You are all my wings!

Chapter 75 The Magical Halo of Trust

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

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

He thought to himself: Your Excellency may have said that just to appease me. After all, he had criticized Karl for using two fourth-tier combat skills. Apart from contributing a few attacks that seemed to go smoothly, my performance was far from good. I need to 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 halo effect of trust still last?

Is this skill so persistent?

Or does it also 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 only need to perform normally?"

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 most likely to be just there to fill a spot in this team?"

Milo 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?"

Leon: "Bovary is much more capable than you, and you're not so useless that you need to use the term 'active team' to avoid being considered as just filling a quota. 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 praising and criticizing at the same time?"

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 a halo of trust over Miro.

Since Bovary's approach 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 would happen if the trust halo was combined.

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

How should I describe it?

Look at it with such contempt, like it's trash?

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

He's just a little better at fighting, faster at casting magic, better looking, has a better relationship with the Saintess, is very familiar with 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 so strongly at this moment that he wanted to work hard, train diligently, and one day shout to Lyon, "Sir, 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. Whether it would be effective or not, they would know in the actual battle later.

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

……

Let's go back 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-tier life alchemist Andrio began to attempt to remotely unleash the Crimson Monster.

A short while later, he discovered that he could not respond to the catalyst left inside the blood-red demon, and he was shocked.

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

This discovery made him hesitate.

Should we continue the pursuit?

This is a rare moment when Astalia Shinjiro is alone; if she misses this opportunity, she won't have another one like it.

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

Since the opponent was able to eliminate 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 pure-blooded elf, or that pretty-boy mage?

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

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

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

A while later, his subordinates who had stayed on other floors received messages from his familiars and arrived one after another.

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

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

Utaman is a metallic-skinned human transformed 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 any 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, pitch-black duck eggs.

These eyes were taken from the fourth-tier monster, the Fly King, which gave 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 traces first."

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

Utaman grinned in agreement, revealing a toothless, empty mouth.

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 putting your face so close to mine, okay?"

Utaman shrugged: "Your mentor is 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 words and vanished from the spot in a flash.

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

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

She was completely shrouded 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 had heterochromatic eyes, one red and one gold.

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

The eyeball implanted on the left is from a fourth-tier monster, the Crimson-Eyed Fairy, while the eyeball implanted on the right is from 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 stamina.

Her profession is that of a witch, originating from ancient times and with few successors. It is a rare profession that combines the characteristics of a magician and an alchemist.

"I have no objection and will follow my supervisor's instructions."

She said coldly.

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

Andrio ignored her tone and gave an elegant smile:

"You two are my most successful creations. Do your best. It's time to take back everything we deserve from the Holy See. If we encounter them, leave no survivors except for the Holy Maiden... Oh no, if that long-lived creature is strong enough, I'll deal with it. It's a great alchemical ingredient."

"Yes, mentor."

Chapter 76 I don't think Britta is that bad

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

Once they were in good condition, the marching route became faster.

My first targets are 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-tier Shadow-type monster, the Shadow Scorpion, a legendary monster from mythology that once devoured the shadows of the earth and brought endless terror to the ancient intelligent species.

This is a method that can enhance everyone's strength in the near future.

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

However, she is a Holy Prayer, and the only suitable upgrade item for her is found in the Holy See. It is called the Fragment of the Cup of Fortune, which can only be obtained by winning the selection of a Holy Knight.

Of course, as a saintess, Britta is not without other upgrade items to choose from.

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

It is said that this wine cup was obtained from the God of Fortune by a legendary figure hailed as a holy hero in ancient times. Through this, he spread good fortune to all intelligent species, allowing the weaker intelligent species to survive successfully from the ancient times filled with monsters.

Even today, these artifacts retain extraordinary, mythical characteristics.

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

Even just a fragment is enough to give Britta a powerful Luck trait.

Incidentally, if an upgrade item possesses mythical-level characteristics, the upgrader will generally gain the corresponding characteristics after the upgrade ritual is completed.

Lyon previously used the rare Elemental Ring to upgrade his rank 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 a single thought.

The previous fake tornado is an example.

As for true intermediate-level magic, currently only Hurricane Flame can be cast within 2 seconds; other spells like Cold Wave and Tornado require seven or eight seconds to prepare.

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

"After walking another 400 meters, we should reach the 35th floor. Be careful then, as there's a chance we'll encounter the Crimson Monster 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 reminded everyone of the precautions and details.

When a monster becomes powerful enough, it will spontaneously expand its territory, and its activity range will no longer be limited to a small cave or side road, but to 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, and some of them may even grow into powerful fifth-tier monsters due to not being killed by adventurers for a long time.

Of course, if you're lucky enough to find that adventurers have recently cleared out the floor master, things will be easier in the area for the next two or three weeks, since floor masters often take a long time to be reborn.

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

Britta, who was standing nearby, nodded frequently, acknowledging Lyon's meticulousness and broad knowledge.

[Character Britta'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 bright light.

Only Iris, as a light elementalist, felt no discomfort whatsoever; instead, she experienced a warm feeling of returning to her mother's embrace.

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