Age of Adepts c1-1513

by Zhen De Lao Lang, 真的老狼

  “A holy spirit!” The elven priest, who had been watching with wide open eyes, couldn’t help but gasp.

  In the elven tomes she had read in the past, the elven gods would occasionally provide divine blessings to their most devoted followers, turning them into beings with holy power. These individuals that possessed some of a god’s power were called holy spirits!

  It was said that only the most devoted of believers, having undergone numerous trials and tribulations, would have the honor of being uplifted into holy spirits. Holy spirits could also represent a god and walk amongst mortals as their avatars. They would spread the teachings of the religion and strengthen the militia of believers.

  That was why this scene that the priest was witnessing was no different to her than a god creating a holy spirit.

  However, instead of a god, you had the fearsome Bloody Queen. Instead of a hero, you had a measly goblin. This unthinkable scene unfolding before her was turning everything she knew on its head.

  The priest quickly shut her eyes. She could hear a loud sound in her mind. It was the sound of her crumbling ideals!

  Locke was a knowledgeable and intelligent Third Grade adept.

  Even though he did not recognize the golden thread to be divine virtue, he still managed to surmise its true nature from everything that was happening, including the priest’s reaction.

  Divine virtue…to think it was divine virtue!

  These things did not exist in the World of Adepts. They could only be obtained in the World of Gods.

  He had read about divine virtue in books as well. He knew that it could extend lifespans, improve Physique, and strengthen the soul. However, he also knew that the most significant benefit brought about by divine virtue was…deification!

  It was said that five points of divine virtue were enough to turn a mortal into a divine being.

  The fortunate individual would then possess an undying body and an immortal soul!

  They would possess a body as pure and holy as the gods and would no longer be affected by cold, heat, poison, curses, and old age. Moreover, their soul would become resilient enough to endure even Third Grade death magic.

  All these benefits, all that power, were brought about by divine virtue.

  Locke screamed madly and wildly in his heart at the thought of the mere Second Grade Snorlax being able to enjoy the gift of divine virtue. He put his hand over his heart and kneeled on one knee. It took all he had to stop his body from trembling.

  If…if that divine virtue had been bestowed on him instead, how much more powerful he could have become!

  Locke kept his head tucked and lowered toward the ground.

  In the brief moment where all these thoughts flashed through the minds of Locke and the elf, Snorlax had already begun moving his body and getting up from the luxurious bed.

  He looked as if he had returned to his youth. Both his body and his appearance had reverted to the moment in his life where he was the strongest and most handsome; they would remain that way forever.

  Snorlax moved his tiny limbs around and felt the explosive power and endless energy within him. He finally raised his head curiously and asked, “Mistress Mary, what is this that you have bestowed on me!? It’s really effective. I…I’ve actually been revived.”

  “Hmph!” Mary snorted and said, “If you’re back to life, then get to work on reining those goblins in and make them obedient. Remember, this one point of divine virtue will only allow you to live for a hundred years more at best. Work well for me. If you perform good enough, I will continue to give you more divine virtue.”

  “I understand! Snorlax is off to teach those rowdy bastards a lesson,” Snorlax leaped around in excitement. When he raised his head again, Mary had already vanished without a trace.

  Upon sensing Mary’s departure, Adept Locke finally stood up. He smiled as he congratulated Snorlax, “Congratulations, Lord Snorlax! To think, you’ve been bestowed with divine virtue. You are destined for greatness now.”

  In the past, Locke had always been arrogant and prideful around Snorlax, given his status as a Third Grade adept. However, he was being incredibly humble, so much so that he actively lowered himself.

  Snorlax appeared momentarily stunned. He then ran over and grabbed Locke’s hand as he asked in an excited voice, “Lord Locke, you are the most knowledgeable person I know. You must know what divine virtue is. Why don’t…you tell me a little bit. What is divine virtue?”

  “Let’s talk while we walk! It’s best for you to show your face quicker. Otherwise, who knows what other kinds of a mess those fools will get up to?” Locke could sense the sacred power radiating from Snorlax’s body even better now that they were close. He felt a strange feeling of suppression around Snorlax, despite being an entire grade higher than him.

  Locke couldn’t help but sigh to himself in his mind.

  What a waste! How good it would have been if the divine virtue had been given to him instead.

  However, this one incident alone allowed Locke to understand the weight with which the two rulers of the Crimson Clan regarded Snorlax in their hearts. It seemed like he would have to get friendly with Snorlax from now on.

  …………

  Inside an arcane hall.

  A lively argument was going on.

  Spit and boots flew all over the place, just as words and fists were also exchanged. Every goblin greeted their political rival with their utmost passion and pulled votes for their favored candidates with all they had.

  While everyone was arguing loudly and trading blows, an extravagant golden boot adorned with all sorts of jewels flew through the air and smacked the goblin who was sitting in the Chairman’s seat on the forehead.

  A loud yelp could be heard as the goblin rolled onto the floor.

