Another World’s Versatile Crafting Master c1-1074, page 292
The stories of Rodhart were not well known to the people of Anril. It was not only due to the fact that a long time had passed, but also the cruel irony for the Brilliance Shrine whose Paladin had transformed into a Retribution Knight.
Rodhart's background was simple. His life was as plain as a cup of tap water before he became famous. He was under the care of a Priest in the Brilliance Shrine when he was young, and he and his peers were orphans who were educated under the strictures of the Brilliance Shrine. These people would be the most loyal in any organization. They were known as the fanatical devotees to religious forces, as well as Death Knights to secular forces. In the entire Brilliance Shrine, fanatical devotees were the ones who everyone thought wouldn't betray the organization. Their beliefs were supposed to be the strongest and most extreme due to their strict religious upbringing. Hence, most of the talented ones were chosen by the Priest to become the blades for Brilliance Shrine to eliminate heresy.
When Rodhart was 15 years old, he got through all of the tests held by the Referee of Heresy, and entered the organization with a few other talented youths. During this period of time, the inquisition was the most mysterious organization under the Brilliance Shrine. It made it almost impossible for his exploits to be made known to the public, at most with the exception of the records of his participation in missions, as well as the date and results of his achievements in the cleansing of any heresy.
People only started knowing Rodhart when he reached the Legendary-realm at 32 years old. That was the first time he led a mission as the Referee of Heresy, where he tried to purify a Legendary Lich who owned a Humerus Wyrm. In that mission, Rodhart did not rely on any of his men. He became famous after he slew both the Lich and the Humerus Wyrm single-handedly.
The tremendous power the young Paladin demonstrated in the subsequent missions elevated his position in the Brilliance Shrine. Crowned as the most indomitable Head Referee of the Brilliance Shrine ever since its establishment, there were many people in the Shrine who viewed him as an idol.
"Oh? How did he become a Death Knight when he was supposed to be one of the fanatical devotees?" Lin Li asked curiously. How could a Head Referee of Brilliance Shrine brought up as a strong believer be converted into an Undead creature? Not to mention that he was a Head Referee. Any common Priest who believed in brightness would not have been easily converted into an Undead creature.
"I'm not sure. But, it is not unusual, either. No one would be able to reject the temptation of immortality. Didn't the arrogant High Elves go study Necromagic? To Paladins, their ability would be as good as stagnant once they reached the Legendary-realm. If not, they would have to seek other ways to improve themselves," said Connoris disdainfully.
Rodhart entered the mausoleum of the Immortal King in hopes of finding the path towards the Sanctuary-realm. No one knew what he experienced in Immortal King's mausoleum or what he experienced when he was on his journey there. They only knew that Head Referee resigned from his position and never set foot in Brilliance Shrine again.
Some people said that Rodhart was inspired to retreat into a century of seclusion to look for the path into the Sanctuary-realm, but there were also others who thought that he left to treat his serious injuries. No matter what happened, the news of the death of the strongest Paladin of Brilliance Shrine—the Legendary powerhouse—broke out after a century. Rodhart's will asked for burial in the grounds of the Breezy Plains—the place where he had been adopted.
Chapter 491 - Prophet Willen
Rodhart's story was gradually forgotten with the passing of a few centuries. This Legendary powerhouse was like a shooting star that glazed across the sky of Anril. He did not leave behind many achievements for the future generations to remember him by. It wasn't until one fateful day when Rodhart walked out of his grave that he reminded people of his existence.
"What followed was what you heard. Regardless of whether Rodhart was willing to or not, it was a fact that he was the first Retribution Knight of the mainland of Anril. Sensing the birth of this Retribution Knight, Death Knights from all over the world gravitated towards him.
"They appointed Rodhart as their leader, and the team of Death Knights started a massacre in the Breezy Plains under his leadership. There was no one who had the ability to stop them. All elite armies were merely toys to them. Under their attacks, any formidable fortress would be immediately destroyed like a clay sculpture," Connoris narrated excitedly. As an ancient deity, the existence of humans had zero significance to him. Hence, it was as though he wasn't recounting a horrible bloodbath, but a thrilling event he would love to partake in.
