. Raising the staff in his hand, he aimed it at Brandt''s forehead


    "Any last words?"


    "Hahaha..." Suddenly, tears fell from Brandt¡¯s unseeing eyes. With a choked tone, he said, "Do me a favor. Don''t kill Ju De¡¯an''s only daughter."


    "I give you my word."


    Lex frowned, his anger rose exponentially. He wanted to speak out and refuse it, but then he thought, what could a mere woman do? Sooner or later, would she not eventually return to his side and become queen? With that in mind, he restrained his anger.


    Brandt closed his eyes, peacefully waiting for his end. When Saruman was about to take his life, suddenly an incomparably powerful force came from the left. Saruman was astounded to discover that the ice sword on his staff had been crushed and vanished!


    After that, a huge force pushed Saruman away. Sending him flying into the wall on the right and sliding down to the floor.


    "Who is it?! Come out!" Saruman quickly stood up. Cold sweat beaded on his forehead, just like Brandt''s, as he glared vigilantly at the culprit.


    Step step step. Only a faint sound of footsteps could be heard as an elegant man with black hair entered the room. His handsome face looked indifferent at the situation. He turned out to be the one who had appeared in the Freemasons¡¯ Association not long ago. The one who was referred to as the mysterious warrior by the dragon Odovic!


    Seeing the person coming closer, Saruman let out an angry roar. Six fireballs the size of washbasins condensed quickly atop the staff. The fireballs brightened up the entire palace. But just as he was about to attack the man, the man nonchalantly waved his hand. The repulsive force that appeared just now came towards him again.


    Saruman was taken aback by what happened next. The six fireballs on top of his staff disappeared as if they were blown out!


    "What the hell is going on here?!"


    Saruman was a little terrified and couldn''t get a grip of himself. He decided to use magic again, so he started building a magic structure. However, he was even more shocked to find that he couldn''t mobilize any of the magic elements at all. It was as if his bridge of communication with the magic elements had been severed.


    Lex, on the other hand, was quietly trying to get away. He didn''t have any guts to fight an opponent that even Saruman was no match for.


    Brandt was gasping for air so heavily that he seemed to have lost his sharp hearing. He was about to return to God¡¯s embrace. The man stood in front of Brandt and squatted down slowly. After waving his hand in front of Brandt, he smiled and said gently, "I have already gotten rid of your poison. Whether you can survive or not depends on your own enlightenment and ability to see it with your own eyes."


    Brandt miraculously awoke, as if in a haze. The moment he opened his eyes, there seemed to be countless streams of stars flashing across his eyes. His eyes were no longer blind, his ears were no longer deaf. Brandt looked at the smiling man in front of him. In a trembling tone as if he had discovered a new world, he said, "This¡­ is all real! It really exists!"


    Hearing that, the man smiled very warmly. Slowly, he helped Brandt up. Then, he said, "Congratulations, you have become one of us. Our responsibility and power. Our sorrow and joy. Welcome, my brothers and sisters."


    Thump! The staff in Saruman''s hand fell to the ground. With a frightened but joyful expression, he said, "I remember, I remember you! The legendary warrior! The power that shouldn''t exist!"


    The man smiled and looked away from Saruman. "We have many names: the Legendary Warriors, the Knights of the Apocalypse, the Apocalypse, and the Destroyers."


    Saruman stepped forward, his face full of excitement. He knelt on one knee and said with tears in his eyes, "The Mages¡¯ nemesis, the Silencer of The Magic Elements. The Blade of The World. Oh my God! I met the legendary hero in my old age."


    The man smiled faintly. Without uttering any words, he looked at Brandt and nodded. Brandt understood what he meant, so he turned his back to Saruman and said, "Goodbye, Saruman. Brandt has just died. I hope you can arrange a funeral for me, thank you."


    Still smiling, the two gradually vanished into thin air. There was no trace of their existence that was left.


    The originally dazed Lex came out of his daze. He then indifferently glanced at Saruman, who was kneeling on the ground with a complicated face. The two closed their mouths at the same time. They both had a tacit understanding. This was a secret, a secret that could never be known.

 CH 54

    Meanwhile in the capital city, Lucia was still carrying the slab of stone. Her head was covered by a veil. Together with the warriors who were escorting her, they weaved through the streets¡¯ alleyways. The streets were filled with soldiers who were questioning and interrogating the citizens. Once they found someone suspicious, they shot them right away. They didn¡¯t accept any excuses.


    "Princess, where will you go after we get out of the city gates? Almost all of the castles and cities in Aixinzhe have now defected to Lex. We can no longer stay within the kingdom,¡± whispered a female archer with a beautiful body who was carrying a bow and arrows. Lucia was about to speak when a timid but excited voice came from behind her.


    "Your Highness? I¡¯m glad Her Highness is all right!"


    As soon as they heard that, the soldiers around Lucia immediately pointed their swords at the source of the sound. If Lucia had been even one second late, the person''s heart would have been pierced by sharp swords and arrows.


    Lucia quickly turned around. She soon saw Luna standing behind her. Underneath the cloak, Luna¡¯s joy could be seen. Immediately, Lucia waved her hand to stop the soldiers.


    "Wait, she''s one of my people!"


    "Oh, princess! I thought you already..."


    As soon as the soldiers exhaled and dropped their rapier, Luna whimpered and jumped into Lucia''s arms. She then wailed like a child.


    "Your Highness, the destination hasn''t been set yet." The archer next to her reminded Lucia again.


    Lucia tightened her grip on the slate in her arms. Determination and hatred bubbled in her eyes.


    "The enemy of my enemy is my friend. I''m going to the Duchy of Kasmi! Then, I¡¯ll attack the enemy by using the enemy¡¯s hand!"


    The surrounding soldiers collectively froze. Speechless, they exchanged glances with each other. Although they did not agree with her choice, it was still the most convenient strategy at the moment.


    "Hey, have you heard? The nobles of Aixinzhe Kingdom plotted against the king and killed him!"


    "Did you just hear that? Let me tell you, my nephew is a soldier at the border. He told me a large number of troops have been transported to the front. Various lords have responded to the Archduke¡¯s call to go to the battlefield!"


    "Oh my God, another war? I don''t know how long it will take. I won¡¯t be able to continue this business."


    Paladin, who was in the church to hear the visitors'' prayers, was listening intently to the commoners'' discussions about the coup d''¨¦tat that happened in the Aixinzhe Kingdom. He observed Luna¡¯s reaction. She was casually sweeping the floor. She seemed unfazed. Paladin''s brows immediately furrowed.


    ''I heard Luna''s accent and, while I''m not sure where she''s from, it''s definitely not Kasmi''s. She¡¯s very suspicious. News about Aixinzhe arrived a few days after she arrived. At the same time, she is acting too indifferent about the situation. When someone hears that there is going to be a war, even ordinary people will more or less show some reaction. This Luna, on the other hand, is too unconcerned about the situation. No, it''s not that she doesn''t care. Rather, it¡¯s more like she purposefully doesn''t care!''


    "Luna, let''s have lunch," Paladin said to Luna with a smile after dismissing the last believer who had come for morning prayers.


    "Hmm? Mhmm."


    When Paladin approached the table, he saw mashed potatoes, clean and fresh tomatoes, a small plate of cheese, and toasted golden breads lined up across the worn table. Paladin unexpectedly approached closer and inhaled the fragrant scent. A smile immediately bloomed on his face.


    "It smells good, Luna. Did you make all this?"


    Luna smiled shyly but said nothing.


    ¡®If it hadn''t been for the fact that I studied cooking with the chef in the palace for a while purely for fun, today would have been a disaster,¡¯ Luna thought.


    Luna satisfiedly watched as Paladin sat down. Next, she also sat down because she was hungry as well. She was about to pick up a piece of bread and put it into her peach lips when¨C


    Slap!


    "Ah, it hurts! How dare you hit me?!"


    Paladin slapped the back of Luna''s hand and the latter''s bread fell back into the basket. She didn¡¯t think long enough before reprimanding Paladin as she patted the back of her hand. However, not long after, Luna knew she had said something wrong. This was not the royal palace, she was no longer the high and mighty Princess Lucia.


    Paladin simply looked away, clasped his hands in front of him, and closed his eyes before praying reverently.


    "Thank you, Mighty God, for giving us food so that we don¡¯t get hungry. May your goodness shine upon us forever, amen."


    Luna couldn''t retaliate. She had seen stubborn priests like Paladin before. She didn¡¯t have any excuse, so she had no choice but to repeat what Paladin had said. Paladin smiled slightly and started to eat.


    The meal was extremely boring. Because of etiquette, Lucia often couldn¡¯t talk while eating in the palace. But, sometimes parents turned a blind eye when they were talking with their peers. Though when faced with Paladin, she couldn¡¯t put up a fight. From the beginning to the end, she actually didn''t say a word. She just vented her repressed voice to the plate of bread, not noticing that she was the only one who was still eating.


    After the tedious lunch, Lucia''s suffering was far from over. Paladin did not give her time to rest. At noon, Paladin invited those energetic choir members to practice singing. At the afternoon Mass, Lucia was asked to prepare tea and water on the side. The Holy Bread was served along with the Holy Blood. My God, what a big jug full of wine! It weighed between four and five pounds and she had to serve the wine for two hours!Lucia was on the verge of collapsing from exhaustion, but then, she still underestimated Paladin''s ability to order people.


    After Mass, the church was littered with litter and dust. Lucia was nominated as a nun, so she had to clean up all of this manually. She worked until the sky turned black and the owls began to hangout on the treetops and hooted. The work for the day was finally complete.


    "Father, I''m going to take a rest. Good night."


    Paladin, who was about to go upstairs with the Bible, immediately smiled gently and reminded her.


    "Remember to pray before going to bed."


    "Mhmm¡­."


    Lucia reluctantly suppressed the anger she felt when dealing with this young but old-fashioned priest. She dashed into the recently vacated grocery room, paying no attention to how messy it was or how strange it smelled. She immediately collapsed on the floor. After a few breaths, she fell into a deep sleep.


    Even Lucia would¡¯ve never imagined sleeping in a bed that even her servants wouldn''t sleep in a month ago. Now, this was the place where she was the happiest and most satisfied. Lucia, who had never exercised or worked out, was forced to do physical work so suddenly. Feeling physical fatigue was a natural thing. All of this, however, was planned by Paladin.


    Three hours later, in the dead of night, Lucia''s door was gently pushed open. Paladin entered silently, his face dark. The faint moonlight from outside the window, albeit dimly, helped Paladin to see the curvy figure that was lying on the bed. A figure that could not be covered even by the quilt.


    The undulating mountain peaks, smooth grasslands, and brilliant landslides, the figure¡¯s perfect lines could make a man lose control. It was even amplified by Lucia''s pretty face, red lips, and brown hair. There was a faint fragrance coming from her that made people feel dizzy and fascinated. When Paladin inhaled it, in an instant, a surge of the most primitive human desire spread to Paladin''s limbs.


    With a slight shake of his head, Paladin drove those thoughts away. His main goal was to find out the identity of the woman. Paladin regained his composure and began rummaging Lucia¡¯s belongings for something relevant.


    A bloodstained wedding dress.


    Paladin''s pupils shrank rapidly. The fabric was exquisite. It was embellished with exquisite handiwork. Paladin became aware that the background of this woman called Luna was not simple. When he spread open the wedding dress, a symbol that was stained with blood came into view. The symbol was a dark red coat of arms, on which a lion with two swords was standing and roaring in the fire. No matter how ignorant Paladin was, he knew that this was the symbol of Aixinzhe Kingdom¡¯s royal family, which was publicly known as the enemy of the Duchy of Kasmi!


    "This woman has something to do with Aixinzhe''s rebellion! Perhaps, she''s a noble from the royal family!"


    Paladin was taken aback by his newfound speculation. He hurriedly put Luna¡¯s things back in place, trying his best to make it seem like it had never been turned over. He took a deep breath and quietly opened the first drawer, his expression intense. A stone slab wrapped in thick cotton cloth appeared before his eyes.

 CH 55

    The stone slab was Paladin''s main goal. It was not until he saw the slab with his own eyes could Paladin confirm that this was the thing he searched for, the very thing that created a hollow space devoid of magic elements amidst the ocean of magic elements. To Paladin, this thing was akin to a torch in the darkness. It was too conspicuous.


    Paladin gently grabbed the slab, quietly left the room, and slowly closed the wooden He then hurried up the stairs to the attic. Closing the door with a swing of his hand, Paladin immediately drew the curtains and gently untied the cotton cloth wrapping the slab. A black and purple colored slate was revealed in front of his eyes.


    "Hmm?"


    Paladin frowned. The stone slab was originally hollow, but after opening the cloth, a large number of magic elements were absorbed into it. Paladin was too stunned to let go of the stone slab because of the astonishing scene only he could see. He watched the magic elements fly into the stone plate. Then, the elements fused, twisted, deformed inside. Forming a strange and unfamiliar word.


    Paladin could guarantee that, although he wasn¡¯t fluent, he could recognize about hundreds of languages that were available in the continent. He might be unable to read it, but he could identify one when he saw it. This word, however, Paladin swore he had never seen this kind of character.


    Suddenly, Paladin''s vision blurred. He was shocked to find that the word was reflected and now inside his mind. But, as soon as he focused his mind on the word, he forgot all about it, as if he had never seen it before!


    "What''s going on?! What the hell is this bizarre thing?"


    No matter how many times Paladin tried to make the word reappear in his mind, it would be instantly forgotten after. Paladin wandered inside his mind while sharpening all of his senses, trying to carefully take a look at the word. The moment he lowered his head, something changed.


    The text suddenly lurched and turned into a huge mouth that swallowed Paladin. Amidst the shock, an unparalleled and intense stabbing pain erupted from his mind.


    "AHHHHH!"


    Paladin covered his head with both hands, screaming in pain. The three hundred magic elements around him went ballistic, colliding all around without order. In his trance, Paladin felt as if he was in the middle of a torrent, a huge and endless torrent. A powerful power dragged Paladin''s entire body under the fierce raging water.


    "AHHH! It hurts!" Paladin couldn''t stop himself from crying out and violently opened his eyes. How shocked he was to see that he had no body. Yes, there was no body.Furthermore, his eyes could no longer only see ahead, but could now see in all directions. Suddenly, Paladin recalled studying about a dangerous and miraculous state when he was studying by himself in the past.


    "Soul state!"


    Paladin was shocked that now he was left with only his soul. However, he abruptly realized that the rumbling water flowing around him wasn¡¯t made of water droplets. Rather, it was made of a myriad of images. Paladin looked around with his vision that immediately spread in all directions. It was a bit terrifying.


    The countless images flashing on his eyes were all about the human world. The images depicted soldiers fighting on the battlefield, assassins hiding in the shadows to kill, merchants selling fruits, the king standing in front of the palace, and there were even images about grass blown by the breeze, tall trees, uneven stones, drops of water falling to the ground, etc. This torrent of images was made of everything that was happening in the human world.


    "Mother, where is my candy?"


    "Your Majesty, this battle must be fought!"


    "Three silver coins for one big pumpkin!"


    "Brother, don''t you die!"


    "You bitch, you belong to me!"


    "Kill all the humans, for the glory of the orcs!"


    "Yo, it''s a nice day."


    The voices from the images suddenly got greatly amplified, and it all drilled into Paladin''s ears at the same time. There was a mixture of the sound of wind blowing, sword fighting, shouting, cursing, and many more. These made blood rush into his ears.


    Before such a loud mammoth sound, Paladin only lasted less than a second before collapsing.


    "Ahhhhhhhhh! Quiet, quiet, QUIET! AHHHHH!"


    Just when Paladin¡¯s soul was about to collapse, a grand and tranquil voice suddenly came from the endless bottom of the torrent. Obliterating the sounds that were amplifying and coming from the picture.


    "God''s light, God''s darkness. The eyes of God, the words of God. Runes..."


    As soon as the voice finished speaking, Paladin saw the exact same words spoken appeared on the tablet before his eyes. However, it seemed Paladin no longer had short-term memory amnesia. The words were rooted deep in his brain. So deep that Paladin couldn''t forget even if he wanted to!


    Whoosh. The words suddenly turned into a stream of light, rushing straight to Paladin''s eyes like lightning. It entered Paladin''s eyes in a fraction of a second.


    Paladin''s body, which was covered in cold sweat, could sense the ground¡¯s pronounced texture of the grainy wood. He eventually got a grip of himself after looking around for a while. Finally, let out a sigh of relief.


    "I''m back, I''m truly back now."


    Paladin reluctantly stood up. Soothing his non-stop trembling feet, he looked at the stone slab with lingering fear. Fortunately, the slate never formed words again like before. Paladin, who still couldn''t figure out what happened, was about to sit down and sort out his thoughts when he felt another stabbing pain in his head.


    "Ah... ah¡­."


    Paladin¡¯s body trembled all over. Resisting the stabbing pain, he was trying to make as little noise as possible. But at the moment, he had no idea how to deal with it. All he could think about was this strange stone slab.


    "Ah! Ahhh¡­."


    The stabbing pain became more and more intense. Paladin moved towards the stone slab on the table with steps that became increasingly weaker. He wished he could just wave his hand over it and smash it. He didn''t want to bear this excruciating pain for even a second longer.


    Suddenly, Paladin came to a halt. He froze in place, genuinely shocked. Even the pain couldn''t hide his shock. Paladin slowly turned around and watched the long mirror placed next to a wardrobe specifically used for organizing clothing. Inside the mirror was, without surprise, Paladin dressed in a black priest''s robe with super messy hair. But, but-!


    Paladin¡¯s eyes emanated dazzling golden light that even obscured his eyes and eyeballs. It looked as if two golden magic lamps replaced his eyes. However, the thing Paladin was most shocked about, the one that made Paladin almost fall to the ground in shock, was a golden eye floating above his forehead! The eye was floating horizontally in front of his forehead. It had a light trail around it that swayed like the sun''s afterglow. It looked like the sun was inside a circle that made it akin to an eye. It was both sacred and glorious.


    When Paladin came back to his senses, the sharp pain had disappeared. His new third eye that emerged on his forehead, too, disappeared. Along with his golden glowing eyes that gradually dimmed. Paladin hurriedly turned over a large pile of ancient records, frantically looking for information about it. In his mind, he knew this occurrence wasn¡¯t simple. The tablet was definitely not simple either!


    He turned everything all over because it was just that hard to find. In the ancient literature of alchemy, a large part of it was recorded by carving it on a huge slab of stone. He finally found one that had nothing written on it. However, on the top of the slab, an eye was carved there. It was an eye drawn horizontally that emitted sun-like light. The same with the one that had appeared on Paladin¡¯s forehead. It was exactly the same!


    "My God, what the hell is going on here."


    The corners of Paladin''s mouth gradually went up, forming an excited smile. He looked at the documentation about the stone slab and read it word for word, "The Tablet of Grace. Legend has it that it existed when the world was first formed. It is a divine object cast into the world by the gods. It contains the language of the gods, the writing of the gods, which was reverently called the Ruini script. Unfortunately, through the ages, the writing on the tablets has long since disappeared. It is fated that humans can not communicate with the Great God. People reverently call the eye that is carved high on the stone slab as The All-Seeing Eye."


    After reading it, Paladin threw away the book with a low sardonic laugh. The smile on his face grew even more vicious and excited.


    "This is incorrect. It''s not that the words have disappeared, but you simply can''t see them at all!"

 CH 56

    Late at night, Paladin secretly returned the stone slab to its original owner. Before that, he confirmed that Lucia was still sleeping like a dead pig. Afterwards, Paladin gently closed the bedroom door.


    The next morning, an impatient Lucia approached Paladin and inquired, "Father, can you do me a favor?"


    "Go ahead. What is it?"


    With big twinkling eyes, Lucia sat down. Then with an expectant tone she said, "The nearest city from here is Edley. Father, can you take me to Edley for a stroll?"


    Paladin did not hesitate to nod and said, "I have not been to Edley yet, but I also want to visit the bishop. Let''s go together if you want to go."


    "Yes!"


    That morning, Paladin packed some money and took Lucia for a stroll to Edley. Along the way, Paladin cast a vague glance at Lucia. It was because he could see very clearly that Lucia was carrying the slate with her. He knew deep down that Lucia, who came from a big family, definitely was planning to leave. At that, Paladin simply smiled cryptically because his goal was way bigger than that.


    "Stop, who are you?"


    In front of the magnificent but weathered city gate where the rain had left its trails over many years, Paladin observed the four sergeants equipped with spears who were guarding the entrance. He glanced at their armor, which was nothing more than a layer of cotton leather armor. With a very gentle smile, he handed over the Holy See''s letter of appointment. A sergeant took a look at it before decisively waving his hand and saying, "You can go inside, Father."


    Paladin smiled and walked in. However, when he looked back, Lucia had disappeared at some point.


    Lucia, who was watching Paladin walk away from a far corner of the city, whispered somewhat apologetically, "Father, I''m sorry but I must go for the sake of my country and for the sake of avenging the tragic death of my father and the innocents. I will properly thank you the next time we meet."


    With that, she turned around and blended into the dark corner.


    The main road, which was paved with stone slabs, had patches of green grass growing out of the cracks. Buildings and stores full of lights and decorations densely packed both sides of the road. The crowds of people coming and going made the avenue, which was big enough for three carriages to travel side by side, appear a little crowded.


    Paladin wasn''t bothered by the crowds at all. From his point of view, he could see a hollow space that was too striking to ignore. It was moving quietly on the alley next to him amidst this sea of busy magic elements. Paladin smiled faintly and entered an alley in the corner. After looking around and confirming that there was nobody, he estimated that Luna¡ªalong with the stone slab¡ªsoon would approach his spot without knowing what would befall her next. He calmly took the glove off his right hand.


    Whoosh. Luna saw something flashing in front of her. She hadn''t realized what was going on when she saw a black shadow bolted towards her. After that, that shadow covered her mouth with its hand that was glowing golden. And then, it slammed her into the wall.


    "Urgh!"


    Paladin watched Luna struggle with all of her might, trying to break free. Casually, he waved his other hand. Golden light chains immediately emerged from the air, binding Luna firmly keeping her down.


    The sunlight harshly shone when Luna raised her head. She finally saw the face of the mysterious person who attacked her. For a moment, she thought he was one of Lex''s assassins who had found her whereabouts. But when she saw his disheveled black hair, ordinary face, and cold, hideous eyes of Father Paladin, her beautiful pupils shrunk drastically. Gone was her previous stubborn but reverent eyes.


    "Oh, are you surprised?" Paladin lowered his head and approached Lucia who was struggling so hard but to no avail. Paladin couldn''t help but stick out his tongue and lick her face when he sniffed the unique fragrance emanating from her body and saw her frightened eyes that were embedded in her beautiful face.


    "Ewww!" Lucia showed a disgusted expression and tried to avoid Paladin''s assault. Paladin simply looked at her and suddenly laughed.


    "I don''t care who you are, what your origins are, and what your connection to the coup in Aixinzhe is. Anyway, today is your unlucky day."


    With his other hand, Paladin gently undid Lucia''s clothes to take out the stone tablet enveloped by her body fragrance from her chest. Under Lucia''s shocked and anxious gaze, he stuffed it into his bag.


    "Don''t worry, I won''t do anything to your body. Although I really want to have fun, if I give you to an old pervert first, I will gain more benefits."


    Paladin grinned and took something out of his pocket. A small bottle filled with light green liquid was dangled in front of Lucia''s terrified eyes.


    "Do you know what this is?"


    The sinister malice emanating from Paladin''s eyes grew more and more intense. Lucia didn''t expect she needed to answer because her mouth was still covered.


    Paladin confidently cracked an eerie smile and continued, "In the language of the devil, this is called Novin. However, I call it the Deadly Rain because it''s made from the white phosphorus flower that grows on the corpses of the dead."


    Paladin gently opened the bottle cap. Soon after, an acidic odor that could cause shortness of breath rose to the surface. Even though Paladin covered her mouth and nose with his hand, tears welled up in Lucia¡¯s eyes.


    Paladin, on the other hand, showed no signs of discomfort. Instead, as he gazed at the potion, his face was filled with admiration.


    "There are a lot of dead bodies in the church basement. In order for white phosphorus flowers to grow on them, I regularly poured a lot of human blood until it grew little by little. Ah, to make Deadly Rain, I used the rain dew I got in the early morning, white phosphorus flowers, and many other materials. It took more than 30 complex alchemy arrays to successfully refine it. I learned this in the Freemasons'' Association. Ah, this kind of dark alchemy, which is considered taboo in alchemy, is hidden from the common folks. Thus, I count myself lucky."


    After Paladin finished speaking, he shook the bottle again. Lucia, who was sweating all over, suddenly noticed that the acidic smell gradually faded. She was even taken aback; why did this double-faced and hypocritical priest talk so much? Did he love to listen to himself?


    Yet, Paladin didn''t care at all. Still smiling, he continued, "Do you know how effective it is? This is already diluted, but even so, it can make you unable to talk within five seconds. You will lose sight, hearing, and smell within the next hour. Eventually, your heart will corrode! Hahahaha! What a wonderful thing right? It¡¯s as tempting as a gemstone."


    By this point, the acidic smell of the Deadly Rain had completely vanished. A hideous and crazed smile formed on Paladin''s lips, much like a viper about to deal its final blow and reveal its horrifying fangs after a long wait. Full of excitement, he said, "Why do you think I told you so much, huh? This poison must mingle with air first as it will only be effective after the smell disappears! Lucia, be my stepping stone!"


    As soon as Paladin said that, Lucia¡¯s previously restrained heart leapt to life. She began struggling and moving, attempting to break her hands out of the chains and pull out the dagger strapped to her leg. Paladin only watched all this before smiling aggressively. The hand that was covering her mouth immediately grabbed her jaw and squeezed. Hard. Inevitably, Lucia opened her mouth. Her eyes that were looking at Paladin were full of fear and despair. He picked up the bottle and poured the Deadly Rain into her mouth, all the while laughing wildly.


    "You''re finished, Luna!"

 CH 57

    When the potion entered her body, Lucia felt as if she were witnessing her own tragic end. Her strength seemed to be sucked away in an instant. Soon, she collapsed limply on the ground. Her mouth opened, wanting to scream for help. But that sexy little mouth could no longer make any sound. She was just like a mannequin lying in a cold and dirty alley.


    Paladin calmly put the bottle away, took a folded sack from his pocket, put Lucia into the sack, and then sprinkled some gravel grass roots on the ground so the shape of the trace left didn¡¯t resemble a human body. After gagging her mouth, Paladin carried her on his shoulder and calmly walked out of the alley, going towards the main road.


    "Hey, priest. What are you carrying?" An old man who was eating bread on the roadside asked casually with a smile. The people around immediately turned their attention to the sack on Paladin''s shoulder, which looked heavy. Paladin showed a mild expression as he said, "It is a sack full of soybeans. Even the most devout believer still need to eat."


    "Hahahaha, I see. The priest is so strong. A sack of soybeans, huh. Even my son will get tired and gasp for breath." The other uncle with a bottle of wine in his hand immediately laughed. His son was a hard worker, that was why he said that. When the people around heard this, they also burst out in a good-natured laughter. Paladin also laughed with them, but his eyes were calm.


    ¡®They are peaceful, bumbling civilians. It seems that Edley is in better shape than I thought. Very valuable to use.¡¯


    Paladin, who was smiling cheerfully on the surface, suddenly opened his mouth and inquired, "May I ask where the cathedral of Edley is?"


    "Oh, is the priest going to see the bishop? Just go straight ahead and turn right. It''s very conspicuous, you can''t get lost." After finishing the bread in his hand, the dazed old man who had a kind appearance was very happy to show this young priest, one that was younger than his own son, the way to the cathedral. Paladin thanked him and walked away.


    "Nowadays, priests try to flatter the bishop in a variety of ways, but I''ve never seen one who gives soybeans," said the old man with great sorrow after Paladin walked away. On the other side of the table, an uncle who was looking regretfully at the empty wine bottle and sitting on the stair stated, "What a pitiful priest. Such a simple man will be wrecked by that bastard bishop. So pitiful, ah¡­."


    Paladin naturally could not hear this conversation, and even if he did, he did not care. Just like what the old man had said, the cathedral of Edley really couldn¡¯t be mistaken as some other building. The roof that was decorated with gorgeous patterns was pointing straight to the sky. On both sides, there were stone towers made of marble. The main entrance was seven meters high, with a fifty steps staircase. In front, there was a square. This cathedral was enough to be considered a landmark church. It really couldn¡¯t be compared with the dilapidated church in Nurba that might collapse at any time. Such a magnificent church towering in the middle of the square, surrounded by many buildings and houses as tall as a crane.


    Looking at such grandeur, Paladin eyes flashed with longing.


    ¡®What a magnificent church! This is the place worthy of me, Paladin! How did I live in that shabby room in Nurba for more than a month?¡¯


    With an excitement that could not be suppressed, Paladin climbed the stairs and approached the door of the church one step at a time. After that, he stepped inside.


    Magnificent! Luxury! These were the first impressions that appeared in Paladin''s mind. Pews covered in red cloth were lined up inside the church, which was half the size of the square. There were thirty four rows of pews adorned with carvings filled the most space inside the church. The floor was made of fine marble. Obviously, it was something of high quality, divided in a perfect combination. On both sides of the church, there were rows of huge glass windows. The colored glazed windows depicted various idols of Enos. Red curtains seven to eight meters long were hung from the ceiling until it reached the floor, adorning the glass windows.


    Between the windows were stone pillars, and oh my god, these fat-headed bastards! The stone pillars were all made of marble and carved with beautiful patterns! Beside the stone pillars, there were more than a dozen candles placed on a lamp stand. Illuminating this sliver of heaven on earth. The envious Paladin looked up and saw that there were three huge chandeliers hanging above his head! The gilded chandeliers were dozens of gigantic candles. The burning candles complemented each other. Against the backdrop of the gilded chandeliers, with the help of the light reflected from the floor marble, the whole church appeared to be bathed in a golden light! It looked gorgeous and luxurious! What was more, on the ceiling where the chandeliers were hung, it was full of beautiful murals with vivid colors because it was painted with expensive paints!


    Paladin looked over flatly as he stepped onto the red carpet in the center. Nestled in the middle, was a huge statue of Enos that could reach the ceiling! The most representative image of the God was of an old man that was holding the lamp of hope in his left hand and the sword of justice in his right hand. It was the idol of Enos. Next to the meticulously crafted idol, there dangled cross banners. Dazzling candles were placed in front of the idol. It Illuminated the surroundings, making the idol look more and more divine.


    Paladin¡¯s mouth gaped in awe as he stared blankly at all this. These were intended to be his. He never had these things before. Extravagant and magnificent. These things made the idea to kill the bishop right now and take his place arose in Paladin¡¯s mind. He wanted to have all of this!


    "Who are you, priest? What are you doing here?"


    Paladin was still dazed when a few bald clerics that were cleaning the church stared at him and asked him a question. When they first saw Paladin, they cracked up before asking with vague disdain.


    Paladin immediately returned to his senses. Ignoring the clerics¡¯ attitude, he answered respectfully, "I am a priest under the jurisdiction of the bishop, the priest in-charge who manages Nurba. I hope to be able to ask for an audience with His Grace the Bishop."


    "Oh. You wait. His Grace the Bishop is very busy, come back later."


    Hearing Paladin''s narrative, the clerics showed obvious impatience and waved their hands in dismissal. They hoped that this priest would hurry up and leave. Paladin even vaguely heard a cleric hiding in the distance sneered at him.


    "A country bumpkin, carrying a sack to see the bishop? Hahaha."


    Paladin smiled faintly, unbothered by the clerics'' rudeness. On the contrary, he was happy. The more snobbish these clerics were, the more chances he had of surviving. He was originally araid of meeting some really devout believers, but it also saved a lot of time this way.


    Thinking so, Paladin took out three gold coins from his pocket and handed them to the cleric implicitly and said, "It''s hard for you to work for God. I just want to see the bishop, please let me know if I am able to?"


    When he saw the three gold coins, the originally disdainful look the cleric gave Paladin before immediately disappeared. These were gold coins! This priest from the countryside was so rich, it seemed he couldn¡¯t be underestimated.


    The balding cleric immediately looked around and grabbed the gold coins in Paladin''s hand with a firm grip. He was afraid of it being snatched away. After confirming that those were real gold coins, the attitude of these losers abruptly changed one hundred and eighty degrees.


    "Oh! May the Great God bless you, priest. The Lord Bishop is busy, but now he has some free time. He should be able to afford to meet a dear servant of God. I will go to inform him. Please wait a moment,¡¯ said the cleric in a flattering manner. After obtaining the gold coins with the other two, they ran up to the second floor cheerfully. The good thing was that it was already noon. Usually, no believers would come at this time, so these clerics dared to receive bribes so blatantly.


    Seeing nobody on his left and right, Paladin sat on the bench. He then felt up Lucia''s warm body that was shivering inside the sack. An inscrutable smile appeared on his face.

 CH 58

    CW: Human Trafficking


    Being led by the pandering cleric in front of him, Paladin went up to the second floor. He immediately saw a man dressed in a purple robe sitting at a long square table. He was nonchalantly eating roasted meat, pickled asparagus, and creamy pumpkin. Paladin sniffed the tasty aroma while squinting his eyes to get a better look at the rumored archbishop.


    His bloated body was wrapped in a bishop¡¯s purple coat. A shawl scarf draped around his neck, the symbol of a bishop. His long snow-white hair was strewn across the back of his head, exposing his wrinkled face. Even so, Paladin couldn''t ignore the sharpness shining from the corner of his sunken eyes.


    "May the Great God protect you, The Reverend Lord Bishop."


    Paladin gently put down the sack and clasped his hands respectfully. The cleric took a glance and knew that there was nothing else for him. Immediately, he closed the door with the back of his hand. Leaving the two of them, the bishop and Paladin, inside the dining room. The sharpness in the bishop''s eyes dissipated for just a moment.


    The bishop observed Paladin and felt that there was nothing out of the ordinary. He cut a corner of the roast meat with a knife, picked it up with a fork, and popped it into his mouth. After chewing contentedly, he picked up a glass of red wine on the table that was as bright as blood. Sipping a little of the wine, the bishop said, "What Bishop? Everyone is a servant of God. That is too much, just call me Andrew."


    "Yes, Lord Bishop Andrew."


    Andrew did not get angry at Paladin still calling him bishop. On the contrary, he simply gave an audible ¡®hmmm¡¯. The roast meat on the plate was once again in his hand. In his mind, he thought, ¡®At the very least, he''s not a moron who believes he can call me by my real name without a single honorifics. I heard the cleric said his name was Paladin, as written on the data. It''s been a month or two before he finally came to see me. He¡¯s quite arrogant.¡¯


    Thinking so, Andrew brandished his dinner knife and fork again. He had no plans to look after Paladin. Paladin stood quietly to the side, watching Andrew''s ring-adorned hands. The rings were either adorned by beautiful rubies or dazzling gold. For a moment, the shiny jewelries dazzled Paladin. Paladin used his strong-will to forcibly suppress his ugly gaze. He stood there, obediently waiting for Andrew to finish eating. At this point, a strange atmosphere enveloped them. Paladin stood still and did not speak, Andrew was also busy eating and did not speak. Just like this, time flew by.


    After a long time, there was a clinking sound. Andrew threw the cutleries onto the clean plate, took the cloth on his chest, and wiped his mouth. When he stood up, he turned around and walked into his own room, treating Paladin as air.


    "My Lord, please stay here."


    "Oh? Paladin, right? Sorry, lunch is not served here. If you are hungry and haven''t eaten yet, there is a restaurant outside."