  He quickly got back on his feet. He picked up the golden boot and shouted, “Who is it? Which bastard was the one that threw this boot!”

  “It’s me!” A vaguely familiar voice rang out from the hall.

  The goblins who had been tussling together in a brawl stopped their fighting and turned their heads toward the entrance. Two goblins walked through the doors, shoulder to shoulder, clearly intimate acquaintances.

  Huh, it was Lord Locke…and…who was the other goblin?

  The same question arose in the minds of all the goblins.

  The young goblins might never have seen Snorlax in his youth, but there were some old goblins here as well. They let out a gasp in unison and pointed trembling fingers at the ‘handsome’ goblin youth as if they had just seen a ghost. Their mouths were wide agape, but only broken gasps escaped their lips.

  “Snorlax…it’s Lord Snorlax!”

  Finally, one of the old goblins shouted out loud.

  It was almost as if a chilling breeze blew across the hall. All the goblins froze on the spot.

  Snorlax led Locke through the crowd by the arm as he walked toward the Chairman’s seat with a cold smile on his face. All the goblins in his way felt a sinister and threatening aura pressing toward them. They found themselves involuntarily making way for him.

  Snorlax kicked aside the merchant leader stunned in front of his seat and sat down. He looked toward the shocked goblins and explained coldly, “By virtue of Lady Mary, I have been revived! From now on, this seat is still mine, and my word is still the final word. Anyone who has an opinion can step forward now.”

  Third Grade Adept Locke stood by the seat. He tapped his staff against the ground, and an invisible shockwave washed across the goblins. It was then that the goblins finally managed to digest this unbelievable news. They hastily returned to their own seats, as obedient and honest as students that had just been disciplined.

  The merchant leader that got kicked aside crawled before Snorlax like a maggot. He lifted the golden boot above his head respectfully, trembling as he did so.

  The Goblin Salvation Society believers hurriedly rushed forward and crouched before Snorlax, shouting slogans such as ‘Miracle!’ and �
�All hail Snorlax!’

  The atmosphere in the room turned around instantly!

  …………

  No one really quite cared about the whole commotion among the goblins.

  However, news of the divine virtue spread like a plague.

  In just an hour, the entirety of the Crimson Clan’s higher-ups had heard of this ‘hilarious’ incident. Within the day, almost every Fourth Grade adept in the Central Lands had also received word of this shocking news.

  The capricious vampire adept, Bloody Queen Lord Mary, had been extravagant enough to use divine virtue to save a Second Grade goblin.

  In all honesty, the first word that every Fourth Grade adept uttered when they heard this was ‘damn,’ and their first reaction was to assume she had gone insane!

  However, even more adepts were more curious about how much divine virtue Lady Mary had in her possession.

  Perhaps…it was possible, just maybe…that they could also trade for it!

  With this idea in mind, numerous messengers from the various clans gathered in Crimson Wing once more.

  Chapter 1489 - Adjustment of Power

  Greem was no longer the same nameless pawn when he returned to Boulder Fortress again!

  It seemed like news of his last battle had reached the fortress and had somehow spread among the people. It was said that he and Antuso had managed to kill the clone of a mid-ranked god.

  For a while, plenty of Great Adepts came to visit him and become acquaintances. In the end, Greem had no choice but to use the treatment of his wounds as an excuse to go into seclusion. It was the only way to stop the tide of ‘passion’ greeting him.

  Initially, Greem had been somewhat confused about it. It wasn’t until he asked around a little later that he understood why people were so excited around him!

  The adepts and the orc gods had been fighting for a long time. You could say they knew each other very well at this point.

  You attack my resource planes, and I will send someone to defend. I send someone to attack your faith worlds, and you defend.

  The two forces went back and forth in this fashion, locked in complicated battles throughout the galaxies.

  Under ordinary circumstances, the amount of military power that both forces deployed into any particular region was approximately the same. Most of the time, individual ability and cooperation among the combatants decided victory and defeat.

  Generally, the adepts were more agile and flexible, with a myriad of strange spells and unexpected abilities. More crucially, the adepts always fought in person, allowing them to utilize the power of their equipment and spells to their fullest.

  Even though it was likely for gods to join the fray in their true forms as well, they often had no choice but to deploy god clones due to their lack of numbers.

  While these were only god clones, they were still quite powerful!

  Apart from the divinity domains they controlled, each god clone could also use the common spells available to all divine beings, including Divine Shield, Divine Shockwave, and Energy Blast.

  The adepts also knew Divine Shield as ‘mini-invulnerability.’ All magic and physical attacks were useless against the gods themselves while it was activated. It was only by wearing out the Divine Shield through constant attacks that it was possible to harm the gods themselves.

  Because of this powerful defensive ability, the god clones always had the upper hand in their fights against the Great Adepts.

  If things turned south, they would activate their Divine Shield and flee. The adepts would be like dogs trying to bite down on a tortoise; they wouldn’t know where to start. If the god clones had the advantage in battle, they could rely on the Divine Shield to endure a wave of attacks and convert that advantage into victory.

