Translator: CinderTL
Holy Strike, also known as Evil-Slaying Strike, is a unique technique that straddles the line between combat techniques and spells, making it highly distinctive.
Despite its grand name, its essence lies in channeling and wielding positive energy to launch attacks.
Roland was drawn to this technique primarily because of its specialized effectiveness against undead creatures.
His experiences in the Mistland had deepened his understanding of this world, particularly his wariness toward Spirit body demonic beasts like wraiths.
Without the negative energy-resistant potion granted by Witch Vanessa, his limited repertoire of spells would have made it nearly impossible to repeatedly escape the swarming Spirit body demonic beasts unscathed.
Holy Strike precisely filled this critical gap in his defenses.
Moreover, mastering Holy Strike required first mastering the art of channeling positive energy.
As Roland knew, positive energy in this world was often closely tied to faith.
This might offer him a chance to explore the practical connection between the two, preparing him for the "Faith" attribute that had appeared on his Job Panel after his promotion to Knight.
Although ancient texts primarily associated this technique with holy knights, this didn't preclude other transcendents from wielding it.
In truth, with the right technique, even a mortal could execute the Holy Strike.
However, its power depended entirely on the intensity of positive energy the user could channel.
The Holy Strike cast by an ordinary person might be as weak as a first-circle spell, while one cast by someone with unwavering faith could reach the power of a fifth-circle spell.
Therefore, aside from holy knights and priests who could reliably draw positive energy from their faith, the Holy Strike learned by others often had limited power, making it impractical to study.
Due to this limitation, the Holy Strike wasn't considered a particularly secret or valuable technique.
In the eyes of most, its worth didn't even match that of the second-circle spell "Zone of Truth."
Thus, Roland felt his request was reasonable.
Yet sensing the almost frozen atmosphere in the room, he couldn't help but frown and ask, "Princess Gloria, is there something... wrong with this request?"
"No..."
Gloria took a soft breath, raised a hand to signal the others in the room to remain calm, then lifted her gaze, her voice gentle yet tinged with curiosity.
"I'm just curious... why do you need the Holy Strike?"
"Since you know the name, you must have some understanding of it. If your faith isn't unwavering and devout, its actual power is no greater than that of the most ordinary combat technique."
Roland noticed out of the corner of his eye that the two guards were slowly tightening their grips on their sword hilts as Gloria spoke. He narrowed his eyes slightly, a flicker of suspicion rising in his heart.
But he wasn't overly concerned.
Even before entering the room, his Shadow Perception, combined with his already keen senses, had thoroughly surveyed the surroundings.
While the guards were skilled, none of them were transcendent professionals.
With his abilities, escaping wouldn't be difficult.
Tensing his body slightly, he adapted his experiences in the Mistland into a standard adventurer's tale, explaining his reasons for seeking the Holy Strike.
"Wraiths, you say..."
After hearing Roland's account, Gloria nodded slowly, her expression a mix of belief and skepticism. After a moment of silence, she spoke again, her tone tinged with apology.
"I'm sorry, Adventurer, I know this request is rather presumptuous, but..."
The Imperial Princess leaned forward slightly, her earlier elegant demeanor vanishing. Even her previously frail, almost ordinary aura deepened and gained strength.
It was as if a proud peacock had suddenly transformed into an aggressive leopard.
"May I see the back of your hand?"
"The back of my hand?"
Roland raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised by the abrupt request, but swiftly presented the back of his hand to the group.
His skin was tanned but smooth and unblemished.
Gloria scrutinized it carefully before letting out a soft sigh of relief.
"Please forgive my impertinence," she murmured, then turned to Maid Mel. "Mel, please go to my residence and retrieve the copy of Holy Strike."
"But, Princess Gloria..."
Maid Mel seemed about to protest, but after meeting Gloria's calm yet resolute gaze, she could only nod reluctantly.
She whispered a few instructions to the guards in the room before turning to leave.
However, Maid Mel's departure didn't bring silence to the room.
Gloria's gaze shifted from indifference to a hint of curiosity.
She studied Roland intently, as if trying to pierce through the thin veil and discern the adventurer's true nature.
"Adventurer, may I ask... will you be staying in Golden Grain City for the foreseeable future? Please don't misunderstand, I have no ulterior motives, it's just..."
She raised her hand in a signal, and a guard stepped forward to place another glass bottle containing a mysterious liquid on the table.
"Regarding this commission, there are a few more areas where your assistance might be needed..."
"Forgive me, Princess Gloria, but you must understand that adventurers like us tend to wander without fixed destinations."
"Then could you at least tell me where you're staying?"
"I'm afraid I cannot comply."
Roland shook his head gently.
"If you still require my services, you can post another commission. If I see it and am capable of fulfilling it, I will accept."
"I see..." Gloria sighed softly, her voice tinged with regret.
For the remainder of their meeting, she subtly probed for information about his origins, but Roland skillfully deflected her inquiries with practiced eloquence.
Before long, Maid Mel returned.
"Thank you for your assistance, Adventurer."
Gloria rose slowly, accepting the scroll from Mel and picking up the Zone of Truth scroll. She then gracefully walked around the wooden table, her slender figure appearing even more elegant in the dim light.
"I hope we'll have the opportunity to collaborate again in the future."
"This is..."
Seeing the Zone of Truth scroll in Gloria's hand, in addition to the Holy Strike scroll, Roland's eyebrows twitched slightly.
"You've done me a great service. Please don't stand on ceremony."
"It's my honor to serve you."
Observing the calm expression in the Imperial Princess's eyes, Roland didn't hesitate. He accepted the two scrolls, glanced up to obtain her silent permission, and swiftly untied the ribbons, carefully examining their contents.
After confirming that everything was complete and intact, he bowed slightly in acknowledgment and turned to leave the dimly lit room.
Thud.
As the door closed with a soft thud, Mel couldn't help but speak up.
"Princess Gloria, should we send someone to investigate...?"
"There's no need to worry, Mel."
Gloria glided gracefully to the window, gazing at the crescent moon hanging in the night sky. Her voice was soft as she murmured,
"This adventurer doesn't belong to any other sect. As for how he knew I carried a replica of the Holy Strike... it's likely just a coincidence. Compared to that..."
As Gloria spoke, she slowly removed the pristine white glove from her right hand.
Moonlight streamed through the window, illuminating the back of her bare hand.
There, a striking symbol was branded:
A blazing sun, its edges sharp as thorns, as if endlessly radiating light and scorching flames outward.
Under the pale moonlight, the sun glowed with a faint crimson hue, resembling a true solar corona slowly swirling and burning silently.
"My stigmata hasn't fully formed yet, so I can't stay away from the Corona Lands for long."
"Therefore, we must prioritize addressing the potential Abyssal Contamination incident in the eastern Golden Valley Kingdom. As for the rest..."
Gloria gazed at the faintly glowing mark on her hand and sighed softly.
"Brother Lucius and Duke Arno's maneuvers... we can ignore them. Once our imperial father returns, they'll naturally restrain themselves."
"As you command."
(End of the Chapter)
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