Leveling Up by Executing Monsters

In any case, the Book of Truth finally had a new feature. This was far more practical than before, when all it did was play the *Giant Matchstick Man* comic strip and inexplicably turn into a Seed of Consciousness.

’As for this bracelet... I can’t say it’s completely useless, but I suppose it’s better than nothing...’

’But it’s still better than a small cake missing its cherry, right?’

So, Lloyd sent a scrolling message in response:

"Heh... A nice gift."

Only after receiving this response did Goldrinn dare to raise his head. He let out a long sigh of relief and added in a low voice:

"It seems my tribute is indeed better than a small cake."

Elolo flushed with embarrassment and quickly defended herself:

"Then I... I’ll offer Lord Uther to the Venerable Master next time."

She was talking about the stuffed octopus doll that sat by her bed...

Judging by her tone, she seemed extremely reluctant to part with it.

Jenkins sensed her reluctance and advised,

"We present tributes merely to show our respect to the Venerable. So, I don’t think there’s any need to compete. After all, anything we can offer is just a trivial little toy to Him."

Lloyd, who was listening in, didn’t know whether to laugh or cry and couldn’t help but complain inwardly:

’Come on, Jenkins, don’t be a busybody. I was hoping for a few more ’top donors’!’

’Too bad I have to maintain my persona as a profound and inscrutable powerhouse. I can only think these things to myself.’

Meanwhile, the four on the chessboard were discussing Goldrinn’s experience, with Balderes currently speaking:

"I never thought the knowledge from the Venerable’s Blessing could have such an effect. Too bad I didn’t learn any of it... Still, being able to resist the impact of Forbidden Knowledge is pretty good. That’s an effect only Holy Artifacts usually have, right?"

"Correct. And only Holy Artifacts of Level 4 or higher have this kind of effect. But Holy Artifacts of that level are all controlled by the Sect’s Saint’s Favor Court. People like us in the investigation team aren’t qualified to possess them. Hoarding them privately is a serious crime."

Goldrinn replied, a hint of helplessness in his tone.

Jenkins then said:

"Knowledge also has ranks of high and low, strong and weak. Low-level Forbidden Knowledge might be dangerous to us, but it pales in comparison to the great knowledge bestowed by the Venerable. And now, with the Venerable’s Blessing, I have the confidence to continue my abandoned research."

Elolo, however, asked a little strangely:

"Um... I want to ask, can the Venerable’s Blessing make me stronger?"

Jenkins explained,

"If you can understand that knowledge, you will definitely become stronger. Or rather, you must become stronger before you can truly understand it. Before then, it should just protect you from the impact and corruption of Forbidden Knowledge, right?"

He then added,

"Why are you suddenly asking this? Weren’t you quite wary of the Path of the Extraordinary before?"

"That was before..."

Elolo said, a clear note of grievance in her voice, and continued to explain:

"Before, I thought that staying home every day and occasionally taking a walk into town was a very happy life. After all, my dad said that girls shouldn’t run around all over the place...

But these past few days, I don’t know what’s gotten into me, but I suddenly want to go see other places... No, that’s not right. I’ve always wanted to see other places. It’s just that in the last two days, this desire has suddenly become much stronger?"

After listening, Jenkins tried to help analyze the situation:

"Your mindset might be changing because you’ve experienced the power and mystery of the Supreme One. It’s like a traveler who sees a high mountain and is no longer willing to stand still. This is a good thing. With your talent, you should have started moving forward long ago."

Balderes chimed in to support him:

"Exactly! Isn’t your father very powerful? He’s an expert in Mysticism and engineering, and a High-ranking Powerhouse, right? Why don’t you just start learning from him?"

"Mmm... but... never mind. It’s nothing."

Elolo seemed to want to say something in her defense, but she didn’t. She just swayed her body from side to side, as if shaking her head.

At this point in the conversation, the atmosphere suddenly became a bit awkward, as if no one had anything else to talk about.

Lloyd, listening in, could understand. After all, only three days had passed since the last gathering. It was impossible for everyone to have had an experience like Goldrinn.

’So this meeting is pretty much done for today. Besides, I have some new discoveries of my own to ponder.’

So, he took over for Jenkins and used a scrolling message to adjourn the meeting:

"Alright, that will be all for today."

"Yes."

"As you command."

"I look forward to our next audience."

Jenkins and the other two responded in succession, their figures slowly vanishing from the chessboard.

Elolo, who was always the first to bolt, uncharacteristically stayed behind. She even boldly glanced up at the ’audience’ beside her, only looking away when she became dizzy. Then, she said pitifully:

"Venerable, if I offer you the small cake and Lord Uther, will you help... no, will you protect me?"

