As an NPC, having a lot of skills is quite reasonable, right?

Moen glanced at the attribute panel.

[Status: Severe Paralysis (All attributes reduced by 30%)]

"Too slow."

Moen cursed inwardly.

This poisonous fog is indeed powerful, but Moen now feels it's not powerful enough.

He can't use his magic right now, and his only chance to turn the tide is to wait for all his attributes to collapse or for him to be in a near-death state, thereby triggering the [Adversity Baptism].

However, at the current rate, Moen estimates it will take another ten minutes or so to reach the standard for total attribute collapse.

Seeing that Moen was not moving in the cage, Buck swung his knife and slashed Moen's thigh, instantly staining his trousers with blood.

"Ugh!" Moen gritted his teeth and let out a painful groan.

This wasn't acting; it really hurt.

But he deliberately screamed louder and acted as if he was in great pain, because for a sadist like Buck, the screams of his prey were the best stimulant.

If he remains silent, the other party will become dissatisfied, feel it's pointless, and simply kill him.

"Hahahaha! Scream! Keep screaming!" Buck's fat face trembled with excitement as he heard Moen's screams.

He watched as this expert, whom the important figure had specifically instructed him to handle with caution, was now like a dead dog at his mercy, and the thrill of power made him feel somewhat elated.

"The person above originally told me not to tell you."

As Buck wiped the blood from his knife, he leaned closer to the iron cage: "But I really love the look of despair in your eyes right now, so I'll mercifully tell you some good news."

"While we are talking, one of my elite squads is already attacking your Blackberry Manor."

Buck observed Moen's expression and continued, "Of course, my men alone are definitely not enough. But a few of the church's prospective knights have infiltrated the team, and they brought something called an [Ether Disruptor]."

"That's what it sounds like." After saying "Ether Interference Device," Buck paused to consider whether that was the correct pronunciation.

Moen, who had been silently calculating the time, suddenly raised his head.

[Ethernet jammer].

That was a magical device that the Star Pattern Secret Scripture Institute had explicitly forbidden from being released.

Once activated, all magic within the area will be rendered ineffective.

Elwin was a pure arcane mage. Once her magic was suppressed, she, along with a powerless alchemist and a little girl, would only face certain death under the swords of the prospective knights.

Moreover, the fact that they were able to produce the [Ether Jammer] means that there is another member of the Star Pattern Institute in the team; otherwise, handing the device over to an outsider would be a serious crime.

"Star Pattern Academy!" Moen's killing intent surged.

The chief who wanted to kill Elwin had somehow colluded with François Valen, and in order to silence him, he didn't hesitate to use contraband and private soldiers.

"I suppose by now, your beautiful female mage has been stripped naked and is kneeling at my brothers' feet begging for mercy, right? Hahahaha!" Buck continued to spew vulgarities.

Moen's calculations vanished. He couldn't wait any longer; three minutes was too long, and something could happen at the manor at any moment.

Moen suddenly stopped groaning.

He looked up at Buck through the bars of the iron cage with the disdainful look one would give trash, a contemptuous smile playing on his lips: "Finished?"

Buck's laughter stopped abruptly; Moen's gaze made him extremely uncomfortable.

"The way you laugh is just like a mangy dog ​​wagging its tail and begging for mercy."

Moen's voice was hoarse, yet every word was piercing: "The things you use were given to you by others, and the plans were customized by others. You're nothing but a dispensable person. François Valen gave you a few bones, making you think you're worthy to speak to me?"

"Oh, I forgot, someone of your status can't get in touch with that old man François."

"You're asking for it!!" Buck broke down instantly.

Enraged by this attack, he raised his sword and brought it down hard on Moen's shoulder!

Moen had a deep, bone-revealing wound on his shoulder, but he didn't utter a sound, not even frowning, and continued to stare at Buck with that mocking look.

"You're not going to yell, huh? Let's see how long you can keep this up!"

Buck went completely mad. He snatched the crossbow from one of his men and pulled the trigger at Morn in the cage.

A crossbow bolt pierced through a gap in the iron cage, went straight through Moen's arm, and pinned him to the ground.

Immediately afterwards, several crossbow bolts from the surrounding henchmen pierced Moen's body, and blood flowed down the iron cage and onto the ground.

Moen remained completely silent, watching his health bar.

15%...10%...6%...

"Die!" Buck had lost his last bit of patience and slashed at Moen's neck.

[Health Points: 4% (Near Death)]

[The conditions for triggering the Holy Baptism in Adversity have been met!]

"It's over." Moen's blood-stained lips parted slightly.

[Skill: Holy Baptism in Adversity] Activated!

In this dimly lit smelter, a beam of pure white light exploded inside the iron cage, instantly illuminating the dark dock outside as if it were daytime!

"Ah! My eyes!!" Buck was the first to react, covering his eyes and howling.

The henchmen around him were instantly plunged into a white world, and could only hear their own terrified screams.

[Deep blindness for 3 seconds across the entire field]

In the light, the crossbow bolts on Moen's body were deflected, and his wounds healed at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Paralyzing toxins, gravity suppression, and all negative statuses were instantly cleared away under the holy light.

The gravity rune was still active, attempting to suppress Moen again, but this time, Moen didn't give it the chance.

He raised his right foot high and stomped it down hard on the floorboards covered with inscriptions!

[Siege and Reconquest]!

"BOOM!!"

With a loud bang, the floor, which could withstand several tons of pressure, cracked under that one stomp.

The inscription loop was physically severed, and the immobilizing gravitational field vanished instantly.

Moen took out the [Basic Berserk Potion] that Green had given him that morning and drank it down. Then he grabbed the deformed iron cage bars with both hands, his muscles bulging, and the steel cage was forcibly widened with a large opening.

"No...it's impossible..."

Buck barely opened his eyes and, through the blur, saw the man who should have been dead actually pry open the iron cage and walk out.

With a flick of his longsword, Moen sent Buck's head flying, his face contorted with unbelievable terror.

Without gravity and poisonous fog, the remaining rabble of level 7 or 8 soldiers crumbled at the slightest touch before Moen.

A dozen seconds later, the factory fell silent again, with only the sound of dripping blood remaining.

Moen stood amidst the mountain of corpses and sea of ​​blood, coldly glancing at Buck's headless body, his voice low and terrifying: "I don't have many friends."

"Therefore, each one is very expensive."

Without pausing for even a second, he turned and rushed out of the factory, sprinting towards the Blackberry Manor.

In that direction, faint flames could be seen shooting into the sky.