In the manor square, waves of divine power from the God of Sacred Light rippled through the air.
Leon rapidly cast every divine spell he knew, draining his mental energy dry in just one minute.
However, facing Leon's onslaught, Thomas remained as composed as if he were strolling through a garden. Holding his black spear, he didn't retreat a single step, parrying every attack directed at him.
“I’m done. I've run out of mental energy,” Leon said as he stopped.
Thomas, who was just about to counterattack, was stunned for a moment before laughing in frustration.
“Young Master Leon, that’s not fair! I haven't even made a single move yet, and you're already out of energy?”
“You don't understand. This is just how priests are,” Leon replied, his expression unchanging.
He had been practicing Holy Light Meditation for too short a time. Even though his experience in Holy Light Meditation had exceeded 80 points—giving him a mastery of the divine spell that surpassed Bishop Miles and allowing him to gain more mental energy per session than other priests—his accumulation was still too meager. He needed more time to grow.
Furthermore, he had just expended his mental energy with full force, casting divine spells in actual combat without holding anything back. It was only natural that he would run out after a few moves.
Besides, this was how combat worked. There were rarely any long, drawn-out battles. Naturally, one would unleash their ultimate moves the moment they met, giving the enemy no chance to react.
If the ultimate moves were spent and the enemy was still alive, it was time to think about how to escape. How could one possibly stay and engage in a protracted, exhausting struggle?
Having finished casting his spells, Leon called out... though there was no need. The moment the battle ended, Alicia immediately followed him like a shadow.
While this was somewhat bothersome, it undoubtedly made it easier for Leon to milk the “audience feedback” from her without needing to find extra excuses.
Leon didn't return to his room. Instead, he found a spot in the manor square and sat directly on the ground.
However, he didn't begin his Holy Light Meditation. Instead, he blinked slightly, looking at the flowing light of the panel that appeared in his vision.
【Divine Spell Performance Rating: Normal】
【Hammer of Holy Light Experience +8】
【Hammer of Holy Light Lv1 (93/100) → Hammer of Holy Light Lv2 (1/300)】
【You have leveled up Hammer of Holy Light. You may choose one of the following three traits for enhancement.】
【Heavy Hammer: The mental energy cost of casting Hammer of Holy Light increases. The hammer's strike speed is reduced by 50%, but its power is increased by 400%.】
【Grip: Shrinks the Hammer of Holy Light to the size of a normal hammer and significantly extends its duration. When you cast Hammer of Holy Light, you can hold it in your hand to strike enemies. Struck enemies will suffer "Holy Light Burn" damage.】
【Linkage: Links with the divine spell Hand of Divine Spells. Casting Hammer of Holy Light will summon a Hand of Divine Spells, which will wield the Hammer of Holy Light to attack. By continuously injecting mental energy, the "Hand of Divine Spells Linkage Form" can be maintained.】
“Finally leveled up...”
Even before looking at the new enhancement traits, Leon felt a surge of satisfaction seeing Hammer of Holy Light upgrade from Lv1 to Lv2.
It was like the refreshing feeling of a game character finally leveling up after going through countless hardships.
Leon quickly scanned the three enhancement traits available on the panel.
“Heavy Hammer... this means sacrificing the speed of the Hammer of Holy Light to focus on power. A 400% increase is indeed powerful, but it has to actually hit the enemy...”
Leon currently didn't possess any binding-type divine spells, so he couldn't force an enemy to stand still and take a hit from this Heavy Hammer.
After considering it, Leon decided to pass on this trait.
“And Grip... essentially turning the Hammer of Holy Light into an actual hammer weapon with an enchantment... but I’m a priest, not a bloodline warrior. How could I possibly engage in close-quarters melee combat with an enemy?”
He rejected the Grip trait as well.
“That only leaves the last trait: Linkage!”
Leon looked at the linked divine spell.
If it were linked to something like Light Prayer or Healing, Leon might have hesitated.
But seeing that the linked spell was the Hand of Divine Spells, what was there to even talk about?
The Hand of Divine Spells was currently the only Silver rank divine spell Leon had mastered!
Casting the Hand of Divine Spells normally required a significant amount of mental energy, but if it were cast through the Linkage trait of the Hammer of Holy Light, there would be no need to worry.
Because Leon would only need to expend the mental energy cost of a single Hammer of Holy Light to manifest both the Hammer of Holy Light and the Hand of Divine Spells!
This was the true power of the Linkage trait!
【Enhancement Trait Selected: Linkage】
The panel suddenly changed, and the new trait appeared beneath Hammer of Holy Light. At the same time, knowledge regarding the linkage was funneled into Leon's mind.
This knowledge filled Leon with excitement.
“With the Linkage trait, Hammer of Holy Light can completely become my primary means of attack...”
Most importantly, it solved his current weakness of having weak mental energy that lacked endurance.
Now, he could go from being a one-minute hero to a five-minute hero!
...
Thomas and the warriors of the Falcon Warband had settled into the manor.
While they were supposedly there to protect Leon, they actually had quite a leisurely time. In the two days since they arrived in Solainem, Leon had hardly stepped foot outside the manor.
He was either in the hall finding someone to spar with him using divine spells, or he was out in the square soaking up the sun while practicing Holy Light Meditation.
This level of diligence left even Thomas speechless.
“The Young Master has truly grown up. He can even endure such tedious Holy Light Meditation,” Thomas said, standing beside Old Hunter.
Holy Light Meditation was a divine spell that every formal priest of the Sacred Light Church had to master.
However, mastering it was one thing; few priests could consistently practice it to expand their mental energy pool.
The reason, naturally, was that meditation was extremely boring and monotonous. It required sitting still for several hours every day, yet the increase in mental energy from each session was incredibly minute.
Ordinary people simply didn't have the willpower to persist with meditation every day.
“Hmph!” Hearing this, Old Hunter snorted with a hint of pride. “The Young Master is gifted with extraordinary talent and intelligence. He is not someone ordinary people can be compared to.”
“That’s true.” Thomas smiled and added, “As long as the Young Master is given enough time, even the position of Pope of the Sacred Light Church might not be beyond his reach.”
Old Hunter shot him a quick glance. “Don’t say such things recklessly! If someone hears you, rumors might start about the Young Master criticizing His Holiness the Pope.”
Thomas didn't respond, instead watching Leon as he continued his meditation.
He then shifted his gaze to Alicia, who was beside Leon, focusing particularly on her emerald-green eyes.
“I wonder if having a God-Chosen of the God of Thieves following him during a time like this is a good thing or a bad thing...”
...
Leon finished his meditation for the day, and Old Hunter came forward to meet him.
“Young Master, Mr. Ryan is already waiting in the hall.”
“Understood.”
Leon exhaled a breath of turbid air and headed toward the manor hall.
Stepping into the hall, he saw Ryan already seated on a soft sofa, touching this and poking that with a look of great curiosity.
At his feet were over a dozen packages of various sizes.
They were filled with a hodgepodge of items—food, clothes, dolls, and more.
Rate on N.U.
