Chapter 106: I

'Ha...'

Opposite the middle-aged knight hesitating whether to fully renounce lust, Herbert stood, sword in hand, breathing heavily.

'Cough, cough.'

He had just tried his full-power strike and hadn’t expected such immense power.

Nor had he expected it to drain so much of his strength, nearly leaving him hollowed out.

'So tired...'

Herbert now felt like a salted fish—though his posture still looked upright, he didn’t want to move a single finger, just wanted to lie lazily on the ground and regain his strength.

As the Grand Archbishop had warned him, his body was still not strong enough to bear such overwhelming power.

He was like a delicate vessel filled with forbidden substances far beyond its current capacity; each use cracked its fragile walls a little more.

He urgently needed a way to improve his physical condition—the Lava Hell bath plan must be prioritized immediately!

'But things seem a bit different now.'

Herbert squinted and activated his newly acquired ability.

Gulp.

With a faint internal rumble only he could hear, he felt his stomach visibly sink as it digested part of his stored energy.

The next instant, a surge of vibrant energy flooded his limbs and bones, repairing damaged tissues.

Herbert moved his arms and legs—everything felt normal… no, better than before!

The torn muscle fibers regenerated swiftly, stronger and more resilient than before.

This was exactly like the principle of bodybuilding: deliberately destroy muscle fibers, then let them recover thicker and tougher.

With his mutated flesh ability, Herbert achieved the effect of traditional training multiplied several times—using only one-third of his total energy.

And it was immediate—no painful, bedridden next day.

'Who’d still care about that forbidden Nine Dragon Power with results like this!'

Good.

Now he could gain greater power without needing a pointy head.

Herbert’s delighted expression did not escape Gao Jie’s eyes, who couldn’t help sighing softly:

'Only tired for this long? Even his recovery is this outstanding… how much divine favor did that god bestow upon him…'

Sour.

Deeply, bitterly sour!

Though saying so was improper, why was his own god so stingy… cough, cough!

He dared not dwell on the thought even slightly, fearing he might anger the god who had so generously granted him favor.

Of course, though his heart was seething with envy, even to the point of wanting to become Herbert, Gao Jie still maintained perfect composure.

In fact, his momentary wavering had already passed; he was calm again.

How could a knight who had sworn poverty be driven mad by jealousy?

Gao Jie displayed the humility befitting a mature knight, sheathed his blade, and gave Herbert a slight nod:

'You performed exceptionally well—far beyond my expectations. If you continue to persevere and never neglect your training, I believe you will surely become one of our finest.'

Even, perhaps, a leading figure of the Just Alliance!

But Gao Jie did not voice the latter sentence—he kept it silently within himself.

He very much looked forward to witnessing that moment, yet still felt some unease.

Though Herbert’s talent was astonishingly exceptional, he was still too young; his mind had not yet fully matured.

Without knowing the boy’s character, Gao Jie dared not risk such praise turning a gifted youth arrogant and self-destructive.

'Thank you for your instruction,' Herbert sheathed his sword and bowed respectfully to Gao Jie.

'Hmm, that’s enough for today. Further training would yield little benefit—go reflect deeply.'

In Gao Jie’s view, though Herbert had regained basic mobility, he was already at the brink of exhaustion; further exertion would only cause harm.

Better to end now and let him rest properly than waste effort with diminishing returns.

'Understood. Thank you once again for your guidance.'

Herbert understood what the man was thinking but chose not to clarify.

He still needed to give them time to adjust—he couldn’t reveal too much too soon.

Though this middle-aged knight appeared stern, he had devoted the entire morning to training with him, offering generous advice without reservation.

Not just Gao Jie—all other members of the knightly order had also given Herbert advice and assistance.

And truly, was this not the stronghold of the Holy Knights?

After displaying talent that could provoke envy or even hatred, he felt no malice whatsoever.

Some felt sour, some winced in admiration, some shook their heads in awe—but not a single soul harbored ill will.

Oh… though no malice, Herbert did sense a complex emotion—filled with confusion, disbelief, bewilderment, and even a touch of fear.

Who’s that?

Oh, it’s you, kid.

Seeing the burly man’s dusty, grimy face, Herbert couldn’t help laughing. 'Blake? What are you doing here? What do you want?'

'Uh… P-P-Princess! Cough, cough!'

Blake blinked dazedly, finally snapping back to reality and remembering where he was.

'Spit! Spit!'

He forcibly spat out sand and pebbles, then gripped Herbert’s shoulders with both large hands.

'P-P-Princess! Was all that… really true!?' Blake’s voice trembled with excitement.

'Huh? Of course it’s true. What kind of question is that?'

Herbert raised an eyebrow, pushed his hands away, and smiled strangely. 'I’m right here in front of you—how could it be fake? Didn’t you see it all with your own eyes?'

I’m right in front of you—how could I be fake? Besides, you saw it all with your own eyes just now, didn’t you?

'People change, Blake.'

Watching Blake’s dazed expression, Herbert chuckled. 'Or did you think I was just wasting time in the monastery?'

'Do you have any idea how much I’ve endured here?'

Do you have any idea how much I’ve been through here?

Blake lowered his head, ashamed. 'The nobles in the city—including other princes in the Duke’s household—they all say you’re here…'

He hesitated, unsure whether to utter the insulting term.

But Herbert didn’t care. He nodded calmly. 'Hmph. Let them say whatever they want.'

The white-haired boy turned away, walking toward the training ground’s exit without looking back. 'I hope they keep talking. Keep talking… until I stand before them, and still have the courage to go on.'

'I’m looking forward to that moment so much.'

The white-haired boy turned around and walked out of the training ground without looking back, saying as if casually:

I hope they will keep speaking, keep speaking, until the moment I walk up to them... still possessing the courage to go on.

I am so looking forward to that scene.

(End of Chapter)