You are all my wings...

Chapter Seventy-Five: The Magical Halo of Trust

Faced with Lyon's praise, Bovary immediately looked ashamed:

"No, compared to Your Excellency, I am far from being good enough, and there is still much for me to learn."

He thought to himself: Your Excellency may have only said that to appease me. After all, he had criticized even Karl, who had used his fourth-tier combat skill twice. I had contributed a few attacks that seemed to go smoothly, but they were far from good. I must work harder.

Lyon was speechless. He hadn't criticized you, and you hadn't made any mistakes, so what was there to be ashamed of?

Does the power of the aura of trust still last?

Is this skill so persistent?

Or does it depend on the person?

While pondering, he turned to Miro and said:

"Milo, as for you, just stay as you are, and try your best occasionally."

Milo's eyes lit up: "Does Your Excellency mean that I am exceptionally talented, so I should just play to my normal level?"

Leon shrugged: "No, I just don't have any expectations of you."

Milo's face fell: "Your Excellency, isn't that a bit too hurtful? I am a glorious Papal Knight, a quasi-Paladin!"

"Let me rephrase the question: Who do you think is the least qualified member of this team?"

Miró looked at Bovary.

The other three all looked at Milo simultaneously.

Leon: "See? Your past behavior has made you look down on by the team, understand?"

Milo muttered, "Why not Bovary, that sullen guy? At least I can liven up the team atmosphere, right?"

Lyon: "Bovary is much more capable than you, and you're not so useless that you need to use the term 'active team' to make it count. After all, didn't you seize the opportunity last time and unleash a decent fourth-tier combat skill? You did make a contribution."

"So what exactly do you mean by this mix of praise and criticism?"

Milo was confused.

"It's nothing, just stating the facts. Like I said before, if you can put in an effort occasionally, you've already done right by the team. I'm sure they won't criticize you too much."

Lyon smiled as he spoke, subtly casting an aura of trust over Miro.

Since Bovary's method has proven so effective, why not find someone with the opposite approach to test it out?

That set of words he just used was a deliberate provocation tactic, to see what effect would occur when the trust halo was superimposed.

Suddenly, a chill ran down Milo's spine as he noticed that Leon's gaze towards him had changed.

How should I describe it?

Disdain, as if looking at trash?

What does it mean to say that occasional effort is enough to satisfy the team? That they won't criticize me?

He's just good at fighting, quick at casting magic, good-looking, has a better relationship with the Saintess, is very knowledgeable about monsters, and is calmer in battle. What right does he have to look down on himself?

At that moment, Milo felt himself ignited.

He had never felt such a strong urge to work hard, to train diligently, and to one day shout to Leon, "Your Excellency, your expectations have been dashed!"

"Humph!"

He gave a haughty snort, walked to the side, and sat down quietly.

Leon watched Miro's movements thoughtfully, wondering if it would be effective; they would know in actual combat later.

However, judging from the change in his eyes, did he seem to be going in the wrong direction?

……

Let's rewind to six hours before Lyon jumped from the 24th floor into the massive waterfall of the Water City.

After being forced back by the combined magic of Leon and Iris, the fifth-order life alchemist Andrio began to attempt to remotely activate the crimson monster.

After a short while, they discovered that they could not respond to the catalyst left inside the blood-red monster, and they were shocked.

"They actually destroyed my life alchemy golem in an instant? What other hidden masters were inside?"

This discovery made him hesitate.

Should we continue the pursuit?

This is a rare moment when Astalia's proxy is alone; if she misses this opportunity, she won't have another chance like this.

After a moment's thought, Andrio decided to call his men.

Since the opponent was able to destroy her life alchemy golem in an instant, it either means that the Saintess has a backup plan, or that there is a hidden master in her team.

Is it that pureblood elf, or that pretty-boy magician?

No, there's no need to hesitate at all; it's definitely the long-lived one.

As expected of a saintess, she even managed to recruit diplomats from the Holy Land of Elves; she certainly has some skills.

So, to increase your chances of winning, let's just mess around in this dungeon for a while.

A while later, his subordinates who remained on other floors received messages from his familiar and arrived one after another.

There are two fourth-tier and eight third-tier members, all of whom are powerful confidants that Andrio has personally cultivated over the past eighty years. They are humanoid monsters who possess both the abnormal physical bodies brought about by the Life Alchemy and the enhancements of extraordinary professions.

“Utaman, Machiru, according to my detection results, they have disappeared on the 24th floor, most likely escaping to lower floors. Next, I want you to start from the 25th floor and search downwards, one floor at a time, understand?”

Utaman is a metal-skinned human modified by life alchemy. He is 1.9 meters tall and his entire body is covered in a layer of mithril skin. He is not wearing clothes except for a breastplate that reveals his muscular physique.

His eyes were implanted with two large, pupil-less compound eyes, which looked like protruding, jet-black duck eggs.

These eyes were taken from the fourth-order monster, the Fly King, giving him extraordinary eyesight.

He said, "Don't worry, mentor. With my keen observation skills, finding their trail will be a piece of cake. Where did they disappear to? I'll go check the trail first."

Andrio nodded: "The cave is just a hundred meters ahead. Go and take a look."

Utaman grinned in agreement, revealing an empty mouth without teeth.

This silver face, with only eyeballs and almost no other facial features, is quite frightening.

Andrio: "Even though my face looks weird, you still shouldn't keep bringing your face so close to mine, okay?"

