Life Potion

Chapter 39: Life Potion

"My strength has increased by nearly twenty percent, my skin's surface has become firmer, my resistance to blows has increased, and my speed has also improved slightly. My recovery from injuries should also be strengthened to some degree."

Karl clenched his five fingers, silently sensing the changes within himself.

"Besides that..."

"Negative emotions like caution, fear, and worry in my heart have been weakened, making me braver."

All these changes happened in an instant.

So strong!

Is this a Divine Technique?

Although it can't directly deal damage to the enemy, it can greatly boost our side's combat power and morale.

And it's not one-on-one, it's a large-scale blessing.

If used on the battlefield...

Turning the tide of battle would be nothing extraordinary!

Karl was surprised by the Priest's methods, but not astonished.

In a world with supernatural powers, how could The Church possess authority beyond the secular realm merely because of ethereal faith?

Without powerful strength, it would be impossible.

"Go!"

As the Priest waved his hand, two metal hulks were the first to charge out from the crowd, crashing into the wall ahead.

"Boom!"

The high wall built of bricks and stones seemed like stacked tofu before them, utterly defenseless.

Instantly.

Two human-shaped holes were blasted through the wall.

Knights!

And they were fully armored Knights.

The strength of an Official Knight could crush ferocious beasts. The weapons they carried alone weighed dozens of pounds, and in the wilderness, a Knight could slaughter an entire wolf pack alone.

The heavy armor they wore could even ignore ordinary attacks.

The two charged into the manor and began a one-sided slaughter amidst the flames. Everywhere they went, bodies lay strewn about.

By the time Karl followed the crowd in, the battle was nearing its end. Blood flowed on the ground, and not a single living soul was seen.

"They killed the elderly and children too?"

The corpses on the ground made Karl's heart sink, giving him a deeper understanding of The Church's brutal methods.

"Don't just stand there."

Dina patted his shoulder:

"Let's go to the next place."

"Yes."

Karl snapped back to attention and nodded in agreement.

He wasn't sure if it was because The Church's power was too overwhelming, but today's operation felt anticlimactic to him.

Except for encountering some resistance at a suburban manor, the other places were swept through almost like plowing the fields, facing almost no significant obstruction.

It was over by evening.

*

*

*

Suppressing the fatigue from a day of rushing around, Dina straightened her clothes and was led into the main hall by someone.

This was the Noble Council hall.

The three highest-ranking individuals in Signo City were the Bishop, the City Lord, and an elder of the Noble Council.

The elder was in poor health and had not attended meetings for years. Most matters were handled by the Speaker, Frank.

He was a venerable elder of noble character, a Viscount, deeply respected by the Nobles.

"I never expected the followers of the evil god Elise to be lurking within the city. Fortunately, you discovered them in time."

Seeing Dina enter, Frank waved for the others to withdraw and praised her, "Viscount Sassoon has every reason to be proud to have a daughter like you."

"Thank you for your praise, Speaker." Dina placed one hand on her left chest, bowed, and asked at the same time, "Are there any leads regarding last night's events?"

"Hmm..." Frank's face showed contemplation.

"According to the investigation, the one who killed the evil god's followers should be the Fire Thief. There are clear traces of fire left at the scene."

"The Fire Thief?"

Dina frowned subconsciously.

"That's right."

Frank nodded.

"Previously, when you were investigating the Mummy Case, Elise's followers deliberately led you to a Fire Thief stronghold, which led to its destruction. It seems this time it should be the Fire Thief's revenge."

"Even as followers of the same evil god, they don't get along with each other."

Dina slowly nodded.

This made sense, but if it was the Fire Thief's doing, why didn't they kill her?

They even helped her untangle the spider silk restraints.

She was the mastermind behind the destruction of the Fire Thief's stronghold.

"Speaker."

Dina spoke.

"According to our investigation, besides the few people killed yesterday, there should be a mastermind behind them."

"This person has a certain social status and frequently visits high-end places. They are the one who selects the targets."

She continued.

"Today's operation probably didn't capture him."

"Is that so?" Frank stroked his chin, then nodded.

"I understand. Someone will continue to investigate this matter. Let's talk about your business now."

"Given that your performance aligns with the knight's principles of protecting justice and the weak, and you possess bravery that fears no death, the council has decided to reward you with a Life Potion."

He took a bottle of potion from his drawer and handed it over.

"Congratulations!"

"I hope you can truly step into the ranks of knights. The country and its people need people like you to protect them."

Seeing it was correct in every way!

A Life Potion!

Dina's heart pounded. Her hands trembled slightly, uncontrollably. She carefully took the potion, and for a moment, even the doubts about the case slipped her mind.

"Esteemed Speaker, I... I will definitely do it."

"Mm."

Frank smiled and nodded.

"You may go. Rest well during this period to prepare for taking the potion. I eagerly await the day you become a knight."

"Mm."

Dina nodded heavily.

Watching Dina leave the hall, the smile on Frank's face slowly faded, replaced by a look of utter fury.

He turned and walked into a side hall.

Someone was already waiting there.

"You gave our enemy a Life Potion." Seeing him enter, the person waiting in the hall spoke in a low voice.

"This could become a weapon to kill us."

"Hmph!"

Frank snorted coldly.

"The approval and distribution of Life Potions are not solely up to me. Moreover, if you had been more discreet, it wouldn't have come to this."

"Discreet?" The other party sneered.

"Taking others' lives brings pleasure to the Mother Goddess. But it's not us who need Purity Potions, it's you."

"The blood of virgins can maintain youth and prevent aging. The noble ladies in the city can't wait for us to kill more people. They'll pay any price for their faces."

If Dina had heard their conversation, she would have been utterly shocked.

The respected Speaker Frank was secretly colluding with evil god cultists, and even knowing their actions, he didn't stop them, but instead chose to let them continue.

"Forget it."

He waved his hand, and the bald, tattooed man grumbled.

"I want to know who killed Jeff!"

"There are no leads at the moment," Frank said, spreading his hands.

"Are you sure it wasn't the Fire Thief?"

"Of course."

The bald man narrowed his eyes.

"I'm very familiar with them, and if it were them, there's no reason they would have let that girl go."

"Perhaps..."

He looked at Frank and said slowly, "It was a Wizard?"

"A Wizard?" Frank's expression changed, and he seemed to fear the word. He instinctively shook his head.

"Even the Church can't control them. Don't expect me to investigate. They are a group of unbelievers."

"I know," the bald man replied. "But you must have some idea which Wizard Apprentices are in Signo City, right?"

"...Yes." Frank hesitated before nodding.

"I do know a few, but it doesn't seem like any of them possess the ability to use fire."

"They usually hide their abilities," the bald man said, also troubled by the Wizards. He shook his head and changed the subject. "The front lines are lost. You should make your decision too."

Frank's expression turned grim.

Grand Duke Saxen, who was campaigning against Coburg, had died a few days ago. The front had collapsed, and the enemy's army was rapidly advancing toward the Kingdom of Gondo. This was the latest news from the front, and it hadn't been announced to the public yet.

"Signo City is not the front line."

Frank said, "We might not lose either."

"Heh..." The bald man let out a cold, dismissive laugh.

"You'd better pray that's the case."