My bloodline is so eager to improve.

"The hand axe of today can not only cut the enemy's body, but also paralyze and strike the enemy's soul to a certain extent while causing wounds, and may even make the enemy's consciousness go through the process of Juliet being tortured."

This effect is especially useful against enemies skilled in magic, as it can interrupt their spellcasting, deplete their mana and mental energy, and create opportunities for you to attack.

Michael was also very proud of himself for being able to create rune weapons with three different properties.

Originally, Michael hadn't expected such an unreasonable combination of materials.

After all, the quality of the material itself is limited, and it is difficult to bear too many characteristics.

However, that finger bone greatly improved the stability and sturdiness of the materials, as well as the magic capacity, which made the design of Myka possible.

However, he immediately frowned and said with some regret.

"However, because this weapon has too many characteristics and the flow of magic is too complex, I cannot inscribe the core runes on it."

So be careful, and don't lose it.

If someone else finds it, they can still use the hand axe.

As he spoke, Maika handed the hand axe to Otto.

He also thoughtfully made an exquisite leather axe sheath for the hand axe, which can be hung on the waist for easy carrying.

Now, Otto has acquired another powerful piece of equipment, which adds an extra layer of security to the plan.

Michael patted Otto on the shoulder and gave him a serious warning.

"We don't know the shaman's exact movements yet, so we must be very careful in this operation."

Goren and I will ambush you along your likely route, and we will come to your aid immediately should anything happen.

We'll set off after you leave.

Don't worry about the mission; Eileen has already arranged it for you.

It's called a lottery, but it's really just a formality.

At this point, Michael's tone softened.

"Be careful, protect yourself, and protect Tessa too."

After saying that, Maika turned and walked towards the warehouse to put on his equipment.

As Otto looked at Michael's short, stocky, and sturdy back, a strange feeling welled up in his heart for some reason.

He initially had some reservations about joining the adventurer squad, but now he has successfully integrated into the life of the Dragonbreaker Blade squad.

Now, he finally has his own partner, someone he can trust and rely on.

Perhaps this is the sense of security that comes from coordinated operations.

Thinking of this, Otto breathed a sigh of relief, gripped his iron sword tightly, and touched the novice axe at his waist.

With a determined look in his eyes, he pushed open the door of the forging workshop and walked towards the Adventurers' Guild.

He needs to find Tessa quickly and act together with her.

The morning sunlight shone on him, casting a long shadow behind him, like a cloak.

However, before going to find Tessa, Otto planned to go to Juliet's tailor shop to look for the blue wool coat that Phyllis had ordered, which was why Otto left so early.

Perhaps, that coat could soothe the girl's grief over the death of an acquaintance.

Chapter Ninety-Six: The Key (Second Update, Please Subscribe)

With that thought in mind, Otto quickly walked a few steps toward Juliet's tailor shop.

When he parted ways with Juliet's ghost, Otto had already obtained the exact address of the tailor shop, so he wouldn't get lost in the maze of alleyways.

However, when Otto walked down the street, his moon silver carved armor would always make a jingling sound.

Each plate of the armor was meticulously polished, with intricate moonlight patterns carved along the edges, gleaming with a cold silver light in the sunlight.

As it walks, the scales collide with each other, making a sound that is particularly clear on the quiet street, attracting the attention of many pedestrians.

Women holding children curiously peeked out, children playing stopped and pointed, and several adventurers sitting at the entrance of the tavern scrutinized him from head to toe.

Otto ignored the curious or inquisitive gazes around him.

He kept his head slightly lowered and continued walking in the direction guided by Juliet's spirit in his memory, his steps steady and not showing any panic.

Otto knew perfectly well that he was there to act as bait alongside Tessa, and attracting attention was actually a good thing.

In this way, the shaman of the barbarian god Grak, who is lurking in the shadows, will surely take notice of him. After all, the bait tactic of the Dragonbreaker Squad cannot succeed by being discreet.

