Extraordinary Voyage-Chapter 842 - 723: Badge Knight
Southern Coast of the Old Continent.
Aside from the "Silver Ring Hospital," founded by the "Vesalian School," the Tramo Duchy holds some renown among the middle and lower classes within certain areas, but otherwise, it's a small place with a very weak sense of presence.
It's even adjacent to the South Wind Country, serving as a buffering zone between different True God faiths, leading even the Church's power to be quite weak. Or rather, it's precisely because of the coexistence of multiple faiths that none can dominate entirely.
However, there's a widely known ancient legend here, about the Crowned Demon — [Corrupt Odorous Crawler] (from the mortals' perspective).
In a certain dark forest of the duchy lies a deep abyss, inhabited by something terrifying that mortals cannot fathom, something that is most strange, bizarre, evil, and wicked, driving one insane upon sight.
Moreover, in graves, forests, ravines, dry wells... in those cursed places, the thoughts of death gain new life and eerie physical forms. Those pitiful bodies lack minds, yet harbor evil intentions that dwell within.
Wise elders say: The grave without the corpse of a Wizard (in reality, various Extraordinary individuals) is fortunate, and so is the city without the Wizard's ashes.
In the stories handed down in this land, the souls of those who consort with demons do not swiftly depart from the corpse in the grave even after death, not until white maggots devour the body do they begin to rot.
At that time, terrifying monstrosities are born from the decaying corpses.
The dull, carrion-eating maggots grow cunning, troubling the earth; they swell and twist to horrific degrees, bringing calamity to the land; they no longer just crawl, but begin to learn... to walk like humans!
That is the dirtiest and most terrifying evil demon, the [Crawler].
Many residents of the duchy have heard their tales, and even grabbing anyone randomly on the Tramo Duchy's streets, one could hear various versions of eerie stories from their mouths.
If "lucky" enough to encounter a bard who earns a living with words, they might be pulled aside mysteriously and told: "I know of a town where all humans living within have already been hollowed by maggots, yet they remain unaware, continuing to live and breed normally..."
Hiss––!
This sends chills down the spine of every outsider arriving here.
But in reality, verifiable eyewitness events of such demons are very few. More likely, those who have seen them and returned alive are very rare.
Further, members of the "Vesalian School" are often labeled by the True God Church as grave robbers, heretics, vampiric demons, Death's Messengers... among other terrifying titles, making this already somewhat secluded small nation not well-received by others.
However, the facts prove that legends are not just legends.
Two black-robed figures, moving suspectingly like they floated, traversed the wild paths of a forest filled with weeds and thorns, whispers resembling buzzing flies emanating from beneath their filthy cloth robes:
"The target assigned this time is... that one, whose recorded feats include slaying two Tier 4 opponents, all in cross-tier combat, even among the titled knights of the continent, such feats are rare right?
Besides the Pope, our 'Gospel Church' only has the [Corrupt Odorous Crawler] as this Tier 4 combat power, aren't the higher-ups taking too big a risk?"
"Supposedly, a follower of that evil True God approached us, and what deal was made with the church's higher-ups we don't care to know; we are simply to execute orders.
Moreover, if stronger forces were invincible, where would be the place for us to survive in the Old Continent ruled by numerous True Gods? And speaking of conspiracy, infiltration, subversion of hearts... who indeed is better than us? Ah, we've arrived!"
As they spoke, the two had arrived at the edge of a dark, damp cave in the forest's center.
For some reason, the nearby trees and plants appeared extraordinarily lush, with leaves almost green to the point of black, but no matter how many flowers bloomed, the persistent stench of decaying corpses couldn't be concealed.
They clearly didn't want to stay any longer.
The two black-robed figures emitted soft buzzing sounds from their mouths, throwing an iron holy emblem engraved with rotting fly maggots forcefully into the cave before fleeing without looking back.
Evidently, even followers of the "God of Rotting Flies" didn't wish to see their deity's terrifying beloved that would make one question life itself.
After a long while, a rustling sound came from within the darkness of the cave.
After some more time, countless sharp voices formed a word:
"New... Con... ti... nent... feed..."
The weakening of Overlord Hilus' power was a sight welcomed by all, but seeing Phaletis, also an enemy, prosper excessively was an outcome the "Eye of Wealth" did not desire.
If you are doing well, then how could that be permissible?
After the Battle of "Dierben Castle," no matter how low-key Aiven tried to be, it was already a time when hiding was no longer possible. As the tree catches the wind, he naturally fell into the sights of some ill-willed individuals. 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮
Moreover, acting in the New Continent where True Gods and church power were weak meant fewer constraints and harsher methods could be implemented!
Even if they couldn't eliminate the individual, they couldn't allow him the opportunity to idle, disrupting the "Lowland Republic" at its most historic moment of significance.
