Chapter Ninety-One: The New Dragon Armor

It was already night when Link and Saga returned to Qinco Town, and the news from the surrounding settlements had also been gathered.

For the moment, the situation was still relatively stable. The local governments were managing to keep things under control, and the major faiths and other powers were cooperating. There had, for now, been no sign of anyone taking advantage of the chaos to seize believers. But how long that could last was anyone’s guess.

As for food, the stores collected were far from satisfactory. Though a shipment had been brought back, it was nowhere near enough to feed eight thousand people, and by the next day there would likely already be a shortage. Earl Losa had said he would dispatch a batch of relief grain, but at the very least it would take seven or eight days before the first supplies arrived. In so many days, how many people would starve to death?

Given the current situation, so long as the rift problem remained unresolved, gathering grain in large quantities was simply impossible. Every city and town would lock away its stores, and those unscrupulous merchants were already scheming to hoard goods and drive up prices. The common people were destined to have a hard time.

Faced with such circumstances, Link had a splitting headache and convened a meeting to discuss the problem. Unfortunately, though everyone came up with a few ideas, none were workable. The reason was simple: there was not enough time. What they needed was a way to solve the food problem for nearly eight thousand people immediately.

After much discussion, no one had managed to think of a good solution, so the matter had to be set aside for the time being. Next came the question of religious expansion. Having learned of the troubles in every region, everyone agreed that signs of great upheaval were already apparent. Unless the root cause could be dealt with, no one would be able to stop the situation from growing worse.

This was a disaster, but also an opportunity for the major faiths. No religion did not wish to monopolize belief; no religion did not wish to seize the title of pope. Facing such a golden chance, the so-called laws and rules were fragile indeed. The time had come to reshape them.

Thus, the three high priests of the Spiritwind Church were the first to propose a series of workable plans. Link had them all recorded, then supplemented them with the others on the future development strategy. In the end, they drew up a provisional plan. Whether it would actually be implemented would depend on whether the kingdom could solve the rift crisis.

After the discussion ended, Link announced the meeting adjourned and told everyone to rest first. They had all been exhausted after a long day, and none of the senior clergy had slept the previous night. Link did not want anyone collapsing at a time like this.

Yet Link himself did not sleep. Having cultivated the Nine Suns Divine Art to the sixth level, he possessed stamina far beyond ordinary people; even if he went two or three days without sleep, he would not feel overly tired. At present there were too many trivial matters, and he had to seize the time to handle them.

Before Link had dealt with many more matters, however, Saga came looking for him, looking terribly awkward. He stammered for a long while before finally taking out the Saint Cloth crystal and causing the Dragon Saint Cloth to manifest. What Link saw made him shocked: the Dragon Saint Cloth was covered in cracks, as if it might fall apart at any moment.

“What happened? How did the Dragon Saint Cloth end up like this? Was it damaged in yesterday’s battle?”

Saga nodded, then shook his head. “I’m sorry, Archbishop. This Saint Cloth wasn’t ruined by the enemy. It was because, after I awakened my sixth sense, I burned my cosmos without regard for anything and used the Dragon techniques I had just comprehended. In the end, the cloth could not withstand my power and turned out like this after the battle.”

After hearing this, Link was speechless for quite some time. Then, with a helpless sigh, he stepped forward to inspect it. He did not know how to repair a Saint Cloth; he only wanted to see whether it would offer an automatic method of restoration.

However, upon touching the cloth, although it did not主动 provide any repair method, the system sent him a message.

Ding. Damage detected in a system-produced item. Confirmed to be a bronze Saint Cloth. The damage was caused by the item being unable to withstand the user’s power and cracking apart. Does the host wish to spend five points of divine power to repair it? After repair, the bronze Saint Cloth will be strengthened and gain the attributes of a silver Saint Cloth.

“Can it be repaired with divine power? And it can be strengthened after repair?” Link was pleasantly surprised, and asked silently, “System, can all the things you produce be repaired and strengthened?”

After asking, Link did not expect the system to answer. Everyone knew what kind of useless thing it was. Yet this time, the system was somehow enlightened and actually answered him.

All items produced by the True God System can be repaired with divine power, but only some equipment can be strengthened. Each item can be strengthened only once, and the user must first bring the item’s power to its limit and damage it before strengthening can be performed during the repair process. In addition, repaired equipment will gain the self-healing ability that only high-grade equipment possesses.

Hearing this, Link immediately cursed inwardly: “Damn it, this lousy system finally managed to serve up a real function. Can you answer other questions too? For example, how am I supposed to get more items? They can’t be won through lotteries or bought.”

“……”

As expected, the system answered in its usual manner.

“Tch. I knew it would still be this damned. Fine, five points of divine power, right? Use them. Repair the Dragon Saint Cloth immediately!”

Link told the system inwardly. Though five points of divine power were precious, compared with immediately obtaining a powerful combat asset, the cost was entirely worth it. After comprehending the sixth sense and the Hundred Dragons of Mount Lu, Saga was unquestionably the strongest person in the church. In terms of overall combat strength, perhaps he was still not as good as Link; but when it came to destructive power and explosive force, even Link could no longer compare with Saga.

