Chapter 406 - 135: I’m Doomed! The Two Mothers Finally Met

Chapter 406: Chapter 135: I’m Doomed! The Two Mothers Finally Met

The epaulets on their shoulders and the badges on their chests glittered brightly in the sunlight.

The crowd below watched, green with envy.

"My God, Fritz, of all people, managed to become a Knight?"

"Even the Kobold Golden Fang made it? Then I have to try for it next year."

"Lady Sea Song is a Knight too? Tsk tsk, Lord Lynch really spoils her..."

Fritz, for his part, secretly swore to push the mining operation to its absolute peak.

Golden Fang roared a vow that next year he would lead even more of his Kobold brethren to discover new ore veins. He would also select the strongest youths of his tribe to join the Dawn Battle Group, to pacify the people, expand the borders, and claim new lands for their lord.

Even the usually calm Albert was so excited his beard seemed to bristle, and he resolved to make Lakefront Academy the number one institution in the Empire.

As for those who hadn’t been chosen, like Lilith and Ophelia, they said nothing, but a blazing fighting spirit ignited in their eyes.

It wasn’t just them. Countless soldiers and citizens of Lakefront Town were also secretly making a vow. ’Next year. Next year, I will become a Dawn Knight.’

******

While Lakefront Town was swept up in a massive wave of recruitment, training, and construction, Lynch, of course, was not idle.

He leveraged every channel available to him—the legion’s logistics department, Hurst Royal Academy’s resources, Amadis’s personal connections, and even the social networks of noble young women like Catherine and Avril—mobilizing them all to scour for Alchemy Potions that could permanently increase Spiritual Power.

He also found time to attend a black-market auction in an attempt to upgrade his gear.

Unfortunately, at his current level, his equipment—the Raven Low Speech Staff, the Peaceful Starlight Necklace, and the Evil Magic Codex—was already considered Top Grade. He couldn’t find any suitable replacements for the time being.

Fortunately, his search for potions that permanently increased Spiritual Power bore fruit. He gradually managed to acquire three bottles of "Elixir of Wisdom" from his various channels.

The Elixir of Wisdom had a sweet taste. As he drank the first bottle, Lynch felt a clear spring flow through his mind, and his Spiritual Power surged by 4 points.

After the second bottle, however, the effect was merely mediocre; his Spiritual Power only increased by 3 points.

By the third bottle, the effect was drastically diminished, increasing his Spiritual Power by only 2 points.

’My tolerance is getting stronger...’ Lynch thought, looking at the empty vial. He felt his Spiritual Power rise from 93 to 102 and couldn’t help but let out a small sigh.

A total increase of 9 Spiritual Power barely justified the hefty sum of Gold Coins he had spent. If he wanted to raise his Spiritual Power with potions again, he’d have to find something of a much higher grade—a truly rare item.

Time flew by amidst all this hustle and bustle.

「One day.」

Lynch finished his deep Meditation and, with Sea Song attending to him, enjoyed a long, hot bath that left him feeling utterly refreshed.

He hadn’t even finished getting dressed.

Aus rushed in to report, "My lord, we’ve cleared most of the outer region of the Ancient Elf ruins. The cleanup team found an exit leading to the outside, but they ran into danger when they tried to explore."

"The team was attacked by Frenzied Ghosts right outside the exit. Luckily, they were fast enough to retreat back into the ruins, where they were saved by the Song of Elune."

"Oh?"

Lynch’s interest was piqued.

He had always figured that the Elf ruins under his control couldn’t possibly be without an exit.

The place was still on the prime material plane, after all; it had to connect to some region on the outside.

That was why he’d been wanting the cleanup team to leave the ruins and explore the surrounding area. Doing so would allow him to pinpoint the Elf ruins’ true location on the continent.

And if he was lucky, he might even make other fortuitous discoveries.

But he hadn’t expected Frenzied Ghosts to be blocking the exit.

In that case, sending ordinary troops—or even his Skeletons and Zombie Corps—probably wouldn’t be very effective.

Even sending his Lifebound Profound Corpse Xuan Yi would be of little use. After all, Xuan Yi specialized in overwhelming physical force; his efficiency against monsters like Spirit Bodies was far too low.

’Looks like I’ll have to go myself.’ Lynch mused for a moment. He decided to take Avril, Sea Song, his three ghosts—Ghost Yi through Ghost San—and several Skeleton Mages to enter the ruins and investigate personally.

There was a clear strategy behind his team’s composition.

Avril’s Holy Light Power was effective against the Undead. Sea Song’s Moonlight Power shared its source with the ruins and might trigger some hidden mechanism. And as for the three ghosts, they were the ideal combatants for dealing with other ghosts.

After making his preparations, Lynch stepped through the Teleportation Gate, entering the Elf ruins in his physical body.

In fact, this was the first time he had ever set foot in this ancient land in his own flesh and blood.

Even though he had prepared himself, Lynch was still stunned by the sight that greeted him upon entry.

Whatever else could be said about the Ancient Elf Race, their aesthetic sense was truly unparalleled. Though he was surrounded by crumbling walls and rubble, he could still glimpse the former magnificence of this sanctuary through its surviving structures.

Enormous stone pillars were carved with exquisite lunar sigils. The dome above was damaged, but on the parts that remained, he could still make out the patterns of star charts. When it was whole, it must have been a magnificent and intricately detailed tapestry of the heavens.

Beyond that, a faint, silvery dust of light filled the air—proof that the Moonlight Power here had not dissipated even after ten thousand years.

"Honored Mother, I have come to see you!"

Lynch straightened his robes and gave a respectful half-bow toward the depths of the ruins.