Chapter 181: The Visitor Who Brings the Storm

A figure wrapped in a gray cloak walked through the commercial district; even among the generally bulky orcs, he was no longer short.

"My field of vision has changed—I no longer have to look up to see Talia and the others."

Only now did Li En realize he had grown nearly a head taller without noticing; unlike other rapid physical transformations, his body proportions were fully balanced, as if his entire frame had expanded uniformly.

He looked at his hands, now clad in the Fire Giant's Gauntlets, and noticed his arms had thickened by a full circle.

He planned to repaint the gauntlets when he had time, to subtly conceal their fire affinity.

It was also about giving his gear a consistent main color—too many bright hues looked garish.

"This black… never mind, nothing's perfect." The Black Dragon Armor looked impressive.

But in this fantasy world, this color scheme was overly avant-garde—and even dangerous.

"Black Knight" wasn't just an adjective; it was a group, even a lineage. Those who chose black armor had notoriously bad reputations.

In this world, colors always carried meaning: Holy Knights wore silver or gold armor; black-armored Holy Knights were oathbreakers.

Though it was an unwritten rule, and explanations could resolve it, it would still draw unwanted attention.

Why not just dye it all white? The armor repaired itself automatically, and repainting would leave it with a strange black-streaked white appearance.

Plus, during its routine "maintenance," it slowly darkened on its own—dyeing it would be pointless.

Of course, the Black Dragon's instincts resisted dyeing, and that also played a part; the thought of painting it white made Li En feel uneasy.

In a way, this black armor *was* himself—painting it white felt like painting over his own skin. Ugh, he had a nagging feeling some racial knightly order would come knocking.

"Forget it. I'll just tell the truth: it's armor forged from Black Dragon material, to preserve its supernatural properties."

As always, blunt honesty—even if it concealed key details—as long as it convinced those around him, that was enough.

But to avoid trouble, Li En voluntarily put on his cloak, revealing only his head.

Walking down the street, he felt utterly different—no more the constriction, no more the constant burden of metal armor requiring brute force to move.

Still, perhaps due to the ritual's cost, he clearly felt drained; he ate continuously as he walked, yet never felt full.

"This is equivalent to you being permanently in a high dragonization state. Your appetite will increase. Hmm, if the armor is damaged, eating might accelerate its recovery—then again, it's hard to say who's really eating: you or it." The serpent still lay coiled on his shoulder, its void notebook rapidly recording.

He was curious about the traits of this new supernatural vocation—perhaps it truly had potential for formal recognition.

There was no need to force himself into becoming a standard branch of dark sorcerers; it wasn't entirely impossible.

Leaving aside other factors, just offering a first-rank initiate a weapon and armor with growth potential might be irresistible to many supernaturals.

Li En had tested it: casting in this state was still slightly restricted, but with practice, it was manageable—effectively indistinguishable from casting without armor. His flesh had become an illusory armor, bypassing metal's interference with elemental forces.

The power's current manifestation interested the serpent greatly—and Li En himself, as the "test subject," was thoroughly satisfied.

Generally, borrowed power either brought endless consequences or was a fraudulent contract: privileges first, obligations later.

"Borrowing one's own power… that's truly innovative. Shouldn't be a problem, right?"

Li En clenched his fist; the black metal wrist displayed terrifying strength. At least for now, aside from increased appetite, there were no obvious drawbacks.

He had walked this far fully armored, yet none of the usual fatigue or muscle soreness had appeared—this armor was far more comfortable than pure metal plate.

"That means extended combat duration and better sustained battle readiness—but consumption must have increased too." The serpent was already recording rapidly, clearly intrigued.

Li En worried: would it cause trouble during the few days it still remained?

"No, the serpent will definitely cause trouble. One anecdote isn't proof—he needs at least a few verifiable cases." Li En understood the serpent better now; if he missed this chance, the next might come in years.

Better to plant several seeds now and observe how they grow—perhaps there'll be surprises. Compared to certain obsessed spirits, the serpent might be the true immortal; his sense of time and perception differed from mortals'.

Perhaps to him, the rise and fall of kingdoms or races meant nothing. "I'll plant a few. Watch them for me—don't let them vanish in the blink of an eye." The serpent suggested.

"I refuse." Li En didn't want to invite trouble—he was certain the more he traded with the serpent, the deeper he'd sink.

"Heh, fine." The serpent smiled, silent. This was not a request—it was a notification.

As for how to make Li En willingly help watch over them, he had a thousand methods.

Li En saw through it, but could only sigh—some things, some people, truly couldn't be controlled.

"Excuse me, is Miss Sallyman available?" Without realizing it, Li En had reached his destination.

"Young Master Li En, welcome back."

"Have you had dinner? The master should return soon—let's eat together then."

The maids' warmth made Li En feel uneasy.

"No, I have other matters. I came specifically to take Laina home—I've arranged two tutoring sessions for her, starting tomorrow. I need to prepare tonight." Laina, beaming, rushed down the stairs, unaware of the hell awaiting her.

Learning Sallyman was out working, Li En felt a sudden pang of guilt.

While secretly relieved, he quickly took Laina and left.

"Friend!"

The little girl, upon seeing Li En downstairs, launched herself at him.

She showed no anger over his absence, which eased the man's mind.

A pure, good girl—rare indeed. As he handed her the lollipops and snacks he'd brought, he took her small hand and quickened their pace.

He didn't know that in a room above the third floor, someone watched his departure, frowning.

"So hurried—does he have a purpose, or is he guilty?" Even Dainya didn't understand why, despite their brief meeting, she felt she knew Li En deeply.

She could sense his subtle unease and guilt from his calm expression and tone—was he afraid of seeing me? Have you finally realized how cruel you were?

These past two days, Dainya had been tormented by rumors of the "Elevated Knight." She came to Sallyman's house to escape the hassle—and that was precisely why Sallyman had volunteered to work overtime.

Your superior and CEO is squatting in your home, yet you're lounging around—aren't you asking for trouble?

"Stop him. Bring him to me."

Dainya suddenly felt curious—what made Li En rush to Sallyman's, then flee so quickly?

Ten minutes later, Li En was brought into the room.

"Oh, it's Dainya… uh, Your Majesty."

Noticing Li En's sudden relaxation, Dainya felt inexplicably irritated.

So his guilt and unease weren't about her?

Have you completely forgotten what you did? I've been troubled ever since—you've already forgotten?

Yet Li En, though surprised, showed a flash of delight.

He did have matters requiring the kingdom's aid—he'd planned to ask Sallyman, or better yet, Dainya.

But before he could speak, another unexpected event occurred.

A maid rushed in and handed a letter to the princess. Li En recognized the royal crest on the envelope.

At just one glance, Dainya's face turned pale.

"Mother?! My mother's coming?!"

(End of Chapter)