The system immediately converted faith power into divine power. Since Uther provided one point of divine power, only four thousand points of faith power were needed. As the system began repairing the Saint Cloth with divine power, Link also pretended to raise a hand, closed his eyes, and put on a sanctimonious expression as he used Holy Touch upon the cloth as camouflage.

At once, under Saga’s astonished gaze, the Saint Cloth bathed in holy light burst into green radiance. Then the damage on the cloth vanished rapidly, with both wear and cracks disappearing at a speed visible to the naked eye.

In only ten seconds, the Dragon Saint Cloth was restored to pristine newness, gleaming as though freshly forged. No, it was even more dazzling than before. Although Saga was not very familiar with metals, he could still tell that the cloth’s metallic quality was far beyond what it had been before, absolutely far stronger than it had once been.

Once the repair was complete, Link let out an affected sigh of relief and said, “All right, Saga. I’ve repaired the Saint Cloth and strengthened it as well. Before you awaken the seventh sense, you need not worry about it being easily damaged. And even if it is damaged, so long as the fragments remain, it can heal itself.”

Saga was overjoyed upon hearing this and hurriedly knelt on one knee. “Thank you, Archbishop. I shall never forget your great kindness.”

“There is no need for this. Rise,” Link said with a smile. “This, too, is the command of the Father God. Both I and the great Father God are very pleased with your performance in Bast City. You did not disappoint us. You carried the mission and faith of the Saint Warriors through to the end, and you were the first to awaken the sixth sense. As the first Saint Warrior, you have done very well. The Father God and I are both greatly gratified, and so we have decided to use this new Dragon Saint Cloth as your reward. I hope you will not disappoint us.” He paused, then continued before Saga’s trembling, ecstatic gaze. “Saga, once you wear this new Dragon Saint Cloth, you will be different from the other Saint Warriors. You will shoulder more responsibility than they do, and face more danger than they do. Are you prepared for that?”

Saga’s delight and excitement vanished at once. In their place came solemnity and resolve. He drew a deep breath and said, “Archbishop, please rest assured. I am prepared. No matter what happens, I will not forget the mission and faith of the Saint Warriors. I will defend the honor of the Father God and the Saint Warriors with my life, and I will use everything I have to protect the Father God Church. Anyone who dares harm the Father God Church will have to step over my corpse first!”

Saga’s fighting spirit and determination greatly satisfied Link. Link smiled and nodded, and at that very moment, Saga’s level of faith changed. He had actually gone from a fanatical believer to a god believer, just like Uther.

Link’s heart stirred, though he did not show it. After Saga left with the new Saint Cloth, he fell into thought.

After a period of analysis and reflection, Link understood the origin of god believers: responsibility. Immense responsibility, which made one feel as though they stood together with the Father God and were bearing the future of the Father God Church upon their shoulders.

After obtaining the Hammer of the Lightbringer, Uther regarded himself as the emissary of holy light, the shield of the Father God Church, and the mentor of the Holy Knights. That tremendous sense of responsibility transformed his state of mind, which in turn affected his level of faith.

Saga was the same. Link’s words had made Saga regard the mission and faith of the Saint Warriors as everything, and shoulder the responsibility of protecting the Father God Church and defending the Father God’s honor. He, too, had taken on great responsibility, and that had affected his level of faith.

The two god believers had only this in common: only great responsibility could bring about such a profound transformation.

“A god believer, is it? I see. When a person shoulders immense responsibility and regards himself as a god’s apostle, he becomes a god believer. It should mean a devout apostle of God, shouldn’t it?” Link murmured to himself, then could not help but shake his head with a smile. The so-called god was none other than himself. Saga and Uther served him, worked under him, and bore the mission and responsibilities he had given them. Calling them his apostles was not wrong.

Having learned about god believers, Link felt a great weight lift from his mind, and he began to think of creating more such believers. But before he could devise any workable plan, another person came looking for him: Lin Xi, who seemed to have some connection with “Neil Night.”

As a warrior at the peak of the fifth rank, so long as she remained here, the Father God Church could not possibly slight her. Though Link had no time to speak with her himself, he still instructed others to take good care of the mysterious expert. Since she had taken the initiative to seek him out, naturally no one in the Father God Church would stop her, and they led her directly to Link.

When the two met, Lin Xi immediately looked at Link with a complicated gaze. There was guilt, relief, emotion, and astonishment in her eyes, making it impossible to tell what exactly she was thinking.

Seeing that Lin Xi kept staring at him without speaking, Link gave a light cough and put on a sanctimonious smile. “By the Father God above, mighty female warrior, may I ask what brings you to me?”

At this, Lin Xi pressed her lips together and said in a hopeful voice, “My name is Lin Xi. In the Eastern Cloud Empire’s way of speaking, Lin is the family name and Xi is the given name.” Her voice trembled slightly. “And my name eight years ago was Haku Li—Haku Li Night, Neil… do you, do you remember?”