    Andrew teased the young man in front of him. A smug smile appeared on the old man''s face. Who knew that Paladin would take the time to pat off the non-existent dust on his clothes, and say with a mysterious smile on his face, "I heard that the Bishop likes women. Not only prostitutes and some innocent believers and civilians, but also the mercenaries who were captured. My lord, their families are all very angry."


    "What, are you threatening me?"


    Andrew frowned, he stopped walking and turned around to glare at Paladin. But Paladin remained indifferent and continued, "If these things are exposed and spread to the Holy City of Kasmi, it will have a very bad influence on adults."


    Andrew snorted, stepped forward, and stared at Paladin disdainfully.


    "It''s up to you. Paladin, you are not the first person to threaten me like this. I have been through decades of storms, what do you think you can do to me?"


    Paladin suddenly laughed strangely, squatted down, and opened the sack. He swept away the gravel, revealing a very weak and powerless Lucia. Andrew had been tossing around with women all year round. What kind of woman had he never seen? However, the woman brought by Paladin made him stare. Saliva flowed from the corner of his mouth unconsciously. God! Leaving aside the appearance, just her tender skin was much better than those rough civilians!


    "This is¡­." Andrew couldn''t speak directly, but he looked at Lucia greedily. He began to form a deal in his mind.


    Paladin chuckled and said piously, "This is Luna, a believer. She really wants to meet the pious bishop to help her learn about God''s grace and mercy."


    "Oh? Oh! Yes, she is a believer. Hahaha Paladin, I know you are a good person. Don¡¯t take what I just said seriously, just treat it as an old man talking nonsense!¡±


    Andrew was about to come over when he said that. Intending to squat down and stroke Lucia''s face. However, he was stopped by Paladin, which made the former frown unhappily. He said, "Paladin, what else do you want?!" Andrew snorted, He looked at Paladin contemptuously and added, ¡°For exchange of a woman, what more do you want? My position?¡±


    "I want the position of assistant bishop.


    When Andrew heard it, he looked astonished. After confirming that he had heard it correctly, he immediately couldn''t help but laugh.


    "Hahaha, I, Andrew, have been a bishop of the diocese for so long. Yet, this bishop of the diocese has never heard of such an ignorant and shameless request in the past 25 years. Assistant bishop? A priest who has only been serving for less than half a year wants to be an assistant bishop? Hahahaha!"


    Andrew''s laughter was full of ridicule. It was true that in the Holy See¡¯s system, there could be an auxiliary bishop and an assistant bishop under the diocesan bishop. These two positions were supposedly equivalent, they both had great power. However, the assistant bishop was a tad more powerful because this position was held by the successor of the diocesan bishop, not just anyone could get this position. So, one could imagine how excessive Paladin''s request was.


    The laughter stopped abruptly. Andrew stared at Paladin with disdainful eyes and cursed, "Paladin, do you think I''m old-fashioned? You want to be an assistant bishop? What achievements and backings do you have? You don''t even have the right to be an assistant bishop in this diocese. You don''t even know how many priests there are in this diocese, but you want to be an assistant bishop? Don¡¯t be ridiculous!¡±


    In response, Paladin stated calmly and gently, "Then I would like to be the auxiliary bishop. I will offer you five hundred gold coins in order to spread the glory of God."


    "Huh?"


    Andrew looked at Paladin in disbelief. Although the auxiliary bishop was equivalent to the assistant bishop, it was a thankless job. All trivial matters and troubles were all handled by the auxiliary bishop while the benefits might not necessarily go to them. Andrew was so busy with work that he hardly had any spare time. So, although the position was attractive, Andrew hadn¡¯t found a suitable candidate until now. This position could share his worries while also serving as a scapegoat if necessary. He couldn''t figure out why this young priest had set his sights on the position of an auxiliary bishop.


    Editor''s note: guys, please take caution for yourself when reading this novel. I''m not that knowledgeable about all the content warnings so I might''ve missed some. I should remind you that this novel is not suitable for children and have heavy themes (suicide, sexual acts, slavery, sexual trafficking, etc).

 CH 59

    Confused, Andrew pondered for a brief moment. Naturally, he was happy that Paladin was willing to fill the position that had been vacant for twenty years. However, he had a vague feeling that this seemingly rash decision was a bad idea. After thinking about it, Andrew asked with a sullen face, "Where did you get the 500 gold coins?"


    "Of course it''s from the devotees¡¯ donations," Paladin laughed and babbled as he poured himself a glass of fine red wine. The tantalizing aroma slowly floated as the glass of ruby-colored wine was shaken lightly. Paladin¡¯s eyes lit up. He gently sipped a mouthful of wine. Immediately, both sweetness and bitterness bloomed in his mouth, rushing straight into his stomach. Nodding his head joyfully, Paladin said, "This red wine is really good."


    Andrew stepped forward to snatch the wine bottle, looking straight at Paladin with an expression as if saying ¡®who are you kidding here¡¯. That look meant that if Paladin didn''t explain how right now, then get the hell out of here. Five hundred gold coins were neither too much nor too little for Andrew, who had been in charge of the diocese for 25 years and had colluded with nobles, accepting bribes and tricking the system. His entire net worth was only eight thousand gold coins. But, based on what he had just said, this young Paladin had one-sixteenth of his total net worth. This made Andrew feel irritated and refused to believe it.


    Who could have predicted that Paladin would then flash a strange smile and say, "Lord Bishop, do you know my full name?"


    "Your full name?" Andrew froze for a moment without responding. However, it was Paladin''s response that made him realize.


    "My full name is Paladin Flamel."


    "You are a nobleman! Oh, my Enos!" Andrew let out a shout of awe. He looked Paladin up and down and became somewhat polite. "My lovely boy, you should have told me so!"


    Andrew might¡¯ve smiled on the surface, but he kept searching for information about the Flamel family deep inside. Unfortunately, the information he knew wasn¡¯t that much, thus he assumed the Flamel family to be a small noble family that had fallen. They would not have allowed their son to become a priest otherwise.


    "So about that auxiliary bishop..."


    "Huh? Don''t worry, I always think highly of you, Paladin. Tomorrow at dawn, I will officially bestow you your title and let the whole of Edley know that you have become a bishop!"


    Paladin nodded and then said, "Of course, as the priest of Nurba, I also request the lord bishop to grant me a part-time arrangement. After all, I have some leftover business I need to take care of."


    "Yes, yes, but won''t that be too tiring? The position of auxiliary bishop is extremely busy. I doubt there would be much time left for Nurba''s affairs."


    Paladin gently shook his hand and said, "You don''t have to worry about that. I¡¯ll only temporarily live in Nurba. Just send a cleric to notify me when something happens and I will definitely come over. When the affairs in Nurba are finished, Paladin will voluntarily step down from the post of priest in Nurba and focus on serving you, Bishop, and the Great Enos."


    ¡®This guy probably has a lot of mistresses in Nurba,¡¯ Andrew muttered to himself. It was understandable for him to take some time to arrange those lovers. Reminiscent of the corrupt living habits of the low-level nobles today. Andrew nodded without much doubt and said, "Yes, yes, let me know if you want to come. I will give you the post of auxiliary bishop tomorrow."


    "Tomorrow, the five hundred gold coins donated by the believers will also be sent to the bishop."


    Andrew was stunned for a moment. Fantasizing about the shiny 500 gold coins, he laughed heartily. Paladin also laughed, but there was no joy in his eyes. There was only indifference.


    "I think this is enough, I''m bothering the bishop. Please enjoy yourself, bishop." Paladin smiled and pointed at the alarmed Lucia. Hearing that, Andrew finally remembered that there was a new beauty here. His heart blossomed with happiness as he nodded fiercely.


    "Yes, yes, you go."


    Paladin bowed. He turned around and walked out of the room, not forgetting to give the desperate Lucia a farewell look.


    "Ho ho ho, little beauty! Grandpa has come to love you! Ha ha ha!" Andrew hugged Lucia, whose tears were streaming down from the corner of her eyes. He walked into the bedroom happily and closed the door behind him. Soon after, there was a burst of maniacal laughter and vague cries on top of the sound of tearing clothes.


    "I will never forgive you! Paladin, even if I turn into an undead, I will take revenge, take revenge! Revenge!" While lying on the bed, Lucia''s eyes showed intense hatred. The deadly toxins in her body penetrated into her heart. Slowly, she closed her eyes.


    The door was then opened. A disgusted and annoyed Andrew came outside, only wearing a bathrobe. He then yelled annoyedly. "I don''t know if she was cursed by some heretic. I haven¡¯t enjoyed this woman yet, but she died. It''s not worth it, not worth it! No, I have to take a shower."


    Andrew was so enraged that he yelled, "Ven! Deal with this female believer! Also, prepare water for me to bathe!"


    As soon as he said that, a bald old cleric with dull eyes came in and took a look at her. Her face was blue. Lucia, who had been dead for a long time, was laying on her chest. Suddenly, something flashed across the cleric''s blank eyes.


    "Ven, what are you still doing there? Hurry up and boil water for me! Also, bury the body in the cemetery in the backyard. Remember to do it at night, don''t be so stupid as to dig a hole during the day!" Andrew yelled and cursed angrily.


    The sharp eyes of the old cleric named Ven returned to dullness upon hearing the scolding. He opened his mouth as if wanting to let out a cry before turning around. He went downstairs to boil water. Ven was a mute. Ven had already worked here for some time when Andrew was newly placed here in his middle age. What was more, Ven was introverted and could do whatever he was asked to do. He would absolutely not refute, disclose information, nor write. That was why Andrew was reassured to have such a person dealing with these troublesome corpses.


    Walking to the church hall, Paladin vaguely heard the shouting upstairs although it was impossible to hear what was said. However, he could guess that Andrew felt uncomfortable doing it with a dead person. With a mysterious smile on his face, he was about to leave the church and go to the slave house when several clerics gathered around him.


    "Father, what did the bishop say to you? Why does it take so long?"


    "Father? No, no, no."


    Paladin looked at these flies flocking as if they smelled meat and sneered, "From tomorrow, you will have to call me Lord Assistant Bishop."


    "Wow!"


    These grasshoppers immediately burst with excitement. When they realized that Paladin was now a superior, they began to flatter him endlessly. Paladin, who automatically filtered these insignificant chatters, was just about to leave when a look sent an instant chill down his backbone. Paladin jerked his head to look around. Right in the middle of the wooden door in the corner, there was a small crack. Ven''s deep and complex eyes were staring straight at him. But when he noticed Paladin looking back at him, he immediately walked away and disappeared into the gap in the wooden door.


    "That old cleric just now, who was that?" Paladin inquired, a slight frown on his face.


    When these clerics saw an opportunity to befriend a superior, how could they easily pass it? One by one, they scrambled to answer.


    "That is old Ven. He is a mute and illiterate. Usually, he¡¯s very silly. It is said that he has been here longer than Lord Bishop!"


    "A mute?" Paladin''s frown deepened. When he noticed the clerics¡¯ expressions had turned strange, he immediately smiled and said, "It''s nothing, something just feels strange."


    However deep down, Paladin became more wary of this Ven. Because when he looked back at him just now, Paladin clearly saw that this old cleric had a magic ring around him. That was the proof of his mastery of the magic element. The ring was blue, composed of a whopping five hundred and twenty water elements!


    ¡®That old thing is not illiterate. Look at the scale of his magic ring. Hmph, he hid it very well. Is he from the Mage Society? Or an undead sorcerer? Or perhaps, is he an alchemist?¡¯


    Paladin left the Edley Cathedral with a smile. In any case, he had to be careful and alert of this Ven guy. Tens of thousands of years of history had taught him that no illiterate or stupid person could learn magic. This was a fact.

 CH 60

    CW: Human Trafficking


    Paladin left the cathedral. However, he didn''t want to go back to Nurba so soon. It had been a long time since he had fused with light magic elements. Harvey, that temporary bandit, was not likely to return right away either. So, now all he needed to do was go to the slave house and find some strong and healthy slaves.


    In Edley, both the slave house and the cathedral clearly had conspicuous buildings. There was no need to ask for directions. A large road sign had this written in a text that was visible from ten meters away: "Slave House, one hundred meters ahead." A small text was written below: "Please bring your own deodorant handkerchief." Paladin ignored and passed this road sign before walking into another road. The scenery changed so dramatically that it felt like being transported to another dimension.


    Paladin froze in his tracks and looked back at the bustling street not far behind him. Meanwhile, there was only silence a few meters ahead from his spot. Paladin took a closer look and discovered that all the people walking on this road were wearing fine clothes. There were even carriages passing by in twos and threes. Everyone appeared to have a tacit understanding that the other person was another nobleman. Except for the nobles, there were either mercenaries with shields and long swords on their backs, or soldiers with spears and chain armor. Needless to say, these armed forces were used to maintain the transactions here.


    Paladin took a deep breath and walked in with great strides. The surrounding sergeants and mercenaries looked at Paladin with curious eyes. Apparently, the priestly robes that he wore because he didn¡¯t have time to change clothes looked new to these people. It wasn¡¯t that priests never came here, but that if they did come, they would all change out of their priestly robe.


    The whole road was very deserted. In Paladin''s imagination, the slave camps would be full of slaves being sold along the street. However, there was no slave or slave trader in sight. Just when Paladin wondered if he was going the wrong way, the few nobles who were walking in front of him suddenly nodded, turned around to the right and walked towards an ordinary house next to it that no longer looked ordinary. Paladin suddenly became suspicious, but then he saw the two nobles that were standing at the door taking out a scented handkerchief from their pockets, and coughing lightly. A young man in a canvas cap opened the door from the inside and let them in. He moved and humbly spread his hands, revealing the situation inside the house.


    At that moment, even Paladin had the urge to curse after seeing what was inside. When the two nobles were walking to enter the house, Paladin quickly followed and walked into the room. In just a split second, the disgusting smell of sweat and body odor rushed over. Paladin''s expression darkened instantly. He decisively took out a handkerchief from his sleeve to cover his mouth and nose. Only then did he feel better. When he looked at the two nobles from a distance, they had already taken out their handkerchiefs and naturally began to appreciate the slaves.


    This was a mere room; of course it could be interpreted that way. But to be precise, this was a series of houses. These damned slave traders actually bought the entire street with hundreds of houses in three rows and merged them into a huge warehouse. As far as eyes could see, in these almost endless corridors, hundreds of people¡ªbig and small¡ªwere occupying a place inside cages made of crude iron bars. A dozen slave traders stood in front of their shop and yelled at their products. A few strong men with covered faces like thugs beat the slaves with leather whips mercilessly when they saw any goods that were dishonest.


    Paladin frowned as he walked through the small pathway left inside the massive warehouse, looking at the goods locked inside the cages. There were both women and men. There were children, and naturally, there were old men and women as well. Without exception, these goods were all stripped naked, numb, and lifeless as they lay in the cage. Thick iron rings were wrapped around the slaves'' necks. Chains connected those rings to iron bars attached to the walls to make sure they wouldn¡¯t try to run away.


    Paladin walked in the inner world of this society, looking at these slaves who were not regarded as the same kind as the slavers. This reminded him of the little pigs he saw when he was a child. The pigs were trapped in the pen at the Freemasons Association, waiting to be slaughtered. The helpless eyes of the little pig lying on the ground coincided with this scenery he saw right now.


    "Oh, Father, you are merciful and compassionate. Look at this woman, it is a Mulam from the desert. Although it is a bit dark-skinned, its feet, tsk tsk. It will definitely make you full of energy the next day!¡±


    When Paladin was walking past a stall, a big man with a thick yellow beard and a hunting cap saw Paladin. Without hesitation, the man tried to sell his products. Then, with the wooden stick in his hand, he flipped the woman, exposing her breasts for Paladin to see.


    Paladin frowned immediately, the woman looked like she was dying. Her life essence must be not enough to refine a Philosopher''s Stone. He didn''t want to spend money to buy someone, go back, and take care of it painstakingly. He didn''t want to refine it before it was full and healthy. And, was that water on its head? So, Paladin just shook his head slightly and went straight to the next house. The slave trader was obviously used to being ignored like this, so he immediately put on a smiling face and began to promote his goods to another passing nobleman.


    Paladin scanned the area left and right. He couldn¡¯t help but feel more and more disappointed. The slaves displayed here were various but all of them looked like they were dying. Paladin could feel the mournful cry of the refined Philosopher''s Stone if he purchased a living dead in this manner. It hurted his self-esteem too much!


    "Please, please buy us!"


    But just as Paladin was about to abandon the idea of buying slaves, pleadings came from the cage of a shop in front of him. Paladin looked at the source. Five young men around his own age were holding the bars of what could be called barely constructed cage, shouting desperately at every passing nobleman. The slave trader¡¯s colleagues around the area looked at them as if they were watching a joke. The slave trader was also furious, thus he kept on whipping them with the whip in his hand. Nonetheless, the blood on these several young men¡¯s backs only heightened their desire to survive.


    The five young men''s strong desire to survive made Paladin freeze on the spot. It was not that he pitied these people. Rather, it was because he realized a crucial fact. If there was a desire to survive, they obviously hadn¡¯t given up hope yet. They had only recently become slaves, so their bodies had not yet deteriorated from the torture of these slave traders. So, their physical qualities should be good enough to refine the Philosopher''s Stone. In short, Paladin found his raw materials!


    "Stop!" Paladin suddenly shouted righteously. He then strode over to them.


    "Huh? What''s wrong with this guest?"


    The attention of all the slave traders present was drawn to Paladin. Even the nobles who were inspecting the goods also looked at him with eyes full of curiosity.


    When the five young men saw Paladin, they exclaimed excitedly, as if they were seeing their savior, "Father, Priest, please save us!


    Paladin gave them a reassuring look before turning his head to the slave trader. He then asked, "How much for these five? I''ll buy them."


    At first, the dazed slave trader thought he had misheard, but when Paladin repeated his question, he nodded enthusiastically and said, ¡°I recently captured them, deserters from the battlefield. Each is powerful, so three gold coins per person."


    The slave trader rubbed his hands, his expression greedy. He scanned the strange priest from head to toe. In his opinion, as long as the priest paid, then he would be considered a guest no matter what status he had.

 CH 61

    CW: Human Trafficking


    Paladin¡¯s face might be expressionless, but deep down, he was trash talking this bastard slave trader. What an outrageously high starting price! Generally, an adult male could be sold for one to two gold coins. It was already the maximum price. Three gold coins? That was the price of a female. This slave trader was obviously swindling Paladin because he was a priest!


    Still, Paladin couldn¡¯t bargain since he was openly wearing the mask of justice. Once he started bargaining, he¡¯d give off the feeling of a mercenary. So, absolutely no bargaining. From the five young men¡¯s expectant eyes, they only saw Paladin nod before taking out fifteen gold coins from his pocket and handing them to the ecstatic slave trader.


    "Let them go," Paladin said.


    "Good, good. You are the customer, so you have the final say."


    The slave trader couldn''t stop talking, he was too happy. He then asked the thugs next to him to open the iron cage. Paladin immediately squatted down, untied his shawl, and draped it over the naked man. With a kind expression, he said, "Come, come with me. Let¡¯s get out of this filthy place."


    "Well¡­ Brothers, we can go home now!" The young man that was near the door of the cage held Paladin''s palm. Hot tears streamed down his face while he walked out of the cage together with his four other excited companions. All of them were looking at Paladin with eyes full of gratitude.


    Right now, Paladin had obviously noticed many nobles snickering and exchanging glances with each other. Perhaps, it was because they thought Paladin was a fool. With a pious expression, Paladin then asked the man who was supposedly the leader of these young men.


    "Do you know why I saved you and not the others?"


    "Huh?"


    The five young men looked at Paladin, who gazed back at them. There was nothing but bewilderment and confusion in their eyes. Paladin smiled as he picked up a handkerchief and helped one of them in wiping away the blood on his scarred chest. With a solemn face, he said, "It¡¯s because you have hope in your eyes, while they don''t. So, it is worth it to save you."


    The snickering nobles fell silent at once. Paladin''s words not only explained his reason for saving them, but also stated that the other slaves had lost the will to live. What was more, he also reproached these nobles implicitly, ¡®You are gorgeously dressed, but you refuse to do even the smallest things to help. What makes you different from the slaves whose hearts have already died?'' Filled with hatred, the majority of the nobles secretly gnashed their teeth. Meanwhile a small minority of nobles lowered their heads, bearing the condemnation of their conscience.


    However, something outside the scope of Paladin''s prediction happened. He was just about to play his part by calling for a carriage to drive him back to his church in Nurba when an inhuman howl suddenly came from an iron cage behind him.


    "Ho Ho Ho!"


    Paladin vigilantly turned around at once. A man three heads taller than Paladin was tied inside an iron cage. The big man''s arms were as thick as Paladin¡¯s waist. He was wearing an iron muzzle. His hands were firmly tied with iron chains. The man¡¯s red eyes were looking at Paladin, wishing to eat him in one bite. Right this moment, the slave trader immediately yelled with a displeased face, "Too bad, the beast woke up. We can''t do business today!"


    ¡°Beast?" Paladin frowned as he observed the big man. He was astounded to discover that this enormous man not only had lush body hair, but also vertical pupils like a beast. There were sharp and thick hooked claws on the fingers of both his hands. From the gaps of the muzzle, neat and sharp teeth could be vaguely seen. The slave trader ignored the snickers of his peers. He frowned and scolded one of the thugs.


    "What''s the deal with this?! I gave him ten servings of sleeping pills, why did he wake up so quickly?!"


    "Boss, I do not know either."


    Paladin, who was proficient in alchemy, was very surprised that his pupils constricted. Ten servings of sleeping pills? If he was an ordinary person, he¡¯d die! But from the tone of the slave trader, it could be concluded that he ate that and was beaten every day! What kind of monster was this giant man?!


    "What''s the matter with this man? Judging by his stature, he should be a barbarian from the north." When he heard Paladin''s question, the helpless slave trader immediately rubbed his hands and smiled. "That''s right, this thing is a barbarian from the north. However, even his kind said that he was a monster."


    A middle-aged nobleman next to him immediately teased, "A barbarian among barbarians, hahaha."


    Paladin simply ignored these nobles'' banter. He stared at the monster with crazy eyes, and suddenly reached out his hand to touch it.


    "Be careful!" The slaver was startled and hurriedly tried to stop him. Paladin noticed the monster staring at his hand, looking hungry and thirsty. He tried to come forward, the mouth inside the iron muzzle kept on moving up and down, attempting to eat Paladin¡¯s hand.


    The slave trader quickly yanked Paladin''s hand back and nervously warned, "This monster eats everything, even people! Once, a mercenary reached inside the cage, and then he was bitten by this monster to pieces. This monster even shattered the iron muzzle, bit through the flesh on the mercenary¡¯s arm, and tore off his entire palm!"


    Paladin started becoming more and more interested in this monster. This monster seemed to have no reason. He only had a beast''s desire and survival instinct. Paladin suddenly decided to buy the monster.


    "Boss, how much does he cost?"


    "Huh? What did you say?"


    The slave trader was stunned, suspecting that his ears were damaged. The surrounding nobles also looked at Paladin with great interest.


    Who would¡¯ve known that Paladin would say this with certainty next, "I want to buy it, how much do you want?"


    "This.... Father ah, I¡¯m really saying this for your own good. This thing will only kill you!"


    "How much?"


    "Alas.... You are the one who did not listen to me, do not blame me if something happens. If the priest really wants it, a gold coin will do."


    The slave trader''s heart burst into happiness despite his helplessness. Finally, he was able to sell this monster who did nothing but ate a lot! As for whether or not this priest would get eaten, that was no longer the slave trader¡¯s responsibility.


    Paladin took out a gold coin and handed it to the slave trader. The five young men around him immediately asked in disbelief, "Venerable priest, why did you save him?"


    "Because he is also desperate."


    Paladin felt like a philosopher at that moment. He had said a whole lot of things that he himself did not care about. The kicker was that these idiots really looked ashamed and nodded. This almost made him burst out laughing on the spot.


    The-mother-of-all-saints Paladin turned to face the monster that was eager to devour him in one bite. Paladin''s eyes narrowed. He smiled and extended his hand again before saying, "Hello, my name is Paladin."


    The slave trader watched from the sidelines without saying anything. The goods had already been sold, thus he was not liable for any accidents. Plus, he vaguely anticipated this childish priest being bitten, which would be a hilarious scene.


    However, the 300 light magic elements around Paladin became agitated and wanted to kill this monster just in case. The monster who was longing for flesh and blood suddenly realized that the delicious meat in front of him had turned into an extremely terrifying and ferocious monster. That terrifying and deadly aura compelled him to obey his instinct, the beastly instinct of the weak to obey the strong. The man¡¯s ferocious eyes became fearful. He lowered his head timidly, his body trembling all over. When he felt Paladin gently stroking his hair, he began whining for mercy.


    "Oh my Enos! What is this situation?!"


    The slave trader looked dumbfounded. The surrounding nobles who knew that this monster was powerful were also dumbfounded. The slave traders in the area were even petrified! They were witnessing something unbelievable. A priest was literally touching this monster''s hair! What was more, this monster, who used to be so ferocious, bowed his head very submissively!


    Paladin smiled faintly and simply ignored the scene where everybody present froze. In a very small voice, he squeezed a few words out of his lips.


    "Good boy, good dog."

 CH 62

    After separating from the slave traders and summoning two carriages, Paladin embarked on a journey back to the church together with five fallen soldiers and a monster. This minor occurrence, as he had predicted, became a topic of private discussion among the nobles. Somehow, the story spread. It even made its way to the ears of some higher-ups. The first thing that came to their mind was that Edley seemed to have one more idiot who believed in Enos.


    However, just when the carriage was leaving Edley, Paladin, who was sitting in the carriage, distributed bread and blankets to the starving soldiers. He watched the soldiers who were eager to swallow a big piece of bread in one gulp. Pretending to be indifferent, he asked, "I heard from the slave trader that you all were captured from the battlefield? Were you fighting in a war?"


    "Mhm." The one that was apparently older than the other four swallowed a mouthful of bread and hastily chugged a bottle of water before answering their savior''s question. "Yes, we are all from Aixinzhe. We were originally members of the 12th Army''s 50th Scouting Regiment, Reconnaissance Team No. 7. We were the vanguard, but then we encountered the slave traders on a plain at Aixinzhe¡¯s border. Thus, a skirmish took place. They were backed up by passing scouts. We surrendered because we were outnumbered. After, our clothes were stripped and our weapons were confiscated. It took numerous days of travel in the wagon to get here." The man smiled gratefully and added, "It''s a good thing we met the priest on the second day we''re here. Who knows what those beasts would have done to us if it hadn''t been for the priest."


    Outside, Paladin clearly smiled. Inside his mind, however, he was busy conjuring up connections between Aixinzhe and Kasmi. These two sides crossed paths on occasion. Usually, even if there were only a dozen or so people in both groups, they both drew their swords and fought, which was bound to end in a tragic fight. Moreover, it seemed that the rebels were plotting a coup in Aixinzhe. Paladin thought so because about a month or so ago, there was a fight on the border. The moment this news reached the Grand Duke of Kasmi, obviously he wouldn''t miss this good opportunity. He wanted to take advantage of Aixinzhe''s weakness to bring them down.


    Naturally, the rebels plotting the coup realized they were being taken advantage of by others. The situation could be said wasn''t good. On the day of the rebellion, a large number of troops had gathered at the border. They were simply waiting for an order to move from the other rebels who had successfully taken control of Aixinzhe. As soon as they received it, they immediately waged war against the Duchy of Kasmi. They did, however, wage war not only on the Duchy of Kasmi, but also on the Kingdom of Nubia¨CAixinzhe''s other neighboring kingdom on the other side.


    Somehow, Paladin came to a sudden realization. The three kingdoms, which had been at peace for three years, were about to go to an all-out war! And what did war entail? Death, armor, destruction, and gold! When would a kingdom be the most generous? The answer was during a time when there was a war to be fought. They would spend a large sum of money regardless of the cost to buy expensive armor, arrows, weapons, horses, and an astronomical amount of food plus daily necessities! Instead of a battle between the armies, it was a battle between economies and wealth! Each side involved in this war had an incomparable amount of wealth.


    With that in mind, Paladin took the six people back to Nurba. They arrived in the middle of the night. Perhaps, because it was late at night and the buildings hadn''t been repaired for many years, the originally small-populated town now resembled ruins rather than a town. Paladin happily opened the door of the church and led these people inside.


    With a bang, the door of the church was slammed shut behind the five soldiers who were carrying the cage in which the sleeping monster was trapped. Paladin looked at these people''s exhausted faces before taking out a bottle of red wine. With a smile, he said, "Thank you for your hard work, everyone. Please sit down and let''s have a drink."


    "Ah, thank you, priest."


    The five soldiers obviously loved to drink. When they heard Paladin''s offer, they were overjoyed. They quickly sat around the dining table while looking around the humble church with interest.


    Paladin cast a sidelong glance at the five people who were not looking at him. He turned his back quietly and took a small bottle of blue potion from his sleeve. This potion was kind of like an ecstasy drug that Paladin had spent a long time refining. Even though the miraculous effect lasted only for a brief moment, it was very effective. The only downside was that it had too many side effects, such as waking up feeling worse than a hangover. However, none of this mattered to Paladin. He gently poured a small amount of potion into the wine bottle. The blue potion then mixed into the red liquor, leaving no visible trace behind.


    "Ah, I didn¡¯t expect that the priest''s church would be so simple."


    The soldiers observed the dilapidated church and genuinely admired it. However, to Paladin, this wasn''t exactly a happy thing to hear. Since he had seen the grandeur and luxury of the Edley church, Paladin realized that this damn place was simply a beggar''s doghouse. How could he, Paladin, live at a place like this?! Such a magnificent church, similar to the Edley church, was where he belonged!


    Thinking so, Paladin turned away. He pretended to shake the wine bottle enthusiastically in order to mix the potion thoroughly. While smiling, he said, "I despise spending money when it is not absolutely necessary. The believers'' donation be used entirely for the benefit of the people. Spending this money on myself would go against my conscience."


    After saying that, Paladin leisurely walked over and poured the ruby-colored wine into the prepared glasses. When he watched the five people sitting around the table having a gluttonous expression on their faces, he laughed even more happily.


    The soldiers did not care about what Paladin had said when the wine was ready to be drunk. When they saw Paladin finish pouring the wine, they bristled to pick up the glass and chug it all down.


    "Wow, this flavor is so nostalgic, ah. In the army, we were not allowed to drink. So, we haven''t had a drink for quite a long time," the man with a scar on his face who was sitting on the left happily said. On the other side, a young man who was obviously a poor drinker considering his face was already red, licked his lips and handed over the glass of wine he had emptied. While looking at Paladin expectantly, he said, "Father, please pour me another glass. I drank too fast that I was unable to taste anything."


    "This kid! The priest is our savior! Be polite! Do you not want to live?!" a bearded man nearing middle age that sat next to the young man immediately yelled.


    Paladin''s response was a mere indifferent smile. Then, he poured the fine wine into the wine glass and kindly said, "Just drink it. It was given to me by the residents of Nurba. I don''t usually drink, so I still have a lot left."


    "Really? Then, we¡¯ll take your offer, thank you!" The soldiers exchanged glances before hurriedly placing their wine glasses on the table. Their desire for wine seemed to have been suppressed for a long time.


    Paladin granted their request and poured the wine while casually asking them, "Do you have any plans after this? Will you be going back to Aixinzhe?"


    "I''m not going back! I''m going to run to the countryside to farm, marry another woman and start a family! It''s far more pleasant than fighting a war," the young man with a beard on his face immediately made a statement.


    However, the one with a scar on his face immediately cursed. He was undoubtedly the leader of the five.


    "I don''t have any other ambition. I still want to advance in my career and kill enemies. Maybe I''ll get lucky and become a knight! Then, I''ll be a nobleman!"


    As soon as he said that, the other four immediately mocked him with disdain. The youngest, a big boy who was already a little tipsy, hiccupped and stated, "I am no longer a soldier, but I want to go back to Aixinzhe. That is my motherland after all. My parents and two-year-old sister are all waiting for me at home. The girl I met previously, I wonder if she''s married?"


    These words immediately extinguished the previously lively atmosphere. All of these soldiers had family members, some even had wives and sons. Thinking of their family members who lived far away on the other side of the plain, their eyes were filled with nostalgia and longing.


    Paladin reckoned that their time was almost up. Suddenly, he snorted frivolously. His kind expression vanished like a lie. He raised his head and looked at the five stunned soldiers with contempt blatantly shown on his face before filling the wine glass in his hand.


    "Father, are you going to drink?"


    A few soldiers were still perplexed by the situation. Paladin gulped down the entire contents of his glass and abruptly placed said glass on the table. With a mocking smile on his face, he said. "Unfortunately, you will never see your family again, trash."

 CH 63

    "Father, what did you just say?"


    These soldiers were still perplexed by the situation, but all of a sudden, they began to feel their limbs weaken and their heads dizzy. They saw golden stars twirling before their eyes. This made their expressions change dramatically.


    "We''ve been drugged!" the scarred man immediately shouted.


    However, the next thing he saw was several of his companions fainting one after another on their respective chairs. All of them fell unconscious!


    "Pft, hahahahaha! What wonderful raw materials. After all, all of you are soldiers who went to fight on the battlefield." Paladin¡¯s icy eyes narrowed. Surprisingly, he took out a bottle of purple potion, raised his head, and drank it as if no one else was present.


    In an instant, the scarred man realized that everything was a ploy devised by this seemingly benign priest. That small bottle was most likely the antidote to the drug. One thing he didn''t understand was how quickly the drug took effect; he''d never seen a drug as fast as this. Furthermore, what was Paladin''s real motive? They were captured and sold as slaves. For money? But they didn¡¯t have any. Either way, they¡¯d die in the end. Plus, Paladin already had dozens of gold coins. The scarred man really couldn''t figure Paladin out. When he saw Paladin walk forward while smirking before patting his unconscious compatriot, his mind became more and more confused. The man could only feel coldness deep inside his heart.


    After opening the entrance to the basement, Paladin dragged the five men who had fainted into the dark and gloomy basement. Paladin threw the quill in his hand and gazed at the massive Philosopher''s Stone refining formation drawn on the ground. Feeling satisfied, he smiled.


    "Huh?"


    Paladin frowned and covered his nose as he looked at the bodies piled up in the empty space. What a wonderful pile of corpses. The pile consisted of six to seven dried corpses. Small luminous flowers that were emitting white light sprouted from the corpses'' dark brown skin. The flowers grew in clusters all over the bodies, just like mushrooms. It was hard to believe that this beautiful flower grew on top of the death of others. These white phosphorus flowers were used to make Novin, the main material of the Deadly Rain.


    At first, Paladin didn¡¯t sense anything, but just now, he was sure he smelled a sour odor. The odor blended with the white phosphorus flowers¡¯ seeds. The seeds were harmless if inhaled by living creatures, but it would quickly take root and sprout once it fell on the skin of dead creatures. It didn¡¯t even take a few days for the white phosphorous flowers to grow lush. If one looked closely, they could see that these clusters of white phosphorus flowers sometimes shook. It was as if the petals surged upwards to spurt its untraceable seeds just like dust. Paladin felt helpless, he didn¡¯t know how to get rid of the odor.


    "There¡¯s no way. The basement can¡¯t be ventilated. These seeds have accumulated in the basement and are becoming a hazard. This is not a good sign."


    When Paladin was thinking about how to get rid of the odor, he heard an ¡®Ohhhhh¡¯. Paladin''s nape hair immediately stood on end. He opened his right hand to make a lightsaber by condensing the light magic element. He took a step and turned around. Without even having the time to look, he was about to strike the unknown entity behind him with a wave of his hand.


    "Whoa..."


    Paladin halted abruptly. He stared blankly at the creature that was behind him. It turned out to be the monster he had just bought. The said monster was timidly lying on the ground.