"Almighty Soul Trader, should I remind you that the hopes of your new body lay in the hands of a human being?" Lin Li asked slyly. Although he would not claim that he was a kindhearted man, he could not help but remind Connoris about it.
"Erm…" Connoris suddenly recalled that the monster-like Lin Li was indeed a human as well. "Oh, yes, you are a human as well? My memory is failing me…" He laughed awkwardly.
"Cut the crap. Tell me about other things that you know, such as Rodhart's ability." Lin Li understood that it was only normal for Connoris to have no sympathy for humans. It was the same as how humans would not drop a tear for the death of ants.
"The Breezy Plains then was pathetic. Although Rodhart turned into an Undead creature, he acted as the Head Referee of the Brilliance Shrine, after all. This Ex-Head Referee waved the butcher's knife at the pitiful human beings without hesitation. It was really…" Connoris wanted to squeeze a tear or two out of his eyes, but he suddenly came to the realization that he was lacking a body. How could he shed any tears?
"Rodhart had started to look for the pathway into the Sanctuary-realm when he was a Paladin in the Legendary-realm. How different were his powers when he turned into a Retribution Knight? Did he really enter the Sanctuary-realm?" Lin Li asked curiously.
"Although I'm not sure of his abilities, I've heard that he had fought three Legendary powerhouses without his team of Death Knights. He defeated the combined forces from the three level-23 powerhouses using a single attack. This is enough to show that the ability of Rodhart then was at least level-24. But, I feel that it is more likely for him to have been level-25."
"W-what? Level-25?!" Lin Li was stunned. He gave the unmoving man on the throne an anxious but fleeting glance. The sight of that still figure reassured him slightly. Level-25 meant that the Retribution Knight had already reached the Sanctuary-realm. It was no wonder that he had the ability to bring about such a huge calamity in the Breezy Plains. If he were a normal Retribution Knight in the Legendary-realm, he would have been eliminated by Legendary powerhouses. It was rare to find enough opponents in the Sanctuary-realm.
This was also one of the characteristics of a Death Knight. As long as he reached the Legendary-realm to become a Retribution Knight, the Death Knights from all over the world would gather by his side as fast as they could regardless of the distance they had to travel. Then, these Death Knights would stop their personal growth in power, and transfer the Spiritual Force they'd acquired from the massacres to their leader.
Hence, the Spiritual Force from killing one-third of the population of the Breezy Plains would have been given solely to Rodhart. It would only be natural for his abilities to be improving at a rapid pace. As he was the first Retribution Knight of the Breezy Plains, it was too late for the Legendary powerhouses to stop him when they missed the best timing.
"Although he really entered the Sanctuary-realm, this method is really…" Lin Li commented vexedly. Although he was not one of the fanatical devotees of the Brilliance Shrine, he knew he would not have born to do the same like Rodhart. That was a man who had slaughtered a third of Breezy Plains' population! Lin Li found it really hard to believe that he'd been a Paladin from the Brilliance Shrine in the past.
"Him using this method is not surprising. Since he was a Retribution Knight, and an Undead creature, he already had no relationship with humankind. If he succeeded in bringing his team of Death Knights into the Endless Abyss, the throne in any of the Abyss levels would definitely belong to him," Connoris said optimistically.
"You have said a lot. But, can you be sure that this man before us is Rodhart?" Lin Li asked.
"If this Retribution Knight is really Rodhart, then the sword in his hand has to be the Eternal Frost Blade. In other words, if that sword is the Eternal Frost Blade, we would be able to make his identity clear," explained Connoris. After all, he had only seen Rodhart from afar. He could not tell if the man before him was Rodhart or another Retribution Knight.
"Eternal Frost Blade?" Lin Li repeated after Connoris. Only then did he notice the sword in the hands of the Retribution Knight. He had thought it to be a normal sharp blade. After looking at it closely, he realized that it was because the aura of the Retribution Knight had overwhelmed that of the sword.
