Decree of Youth

Renato led the way through the underground passage, the magical flames burning on the Silent Lady lighting the path ahead.

"Turn right. We're almost at the exit."

Perly's memory exceeded Renato's expectations yet again. He knew the little mage had an exceptional memory, but he hadn't expected such precision-she could remember the route after walking it just once.

A heavy stench of blood drifted down from the opening. Renato's expression grew grave. That much blood didn't suggest mere injuries.

Had someone brought the guards here?

Renato raised a hand, signaling for the little mage to wait where she was and protect their escape route. He would go see what had happened above.

Rather than climb the stone steps one by one, Renato backed up two paces for a running start, then vaulted out of the opening.

Whoosh, whoosh-

Two crossbow bolts shot toward him, one from ahead and one from behind. Renato rolled past the first, which embedded itself in the wall. The other struck his back and bounced off his plate armor.

The assassin ahead charged with a short sword raised, but Renato ignored him. He could already hear something slicing through the air behind him!

A slender sword thrust at him from behind. Renato swung his sword behind his back to block it, then used the force of the blow to sweep his blade toward the assassin charging from the front!

His counterattack was so vicious that it seemed his opponents were the ones being ambushed. The assassin before him had no time to parry. The flaming longsword swept across his face, its searing tip tearing through his thin metal mask.

Shattered teeth lodged in his tongue. Almost his entire upper jaw was crushed, and he collapsed to the floor.

In the shadows, Renato turned and saw the other man who had attacked him from behind.

"Petro, is this what the guild's reputation is worth? You'd double-cross me for a few gold coins?"

"Fuck the guild!" Petro pulled off his mask, revealing a blood-drenched face.

Renato frowned, scanning his surroundings from the corner of his eye. Only then did he notice more than a dozen bodies sprawled across the room.

Judging by their clothes, they were all members of the Assassins' Guild.

Infighting in the Assassins' Guild?

"That old bastard Echo pocketed eighty percent of the guild's profits and left us fighting over twenty percent worth of dog food, and some people were actually grateful to him?"

"A bunch of morons!" Petro spat out bloody froth. "Grisel, I know that isn't your name, but I'll call you that for now."

Renato narrowed his eyes. Petro was badly wounded. He was missing an ear, and there was a hole in his forehead deep enough to expose bone.

"What the old bastard wanted to steal from Reisingen was a Legendary Potion. I have it now." Petro lowered his voice. "I have connections. This thing could sell for ten thousand gold coins. Get me out of here, and we'll share the wealth and glory."

"You're good with a sword. Staying in Fried City would only bury your talents. Why not head north to the Borealia Empire? I have brothers there. We could accomplish great things together!"

"Unlike the rotten south, strength is the only pass you need in the empire. None of that bullshit about seniority. As long as you're ruthless enough and rich enough, you can always climb higher..."

While Petro spoke, Renato listened intently. Apart from Petro's voice and the little mage creeping through the passage below, there was no other sound.

Flames rekindled in his chest. The fire of ambition, already extinguished once, blazed anew.

"Really? Then why don't I kill you first? Wouldn't all that wealth and glory be mine?"

"Fair point." Petro grinned.

Without another word, they struck at the same time.

Steel clashed incessantly. Petro had the advantage in strength, while Renato had sturdy armor.

A blade scraped across Renato's breastplate, leaving a distinct gouge.

His opponent's swordsmanship wasn't bad at all. Apparently, Petro had held back during their earlier duel.

Their blades crossed, their guards locked together, and they struggled against each other.

"You can't beat me!" Petro's eyes were bloodshot and filled with madness. "You have no idea what I've sacrificed! I endured ten years, and now the goddess of fate has smiled upon me! After all that suffering, this chance finally came! That's right, the gods chose me! They couldn't bear to see my talents buried, my achievements stolen..."

His words cut off abruptly. His eyes widened in apparent disbelief.

His longsword slipped from his hand. Renato stepped back and let Petro topple forward, his rigid body crashing to the floor. Four gleaming magic missiles protruded from his back, putting an end to all his ambitions.

"Phew... Renato, that was good timing, wasn't it?"

"This is a silent incantation technique I just learned. What do you think? Surprised you, didn't it? It just takes a little longer to cast..."

Renato had already heard Perly casting in the passage, which was why he had deliberately kept his opponent locked in combat.

Ignoring the little mage's remarks, Renato crouched down and reached for the Bag of Holding at Petro's waist.

"Just take the whole thing first. Why rummage through it now?" Perly picked up the slender sword from the floor. "I knew these thieves couldn't be trusted. Sure enough, they started fighting among themselves. Some guild they are..."

Renato took a potion radiating multicolored light from the bag, instantly cutting off her muttering.

[Equipment]

Decree of Youth: This potion is sealed in an ampoule carved from a single piece of crystal. The liquid within shimmers with flowing light, golden at the top, orange-red in the middle, and emerald green at the bottom, representing the essence of life. Countless starlike particles float within it, emitting a continuous, gentle pulse like a heartbeat. Upon drinking this potion, a warm power drawn from the very source of life will sweep through your body. Your biological age will revert by two full age categories (for example, from "venerable" to "prime"), and all physical attribute penalties caused by aging will be removed.

[Legendary Effect]

Lifewoven Tapestry: For 24 hours after drinking the potion, the drinker will gain some of the effects of Greater Restoration, becoming immune to the charmed or petrified conditions, reductions to an attribute score, and reductions to maximum hit points.