    "Woah-woo." The giant monster put his chin on the ground, looked upwards to see Paladin''s gaze, and yelped flatteringly. A smile gradually appeared on Paladin''s face, and the lightsaber in his hand vanished into nothingness.


    "Stand up." With an inexplicable smile on his face, Paladin gave an order. The monster stood up obediently. The top of his head, which was covered with brown hair, was directly touching the basement ceiling.


    "Do you understand what I¡¯m saying?" Paladin inquired, his voice tinged with curiosity. The monster actually nodded vigorously while smiling pleasantly at the small man who was much shorter than him.


    Paladin, who found this very interesting, had a flash of doubt in his eyes and asked bluntly, "How did you get out of the cage?"


    The monster opened his palm to reveal a pile of iron pieces, which made Paladin want to laugh but also cry at the same time. What a powerful strength! Paladin was both surprised and delighted. It would be fantastic if the monster obeyed him. When the monster saw that Paladin wasn¡¯t responding, he pointed to his mouth, which was full of sharp teeth, and then pointed to his belly. The message was clear: he is hungry.


    Paladin got a grip of himself and fell silent. He had no idea how much food he needed to feed such a large man! Moreover, judging by his demeanor, he was clearly not a vegetarian. The question was, where would he get so much meat? Although Paladin was not short on cash right now, buying so much meat for no apparent reason would be suspicious. Paladin had also decided that the existence of this big man must not be known by the public.


    Suddenly, an idea popped in Paladin¡¯s brain. Squinting at the people who were lying unconscious on the ground, his face gradually began to distort, showing a cruel expression as he laughed.


    "Big man, do you eat humans?"


    The big man, whose appearance was horrifying, froze. Obviously, he didn¡¯t understand what Paladin had just said, but he still nodded in agreement. Seeing him nod, Paladin smiled. Then, Paladin pointed to a relatively strong soldier, the cruel expression on his face intensified.


    "You can eat this one. But remember, you can''t eat it in my church or anywhere else where other humans can see it. Remember, etch it into your brain! If you want to eat, go eat in the wild! Run away if you see someone you can''t kill passing by! Never, ever run towards the church! Got it?"


    The big man looked at Paladin with a genuinely serious expression on his face. It took him thinking for a while to understand. Nodding happily, he stepped forward and grabbed the man as if he was grabbing a chicken. He was about to go to the wild to fill his stomach when he suddenly heard Paladin¡¯s shout.


    "Wait a minute!"


    The big man immediately came to a halt and then, and he was back to squatting timidly at the basement''s entrance while staring at Paladin. However, Paladin simply said this while smiling, "It''s really inconvenient to call you big man all the time. Because you¡¯re a monster, from now on, you''ll be called Aberleigh."


    "Oh oh oh!"


    When he heard his new name, Aberleigh waved his arms very happily, and then quickly went out of the church with Paladin''s permission.


    Nobody else was around when Paladin brought out a kettle, soil, and a torch. He approached the few people who were lying in the refining formation step by step.


    "That''s right, I want power," he said while looking at them.


    At this time, Aberleigh, who had already run to the deep mountains and old forests, was very happy. Although he had no memory of the past, his pure intelligence was still there. He believed he had found a good master. The master had helped him to escape from those weak humans and gave him something to eat. He felt very happy.


    However, Aberleigh had always had this question in his heart. Why did his powerful master take on the form of those weak humans? Aberleigh''s wild intuition assured him that his master was definitely not a human. There was no trace of human breath on him! Considering his intelligence at the time, Aberleigh couldn''t possibly solve the mystery. Perhaps, even Paladin himself hadn''t even considered the possibility that he was no longer a human.

 CH 64

    It was already late at night when Paladin leisurely walked out of the basement. In his hand, there was a bright red philosopher''s stone the size of a ping pong ball. It showed how much he had gained tonight. He simply used alchemy to seal up the entrance to the basement while Aberleigh was on the floor, looking at Paladin with a happy expression and barking hard.


    ¡°Ohhhh, wahhh."


    Paladin squinted his eyes. With a frown, he stepped forward and took out a handkerchief from his sleeve to wipe the blood around Aberleigh¡¯s mouth. After that, he inquired, "Have you eaten all of it?"


    "Ohhhh!" Aberleigh nodded happily. Looking at his bulging stomach, it was clear that he had devoured almost the whole thing clean.


    At that, Paladin felt relieved. He threw the handkerchief to the side and commanded, "You guard the church. If anyone breaks in without knocking, kill them! Avoid being seen, do you hear me?"


    "Ohhh." Aberleigh immediately barked. With his huge body, he jumped up and stuck on the ceiling at once. He was almost integrated with the darkness that he¡¯d be impossible to detect without close examination. Paladin nodded with satisfaction. He tightened his grip on the Philosopher''s Stone, walked up to the attic, and locked the door to his room. Next, he waited for dawn to fall.


    When he felt bored, Paladin read a variety of alchemical books. He also read other books such as biographies and national history. He hadn¡¯t slept for many days. At the beginning, two or three hours of sleep was sufficient, but then his sleep hour was gradually reduced. And ten days ago, he didn¡¯t sleep a wink. It wasn¡¯t that he couldn¡¯t sleep, but he simply didn¡¯t want to sleep. Paladin, who didn¡¯t feel sleepy at all, suspected this problem arose because of the fusion with the light magic elements. But at the moment, it didn¡¯t appear to be a bad thing. At least, he had plenty of time to do what he wanted to do.


    Thus, Paladin killed time by reading books. When the first rays of sunlight pierced the dark clouds and broke through the curtains, brightening Paladin''s eyes that were in a trance, he knew that it was time. Without any other thoughts, Paladin prepared a magnifying glass, drew the fusion refinement formation, and simply waited for the sunlight to gradually grow larger and larger before starting the fusion. In his mind, he calculated that he had swallowed the lifespan of ten extra people before, and two of them were consumed to overdraft aging. Now, there should be eight people¡¯s worth of lifespan in his body. But of course he didn¡¯t count his own, since his own lifespan had long been consumed.


    In this case, five human portions of light magic element shouldn¡¯t trigger the aging phenomenon. His body should be capable for three portions more after the fusion was completed. In other words, Paladin could probably live to about 280 to 300 years old! When he thought he could live for hundreds of years more, Paladin couldn¡¯t help but snicker. At the time, enough sunlight was gathered by the magnifying glass, thus a thick beam of light was projected on the table, starting the fusion.


    "Hahahahahahahahahaha!"


    The long-lost and familiar sharp pain instantly spread throughout his body. However, Paladin no longer collapsed, it was not as painful as before. Whenever he was in severe pain, the thought of more and more powerful power being continuously integrated into his own body, the incomparable joy and happiness he felt diluted all the pain. Leaving only extreme joy. So, right now, Paladin didn''t know whether it was because of the pain or the happy feeling he felt, but looking at the gradual expansion of the golden crystal on his right arm, he let out a burst of happy laughter.


    "Yes, yes! Endless power! Endless power!"


    Paladin was ecstatic to see that the three hundred light elements surrounding him were trembling violently. One divided into two, two divided into four. When the Philosopher''s Stone fully fused with him, the number of light magic elements in the surrounding area doubled. There were now over 600 light elements, his strength had doubled. Paladin didn¡¯t have the chance to fully express his joy before the world turned black in his eyes. He stopped laughing, and his knee fell onto the ground. Once again, he fell into a brief coma.


    "Feed me."


    Familiar yet unfamiliar words rang in his ears. Paladin hazily opened his eyes. The pure white space, the huge inverted tree drawn beneath his feet, and the black baby with the same shape as before was in front of him. Without getting tired, it kept on saying feed me, feed me. Because of his past experiences, Paladin instantly understood that he was once again inside that strange and eerie dream.


    "Feed me. Feed me."


    This black baby squatting in front of him was still calling him.


    "You always said to feed you. What do you want me to feed you?" Paladin asked, a strange expression plastered on his face.


    Who would have guessed that as soon as Paladin asked that question, the circle marked by the word ''Material Kingdom'' beneath his feet would begin to glow? Because the circle was the closest to the tree¡¯s canopy, the entire canopy of leaves shone.


    Paladin froze, he had never been in this situation before. Suddenly, the black baby was in front of his eyes. It smiled very excitedly and climbed up, grabbing Paladin''s thumb and tugging it outward. Paladin¡¯s balance became unstable, and it forced him to take a step outside of the circle. When he realized what had happened, his face showed surprise. He remembered clearly that when he tried to leave the circle before, invisible barriers blocked his path, preventing him from doing so. But now, he could leave easily!


    "Come here, follow me." The black baby let out a cheerful cry and pulled Paladin towards the circle with gluttony written on it. When he was about to step into the circle, Paladin suddenly felt an inexplicable sense of fear. There appeared to be a road of no return before him. Once he stepped inside, he could never turn back!


    "No, let go! I''m not going over there!"Paladin made a desperate attempt to shake the baby''s hand and flee from the circle in front of him. However, the baby was surprisingly strong. As an adult, Paladin couldn¡¯t even sway its tiny hand that was as small as an apple.


    "Let go of me! I''m not going over there!"


    Seeing the black baby¡¯s insistence of him going inside there, Paladin got increasingly uneasy. Alas, he simply couldn¡¯t do anything against the baby¡¯s extremely disproportionate strength. He was yanked forcefully into the circle.


    Thud. Paladin''s whole body fell inside the circle. Terrified, he immediately jumped up and attempted to escape from the ¡®Gluttony¡¯ circle. But then, an invisible barrier of despair appeared on the sides of the circle, bouncing Paladin back inside the circle again.


    "What do you want?! What the hell is going on here?! Answer me!" Paladin looked at the black baby and roared out. But instead, he saw the baby''s mouth open, revealing a terrifying mouth full of fangs. Crack, crack! The baby, whose height was only up to his waist, opened its mouth so wide it could eat a watermelon in one bite.


    Just as Paladin was getting a bad feeling, the baby suddenly flew quickly upwards. Strong arms immediately grabbed Paladin''s left hand. It then laughed and exclaimed, "Feed me!"


    Its massive mouth ripped Paladin''s left hand apart with force.


    "AHHHH!"


    Paladin immediately felt the intense pain that burrowed into his mind. This was as painful as fusing with the light magic elements, if not worse!

 CH 65

    "AHHH! Hahh, hahh."


    Paladin, who had once again awoken on the floor of the church¡¯s loft, noticed the familiarity of his surroundings. So, he let out a sigh of relief. That terrible nightmare was over for now. However, Paladin was not a fool. He knew that after every fusion with light magic elements, he¡¯d enter that dream. And unlike normal dreams, which he usually had no recollection of, this particular dream felt as real as if he were there.


    The most important thing to take note of inside the dream was the little baby and the huge inverted tree. The only time he saw the inverted tree was in the space where the Ripley Scroll was sealed, drawn in the huge stone slab that emerged from the ground. At first, Paladin thought it was merely his imagination that made him have such dreams. However, the consecutive and non-repetitive dreams made Paladin realize that there was a deeper meaning that was hard to swallow inside. It was difficult to say, but this dream seemed to be greatly connected with the Philosopher''s Stone, particularly the inverted tree.


    Thinking about it, Paladin immediately jumped up, opened the mountain of bookshelves, and began to read through a variety of strange and bizarre alchemical books one after another. He believed that since the Philosopher''s Stone was an alchemical product, then the inverted tree should also be related to alchemy. There should be relevant descriptions in the classics.


    Unfortunately, even after reading many books such as "Popular Science of Alchemy Encyclopedia", "The Origin of Alchemy of Various Schools", "Proof of the Origin of Alchemy", and even "Excerpts of Dark Alchemy", there was still no information found about the inverted tree. Just when Paladin was about to give up, the last book in his hand, titled "Heretics and Gods", which was a miscellaneous book, lit up the light in Paladin¡¯s eyes.


    This said book recorded nothing more than about the five main gods believed by all races on the Olosen Continent, which were: the representative of hope and justice, the god of light Enos; the representative of sin and despair, the god of darkness Belial; the god of storms, thunder, and the sea, Nasius; the representative of plants and earth, the god of nature Jaconot. The book also wrote about the "Furnace and War", where major divine sects accuse each other of heresy. To them, the gods of their own side were the true gods. However, Paladin naturally didn¡¯t care about these things.


    He focused on the contents of the book, on a page about a mysterious sect called the Illuminati. This sect was the most dangerous and terrifying anti-God group. Every member didn¡¯t acknowledge the true heresy of any god. The core idea of this sect was depicted in an illustration, which was the exact inverted tree Paladin was looking for.


    A scribble on it told Paladin that this illustration was called the Kabbalah Inverted Tree. It was said that the gods drove the first humans created out of the supreme paradise of heaven because they feared these creatures would surpass them one day. So, they put every creature in chains. This Kabbalah tree was the chains that God put on mankind.


    "Chains?" Paladin frowned and thought carefully. But he still couldn¡¯t understand why this inverted tree was meant to be chains. How could something without a keyhole be a lock? However, reality did not give Paladin any more time to think, as there was a knocking sound coming from the door downstairs.


    "Hahh,¡± softly sighing, Paladin closed his book and walked downstairs. He found Abeleigh, who was stuck on the ceiling. Abeleigh stretched out his tongue and looked at Paladin eagerly. The latter immediately shook his head. Who was he kidding, asking for food in broad daylight? Paladin didn¡¯t want to create a mess anymore.


    "Which believer, ah? This morning''s prayer has not yet begun!" Paladin said as he put on his divine robe. He wore the cross, picked up the shoddy scepter, and then slammed the door open.


    "Oh, reverend priest, here is a letter for you."


    When the door was opened, a young man with a rimmed hat very politely handed Paladin a red-painted envelope from his backpack. Paladin immediately took the envelope suspiciously and looked around, he could not help but ask, "Are you sure this is for me?"


    "Yes, I¡¯m sure." The messenger was a little uncomfortable with Paladin''s question. It was an insult to his job, but the other man was a priest. So, he answered politely, "The priest¡¯s name is Paladin Flamel, right?"


    "Mhm," Paladin hesitantly agreed.


    The messenger then said, "You see, this is sent to you. Look at the writings on the cover."


    When Paladin looked at it, he saw a sentence written in a very beautiful script that almost sent Paladin''s soul into a spin.


    To my son, Paladin Flamel. Your most loving mother Aaron Flamel.


    For a moment, Paladin''s expression changed dramatically. However, it quickly returned to normal before showing a warm look of nostalgia.


    "Father, it''s your letter, right?"


    "Yes, thank you. I don''t have much money, so take these." Paladin smiled calmly, took out three gold coins from his pocket. and handed them to the messenger. Such a sudden reward made the messenger a bit overwhelmed, "Father, this is too much!"


    Who knew that Paladin would suddenly wave his hand, take out a paper and pencil from the side table, and write a letter. Then he sealed the envelope with red wax and handed it to the messenger.


    "This letter, please give it to Bishop Andrew of Edley."


    "Yes, yes. Thank you, Father!" The messenger breathed a sigh of relief, he still got the money. He then joyfully said goodbye to Paladin before climbing the chestnut horse tethered at the door and going away with a whoosh.


    When the messenger was already far away, Paladin''s originally bland face instantly darkened. He took out the letter and opened it, only to see that there were two or three short sentences written on it.


    My son Paladin,


    You have been away from home for two months, but did not send a letter back home. It¡¯s making me and your sister worry all day long. When you have time, come back to see us. Your father''s health is getting worse and worse. Your elder brother went out to join the army, and we don''t know whether he is alive or dead. If you still refuse to send a letter to us, we will set off to find you!


    Love, your mother.


    Aaron, Flamel


    The moment he finished reading the letter, only two words appeared in Paladin''s mind, which was ¡®Shut up!¡¯ Crumpling the fragile paper with his hand, Paladin''s face became more and more gloomy.


    "I absolutely can¡¯t let them come here. Once they found out I¡¯m not the original Paladin, but an impostor, not only will months of my effort be in vain, but I will also become wanted by the Duchy of Kasmi. I will have to change my face and start all over again!" Paladin muttered viciously. He immediately considered a plan to eradicate them. He vaguely remembered that the Paladin Family lived in Fenrir Parish. Although it was a small noble family, it was much more noticeable than the average family. Going back and forth on a horse would take at least a day. But he still didn¡¯t take into account the time spent in eliminating them. Time was running out. Keeping this family alive was always a potential hazard. Thus, he must wipe them out with lightning speed!

 CH 66

    "Hey, Paladin. What are you thinking about, standing at the door so early in the morning?" At this moment, Kaleqi, who was wearing a fancy dress, walked over with his son Uther. Kaleqi, who was about to open his mouth to playfully say something when he noticed Paladin''s unusual grave expression. His previous intent to joke suddenly disappeared. He stepped forward curiously and asked, "Paladin, what''s wrong? This stern expression of yours is really rare!"


    "Oh! It''s nothing serious." Only then did Paladin come back to his senses. He crumpled the envelope in his hand into a ball and twisted it in his palm. Looking at the lively and lovely Uther, he laughed.


    "My godson, have you come to pray?"


    "Oh, Paladin, I have something to do today. Some of the people I entrusted to manage the ironworks said that recently, some people-" Kaleqi hadn''t finished speaking when Paladin, whose mind was still full about the Paladin family, interrupted him by saying, "I''ll discuss it with you after I get back, I''m going to visit Edley right now."


    "Uh, okay." Kaleqi had no other choice but to do as Paladin said. He then left with Uther, a smile plastered on his face.


    It wasn''t until Kaleqi and Uther left that Paladin returned to the church. With a straight face, he asked Aberleigh who was on the ceiling.


    "How far can you run with me on your back?"


    Aberleigh saw his master¡¯s serious expression and imitated a horse''s cry, indicating that it was comparable to the speed of a horse. Paladin immediately nodded in satisfaction. No matter whose horse he rode, he would be noticed. When the time came, it was not good for the truth to be known by anybody. On the contrary, by being on such a powerful big man¡¯s back and advancing to the mountains where horses couldn''t walk, no one would find out that Paladin was actually going to Fenrir instead of Edley.


    "Aberleigh. Carry me on your back to a place. If we arrive there fast, I''ll reward you with a big meal!"


    "Oh, oh, oh!" Aberleigh nodded excitedly. He immediately jumped down and arched his body. Paladin then climbed and straddled his exaggeratedly broad back. Before Paladin could react, Aberleigh, who was excited by the thought of having a feast, started moving and left the church¡¯s door with a whoosh. However, nobody in the bustling city that gradually became more and more crowded saw this terrifying scene.


    Whirr whirr. In addition to the thunderous and violent wind, there was no other sound that could be heard in Paladin¡¯s ears. All he could see was splotches of hazy and distorted green and yellow. Only by the smell that rushed into his nostrils could Paladin recognize that it was the smell of woods and soil. Both of his hands tightly hugged Aberleigh''s bucket-like neck. Paladin couldn''t quell the growing shock in his heart.


    ¡®This bastard, how can he be so fast?! He said that he was as fast as a horse. Is this the speed of a horse?! This is clearly the speed of a giant dragon!¡¯


    Paladin couldn''t bear it anymore. He closed his eyes and buried his head in his arms. The whistling wind was like a pair of sharp razors. Paladin even believed that if he stretched out his head again, his face would be scratched and bleed in an instant. Paladin had to endured such pain for a full three hours before he was finally freed.


    As soon as Aberleigh stopped, Paladin fell to the ground as if he had passed out. His face was pale and his eyes were red. He was panting heavily, as if he had come back after being dead.


    "I-I am still alive, right?" Paladin knelt on the ground and screamed at Aberleigh. Only then did he realize that this place was in the middle of a forest. Long weeds covered the tree trunks, and the lush leaves covered the sky.


    Occasionally, one or two unrecognizable birds stood on the branches, looking curiously at the two uninvited guests. Paladin, who propped himself up slightly, walked on the grass and suddenly saw a city standing on the other side of the hill. The city was surrounded by high walls and towers with giant crossbow carts. One could even see the flags flying on the tower. The flags depicted a griffin with a red and blue background.


    "The flag of the Marquis of Carmon!"


    Paladin recognized it at a glance. This was one of the only three marquises in the Duchy, the flag of the Marquis of Carmon. This happened to be his destination, Fenrir, which was one of Marquis of Carmon¡¯s territories.


    "Aberleigh, where did you bring me?" Paladin asked. He held a tree trunk to barely stop his legs from shaking while trying to stand up. Who would¡¯ve known this journey would be a big deal. Paladin suddenly felt his stomach that had calmed down for a moment gurgling, so he hurriedly stood up. His pale face became paler. Eventually, he lowered his head and vomited.


    However, the answer Paladin was expecting only came in the form of "Oh oh oh!"


    Paladin shook his head, his body was in a sluggish state. He tried to calm down his uncomfortable stomach and said, "It''s useless asking you. I''d better go and see for myself." Paladin suddenly turned his head and warned, "You go with me, but you must not let others find your whereabouts, you must not let others see you! Got it?!"


    "Oh oh oh!"


    Paladin, who was completely defeated by this cookie-cutter answer, simply ignored Aberleigh. Stepping on the muddy and weed-covered grass, he walked towards the distant city little by little.


    Unknowingly, Paladin walked into a densely forested area. Paladin, who didn''t want to admit that he was at a roadblock, was in a hurry to find a way out when suddenly there was a roar of a beast in the distance. Aberleigh, who had been swinging on a tree, suddenly jumped to the ground in front of Paladin before roaring with a serious expression.


    "Aberleigh, what''s wrong with you?" Paladin hadn''t realized what was going on until he heard a bang and saw the tree trunk in front of him explode. An adult scorpion-tailed beast flapped his degenerated wings and jumped out of the shattered wood chips and leaped straight to the Paladin.


    In an instant Paladin could see the scorpion-tailed beast''s sharp barb, the golden hair, the pair of ferocious and hungry eyes, and the open bloody mouth. Buzz buzz! There was a ringing in Paladin¡¯s ears. Right now, the eyeballs of his shocked eyes instantly turned golden. From the two of his eyes, a dazzling golden light burst out.


    Not only that, but the Almighty Eye, which had not been used since he acquired it, emerged on his forehead. The horizontal golden eyes with a halo like a crown around it faced the flying Scorpion beast while emitting a golden light that was more blinding than both of his eyes.


    At this moment, for Paladin, the whole world seemed to stand still. The scorpion-tailed beast his sharp claws out. The saliva from that bloody mouth floated in the air. What surprised Paladin even more was that he seemed to have countless pairs of eyes, looking at everything around him from any angle. Aberleigh, who was behind him, was frantically trying to run up to him, but his pace and expression remained frozen in the air. On a nearby tree trunk, a beetle so small that it was almost invisible was spreading its wings, unconcerned by all the commotion.


    Through the slender cuts in the trunk, the beetle was drinking the sap bit by bit. The breeze blew by, carrying some tiny dirt so small that humans couldn''t see it, and it fell on the leaves in the shape of a square. The veins of the leaves stood tall like a city wall. The claws of the sparrow flying overhead had rows of tiny cracks, indicating that it had been used for too long.


    All of this felt like Paladin was dissecting this very moment into countless copies of moments. Paladin had more time than he needed to take in everything that was happening around him. Paladin half dazedly looked at the scorpion-tailed beast that was still frozen in the air. This magical All-Seeing eye would be the most powerful. Surprisingly, the scorpion tail beast in front of him gradually became transparent, revealing the internal blood vessels, bones, and muscles. With a glance, Paladin intuitively discovered that in the scorpion¡¯s segmented tail, three inches below the middle of the ribs, and five decimeters deep, was where the beast¡¯s heart was located.

 CH 67

    All of this happened in a split second for others, but it had been a whole twenty minutes for Paladin. When Paladin¡¯s time returned to normal, he quickly stretched out his palm. 300 of his 600 light magic elements immediately dispersed and then condensed into light balls suspended in the palm of his hand. Without hesitation, Paladin pressed his palm to the beast¡¯s chest. The light ball buzzed and shot out as a golden light beam as thick as a thumb. It shot from his palm, and then pierced through the scorpion-tailed beast''s chest muscles, heart, and back all at once.


    "Hey wow wow!" The scorpion-tailed beast let out an extremely painful howl. Paladin sent the beast that was about to pounce on him flying in the opposite direction. It landed on the grass with a bang, causing some dirt and smoke to rise up.


    "Huh? It¡¯s burnt?"


    When the smoke and dust cleared, Paladin was stunned to see a large charred area on his palm. Plus, there was a black hole on the Scorpion-tailed Beast¡¯s chest that had fallen to the ground in the distance. It appeared like it was burnt. A small flame remained alive and crackling in the scorched areas, burning the piece of flesh and blood. At the time, Paladin had no time to notice Aberleigh¡¯s awe-filled eyes behind him. He reached for a branch and lightly stabbed the scorched black spot. The crisp texture and lumpy scorched black spot told Paladin everything he needed to know. The charred area had turned into charcoal!


    "Oh. Oh huh, ha ha ha ha. Is this the power that I have?" Paladin muttered as if possessed. The power that had been displayed exceeded Paladin''s expectations. Before, he hadn¡¯t fully comprehended the fact that his power was growing increasingly stronger. At the thought, he subconsciously opened his hand that was holding the branch. The branch snapped unexpectedly. Its outer layer actually turned into charcoal which broke into pieces before being scattered all over the ground.


    "Huh, hahahaha!"


    Paladin''s shocked expression gradually changed to one of excitement and ecstasy, but then, he suddenly remembered that only half of his light magic elements were left. In other words, only three hundred were left. Just when Paladin subconsciously wanted to use his own light magic elements to capture the scattered light elements in the surrounding, the omnipotent eye that floated on his forehead gave off dazzling brilliance again. Like a magnet, it attracted magical elements from the sunlight that came through the gaps in the leaves. It then melted into Paladin''s magic circle, as if returning home. In just half a minute, his light magic elements were full again.


    "Oh gods, can you tell me what the hell is going on with this eye?!"


    All this felt like a dream. When Paladin turned around, he saw Aberleigh kneeling. With a full-blown smile, he stepped forward and asked, "What are you doing on your knees?"


    "Woah-woo!"


    Aberleight felt a strong sense of fear when he saw Paladin¡¯s eyes that glowed golden and the horizontal golden eye that floated in front of Paladin¡¯s forehead. He was so terrified that he backed away and buried his head in his arms as if begging for mercy.


    "Huh? Are you afraid? Hehehe, are you afraid?" Paladin was beaming with delight. He could feel all the beasts, fish, and insects within a 20-meter radius running desperately through the All-seeing Eye. It was as if they felt threatened by something extremely terrifying.


    Paladin looked at Aberleigh who was obedient and dared not to raise his head. Flatly, he said, "Alright, this can also do. Fear me and serve me."


    Paladin, who felt like a king ruling the world, hadn''t had enough fun yet. Suddenly, the All-seeing Eye noticed four mercenaries wielding swords, bows, and crossbows walking into his field of vision with ecstatic expressions on their faces.


    "Hmph, here come the ones who are not afraid of death. Aberleigh, let''s have some snacks before dinner." Although it was impossible to tell Paladin''s disposition from his glowing eyes, his tone alone conveyed indifference, condescension, disregard for human life, cold-bloodedness, cruelty, and ruthlessness.


    "It¡¯s a Scorpion-tailed Beast! Isn''t this the beast we''ve been searching for?!"


    The old man who led the four mercenaries noticed the two, who were none other than Paladin and a huge man. Beside them, there was the corpse of the Scorpion-tailed Beast. One of his teammates abruptly became greedy and excitedly exclaimed. Meanwhile, the other teammates immediately understood what the captain wanted. A pretty-looking female warrior drew the sword from her waist. She looked at Paladin''s back and said, "It seems that you are a priest. We¡¯re grateful to you and your servant for your assistance in defeating the Scorpion-tailed Beast. However, you wouldn''t have succeeded as easily if we hadn''t fought him for three days and three nights."


    At the end of her speech, another man who looked witty immediately nodded and agreed. "Therefore, please give the corpse of the Scorpion-tailed Beast to us. When the time comes we''ll go to the priest''s church and donate some silver coins." After saying that, the four mercenaries laughed in unison. They were certain they had won. After all, they were stronger than this mere priest, plus they had more people! At least, that was how they felt.


    Upon hearing such foolish remarks from these people who didn¡¯t know their place, Paladin smiled disdainfully. Turning around silently, the All-seeing Eyes on his forehead shone brighter. He looked straight at the four humans.


    "My Enos!" Obviously, the four mercenaries were afraid of Paladin right now. His eyes were glowing golden, and a horizontal golden eye was floating on his forehead. Paladin¡¯s appearance was far from making people think he was harmless, especially when a cruel smile formed on his face.


    ¡°Aberleigh!" Paladin yelled, and the big man slowly rose to his feet. The mercenaries who had frozen in place were unable to regain control of themselves. They all took a deep breath of cold air at the same time. They did think that particular man was huge, but they never thought he would be so big! The captain had been confident in his own height, but it all crumbled when he saw Aberleigh''s figure, which was three heads taller than himself. Plus, his muscles were so huge that they were as big as a millstone. Feeling ashamed, a thought suddenly flashed across his mind.


    ¡®Did I bully the wrong people?¡¯


    Paladin calmly approached the scorched corpse of the Scorpion-tailed Beast. He observed the sharp barb before kneeling down and curiously touching it. However, amidst that, he gave Aberleigh an order.


    "Aberleigh, keep one alive and bring it over. You can eat the rest."


    Then, something horrible happened. The priest''s words were like an activation button. The eyes of this tall and terrifying monster-like man instantly turned red. He fiercely opened his fang-filled mouth and dashed extremely fast to the mercenaries.


    Fortunately, the captain had a lot of experience under his belt. The moment he saw the monster running towards them, he immediately raised the thick oak shield in an attempt to deflect the ferocious attack and give them time to devise a battle plan. The captain was convinced that as long as the four of them were given time to prepare for battle, this mighty-looking monster would be nothing more than mere a blink-and-it-all-would-be-over enemy.


    The thing was, the captain was wrong, very wrong. What was more, there was no room for regret. The very hard oak shield was easily smashed into pieces by Aberliegh''s extremely fast hit. It felt as if he got hit head-on by a fast-moving carriage. The captain''s eyes widened. Before he could even groan in pain, he saw the good-quality chain armor he wore got disfigured and deformed like crumpled paper. Just like squeezing orange juice, a fountain of blood burst from the gaps of the chain armor. The captain¡¯s whole body was flung into the distance until it hit a small tree. He was obviously very dead.


    "Captain!" the female soldier shouted loudly. However, she was pulled back by two of her frightened companions who thought it would be better to run away.


    "Let¡¯s go back and call for help. This monster is far too powerful for us to fight on our own!"


    "But..."


    "I also want to avenge the captain, so let''s go!"


    The three mercenaries who found an opening, immediately threw down their shields and swords before turning around to run away.

 CH 68

    "Ow ow ow ow!" Aberleigh felt a rush of unbridled pleasure as he watched these humans flee in panic and fear. Aberleigh excitedly barked at the three mercenaries who were slowly running away, mocking these arrogant humans.


    However, something suddenly slapped him from behind. Before Aberleigh could react, the power contained in the slap sent his entire huge body flying before falling onto the grass in the distance.


    "Ow-ho-ho!" Aberleigh was naturally upset after being attacked out of the blue. He stood up angrily and roared in the direction he had just flown from. He wanted to see who had the audacity to attack him.


    "You fool!" Paladin''s skinny body stood in the said spot. While slightly shaking his ordinary palm, Paladin¡¯s three eyes that glowed golden were staring straight at Aberleigh.


    "Wow um." Aberleigh''s heart trembled. He immediately whined, begging for mercy once again as he knelt on the ground. He didn¡¯t have the courage to look directly at Paladin, whose terrifying three golden eyes were still fixed on him. Paladin took off the gloves he had just put on as he glanced sideways at the fleeing mercenaries before disdainfully saying, "What a trash, howling is all you can do. Watch carefully!"


    Paladin casually raised his right hand at the end of his sentence. Two light arrows, each containing 100 magic elements, instantly condensed in front of him. When he narrowed his eyes, the two light arrows were launched. However, Paladin did not simply launch them as is. He raised his left hand as the light arrows were launched. Several arcs of light flashed in the palm of his hand.


    "Run!" The female mercenary got separated from the others while trying to run away. Suddenly, she felt a strong sense of danger coming from behind that sent a chill down her nape. When she turned around to look, she witnessed two of her companions¡¯ bewildered faces as two magic arrows emitting golden light each struck their backs. Their bodies were torn apart by the arrow. Without even having the chance to scream, they exploded into a mass of mush, splattering in all directions.


    "Ahhhhhhh!"


    The female mercenary''s body was pushed to the ground by the air wave created by her companions'' exploding bodies. The entirety of the clothes and armor on her body were covered with thick blood and mutilated internal organs. She looked at her red hands with fearful and disoriented eyes and once again fell into extreme panic.


    "Aaaaaaaaaaaaah!"


    "Shut up! Shut up, you woman!"


    Paladin aimed the violent arcs of light at the female mercenary from afar. The arcs of light flickered for a split second before shooting out at breakneck speed! Before the female mercenary could react, four or five golden chains appeared and wrapped around her entire body.


    "What is this?! Let go! Help!"


    Paladin simply ignored the woman''s yells. He clenched his left fist slightly before violently yanking the chains closer. The chains that bound the female mercenary instantly glowed. Her entire body fell uncontrollably to the ground, as if being grabbed and dragged back by invisible big hands. She was dragged until she was at Paladin¡¯s feet.


    "Please, you are a priest! I apologize for what happened just now, please don''t kill me!"


    Paladin squatted down and looked into the female mercenary''s eyes, which still had a glimmer of hope as she begged for mercy. From the heart to his entire body, an unprecedented sense of satisfaction and superiority spread. Enjoying this wonderful sense of dominance, Paladin smiled and asked the female mercenary, "Tell me, where is this place?"


    "Edley..."


    The female mercenary gazed at the golden eye that was magically floating on Paladin''s forehead, swaying and beaming above her. Her heart was filled with awe, but when she thought of the tragedy that had befallen her companions, she immediately spoke up, "Go straight ahead, and you¡¯ll find a river. There are two bridges. Take the one on the right and you''ll arrive at Edley."


    "Really?"


    "It''s true, I swear! Just please let me go!"


    Paladin saw the female mercenary''s pleading gaze and felt like she was telling the truth. Just when he was about to get up and end this one¡¯s life, Paladin suddenly heard a jumble of unpleasant murmurs.


    "Don''t kill me!"


    "Hey, the little guy is so cute."


    "Captain, this sword is really bad."


    "Mom, I want to eat candy."


    Paladin''s body shook. He frowned and asked, "What are these sounds?"


    "Huh?"


    With a puzzled look on her face, the female mercenary tried to convince Paladin that those sounds had nothing to do with her. However, when Paladin listened attentively, he could clearly hear that all these jumbled voices were coming from the female mercenary!


    He felt as if he had discovered a fortune. Paladin crouched down once more. Sure enough, the noises increased in volume. Just as the female mercenary became perplexed by Paladin''s actions, the latter suddenly grabbed her chin and drew her face closer to him. The golden light in his eyes became more and more intense. The All-Seeing Eye on his forehead looked at the creature in front of him as if it had come to life. At this moment, Paladin was able to see many images through the eyes of this flustered and bewildered female mercenary. These images depict the female mercenary''s memories spanning more than 20 years, from childhood to the present.


    "What are you doing¡­?"


    The female mercenary stared at the humanoid monster''s three terrifying golden eyes. Her heart became filled with an extremely unpleasant sensation and began to pound fast.