Thus, the "Eye of Wealth," quietly accumulating power, struck at Phaletis and Aiven faster than the would-be-backstabbed Hilus!
...
On Saint Domingo Island in the Golden Sea, time had quietly crept into the morning of the second day.
However, the brilliant sunshine of early spring did not arrive as promised. Instead, a layer of dark clouds gradually covered the sun, growing thicker and denser.
It seemed that the first spring rain of the Sea Origin Calendar year 190 was about to fall here.
Meanwhile, on this island, the water-affinity "Upper-Rank Sea Emperor Dragon" Anita and the thunder-affinity "Branded Swordsman" Aiven, both siblings, felt the great energy they had long awaited brewing amidst the clouds.
Within their knight-based orthodox extraordinary path.
The will of a Tier 3 Great Knight could crush steel and spearheads. If a knight's resolve was strong enough to accomplish miracles beyond any imaginable human effort and time, then he could stand against a Giant Dragon as a Titled Knight!
The core sign of this ability is the massive intervention of one's consciousness in reality, achieving the power of miracle—"Heart Image."
The "essence" of this promotion is the qualitative transformation of Combat Qi as Extraordinary Energy. The "origin" is the knight's willpower, and the sign of success is the condensing of an exclusive [title], upon which fame and legend would tie to true power.
Even the "Crowned Demon" and Wizards' [True Name] share this common trait.
The promotion of Aiven as a Tier 3 [Branded Swordsman] is similar.
Firstly, the breakthrough of extraordinary energy at a certain limit. Secondly, obtaining a symbolic "name" or an equivalent emblematic entity.
To achieve the qualitative transformation of [Branded Swordsman], the origin lies in strengthening [Divine Power], or rather, the powerful body that produces [Divine Power]. The so-called "name" or other obstacles are no hindrance at all to the current Aiven.
His original plan was to use [Creator's Blood] to greatly enhance his body without any reservations, or even directly adjust the genetic sequence of his "mitochondria" to surpass the limits of a Tier 3 Extraordinary.
However, after the battle with the "Death Messenger," Aiven realized that he had long completed the essential transformation of his life form. No longer did he need to deliberately modify his body; the "native species" form was actually his most perfect state.
Coupled with the [World's Favor] acquired from his exploration of the volcanic group he named "Moon Bay Islands," an inspiration in his heart burst forth as if heaven-sent. Aiven completely streamlined an extraordinary path tailored for himself.
This path was a superior profession that far exceeded the Tier 3 [Branded Swordsman]—a Tier 4 physical-animal side extraordinary [Badge Knight]!
Today, with an unwavering spirit of advancement, he aims to thoroughly break through the barrier before Tier 4.
Rumble...
A low thunder suddenly resonated from the dark clouds, as if a massive rock was cast into the depths of their souls, rippling through the stillness of their hearts after a day of meditation.
Aiven and Anita simultaneously opened their eyes, the faint flashes of lightning reflecting in their pupils.
It was as if, across the layered mountains and some dozens of kilometers of Saint Domingo Island, they saw each other. They exchanged a smile before drawing back their focus towards the sky, now entirely cloaked in darkness.
Standing at the summit of the iron-rich mountain, Aiven walked barefoot to the center of an already engraved ritual track. Fully unleashing his body's instincts, with each step, his form altered more and more—horns, vines, fur, four hooves... gradually appeared upon him.
Rustle...
By the time Aiven reached the center of the ritual, he had completely transformed into something beyond a simple biological definition.
If one must describe it, it was like one of the "mythical forms" representing some essence of a God, lacking only the unobservable, ineffable terror that could drive mortals mad.
Tap.. tap.. tap...
His lower body had transformed into an immensely muscular white stag, its skin shimmering with silver scales and faintly glowing rune-like vine imprints. Golden hooves sprouted four pairs of small white wings.
His upper body remained that of a robust, masculine human—a well-defined musculature across his arms, chest, and abdomen, brimming with explosive power. The surface of his skin seemed to naturally bear silver runes, while his once short brown hair had now elongated into long vine tendrils.
A face so perfect it seemed inhuman was still recognizably Aiven's own, yet coral-like branching antlers had grown from his forehead, forming a crown shape rising in the middle with slightly lower sides.
Previously, it was not the constraints of bodily existence, but Aiven's own cognition limiting him.
Bound no more by human form nor identity, nor needing to follow his initial plan of adjusting his mitochondrial genes, he easily breached the limits of the Tier 3 human barrier.
Constitution: 16, Strength: 16, Agility: 16, vastly exceeding the human Tier 3 limit of 10!
Drip... drip... whoosh...
In the sudden deluge of torrential rain, Aiven raised his head to the sky, releasing a clear and resonant cry. The ritual beneath his feet began spinning at high speed, resonating with the vast energy high above.
BOOM—!
The next moment, a dazzling pillar of lightning descended from the heavens, completely enveloping him within.