Utaman shrugged: "Mentor, you're so heartless. You just said my face was your most successful work."

"I mean you as a whole are my best work. As for your face, I'm sorry, it's my biggest flaw."

"Mentor, can you correct this flaw?"

"Enough talk, go investigate."

"Yes~"

Utaman drew out his voice and vanished from the spot in a flash.

Andrio then looked at Macchiato: "And you, what suggestions do you have?"

Machiru is a petite, beautiful girl who is less than 1.5 meters tall.

She was clad entirely in a pure black magic robe, holding a magic wand. She had a slender figure, delicate features, short, light silver hair cascading over her shoulders, and fair skin with a hint of illness. She also had heterochromatic eyes, one red and the other gold.

These heterochromatic eyes are also a result of the alchemy of life.

The left eye is implanted with the eyeball of a fourth-tier monster, the Crimson-Eyed Fairy, while the right eyeball is implanted with the eyeball of a third-tier powerful monster, the Platinum Striped Tiger. The left eyeball possesses the characteristics of precision, calmness, and increased magic power, while the right eyeball possesses the characteristics of intimidation, insight, and increased physical strength.

Her profession is witch, an ancient and rare profession with few successors, combining the characteristics of a magician and an alchemist.

"I have no objection; I will follow the mentor's instructions."

She said coldly.

"Alright, then you'll be in charge of assisting Utaman. He's not careful enough, so it's up to you."

Andrio ignored her tone and gave an elegant smile:

"You two are my most successful creations. Make the most of them. It's time to take back everything we deserve from the Holy See. If we encounter them, leave no survivors except for the saintess... Oh no, if that long-lived one is stronger, I'll deal with him. He's excellent alchemy material."

"Yes, mentor."

Chapter 76 I don't think Brierita is that bad

It was the eighth hour since Lyon and his companions entered the 34th floor.

Once they were fully recovered, the group's marching route became faster.

My first goal is the 37th and 38th floors.

Floor 37 contains a powerful light-attribute monster called the Lightmoss. You can obtain its spellcasting cores as upgrade items; currently, it may be at tier 3 or tier 4.

Floor 38 contains a powerful fourth-order Shadow-type monster, the Shadow Scorpion, a legendary monster from mythology that once devoured the shadows of the earth, bringing boundless terror to the ancient intelligent species.

This is a way to enhance everyone's strength in the near future.

As for Berylita's advancement, Leon already knew that she had all the necessary conditions for advancement, and what she lacked was the necessary advancement items.

However, she is a Holy Prayer, and the only upgrade item available to her is a fragment of the Goblet of Fortune, which can only be obtained by winning the selection of a Holy Knight.

Of course, as a saintess, Berylita does have other upgrade items to choose from.

She had been waiting for this selection of paladins only because the shard of the Cup of Fortune was the best among the current choices.

It is said that this wine cup was an item obtained by a legendary figure who was known as a holy hero in ancient times. It was used to spread the seeds of wisdom to all the people, so that they could successfully survive from the ancient times when monsters were everywhere.

Even today, these items retain extraordinary, mythical characteristics.

Of course, the Vatican only has a few fragments in its collection.

Even just fragments were enough to grant Brierita a powerful and pleasurable experience.

Incidentally, if an upgrade item has mythical attributes, the upgrader will generally gain the corresponding attributes after the upgrade ceremony is completed.

Leon previously used the rare Elemental Ring to upgrade his character and successfully gained the Elemental Balance property, which made it easier for him to cast combination spells.

Just like before he advanced, he couldn't instantly cast a pseudo-intermediate spell.

A spell can only be cast successfully if it is cast in a specific order and by merging with magical imagery.

Now, he can activate the pseudo-intermediate level with just a thought.

The previous fake tornadoes are an example.

As for true intermediate-level magic, currently only Hurricane Bullet can be cast within 2 seconds, while other spells like Frost Tide and Tornado require seven or eight seconds to prepare.

Now, the group is walking in the passageway leading to the 35th floor.

"After another 400 meters, we should reach the 35th floor. Be careful then, as there's a chance we'll encounter the Crimson Demon again. Also, once we reach the 35th floor, each floor has a floor master. We should try to take the side paths next to the main road to avoid the floor masters."

Lyon gave everyone some instructions and details to keep in mind.

When a monster becomes powerful enough, it will spontaneously expand its territory, and its range of activity will no longer be limited to a small cave or side road, but the entire floor.

These monsters that occupy an entire floor are called floor masters, and they are usually powerful monsters.

The floor masters on floors 35-40 are generally powerful fourth-tier monsters. Some of them have grown into powerful fifth-tier monsters because they have not been eliminated by adventurers for a long time.

Of course, if the person who cleared out the floor owner has done so, things will be easier in the surrounding area for the next two or three weeks, because the floor owner often takes a long time to be reborn.

Leon explained many details and precautions that ordinary adventurers wouldn't know.

Britta, who was standing nearby, nodded repeatedly, acknowledging Leon's attention to detail and knowledge.

[Character Burelita's affection level +1%, current affection level 52%]

pat.

As you step into the cave ahead, a light as bright as day suddenly shines through.

Everyone instinctively covered their eyes with their hands to avoid being stimulated by the strong light.

Only Iris, as a light elementalist, felt no discomfort at all; instead, she felt a warm sensation of returning to her mother's embrace.

She took the first step, brandishing her wand in a watchful manner.