    "Hmm? Is your heart racing?" Paladin''s golden eyes narrowed slightly. Suddenly, he put force in his hand that was holding the female¡¯s mercenary¡¯s chin and jerked it, forcing her to raise her head. As Paladin lowered his head, his three golden eyes were locked dead-on into the female mercenary''s eyes. He then whispered, "Look into my eyes."


    Right now, Paladin felt as if he had been suddenly plunged into another dimension. Back into his dreamscape, he saw the stone plate that led to the tunnel between the torrents.The difference this time was that all that flashed around were all the memories of this female mercenary. Memories from her childhood, memories from her teens, memories from being a mercenary, and of course, memories that showed the way to Edley that Paladin wanted. However, Paladin then felt a flash of light before his eyes and came back to reality again. Right away, he felt a headache and a stabbing pain in his temples as if stabbed by needles. However, unlike Paladin, the female mercenary was out of luck.


    The female mercenary felt like she was standing in front of a beach. The boundless golden seawater dyed the sky a golden yellow. As the sky wrapped around her tiny existence, her entire being was explored by the violent and powerful golden color. As a result, her consciousness gradually blurred.


    "Waaahhhhh!" The female mercenary let out a scream while covering her eyes with her hands desperately. Bursts of black smoke together with a strong burnt smell emerged from beneath her closed eyelids. Her clear eyes had most likely turned into a black gooey substance by this point. Paladin suppressed his headache and stood up slowly. Looking at the female mercenary who was rolling on the ground while crying bitterly, he disgustedly said, "You lied to me. Can you bear the price of deceiving me?"


    When he looked at this woman''s memory as if reading a book, Paladin knew that the correct route to Edley was via the bridge on the left. The bridge on the right would only make him go further and further away from Edley.


    Obviously, the female mercenary who was in pain was unable to hear anything Paladin had said. Paladin didn''t care. He opened his palm slightly and clasped her face at once. Immediately, a large number of golden light magic elements gathered in the palm of his hands. After that, Paladin apathetically whispered, "Get purified in the blazing fire."


    With a boom, the female mercenary was suddenly engulfed in a raging golden fire. Under such golden flames, even her hardest armor melted into molten iron. It was obvious what¡¯d happen to the fleshy body of the female mercenary. Her body, as well as the grass beneath her, solidified into coal fragments not long after. What about her skeleton? It was reduced to ashes too.

 CH 69

    All the way to the magnificent Fenrir city gates, Paladin hadn¡¯t seen Aberleigh¡¯s shadow even once. Right now, Paladin was clad in a black robe. He nonchalantly passed the civilians that were coming and going as he walked straight inside this long-established city.


    "Excuse me... where is the residence of the Flamel family?" Paladin asked a random passer-by modestly and politely.


    "Flamel? Those noblemen who collect taxes all day long? There''s a nice house straight ahead." When the passer-by heard Paladin inquire about the Flamel family, they very unhappily pointed out the way before turning their head away. Paladin deeply gazed at the passerby. It seemed that Flamel''s reputation in Fenrir was worse than he had expected. However, this was all good. This way, it would be much easier to eliminate the Flamel Family.


    Before entering the mansion, Paladin couldn''t help but notice the vast disparity between low-ranking nobles and commoners. After gently lowering the black hood so that no one could see his face clearly, Paladin walked leisurely through the door.


    "Stop! Who are you? This is the mansion of the Flamel Family!"


    "Dear Sir, I have been entrusted by the noble son, Paladin, to speak with the patriarch, his father Emmet Flamel."


    The middle-aged man guarding the gate let out a surprised cry as soon as these words left his mouth. He opened the door politely, greeted Paladin, and said, "So you''re a missionary. Please get inside, I will go to inform Mr. Emmet right away."


    The gatekeeper welcomed Paladin into the living room. Paladin sat on the couch that was covered in good wolf skin while the gatekeeper served him a cup of mellow black tea. The gatekeeper then dashed deeper into the mansion in a hurry.


    Paladin inhaled the enticing fragrance and felt the soft comfort of the cushion. He couldn¡¯t help but look at all the luxurious decorations with envy.


    "From what I''ve read in the letter addressed to Paladin, Emmet has been sick recently. Their financial situation is also dire... and his presence is required immediately. Huh! Is this what they mean by dire?"


    Paladin picked up the black tea and took a sip with distaste. His face crumpled as he abruptly turned his head and sprayed it out. The tea was very difficult to drink. Did it taste bad? No, the black tea was not only mellow, but also very sweet and soothing to the throat. It was the best black tea Paladin had ever tasted in his life. Paladin spat it out with an ugly expression because he had an instinctive rejection just now. This sensation was similar to being full, so he had a sense of resistance to eat more.


    Paladin hadn''t figured out what it was just now, but there was no time for him to ponder about all this.


    "Cough, cough, Mr. Preacher, have you seen my son?"


    Paladin slowly raised his head when he heard the weak voice. He saw two women, a mother and her daughter, supporting a kind man whose hair was turning white as he walked slowly over to the living room.


    "Huh? Does Mr. Preacher dislike the black tea?"


    After walking into the room, the pretty middle-aged woman who was supporting Emmet from his left frowned immediately when she saw the black tea that Paladin spat on the ground. There was a little discomfort in her tone. She was most likely Aaron Flamel from the letter, Paladin''s mother. But it was understandable. They, nobles, received him as a missionary. However, he spat out the black tea inside her house. His action was really rude and uncultured.


    "Hmph, why are you like this?! We kindly gave you, a commoner, a black tea but you spit it on the ground!" said the girl on the right who was wearing a corset dress. Seeing the state of the room, she immediately scolded him, as she didn¡¯t have much social experience. This person was Paladin''s sister. However, Paladin didn''t care about these two. He simply ignored Emmet''s eyes that were glaring at the two beside him. He quietly looked around. After confirming that there was no potential danger around, Paladin stood up while his left hand rested on his right hand, ready to erase these potential threats at any time.


    "Mr. Emmet, who is this?"


    Just as Paladin was about to make a move, four mercenaries suddenly walked in from behind them. When the leading warrior, who wore a shield and a sword around his waist, saw Paladin, he immediately asked. After a quick glance to the back, Paladin immediately lamented how small the world was.


    These four people were the four mercenaries who escorted him when he went to Nurba a few months ago. Orkney, a warrior who had only twenty elements, someone that seemed to be a magic swordsman. Liriel, the archer, and her fianc¨¦, the assassin. Paladin didn''t pay attention to them; instead, he focused on the team''s soul. The magician, O''Neill! At the moment, the well-informed Paladin noticed the ring on O''Neill''s finger at a glance. It was clearly the symbol of the strongest mage society, Hellitt of the Forest of Towers!


    When Emmet saw the mercenaries, he immediately broke the embarrassing atmosphere caused by the black tea by smiling and talking to O''Neill.


    "Hahaha. Your Excellency Master O''Neill, this missionary is sent by my son to deliver a message." After that, he turned his head and smiled at Paladin before continuing, "These four are the warriors who escorted my son to Nurba! The other day, when my wife sent a letter, I asked them to escort my son home again for a family reunion," Emmet said with great enthusiasm.


    But then, O''Neill suddenly frowned. The preacher in front of him, whom he should¡¯ve hadn¡¯t met before, gave him a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu. And it didn''t feel good at all.


    "Brother, what''s the matter?" Orkney noticed O''Neill''s strangeness and immediately muttered. However, O''Neill, who was observing the preacher keenly, saw a strange smile formed on the preacher¡¯s exposed chin. Suddenly, a strong sense of danger spread throughout his whole body. O''Neill immediately took a step back and whispered to Orkney in a very serious manner, "Wait and protect me. Perhaps, there will be a battle soon."


    "Ah?" Before Orkney could react, Emmet, who felt a little uncomfortable seeing Paladin wearing a hood all the time, asked, "Mr. Preacher, we¡¯re protected from the scorching sun here. Why don''t you take the hood off? Have I asked for your name yet?"


    "Oh, is that so?"


    Paladin''s smile grew more terrifying and he abruptly removed the hood, revealing that black hair and ordinary face. He smiled and said to Emmet, "Paladin is too lonely there, I hope you can go to see him."


    "That''s good, we can leave today." Paladin''s mother, Aaron said so happily. However, Paladin¡¯s younger sister didn''t like this missionary very much. She was clever, thus she noticed the expression of the mercenaries¡¯ leader, the mysterious and quiet magician who was looking at the missionary¡¯s extremely ordinary face right now. He looked taken aback, as if he just saw a ghost!

 CH 71

    "How do you..." O''Neill looked at Paladin''s face in shock before returning his gaze to Emmet''s dazed expression. All of the clues were connected in a straight line in an instant. An unfathomable thought came to his mind, ¡®This impostor posed as Paladin Flamel!¡¯


    "Mr. Emmet."


    "Huh?" Emmet turned his head blankly.


    O''Neill and Orkney shouted together in a hurry, "Mr. Emmet, get away from him quickly!"


    Unfortunately, it was too late. Emmet soon heard the last words he¡¯d ever heard in this life.


    "I will be Paladin Flamel!"


    With a snap. Paladin abruptly removed the glove from his right hand. A thunderbolt-like golden lightsaber condensed from his fingers. Emmet''s unbelieving eyes quickly dimmed with a slight flick of his hand. Together with a splendid blood splash, his severed head fell to the ground.


    "Ahhhhhhhhhhh!" The young girl screamed as she saw the preacher claiming to be her brother suddenly decapitate her father in front of her. The flowing blood was a constant reminder that her own father, whom she had lived with for the past two decades, had died. His body was lifeless. Hearing the girl''s shout, Aaron was stunned. Paladin''s face was cruel and ferocious as the golden light in his hands instantly condensed into golden claws. Paladin grabbed the necks of both women at the same time. While looking at O''Neill who was about to cast a spell, he smiled and said, "Be careful, mage. Otherwise, these two innocent little swans will suffer!"


    O''Neill, who was about to cast a spell, trembled. His face was full of anger.


    "Despicable! You used two ladies as a shield!" The archer next to him, Liriel, who was quickly bending the bow and setting the arrow, scolded him out of disgust.


    "Ho? You mean I should be a gentleman and put them both down while I get shot by your arrows?" Paladin''s expression was full of ridicule. However, he was stating facts. It rendered Liriel speechless. In contrast to the shivering and crying girl, Aaron, the mother, quickly calmed down. Her beautiful eyes were filled with hatred, but her tone relaxed as she spoke, "Where is my son Paladin?"


    Paladin slightly inclined his head and looked at Aaron who had long brown hair. Suddenly, he sneered.


    "I took the place of your son. There can only be one Paladin Flamel in this world. You ought to understand by now where he is."


    At these words, Aaron bit her lower lip in hatred and suddenly shouted, "Quick! Notify the Marquis! Bring out this evil person who pretended to be a nobleman and murdered a nobleman publicly!"


    Upon hearing her orders, it immediately dawned on the underlings who were hiding behind the door and didn''t know what to do. Several young lads ran to the front door, attempting to bring Paladin''s true identity out into the open.


    "That''s why I don''t like smart women." Paladin smiled, but his eyes were very cold. O''Neil, who was in a stalemate, was astounded to see that even though Paladin didn¡¯t move his hands or chant any spells, six magic arrows that shone golden unexpectedly materialized out of thin air behind him. Shocked, O''Neill turned his eyes to look at the servant who was about to open the door and shouted, "Don''t go out! It''s dangerous!"


    Regrettably, it was too late. Along with Paladin''s triumphant sneer, the six golden magic arrows blasted the servants who tried to open the door. Turned their bodies into fireworks made of blood one by one. Not a single bone was left.


    "You!" Aaron, who saw this scene, suddenly turned pale. She hadn''t expected the murderer of her husband and son to be so powerful! Paladin snorted lightly. Next, his eyes instantly turned golden, bursting with golden light. The All-Seeing eye immediately surfaced on his forehead. It surprised everyone, including O''Neill!


    The free light magic elements in the environment began to merge into Paladin''s body with only a single thought in his mind. With only ten seconds of effort, the number of magic elements that had been consumed reached 600 once more.


    "What kind of magic is this?" O''Neill''s face became paler. Through the power of the magic arrows shot by Paladin just now, O''Neill knew that he was way above his level. However, now, Paladin¡¯s eyes were glowing. A magical totem also appeared on his forehead. These filled O''Neill, who had always considered himself to be knowledgeable and versatile, with dread. He had absolutely no idea what it was!


    Hearing O''Neill''s question, Paladin laughed. "Mediocre people, this is a power beyond your kind! I''ll let you take a good look at it later!"


    "Wait, please don''t kill me, what do you want me to do? Anything is fine! Please don¡¯t kill me!¡± Sensing Paladin¡¯s murderous intent, these words came out of the crying younger sister¡¯s trembling pink mouth. She had been a pearl encased in the safety of her home. Let alone murderous intent, she couldn''t even bear to kill rabbits. She was nothing more than a flower in the greenhouse. As a stormy rain approached, she could only bend down weakly, lie on the dirty muddy ground, and close her eyes. Waiting for her time to die.


    When Aaron heard what her daughter had just said, she widened her eyes and yelled angrily, "What are you talking about?! He killed your father and your brother! How could you¡­."


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


    Aaron looked at this cowardly daughter of hers. Red flashed on her eyes as she cursed, "I spoiled you too much back then. Do you think he will let us go? He came today to kill us all, and no one in the world will ever learn of his true identity!"


    "But, mother. Father Sicilian is the godfather of my brother, and he knows brother too!"


    At her words, Aaron''s eyes were filled with despair. Meanwhile, Paladin laughed out loud and exclaimed with delight, "Thank you, noble lady. After killing all of you, I will go to meet this priest!"


    At that precise moment, the stony Orkney whispered to O''Neill, "What should we do? Kill him in one breath while he is distracted?"


    "No, we are no match for a head-on conflict. Run! I¡¯ve contacted my senior, Nasura. I don''t know when he''ll show up, but I believe he''s on his way."


    Their whispers were as clear as day to Paladin, who had his All-Seeing Eye turned on. It was as if they were shouting in his ears! His expression went blank for a moment before he laughed grimly and said, "So you want to flee and let me be defeated by your reinforcement that will come soon? Hahahahaha! O''Neill, you know too little about your enemy!"


    Paladin let out a joyful laugh full of satisfaction. Suddenly, he shouted at the ceiling, "Aberleigh! Don''t come down yet!"


    Orkney''s complexion changed drastically when the ceiling collapsed with a bang. The tiles and wooden beams were shattered and scattered on the ground. The sunlight was shining down behind a figure that descended from the sky. The said figure was so huge Orkney thought it was a monster. Its terrifying sharp claws and bloody mouth charged towards the mage O''Neill. O''Neill only felt a chill deep down because he knew, at this point, he certainly was dead.

 CH 72

    "Brother!" Orkney saw that the huge monster was about to crush the thin O''Neill; his eyes were red, and he was anxious. With one long step, he rushed forward, knocking O''Neill away at once, trying to block the terrifying blow with his shield. Unfortunately, Orkney underestimated the power of this monster. There was only a loud bang, and under Aberleigh''s overwhelming, terrifying power, the floor cracked and flew up. Orkney did not even have the time to scream and was instantly crushed with his hard shield and sturdy armor. Blood and internal organs splashed out, staining Aberleigh, who was towering in the center, red, bearing out a ferocious aura. "Brother!" O''Neill''s eyes were wide open. Shaking the staff in his hand, a fiery fireball shot out from the front of the staff, smashing into Aberleigh''s body with a boom! "Ow ow ow!" Aberleigh screamed miserably. The strong attack sent his huge body flying, knocking down the stone pillar next to him, and he fell into the ruins. Watching all this, Paladin''s face changed. His hands were about to break the necks of the two women when a sound of arrows piercing through the air made Paladin''s throat rise instantly! With a "whoosh", a sharp arrow grazed Paladin''s cheek and flew past him, which was then nailed to the wall behind him with a thud. Paladin, who was a little dazed, fixed his eyes and saw Liriel, who was full of hatred, in the distance drawing another arrow and was about to shoot it. Paladin''s face suddenly became extremely cold! Whoosh! With another arrow, Paladin placed the girl in his right hand across his chest, and the sharp arrow pierced deeply into her body. "Oh! My daughter!" Aaron painfully saw her own daughter being used as a shield by this bastard. The incomparable amount of hatred made her break away from Paladin''s hand and bite him on the neck. Without the slightest effort, Paladin''s hand immediately coalesced into a lightsaber and slapped Aaron with his backhand. With a click, the lightsaber immediately passed through Aaron''s delicate neck to the back of her head! And even before she died, the hatred in her eyes still refused to dissipate. "You beast!" Liriel roared, full of resentment. In a split second, the arrow in her hand was immediately released, bringing a sliver of brilliance straight to Paladin. However, Paladin''s All-Seeing Eye came into play once again. In his vision, this thundering arrow was just so predictable, with a very clear trajectory. Unbothered, he stretched out his hand calmly in the air to grab the arrow. He then looked at Liriel''s shocked face with a cruel smile. "Today none of you will be able to escape!" Paladin said so. And with a casual flip of his hand, Aaron''s body just slid off the lightsaber like a rag that fell to the ground. At this time, a furious O''Neill shouted loudly, "Liriel, shoot the calf!" "Yes!" Liriel, who was also full of hatred, once again bent her bow and loaded an arrow to shoot at Paladin quickly. However, Paladin disdainfully took a step back. With the special ability of the All-Seeing Eye, Paladin knew the moment she shot this arrow that as long as he took a step back, she would never be able to shoot him. He was even in the mood to sneer. Were these guys dazzled by hatred? No matter how, it is impossible for them to defeat him at this moment. However, the smirking Paladin suddenly heard a slight but heavy thud¡ªcautious and swift¡ªcoming from behind him. It was impossible for such a small sound to be heard. Yet Paladin''s All-Seeing Eye could make him hear any sound around him very clearly. As soon as Paladin''s 360-degree, all-round viewing angle was opened, he immediately saw the assassin who had somehow slipped behind him. Raising his poison-smeared dagger without making a sound, he was about to stab Paladin in the back. No one can escape from this distance. Everyone was anticipating the great success¡ª Paladin''s defeat. O''Neill even saw a ray of hope¡­when Paladin suddenly laughed. Eyes still looking straight at O''Neill with the left hand yanked back, a firm grip pulled the assassin''s hand mid-air, throwing him forward with a deadly thud to the ground! "Ahhhhh!" Before Liriel''s fianc¨¦ and part-time assassin could react, Paladin stepped hard on his face and said with a frustating grin, "Little guy, your heartbeat is too loud." And with the force in his hands, he tore off the man''s arm, alive, with a fierce blow. "Bastard! Die!" The assassin in severe pain did not even care about the blood spurting from his shoulder. He wanted to kill the beast in front of him before losing all his strength. After all, his years of skill were not for nothing. One of his arms was already torn apart by Paladin. And while he was still stepping on it, the man turned over on the spot and got rid of Paladin''s foot. He jumped up, took out another short knife from the cuff with his remaining hand, and went straight for Paladin''s head. But in the face of such a counterattack, Paladin responded very calmly. He gently raised his hand and disdainfully said, "You annoying fly, shut up." A large number of light elements madly converge on Paladin''s raised hand. And just like swatting a fly, he slapped the assassin who was about to stab him in the face with a dagger. Slap! He slapped the assassin right in the face. The latter immediately screamed and flew out. To everyone''s surprise, his face suddenly turned red and hot, then burst into flames. No matter how he rolled back and forth in pain, the flames did not weaken in the slightest. And not long after, the fire had wrapped around his entire body. The heavy smell of burning filled the surroundings. "Nooo!!!" Seeing her fianc¨¦ being burned alive, Liriel screamed frantically as if she had gone mad. Her hands were incredibly fast at drawing arrows, one after another, aiming at Paladin. "Hmph, another fly." Paladin shook his hand leisurely. Every arrow shot at the vitals was actually deflected by his shaking hand. But before he could fully please himself, he felt a sudden flash of light before his eyes. A powerful electric light bombarded him incomparably quickly. Under such a crisis, Paladin''s face suddenly changed, and he subconsciously laid his right hand across his chest, trying to block the thunder. It happened so quickly that only a loud bang could be heard. Paladin flew out of the mansion with the stone sculptures beside him and the fragments of the stone slabs on the floor. Covered in electric light, he landed outside the mansion. On the other hand, O''Neill held up the wand, gasping for breath. He immediately took out a bottle of potion and two green stickers from the bag. After putting the stickers on his temples, he drank the potion with a fierce gulp. This is a method specifically used by the Forest of Hellite to restore magic much faster than ordinary meditation and simple potions. When Liriel saw a pile of ruins outside the manor, she could not help asking, "Is he dead?" "No, it can''t be that simple." O''Neill''s face showed gloom. His eyes were filled with despair. In his heart, he could not help but ask himself, "This guy, can he really be beaten to death?" Sure enough, as soon as his words fell, the ruins suddenly exploded with a bang. Paladin, whose robe was somewhat torn and burned, came out with an angry face. At this moment, dazzling golden crystals appeared on his palm and wrist, with one or two electric arcs flickering.


    TL Note : hey guys sorry for the delay here''s the new chapter and I''ll be uploading more in the coming days


    Editor''s note: Hello, guys! I am the new editor for Lord of Glory, and I go by the name Gu Yanzhen :> I''ll do my best to contribute in delivering the chapters in an effective manner while also maintaining consistency. I hope you''ll continue to enjoy this novel.

 CH 73

    "You! You!" Gently covering Liriel''s open eyes with his hands, he took out a gold coin from his pocket and put it in her mouth. This time, O''Neill finally revealed the feelings that Paladin was very familiar with. Those red eyes, that twisted face¡ªthat is called hatred. With a slight smile on Paladin''s face, he suddenly waved his hand, and a golden magic arrow rushed towards O''Neill. With a bang, Paladin''s pupils contracted slightly. He saw the magic arrow going straight to hit O''Neill''s body but was suddenly blocked by a shield that flashed around him. Paladin had sharp eyes, and he saw the magic shield that suddenly appeared. It is a cover composed of countless densely packed triangular structures! Paladin was silent for a while, then shook his hand again to throw another magic arrow. This time, it was very clear that the magic arrow that gathered the strong golden light elemental magic energy exploded when it hit the shield. The destructive elements were scattered, counteracted, and erased by the countless triangles arranged on the shield. Paladin then realized that this is the magic shield of a mage''s life. No wonder the golden thunder just now couldn''t blow O''Neill into powder. "You bastard!" O''Neill seemed to be burning with flames of revenge all over his body. He no longer has the calmness and wisdom of a mage. He is just a monster with his brain burned out. He stood up, not caring about the safety restricted by the limit of his mental power. It quickly drove away the few elements he already had. With a violent flick of the staff in his hand, a thunderbolt, which was much weaker than before, rushed towards Paladin. "Hmph!" Paladin smiled contemptuously, and three hundred golden light elements were immediately arranged according to the structure of O''Neill''s magic shield. Seeing that the thunderbolt was about to hit him, he stretched out his palm and pressed it against the coming thunderbolt. A miracle happened, and a golden shield suddenly appeared in front of Paladin. The thunderbolt hit the shield, forming a circle of golden ripples. Layers of blue lightning spread across the shield until they dissipated without a trace. "This can''t be! This is absolutely impossible!" O''Neill looked at Paladin as if he had seen a ghost. But no matter how much he denied it, he began to accept a fact in his heart. This Paladin can master this magic just by watching it cast once! Genius? No! Without even knowing the incantation, without even understanding what kind of magic it is to cast it, this is not a genius, but a monster! A monster that completely and utterly overturns common sense! "I''ll kill you later. I don''t know what more valuable things I can find from you." Paladin walked forward step by step with a grin. O''Neill looked at Paladin with a face full of despair. He then took an old scroll from his arms. It was given to him by his teacher in the hopes of protecting him when he encounters a strong enemy. It is a magic scroll made by the teacher himself. However, this tiny movement was caught by Paladin. A ball of light suddenly condensed from the fingertips of his left hand. Just when O''Neill was about to cast the scroll, Paladin pointed at O''Neill with a grin and said, "Die!" Buzz buzz! A thin golden beam of light suddenly shot out from Paladin''s fingertips. The speed was even faster than that of thunder. O''Neill only felt a sudden flash in front of his eyes. It was pitch black, and he could not feel anything. At this moment, the scroll in O''Neill''s hand fell to the ground. He looked at Paladin with blank and confused eyes. Suddenly there was a crash, and a raging fire ignited from the center of his eyebrows. O''Neil''s whole body was immediately split into two halves, and the incision was covered with charcoal. He fell to the ground with the blood baked and dried. "Hmph." Paladin stepped forward to pick up the scroll. After opening it lightly, he saw that it was densely covered with runes and various symbols. Although Paladin can see the magic structure, he can not understand these things that only mages can understand. And except for the moment when the magic scroll is released, there is no magic structure at all. "Wait! The moment of release!" Paladin''s eyes suddenly widened, and then a sinister smile appeared on his face. Looking left and right, the mansion began to catch fire on a large scale due to the indiscriminate use of light elements. The tables, chairs, and benches were already covered in flames. Because most of the mansion collapsed, the flames spread even more. However, Paladin walked to the corner very calmly and kicked over the gravel with his feet. Aberleigh, who was buried in the ground by the ruins, was revealed. Paladin looked at the big man and suddenly kicked him in the stomach. The latter woke up and immediately wiped the blood on his forehead and the scorched black from O''Neill''s fireball on his back. He looked at Paladin, aggrieved. "Get up! You''re not dead! Get up quickly!" Aberleigh reluctantly stood up and moved his muscles and bones. Strangely, being hit by the fireball technique on the back only caused a minor injury, although it looked a little burned. This made Paladin look at the big man quite unexpectedly. On the other hand, the All-Seeing Eye saw a large number of soldiers surrounding the door, attempting to break the iron gate open with their bodies. But the magic cast by Paladin was no joke. Where can these soldiers run away? "Mr. Emmet! Is Mr. Emmet there?!" The soldiers outside saw the fire getting bigger and bigger, which made them anxious. If his superiors blame him, he will definitely become a scapegoat. This is a nobleman who died when he was in office! "What''s going on?" This time, a magician with long aqua blue hair came up with a smaller and cute woman in a fine dress. The magician looked up at the growing fire. He could not help frowning and immediately pushed the soldier away. "I''m Nasura, the great magician! There are my friends inside. What''s going on here? Why is it on fire?!" Paladin, who was about to climb up on Aberleigh''s back, saw Nasura through the All-Seeing Eye. His expression suddenly froze. Then he thought of the great magician who pretended to be a tutor when he escaped from the Free Masons'' Association a few months ago. That was him! The great magician with more than a thousand water elements! Is he the Nasura that O''Neill spoke of? Is he also a member of the Mages of the Forest of Hellite? What had happened to the Free Masons'' Guild? Paladin frowned and pondered, then a plan suddenly came to mind. Paladin immediately backhanded a fling, burning O''Neill''s body into ashes. He just ignored the sparks that have fallen overhead. He patted Aberleigh underneath and said, "Get out of here; the sooner the better." "Woah-woo!" Aberleigh made a sound, and his feet went on with a fierce force, then he jumped up! Meanwhile, under the awe-inspiring eyes of the surrounding soldiers, Nasura was about to blast the door open with his magic. The female assassin beside him, Adele, suddenly showed a painful and distorted expression on her usually calm face. Frightened, Nasura immediately hugged her and asked with concern, "Is everything all right? What''s wrong?" "My convergence method." Adele''s face went very sour. She came from the H-Assassin''s Union and inherited the mysterious and unpredictable astringent breath method. It was able to illuminate the scent of everyone around and track them. But at that moment, she felt an unprecedented fantasy. "What did you see?" Nasura immediately asked in a serious manner. Adele''s astringent breath method was very mysterious. Yet it was very precise and useful. Her advice can never be ignored. "I saw it." Adele''s face looked so unpleasant that she even had to squeeze out the words as if she was enduring severe pain: "Endless light! An ocean of light that cannot be seen to end! I''ve never seen an enemy that didn''t manifest itself as a living thing!"

 CH 74

    Hearing Adele''s words, Nasura''s face changed dramatically! These days, it was either the president of the Mage Association branch or one of the leaders of the Brotherhood of Fire and Sword. For these powerhouses who are much more powerful than them, Adele only felt illusions like flying dragons or magical beasts lurking in the woods. But in this situation, her description of the endless ocean of light is unbelievable. Nasura, however, did not sink into shock. His friend was still inside. He cannot just wait outside. Nasura casually struck the iron door with a volley of ice swords, and it exploded with a boom. Then he immediately grabbed his wand. The soldiers with buckets of water followed him into the burning area. What came into view, in addition to the burning flames that covered the entire mansion, were the seven or eight bodies lying in the ruins. "What happened here?!" Nasura looked at all this in surprise. Meanwhile, there was a sudden boom in the backyard, and an unidentifiable shadow suddenly swept past the manor. When everyone looked back, it had already disappeared. But Nasura was so occupied thinking of his friends at this time that he had no time to care about other things at all. He waved a large amount of water droplets casually to immediately extinguish the fire. Eagerly, he began to call O''Neill''s name, trying to find any familiar faces that might appear among the corpses. But Nasura did not find him, and neither did the soldiers, who were busy checking to see if there were any survivors. Adele, who was standing at the noisy door, was looking at the distance on the other side with a shocked expression. Her eyes directly spanned thousands of meters, where she saw the man in a black robe who had escaped from the city wall, sitting on a monster. That was right. Adele confirmed that this man in a black robe was the guy who gave her that terrifying and unimaginable illusion! In truth, she had something to confess but never told Nasura. In the old days, when their mentor taught them the method of convergence, he once gave a warning that has been passed down to this day. Although no one takes it seriously now, it was still passed down as a tradition from generation to generation. That is, "The Astringent Breath Method can sense all living things and judge the threat level by the high or low level of your heart to manifest into a corresponding creature. But if any of you become instructors in the future, make sure you warn the newcomers of this!" "If the enemy manifests something other than a living creature, not even an animal, but rather something natural, either kill it immediately, by any means necessary, or run as fast and as far as you can." When Adele asked why, the mentor, however, said with an air of disbelief, "I don''t know; it''s just a tradition that has been passed down. Besides, I''ve killed countless people for the Alliance, and I''ve never seen an enemy that wasn''t an illusionary living thing. You guys shouldn''t think too much about it." At this moment, however, Adele was in deep fear. Even if it sounded like just a joke, it is a tradition that has been passed down for thousands of years from generation to generation. Is it really not credible? Adele took a deep look at the nervous Nasura. She could not cut it off. She fell in love, and she simply could not cut off this man. Maybe...she can just take him to escape together. Suddenly, a loud scream was heard at the city gate. Nasura, Adele, and the whole Fenrir all stuck their heads out in surprise. Surprisingly, they saw a gigantic hand appear in the sky. It is floating above the gate tower, braving a strong chill. A thick layer of frost can be seen forming on the tall city wall. Suddenly, the giant hand moved! The huge hand, completely ice-blue, lifted slightly and slammed against the gatehouse below. And they all heard a boom. Suddenly, the giant hand disappeared without a trace, while the magnificent gatehouse all turned ice blue, rumbled, and shattered into countless pieces of ice. Everyone who came back to their senses looked again, but they were petrified at the same time, looking at all this with their mouths open in shock! The original magnificent city gate has now turned into a huge blue gap. The ice that had spilled in the sky had fallen and another group of innocent people died. Nasura looked at all this in a daze and unconsciously muttered, "The Grip of Winter. Isn''t this the scroll on O''Neill''s body?" At this moment, Fenrir, which had been stable and unaffected by the war, resounded with wails and shrieks throughout the city. Paladin, who was lying on Aberleigh''s back, unable to lift his head due to the strong speed, was secretly laughing. What a bumper harvest today! He even learned the magic shield and lightning strike magic. The moment the scroll was played just now, that huge and complicated magic structure appeared in mid-air. Paladin could not help snickering again. But looking at this power, it seems that all the elements of Paladin''s body cannot activate this magic, even if they are piled up together. Never mind though. More elements are nothing more than a crimson Philosopher''s Stone. And more Philosopher''s Stones are just more lives. Human beings are the limitless resources of the Philosopher''s Stones, as much as he wants! And from the description of the formation, it is obviously not limited to humans. As long as there is life and energy, the Philosopher''s Stone can be refined. That is to say, tall orcs, even those dwarves, elves whose lives are much higher than humans, and even mythical dragons and demons! Who knows if the Philosopher''s Stone refined by these species is far more powerful and better than human life? Holding this crazy thought, Paladin hid in the mountains and forests on the outskirts. In the afternoon of that day, Sir Emmet''s family was killed and the city gate was destroyed. When people in the city were discussing the incident in the morning, they heard a loud noise, and it was the head priest who choked on a bread piece and died. And when they heard about him passing away, they were not interested because of the amazing power of magic they saw that day, and they talked about the death of the head priest as a joke. After all, Fenrir City is too big. A priest''s role is not highly respected. But what is little known is that he was the godfather of Paladin, the second son of Sir Emmet''s family, who died in the morning. It was Cecily. It has even been suggested that Father Cecily did not die in the morning, but long ago. Because he is a clergyman, the idea of not desecrating dead bodies is deeply rooted in his bones. Such skeptical remarks were immediately suppressed by the church. Father Cecily was also buried early. And the real truth of his death was buried along with Paladin''s bloody hands. The deliberate murder of a nobleman in Fenrir, if it were a commoner, would have been nothing more than a trivial matter. But now, not only was the nobleman murdered, but the culprits were also aggressive. The magic of the Winter Grip, which only magicians are capable of releasing, destroyed the entire city gate! This is already a violation of the first commandment of the Mages'' Guild for a magician! "You can''t participate in national politics, and you can''t participate in a war with more than 500 people!" The first thought after this incident alarmed the Marquis Carmon to have everyone search for possible potential enemies. The final conclusion was that Emmet''s family had invited a mercenary force to try to escort them because they missed their second son. And in the scene afterwards, all the other bodies were present except for the magician, O''Neill, who appeared as a mercenary. All the other bodies were present, and most of them were killed by magic. Finally, after the interrogation of the self-proclaimed friend of O''Neill, the Great Ice Magician Nasura, confirmed a fact. O''Neill was carrying the magic scroll of the Winter Grip! The fuse of the incident magically shifted to O''Neill, who had been destroyed by Paladin. Some conspiracy theories of the nobles under the Marquis Carmon even associated it with the kingdom of Aixinzhe, which was at war with them. That legend is against the precepts of the Mage Society, secretly supporting the usurper''s court mage chief, Saruman. And then linked to the master from the same family, O''Neill. One cannot help but think that this is a demonstration attack behind the Aixinzhe. Nasura, who was inexplicably ordered to be placed under house arrest, learned that the Marquis Carmon got into the carriage that afternoon and hurried to the capital, Zhivadin. He had an audience with the Grand Duke to lodge a complaint. He wanted the president of the Kasmi Principality''s branch to ask for an explanation from the Forest Mage Association of Hellite Tower. The world is so strange, but Paladin''s self-protection action involved the Hellite Mage Society, which has nothing to do with the world nor with the war between the Principality of Kasmi and the Kingdom of Aixinzhe. But does Paladin know? Maybe it was good luck, or maybe the plan to divert the disaster to the east was conceived the moment O''Neill''s body was destroyed. Maybe long before that? Maybe as early as the moment he received Aaron''s letter, he had already thought of it? Who knows?

 CH 75

    At this time, in Fenrir''s prison, Nasura grabbed his aquamarine hair and fell into confusion. He didn''t know what was going on, and he even believed in the conjectures of Marquis Carmon and others. O''Neill came to him as a scapegoat, and it was his original plan to join forces with Saruman, who violated the precepts, to attack the Principality of Kasmi. Nashura, who devotes himself to knowledge, is a complete fool when it comes to understanding the world. Stupid as stupid as the commoners who believe in fanciful rumors.


