【Divine Art Casting Grade: Excellent】
【Hammer of Sacred Light EXP +17】
【Hand of Divine Art EXP +17】
【...】
With one strike of the hammer, a cold noble was transformed into warm Divine Art experience points.
“Blood-soaked bread is quite sweet,” Leon thought to himself. Compared to the grueling task of subjugating the Gold-rank Mad Shark King, executing the Heron Empire’s nobles to earn experience points was far more cost-effective.
It wasn't just about the efficiency of gaining experience; it was also about the boost to his reputation.
Leon turned his gaze toward the residents standing outside the execution square. As they looked at Reed Connery, who had been smashed into a pulp of Reed-jam by the hammer, there was no fear or terror in their eyes.
There was only the satisfaction of “good riddance” and the catharsis of seeing injustice finally avenged.
This sense of relief stood in stark contrast to the other nobles, whose expressions flickered with fear and a desperate sense of relief that it wasn't them.
This reminded Leon of the incident in Soleneum that had cost little Juliet her life.
When the High Tribunal ruled that Baron Soli only had to pay compensation and apologize, the citizens of Soleneum were filled with righteous fury.
To the nobles of Soleneum, however, they only cared about the ruling itself, believing the punishment was far too severe and should never have been implemented.
The present moment was just like that past one.
The only difference was that the reactions and emotions of the nobles and the commoners had been swapped.
On the execution platform, Viscount Finn continued to announce the crimes of the next noble in a loud voice.
Leon, meanwhile, walked to the side of the next noble. He turned a deaf ear to the man’s pleas for mercy and simply raised his priest’s scepter.
【Radiance Longbow】
A longbow shimmering with brilliant sacred light manifested above the scepter. With an expressionless face, Leon raised the bow and aimed it directly at the noble’s heart.
“...In accordance with the law, I hereby sentence him to death!”
As Viscount Finn’s voice fell, an arrow of light shot from the longbow in Leon’s hands, instantly piercing the noble’s heart.
The noble’s chest burst open. His body convulsed for a brief second before the light in his eyes rapidly faded.
Instant death.
This scene caused the eyes of the nobles still pinned to the execution racks to bulge. Their pupils constricted, and every face was a mask of unmasked terror.
But Leon felt no pity.
As the saying goes:
“No sacrifice is too great, no betrayal too small.”
From the moment they colluded with outsiders and leaked information about the suppression mission, Leon had no intention of letting them live.
As Viscount Finn’s voice echoed through the square, Leon cast one offensive Divine Art after another, completing the execution of all seventeen nobles.
The execution platform was soon covered in corpses. Dark red blood pooled and flowed down from the racks, leaving a deep impression on the hearts of every noble watching.
Once the executions were finished, Leon lit a Light Prayer Orb, allowing its healing, warm glow to wash over the area like the mercy of the God of Sacred Light.
Of course, the God of Sacred Light’s mercy might have been more apparent if the ground beneath that warm light weren't covered in blood and corpses.
Leon’s gaze swept across the observing nobles. Wherever his eyes landed, the nobles bowed their heads and lowered their eyes, none daring to meet his gaze.
Leon withdrew his gaze and looked toward the people in the Great Square. He spoke slowly:
“The traitors have been executed!”
“The territories they governed will be temporarily placed under the jurisdiction of the Imperial Southern Policy Research and Investigation Department.”
“Furthermore, of the assets held by these traitors, one-third will be used to subsidize the local residents, and one-third will be used to fund the construction of local public facilities.”
“The final third will serve as administrative funding for the Policy Research and Investigation Department!”
As his words fell, the crowd erupted into discussion. Some were skeptical, some were grateful, and some decided that they would hang a portrait of Leon in their homes tonight.
There were even those who wanted to hang Leon’s portrait at the foot of their beds, ensuring that Leon would be the first thing they saw during their undisturbed nights.
Leon, however, didn't care about the crowd's reaction. He walked straight down from the execution platform.
The remaining cleanup work could be left to Viscount Finn; Leon didn't have the time for it.
“Back to Eldenborg.”
After boarding the ox-horse carriage, Leon gave the order and closed his eyes to rest.
In reality, he was sinking his mind into his interface to check the results of the cold nobles being turned into warm experience points.
【Radiance Longbow Lv1 (84/100) → Radiance Longbow Lv2 (1/300)】
【You have leveled up Radiance Longbow. You may choose one of the following three traits for enhancement:】
【Infusion: After drawing the Radiance Longbow string, you can continuously charge the arrow for up to 3 seconds, increasing the arrow's power by up to 300%.】
【Resonate: The Radiance Longbow gains a resonance effect. Upon hitting a target, it triggers a light explosion, dealing damage within a 5-meter radius. This effect can trigger once every 10 seconds.】
【Empowering Linkage (Prerequisites: Master Hammer of Sacred Light, Hand of Divine Art, and Sacred Light Shield; Hammer of Sacred Light must be linked with Hand of Divine Art, and Sacred Light Shield must be linked with Radiance Longbow): Changes the linkage mechanism of the prerequisite Divine Arts. The linkage mechanism will be modified as follows: Hand of Divine Art will link with Radiance Longbow to become ‘Hand of Thunder’; Hammer of Sacred Light will link with Radiance Longbow to become ‘Light Hammer Arrow’; Sacred Light Shield will link with Hammer of Sacred Light to become ‘Crushing Hammer Shield’.】
“Infusion and Resonate are both quite good...”
Leon pondered for a moment.
“I choose Empowering Linkage.”
【Enhancement trait selected: Empowering Linkage】
Light flickered across the interface. As Leon carefully processed the details of the enhancement trait for the Radiance Longbow, his expression gradually morphed into one of pure, wide-mouthed shock.
“Linkage! Linkage! This Empowering Linkage is truly a case of quantity accumulating into a qualitative change!”
Having understood the transformations that Empowering Linkage brought to his Hammer of Sacred Light, Hand of Divine Art, Sacred Light Shield, and Radiance Longbow, Leon was ecstatic.
“This effect is too strong! Choosing the Linkage trait was definitely the right call!”
This linkage modification had truly exceeded Leon’s expectations!
He rode the ox-horse carriage back to the Rose Cathedral. Upon reaching the open space in the backyard, he turned to Alicia, who was following beside him.
“Allie, we haven't sparred since you promoted to Silver rank. Do you want to give it a try?”
“Allie?” Alicia, with a lollipop in her mouth, scratched her head, not quite understanding how her name had shortened from “Alicia” to “Allie.”
But since Priest Leon wanted to spar, then they would spar!
Alicia remembered her spar with Leon back when she was Bronze rank; she had been completely dominated.
But now that she had reached Silver rank, she had become much, much stronger!
Even the old man in her dreams told her that after reaching Silver rank, her combat instincts had become incredible. He said that even three or five ordinary Silver-rank transcendents wouldn't be a match for her!
Priest Leon was certainly not an “ordinary” Silver transcendent in the eyes of the old man in her dreams.
However...
“I’m going... to beat... you! Priest... Leon!”
Alicia manifested her pair of Blades of Hunger, her face filled with absolute seriousness.
Seeing Alicia pull out the Blades of Hunger right from the start, the smile on Leon’s face from obtaining Empowering Linkage suddenly froze.
Rate on N.U.
