Chapter 404: Revisiting the Radiant Holy Kingdom

All extraordinary abilities rely on transcendent energy. Mortals cannot wield them; only Transcendents who follow the corresponding paths can.

For example, Blood Glory belongs to the domain of malevolent energy. Charlot Mecklenburg could never condense the eight Knight Proofs.

Without transforming into a beastman, Charlot cannot activate Bloodfire Combat Energy either.

This minor spell, known as “Evil Eye,” though highly versatile, still depends on malevolent energy—namely, the power of nearly all evil gods and the transcendent energy of malevolent origins. Other forms of transcendent energy cannot sustain it.

The spell bears a 70-80% resemblance to the Mask of the Cat. It allows the user to form an Evil Eye at the center of their forehead, capable of devouring souls and gaining fragments of the target’s memories and skills.

However, it cannot strip someone else of their extraordinary abilities.

Its primary purpose is not these minor uses but to ignite and absorb the devoured souls, thereby enhancing the power of malevolent energy.

This bears a striking similarity to how vampires gain strength by drinking blood and devouring life energy.

The difference is that one devours souls, while the other devours life.

If Charlot had just arrived in this world, he might have been intrigued by this spell and used it in battle—after all, an enemy’s soul would otherwise go to waste. But now, as a high-ranking Transcendent, he fully understands the cost of shortcuts.

For instance, vampires who consume excessive life energy often suffer from chaotic, impure blood energy, leading to eventual corruption.

Direct soul devouring has its own consequences, the most significant being the memories absorbed. These can cause mental chaos. As for other potential side effects, Charlot is still unsure.

In truth, this seemingly shortcut-based technique is not as effective as it appears.

At best, it can turn a mediocre individual into a relatively ordinary genius.

Take Mortenson Tim, for example. He likely used the Evil Eye before, yet he remains a first-tier Transcendent.

Charlot pondered for a moment and thought to himself, “The Evil Eye doesn’t have the ability to alter appearances!”

“It’s somewhat different from the Beast God Transformation and the Mask of the Cat.”

“Still, is malevolent energy really that prevalent in the New Continent? Even an ordinary Transcendent can obtain the power of an evil god and learn sinister spells like the Evil Eye?”

“This man doesn’t appear to have devoured many souls, but I can imagine countless people on the New Continent would resort to indiscriminate killing for the sake of practicing this technique.”

Charlot had never visited the New Continent. What he knew came from snippets shared by a handful of acquaintances, painting a picture of a chaotic and hellish land.

While Charlot was deep in thought, Mortenson Tim was trembling in fear.

The pale-faced young man could no longer suppress his panic and shrieked, “I swear, I’ve never harmed anyone!”

Charlot placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder and said, “Join the West Wind Knight Order, or die.”

Mortenson Tim gasped in relief and shouted, “I’ll join!”

He was terrified beyond measure. As a resident of the New Continent, where evil gods, beasts, and monsters ran rampant, he had never encountered anyone as fearsome as Charlot.

The memory of Charlot’s casual command, “Herolf, subdue him,” followed by the sight of a Saint-rank beast capturing him alive, remained vivid in his mind. It was a terror beyond words.

Even on the New Continent, Saint ranks were not a common sight.

Charlot had a discerning eye. Though Mortenson Tim was a candidate for malevolent energy influence and likely harbored malicious intent while tracking him, the young man had not acted on it. His lack of murderous aura revealed his inexperience with killing. Charlot, seasoned by battle, recognized this instantly. Besides, the man had potential uses.

For now, Charlot decided to place him in the Knight Order. If he showed any signs of trouble, killing him later would still be an option.

Mortenson Tim was dismissed, still shaken. Soon after, he was handed a uniform for the city patrol guards, along with a weapon and official documentation. The entire process left him dazed.

After all, his family had been back in the Old Continent for some time, living off their dwindling savings with no prospects of work. Even though Mortenson Tim was a first-tier fire-based Transcendent, suitable jobs were scarce—most opportunities involved being sent to the frontlines of war.

His family had returned to the Old Continent seeking a peaceful life, not to become cannon fodder.

To Mortenson Tim, Charlot was a figure of unimaginable authority. He was astounded to see Charlot casually write up official identity papers that placed him within the ranks of the Fars Empire’s civil servants.

Overwhelmed with curiosity, Mortenson Tim couldn’t resist asking, “What’s the identity of that gentleman?”

The West Wind Knight Order member handling the handover smiled and replied, “Charlot Mecklenburg, Count of Fars, and son-in-law to the new emperor.”

Mortenson Tim was enlightened, nodding repeatedly. That made sense.

This was, without a doubt, a powerful connection.

Meanwhile, Charlot sat alone in his office, lost in thought. Suddenly, a realization struck him.

The matter was simple, but he had been avoiding it, skirting around the idea every time it came up.

“Actually, the Evil Eye isn’t important. It’s not even necessary to devour souls. As long as it enhances malevolent energy, it can delay the arrival of the evil god.”

“So… I’ve already reached the fifteenth rank as a Transcendent, with blood energy coursing through me. Karnstein’s descent has been delayed repeatedly—from six days to over a year.”

“But the evil gods of the New Continent are different from those of the Old Continent. Agmirlas and Karnstein aren’t the same. The New Continent even has something called an Evil God Arena?”

“I’ll transfer all the Evil God Scrolls I possess into Agmirlas Labyrinth and turn as many cities as possible into labyrinths.”

“No, first I must upgrade the Infinite Mirror World.”

“Perhaps, when my strength improves further, exploring the Aggras Sea might yield unexpected surprises.”

Charlot sat in silence for a long while. Then, he activated the Mirror of Power and stepped into the Infinite Mirror World.

Emerging once again on Saint Michael Island, he didn’t stop to see anyone or linger in any location. Instead, he headed straight to the sixth level of the underground labyrinth.

Once more, he stood before the majestic Radiant Holy Kingdom!

The first-generation legendary warship resembled a floating palace—resplendent, exquisite, and unparalleled in luxury.

Yet, compared to the last time Charlot saw it, something seemed different about the legendary warship.

Before Charlot could approach the divine creature onboard, a voice echoed in his mind:

“Fangs of the Sea Serpent Queen Posugi, tears of the Whale King, branches of the ancient Modoro tree, and the blood of a peak Saint. To the one who gathers all these, I shall swear loyalty and carry you anywhere to uncover the treasures of the Seven Seas.”

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