    Suddenly, the guards standing in front of the prison door, wearing chain armor and coat of arms holding hooked sickle spears, suddenly fell to the ground without saying a word. Nashura was startled, but when he raised his head, he saw Adele opening the cell door with a dagger in her hand, and walked in with a very serious expression. "How did you open the cell door?" Nashura asked in a daze. But such dizzying words caused Adele to roll her eyes, she stepped forward and grabbed Nashura''s lapel and said, "You shouldn''t care about this issue. The first thing is that you have to go out." "No! I won''t go out!"


    Nashura stubbornly shook off his hand. Sitting in the prison cell again. Adela looked at Nashura who was acting like a child at this time, and suddenly felt a tremor in her heart, squatted down and said in a childish tone: "Good boy, there is no way for you to be trapped here. I know you don''t want to get involved The teacher of the Tower Forest, but no matter what, you can''t do anything here!" As soon as she said this, a hesitant expression appeared on Nashura''s face. Adele took advantage of the situation to persuade him, "And I vaguely saw the attacker in the morning. It''s definitely not O''Neill! Although I haven''t mentioned him, the weird aura definitely doesn''t come from a mage. "


    Seeing the expression on Nashura''s face somewhat loosened. Adele half-jokingly said: "You could have handed me over to Marquis Carmon. This way you will not only be free, your friend can also be cleared of suspicion!" "How can I do that?"


    To Adela''s surprise, Nashura''s reaction to this statement was very intense, and he stood up at once. He looked at Adele with gleaming eyes and said, "I can''t give you away just because of a friend! Besides, nowadays, the H-Assassin Alliance is wanted by the Holy See. You''re absolutely dead if you go!" "What, do you still want to stay here?" Adele rarely showed her womanly attitude in front of Nashura. She leaned back and crossed her arms. She looked at Nashura, who had regained his composure, in a very petulant manner.


    "Well, it''s useless to stay here. Thank you. However, my scrolls and wands and many other things¡­.." "Idiot, take it." Adele laughed and took out the props and wands laid out on the folded magic robe from behind her back. Handing them to Nashura. ". Thanks." Nashura was suddenly speechless. Only the word thank you could be squeezed out. The prison soldiers would not treat a magic robe properly. It must have been folded by Adelea herself privately. Nashura only felt a wave of warmth spread throughout his body. Suddenly he smiled very confidently and grabbed Adele''s small hand and said: "Come on, let''s go out together! Find my friend and ask what really happened." "Hmm...." Adele blushed slightly. She suddenly felt that this dirty and damp prison was extraordinarily beautiful. She wished this moment in front of her could go on forever.


    So soon after that, the news of Nashura''s escape from prison reached the ears of a group of close friends including Marquis Carmon. What a coincidence is that, originally there was some doubt that the mages of Hellite would not do something so out of the ordinary, after hearing this news, but determined that the mages of the Forest of Hellite Tower would intervene. Believe in this matter completely, and if you are aggressive, you must talk to the person in charge of the Master Association in the Principality of Kasmi to have a good chat about life!


    But these are things for later. At this time, Paladin rushed back to Nurba. After hiding Aberleigh in the basement and packing up the five hundred gold coins promised to Bishop Andrew. When he was about to leave the church and go to Edley openly. The messenger who was in charge of delivering the letter to Paladin suddenly came to meet him. "Oh! Father, you have come back so soon! I have come here especially to thank you for your expensive reward."


    The messenger, who received three gold coins and was unsure of his heart, did not know that at this moment, looking at him coming to him, Paladin suddenly had a murderous feeling in his heart! "This is a witness! To prove that I received a letter from Aaron today! We must get rid of it, completely!" The messenger looked at Paladin''s smiling expression, the cold meaning in his eyes, and suddenly there was a strange sense of crisis that greeted him.


    In the evening of that day, when the setting sun was about to put out the last ray of brilliance in the sky. The messenger disappeared completely from the world. Of course, it would be a different matter if he could be recognized from the pile of shapeless rotten meat in the grass.


    When Paladin came to Edley, all the houses in the city lit up the smoke, lit up the lights of each house, and were having a warm dinner. Paladin walked in the empty streets, smelling the various aromas wafting from all directions. Suddenly, he had an indescribable sense of loss. He suddenly stopped, looking next to the open window of the house, a child full of smiles was holding red cherries, bite after bite swallowed constantly. And next to it was sitting a pair of man and woman, that Paladin never saw the smile is now from the couple''s face. And deeply reflected in Paladin''s heart.


    Silently watching all this. Paladin did not say a word. Just quietly looked at the family of three for a while, before tightening the bag full of gold coins in his hands and stepping away to the magnificent Edley Cathedral in front of him. What is the significance of this to Paladin? No meaning. A monster that is getting strong by sucking the life out of its own kind will long for that ethereal kinship?


    Maybe the young Paladin did long for it, maybe he really lay in the dilapidated bed every night in his childhood in the Free Masons Association, longing for the love of his parents. But now he is gone. What Paladin has now is more precious than what all parents can give their children! This is his parents, his life, his dignity, his future, all of him. This is the Philosopher''s Stone.


    He temporarily suppressed these whimsical thoughts. Paladin entered Edley Cathedral. Seeing that there was no one in the main hall, he went up to the second floor on his own. As soon as the door was opened, the dining table was covered with the best red silk, and the side was filled with delicious food. Bishop Andrew and another priest in white looked at him in unison with surprise. "Oh, my lord bishop, sorry to keep you waiting."


    With a very polite bow, Paladin backhandedly closed the wooden door and walked in. Andrew casually took a piece of fatty beef on the plate with a fork into his mouth. Savor the juiciness and freshness of this, and then take a sip of the blood-like red wine in the glass, after wiping his mouth with the napkin on his chest. Adopting a slightly reproachful tone, he said, "Father Paladin, it seems that your concept of time is worse than I thought."


    Paladin stood aside and laughed along with him. But his eyes began to look at another person in the restaurant. This is a priest in a white robe. Although the decoration of the robe is not the standard clothes of the Holy See, it is also made of extremely exquisite and expensive materials. Unexpectedly, this very young priest has shoulder-length long hair and sharp eyes that look slightly sinister. He looks like a cold young man. Maybe he''s about the same age as Paladin. But the strange thing is that the young man just glanced at Paladin and then lowered his head to look at the food. Giving a feeling of contempt. What drew Paladin''s attention even more was that the food on his plate was full of vegetables and fruits. And three slices of golden bread!


    "Is this guy a vegetarian? Is he an ascetic monk? What is the meaning of Andrew calling such a person at this time?" Paladin had many thoughts in his mind. With a smile on his face, he gently shook the purse in his hand. There was a slight sound of gold coins colliding: "My lord, please forgive me, after all, the people of the church I belong to are too enthusiastic." After finishing speaking, he put the gold coin bag on the platform next to him, and there was another crisp sound of gold coins.

 CH 76

    Andrew took a deep look at the bag. Suddenly he laughed and said cheerfully: "Paladin, you are really good. Come on, why don''t you have dinner, let''s eat together!" Andrew immediately called Paladin to sit down. There are already prepared knives, forks and plates on the rectangular table.


    Paladin thanked and sat down. He slightly scanned the food on the table. Roast suckling pig in red wine, cream of pumpkin soup, a rare Engerland steak, fresh strawberries, green apples and grapes. A large portion of vegetables and the best bread baked with honey sauce. The food was not rich, but extravagant!


    Paladin lamented Andrew''s financial resources and extravagant style, and prayed before dinner with his hands crossed in a well-mannered manner. And Andrew and the priest in white just ate on their own, quietly waiting for Paladin''s prayer to end. When Paladin put down his hands piously, he picked up the knife and fork on the table and was about to cut the beef in front of him, Andrew personally for Paladin poured red wine in the glass next him. He laughed and said, "Father Paladin is really a pious believer. This red wine came out of the principality''s court. Let alone whether you can buy it, the price alone, humph! Fifty gold coins! It makes me heartbroken."


    Paladin was a little surprised that this bottle of wine could be so expensive, but there were outsiders present at this time, and Andrew didn''t intend to introduce it. Paladin could only pretend to go on: "It is clearly stipulated in the canons that priests are not allowed to drink alcohol. My lord bishop, you are blatantly violating the sacred iron law of the Holy See, which really makes me sad." "Huh?"


    Andrew slightly froze, saw the hypocritical look on Paladin''s face, and knew in his heart that this invited guest made Paladin wary, so he began to spread his fingers and pointed at the priest and said, "O Paladin, we are all servants of God. This is the Dean of the largest monastery in our diocese of Edley, Father Kanarawa. Don''t look at him as a young man, but he has inherited everything from the monastery! Today he is still an ascetic monk who is determined to fulfill his daily asceticism!"


    "Oh! What a pleasure to meet you. We are under the same roof, eating together under the eyes of God. This is a divine arrangement." Paladin''s eyes lit up and he immediately stood up and picked up his glass, complimenting this Kanarawa with great grace and without pretense.


    Paladin understood very well the deep meaning of Andrew''s words. The largest monastery in Edley is located in the hills on the outskirts. Many of the preachers and ascetics are gathered there. According to the rules of the Holy See. The master monastery that leads all monasteries in a diocese. In addition to the superficial work of propagating the doctrine. There is also the place where all the nuns and the formation of the clergy [preparatory priests] in the diocese are in charge. Not only that, but the monastery also holds the power to request the military power of the Holy See!


    Able to report to the Holy See, send Templars based on certain circumstances! Moreover, some monasteries also have their own local religious troops in the diocese. It is an organization like the Monastic Knights Association. Although the number of people is not large, they can really be assigned as a force like a messenger! The bishop of the diocese cannot interfere with such a great power as mentioned above. It can also be regarded as a means by which the upper echelon deliberately arranges to balance the local parish. Although all priests are under the jurisdiction of the bishop, some priests are more inclined to the dean of the monastery because of the relationship between teachers and students. This shows how great the power of this young Kanarawa is.


    But at this time, the observant Paladin found that this Kanarawa does not eat meat! He originally thought that the so-called asceticism of the other party is just a look, but it seems that it is not what Paladin thought, the other party is a real ascetic!


    But just when Paladin was thinking about it. Kanarawa, a young man with long hair, did something that made Paladin very angry! Kanarawa looked at Paladin''s empty wine glass and ignored it. He turned to Andrew and said, "Your Excellency, is this the new auxiliary bishop you are talking about?"


    After all, he ignored Andrew''s non-stop winks and Paladin''s embarrassing expression. He gently pulled his floating hair to the side, and his expression was indescribably conceited and contemptuous: "Your Excellency the auxiliary bishop, you brought a big bag of gold coins, right? Your Eminence, Bishop Andrew, you are buying and selling the priesthood. If I were to report this to the Holy See, I might have to replace Your Eminence." Paladin''s eyes showed some displeasure, but his face smiled kindly and shook his head, sitting back in his seat and keeping his mouth shut. He intended to see how Andrew handled the scene.


    "Ah, hahahahaha!" Andrew glared at Kanarawa with some anger, and suddenly laughed up. Attempting to defuse the bizarre atmosphere, he pretended to talk and laugh as if nothing was wrong, "Kanarawa you are joking. Father Paladin is not only a priest, but also a nobleman! And Nurba is in his care and is in good order, the people''s lives are rich, business is booming!"


    The last few words, Andrew deliberately intensified the tone. I hope Kanarawa can understand. Sure enough, Kanarawa suddenly looked at the ordinary-looking Paladin with a deeper meaning. As if it was only now that he really looked at this new auxiliary bishop, he said something irrelevant: "I heard that there has been a war recently, right, Your Eminence the auxiliary bishop." The subtext was: "I heard that you control all the ironworks in Nurba. Now that there is a war, you must be earning a lot of money."


    Paladin immediately understood Kanarawa''s meaning, nodded slightly, and said very confidently: "There is a war, and judging from the broken armor that keeps coming back, the war should be in a tug-of-war. It will not end for a while." The subtext is: "Humph, there is still war to be fought! This income is nothing! More gold coins are still to come!"


    With these words, Kanarawa''s eyes instantly lit up! More gold coins, isn''t he and this old man just for more gold coins? In that case, this Paladin is really a powerful person! It''s not that no one has thought of pulling in the relevant people from several nearby towns that are rich in iron. But these guys either do not care, or just ignore it!


    But he couldn''t understand, what method did this Paladin use to win over these businessmen who looked down on the clergy? You know, some of these people are even backed by Earl Torch''s cronies! Although capable, Kanarawa, who works vigorously and swiftly, always thinks he is excellent. But there are some things that a person with such a conceit like him would never do. That''s dirty and mean. And this is precisely the root of Paladin''s survival.


    So thinking, Kanarawa, under Andrew''s relieved sigh, picked up the wine glass, the first smile on his lonely face: "His Eminence, the auxiliary bishop, please forgive me for my previous rudeness. This is my bad habit, and I can''t change it no matter how." "No, no, it''s because I''m not very good at talking, and I''ve offended you, Dean. Dean, you are young to take up the important task, and your future achievements in proclaiming the grace of Enos for the world are unlimited!"


    Paladin and Kanalava met each other''s gaze in the air, and laughed at the same time. Seeing this, Andrew also smiled sincerely. Thus, the three scumbags in priestly robes laughed happily in the hall of God. This is how justice died, accompanied by cheerful laughter.

 CH 77

    Laughing, Paladin just sat down in his chair, sniffing the deliberate scent wafting from the candelabra behind him, and was about to drink the wine as a courtesy. Andrew put the knife and fork in his hand, suddenly interrupted Paladin''s action with a smile and said: "Paladin ah, I am going to want to let Kanarawa also serve as the head pastor of this parish, what do you think?" "Oh!"


    When Paladin heard that he put down his wine glass, he looked at the smiling Kanarawa with a surprised expression. The position of the head pastor. It is the priest who takes over the entire diocese when the bishop, auxiliary bishop, and assistant bishop are not present. The usual activities of mass, sacrifices and festivals are also managed by the head pastor. To be honest, it is also the position of a big housekeeper.


    But don''t take this job lightly. There is a lot of oil and water that can be fished out of it! Not much to say, the light is the mass every weekend, the candles, bread and red wine to be used. That amount is too large! Although the individual value is not high, but buying in batches, as long as a part of the income is deducted from it, it is also worth ten gold coins! What''s more, for sacrifices to Enos or festivals, the banquets and activities held in the square in front of the church cost at least one hundred gold coins for one scrape! For the powerful, powerful but poor abbot Kanarawa, this is simply fat on his lips!


    Paladin instantly understood what Andrew meant. It is hoped that when Kanalawa is appointed as the head pastor on the bright side, he will get a vote of approval as an auxiliary bishop. After all, this position is different from that of an assistant bishop. The auxiliary bishop can be directly appointed by the bishop, but the head priest is elected by all the priests of the diocese! That is to say, when there is a voice of being out of group, Paladin will come to manage the ups and downs, causing Kanarawa to act as the head priest on the surface, which is what everyone expects. So that even those who have a heart have nothing to say. This is equivalent to sending a task to Paladin. It is the first task to see his ability to do things.


    Paladin nodded with understanding, then smiled and said to Kanarawa: "The abbot need not worry, I, Paladin, am firmly on your side. I believe that the other priests, too, will recognize your authority, Dean, because of the little bounty available to improve their lives." The words were somewhat direct, but Kanarawa also wished not to beat around the bush. He immediately nodded his head expectantly. Drinking a glass of red wine again, he said, "It is said that the auxiliary bishop does not have any nuns around you yet? My place has many pious nuns with good qualifications and a heart for God. Just ask when it''s convenient!"


    Both Paladin and Andrew understood what this qualification meant. It was all about body, beauty and loyalty. Paladin naturally would love to pull up a few beautiful nuns to explore the mysteries of humanity. But his basement and the humanoid materials he came and went with could not be exposed. Having a woman around is a ticking time bomb. So he reluctantly declined the kindness, waved his hand and said, "Forget it, the nun will be spared. I''m used to living alone."


    Andrew and Kanarawa faintly froze, looked at each other and suddenly burst out laughing! They laughed when Paladin was at a loss for words. Kanarawa with a you-know-what expression laughing: "No nuns, auxiliary bishop do you want boys? It seems that our fetishes really coincide!"


    Hearing this, Paladin''s hair stood on end! Listening to Kanarawa''s words, this guy doesn''t like women, but boys? For Paladin, this is really a bit weird. But in order not to leave a bad impression on people, Paladin still smiled awkwardly. Let these two powerful guys burst out laughing.


    "Paladin, I''m going to give you all the two towns of Qiqilal, Falamo to be in charge. Of course, Nurba is still the church town you manage. You know what I mean." Laughing, Andrew slightly squinted his eyes eating beef, and suddenly came out with this sentence. Paladin immediately understood, Qiqilal and Falamo are two out of the iron town compared to Nurba. The villages under them also have more ironmaking. These unified Paladin in charge, is the hope that Paladin can follow Nurba''s achievements, take advantage of the war to make a war fortune again!


    But the difficulty is that most of the merchants in these ironworks are backed by nobles or knights. You can''t anger them, you have to win them over. But that''s no limit to the Paladin. He knows his own abilities best. Not to mention how easy it is to kill a person, it is also easy to plant evidence and frame someone. And these people above are not big people. At most, there are some lords and knights who cannot be hereditary.


    As long as it''s not too much, they can''t do anything about it. The upper echelons, such as the Earl of Torch simply will not pay attention to these small matters. In other words, Paladin''s real opponents are only knights and some nobles. What is he afraid of? This morning, he had just killed Sir Emmet''s family!


    "Don''t worry, Your Excellency, the donations raised by believers will definitely satisfy you!" That is to say, the gold coins will definitely increase, so don''t worry about giving them to me! "Okay, okay!" Andrew yelled very comfortably. Once again he picked up the knife and fork to eat the meat. He suddenly found that he is somewhat tired of eating roast meat, but today there is a strange delicacy. What is that deliciousness? That is the joy of getting what you want.


    Seeing the two of them eating, Paladin felt relieved. He cut a small piece of beef and smelled the fragrance of spices and meat mixed with it. And put it into his mouth in one bite, chewed it a few times and swallowed it in his stomach. Felt the soft texture and the aroma of the gravy. Paladin immediately couldn''t help but nod and said: "Delicious!" After finishing speaking, he forked another piece and was about to put it into his mouth, when an unexpected thing happened suddenly!


    Suddenly, Paladin''s face suddenly went dead white! Andrew and Kanarawa, who were about to laugh, saw Paladin''s appearance and stood up with a sense of urgency and asked, "Paladin, what''s wrong with you?" "Umm." Paladin only felt a flip of the stomach bag, suddenly stood up sharply, the right hand deadly covered his mouth, rushed into the toilet at the corner, and vomited out into the toilet!


    "Paladin, are you¡­." Andrew and Kanarawa rushed over. Immediately saw the extremely bad-looking Paladin lying on the toilet vomiting. Even bile water had been vomited out! The room was filled with a scent. It was the aroma of that roast meat! And the sour smell of stomach acid that should have existed, but not a trace of half! Paladin''s face was ugly, but his heart was even more shocked! He felt as if his stomach had gone on strike, as if a burden existed in the body. The function had completely stopped!


    Suddenly, Paladin thought of the dream of merging light elements not long ago! That''s right, the black baby dragged itself into the gluttonous circle! And for more than a day, Paladin didn''t eat any food. And without any hunger pangs! "I should have discovered it long ago, I should have discovered it long ago!" Paladin''s face showed a dignified expression. At this moment, he didn''t care about the strange eyes of Andrew and Kanarawa. He realized this in his heart: "Seven deadly sins. Is this the price for gaining power? If this continues, am I a human or a monster? Am I still the Paladin I thought I was? Who am I...!"

 CH 78

    Barely pulling himself together, Paladin, who said that he was physically ill, said goodbye to Andrew and Kanarawa and left first. In the restaurant where Andrew and Kanarawa were left. Kanarawa ate fresh tomatoes and said with a pun : "The tomatoes are fresh, the aroma is very good, but I do not want to taste them."


    Hearing this, Andrew was silent and did not say a word. Instead, Kanarawa put down the tomatoes, looked at Andrew and smiled: "Does His Eminence the Bishop like tomatoes? Maybe you do, or maybe you just like the fresh aroma, right? Bananas, apples, strawberries, grapes. It doesn''t have to be tomatoes." Andrew grunted lightly, he naturally knew what Kanarawa meant. This guy does not like Paladin, and is still questioning him so many people are bad, but choose this guy?


    Andrew very leisurely bit down a piece of golden bread, swallowed it into his stomach and said very satisfied: "No matter how bad the tomato taste. His fragrance is my favorite. Dean Kanarawa, don''t you also run to this clear fragrance?" "But wait until the fragrance has dissipated." "Naturally throw him away." The two guys asked one question and answered the other. Secretly discussing how to use Paladin. Secretly discussing how to use Paladin. After all, the two of them smiled at the same time, everything was kept silent.


    Paladin, who almost ran back to Nurba on his horseback, opened the wooden door of the church and walked in. It was dead of night, and it was midnight again. As soon as Paladin entered the room, he slumped on the chair, feeling the incomparably peaceful moment, but his exhausted mind experienced a rare peace at this moment. Paladin just sat on the armchair, staring blankly at a certain place on the bookshelf in front of him. With his eyes unfocused, he looked more like a dead man at this moment.


    "Hey.... Can''t sleep, no sleep at all." Paladin suddenly sighed. An invisible sense of loss surrounded Paladin. It has been more than a month, Paladin has not slept in this for more than a month. Not only did he not get tired, but became more and more energetic. And now, surprisingly, he can''t even eat the food anymore!


    Paladin raised his right hand slightly, removed the glove, looked at the crystallized place on the palm and wrist, and fell into deep thought. Loneliness, this is Paladin''s most intuitive feeling at this time. There is no one who understands him, no one who supports him, and no one who has suffered the same as him. Although he is in the bustling human world. But he is like the grease on the surface of the water, which can never intersect with the water. Even the people who come and go on a daily basis are all guys who are on guard against each other and take advantage of each other. He even felt that he was rejected and isolated from the whole world.


    Suddenly, Paladin had a moment of clarity. He had been struggling for a better life, plundering by any means. But three months have passed, although he has become a priest, but also as the auxiliary bishop of the diocese, as well as the three town''s teaching authority. But what is under this magnificent veneer? No matter poor or noble, as long as the creature can enjoy the enjoyment of sleep, and the satisfaction brought by food. Paladin can no longer be able to experience that. If things go on like this, Paladin will lose more, much more! Was this really what he, Paladin, wanted?


    "No!" Paladin''s eyes suddenly glazed over as he stubbornly muttered, "This is what I want. This power brings me everything I''ve ever dreamed of! Status, respect, glory and gold! Everything in the world can be traded. Everything is equal! How much I gain, how much I have to lose. Isn''t that what I''ve come to realize? O Paladin! What are you regretting now? What are you confused about?"


    Paladin, who was talking to himself, muttered to himself as if trying to convince himself. But he selectively ignored a fact. A fact he didn''t want to face. Today''s Paladin is inseparable from this power. It''s not so much that Paladin is powerful because he gains power. It''s better to say that the power is strengthened by Paladin''s obsession and desire. It''s like a rough mountain road. Which can lead to the top of the dream.


    Many people dare not set foot on the intersection, but more people are looking for this mountain road. Paladin walked up with the determination to go and never return. He is determined. But after walking for a while, the distant high mountains and endless forests on the original ground could not be seen. His faith began to crumble. Doubt, confusion, and fear began to dominate his thoughts. Just regretting not being in time, when he wanted to turn back, he was horrified to see that the mountain road back had all disappeared at some point. Behind the feet is the abyss, the only way is to go up, keep going up!


    Paladin shook his head slightly, and shook off all the messy thoughts in his head. Strength is what you need. Because power can harvest everything you want. Paladin convinced himself and was about to stand up and go to the table and spend the rest of the evening reading through the alchemy books again. The door of the church was suddenly knocked loudly: "Ta-da. Da-da-da-da. Ta-da."


    Paladin was taken aback. This is the secret code given by the mercenary captain Harvey! In other words, this guy who is doing robbery everywhere and secretly contacting other armor manufacturers is finally back?


    Paladin immediately put on his robe and hurried downstairs to open the door. He saw a blood-stained armor head-on, and Harvey, who was stroking his long beard and smiling happily, looked at himself. "It''s rare, much faster than I expected." Paladin looked Harvey up and down, and then looked at the hundreds of heavily armored soldiers in plate armor behind him, and the unconscious prisoners piled up like a heap of garbage that were stacking up in the five wagons that accompanied them.


    But when Paladin was roughly estimating how many people were here, Harvey let out a low laugh, stepped forward and hugged Paladin, and the newly added scar on his face immediately turned red. "My priest, let me tell you, this journey has exhausted me, you have to know..." Before Harvey finished speaking, Paladin waved his hand impatiently to stop Harvey''s long speech. He showed his cards and said, "Give me twenty, and you can take the sixty gold coins."


    Harvey was taken aback, and immediately waved to the soldiers behind him dully. Immediately, dozens of soldiers immediately lifted twenty unconscious men and women who had been stripped naked and walked into the church of the Paladin with light hands and feet.


    Paladin looked at these soldiers, apparently some of the body armors were broken, and even a soldier''s chest armor there was not wiped clean of blood stains. Apparently Harvey''s gang had been through many brutal battles. But Paladin could not imagine what war was like. Although he had read books and listened to the veterans.


    But not having been in battle, he simply did not understand the horror of the meat grinder that was the battlefield. Nor did he have much goodwill for these mercenaries who only knew how to hack and slash. When these soldiers put down the unconscious prisoners and went out in turn. Harvey was about to touch Paladin. But Paladin threw a bag of gold coins with a straight face. Roughly, there are a hundred pieces! Forty extra gold coins!


    "I''m sleepy and I need to sleep. Captain, do what you want. I''ll reward your subordinates with the rest of the money." "Ahaha, what a shame!" Captain Harvey''s eyes glowed, while talking and stuffed into the coat armor. He was about to climb further with Paladin. Paladin, however, said irritably, "Captain, I have a lot of things to do tomorrow. I hope you won''t bother me." "I was seeing if there was anything I could do to help." "No, thanks." Paladin said a hand to close the door, and then cuffed the iron lock. Harvey stood in front of the door with a speechless face.

 CH 79

    "You, you, and you. Be more nimble. Go in and see what this priest is up to!" Once Paladin closed the door, Harvey had a gloomy face and instructed the three soldiers thus. It was not for Harvey to wonder. A priest suddenly wants more than 20 prisoners! What does he want to do? Even if Harvey is not suspicious.


    But because his good friend Kaleqi had instructed that this Paladin was unpredictable. Do not provoke him. That''s why he didn''t rush in with his men and point his sword at Paladin and ask why. Only let three subordinates secretly see what he was doing. It is already very respectful. After all, they are not considered friends, and even the value of mutual use of contact is very fragile, and it makes sense to turn the other cheek.


    But Harvey waited a full ten long minutes before he felt something was wrong. When he instructed a soldier to sneak in after half an hour. Paladin opened the door. "Captain Harvey, what''s wrong with you? Why are you still waiting here? Could it be that you want to come in for a cup of hot tea?" "Father, have you seen my men?"


    Harvey realized something was wrong, but he pretended to be calm and asked. But Paladin who responded to him just shook his head hypocritically. Suddenly, a bag of thirty gold coins was thrown to Harvey. He said in an unfathomable tone: "Take it well, captain, there are four more prisoners you gave me. I can''t let you be wronged." After finishing speaking, he smiled contemptuously and slammed the wooden door shut. Only Harvey, who was embarrassed, held back for a while, and then growled in a low voice: "Let''s go!"


    Paladin, who stayed inside, handily dragged the twenty-four unconscious people into the basement. Those four unlucky people''s clothes and armor were also pulled off and thrown to the backyard. Once in the basement, the light of the white phosphorus flowers blooming on the piles of corpses next to that shone somewhat eerily in the gloomy basement, and in the midst of this eerie darkness, two crimson eyes suddenly lit up.


    A low and feral voice came over. Paladin casually put an unconscious woman on the cold floor, fiercely glared at the monster in the darkness and shouted: "Aberleigh! Hurry up and come over to help me, don''t you want to fill your stomach!" Sure enough, hearing Paladin''s reprimand, the monster blinked those crimson eyes and its huge body came out from the shadows. It was none other than Aberleigh who had been locked up for a day.


    By the time Aberleigh carried all twenty-four people to the basement. Paladin looked at the basement full of piles in front of him, casually pointed to a middle-aged woman with a fat body and said to Aberleigh: "Take it to eat. Don''t bring back the bones." Aberleigh immediately let out an excited ooh-ooh sound, he lifted the fat woman onto his shoulders and disappeared into the church in a few steps.


    Paladin closed the alchemy door very calmly and began to carve the Philosopher''s Stone alchemy formation on the ground once again. Pouring water, spreading soil, lighting fire, blowing wind. When the alchemy door in the basement was opened, Paladin came out once again. In his hand there was an additional Philosopher''s Stone as big as a potato! Correspondingly, there were twenty-three more terrifying dry bodies in the basement. Paladin returned to his room and his own alchemy table.


    Paladin backhandedly locked the door of the room, took out a scale and placed it on the table. The thumb and index finger of his right hand were pinched together and suddenly opened, and a golden beam of light appeared between the two fingers. Just see Paladin gently slice, the Philosopher''s Stone immediately separated in half. Even be able to see from the cut openings inside the vague emergence of human faces. These are the result of flesh and blood and soul being imprisoned.


    Ever since, the Paladin at this moment is like a financial manager, who keeps measuring and cutting carefully, so that the two separated Philosopher''s Stone can be balanced on the scale. After this, he cut a thumb-sized Philosopher''s Stone out of it and put it on the other side. Paladin has already made a plan, and the fusion of light elements will seriously consume his vitality. Then just divide the Philosopher''s Stone into two pieces to absorb, one increases life, and the other fuses light elements. Wouldn''t it be enough to offset two by two? The extra portion will increase your own life, so you can be prepared.


    Satisfied, Paladin swallowed the extra Philosopher''s Stone in one gulp. Immediately, the Philosopher''s Stone, which looked as solid as a stone, entered his mouth, as if it had suddenly turned into water, and instantly flowed into his stomach, spreading to his limbs and bones. Indescribably comfortable and carefree. When the sky was bright and the sun was shining into the room, the pain of fused light elements still made Paladin miserable, and finally he shook his head and fainted on the ground again.


    Still in that dream, Paladin sat in the circle of gluttony, looking at the black baby in the distance. After touching it, he didn''t feel any pain anymore. The broken arm where the left hand was missing turned out to be empty and chaotic. Paladin was not only surprised by this, he was even more surprised by the black baby! At this point, babies can no longer be used to describe this thing. As if he had grown up, a pure black boy sat opposite Paladin, with an intriguing smile on his face, and he kept calling: "Feed me, feed me..." "Do you know me? Why did you eat one of my arms?" What''s your name? Do you have parents?" "Hmm..." To Paladin''s surprise, when he finished these questions with no expected answers, the teenager who kept repeating feed me feed me, suddenly nodded his head. The small hand gradually raised.


    Paladin''s pupils shrank violently! Because the black boy raised his finger and pointed at Paladin himself, and squeezed out the boy''s slightly shrill voice: "You..."


    "Hoo hoo hoo..." Paladin suddenly turned over and sat up. Cold sweat soaked his robe. Every time he saw this black monster, Paladin was surrounded by the purest fear. That feeling is really hard to say. But at the next moment, something happened that made Paladin see the light of the clouds and smile happily! Taking a closer look, the whole body is surrounded by as many as thousands of golden light elements!


    However, the smile that had just bloomed on Paladin''s face didn''t last long, and suddenly collapsed again. Because he counted carefully, he suddenly found that although the number of golden elements had increased, there were only 1004! "That''s all? This is the Philosopher''s Stone for 11 people! If you count 60 light elements, it''s at least 1,500!" Paladin''s face showed shock and solemnity. Suddenly he realized what he really wanted. Anyone could see the frustration on his face clearly.


    "The amount of elements for seven people is 420 pieces. And I was six hundred before. It adds up to just over a thousand. But there are still four people left to come with their share. . 1004...." Paladin suddenly sighed deeply, mixed with an undisguised loss and frustration: "After breaking through the elemental amount of one thousand, an ordinary person''s life can only provide one element? It''s too harsh, it''s simply too harsh!"


    Paladin stood up in annoyance, with the frustration of a long and endless road ahead on his face: "This is not asking me, using thousands of humans to refine the Philosopher''s Stone! At this rate, to become truly strong, a hundred thousand, a million elemental amounts! Not to mention a diocese, even if I eat up all the people in the Principality of Kasmi, it''s not enough!"

 CH 80

    Faced with such a result. Only then did Paladin deeply realize what a horrible scene this was! Countless skeletons to pave their own road to the strongest. This is a bloody and cruel fact. But Paladin did not cower. He was merely stunned by the astronomical numbers. "If it takes countless people, then I will slaughter countless people! I, Paladin, will kill one person, and will kill ten thousand people!"


    And just as Paladin regained his composure and prepared to go downstairs to begin his daily prayers and listen to the penitents tell of their sins. Outside the house, a sudden commotion rang out in the street. Paladin frowned and immediately clattered downstairs to pull open the curtains for a closer look. At once, he saw a man in fine armor, riding a high-headed horse and came running.


    The civilians on the road gave way one after another, and the man came to the door of the Paladin''s church, and immediately reined in the horse''s rope. The horse immediately neighed, and the man stood up! There was no problem with the man, he just turned over and got off his horse and landed on the ground, stroked the cross sword on his waist, walked directly to the door of the church, raised the armored glove covering his hand, and knocked on the already somewhat dilapidated wooden door.


    Paladin was frowning and cursing inwardly: "Who is this guy? I don''t know him?" But Paladin was about to step forward and teach this man a lesson. The man felt that he hadn''t opened the door for a long time, so he squinted and shouted: "Brother! Let me in quickly! I''m your brother, open the door quickly!"


    In an instant, the first reaction that flashed through Paladin''s mind was extermination! No matter how careful Paladin is, a wise man will make one mistake. He missed the brother of the unjustly dead Paladin! The brother who had not been home for some years as a soldier! Now in full view of everyone, if this guy knows that he is not the real Paladin, then he is completely finished! All the work he had done was for nothing!


    And just as Paladin secretly repented and hesitated. The man outside the house, this Paladin''s elder brother Alfred, roared angrily, causing the surrounding civilians and residents in other buildings to poke their heads out to watch: "Paladin! Let me in!" No matter what he said , directly slammed open the wooden door with a flick of his hand, and walked in majestically.


    Paladin''s hairs stand on end! He saw that Alfred knocked open the door and walked in directly, picked up the water kettle for believers to drink next to him, and poured his head up! He didn''t even look at Paladin at all, and said to himself: "Brother, something happened at home. Do you know? You..."


    Alfred, who was talking fiercely, put down the kettle, suddenly saw Paladin standing by the window with a mild demeanor, could not help but frown, calmed down the previous excited tone and said, "Where is my brother?" "Your brother? This noble gentleman, who is your brother?" The pretentious Paladin was so delayed, then moved to the door next to. Quickly surveyed the so-called brother in front of him, Alfred.


    Long red hair cascading over his shoulders. Very handsome face and the wrongful death of Paladin has seven or eight points of resemblance. But the difference is that the eyebrows have a valor that can not be ignored. Looking down, the inner clothes Alfred was wearing were exposed from the neck.