As she spoke, a crack opened in the chessboard before her, and she tossed a fluffy object inside.

Lloyd looked down and saw an adorably goofy octopus doll gradually materialize in his hand. He didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

’If I had the ability, I wouldn’t mind protecting this cute little girl...’

’But the problem is, what could I use to protect someone so far away in the City of Joy?’

’But if I refuse her outright, won’t it damage my image as the Supreme One?’

While Lloyd was hesitating, Elolo below, perhaps seeing his lack of response, spoke up again:

"I know perfectly well that the small cake and Lord Uther are nothing but insignificant specks of dust to you. But right now... I really want to leave my town and see the world, but I don’t dare disobey my father’s orders. So... I just want a little more courage..."

’You’ve really given me a tough problem, haven’t you?’

Lloyd scratched his head helplessly. ’Should I just strengthen her Twist effect? Make her a little more ’resolute’?’

Just then, he noticed the Tentacle Grass waving its appendages wildly at him, trying to get his attention.

Lloyd glanced at the thing. It immediately puffed out its chest, held its head high, and started patting its chest, looking just like a project manager boasting to a client:

"Leave this requirement to me! I’ll take care of it!"

’Fine, why don’t you give it a try?’

The Tentacle Grass immediately began to wriggle triumphantly. Two faint red lights emanated from its two newly grown ’arms,’ which then stretched out and touched the octopus doll in Lloyd’s hand.

The two red lights promptly sank into the doll’s body.

Lloyd picked up the doll for a closer look and was surprised to find it emanating a faint power of Curse and Calamity.

Then, he felt a slight itch on his head. The Book of Truth was spinning, but it didn’t open.

And then, he inexplicably understood. The octopus doll was now a low-level, temporary Holy Artifact with a limited duration.

Its function was roughly this: for the next thirty days, when Elolo was attacked or harmed, it would unleash a one-time attack from the Curse and Calamity systems.

However, the specific effect and power of the attack were random. It wouldn’t be very strong, and could even be very weak...

After being activated once, or after the thirty-day period expired, the doll would revert to a normal stuffed toy.

’I never expected the Tentacle Grass’s development capabilities would get stronger after growing a pair of ’arms.’ It can even address user pain points directly now?’

’But these two systems...’

Lloyd turned his head to look at the few new sprouts on the other side.

The blood-red sprout representing the Advisor had faded slightly. Its already listless state became even more lethargic, its leaves drooping.

’Good grief. It wasn’t enough to borrow his fearsome reputation, now it has to fleece him for his power too? Is it really not going to let the guy recover in peace?’

’However...’

’Nice one! Fleece him! Fleece him dry! Fleece some more!’

’Anything less would be an insult to the power of a top Eighth Tier expert.’

Lloyd found this hilarious and even pictured a scene in his mind:

Elolo gets attacked and lets out a delicate cry of "Aah!"

The Advisor suddenly teleports in front of her and says coldly:

"Get away from Elolo!"

Then he shoots out a pillar of light and, BANG, obliterates the enemy.

’It gives me a strong sense of déjà vu, doesn’t it?’

Lloyd then activated the ’send gift’ function on the screen. The octopus doll in his hand slowly faded away, reappearing back on the chessboard.

"Huh? Lord Uther is back? Did the Venerable refuse me?"

Elolo first spoke with a hint of disappointment, but she immediately sensed a change in the doll.

"Lord Uther seems... stronger?"

Before she could think too much about it, she saw another line of text float before her eyes:

"Courage comes from within your heart, not from the gifts of others."

Elolo was stunned for a moment. Her White Bishop chess piece made a nodding motion, and she said with great seriousness:

"Yes! I understand. I will be sure to remember Your teachings! And I will definitely offer you a small cake next time!"

With that, her figure gradually faded away.

As the meeting concluded, the last remaining ’White Soldier’ also slowly disappeared, and the screen before Lloyd went dark.

"Feels like our little seminar is becoming more and more promising, eh?"

Lloyd summarized in a low voice.

Seeing that everyone was in good spirits, he was relieved.

And the direction he had set for the Twist had also taken effect.

Goldrinn had indeed become more cautious than before, and Jenkins planned to resume his research, which meant he was starting to pull himself together.

’But I wonder if the magnitude of the Twist I set was too low. Judging from Goldrinn’s story, even though he did his research and made preparations, didn’t he still end up just charging recklessly toward the Forbidden Knowledge in the end?’