Use requirement: Constitution 11

Grade: Legendary

A potent restorative elixir that could restore youth. On Earth, Renato believed this potion would be enough to trigger bloodshed and even regional conflicts.

Yet for a Legendary Potion, its effects weren't quite as "legendary" as he had imagined.

The greater the hope, the greater the disappointment.

Somewhat disheartened, Renato casually pushed the potion into Perly's hands as she stood frozen. It was of little use to him. It had no world-shattering power, nor did it offer an immediate attribute boost... It merely made him two age categories younger? That would only turn him into a baby.

Even if it was worth ten thousand gold coins, Renato had no access to a market large enough to fence it.

His ambition faded, and he was now completely calm.

To him, the Decree of Youth wasn't a lifesaving elixir, but a deadly poison.

If word got out, he would likely face endless pursuit.

Still, a few more assassins probably wouldn't make much difference. After all, the Harpers had been hunting him for so long that he was used to it. Renato could only console himself with that bitter thought.

"R-Renato, th-this, this..." Perly's tongue tangled, and she looked ready to cry. "This kind of magic... This is a Legendary Potion, Renato!"

"I-I didn't prepare Identify today. Y-you hold on to it for now." Trembling, she handed the potion back. "T-tomorrow..."

"No need to wait until tomorrow."

An elderly man's voice rang out. The potion flew out of Perly's hands and hung in the air above a ceiling beam.

"It flew? The potion can talk?"

"Get back, Perly!" Renato raised his longsword and stepped in front of the bewildered little mage. The potion hadn't flown away on its own-someone had taken it!

He could see it clearly: a transparent silhouette on the beam was holding the Legendary Potion.

Renato cursed inwardly. Invisibility. But how had he failed to notice someone so close?

The man emerged from the darkness. He had a lean build, a full-face metal mask, and neatly trimmed, short silver-white hair.

His pitch-black leather armor fit like a second skin, with no visible seams, rivets, or buckles. Its edges seemed to constantly twist and shift ever so slightly, making them impossible to see clearly.

If he could take the potion from the little mage's hands, didn't that mean he could have attacked her then as well?

As Renato watched in alarm and uncertainty, a streak of shadow flashed past, and a throwing knife embedded itself in Petro's corpse.

"The traitor has received the guild's punishment. You did well, nameless swordsman."

"Go to the traitor's body and collect your reward."

While Renato weighed his words, considering how to respond, a "corpse" in the corner suddenly sat up and shouted:

"Master Echo! I'm Quickhands Kira! Save me!"

That familiar voice belonged to Kira, the female thief. She wasn't dead?

Master Echo paid no attention to the guild member playing dead. Under Renato's gaze, his figure gradually blurred until it vanished.

"I'm loyal to the guild! Master!"

"Perly, watch that thief. If she tries anything, freeze her hands."

"Don't kill me! I won't move! Hiss, it hurts! Ah, my chest's been stabbed through! I'm bleeding so much! I'm dying, I can't hold on! Help!"

Very little blood was flowing from Kira's chest. She even had the energy to roll around on the floor, shouting and screaming.

Renato was speechless. He approached Petro's body again. The black dagger embedded in the corpse vaporized before his eyes, leaving only an amulet.

He carefully picked it up. The amulet was shaped like a teardrop and felt cold to the touch.

[Equipment]

Amulet of Adaptation: This unassuming black iron amulet was personally crafted by Master Assassin Echo, originally as a reward for Petro. Shadow runes engraved on its inner surface conceal the aura inherent to magical items, while also allowing an assassin to resist or overcome physical ailments that could hinder a mission or expose their whereabouts. While wearing this amulet, you have advantage on saving throws to avoid or end the poisoned or unconscious conditions.

Wear requirements: Resolve 12, Constitution 8

Grade: Uncommon

[Quest] showed as complete, and 3,000 experience points had been credited. But where were the thirty gold coins he was owed? Had this amulet been used as payment instead?

Renato was finding the [Adventurer's Guide] increasingly difficult to understand. Suppressing his doubts, he considered his tightly fitted plate armor. There was no room around his neck, so he could only wrap the Amulet of Adaptation around his wrist for now.

Unlike when he had put on the Crown of Intellect, he felt no change.

Fastening Petro's Bag of Holding to the other side of his waist, Renato called the little mage, who was braced for battle, over to help gather the loot.

If the Master Assassin had truly wanted to attack, Perly would already be dead. Besides, he had taken the Legendary Potion, so there was no reason for him to linger.

Renato took out a Healing Potion and tossed it to the female thief, who was still making a racket.

"Stop howling. Master Echo is gone. Drink that, quickly. You'll need to lead us out along the quieter routes."

"Perly, stop taking the boots off the bodies. They're heavy and worthless. The Bags of Holding have limited space. Take the metal weapons first, then strip off the leather armor..."

The street outside grew steadily noisier. Renato knew the guards from the Inner District were starting to head out to conduct their search.

There was still plenty of leather armor they hadn't stripped off, but he knew they couldn't delay any longer.

After drinking the reddish-brown potion, Kira braced herself against the wall and stood. Clutching her chest, she cried out in pain:

"Hiss, it fucking hurts! Hey, you two, stop looting and come with me. If you get thrown in jail, it won't matter how much you've taken. They'll confiscate everything, and all you'll have left is the gallows..."