    Covering the lining is a finely crafted chainmail. Beyond the chain armor there is a set of plate armor that protects key areas. Arm armor of the arms, shoulder armor, chest armor, and leg armor. All of them are fine and fine iron refining to build. Each piece of armor is also carved with just the right pattern. Plus a layer of sleeveless robe over the armor. That robe right in the middle of the yellow background black eagle crest. Alfred the assassin looks extremely like a knight ready to go to war.


    Paladin looked at Alfred, his eyes faintly showing surprise, slightly inclined his head, and immediately saw the stallion parked in front of the door. It was a snow-white Engerland white horse, a breed of horse that specializes in going into battle to kill the enemy, with great weight bearing endurance and impact.


    Paladin''s pupils instantly froze for a moment, this horse was covered with a robe that enclosed the horse''s body, revealing only four hooves. This robe is the same yellow painted on the black eagle! And the beautifully crafted saddle, the same carved eagle pattern! Next to the horse''s buttocks also hangs a good knight''s shield. The coat of arms was still black eagle on yellow!


    "This guy doesn''t look like a knight, he is a knight!" Paladin muttered with a very bad face. I can''t believe that that stupid Paladin''s brother had the ability to become a knight! To become a knight noble equal to his dead father, or even vaguely superior to him!


    But when Alfred heard Paladin''s question, he immediately said with some anger: "Paladin, Father Paladin! He''s the priest of this church!"


    "Oh, you are looking for Father Paladin." Paladin, with a look of realization, closed the wooden door behind his back, shutting out the curious eyes coming in from outside, and then with a kind smile on his face, he pointed to the attic and said, "The priest was up late last night reading and is now having breakfast in his room." "Breakfast? This beast is still in the mood for breakfast?"


    Alfred''s face changed, and in a flash of anger, he drew his sword from his waist and immediately stepped onto the worn stairs, making a clicking sound. While going up the stairs, he shouted angrily at the approaching door: "Our parents and sister are dead! You''re still in the mood for breakfast! Paladin, explain yourself to me!" A deadly cold glint was in Paladin''s eyes, but a frightened look on his face chased Alfred and said, "This knight sir, the priest he is still in the room, you can not." "You go away! It''s none of your business. Step aside." Alfred gave a reprimand and saw Paladin showing fear and cowering before he kicked open the door of the room and rushed in with his sword.


    "Huh? Where is Paladin?" Alfred entered the room, saw that the expected brother was not there at all. There was not even a figure, and a bad feeling rose in his heart. But at this time, Paladin''s face gradually emerged with a cruel smile, gently locking the door to the room. At once a series of runes flashed. This is the Silent Barrier that Paladin had carved down before.


    Alfred''s face was startled, and he turned around and pointed his sword at the smiling Paladin, asking solemnly, "What are you trying to do by abducting me here! Where''s my brother?" "Hehehe." Paladin suddenly let out a chuckle. His eyes were full of mockery. It was the banter of watching the dying struggles of prey caught in a trap. He raised his hand, pressed it lightly on his chest, and said sarcastically, "I am your younger brother, Paladin, Flamel."

 CH 81

    "No way, you''re not my brother!" Alfred immediately retorted. But looking at Paladin''s weird smile, he suddenly realized something. His face instantly had a gloomy look and he said: "What did you do to my brother!" "Oh, you meant the original fool called Paladin." After saying that, Paladin began to untie the right glove with his left hand , and his eyes became grim: "He has been buried by me in the forest for months."


    "Die!" Although Alfred guessed the answer, hearing the murderer of his brother''s admission made him instantly violent. Raising his longsword, he rushed up and tried to behead Paladin. "Humph."


    Paladin disdainfully looked at this chopping sword, he now has a thousand light elements, his strength is stronger than the same level of great magicians. Not to mention this ordinary warrior without any magical elements and magic ring in front of him? Only the sound of a thump was heard. Alfred was shocked to see that the scum impersonating his brother in front of him had caught his own sword slashing down with his right hand alone! And he incredibly felt as if he was not chopping on soft flesh, but on hard metal!


    "Alfred, you really shouldn''t have come here to seek death by yourself." Paladin teasingly said so, his right hand suddenly emitted a golden light, Alfred was shocked to see that he was holding the sword there and it was slowly turning red, hot! This is subjected to extremely high temperatures to cause the melting phenomenon! Only to see that the sword turned into red iron pulp in a few moments, and immediately spilled to the ground. Alfred has not yet reacted from the shock of what magic this is. Paladin immediately swung his left hand up, grabbed Alfred''s face, and fell to the ground with a bang. The latter immediately widened his eyes and spat out some blood.


    Paladin leaned down and casually waved his hand, and immediately golden chains emerged from the air, binding Alfred up and down and making him unable to move. Paladin lowered his head to meet Alfred''s unbelievable gaze, and suddenly smiled and said, "Wait a moment you can reunite with your brother, parents and sister."


    In an instant, Alfred''s eyes showed incomparable hatred, grimacing and staring at Paladin, wanting to eat him in one bite. Paladin looked at this expression, suddenly sneered and continued: "Oh? You do not know? You don''t know that I killed your whole family? What a pathetic person. Hahahahaha."


    After all, Alfred was silent, just staring at him viciously. Suddenly he felt dull. He took out Lethal Rain from his sleeve, shook the light green liquid medicine in front of him and said, "Do you know what this is? It''s poison, and people who don''t understand dark alchemy will never be able to see the cause of death. You will only be considered to be dead of heart failure. Think about it, my entire Paladin family was killed, the only relative, my brother, came to visit me. But because of the backlog of hatred and anger, my brother died in the church. Hey, I am the most pathetic person, I believe that after examining the cause of death, no one will suspect me, and even if they do, there is not a shred of evidence. What do you think?"


    "Ahhhhhhh! I will kill you, kill you! Even if I become a vile undead, I will eat your soul!" Paladin listened to the curse of this guy who couldn''t stand the anger and hatred. Just smiled and opened the bottle cap, seeing him refuse to open his mouth, Paladin twisted his jaw forcefully and dislocated it. Regardless of the latter''s painful expression, he opened Alfred''s jaw and was about to put it in his mouth. When the liquid medicine was poured down. Unexpected things happened suddenly!


    Hearing only a boom, Paladin suddenly froze to see his right hand wrapped in the sudden appearance of flame. The flame was not an ordinary red-yellow color, but a blinding gold! But Paladin could not react, the pain from the palm of his hand immediately let his eyes glare, and could not bear the pain and let out a painful roar: "Ah ah ah ah! It hurts like hell!"


    Paladin''s body immediately broke out in cold sweat, soaking through his clothes. Directly throwing away the medicine bottle, subconsciously Paladin raised his left hand in an attempt to slap away the flame. But what was surprising was that when the left hand slapped it, there was no burning sensation at all. On the contrary, it was just an illusion, as if it didn''t exist at all. But when the flesh on the right hand was burnt and falling off, the tendons inside were also burned to root and branch, the taste of pain had an incomparably stronger impact on Paladin''s brain. He had no choice but to stand up all of a sudden, and then fell to his knees again with his face flushed, his body trembling desperately clutching his scorched right hand, a burst of hearers sad to see the tears of the screams.


    Alfred was stunned, what is going on! The guy who was going to poison himself was suddenly set on fire. And depending on the situation, the flame can''t be put out, can''t be extinguished! This is simply the protection of the god of light, Enos, in the dark!


    Thinking so Alfred, suddenly recognized that this is a great opportunity to fight back, and immediately struggled to get up. Sure enough, these golden light chains are strong, but by Alfred''s efforts, the chains are getting darker and darker, more and more fragile. I believe it won''t take long to break the chains and let this family-killing beast go to hell forever!


    "Ahhhhhhhhh!" Paladin sat on his knees, his eyes listlessly looking at the golden flames that kept burning his arms. He couldn''t figure out what was wrong, what was wrong. He could even feel that the golden light elements around him seemed to be revolting at the moment, constantly rushing towards his arm and attacking his master! "Revolt?"


    Paladin muttered weakly, he had been so pained that he didn''t even have the strength to scream. At this moment, his eyes emitted an increasingly weakened golden light, while the light of the all-seeing eye that surfaced on his forehead grew stronger and stronger. But Paladin naturally does not know this situation. But Alfred, who was struggling, could see it clearly!


    "My Enos, what kind of monster are you!" Alfred looked at Paladin''s three shining golden eyes, and a chill rose from his heart. But at this time, Paladin''s vision gradually blurred, and his ears were only buzzing with tinnitus. He could even feel that he was about to step into the palace of death.


    "Are you willing? How can you be willing? This power is too unstable, and now it''s actually backfiring. Am I going to die here with this flame burning my body? What I want has not been obtained yet." Paladin''s heart thought so, eyes gradually mixed with some tears. The depths of the pupil had a piece of despair. But it was this time, the black boy''s eerie smile suddenly shook in front of his eyes, the sound of a rush like feed me, feed me.


    "Get out of my mind! You little brat!" Paladin roared angrily, venting his aggrieved heart. The black boy appeared in front of his eyes again, and his hazy voice penetrated the space and echoed directly to the depths of Paladin''s soul: "I won''t let you die."


    A miracle appeared!


    Only to see the all-seeing eye on Paladin''s forehead suddenly blossomed with a glorious brilliance. Paladin only felt that the weak self just now was gone, and the power of boundless physical strength was replenishing back into his body. The ears were normal, the vision was clear.


    Paladin opened his mouth and stared blankly at Alfred, who was also open-mouthed and frothing in front of him. Suddenly, the golden flame in his hand returned to oblivion. The right hand, which should have been burned to the ground, is now intact. No, it cannot be said intact! At this moment, Alfred and Paladin were both staring at Paladin''s right hand. From the burned sleeve of the elbow exposed to the tips of the fingers. This one elbow, all from the inside out turned blinding gold, completely and utterly crystallized!


    Paladin turned his crystallized arm in a daze, tried to move his fingers, and made a fist. He clearly saw that there were no bones, blood vessels and meridians in the crystallized and translucent arm. All of them are golden crystallization, which is as seamless as a golden crystal. Paladin took a deep breath, he could feel the peak power than in its heyday! A smile gradually appeared on the dazed face and he muttered: "So it''s not backlash, but evolution."


    Paladin lowered his head, looked at Alfred''s shocked expression, and suddenly walked towards him step by step, grabbed his face, and put his head close to his face. Seeing his desperation, Paladin was suddenly blessed, and covered his cheeks with both hands, and the almighty eye on his forehead immediately stared at Alfred. He only heard Paladin say in a low voice: "Look into my eyes!"


    "Ahhhhhhhhh!" Suddenly, the all-seeing eye shot out a beam of light and hit straight at Alfred''s forehead. Paladin could clearly feel that five hundred light elements on his body were beginning to destabilize, gradually leaning close to Alfred. Suddenly, as the soul was torn in half alive. Paladin immediately gritted his teeth to bear this pain.


    Alfred''s scream became louder and louder, and at that moment, Paladin saw the screaming Alfred''s eyes, but gradually as his own eyes emitted golden light! Like the music stopped in shock, Alfred''s screaming suddenly stopped. The room was immediately eerily quiet. Paladin to the all-seeing eye beam extinguished, and immediately let go of his hands, stumbled and sat on the chair and kept panting. Alfred, on the other hand, was on his knees as if he were dead, the golden chains on his body had disappeared, but he closed his eyes without saying a word.


    Paladin saw that he had lost half, leaving only five hundred light elements. But he didn''t look discouraged in the slightest. Because the other half of my light elements have all become Alfred''s elements at this moment! It is surrounding his body, forming his magic ring! Or to put it another way, the Paladin did not lose 500 elements.


    At this moment, Paladin closed his eyes very excitedly, and then slowly opened them at that moment. Alfred also opened his eyes at the same time. "Hello" "Hello" At the same time, Paladin and Alfred greeted each other at the same time. Paladin couldn''t help laughing, and the former also laughed immediately.


    This feeling is very strange, it is obviously only me, but it seems to control two bodies and share two perspectives! With a thought in his mind, Paladin immediately stood up from another perspective, that is, Alfred''s perspective, and looked at his clone. He looked at his hands and feet and squeezed his face. Both laughed at the same time.


    That''s right, it''s a clone! The evolved Paladin can not only read other people''s memories with the Almighty One Eye, but can even create a clone, making Alfred a Paladin too! It''s just that the fleshy body on the body is different. Paladin''s mind moved again, and his clone, Alfred, immediately stepped forward to help Paladin.


    When he was about to go downstairs, he suddenly saw his own burned sleeves and immediately put his hand out, and the moment he did, the doppelganger had taken out the clothes from the cupboard and put them into Paladin''s hand. Two in one. Whether it is Paladin, or Alfred, it is Paladin. The two are actually one person. One person to control two bodies separately. Thinking about this ability, Paladin once again smiled from the bottom of his heart.


    Perhaps, only the increase in power can make him laugh from the heart.

 CH 82

    The crowd wandered outside the church and was suspicious and speculating whether the two would fight. Alfred and Paladin came out of the church with a very friendly look. They just sa2 Paladin pat Alfred''s shoulder and said: "Brother, I will leave the important responsibility of the family to you. I am a priest and cannot have any heirs."


    Alfred on the surface was very sad and he sighed. But at this point he could not be counted as Alfred. Only a part of Paladin was left in this shell. "Brother, take care of yourself." Alfred said goodbye under the control of Paladin, and then in front of the surrounding onlookers straddled that steed, raised the rope and stirred up a cloud of dust, galloping away.


    The civilians around him did not dare to approach Paladin until then, and one or two girls who were just about to get married said with starry eyes, "Father, who was that handsome and elegant man just now?" "Ah, my brother." "Wow! You really can''t tell it''s a brother at all! If only I could marry him." "Ree stop daydreaming, I''m only worthy of such a knight!" Paladin looked at these trash in front of him with a smile on his face and made a gush of awe and yearning chatter. There was a sense of disgust spreading across his chest.


    Today, Paladin is going to check the two towns of Qiqilar and Falamo that Bishop Andrew handed over to him. Just in time to push away those annoying flies. But at the moment Paladin was controlling Alfred at the same time, not only could he see the church and the noisy crowd in front of him. He could also see the speeding road and the backing woods. After Paladin confirmed that he had a clone, an extremely lucrative and cruel method of making money surfaced. This method can be achieved as long as the main body and the clone cooperate! Thinking of the happy place, Paladin couldn''t help laughing.


    However, one thing that made Paladin very speechless suddenly happened at this moment.


    The clone who was riding the horse at this moment gradually became familiar with and mastered this body. But at this moment, the naked white horse suddenly let out an exclamation, suddenly stopped galloping, raised its buttocks high, and the clone didn''t pay attention, whooshing up, with more than twenty pounds of light armor on the body fell hard on the ground five meters away! "Cough cough cough. You beast, how dare you dump me, I am your master!" The clone stood up limping. Paladin felt that the clone was badly injured at the moment. A light touch on the elbow immediately caused him to grimace in pain.


    The very angry clone immediately turned his head to glare at the white horse and screamed. If it weren''t for the fact that he has the five hundred elements of his body at the moment, which can repair the damaged flesh, if it were the original Alfred, he would be on the ground at this moment, unable to stand up from the pain. "Neigh Neigh Neigh!" The white horse saw this suspected master took a step towards himself, immediately panicked and backed up one after another, the horse''s hooves kicked in panic, as if to warn this person, do not come near him.


    The clone immediately stopped in his tracks, he pulled his loose red hair out of the way, frowned and stared at the white horse. He could clearly feel the strangeness, even fear, in the eyes of this white horse. Unlike humans, animals do not just recognize people just by their scent and appearance. The animal''s senses are much stronger than humans. That''s why this warhorse, who was close to the dead Alfred, was able to detect that something was wrong at first. This guy in the guise of the owner wasn''t the owner.


    The clone obviously noticed the difference in this white horse. Immediately revealed a fake smile, slowly approached the white horse, imitating the memory of Alfred said: "What''s wrong? Dear Adam, have you forgotten me? I''m your friend. Remember the days at the fortress? I went around the fortress with you, and you loved to run to the moat and swim. Every time the squire fed you something to eat, he kept complaining that you were soaked to the skin."


    Maybe it was an animal psychic, the white horse heard this guy call out his name, and saw this guy who seemed to be the owner tell his memories with a familiar expression and tone. Suddenly, Adam seemed to see his original master again, the master who fought side by side and crushed the enemy on the battlefield! In this way, the doppelg?nger gradually approached him, and he gently stretched out his hand to caress Adam''s face. Although Adam dodged slightly, he didn''t refuse as much as before.


    The clone smiled, and gradually stroked its fur. When it saw that the resistance in Adam''s eyes became less and less, its expression suddenly changed, and it jumped onto the horse! "Neigh!" Adam yelled in shock, trying to shake off the clone on his back. But at this time, the avatar''s face no longer had the gentle look it had before. It''s exactly Paladin''s expression.


    Only to see the clone viciously slapped Adam''s back, and regardless of the miserable scream issued by Adam, he almost sat down on his knees. The doppelganger roared and roared: "From now on, I am your master! You stupid white pig!" "Neigh!" Adam wanted to run, but felt that this monster on top of him that emitted the aura of a magical beast was too powerful. His own four horse hooves were as if they were nailed in place. He couldn''t move at all! Had to let out a pleading chirp. Willing to submit.


    "Sir! Sir!" But at this moment, a rather immature call came from the front. The clone squinted, but saw a young man wearing leather armor and blond hair who was less than fifteen years old, riding a large chestnut horse, running over in a hurry. The clone was slightly taken aback after seeing the person coming. According to Alfred''s memory, this guy''s name is Salander.


    It is said that the body has a quarter of the blood of the desert Muram people. So the skin looks slightly darker. But what always bothered Alfred was, how did such a person with heretical blood become his retainer? But in all conscience, Salander''s skill in taking care of horses is really nothing to say. The other knight''s squire came with an open mind to ask for advice. It was enough to give Alfred a long face.


    "Sir! You suddenly left from Green Fortress, Lord Hank will count the number of people tomorrow, and then follow the Grand Duke and other hundreds of nobles to the front line together! Why are you here at this time, come back with me!" The clone, regardless of the shivering white horse, fell into a deep thought. Hank is Alfred''s allegiance to the baron, with fifty knights under his hand. Plus each knight with about three squires. Also known as trainee knights.


    There are also two hundred cavalry troops. But what puzzled Paladin was that according to his memory, the battle with Aixinzhe had just reached a stalemate a while ago. Why is there an all-out attack today? The clone doesn''t understand, and didn''t expect this attendant to understand. He just nodded and said: "Salander, today we will rush back to the fort overnight. Don''t be late." "Sir go quickly, the armor will be carried by me first. You ride light and fast to the fortress. There''s a spare set of armor sitting there." The clone looked at Salander''s nervous expression and knew that he also cared about his career. So without saying anything, he unloaded his armor and handed it over to him, wearing only a robe and instantly sped away.

 CH 83

    After a whole night of bumps, it wasn''t until the early morning of the next day, when the sky was just turning white, that the clone barely reached Green Fortress. Even though he had seen the magnificence of this fortress in his memory, when Paladin stood in front of this behemoth in person, he was briefly shocked on the spot. The tall city wall blocked the vision in front of him.


    In the small cracks caused by the sword marks that can be seen everywhere on the city wall, growing out of the fragile weeds of small flowers. The proof of how long it has been since this age-old guy has performed his duty. The clone raised his head with his mouth slightly open, but could only see the ant-like guards on top of the city walls patrolling back and forth. The clone stepped back. Hoping to get a full view. But was shocked to see that the tall walls were only the outermost fence!


    Riding up a small hill, Paladin looked out and saw that the walls were lined with endless buildings and towers towering between them. Clone Paladin knew that the fortress had several layers. But such a terrifying fortress, he has only seen in the mythical books of legends! He just saw in the outermost layer of these residential areas, vast, at least across a half-circle of five or six miles! But at the end of these houses, there was another city wall!


    This wall is not much worse than the outermost wall. The clone even saw the densely packed stone throwers placed on the wall! Inside, too, there were no longer private houses, but a stone building, and interlaced small aisle walls. A large network of traffic was formed. Inside, there is another wall. Three layers, four layers, five layers, six layers!


    Until the very center of the fortress, there''s a huge fortress towering into the clouds! A multitude of towers and stone throwers adorn the mighty force of this fortress! Plus this fortress itself was built on top of a huge hill. So this layer upon layer of walls was like huge snakes coiled around the hillside. It took the shape of a gyroscope. So that these six layers of walls and the numerous stone throwers and archers on the central fortress, can attack the incoming enemy with maximum efficiency!


    Swallowing deeply, Paladin did not enter the fortress. Because no matter how big the fortress is, it cannot fill the soldiers brought by the many lords summoned by the Grand Duke! On the plain outside the fortress, endless tents surrounded the fortress. The numerous flags indicate that they belong to different nobles and different lords. According to the memory, the clone set up the white horse and walked into the tented camp, looking for the camp of the lord he was loyal to, Baron Hank.


    Baron Hank, although only a baron, is a hereditary nobleman. It is a person who is recognized and accepted as his own by the great nobles. The marshal of this war is the Marquis of Carmon who has experienced the battlefield. The younger sister is the Marquis of Carmon, the wife of the Grand Duke. It is easy to get such a marshal position. According to the order of the Marquis of Carmon, Baron Hank temporarily served as the general, positioning the left army together with the Earl of White Orchid and many barons. Tie down to the left of the fort. When the avatar passed through countless tents and came to the flag with the white orchid symbol, it was considered to be the legion to which it belonged.


    Clone Paladin took a deep breath. Turned down from his horse. The heavy-armed soldiers coming and going around immediately subconsciously gave way to a lane. Although they''re all soldiers but the identity of the knight is obviously not equal to them. The clone frowned slightly and fanned the strong stench around him. The clone who absorbed Alfred''s memory was puzzled and looked around at the soldiers.


    A harsh and annoying cacophony emanated from in front of his eyes. The spear sergeant who took off his heavy armor and hung it on a bamboo pole to lie and snore. The archer who sat in front of the black stone and took the arrow next to him and polished it a little. The middle-aged man with a large beard, wiping his axe with water. The man wearing leather armor, laughing and chatting with another female warrior also wearing leather armor. The flinging hammers that were casually still on the ground, the spears and shields that were leaning side by side against the wall. The frown deepened as the clone watched all this.


    Because he had never seen these soldiers a few days ago. Moreover, these people''s armor is not uniform, and their weapons are all kinds of strange. Some even carried daggers! Oh, God. Forgive these idiots who have never been in battle. A dagger on a messy battlefield serves no substantial purpose other than to make one more slash.


    The clone pulled his horse and walked up to the large tent that towered with the white orchid banner. The two soldiers holding spears and wearing helmets and chainmail who were guarding the entrance immediately came forward and respectfully took the reins from the horses'' mouths and said, "Noble Sir Knight, you are?" "I am Alfred, Flamel, a knight under Baron Hank. Is the Lord Baron in there?" "Yes, he is studying the sandbox." The clone nodded with a condescending look, held open the curtain and walked in.


    "Lord Baron." Walking into the tent, there were long swords, shields and a complete set of armor hanging beside him. The faintly visible scars fully show that these are by no means for decoration. A man in plain clothes with his back to the avatar held a sand table with both hands. Hearing the avatar''s words, he turned around. Showing a serious face with a little melancholy, but decorated with sword wounds. The avatar noticed that his hair was the same red as his own.


    "Oh, Alfred ah. Come here." The middle-aged man, who looked majestic but melancholy, summoned the clone to come and sit down. "Baron, what happened?" The clone could see very clearly that Baron Hank had tear marks on the corners of his eyes. It was obvious that he had just cried bitterly not long ago. Baron Hank faintly froze. After that, he smiled and shook his hand: "Nothing, just suddenly some unhappy things. Alfred, why are you dressed like this?"


    The baron smiled through his tears, and briefly mentioned the matter. Seeing that the clone was wearing a robe and no armor at the moment, he couldn''t help asking. "I went to see my younger brother. I found out through my attendants afterwards that today the Grand Duke is going to count the number of people and set off against Aixinzhe again. That''s why i hurried back." "No need." Baron Hank suddenly sat on a chair, Picking up a cup of creamy black tea and taking a sip, he sighed and said, "The latest news. Aixinzhe married into the neighboring kingdom of Malta. He received 10,000 reinforcements from Malta. Plus he only has 20,000 left. The 30,000 troops are gradually advancing."


    "Thirty thousand!?" The clone was shocked! The scale of thirty thousand was too huge. Although there were battles between the Kasmi Principality and the Aixinzhe Kingdom all year round. But at most, the combined strength of both sides was only 10,000. This huge army of 30,000. It can be seen that Aixinzhe this time is under the intention of swallowing Kasmi Principality. And now the army of the Principality of Kasmi, only more than 10,000 people. Facing three times the enemy''s army, the chance of victory was too small. "Lord Baron, this news should be blocked by the Grand Duke''s strict order, right, you told me so." "Don''t worry, if you don''t say it now, you will say it soon."


    Baron Hank waved his hand with an indifferent face. The melancholy on his face however dispersed and said with an expectant tone: "We are not going to march today and wait for these nobles, Earl Torch, to bring their troops over to defend. Just resist the enemy army for two months, just two months, boil until the onset of winter, the snowy season, humph!" Baron Hank''s face showed an excited look, looked at the shocked clone and with his low voice he said: "At that time, the reinforcements from our sovereign state, the Great Empire of Engelland, will arrive. Because the imperial emperor Caesar III is also very dissatisfied with Aixinzhe''s treason. And their battle line is too long, food can''t keep up, under the influence of snowy weather. Their kingdom of Aixinzhe is sure to lose!"

 CH 84

    Rushing back to Edley, what presented itself in front of him was a scene that made Paladin even more shocked. The city gates were open, and all the people of the city were lined up on both sides of the main road, waiting for someone with flowers in their hands. On both sides there are security guards on their positions, soldiers with hook and scythe guns in hand to block the lively crowd. So that the middle of the crowded avenue was empty, a clean and spacious road. Paladin dismounted and pushed his way through the crowd. It didn''t take long to see the Edley Cathedral looming in front of him.


    "Don''t push, you!" Suddenly, a young man could not stand Paladin''s pushing, turned around and shouted. But when he saw Paladin''s priestly robe, and the lavender lace scarf hanging around his neck, symbolizing the vice bishop. Immediately bleated: "Oh, oh, it''s His Excellency Paladin, the auxiliary bishop, look at my eyes..¡­" But Paladin at this time could not care about others, squinting his eyes and looking at the crowded church square in the distance, and asked : "What are you doing here?" "You don''t know?"


    The young man was playing tricks, but he saw Paladin''s fierce eyes glaring at him. Immediately, he was so scared that he said all the words: "It''s like this Your Excellency the auxiliary bishop. Our lord, the Earl of the Torch, was ordered by the Grand Duke to go to war! We are located here in the middle of nowhere. Since the founding of the country, we have never seen what war is. Now it''s a great place to build a career, as the bards praised. So we send all the young men up to join the army! Maybe we''ll get a knight back!"


    Paladin simply ignored the idea of ??these ignorant people rushing to die. He glanced at it and asked directly, "Why didn''t you go?" "Hehe, I have three brothers. All of them have gone. But who will take care of the elderly after they leave? Hey, count me lucky." Paladin looked at this situation for a while. The regretful young man suddenly said with disdain: "You will be grateful to your brother in the future." After finishing speaking, he ignored the idiot and pushed away the crowd towards Edley Cathedral.


    As soon as he arrived in front of the church square, he saw Bishop Andrew and Dean and head priest Kanarawa standing in front of the door in extremely formal attire. There were dozens of priests standing behind them. But the difference was that some of them were sad and some were full of joy. Suddenly, Paladin faintly froze. He saw that the choir he had formed in Nurba was now standing on the steps with Edley''s choir, chanting a holy blessing! "What''s going on here? My own choir, why is it here without my approval?" Paladin pressed down the increasingly disturbing thoughts in his mind. Passing through the crowd to Andrew, who was playing with his scepter with his head bowed, he said respectfully, "Your Eminence, I am back."


    "Oh, you''re back. Come, come, stand next to me." Andrew looked up to see Paladin and immediately welcomed him with a smile. However, Paladin could see very carefully that Andrew''s smile was not as cheerful as before, but had a layer of disconnection towards him. "It''s a very fake smile." Paladin was so sure in his heart that he took the decorative scepter used for the celebration and came to Andrew''s side.


    Paladin gradually frowned. He thought he had frowned more today than the previous days combined. Lifting his head quietly, he saw a burst of cheers suddenly sounded on the road leading to the lord''s castle, and the crowd erupted one by one. Indistinctly, at the end of the front, a group of knights riding tall horses, wearing armor and equipped with swords and spears gradually approached. And just when Paladin was muttering to himself what went wrong. Kanarawa next to him suddenly coughed. Andrew nodded immediately.


    Paladin looked more and more strange, but did not notice Andrew lowering his head and saying something in a voice that only a few people present could hear: "Paladin, you know that Lord Torch Count is going to lead an army to fight with the Grand Duke to conquer Aixinzhe?" "I know." Paladin also lowered his voice. Listened to Andrew''s speech carefully with his ears. Because he knew that this old thing must have something important to tell himself. But what Andrew said next made Paladin almost growl!


    "And do you know that whenever a local lord goes out to lead an army, the priest of the parish he belongs to has to go with him?" "What!" Paladin''s eyes opened in anger and he roared out. His eyes were filled with disbelief. "Did you betray me? Andrew! And you, that Kanarawa!" Paladin held back his anger and hissed out in a low voice. Because through Andrew''s words, Paladin instantly understood. The troops going to war should bring along a priest, not only to save the wounded in times of crisis, but also to bless and listen to the prayers of the soldiers who are normally stressed. Even before the battle between the two armies, the priest must perform a blessing.


    Regardless of the enemy and us, as long as the credibility Enos. At that time, you cannot go to war or take advantage of others. It just doesn''t look bad. You can also meet some dignitaries. But, but! That was on the battlefield, where the sword has no eyes. Although it is expressly stipulated that the accompanying priests of both parties cannot be attacked in any way. It is above the offense and defense of the country.


    But the battlefield is ever-changing, and there are many cases of priests being killed by mistake. There were also cases of priests who marched in harsh conditions. It is not uncommon for frail priests to die in the middle of nowhere. The number of priests who die every year because of the war is more than a hundred in Olosen Continent! You can see how huge the death toll was. That''s why Paladin was angry. Because it was a clear act to send him to his death. Condemning Andrew and Kanarawa for abandoning him.


    "Watch your words, Paladin. You are not the only priest sent to the battlefield. There are a lot of subordinate priests going along too." Paladin glared back, and when he saw Kanarawa''s look of disinterest, his anger immediately rose upward. Angry, he laughed: "Then, Kanarawa, it is not possible that it was you who suggested that I should go!" "What''s in it for me?"


    That Kanarawa''s face showed a sneer, but Paladin immediately retorted: "Iron, armor! Now war, you want to take away those three towns to seek gold!" "Humph!" Kanarawa suddenly became angry and confronted him, tit for tat whispered: "Yes so what? The local lords all went to the battlefield, instead of leaving the gold coins, you should give them to me to renovate the monastery."


    Paladin could guarantee that if he wasn''t in the square now, he would immediately lock this bastard into his basement and practice the Philosopher''s Stone''s alchemy on him after hundred times torturing him! Paladin, whose eyes were as red as beasts, turned his head and stared at Andrew, who still had his head down, and shook the scepter in his hand and said, "Andrew, are you going to abandon me too? Want to take everything I have?" Andrew did not care about Paladin''s voice, which contained anger, and said: "What do you think? My dear Paladin. You are an auxiliary bishop, this is a fact that is certain and unchangeable."


    Although he said so, the anger on Paladin''s face continued to grow. But Andrew went on to say: "However, I don''t know when this war will end. Maybe it will be fought until spring. So things during this period will naturally be handled by others. You are also tired, treat it as a trip. Let¡¯s travel, relax and unwind.¡± If the position for half a year is handed over to someone else, will it still be my position?


    For a moment, Paladin understood immediately. Although it is possible that becoming an accompanying priest themselves is not what they proposed. But after knowing the news, not only did they not come to report the news, but they added fuel to the flames! "Are you treating me as a worthless abandoned child?" Paladin said in a low voice, but Andrew immediately answered with a strange smile on his face: "I heard that your family was exterminated by a magician not long ago. It''s really a pity." Paladin was slightly taken aback, the destruction of the Flamel family was planned and executed by him. But put it here, but it is regarded as the fact that it has lost the last trace of use value! Will Andrew and Kanarawa completely abandon him! Self-inflicted evil, can not live.


    "You will regret it." Paladin was silent for a while. At this time, he was no longer as angry as before, but fell into silence. Andrew and Kanarawa looked back at him subconsciously, but saw Paladin''s silent appearance flashing with terrifying and murderous intent: "You will regret it, old pervert and pedophile."

 CH 85

    At this moment of speaking, Earl Torch''s procession had arrived in front of the square. Paladin immediately stopped talking. He simply ignored Andrew''s direct line of sight and the expression of Kanarawa''s sneer. He just observed the Earl of Torch, whose name he had heard but never seen him. Only to see a man riding a red-clad warhorse, walking in the front of the group. The red armor draped on the horse had a distinct torch pattern painted on it. Presumably it was the torch himself.


    Thick blonde hair with curls shoulder length, spacious forehead and very thick eyebrows give an image of loyalty and kindness. However, the tiny blue pupils and the tightly closed thin lips gave off a mean and sinister taste. There is gorgeous and sturdy armor on the outside of the chain armor inside. Under the sunlight, his expensive armor reflected a cold light. This is a man of contradictions. Even his face contained extreme ambivalence. It made everyone who saw him for the first time wonder what kind of person this Earl of Torch, who was rumored to have never been on a battlefield, was like.


    Some of the upper-class nobles of the principality, however, secretly talked about it in private. Each has their own opinion. Gentle and kind, warm and open, big noble. Or the sinister and silent. The stubborn, stone-faced ones who don''t say a word. Bunnales, the torch. Inherited the title of his father, Torch the Hurl. As a great noble, he has been educated in all kinds of manners, literature, poetry, fencing, history, politics and so on.


    As the only son, he inherited his father''s wealth and territory without any accident. There were no outstanding performances, no special enemies, and no scandals that would concern the commoners. It was as if he was a marginal man among the great nobles, without a mistress, and now at the age of thirty-one he had not even married! Many great nobles, including the Marquis of Carmon, have personally come to his door to propose marriage, but have been politely declined one by one. To say that the most mysterious nobleman in the Duchy of Kasmi, it must be him, Bunnales, the Torch.


    Tak-dak-dak. Listening to the powerful sound of horses'' hooves echoing in front of him and suddenly stopping. The thick and gentle voice immediately filled one with good feelings: "Your Excellency, Bishop Andrew, hahaha. I have kept you waiting for a long time." Only a snap of steel was heard. Earl Torch rolled over and dismounted, and Andrew immediately greeted him with a smile on his face and said respectfully, "My Lord, are you really only thirty-one? It seems like you''re even younger than last year!" "Hahahahaha."


    Earl Torch laughed cheerfully. Casually waving his hand, the endless procession behind him immediately stopped in its tracks. The knights erected the lances with their heraldic banners pinned in their hands. Then the sergeants with spears and the heavily armed soldiers with shields and long swords behind them. One after another, they stopped their heavy footsteps. There was a solemn look in their eyes.


    Earl Torch stepped forward and said to Andrew: "Old Andrew, you are getting fatter and fatter." As he said so, his eyes were looking at Kanarava and Paladin beside him. Paladin stood up first, crossed his arms in the air respectfully and said, "My lord Earl, you are on this expedition."


