Oh! A Blessings Quest!
To be honest with you, I've been asking for this Blessings Quest from the Athena Temple for a long time. My Intelli points were stacking up but I couldn't do anything with them.
It was inevitable. I wanted to do most of the quests through the Ares Temple to gain guard points instead, however, I needed to do every other quest through the Athena Temple.
The bishop declined my request every time. Unlike the Ares Temple, the Athena Temple prohibited anybody other than their priests using their divine powers.
That was why I was frustrated and couldn't help but sigh whenever I looked at my growing amount of Intelli points.
Of course, there was a way to use the Intelli points even without the blessings quest. I could use them to purchase the special items sold by the Athena Temple. I could also use it to recruit priests of the Athena Temple to help me with my personal quests.
However, I was not satisfied with using it for such things. If I complete the Blessings Quest, I would be able to use Intelli points like stat points. Although there were restrictions on it, it would still be beneficial.
That was why I really wanted this Blessings Quest even if my desire for the Unicorn's Horn Flute was greater.
I couldn't let such an opportunity go.
"I understand. I will give in since even you are saying it is very difficult to do so, bishop-nim."
"T, thank you. I will immediately contact the headquarters and get permission. I will absolutely make sure to get them to allow you to have the blessings quest."
I guess he needs permission for that too. How complicated.
"Then I will wait for a bit. I will join the Demon Cave clearing as soon as I receive the Blessings Quest."
"I understand. I will tell a priest to prepare a residence for you."
"Thank you very much."
The bishop moved quickly to get me a residence. A priest soon guided me there.
The service from the temple was the highest degree possible once again. It was the same for Rohas even though he was a slave.
Slaves really need to meet the right masters.
But a slave is still a slave. I better work him like a dog.
"Rohas, guard the door. I have something to do so do not let anybody even knock on the door until I tell you otherwise. Got it?"
Rohas was still silent. He only gave a short response when I asked him questions.
I didn't like it at first, but I decided it was better than him annoying me all the time.
Especially like right now. He didn't show any curiosity even though he probably wanted to know what I was doing inside.
He just nodded his head in response.
"A priestess named Shione might come looking for me. Tell her to come back after two hours"
Rohas nodded his head once again. However, he seemed respectful so I didn't have a reason to get angry.
I left Rohas outside the door and came inside the room.
'Then shall I get started?'
I first took out some Jewels of Fortification.
[Jewel of Fortification: Fortification Index 17%]
[Jewel of Fortification: Fortification Index 16%]
I had close to 20 Jewels of Fortification.
All of them had fortification indexes higher than 15. I received a bunch of them from the Dwarf Village for fortifying the weapons, and then I used Jewel Alchemy to combine them and raise the fortification index.
However, it was still not at a satisfactory level. The good ones could have fortification indexes higher than 20.
Even if I don't reach 25, shouldn't they at least be over 20? I am an advanced level Jewel Alchemist after all.
I focused while trying to combine the jewels with high fortification indexes.
It was not difficult to combine jewels now. I finished one attempt in about five minutes.
[Jewel of Fortification: Fortification Index 22%]
'Oh! A 22% fortification index!'
It was not that good because I combined a 19% with a 9% jewel, but the important thing was that 22% came out.
I tried combining two more of them.
I got another 22% result.
I continued to attempt jewel combinations. I needed 12 jewels to fortify all of my equipment.
There were the pair of Goonto's Twin Blades, and the Shadow Fox's Leather Armor Set was a set of five pieces.
That was why this was not something that would be completed in a day. I could not focus anymore after combining twelve Jewels of Fortifications.
I could do it if I clenched my teeth and tried to fortify my weapons, but the results would not be as good.
It wasn't like I was at a rush for time.
I could fortify my weapons tomorrow or the day after that.
"Rohas."
Rohas opened the door and looked at me as soon as I called for him.
He should at least say something like 'yes sir' when I call for him.
"Did anybody come looking for me?"
"The priestess named Shione came looking for you."
It's so hard to get him to talk.
"And?"
"I told her to return later as you instructed."
"Good job. I'm done for now, so you can go rest."
Rohas lightly nodded his head before closing the door and disappearing.
But then I heard a knock less than one minute later.
It was probably not going to be Rohas.
"Who is it?"
"It's me."
It was Shione. She seemed to have been waiting for me nearby. She waited until Rohas disappeared and knocked right away.
"Please come in."
The door opened and Shione walked in wearing her pure white priestess outfit. She was alone as usual.
"Omo! What were you doing that you are sweating so much?"
I wasn't sweating anymore, it was just dried sweat. It tends to happen when I am focused with Jewel Alchemy.
However, I haven't even told Shione about Jewel Alchemy yet. There was no reason to do so.
"Nothing much. Just think of it as mental training."
Shione pulled a chair and sat down close to me. It was so close that there was some erotic vibe to it.
"Did you successfully complete everything you were planning to do?"
"Yes. I suppose so."
In Shione's point of view, I should have said 'no.' I found out the location of the altar of the Sun, but I could not take Harrison's group there just yet.
But I had to be satisfied with finding a way to get them there.