As Otto pondered his next plan and walked along the street, Juliet's tailor shop came into view.

It's a small shop located on a street corner. The storefront isn't large, but it's kept very clean.

The shop's exterior walls were painted with a soft off-white paint, and the window frames were made of dark brown wood, with several pale purple vines climbing on them, blooming freely in the sunlight.

Through the spotless glass window, Otto could see several custom-made coats hanging inside.

The coats were well-tailored and made of exquisite fabrics. There were dark gray wool coats, navy blue wool coats, and a black velvet coat with delicate lace trim at the collar.

Although Otto didn't know much about tailoring, he could tell even through the window that these coats were quite valuable.

The stitching is fine and even, the pattern is crisp and stylish, and every detail is handled impeccably.

Clearly, these were samples that Juliette had specially displayed to attract customers during her lifetime, and each piece embodies her hard work and skill.

"Looks like we've come to the right place."

Otto let out a long sigh of relief, his tense shoulders relaxing slightly.

He stood at the shop entrance, looked around to make sure there were no suspicious people nearby, and then bent down to start looking for the key.

According to Juliet, she sometimes carelessly forgets her keys at home, so she keeps a spare key under a flowerpot outside, just in case.

A row of terracotta flowerpots was placed at the entrance of the shop, filled with all kinds of flowers and plants, all of which were in season.

Although these plants lacked Juliet's care, plants that can survive late autumn are inherently very resilient and don't require much attention.

Otto turned over the flowerpots one by one, soil and petals sticking to his fingernails, bringing with them a strange fragrance.

But at that moment, the Soul-Crossing Black Cat sent a notification to the Fire Seed Iron Guard.

[The Soul-Crossing Black Cat reminds you that the third one from the left shows signs of disturbed soil.]

Otto knew that the black cat already possessed remarkable observational skills and a keen grasp of details. Now, after becoming a soul-crossing black cat, it seemed to have gained even more acute perception, which could be considered an elevation of its own characteristics.

With the help of the Soul-Crossing Black Cat, Otto naturally saved himself a lot of trouble.

He immediately looked at the third flowerpot on the left, which was filled with exotic flowers and plants. Although Otto couldn't name the flowers, the yellow center with large white petals was quite pleasing to the eye.

As soon as he reached out and gently moved the flowerpot aside, he saw his target: a brass key lying quietly in the soil, with a small rose pattern engraved on the handle, echoing the floral pattern on the lock.

"Thank you, Soul-Crossing Black Cat."

Otto thought to himself, then carefully wiped the dirt off the key.

He knew that although these animal friends had no physical form, they were always by his side.

It seems that as Otto progresses, they exhibit more and more characteristics.

Otto didn't want to neglect them, lest they cause any more trouble.

However, the black cat that carried the soul remained aloof and showed no respect for Otto's thanks.

[The black cat who ferry souls suggests you wipe the mud off your boots before going in; the dwelling place of the dead should be treated with respect.]

Otto looked down at his boots and, sure enough, the soles were covered in mud and a few dry leaves.

He nodded, but instead of opening the door immediately, he slowly took a few steps back and carefully wiped the mud off his boots on the wool blanket with embroidered needlework patterns at the doorway until the soles were clean.

He then walked back to the door and inserted the brass key into the lock.

However, after seeing the suggestion of the Soul-Crossing Black Cat, Otto thought that black cats are inherently close to the underworld, and the material used to transform into the Soul-Crossing Black Cat is also the mist of the underworld. He probably cares a lot about this kind of thing, and he needs to deal with it carefully.

Thinking of this, Otto became curious. The Soul-Crossing Black Cat was close to the Underworld, and the Moon-Radiant Hound was close to the moon. Did the arrogant Magic Ape also have similar characteristics?

Just as Otto was pondering this, the tailor shop's door slowly opened with a crisp click.

A faint scent of fabric and lavender wafted over.