    But before Paladin could finish his sentence, Kanarawa came up to interrupt Paladin and said to himself, "Lord Earl, I am the abbot(Dean) of Edley Abbey and the head priest of Edley Cathedral, Kanarawa. I am honored to meet you. I hope I can get¡­" But this time, before he could finish his turn, the Earl immediately interrupted him, looking slightly displeased although he was smiling: "I am talking to this priest, doesn''t His Excellency the abbot know manners?"


    Kanarawa was slightly taken aback, and immediately suppressed his anger and apologized: "My lord, this priest is actually..." "You don''t need to say any more." The Earl of Torch directly ignored Kanarava on the side, and looked at him with a smile on the contrary. Paladin said: "Father, what did you just say?" Paladin snickered to himself, but said very calmly: "My lord, my name is Paladin, Flamel." After saying that, he saluted Earl Torch with the etiquette of a subordinate noble meeting a superior noble. Bowing with one hand floating on the chest above the heart.


    "Oh!" Earl Torch was a little surprised. He didn''t expect to meet a nobleman. Suddenly he thought of Paladin''s surname. He immediately sighed and said, "Father Flamel, the tragedy that happened to your family has made us nobles very angry. Don''t worry, we will make the despicable Forest of Hellitte pay the appropriate price!"


    The cold-eyed Andrew saw Count Torch finish his words and immediately smilingly stepped forward and reminded, "Lord Earl, this Father Paladin is not only our Auxiliary Bishop, but also the priest who will accompany you to the army." "Even?" Count Torch let out an exclamation. But from the tone of his voice, there was really no exclamation. But at that moment, a person resembling a nobleman''s butler suddenly ran over quietly and whispered to Earl of Torch, "My Lord Earl, you have been delayed here for a long time. Let the accompanying priests follow and leave the city quickly."


    Earl Torch nodded silently. Suddenly, he smiled friendly at Paladin and said, "It''s a long journey. If you are not used to military life, Paladin, you can come and sleep in my tent." After inviting Paladin with a smile, the Torch Earl remounted his horse. Andrew also turned around and said to a dozen or so priests with bags standing behind him: "It''s your honor to join the army this time. Go, Bishop Paladin is your commander. Even with a sword and blood and sweat, you can''t violate the teaching of the true God, Amen." Paladin took a deep look at the dozen or so priests who went with him, some of them had sad faces, while others had resolute faces. Paladin took deep note of the sad-faced man. These people are the most likely to become their own group.


    When Paladin and a dozen priests with magnificent cross scepters in their hands walked on either side of the procession. While murmuring the Bible in a low voice. The big bell in the tower at the top of the cathedral immediately let out a dong dong dong sound. The procession immediately resumed its march. The civilians around immediately shouted enthusiastically again. Because the bell represented this army, which was favored and blessed by God Enos. May they receive the supreme glory and return home on white horses.


    Paladin didn''t even look at Andrew. He keenly noticed that many of the army were familiar faces he usually met in Edley. Looking at the civilians on both sides who saw their loved ones in armor with weapons, cheering excitedly and scattering roses and purple orchids. Paladin''s heart sank straight down. That is to say, most of the soldiers in this army are new recruits. Had not experienced real war, nor had they undergone long training.


    Paladin could even imagine, through the memory of his clone, that these recruits would stand there stunned and trembling after seeing the blood of their compatriots stained red after encountering vicious enemies on the battlefield. Paladin really wanted to know, how could the Earl of Torch, who could secretly connive with his subordinates to plunder everywhere, and who could collect armor and weapons in large quantities in violation of the law, make such a mistake? Could it be that this guy has never been on a battlefield before, and doesn''t know the horror of the battlefield?

 CH 86

    But what about Earl Torch, Paladin didn''t want to bother worrying about it. What he cared about now was his own money trail. Obviously, Andrew and Kanarawa had thrown themselves away. And just now Paladin also very clearly saw Harvey walking among the army. He smiled maliciously at himself. So Paladin was able to confirm that if he really honestly went to the front as an accompanying priest, the six months of effort would be reduced to nothing. Therefore, first of all, you must establish your own party members.


    With this in mind, Paladin put his eyes on the priests who were traveling with him. Once you think about it, these priests are all ostracized or untrusted by Andrew''s priests. The enemy of an enemy is a friend. Paladin had to choose from among these priests who could be of use to him. For most of these priests were true believers in Enos. Fanatical in their beliefs. And some were suppressed because of conflicts of interest with Andrew. These people are what Paladin needs.


    Watching the petals flying all over the sky, accompanied by warm cheers. This army, which roughly counted at no more than 800 people, left Edley and set out for Green Fortress. As the sun sank in the west, already hanging on the edge of the mountainside. At any moment, it may sink into darkness and usher in the era of black reign.


    This army was so large that the Earl of Torch set up camp in a meadow not far away in order to avoid harassing the village. Eight hundred men brought out bread, dry bacon and wine. A cluster of campfires were lit by the soldiers. Occasionally those who had some money on them ran to the village to buy some fresh vegetables and meat and cooked a pot of gumbo(thick soup) on the campfire. The tents were erected. So that the original open meadow immediately turned into a forest of interlaced passages.


    Paladin came out of his tent and immediately saw the dozen priests around the campfire not far away in a circle, eating bread and wine in their hands. Paladin took a look, took the bacon he had bought from the soldiers earlier, and walked straight to these priests.


    "Hey, there''s bacon here, who wants some?" Paladin tried to make his expression show kindness, directly found a seat and sat down, waving the bacon in his hand in front of these people. "Humph, Your Eminence, Auxiliary Bishop, as a priest, aren''t you sorry for your position if you openly eat meat?"


    Paladin raised his eyes and saw three of them showing disgust, and immediately excluded the three of them from his heart: "Don''t call me Auxiliary Bishop, we all know in our hearts that Andrew sent us out, which is a disguised exclusion. I, the auxiliary bishop, is only in name only." But as soon as Paladin finished speaking, one of the priests spoke directly and sneered, "Please address Your Eminence as Bishop, Paladin. You don''t know the rules at all." With that, he and several priests immediately stood up and left the campfire without saying a word.


    The other priests were silent in response, but Paladin ignored the few who left and continued to laugh: "Everyone here is rejected by Andrew, that is to say, we are all friends in the same boat of common difficulties, so if you have any difficulties, just come to me." "Huh, you and Andrew have the same virtue, they are villains! We don''t bother to be with you!" The remaining seven priests immediately stood up with unhappy faces and turned around and left. Immediately, only Paladin was left alone by the campfire.


    But Paladin did not show any expression, just broke a piece of bread, cut off a piece of bacon and ate it by himself. But in his heart, he lamented: "All a bunch of idiots, not even one really talented person?" Just then, just when Paladin was very disappointed that these priests are not buildable talents. A young priest walking at the end suddenly stopped in his tracks and turned his head to look at Paladin, and then at these fellow priests who left. Suddenly as if he had made up his mind about something, he turned back towards Paladin and sat down next to him.


    "Tony, where are you doing, quickly come here Tony!" At that moment, the priests suddenly realized that the priest called Tony was not there, but turned back to see him sitting honestly next to this hateful and dirty Paladin. One of the priests who had a better relationship with him immediately called out. But what chilled them was that Tony did not say a word, nor did he pay any attention to these companions, but just sat fixedly in place, looking at the burning flames in front of him.


    "Tony!" This priest still tried to call him, but the priest next to him realized Tony''s decision. A look of contempt immediately appeared on his face to stop that priest and said disdainfully, "Don''t call. He is going to be in the same boat as this Paladin!" "This¡­..Tony, you..." Tony kept quiet, still looking steadily at the flames. Those priests used vitriolic hard words on him, and with disappointment, disdainfully turned away . Representing a complete break between the two.


    Paladin slightly looked at this Tony. Ordinary short brown hair, ordinary face, useless appearance. Paladin smiled vaguely, this Tony is the same as him. So Paladin handed over the bacon and the table knife in his hand and said softly, "Do you want to eat bacon?" "Thank you, Your Eminence." Tony immediately took the bacon very respectfully, cut a slice of sandwich bread and drank wine to start the late dinner.


    "Your friends are gone, but why do you stay? Do you realize that just now, you lost seven or eight friends." "Yes, Your Excellency." Tony swallowed the bread in his mouth. After taking a hasty sip of wine. Then he turned his head and looked at Paladin and said very seriously: "I have lost many friends. But I have gained a bishop who can change my life. Your Eminence, in fact, my full name is Tony, Carles. My family had fallen and I had to rely on some money to become a priest. But the life of a priest is not a good one, especially for me at the bottom of the ladder. Not only do you have a ton of things to do every day, but the opportunities to actually make a profit are almost non-existent."


    Speaking of this, Paladin was expressionless, but his eyes were shining. And Tony was a little disappointed and continued: "I can''t do anything. I even arranged the funeral of my mother after her death. I couldn''t even afford a decent coffin! Your Excellency, I heard that you are also a nobleman. And unlike me who has been a priest for three years, and you have changed from a priest to an auxiliary bishop in less than half a year! And I heard that you have a great relationship with you in the business of ironware in Nurba." Tony tried to choose nice wording, hoping not to disgust Paladin.


    But Paladin''s face not only did not recoil at the risqu¨¦ words, but revealed a heavy smile. "Tony, Carles. You are a nobleman, just as I am. You thirst for wealth and fame, glory and position. Because you are a nobleman, you want to be worthy of the Carles name. If only you will help me."


    "I will! I will do anything you want me to do!" Tony immediately lowered his voice and said eagerly. But Paladin could not yet put this man, who he had met for less than half an hour, in the list of trust. He just smiled faintly, stood up and patted the dust, said leisurely: "Come on, it''s not good to talk here. Let''s go into the tent and talk." Tony nodded yes, but at that moment, a middle-aged man with a beard standing on his face coming from the front, holding wine, made Paladin''s eyes glaze over!

 CH 87

    "Kaleqi! Why are you here!" When Paladin saw the visitor, he lost his voice and blurted out. The surprise on his face was obviously not a disguise. This person who came face to face was none other than Kaleqi, who was supposed to be in Nurba! Kaleiqi was also stunned when he heard someone call him. When he got a good look at Paladin''s surprised face, his shock was no less than the former''s: "Paladin! Why are you here too!" Paladin''s face was a little ugly, suddenly stern, and went forward and took Kaleqi''s arm and pulled it hard into a nearby tent. That Tony saw so, so smartly stood outside the tent, patrolling for people who might approach.


    "Kaleqi, say it. What did Harvey give you?" In the tent, Paladin stared at Kaleiqi with narrowed eyes. The look was one that would make him regret it if he couldn''t give Paladin a satisfactory explanation. Kaleqi blinked his eyes and suddenly asked suspiciously, "Harvey? What does this have to do with Harvey?" As soon as the words left his mouth, Paladin suddenly flung his hand and with one hand he grabbed Kaleiqi''s neck in one go! The powerful force came from the right hand, Kaleiqi could not resist, and was lifted up by Paladin''s grip on his neck like a chicken.


    No matter how much the former struggled, it was useless. Seeing that Kaleqi''s face was already purple, the pupils full of fear were filled with blood. Just when Kaleqi was about to be strangled to death by the expressionless Paladin. He let go of his hand and watched Kaleqi fall to the ground, coughing in pain. Self-consciously, he picked up a folding chair next to him and sat down, and handed a pot of clear water in the tent to Kaleqi, whose voice became hoarse and knelt on the ground in pain.


    As soon as the latter took the clear water, he raised his head and poured it immediately. Paladin waited until Kaleiqi felt better and then suddenly asked: "What benefits did Harvey give you?" "No, no benefit." Kaleqi panted, but suddenly saw Paladin''s gloomy face again, and immediately argued: "There is really no benefit! My identity is the Earl''s mercenary, now he wants to go to war, as long as I take his money, I must go with the expedition!"


    Paladin looked at Kaleqi who did not seem to be faking. Suddenly frowned and said: "No, if you go out with the army and I also go out with the army. Then Nurba''s estate will be unattended. Humph! Harvey, this bastard''s greed is beyond my imagination. It''s not good to say that even Andrew and the others are involved." Paladin talked to himself, only to leave Kaleqi confused. Paladin rolled his eyes to look at Kaleqi''s thick beard and suddenly asked, "You''re off to war, what about your wife and my godson?"


    "They naturally live in Nurba. Although they are very much against my going out to war, they can''t help it. If I release my employment to the Earl, all these properties that I have gained will go up in smoke." Listening to such words, Paladin nodded in silence. Suddenly slightly increased his voice and said, "Tony, come in."


    Tony smiled and immediately got into the tent. Paladin immediately introduced him to Kaleqi: "This is my subordinate, sitting priest Tony, Carles. Tony, this is my partner and dear friend, the mercenary Kaleqi." Speaking of this, Paladin also added meaningfully, "Of course, Kaleqi also operates some ironware."


    "Oh! Nice to meet you!" Tony suddenly heard, and immediately to curry favor with the middle-aged man who is more than ten years older than himself. Kaleqi smiled perfunctorily, but saw Paladin suddenly said to Kaleqi: "Do you know why I am here? It''s because of your buddy Harvey!" "Him? That can''t be right. He''s not¡­."


    Kaleqi faintly froze and was about to fight for his best friend when Paladin stopped Kaleqi''s words with a wave of his hand and said with a face full of resentment and cruelty, "Harvey must die. I will not tolerate a man who has hurt my interests, and is still alive under my nose! I want all his wife and children to be buried with him, and I want all the heads of his family to be hung in the treetops and eaten by birds!" Later on, Paladin''s eyes were glowing with fierceness. Kaleqi, who was about to persuade him, trembled and swallowed his words. And Tony lowered his head in fear. Because Paladin''s eyes at this time made him have a trace of fear.


    "What are you going to do?" Kaleqi said with a sigh. Between Harvey and Paladin, Kaleqi is very wise to choose the latter. Regardless of strength, momentum and means. Harvey, an old guy, is far from being a match for this young priest. Paladin shook his hand, and said with a mysterious expression: "You don''t have to worry about it. Just know one thing, if you survive this war by luck, then you will gain far more wealth and power than this." Looking over at Tony, he said, "You too."


    Seeing the two show excited eyes, but Paladin turned his head to Kaleqi and instructed, "After everyone goes to bed, you go find Harvey and tell him that there is something important to talk about, and bring him inside the adjacent dense forest. Then." Saying this Paladin then turned his head to Tony and said, "Wait aside and call me when you see Kaleqi and Harvey go out." "Is this really okay?" Tony said with great uncertainty. He hoped that Paladin could tell him in more detail. Paladin, however, no longer had the slightest desire to reveal the plan. "Don''t worry, as long as you guys don''t betray me. Things will work."


    The men were given a tranquilizer. Paladin let them disperse, who were puzzled. As night fell, the soldiers, the earl, and the knights all fell asleep. The flames of the bonfire were also extinguished quite a bit. Only soldiers in twos and threes guarded the surrounding area, standing guard with drowsy torches. Crouching by the tent, Tony, who was devouring his spirit with sleepiness, suddenly saw that Kaleqi and Harvey, who was still wearing armor and had time to take off, came out of the tent, carrying torches, and went straight to the nearby woods. Tony was about to raise the tent immediately and wake up Paladin. Suddenly, he saw Paladin looking at him with a full face and no sleepiness.


    "Uh, you didn''t sleep, Bishop?" "Hmm." Paladin, incontestably enthused, then stood up and looked at the fire in the distance gradually into the forest and said: "Loyalty or not, Kaleqi, do not let me down." Paladin, who muttered to himself, followed directly. Tony looked left and right, but it was hard to make a sound on such a quiet night. He had no choice but to pick up a dagger and put it in his sleeve, and followed Paladin''s pace.


    They walked for more than ten minutes. Paladin saw Kaleqi standing in front of Harvey and didn''t know what he was talking about. Obviously Harvey is not in a good mood. It doesn''t hurt to be woken up while sleeping. But Paladin walked towards the two of them grandly. There was no intention of hiding himself. Tony behind him was shocked! Afraid of being seen by Harvey, when he was about to warn Paladin. Harvey''s mocking voice sounded in the distance: "Paladin, do you still want to come and kill me?"

 CH 88

    Only to see Harvey suddenly turn his head and look at the approaching Paladin and let out a sardonic laugh. Tony behind him was so frightened that he immediately stopped his body. A pale look of despair. But on the other hand, Paladin looked calm and calm. "Hmph, you want to kill me?"


    Harvey took the helmet off his head. He looked at Paladin with great disdain. But beside him, Kaleqi immediately roared, stepped forward and grabbed Harvey''s shoulder armor and roared, "Harvey! You used me!" "Used you? Bah!" Harvey flung his hand and slammed Kaleqi to the ground. With a turn, he pulled out the crossed sword from his waist, and the sharp tip of the sword pointed straight at Kaleqi''s neck.


    "Used you? Don''t you want to kill me? It''s a waste of our friendship for so many years! And you want to kill me along with this priest!" Harvey angrily said so, suddenly turned his head and shouted: "Still not coming out, it''s fun to hide there, isn''t it!" As soon as the words fell, Tony, who was shivering, and Kaleqi, who fell to the ground, were shocked to see that from around the tree trunks, which were silent in the darkness, one after another with a bow and arrow and people with daggers came out. Roughly speaking, a dozen people surrounded Paladin and the two others with him. It was already a situation of catching fish in a jar.


    "Kaleqi, you betrayed me?" Paladin¡¯s face was indifferent, expressionless head turned to look at the Kaleqi sprawled on the ground. As soon as the latter¡¯s eyes came in contact with Paladin''s gaze, he immediately turned red and explained, "No! It''s not like that! I didn''t know he saw through our plan either! "After that, he immediately stared at Harvey and said, "Assassinating a priest and a lord''s mercenary sent by the Holy See, you''re committing treason! Harvey." "Snap!" Harvey didn''t even bother to explain anything to him, and directly slapped Kaleq''s face with his sword¡¯s blade fiercely, and the latter immediately spurted out blood and turned his head. Half of his face was puffed up. A trace of blood flowed down from the corner of his mouth.


    "You, your name is Tony, right. Now the situation is obvious, as long as you promise to announce when, Paladin this bastard has evil intentions and has connections with foreign countries. And he tipped off Aixinzhe''s spy! I''ve been killed on the spot! It will not only not let you be hanged, but can also be promoted and become rich!" Harvey directly skipped a bemused Paladin, and began to persuade Tony, who was dead white behind him, to surrender.


    Tony was taken aback for a moment, and looked worriedly at Paladin who never looked back. Looking at the dozen or so killers who were covering their faces and holding sharp knives and bows and arrows around them, he suddenly asked Harvey with some lack of confidence: "What makes you guarantee my future?" This question is already equivalent to a compromise. Kaleqi''s face turned pale when he heard these words, and he naturally understood who the so-called spy in Harvey''s words was. It is himself!


    When Harvey heard this sentence, he laughed with joy on his face. The satisfied gully on his face made him silent in a kind of pleasure of playing with the enemy and clapping his hands and then surrendering under his feet. But before Harvey had time to explain, Paladin said blankly: "It seems that Kanarava and Andrew are indeed related to this matter." He looked at his side, and saw the daggers flashing a lurid green aura. A smile appeared on his face: "Yes, there is a good poison, Motakawin, and the poison is fully used on the blade of the dagger with the fire method. Staying vigilant anytime and anywhere, with a posture of rushing down. Such a professional assassin killer, not you a district of the mercenary small captain can hire."


    "These are the bishop''s people?" Tony heard so, how could he still not understand? Thinking of his career and future, he nodded without any hesitation at this time: "Yes! As long as I kill Paladin and Kaleqi, I will definitely serve the captain and the bishop properly!" After saying this, the body looking at Paladin showed a fierce light.


    Paladin smiled faintly, but ignored Tony''s rebellion, but raised his head to stare at the toadying Harvey, who looked like he was winning, and said, "I''ve been tricked, and fallen completely into your shoddy and unpleasant trap. Looks like you''re having fun, Harvey. But did you make sure that the prey that fell into the trap was no longer a threat? You made sure of that¡­."


    Speaking of this, Paladin eyes gradually flashing gold: "Are you sure that what you hunted is only a weed wolf, not an angry dragon?" Having said that, Paladin suddenly opened his hands, and his eyes glazed! Bursting out a blinding golden light in the dark woodland! The voice is no longer Paladin''s voice, but a hazy voice of a man and a woman speaking at the same time: "What can you do to me? What can you do to me?"


    Just when Kaleqi and Harvey were shocked by Paladin''s amazing and shocking performance. A dozen or so assassins with a wealth of experience at this moment immediately felt an unprecedented sense of threat and fear come over them! The pupils of a dozen pairs of eyes immediately contracted, and the leader of an assassin immediately felt a cold sweat rising from his forehead. Taking two daggers out, he shouted with difficulty, "Let''s go together, leave no one alive!" Seven black shadows holding daggers and short knives immediately rushed towards Paladin like a gust of wind, and the other assassins behind them immediately bent their bows and set their arrows, and the poisoned arrows began to aim at Paladin with a smile and two eyes bursting with golden light.


    Seeing that the sharp blade was about to pierce Paladin''s body under the extremely fast sprint. But seeing the golden light in Paladin''s eyes, the stabbing blade suddenly hit some barrier! Can''t get in one meter in front of Paladin! It''s like a large invisible shield covering the whole body! The leading assassin and other companions were shocked to find that the blade he stabbed was blocked by a barrier, and circles of golden light spread around the sword. But unable to penetrate the target. In a flash, the leader saw the targeted priest reveal a cold smile, the sense of fear suddenly flourished, immediately shouted "Retreat!" The assassins did not hesitate and immediately drew back. The strange magic of Paladin took them by surprise.


    "Want to leave?" Paladin has long activated the magic shield, Seeing that the assassins missed a hit, they seemed to pull away. How could he be willing? Stretching out both hands, they quickly covered the faces of the two assassins before him who had no time to get away. Before the two of them started to resist Paladin under the crisis, they let out a miserable howl.


    The assassin leader who had just retreated ten meters suddenly heard a scream and looked back. But he was shocked to see the golden flames burning all over the bodies of the two covered compatriots! But in an instant, it was burned to pieces! "Where are the bows and arrows!"


    Seeing his subordinates being burned to ashes, the leader roared with eyes wide open. The archer who was waiting next to him immediately let go, and the poisoned arrows made a series of piercing sounds, directly hitting Paladin''s forehead! "Stop!" Paladin was naturally fearless. The magic shield that he uses his own light elements to gather can not only block magic attacks, but also resist physical attacks. The arrow was powerful, but it was not under his threat. But at this moment, Tony, who had been standing stupidly before, let out a roar like a pig, jumped up, and threw down an archer next to him. Take out the dagger from the cuff and stab!

 CH 89

    "Paladin, run!" Tony, who was trembling and throwing down the dagger in his hand, threw down the dead body with a dead face, and shouted at Paladin, whose back was turned to him. Paladin gave a light snort and turned his head away. But just in time, he saw an assassin with a short knife rushing towards Tony, and the sharp blade was about to cut Tony''s neck! Gently raising his hand, Paladin''s outstretched index finger immediately crackled. He pointed his finger at the assassin who rushed towards Tony. Just listen to the bang! A blinding golden light flashed, and a thunderbolt of golden thunder burst out from the finger extremely swiftly, hitting the dazed assassin.


    "Boom!" The dirt and grass on the ground was immediately blown up. Along with broken bones and blood flew up into the air, and then hung down weakly. A huge crater of dirt appeared right next to Tony, who could stuff two eggs in his mouth. Turning his head slightly, Tony''s dazed gaze saw Paladin, who had turned around, with eyes bursting with blinding golden light! Suddenly, Tony actually had a feeling of gratitude, or rather a sense of survival after the catastrophe.


    "Duh duh duh duh!" One arrow struck on the magic shield of Paladin. Circle after circle of golden light appeared. But the ripples scattered faster than the arrows. Disappearing. The leader of the assassins standing on the trunk of the tree could even feel his calves sweating, shivering! He had been killing people for more than ten years. What kind of people have he not seen? Tall orcs, short dwarves, conceited elves, even human nobles and mages. Women and children. He has killed them all! But this can completely resist physical attacks, arrows and sharp blades can not break the shield, the golden eyes, he has never seen before!


    "Retreat! The information is wrong!" The chief shouted. He didn''t have any intelligence that indicated that the target would be so terrifying. Apparently more than ten elites here did not even hurt the target''s hair. Instead, three lives were taken! What tasks and commitments are now gone. Keeping your life alive is the last word. "Huh? Want to leave?" Paladin looked away from the silly Tony. With his Paladin''s character, he absolutely can not let go of even one of these people.


    "Annoying flies, go to hell!" Paladin cursed and watched as the eight assassins who immediately gave up their attacks ran away wildly. When they were about to disappear into the darkness of the woods. Paladin waved his hand violently, and three golden balls of light flew together in mid-air in front of him. Only to hear a buzzing ear. Three balls of light on the burst of eye-catching golden beams of light, extremely fast to catch up with the fleeing assassin, the golden three beams of light immediately staggered and waved! "Ahhhhhh!" A gruesome scream that made people''s scalps tingle rang out. These eight assassins in black were actually immediately cut into countless irregular pieces of flesh under the cutting of these three beams of light. Bringing up the scorching odor released by the charred black body because of the heat. Unanimously, they all fell to the ground from mid-air.


    "Be careful!" Suddenly at this point, Tony in front of him and behind the Kaleqi let out a cry of alarm in unison. Paladin only felt a touch behind him. Eyes immediately emerged with a disappointed look. At this moment, behind him stood Harvey, who was just nowhere to be found! He held the crossed swords in both hands, full of incredulity and despair looking at everything that happened in front of him!


    At the time of the fight, Harvey was hiding on the side waiting for an opportunity to move. Although Paladin''s terrifying magic did make Harvey sway. But he was confident in his own five-star warrior strength. He did not believe that a mage could be unharmed under a sneak attack in close quarters. So he waited until Paladin strangled all the assassins with his bizarre magic, and he knew it was time. Even the stealthy assassin approached behind Paladin in shame and silence, and suddenly burst forward with all his strength, raised the sharp cross sword, and was about to chop off the bastard''s head with one sword! He could even see the desperate eyes and the red and white brains splattering everywhere! Even the yelling of Tony and Kaleqi he ignored. Victory is his!


    However, when the cross sword is about to cut over this Paladin. A ripple of despair emerged, no matter how hard he tried, this infused with the full force of the five-star warrior''s sword, but could not advance a millimeter. Despair, boundless despair enveloped Harvey. And at this moment, Paladin did not look back and muttered: "You can have many ways to go. Run away with these fools, or run deeper into the forest. You could have even blackmailed me with Kaleqi''s life. But you didn''t."


    Turning his head slightly, Paladin had a strong look of contempt in those eyes, in addition to disappointment. This look made Harvey instantly angry. But inside Paladin said despicably: "And you used one of the most stupid and idiotic methods to deal with me. You disappoint me, Harvey. What''s the difference between you and those flies that hover over cesspools and corpses? Even the carrion eating vultures are more noble than you." Harvey, who had been desperate, was roused to anger by Paladin''s words! With red eyes, Harvey roared, raised his crossed swords again and roared, "Shut up, you filthy, vile nobleman! You have no right to lecture me!"


    "By what right?" Paladin laughed scornfully and with a flick of his right hand, a beam of light appeared out of nowhere in front of him and slashed downward, severing Harvey''s iron-armor-equipped hands along with the cross-sword! "Ahhhhhhh!" Harvey let out a scream, but Paladin''s left hand flew to follow, and at once covered his face whole, and with incomparable force he lifted Harvey up! "What else can you humans do but cry out in pain and shed tears!" Paladin cursed at Harvey in disgust. But he didn''t realize that he was no longer standing in the perspective of a human being, but looking at people from a perspective other than human.


    Paladin disdainfully held down the despair-filled Harvey with both hands. Under the shocked gaze of Tony and Kaleqi, he bent his head down. "Look into my eyes!" Paladin wanted to release the power of the all-seeing eye and read all of Harvey''s memories. But yet at that moment, something that shocked Paladin greatly and deeply worried him about many years later just happened!


    "Hmm! What''s going on here!" Suddenly, Paladin looked at Harvey who was in despair and said in a low voice. With a flick of his hand, Harvey was still on the ground. Standing alone with squinted eyes. "Paladin, what''s wrong with you?" Tony and Kaleqi stepped forward in surprise. Not sure what happened to this guy. In fact, Paladin is in a state of boundless fear at this moment!


    "I can''t release the all-seeing eye!" Paladin muttered in his heart. The power of the all-seeing eye, which he used to be able to use with ease, could not be invoked halfway at this moment! There was some trepidation in the eyes of the panicked Paladin. That all-round perspective, all-pervasive ability.The pinnacle of power that overrides all beings. At this moment suddenly can not use, let Paladin feel a wave of unprecedented fear! Once the sea was too difficult for water. He who had gained power suddenly lost it, it was a kind of loss and fear that could not be spoken! Paladin did not think of a fact that he ignored. Did he control the power, or did the power control him.

 CH 90

    Looking carefully at the elements around him. Paladin ignored the tense Tony and Kaleqi, and Harvey, who was lying on the ground, hurriedly stopping the bleeding. He had to admit a fact that he didn''t want to admit it even in death. The all-seeing eye could not be activated. There were only fifty elements left around him. Because there was no sunlight at the moment and the All Seeing Eye could not be opened, there was no replenishment at all. Wait! Paladin suddenly had an understanding. He suddenly raised his head to look at the sky, the bright moon hanging high in the sky in the darkness. "Yes, there is no sunlight, it''s late at night!" Paladin muttered. But did not rejoice over finding the truth, but fell into a more profound worry.


    That''s right, without sunlight at night, the all-seeing eye could not be activated at all. And the elements used could not be replenished in any way! In other words, the darkness of the late night is when Paladin is most vulnerable, most powerless! Darkness is his weakness! "Ahh" Paladin sighed in dismay. Lowering his head, he muttered, "It''s ironic that the power I gained by dark means and ways is afraid of the darkness." "Paladin, are you okay?"


    Suddenly regaining consciousness, Paladin looked at the worried Tony and Kaleqi. Suddenly there was an indescribable gap between them. "Yes, they simply can''t heed my feelings, can''t appreciate the power I experience. Just as the tiny ants do not understand the soaring of the birds."


    Paladin shook his head in annoyance and looked at Tony and said, "You were just fine. Betrayal followed by betrayal." Tony immediately shivered, but immediately explained, "My father once taught me that giving bread to the scribbler is always more affordable than a wreath around the neck of a nobleman." Paladin immediately understood that this was because Tony thought that his strength was far inferior to that of Bishop Andrew. But what he got by fawning on the bishop''s words was far less than what he, who is now down and out, got. This is the truth of giving charcoal in a timely manner.


    "Well, it''s okay. I don''t blame you either. Now go back and pretend to go back as if nothing had happened." Saying so, Paladin suddenly asked Kaleqi, who was kneeling on the ground wiping Harvey''s injuries, "Does this guy have a family?" Kaleqi nodded subconsciously: "Yes, in Edley. Beautiful wife and three children. Wait, Paladin, what do you want!" The reactive Kaleqi immediately asked a follow-up question. His somewhat twisted expression vaguely guessed the young priest''s thoughts.


    "To cut off the roots." Paladin waved his hand very plainly and said so. Just as easy as talking to someone about afternoon tea. But the meaning of the words made Kaleqi, Tony, and even Harvey, who was deathly pale from severe pain! "Paladin, I was wrong, I''ll do whatever you want! I should not have been hostile to you, should not have told the Count that you should accompany the army, and should not have joined forces with Bishop Andrew to deal with you!"


    At this moment, Harvey did not care about the severe pain in the arm, dead white face full of pleading in the mud ground while moving over. Humbly kissed Paladin''s shoes, with a pleading gaze said: "Please, don''t kill my family. Everything is my fault, they are all innocent, all innocent ah!"


    But as soon as the words fell, Paladin suddenly stepped on Harvey''s face with a blank expression, and rubbed the soil from the sole of the shoe vigorously on his head. Seeing Harvey''s humiliating expression, he couldn''t help chuckling and said, "I won''t do anything to women and children. Who do you think I am?" Hearing this, Harvey''s desperate eyes suddenly showed some hope , but Kaleqi, who knew Paladin very well, turned even paler.


    He still remembered the fact that Paladin brought Nurba''s Prad family mother and son into his church and they never came out. But he did not dare, nor did he want to plead for mercy for this once old friend. Not only because this friend betrayed him, but more importantly, Harvey''s doings will ruin his good life today! Thinking of this, Kaleqi''s face returned to calmness. Kaleqi himself did not expect that he was completely different from the man he was a few months ago.


    At this time, Paladin suddenly moved his feet away in disgust, and said with a sense of revenge: "Edley has many places. They are all places for grown men to have fun. I believe a mercenary wife whose legs have been cut off must be very happy. Loved by those ruffians." "Paladin! I''ll bite you to death!" In an instant, Harvey''s eyes were red, and his mind was filled with rage and hatred. Opening his mouth violently, he was about to bite off a piece of meat from Paladin''s leg. But he was kicked by Paladin with a very disdainful kick. Five or six teeth flowed out of the corner of the mouth with blood. Harvey rolled to the ground screaming in pain.


    "However, I am also very merciful." Paladin''s cold face had not the slightest hint of mercy. "I will reunite you with your three children as soon as possible." "Huh?" Harvey snapped out of the excruciating pain, but he didn''t believe this beast could be that kind. Sure enough, only to see Paladin''s eyes glaze over and suddenly shout softly, "Aberleigh!"


    Only to hear a boom overhead, an incomparably huge two-meter-tall giant descended from the sky, landing in front of Paladin, kneeling on the ground, like a hound dog showing the hideous teeth in his mouth. Waiting for the master''s command. Paladin naturally knew that Aberleigh had been following over. Fortunately, he kept in mind the order that he could not be seen by others to hide. Saved a lot of effort. Obviously, this horrible monster made Kaleqi and Tony startled. But after seeing Paladin was very subdued, only to find out that this is Paladin''s person. But it added a veil of secrecy to this Paladin, who was mysterious in his methods and abilities.


    "Aberleigh, all the bodies here you have to clean up. I don''t care if you can eat it or not. But you have to remember this guy with the broken hand." Seeing Paladin pointing in front of him and seeing someone kneeling on the ground is taller than Paladin Aberleigh called the shots. But he suddenly pointed at Harvey and said with a smirk: "This guy, you must not let even a hair or a fingernail stay. When it''s done, you will have your favorite child to eat!" After that, looking at the magnified fear in Harvey''s eyes, a grim smile finally appeared on his face: "And there are three!" "No!"


    Harvey let out a miserable scream, but Aberleigh was excited. All of a sudden He grabbed Harvey''s head and feet with both hands and lifted them up. Tearing with all his might! Clatter, blood and internal organs immediately poured out from the rag-like torn Harvey''s body. Aberleigh immediately opened his huge mouth and waited, just like when eating peanuts, he raised his head and let the peanuts fall into his mouth.


    Kaleqi, whose face turned pale with fright, turned his head away, not wanting to see the cruel scene of his friend being torn apart like a doll by this monster. Because the young Tony he saw had already turned around and lay on the tree trunk, vomiting in extreme pain. Seeing that Kaleqi came to the indifferent Paladin, his hands and feet would tremble when he approached this young man for the first time: "Pa, Paladin. What is this thing?" "Huh?"


    Paladin with a reproachful twist of the head to look at this Kaleqi: "First of all, pay attention to your wording. I am Auxiliary Bishop Paladin, and furthermore, don''t ask what you shouldn''t ask, and don''t know what you don''t want to know." "Hm..." Kaleqi immediately hummed, he can''t stand the kind of chilling aura coiled around this Paladin and immediately moved away from his body. At this time, only Paladin expressionlessly looked at Aberleigh having his meal, not forgetting to point out to Aberleigh from time to time that the corpses of the assassins he strangled would also be eaten up.