  It was precisely because of the gods’ overwhelming advantage that the war dragged on for so long. These powerhouses of Fifth Grade and above were reduced deterrents. The true pivots of the war shifted to the various battles and conflicts within the planeworlds.

  The adepts would become weaker if their resources planes continued to be destroyed. On the other hand, if the orc gods’ faith worlds were ravaged and their believers massacred in great numbers, then they would be weakened.

  The orc pantheon could hold back a hundred Great Adepts with only twenty gods, precisely because of their tremendous individual power and clones.

  Due to this, the adepts could only use their numerical superiority to level out the orc gods’ strength advantage. Under such circumstances, it was almost impossible to trap and kill a god clone in battle.

  If Greem did not have the unusual ability provided by the Devouring Fish, he probably would have had a tough time capturing Horr’s clone, even if he could defeat him.

  The adepts and the orc pantheon had been at war for a long time, but fewer than ten god clones had been killed. Even in the worst situation, the doomed clone would choose to detonate their divine body and cover the escape of their divine authority fragments. They would never allow an enemy the opportunity to take the fragments with them.

  Greem’s victory could be attributed to none other than that terrifying stomach of his!

  Many Great Adepts who had arrived to visit him upon hearing news of his achievement clearly had their eyes set upon Greem’s Devouring Fish ability as well. They were prepared to work with him and hunt down isolated god clones on the battlefield.

  However, Greem knew that such unexpected ambushes were only effective the first time. Once the orcs were prepared, it would be challenging to achieve something like that again.

  Either way, Greem’s fame was spreading. He was one of the more well-known Fifth Grade Great Adepts of Boulder Fortress now.

  …………

  Half a year later.

  A ten-meter tall flame giant sat quietly on the floor inside a magical room.

  A strange orb burning with golden flames hovered before him. Thin strands of red fire shot from the orb into his head.

  Two entirely different powers were flowing parallel to each other along that chain of fire.

  An incredibly gentle golden power was surging out of the Orb of the Fire God. It contained an infernal heat that threatened to burn the world to ashes, yet also a holiness that seemed as if it would purify everything. If you looked at its form and appearance, it looked similar to fire divine-power.

  Meanwhile, what surged out of Greem’s body were violent and invisible flames. These flames were fierce and furious, filled with an aura of destruction. These were the two fire principles that he now possessed.

  The two powers merged and melded along the fire chain, often clashing and neutralizing each other due to their different natures. Fine cracks appeared and disappeared around the chain of fire. The energy shockwaves created by this conflict in powers were absorbed into outer space, preventing any lasting damage to the surrounding area.

  However, as the conflicts and neutralization persisted, traces of mutated fire energy began to be left behind. This fire energy possessed the characteristics of both the fire principles and the fire divine-power. It appeared unusual.

  Greem continued chanting, guiding the mutated fire into his right eye. He then successfully cast a spell and sealed the mutated fire in there.

  Greem’s right eye grew brighter and more blinding as more and more mutated fire gathered within. From a distance, it looked almost as if a miniature sun had been stuffed into his eye. The golden light seared the eyes of anyone who looked upon it, and the heat was oppressive.

  Five thousand points…ten thousand points…twenty thousand points…thirty thousand points.

  When the energy level reached thirty-two thousand points in intensity, Greem finally received a notification from the Chip. He stopped his incantations and cut off the absorption of the mutated fire.

  [Beep. The Berserk Eye has been created. Energy intensity: 32,000 points. Capable of inflicting severe damage to beginner Fifth Grades and moderate damage to intermediate Fifth Grades if unleashed
all at once. Can pose a minor threat to advanced Fifth Grades.

  [Unleashing the mutated fire stored within the Berserk Eye at a rapid rate will inflict damage on the medium. Fifteen days of recovery will be required with every use.

  [The Berserk Eye will remain sealed under most circumstances, preventing the use of normal sight.]

  Greem finally relaxed after receiving the Chip’s notification.

  As he completed the final seal, the abnormality in Greem’s right eye gradually faded away. Only a small fire rune, almost imperceptible to the naked eye, spun slowly in his black pupil.

  He had sacrificed his right eye and obtained a powerful fire attack that could be unleashed at any time in battle. That was worth it, no matter how Greem looked at it. After all, those orc god clones all possessed shocking combat prowess in battle.

  Without a hidden ace, fighting against them was no less than torture!

  Greem’s fire magic was powerful, but he lacked trusted companions on the battlefield. If a battle ended up being difficult, Greem was often the first target of a god’s pursuit.

  To put it nicely, Greem would have no choice but to teleport around and kite them. To put it bluntly, Greem was the one being chased around like a homeless dog.

  Even though he had Fifth Grade Remi to aid him in battle, Remi’s attribute was poison; being a tank didn’t suit him. That was why Greem would have to find some way to deal with this weakness of his, at least until the intermediate Fifth Grade voodoo beast was completed.

  Continuing his research on teleportation via assimilation with the principles was one option. Another option was to simply prepare more aces for combat use.