"That's right. When Rodhart was still a Paladin, the weapon he used was not the Eternal Frost Blade, and the Brilliance Shrine would never put such a powerful weapon in his grave. No one knew where he had gotten the Eternal Frost Blade after he became a Retribution Knight. There was a probable theory that Rodhart had planned for his return from the Immortal King's mausoleum. If not, he would not have requested to be buried in the Breezy Plains. It being a place he had been adopted in would be a valid excuse. This Eternal Frost Blade was what he took out from the mausoleum of the Immortal King, which he then hid in the Breezy Plains as he waited for the arrival of the Death Knights."
"How should we verify if that is the Eternal Frost Blade? Although I can sense its magical wave, there are many other weapons that emit the same wavelength," Lin Li asked again.
"The two main materials needed to create the Eternal Frost Blade were the Eternal Ice Crystal Metal and the Space Sand. During forging, it required the use of the cold black flames from the Endless Abyss. However, Eternal Frost Blades that are created using this method do not have a significant ice attribute. The real effect of the Eternal Frost Blade is to create a temporal gap in the space that could distract the enemies. Then, the sword would pierce the enemies' bodies directly."
This was absolutely a weapon made to kill mages! The defensive equipment mages had, such as the Elemental Shield and Ice Wall, were never directly worn on their bodies. Established a distance away from the mages, they helped to create safe buffer zones between the enemy's weapon and the mages' bodies. This was due to the fact that the defense equipment would create a depression upon contact with intrusive attacks, regardless of whether it was a magical or a physical attack. If they were to be set up closely against the skin, without any cushioning of the impact, then while the user would not be immediately split in half with a strike of the enemy's sword, he was bound to suffer some wounds.
That being said, the Eternal Frost Blade was a weapon that could create the gap in space to let the sword penetrate the magical defense system built up by mages. Then, it would land on the mages' bodies like a sneak attack.
"I think that we should leave this place as soon as possible…" Lin Li muttered. How could the Smithing Guru not recognize weapons created from the Eternal Ice Crystal Metal? It was very obvious that the sword in the hand of the figure on the throne was constructed from the same material. This meant that the sword was the Eternal Frost Blade, and the Retribution Knight was Rodhart himself.
Lin Li did not want to be made an example of how men got themselves killed due to greediness for the future generations. Even though he had reached the Legendary-realm, and he had a lot of trump cards with him, he knew his enemy was a level-25 Retribution Knight who had a mage-killing sword. To be honest, Lin Li really had no confidence in battling such a figure.
"Hold on, are you sure that that is the Eternal Frost Blade, and he is Rodhart?" Connoris questioned. He was not willing to retreat.
"Of course, I would not make a mistake in recognizing that material. Unless there is another Retribution Knight who acquired the Eternal Frost Blade, this sleeping fella has to be Rodhart. Therefore, we'd better get ourselves out of here quickly before he wakes up." Lin Li conversed with Connoris via mental strength while cautiously observing Rodhart who was sitting still.
"Ha! If he was Rodhart, why should we escape? Have you forgotten that he had been purified by Prophet Willen? He would have lost his previous power." Connoris snickered.
"Is that so? To be honest, I'm very skeptical of the concept of purification. Didn't you say that this Rodhart is level-25? That's the Sanctuary-realm! How would there be anyone who could purify him? I doubt even the Pope of Brilliance Shrine could do that," Lin Li rebutted in suspicion.
There were many a time that legends were found to be false. Lin Li could accept the story that Rodhart had been purified by the Prophet Willen if the Retribution Knight was in the Legendary-realm. But, it was different now that the knight was in the Sanctuary-realm. Prophet Willen really needed to have great powers to purify a Retribution Knight in the Sanctuary-realm.
How could Connoris not know what was on Lin Li's mind? "Do not belittle Willen. He was not only the Prophet of Brilliance Shrine, but also the Son of the Holy Light. He held the purest holy force in this world, having the ability to purify any foulness or evilness. Even the Pope would not have the ability to compare to him.