 CH 91

    By the time Aberleigh had eaten for the first time in a real sense. There were no more bodies in this forest except for the blood all over the ground. Paladin looked at Tony, who was still vomiting, and Kaleqi, who was sitting on a tree trunk on one side to calm his mind. He was no longer in the mood to pay attention to these people. He walked out of the forest and went back to the tent to lie on the quilt.


    Some people say that sleep can give people calm and relaxation. But Paladin could not sleep when he was most irritable. He has not slept for more than two months. Usually it was fine, but now he had just killed a man and found a fatal weakness under this extreme power. But he can not sleep! He couldn''t even eat! A grievance has nowhere to vent, Paladin even had an impulse to get up and roast the entire camp! So Paladin lay with his eyes open until dawn.


    When the first sunlight in the early morning shot into the tent, Paladin immediately squinted. The familiar all-seeing eye on the forehead immediately emerged. Fleetingly, the famous Paladin sat up disheveled. "Oh, you''re awake early, Father!" At that moment, a soldier with a spear in his hand wearing chain armor lifted open the tent, saw Paladin who had woken up, and could not help but ask unexpectedly. Paladin immediately revealed a smile, put the cross on his body, took the scepter, said very piously: "As a servant of God, every morning pray to the true God, calling the name of the true God Enos. It is the most basic."


    This sergeant was surprised and gradually showed respect in his eyes and said, "Your Excellency, Auxiliary Bishop, please change your clothes and come out. Our lord, Lord Count Torch, would like to invite you to breakfast." Hearing this, Paladin was also stunned. Although he was puzzled by what such a great nobleman wanted him for, he said politely on the surface, "Please wait a moment, I will come after I change my clothes."


    He immediately changed into a new, lacy and gorgeous robe. Put away the purely decorative scepter. With an effort to put on a mild expression, he walked out of the tent. "Your Excellency the Bishop, where are you going?" Just out of the tent, apparently Tony also just woke up and saw Paladin in a formal dress, could not help but ask. "Oh, the Count''s invitation. You do your morning homework first." He said and gave the former a look, Paladin smilingly followed the soldier to go to that distant tall tent. But his heart is very unhappy. What he is most afraid of now is that people invited him to eat. Because he could not eat anything at all. If it''s just clear water, he can barely drink a little bit. But any food once eaten, he will certainly be extremely nauseous and would vomit it out.


    Under the soldiers'' respectful escort, Paladin walked into the gorgeous tent. At first glance, he saw the long table set up inside, Bunnales, Count Torch was cutting a piece of smoked pork on a plate. Next to it were fresh fruit and white bread. "Lord Count, you called me?" Paladin very respectfully met the Count with the etiquette of a nobleman. But the count did not look up, just stretched out his hand in the side as a shake and said: "Paladin ah, come over here. You have not eaten breakfast, right."


    Paladin smiled and sat down, and said in an apologetic voice, "Don''t misunderstand, I never eat breakfast. At this time, I am praying to the true God Enos." Hearing these apparently excusing words, the earl unquestionably hmmed. After chewing the pork in his mouth and swallowing it, he put down his knife and fork. Picked up the napkin on his chest and wiped his mouth. Turned his head to look at Paladin. At this moment, the shoulder-length golden hair can''t hide the count''s pair of divine and far-reaching eyes. But under such gaze, Paladin still smiled. Not impressed at all.


    Until half a sound, the Count suddenly humming a smile, continued to pick up the knife and fork to eat when, self-consciously said: "Auxiliary Bishop His Excellency, you know a mercenary called Harvey?" Speaking of this, he also deliberately added: "A face beard, bad temper. A mercenary who loves to play smart and wears iron armor most of all." Paladin pupils quickly contracted, but kept a smile on his face and shook his head: "Harvey? I''m sorry, honorable count. I do not know this man." "Don''t be so quick to jump to conclusions. Things don''t develop only by the eyes, but also by the mind." Earl Torch immediately shook his hand and said something profound, while Paladin still smiled and shook his head to deny knowing Harvey.


    Seeing that Paladin deadly denied, the count who apparently had some information but did not get angry, but instead showed an appreciative smile and asked an inexplicable sentence: "His Excellency the auxiliary bishop, do you know how much it costs to lead this army of eight hundred men of mine to fight the war?" Paladin faintly froze, then frowned in thought. "An army of eight hundred men, food, daily necessities, military pay, armor, weapons, etc.. It should cost eight thousand gold coins." Paladin came up with an ambiguous answer. After all, he had never come into contact with these things and did not understand them at all.


    Only to see Count Torch nodding, very melancholy whispered: "My army of eight hundred people, before and after, in two months cost me ten thousand gold coins!" Paladin was a little surprised, not only at this huge number, but also at why the Count was telling himself these things. But he heard the Count continue helplessly: "I am the Count of the Principality, but the territory I inherited from my father is much larger than this title. I own a large city, a dozen towns, and more than thirty villages. Half of these territories are divided into the nobles under my hand. Half of the taxes they submit are taken every month, and the other half is turned over to the Grand Duke."


    Speaking of this, as if a rare grievance, the count took a sip of water and said with a sigh, "In a month, with just taxes. I was able to get seven hundred gold coins. Plus the profits obtained by the merchants under my hand, the foreign trade of the important iron ore mines in the territory. There is also the trade and taxes from the border magical beast forest to and fro. I can also share a little, a month also has a thousand nine hundred gold coins. But I also want to spend, also want to decorate the facade, more to pay the officials underneath. What I really get in my hand every month is only five hundred gold coins."


    Paladin seemed to understand the Count''s meaning. Just see the count continued: "Although I am a count. But my torch clan has not been on the battlefield for generations. Always been placed in the back waiting for the battle report from the front. I don''t know how to fight a war, and I don''t know how to handle a war. More than that, I have never seen a war. That''s right, you will die in battle, but as a nobleman, isn''t the battlefield a place to make achievements for the glory and reputation of the family? Look at the Marquis of Carmon, the territory is just a castle and a big city. The wealth you can have is even more shabby! But they have three thousand private soldiers under their hands! It''s one of the main battle forces of our duchy."


    The Count''s frown was deep, perhaps because this problem has bothered him for a long time: "The Carmon clan has been on the battlefield for generations, although from time to time there are sons killed in action. But because of years of training and experience, repeated from generation to generation, he has under his hands in the battlefield to kill the enemy to gain gold and skills of mature soldiers! Most of his soldiers'' equipment are self-contained. It doesn''t cost his marquis a penny at all! I have not been in battle and want glory and status. I also have no allegiance to elite soldiers and primus inter pares. So, O Paladin. Do you recognize Harvey now?"

 CH 92

    Paladin laughed heartily and surprisingly nodded and said, "Harvey has been killed by me." But apparently, this news did not surprise the Count, but instead nodded with great relief. Suddenly, he knocked on the table with the table knife. A Kaleqi, wearing a gorgeous carved with exuberant flower pattern armor, walked out from the back with an embarrassed face. Upon seeing Kareech, the Count immediately stared at Paladin, hoping to see something in his expression. But to his disappointment, Paladin remained expressionless, as if the one who walked out was not his beloved and accomplice, but just an irrelevant passerby.


    "Your Excellency the Bishop, you know Kaleqi, right?" Paladin nodded slightly and looked at Kaleqi, who had his head bowed, and suddenly smiled: "This armor suits you well." This indicated the confession of not blaming, which made Kaleqi sigh with relief. He had seen the terrifying power of Paladin. Now that he could not blame himself for the arm-twisting, he was also relieved.


    The Count, with a smile on his face, saw the demeanor of Paladin and Kaleqi and suddenly stood up and walked around the table, pulling out the thin sword without the tip from his waist. Kaleqi immediately fell to one knee on the ground. The Count tapped his sword on both sides of his shoulders and said with an air of solemnity: "In view of your talent and ability, outstanding leadership and command. I, in the name of my Bunnales, Earl of Torch, ennoble you to be knight in my name and lord of Nurba!"


    "I will accompany you with my sword, with my glory." Kaleqi''s very obvious excited look showed how excited he was at this moment. Paladin''s eyes were wide open! He could not imagine that for the sake of gold coins, this Torch Count could be so generous as this! This is to give up the child to find the wolf?


    "Get up, lord of Nurba. The formal rituals will be held back at the castle after the war is over." The Count sheathed his sword and watched Kaleqi stand up. Paladin immediately rose from his position without missing a beat and congratulated, "Kaleqi, now, you have become a nobleman too." "Heh, heh." Happiness came so fast that Kaleqi couldn''t come back to his senses for a moment. Even at this moment, he still looks as if in a dream of demented look, inadvertently issuing a series of silly laughter.


    Paladin laughed, but looked at the Count. Although the face is respectful, but his eyes have a different meaning. Torch Count saw this, immediately made a playful smile: "Do not look at me like this, sit down sit down." When the Count and Kaleqi and Paladin sat down separately, he said leisurely: "These days, people often come to my castle to report. They say that you, Auxiliary Bishop, and lord of Nurba, have taken Nurba''s ironworks for themselves. Just when the duchy and Aixinzhe are at war, you guys have made a serious fortune."


    Although the count''s face was smiling, Kaleqi felt condemned and immediately confessed, "Lord Count, that was Bishop Andrew and the head priest Kanarawa both together." Who knows that the Count did not wait for Kaleqi to finish, but indifferently shook his hand. Looking at the silent smiling Paladin said: "I am very short of money, in my lack of money, two thieves stole my home, and then blackmailed me to give them money to buy back, His Excellency the auxiliary bishop, what do you think?"


    Kaleqi''s face changed drastically, but Paladin was very calm, with a little joy in his eyes and said softly: "If I were your Excellency, I would catch these two thieves and would have hired them as my own servants. Thief, get more benefits for me." "But those two thieves have a leader, and they won''t leave so easily." The earl was still smiling, but Paladin immediately spoke up: "Then just destroy the leader completely. Because not only will the leader not submit to you, but he will also try to steal your things. If there are two less thieves, sooner or later there will be two more thieves, or even more."


    Listening to this conversation, Kaleqi seemed to have some clarity. The original nervous face also regained composure. The Count suddenly laughed, the tone was full of joy, and Paladin and Kaleqi looked at each other and laughed heartily at the same time.


    Paladin knew in his heart that the Earl was very upset by the benefits he and Kaleqi obtained from the ironworks. This is why he agreed to Harvey''s request and pulled the Paladin into the ranks of the priests accompanying the army. But now that Harvey died, the earl saw Paladin''s means and courage. Moreover, the Earl believed that these things were caused by Andrew and Kanarawa, and Paladin was only following orders. It was the diocesan Bishop Andrew and the accomplice Abbot Kanarawa who really kept hurting his interests and gold coins and hated them like blood-sucking insects.


    He thinks this is a poisonous tumor. Therefore, he pulled in Kaleqi and Paladin to use these two pawns to deal with Andrew and Kanarawa who scraped his gold. To make money for him. But the Earl would never find out, even if he found out, he would not agree that the real black hand was actually Paladin, and once such a person gained more power, one day the sharp sword would definitely hurt him.


    And when Paladin secretly played a good calculation, on the other side of the camp, Paladin''s doppelganger Alfred received Baron Hank''s order to go to the northeast of the bush to wear the scout team to scout the situation. The original scout in such a position, is not going to fall on the doppelganger. How can one be a knight, how can one go scouting with those civilians? But Baron Hank had a bitterness. Because the Countess of White Orchid, who belongs to the legion, was molested by the drunken Baron Hank at a banquet not long ago. After sobering up, Hank was very remorseful, and as a result, in a few days, the entire left army''s scouting task was given to Baron Hank to complete.


    He still remembers the White Orchid Countess holding a whip and looking at Baron Hank with a disgusted face and saying: "It is a great honor to give you such an important task. As a nobleman of the duchy, are you able to molest me at a banquet, without even a scouting party?" The result was that the baron, who had only two hundred men, had to send out all his knights and retainers plus a scouting party of civilians to barely find the terrain. It was a miserable situation that he couldn''t say.


    At this moment, the doppelganger who had just put on the coat of arms of the coat of arms of the light chain armor under the service of Salander''s attendant had just put a cross sword on his waist and stepped on the horse that was not covered with any armor. A man who is also a knight, with dazzling blond hair, a square face, and a curvy beard, rode a horse to the side of the doppelganger.


    He said in a low voice, "Oh, Enos is on. I don''t know what kind of bad luck has befallen me. Alfred, you and I are noblemen, but both are knights! These tasks are obviously cannon fodder, but we have to do it ourselves! You don''t know, Baron Madsen''s knights even laughed at us last night, saying , ¡°The compatriots under Hank¡¯s hands are miserable. Such a foolish lord!'' Aren''t you angry!"


    The avatar took over the light clip-rim helmet and put it on his head, and said calmly: "Dear Bob, the man you are talking about is Baron Hank, our loyal lord. Be careful with your words on such occasions. As the avatar said so, his attendant Salander also put on leather armor and rode up with a longsword in his hand. And when Bob saw the soldiers with hooked sickle guns coming and going, the soldiers wearing pot helmets immediately kept silent. When the soldier walked away and the wooden gate of the camp opened with a bang, Bob immediately complained: "Our allegiance is to the Grand Duke, to honor and justice! Instead of running into the bushes foolishly, waiting for Aixinzhe''s death The scouts shot us dead with bows and arrows! I''ll tell you¡­"


    "Alright, alright, my dear Bob. Hurry up and go out to assemble. If it''s later, not only the other knights will have objections, but even our lord Hank will be dissatisfied." Interrupting the idiot''s nagging, the doppelganger kicked the horse in the stomach, accompanied by the sound of the horse''s roar, bringing up a cloud of dust and galloping away.

 CH 94

    "Ahhhhhhh!" Hearing only a miserable cry, two Maltese soldiers pulled a squire off his horse, and the sharp lances in their hands just kept stabbing into the squire''s body. The two red-eyed soldiers took a deep breath, and after seeing that the squire was completely dead, they turned their heads and found the doppelganger standing under the tree. Immediately, they shouted, picked up their lances and rushed towards the doppelganger.


    The doppelganger frowned, and suddenly the smell of blood around this stimulated the killing intent boiling. He squinted his eyes, and the surface of the one-handed ax in his hand was immediately covered with golden veins. With a sharp kick! A footprint two centimeters deep was immediately dented on the ground! The whole person swished to the side of these two soldiers, and the one-handed ax in his hand immediately turned around and slashed!


    Snapped, the two soldiers were immediately cut off at the waist with their clothes and armor! But not only that, his free hand immediately grabbed the dead soldier''s lance, turned back again, and threw it at the Maltese cavalryman rushing behind him with a whoosh, the lance made a cracking sound in the air and nailed the Shih soldier in the chest, passing through his body. The lance went through the soldier''s back, knocking him off his horse and nailing him alive to the ground. The doppelganger''s face sunk like water, a hand again grabbed another lance, watched his master shoot a dead war horse running over, immediately took a light leap, rolled over onto the horse. Rushing towards the two sides of the battlefield that were mixing not far away.


    Bob roared, covered in blood, he raised his shield and blocked the hammer head of the enemy soldier in front of him, who was also stained with blood, and the longsword in his right hand immediately swept through from below and sliced the stomach. "Ahhhhhh!" Another roar, Bob looked back, only to see an enemy soldier who was already close to him jumping up, his raised scimitar coming straight for Bob''s head! This can no longer be dodged. Bob even sighed in his heart. He was going to stop here, for the glory of the knight.


    Whoosh! But at that moment, a swift cracking sound came from the rear, and Bob only saw a flash before his eyes, and a one-handed axe struck the soldier in mid-air, sending him flying out in his entirety and hitting the ground with a splash of blood. Bob blinked and looked back, just to see the doppelganger rushing over on a black horse with a lance: "Bob! Try to save our squire, I''ll go find the other knights!" Doppelganger said, seeing Bob immediately nodded gratefully, immediately spurred the horse to bend down, a hand will be stuck in the ground next to the lance pick up. With both lances in hand, he rushed towards the melee in the distance.


    "Ah!" "Wow!" One shot at a time, the doppelganger rides on the horse like a whirlwind, once encountering an enemy in battle, the long spear in his hand will immediately stab to rescue the compatriots who are still fighting. Turning over and dismounting, the two long spears in the hands of the avatar were already covered with blood, slippery without holding back. He threw it away casually, picked up the long sword on the ground, and behind him was a soldier who fell on the ground with a big hole in his chest, covering the grass.


    With just one sword, the doppelganger split the armor of the soldier who was fighting with the knight with a flick of his hand. Regardless of the blood splattered all over his body, he walked towards the knight who survived the catastrophe. "Alfred, thank you for saving me..." But the knight just cracked a smile, and before he finished speaking, the avatar cut off the knight''s head with a sword. The head with the helmet that fell to the ground still had a smile on its face before death.


    So far, the doppelganger is still as sinking as water. Hearing a sound of cutting in front of him, the Maltese knight split open the body of a servant with an axe. His blood-stained eyes were red, and he turned his head to see the clone who was also covered in blood-stained red armor. Unexpectedly, this knight did not have the chivalry spirit of the past at this time. Apparently he discovered the miraculous record of the doppelganger before. Immediately his expression changed, he dropped the one-handed ax in his hand, and turned a passing horse over to get on it. Riding on the belly of the horse hastily, trying to escape as if flying.


    "Run? Coward." The doppelganger murmured so disdainfully, raised the longsword in his hand and flung it violently! The longsword immediately spun around and flew towards the big man on the horse! But at this time, the big man seems to expect the doppelganger will have this move, immediately hastily dive down to avoid this fatal blow. But the longsword crossed the big man and stabbed into the head of the horse in front of him! "Ming Ming Ming! The war horse let out a wail and tumbled to the grass, spilling a cloud of dust. This knight man is agile. Immediately a roll over to avoid the fate of being pinned down by the horse. The perfect one landed and continued to run away.


    Doppelganger''s steel teeth clenched, is already angry in the heart. But then the big man suddenly turned back, from the waist to take out the refilled crossbow, to the distant doppelganger on the trigger. A whoosh, the crossbow shot straight at the doppelganger''s armor. But he was disgusted to casually open the crossbow at hand, slightly bending his feet. A fierce power. A whoosh of extremely fast rushed out! Even the twenty pounds of light armor on his body could not give him any hindrance. The sand flew leaving a row of deep footprints, the doppelganger rushed towards the fleeing big man like the wind. The dead horse was right in front of him, the doppelganger leapt up, pulled the long sword out of the horse''s head in the air, and landed on the ground with a loud bang, stirring up the dust to fall, the doppelganger once again rushed towards the big man not far away with great speed.


    Only to hear a clattering sound, followed by a scream. The doppelganger went after the man''s shoulder armor and arm and chopped it off alive with a sword! Lying on the weed-covered sand, the big knight man looked at the doppelganger holding the blood-dripping longsword and immediately covered his broken arm in pain and explained in panic: "Don''t kill me! I am Dredd Nawehar of the Kingdom of Malta. A noble knight! I claim the rights of a noble and request my family to pay the ransom!" "Of course I won''t kill you." The doppelganger shrugged off the blood on the sword in his hand with a calm face and spoke plainly, "But what about my military exploits Mr. Dredd."


    "Good! Hahahahaha, Alfred. You''re really our savior!" Bob rushed over with five squires. Wiping the blood from his face, he looked at Dredd on the ground and said to the squires behind him, "Go help him with his wounds."


    For most of his life, the squire who was saved by the doppelganger looked at the doppelganger very gratefully, and immediately tore off his clothes to bandage the prisoner''s wound. The doppelganger smiled slightly, looked at Bob and asked suspiciously: "Where were you two?" Upon hearing this sentence, Bob''s expression immediately turned pale. The attendants were also silent. Immediately, the doppelganger stuck the long sword in his hand on the ground with emotion, and said solemnly: "They fought for their homeland and glory on the battlefield, and they died well. May their heroic spirits return to the embrace of Enos. Rest in peace and eternity. "


    Those around him also prayed heavily. As soon as the doppelganger drew his longsword, he spoke, "Find some horses and carry their bones back to the fortress." Those attendants who were bandaged Dredd immediately nodded their heads, but their faces were not very good. Because at this moment their master was dead, and they themselves had become ordinary people again from a squire, a trainee knight. They don''t know what the future holds. But the doppelganger''s next words made them smile: "In their memory, you will be my squires from now on. Come along with me on my quest."


    "Ah! May Enos bless you forever, Lord Flamel!" Several attendants knelt down excitedly on one knee to express their loyalty. In the current situation, not only did he survive the mortal battle, but he won it. He even captured a noble knight from the enemy country. Maybe he could get some military information from him. This credit must have greatly increased the value of Alfred Flamel, and they have also risen with the tide. Better than before! Can they not be excited? The sorrow of his master''s death was instantly thrown into the depths of the boundless sea.


    The doppelganger who said so was staring at Bob. There was a strange taste in his eyes. Bob suddenly felt uncomfortable and turned his head away, not daring to meet this gaze. Suddenly, he was a little strange. Alfred just went home to look for his younger brother for a few days, and after returning, he couldn''t help but improve his combat skills by leaps and bounds, and even the feeling he gave people changed completely. It''s like another person wearing Alfred''s skin.

 CH 95

    "Don''t let that one get away! Go after him!" That big man saw Salander get on his horse and gallop away, and immediately yelled out. But the doppelganger took a look at these enemy troops and immediately drove his horse forward, putting the crossed sword in his hand high and straight in the sky. He looked back at the cowardly, frightened, raising these squires behind him. And fellow knights with indecisive faces. Suddenly the righteous shouted: "Tell me who you are!" Including Bob and two outside the two knights, immediately tilted his head subconsciously drunk: "We are knights! The brave warriors!"


    The doppelganger was unmoved, but then shouted, "Do you want to die?" "No! I still have family at home!" This time, it was the squires who were afraid that death would come. The doppelganger suddenly smiled with relief, and his voice cut through the sky, almost reaching the distant Greene Fortress: "I don''t want to die either. But we took a vow! Our virtue and justice, bravery and fearlessness! Have you forgotten the sword that rests on your shoulders! Never give your backs to the enemy! For we are knights!" As soon as the words left his mouth, Bob waved his crossed swords with a face full of exhilaration. Yelling, "Our glory!" The doppelganger nodded and swept his gaze over the gradually steadfast fellow knights and those squires. With a loud hiss, he said, "For our glory!"


    Before the words were out of his mouth, the doppelganger took the lead without looking back and drove his warhorse up the hill to meet the big man! Bob and the other knights, as well as all the squires, immediately followed, raising their long swords and shouting, "Glory!" As soon as the big man saw that the Kasmis, who were twice as numerous as himself, dared to take the lead in the attack, he heard the word "Glory" resounding all around him, and the big man, who was also a knight, put on the black domed helmet on his horse''s pouch, took out the blood-stained one-handed axe from his back, and shouted to his squires and the ordinary scouts around him, "Attack! With our swords, grant them glory!"


    "Kill!!!" Both sides rode their horses and charged against each other. The Kingdom of Malta occupied the high ground and swooped downward. The doppelganger side was located below and climbed upwards. Anyone who is not an idiot can see that this is very unfavorable for them, who are outnumbered. But the doppelganger at this time looked at the front of a scout, gray leather armor over iron armor, holding a pointed gun aimed at the doppelganger, his face was full of bloodthirsty killing intent! He knew that as long as the few rushing in front were blocked, the impact of later troops would be substantially thwarted. The premise was that he himself was not killed.


    "Ahhhhhhh! '' The doppelganger made a decision, immediately shouted a loud momentum, those eyes vaguely flashing golden light, the crossed sword in his hand can be seen with golden veins instantly all over the sword. Seeing that the sharp tip of the gun is about to pierce in the chest of the doppelganger, the doppelganger immediately flew a deflection, that ride and driven by the very strong speed, holding the hand of the sword immediately hanging down, upward swiftly upward! Swish! Only to see a flash of golden light! Bob and others who were following closely behind immediately saw with excitement that the scout did not even have time to wail, shattered with a crash, a straight bloody trace on the chest, head, spear and horse head in a straight line! With a boom, even the man with the horse tumbled down, spewing out ten feet of blood!


    But that''s all, Paladin didn''t stop there, he picked up a chop at the same time, the left hand immediately flung down, fixed in the arm shield immediately slipped into the palm of the hand. As soon as he was done, another soldier came up on a fast horse, and the longsword in his hand cut into the doppelganger''s head! But all of this was expected by the doppelganger, who took the handle of the shield in his left hand and flung it violently at the oncoming soldier without stopping in the slightest!


    A loud clang, mixed with the sound of cracking bones. The soldier screamed with blood all over his face and flew backwards. But in the moment of throwing the shield, another soldier night rode down, the lance stabbed to the chest. And at this time the doppelganger is the old power just go, the new power for the state of life, if this hits, will be alive through the body hanging on the lance! But this close call, but the doppelganger then threw out the shield force, so that they stick to the back of the horse. The sharp tip of the lance grazed the back and stabbed a blank!


    Such a good time doppelganger, how will let him slip away? A swift and incomparable hand grabbed the barrel of the gun, and with the force of rising up snatched the lance. The right hand immediately followed, twisting the sword swinging at his waist! The soldier''s head was chopped off! This instant, the doppelganger''s afterimage immediately saw another soldier on the right wielding a nail-head hammer riding in. Very decisive to use the momentum to throw away the longsword, the empty right hand immediately grabbed the lance. Once again turned around and roared, the lance was thrown bent and whipped hard on the soldier! The snap shattered the chain armor of that, and fell off the horse with a miserable cry.


    Looking at the many strokes, but in reality, it was only an instant. The clone killed four soldiers. Let Bob and the other two knights, who had always thought they knew Alfred very well, were more shocked than pleasantly surprised! Good martial arts, good skills! This is the word that instantly popped into everyone''s mind. But at this time, the avatar has not recovered from the high-intensity combat and responsiveness. The only knight in Malta was riding a horse and rushed down quickly. The one-handed ax in his hand hit the legs of his naked horse with a thunderbolt! The war horse immediately let out a howl, fell to its knees, but rolled over due to the powerful impact. The clone with a pale face was thrown out with a whoosh!


    Boom! The clone hit a lonely fir tree. Now he is used to the mental pain caused by the fusion of light elements, and he tasted the unimaginable physical pain for the first time! "Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" the avatar let out a scream, and lay down in the bushes. Although the armor on the back was not broken, the avatar could feel that the back had received a very serious injury! As long as the force is stronger, it is uncertain whether his spine will be broken! "Wow..." With trembling hands supporting the sandy ground, the avatar opened its mouth and a pool of thick blood spurted out. He suddenly found that there was a haze in front of him, and Venus was shining. It''s hard to see what''s in front of you. The ears kept buzzing, and the hazy sound of slashing and screams entered the ears, but it seemed very unreal.


    Knowing in his heart that this body was seriously injured, he immediately called five hundred elements to repair the injured muscles and bones with all his strength. Soon, the avatar sitting slumped next to the tree trunk gradually regained its vision. The black shadow that was originally hazy and gradually getting bigger in front of my eyes became more and more clear at this moment. After seeing things clearly, the originally blurred eyes instantly became sharp! "Ahhh! Die!" A scout, wearing cheap cotton armor, came up to him wielding a one-handed axe, and chopped off his head! The clone could even see the tiny cracks and black bloodstains on the axe.


    Extremely fast, the clone immediately disconnected the elements repairing the back, and quickly lowered its head to take the fatal blow. The ax immediately cut deeply into the trunk! The opportunity never came again, the avatar immediately threw his hands away, grabbing the throat of the soldier who was not protected by armor. Twist very decisively! Card wipe. The young man immediately fell to the ground with lost eyesight. The clone naturally pulled out the one-handed ax and stood up unsteadily. Look at this little battlefield. He was deeply shocked at the moment.


    On the hillside, a dozen horses fell in a pool of blood. There were some with only saddles left on their backs, scattered away from this human battlefield. The original grass-green shrubs from, but it was dyed some blinding red. On this scarlet red, in addition to the horse''s corpse, there are soldiers in different clothes with severed limbs. One can even see, in the distance, there are two sides of soldiers, or riding horses, or on foot.


    With weapons in their hands, or with their mouths and teeth. Fighting for their lives. The air was filled with the pungent smell of blood and stench. In addition to the occasional screams and shouts in the ears. It is very clear, as in the ears jumping with a very fast heartbeat. This is the battlefield, just less than a hundred people on the battlefield. Although the Paladin doppelganger read Alfred''s entire memory, he also saw the memory of the brutal fight. But now control the shock brought by this personal experience, was far from being able to compare.


    At this moment, at the Green Fortress. Kaleqi looked at Paladin with his mouth open and his eyes out of focus with a strange expression. Because he had tears flowing from his eyes. There was no sadness, nor joy. It was purely a catharsis of emotions intense to the extreme. Only to hear Paladin suddenly come back to his senses and sighed. Stroking the Bible on the table, but his face returned to the silence, murmuring: "This is the bright red pulp soup, death''s dinner plate."

 CH 96

    The doppelganger took a dozen horses and carried the corpses and the captive Dredd. Walked towards the Green Fortress. Bob proposed to wipe off the blood on his body in order to go in and behave in a polished manner. But this suggestion was rejected by the doppelganger without hesitation. This blood is not only a symbol of merit, but also a treasure that can win sympathy! How could it be wiped off?


    Seeing the towering fortress, and the endlessly rolling camp right in front of him, Bob, who deliberately slowed the doppelganger by a beat and landed behind him, glanced at the crossbows held by his horses. ¡°The kingdom of Malta is really rich, a scout team is able to allocate one crossbow each. It''s really wealthy." The doppelganger slightly inclined his head and glanced at Bob. This apparently brisk, simple knight deliberately fell behind himself, the intention of which he was naturally very clear. It seems that being able to be a knight is not really a fool.Knowing the time, know who can bring glory to whom, or status.


    "Open the door! It''s the Flamel knights who have returned! They''re not dead!" The gates of the camp rumbled open at the sound of this impassioned shout. The doppelganger recognized the voice, the voice of his squire Salander. He gave everyone behind him a wink, and immediately put on a solemn and tired look and walked to the door.


    The wooden gate opened and Baron Hank rode out first with an excited look on his face, followed by Salander and the other knights belonging to him. Baron Hank saw the doppelganger and Bob and the corpse held behind him, the original excited expression immediately heaved. The baron rode up and looked up and down at the doppelganger and Bob and nodded in relief: "Good, it''s good to be back alive. Come on, let''s go in!" At this moment, Baron Hank is not like a boss, but more like a loving father watching the return of his children. The doppelganger nodded and waved his hand to shut up the excited Salander. The group walked through the camp''s gates with the pungent smell of blood on their noses.


    Like a welcome triumphal army, the mercenaries and soldiers in the camp who were chaotic everywhere doing their own thing are now divided into two sides, along with the tents on both sides, an invisible solemn atmosphere spread. These soldiers glanced at the blood-red doppelganger, Bob and five retainers immediately attracted them. Together with the corpse held by the horses behind, and Dredd, who was still tied with twine on the back of the horse, immediately stood in awe. "These knight lords are arrogant, but they are really warriors when it comes to fighting and killing!" This idea spread in an instant to the nearby soldiers, and also expanded even more from the whispers at a very fast pace.


    "Hahahaha, our warrior has returned from defeating the enemy!" In the front, the white orchid (the Countess Bailanhua) countess in chain armor and heraldic robes, as soon as she saw the doppelganger and the others, immediately led the nobles and knights behind her to come forward. Until this moment, the doppelganger had no chance to be able to catch a glimpse of this female commander-in-chief. In a word, if she did not open her mouth, he would never think that this is a woman. The long hair was scattered behind her back, but it didn''t have the luster of an ordinary lady, but it was a little more dry. That is the color of marching and fighting, eroded by wind and frost.


    Square face, bronze skin. big mouth. Thick eyebrows. Very imposing eyes. If it weren''t for the fact that she didn''t grow a beard, she would definitely have the demeanor of an old general in the battlefield with her throw and stomp. Seeing this, the doppelganger immediately understood why the 40-year-old countess is still unmarried, not only because she has not met a suitable spouse, but also because of this style, this honor, which really makes many people look at her. The aristocrats who are used to the beauty of ladies are daunting.


    This is a strong woman. The doppelganger defined itself. And Bob, squire, and Baron Hank and other attachments of all the people with titles immediately turned over and dismounted, took off their helmets and gathered them to their chests, and knelt down on one knee: "Lord Count, fortunately, we are back." "Well, everyone has worked hard. Hurry up and go to Lord Archbishop Lorne and ask him to arrange for someone to treat you. Then rest well tonight."


    The countess immediately bent down and returned the salute, grinning broadly as she said. The doppelganger knelt down on one knee, and seeing Baron Hank next to him looking like he wanted to say something, he simply stood up and spoke very respectfully, "Countess, won''t you invite us to have a sip of wine in the tent?" "Hahahahaha, you are very interesting. What is your name?" "Alfred, Flamel. Your Excellency the Count. Please also forgive me for being presumptuous, I have emptied my water in the fight." The doppelganger spoke so boldly that it only dazzled the nobles such as Baron Hank and Bob next to him. But the Count''s reaction made them guess even more.


    "Okay, lets go, boys." The countess waved her hand with a big grin, and with a glad nod of appeasement from the doppelganger, Baron Hank, Bob and the other squires followed in with trepidation. Into the tent they burrowed. As soon as the crowd left, these mercenaries and soldiers immediately exploded into a frenzy of disbelief, discussing: "My Enos ah, could it be that this Alfred Knight lord has taken a fancy to this lioness!" "Hard to say, people have special tastes?" An old mercenary with some connotation immediately interjected, thinking that the profound explanation: "I think this knight lord wants to climb the high branch. The aristocrats, right, what dirty things they can not do? This Alfred looks fair and tender, maybe it suits the earl''s taste. Hehe~" The first time he said that, he immediately got an approval sound from the large number of people around.


    And just when the doppelganger was about to enter the tent, far away at the other end of the camp, hiding in the tent to copy the Bible, Paladin suddenly put down the quill with one hand. Carefully changed the ink bottle, stood up and changed into a ceremonial robe, that was the scepter, and put on his hat. Smiling at Kaleqi, who was struggling to learn to write and recognize words beside him, he said, "Come, come along. Let''s go see the other Earl."


    Kaleiqi had just escaped from the chaotic sea of ??words, and looked at Paladin with a ignorant face, but was lifted up by Paladin''s arms, handed the sharp sword and light armor on the shelf to Kaleqi and said: "Don''t be dazed, remember the aristocratic etiquette that I taught you before. Just don''t be stage fright. Remember that you are the lord of Nurba, Sir Nurba." Kaleqi shook his beard and looked confused. Wearing chain armor, he inserted the scabbard on the table into his belt, and asked in a very puzzled manner: "Paladin, what are you talking about? What earl? What stage fright? You..."


    But before he could finish, Paladin suddenly turned around, took the scepter in his hand and pointed at his chest, and said with a playful tone, "I am helping you, my dear Kaleqi. War is coming, either today or tomorrow. You don''t want to be left with nothing in case Earl Of Torch dies. This is for you to save your back." "Eh eh eh, I still don''t understand it. Paladin, explain it to me." "There is no time to explain, time never waits for others, because it is relentless." The smile on Paladin''s face became more and more bizarre, and when he saw Kaleqi dressed, he walked out of the tent and he pulled his arm. In front of the confused Kaleqi behind him, Paladin had an increasingly mysterious smile on his face. It is impossible to guess.