I spent a lot of time explaining a lot of things to Shione. She would share the contents of our discussion with Harrison.
I had to spend a lot of time on the things related to the Fairy's Quest. I had to tell her things like how only people who are in a Quest Party with me can climb the Altar, as well as the fact that I needed the Stone Elf's souls for that.
Shione nodded her head after listening for a while.
"Do you know how to find the Stone Elf's Soul?"
"I will need to do some research. Anyways, we are a part of the same team. I will gather as many as possible to bring as many people as possible up the altar."
"Thank you very much."
"When can we restart the Demon Cave clearing?"
"We have stopped it for a while now. I didn't know when you would come back."
The bishop should have contacted the headquarters by now. The headquarters will have no choice but to agree to my request.
It will only be two or three days before we get a response.
"Let's get ready to go back in as quickly as possible. I'm not sure about this, but I have a feeling that it will be easier to find the Stone Elf's Souls inside a Demon Cave than out here."
"I will inform the bishop-nim and get right on it."
Ten days later.
"The Demon Cave is almost open. The team has been created as well so we should be able to enter in two days."
I also figured out how to gather the Stone Elf's Souls during this time.
Unfortunately, you could not find it in your average Demon Caves.
However, this was not something to be disappointed about. I will be able to gather a lot of them once I go into the Southern District.
It was only a matter of time before I collected enough.
"I understand. I will be ready."
Shione delivered that message and then left the room.
The time had come. I just needed to upgrade my equipment and I would be ready.
My mind was clear as well to the point that I felt like I was at 120%.
Maybe that was why, but my heart started to beat faster.
'Will I be able to reach the One with the Sword level? How would it feel to get there?'
There was no such thing as feelings in the game. All it did was raise the level of my stats.
It raised my attack speed by 10 percent and my damage by close to 30 percent.
But that was it. Of course, that alone was a significant upgrade in the game.
But this was an alternate reality. I felt like there would be something else other than just an increase in stats.
I wanted to start right away.
"Rohas! Guard the door."
Rohas nodded his head before closing the door.
I took out my equipment as well as the Jewels of Fortification that I had combined to raise the fortification level, as well as some Jewels of Luck.
I first fortified Goonto's Twin Blades. If I was to reach the level of One with the Sword, it would happen through my weapon, not my armor.
I used both the Jewel of Fortification with the highest fortification index, as well as a Jewel of Luck with the highest luck index.
I closed my eyes and focused only on the feeling inside my hand.
'Please let me feel it!'
A warm feeling started to arise in my hand. I was able to tell which jewel it was based on the feeling it caused.
The luck energy first broke through the jewel and started to ram into the Jewel of Fortification, eventually leading to the fortification energy pouring out of the jewel as well.
The luck energy was then absorbed by the fortification energy, and the fortification energy that was now even warmer than before, started to become absorbed by Goonto's Twin Blades.
I was used to this feeling. I had felt the same thing when I was fortifying my equipment in the past, as well as when I was fortifying the Dwarves' weapons.
But it did not feel any different than those times. Although the feeling was stronger than before, it was not to the point where I would call it 'One with the Sword.'
'Is there something else'
But that was it. The warm feeling that was surrounding the blades disappeared, leaving just the cold sensation of metal in my hand.
'Is it done?'
I felt a bit empty.
However, I wasn't completely disappointed just yet. One with the Sword might happen when I swing the weapon and not when I fortify it.
I looked through the information about the blades with anticipation.
[Goonto's Twin Blades +2 Fortification: Personalized for Kang Hwi Ram]
This cutlass was made by Goonto, the current greatest blacksmith in the world. Two
blades were created as a pair.
Durability: 301/301
Attack strength: 127
Attack speed: 80
Restrictions: Strength 144, Agility 819, Level 288
*Attack strength is increased by 17% when used by Kang Hwi Ram
*30% chance of adding 286 lightning damage
*11% chance of causing Stun
*Increase basic Magic Level by 100%
*Special Skill: Nullify 30% of Enemy Defense (Use 50 MP)
There was an increase to my attack strength, but not to the level of meeting the standards of 'One with the Sword.'
There weren't any other obvious changes either. Stun, magic increase, and nullify enemy defense all remained the same.
'Well, numbers aren't everything.'
I picked up Goonto's Twin Blades and stood up.
Although the room was too small for me to get serious, I should be able to do some light exercises.
'Please!'
I was praying as I started to swing the blades around. I focused on it to make sure I did not miss any communication coming from the blades.
But it was the same as usual. Nothing had changed.
'Did it fail? Am I still not meeting the requirements of 'One with the Sword?' What is missing?'
I then suddenly thought about something.
'Ah! Akto's Quest!'
[Destroy the Stone Wall of Grief and rescue Akto's soul. If you succeed, you will earn a special secret related to Jewel Alchemy.]
The 'special secret' Akto was talking about must be related to reaching the 'One with the Sword' level. At least I could only hope for it to be related.
Anyways, there was only one thing for me to do right now. I needed to fortify my equipment with the Jewels of Fortification.
Then eventually, I will reach the level of being 'One with the Sword.'
Translator: Miraclerifle
Proofreader: Borderline Will Eventually Catch Up