"After Geresco left the Supreme Council, the organization had been run by Apophis and his team. After having a battle with Prophet Willen, Apophis admitted his inferiority publicly, and confessed his admiration for Willen's ability. Because of this battle, and the existence of Prophet Willen, Brilliance Shrine became the most powerful force—even the Supreme Council had to settle for the second in rank.
"At that time, only Geresco had the ability to deal with Willen. Unfortunately, Willen disappeared mysteriously after battling Rodhart. Without the leadership of Willen, the glorious Brilliance Shrine suffered attacks from the surrounding forces and suffered a dip in powers. They nearly got taken over by the waning Darkness Shrine."
"That shouldn't be it…" Lin Li muttered doubtfully. "The Brilliance Shrine had only been established after Dark Age, and it had been a few centuries since the end of it when Willen purified Rodhart. That was when the High Elves had long been overthrown, and a few centuries since the death of Osric. During that period of time, you should be in the Eternal Furnace. Why would you even know about these matters?"
Lin Li was not doubting the credibility of Connoris's words, but his identity. From being a pathetic soul trapped in a furnace, to being an almighty Soul Trader, then an Ancient deity… Lin Li really couldn't trust Connoris fully.
"Have you forgotten that I have taught you how to engulf of the shadow of the Dragon of Destruction?" Connoris asked. "I have created multiple shadows in the mainland of Anril before being caught by Osric. At that time, I tried to use my last shadow to help me look for somebody to release me from the Eternal Furnace. In the end, neither did I find my savior, nor did that shadow survive. Goddammit, I don't even know my enemy!"
Lin Li knew that creating a shadow and collecting the demonic runes from it did not need much effort. As long as one had the ancient demonic runes, he would be able to create a shadow with part of his energy. Same for Lin Li—he had the ability to do that as well. However, as a Legendary-mage, how could he compare himself to the Dragon of Destruction? He knew he would be falling out of his realm if he were to create his own shadows. Not to mention a Legendary-mage, a Sanctuary Master would not have chosen to weaken himself with such a boring idea.
The issue of shadows was totally irrelevant at this juncture. However, Lin Li had an idea after hearing Connoris's introduction of Prophet Willen. Didn't Sendros say he was a shadow of Darkness? Lin Li knew that was because he owned the debris of the stars—Gloomy Dark. Then, could Holy Light turn him into the shadow of Holy Light?
Lin Li loved everything that could allow him to take an advantage. A simple mistaking him as the shadow or somebody's son could give him a huge bunch of coolies to run errands for him without a price. He was always worried when Sendros addressed him as the shadow of Darkness as he feared that it might turn him into the target of the Brilliance Shrine. Now, he was really proud of the fact that he was the shadow of both Darkness and Brightness. This meant that he could gain advantages from both sides!
Chapter 492 - Secret Chamber
Lin Li glanced at the man before him. Could his present state be a result of Prophet Willen's purification? If Rodhart had lost the power he had with the purification, Lin Li would be able to use his Holy Light on Rodhart.
No matter what, he still could not determine if Rodhart was dead or all alive. Since he had the Holy Light, Lin Li knew that his journey to this palace shouldn't be a wasted trip. Lin Li stood there and cautioned himself against Rodhart while letting his Warlock's Eyes survey the entire palace.
The scenes the Warlock's Eyes travelled to see were reflected in Lin Li's eyes. Lin Li couldn't help but feel happy that he didn't escape in fear of Rodhart. The entire palace was a treasury! It seemed that he had made a wise decision in dismissing Hutton. As compared to this place, Vanskore's treasury was nothing.
Apart from jewelry and all sorts of magical materials, there were also high-quality and delicate weapons and magical equipment. Lin Li could not help but secretly jump in joy. The latter would save him a lot of effort!
What made Lin Li feel really excited was the different magical books, as well as huge piles of spells written in the High Elves' script that he saw through the Warlock's Eyes. Despite being a knowledgeable Legendary-mage, more than half of those spells were something he had not encountered before.
If he did not guess wrongly, there would be a huge portion of them that had been lost to the mainland of Anril with the passing of time. This made them incomparable to the jewelry and equipment. He would be able to make all the mages in Anril crazy if he were to use any of the lost spells.