Otto also smelled a similar scent in Juliet's tomb; perhaps the lavender fragrance was the girl's favorite scent in life.

Otto looked at the shop in front of him. It was quiet inside. Sunlight streamed in through the glass windows, casting dappled shadows on the floor. Tiny dust particles floated in the air, dancing slowly in the beams of light, like a scene from an illustration.

Otto stood at the doorway, but did not go in immediately.

He stood quietly for a few seconds, as if in silent tribute to the unfortunate tailor who had passed away.

After all, this is the last trace Juliette left behind, the place where she lived during her lifetime.

Otto only hoped to preserve it as it was, and to avoid damaging any of the plants or trees here.

But at that moment, the black cat's message reappeared before Otto's eyes, carrying with it a subtle hint of doubt.

[The black cat that ferrys souls says, "Something's not right here."]

"What's up?"

Otto immediately became alert and instinctively gripped the hilt of his sword at his waist.

Chapter Ninety-Seven: People Who Don't Take Pressure (Third Update, Please Subscribe)

But the black cat that carried the soul continued to voice its doubts, seemingly expressing its dissatisfaction.

[The black cat who ferryed souls stated that there were no signs of Romeo's presence here, at least not the kind of signs of ransacking the place for valuables.]

The black cat, realizing that according to Juliet, Romeo might have killed her for money, thought to himself.

Even if he intended to use him as a necromancer, why didn't he take those valuable finished coats from the tailor shop? Selling just one of those coats would be enough to support an average family for several weeks.

Otto frowned upon hearing this.

He looked around and, just as the black cat had said, everything in the shop was neatly arranged, the fabrics were folded squarely, and the scissors and needles and thread were all in their respective places, without any signs of being disturbed.

Otto felt that the black cat's doubts about the soul-crossing were indeed reasonable.

After all, in Otto's view, Romeo was simply a traitor.

He even applied for a job as a night watchman at the Raven Cemetery so that he could dispose of Juliet's body immediately and create the illusion that she died of natural causes; there was no need for disguise now.

Moreover, according to Una, mages are short of money, especially necromancers, and Romeo has no reason to leave this place unattended.

Otto walked to the coat rack where the coats were hanging and gently stroked the fabric of the black velvet coat.

The fabric is soft and smooth, and warm to the touch; it is indeed a superior material.

"What qualities does Juliet possess that would make him go to such lengths, even resorting to murder and robbery, and disguising himself as a Night's Watchman to dispose of corpses?"

Why didn't Romeo return to take these treasures with him?

Otto was unaware of Juliet's past, and the Magic Ape was unable to extract any useful information from the cold corpse.

At least as things stand now, aside from Michael and the others' speculation that Romeo's initial goal was Juliet's body, Otto's understanding of this matter is still too limited.

"I should have a good talk with Maeve about the necromancers another day."

As Otto pondered this, he turned and began rummaging through the tailor shop.

His goal was clear: the blue wool coat Juliet had made especially for Phyllis.

Soon, Otto found the finished blue wool coat in the wardrobe behind the counter.

The coat is a beautiful sky blue, like a clear summer sky. The fabric is thick and soft, and feels warm to the touch.

The coat's collar and cuffs were trimmed with white fur, making it look exceptionally cute; it was clearly designed specifically for a girl like Phyllis.

Next to the coat were specially wrapped gift paper, which was pink and printed with small star and moon patterns.

On top of the colored paper was a small white card with a rose drawn on the edge and a line of words written in neat handwriting.

Otto picked up the card and carefully examined the words on it.

"To my little darling Phyllis, may your smile always be as radiant as the sunshine."

Clearly, this is what Juliet wanted to say to Phyllis.

Unfortunately, she never had the chance to personally give the coat and her blessing to little Phyllis.

Otto simply sighed softly as he thought of the girl in the Adventurers' Guild who wore a sad expression but desperately held back her tears.