Pioneer Lord: I Have Conquering System

Igo Saint's voice grew heavy, a flicker of worry in his eyes. Levi sensed the change in atmosphere and felt a vague sense of unease, but he remained silent, waiting for Igo Saint to continue.

"The incident occurred three hundred years after the end of the Holy War," Igo Saint said slowly. "At that time, the Magic Tide of the Material Realm was gradually weakening, and the Power of many Races waned along with it. The Elves, Dwarves, Giant Dragons, and other once-mighty Races slowly lost the Power they had prided themselves on as Magic Power dried up. Humans, on the other hand, despite not being born with great Magic Talent, gradually rose to prominence due to the popularization of Combat Qi."

"The Holy Knights who cultivated the Holy Word Treasure Manual would also, sooner or later, be able to deal with the Fallen Divine Servants and the remaining Undead in the Trial World."

"However, just when everything seemed to be going smoothly, not a single Holy Knight ever returned from the Magicless World we used to imprison the Fallen Divine Servants and the Undead."

"Afterward, no matter how many Holy Knights we sent, the result was the same. Eventually, the Magic Power in the Material Realm had almost completely dissipated. The Dawn Blue Crystal used to create the Physical Limit Potion was also mined to depletion. Even with the Holy Word Treasure Manual, Holy Knights could only increase their Power by a dozen times or so, making them equivalent to a Middle Tier Warrior at best."

"Even Epic Level Holy Knights couldn't return from the Trial World after the incident, let alone these weaker ones. It was a meaningless sacrifice, so there was no need to keep sending people in."

"So, from that point on, we completely lost control of the Trial World."

'Several thousand years have passed, and those Fallen Divine Servants haven't escaped. It's highly likely there's no problem. If we can't get in, we can't get in. That might even be a good thing.' Although Levi felt it was a pity to lose a world, he figured permanently isolating those creatures from the Material Realm wasn't a total waste.

"It seems you haven't realized, Levi." Igo Saint blinked at the Lord. "If we cannot enter the Trial World to complete the trial and receive the baptism of the promotion ceremony, it means that no one in the Holy Light Church—neither Priests nor Holy Knights—can advance to the Legendary Tier. They can only ever reach the Epic Level."

"And that, of course, includes you." Igo Saint looked calmly at Levi after speaking. "This is absolutely not some trick we're playing on you. Even the current His Holiness the Pope of the Holy Light Church is only an Epic Level Holy Light Mage."

"Ever since that incident, not a single Legendary Powerhouse has appeared in the Holy Light Church."

"What about the other Saints?" Levi asked with a frown.

Just from seeing the magnificent body outside, he knew the physical Power of these Saints was by no means weak. It was impossible for them to have ignored such a major event.

"I hate to say it, but aside from me, the other Saints returned to the Goddess's embrace not long after the Holy War ended." Igo Saint sighed. "Although I'm still alive, as nothing more than a soul, I can only watch this situation unfold helplessly."

"So, you want me to enter the Trial World and see what happened?" Levi asked, tapping the table.

"Correct." Igo Saint nodded frankly. "However, the choice to go or not is yours. We will give you the subsequent cultivation methods for the Holy Word Treasure Manual regardless."

"After all, this problem ultimately belongs to our Holy Light Church. It shouldn't be forced upon an outsider."

Levi couldn't help but be impressed. Although Igo Saint was asking for help, the way he said it gave off an air of being completely forthright and honorable, making it impossible for anyone to feel any ill will.

'As expected of an old geezer who's lived since ancient times.'

"I'd like to ask a few questions, and I hope Lord Igo Saint can answer them for me," Levi said after a moment of contemplation.

"Ask whatever you like." Igo Saint nodded and poured the Lord another cup of tea.

"First question: why not send a Legendary Holy Knight? I remember there was a Legendary Holy Knight who slew a Thunder Giant at Thunder Cliff around that time. If he had taken action, he should have been able to solve this problem easily." The Lord was recalling a genius Holy Knight that Liya had once told him about, a powerhouse from that exact period.

"You must be talking about Diaylot," Igo Saint explained patiently. "Unfortunately, the reason the Trial World is called the Trial World is that our Teleportation Array leading to it cannot transport powerhouses of the Legendary Tier."

"And since the Trial World was created by the Goddess herself, we cannot open a new Teleportation Gate."

"Second question: why choose me?" Levi continued to ask.

"Because there is no one more suitable than you. Your tier is Epic at best, and your cultivation of the Holy Word Treasure Manual is merely at the Firefly Tier, yet your physical Power is in no way weaker than a Legendary Holy Knight's."

"In the Material Realm, this completely defies common sense, yet this common sense has been broken by you." As he spoke of this, Igo Saint couldn't help but sound a little amazed. "In a pure hand-to-hand fight, you could even wrestle with a Giant Dragon of the present day!"

"Besides, the Holy Knights of today, without the Physical Limit Potion, are simply too weak."

Levi didn't let Igo Saint's praise go to his head. He pondered for a long while before finally looking up at him. "You said the Holy Word Treasure Manual was created based on you Twelve Saints. In that case, can the Holy Word Treasure Manual grant me a Talent like yours?"

If, at first, the Lord had only coveted the Holy Word Treasure Manual for its ability to enhance his physical Power, sending him all-in on the path of pure melee combat...