Chapter 56: Oath

In the cave's death match, heaven and earth were inverted, and the warriors pinned against the ceiling endured gravity several times heavier.

"This is still the probing phase; we can't even stand steady. How can we fight when this thing stands above us, looking down?"

Feeling the excessive pressure on his whole body, especially his spine, Li En gritted his teeth, supported himself on all fours, and tried to stand.

Yes, even at this very moment, Li En's group was still conducting a probing attack on a powerful enemy while ensuring their own safety.

Probing the opponent's combat style, probing the opponent's abilities, probing the opponent's possible shortcomings and weaknesses.

Adjusting one's own combat style based on intelligence gathered during the battle is standard orthodox tactics.

But merely this "Authority of Gravity" was already making the knight squad struggle to endure.

The senses of up and down were confused; the feeling of being pinned against the ceiling was simply too unbearable.

If movement is difficult, how can we fight!

Li En's situation was the best; he looked up to confirm Maria was still standing in place and let out a sigh of relief.

Inverted in his field of vision, the patterns on her body emitted an eerie radiance as she simply smiled and locked eyes with him.

That fake smile seemed to mock them: "You who are not strong enough don't even have the qualification to touch me."

Li En, however, paid even closer attention to the fact that the inversion and doubling of gravity centered on her.

It seemed that even after using this power, she could not move freely; this was understandable, since she was the center of the gravity field. With her habits, once the enemy exposed such a huge opening, she should have already started hunting.

"Ahhh!" Behind Li En, a woman's scream rang out.

Talia was already embedded in the ceiling; the excessive gravity pinned her, who was already injured, so she could not move.

Her wounds kept bursting open, and her muscles and bones simultaneously emitted painful groans.

Yet the Dimon beside her was in much better shape; he even began struggling to stand and tried to help Talia up.

"Why the different treatment?! No, something is wrong. Even injured, Talia is far stronger than Dimon; she shouldn't be in the worst condition."

Li En keenly realized that perhaps the reason for this difference was the key to overcoming this ability.

His own condition was the best, followed by Dimon, while Talia took several times the damage. Yet in terms of overall hardware, Talia was undoubtedly number one; without any burden, she should have endured the least pressure, and her physical strength should have been the most resilient.

"Resistance. All abilities depend on resistance; this is not a true World Authority!"

Li En figured it out. Just as he had once roared away the spells, the greatest advantage of the Paladin was being a "versatile tank," originally a profession with high resistance against various abilities.

Dimon was a Sworn Knight, and Li En himself carried the aftermath of the Su Er Sworn; they were already among the most resistant in the Paladin ranks! So strong that even among Paladins, it was considered absurd.

"Boom!"

Li En stood up first; his resistance was undoubtedly the highest.

But even so, the heavy armor became a burden, and the several-fold gravity made it extremely unbearable.

"She... cannot hold on much longer."

The sound of bones cracking came from behind; blood had already soaked the ground. Talia's wounds, she being an agility-type, were rapidly worsening.

She struggled to try to rise, but the result was her spine bearing even higher pressure. The continuous sounds of fractures made one wonder how she could still move.

She vomited blood in great mouthfuls, already turned into a blood-soaked figure, yet she still forced herself to endure.

This was the normal power of this evil ability; one could not compare the resistance of a Sworn Knight to that of an ordinary transcendent.

"Don't move! I'll help you!"

Li En took a deep breath, gritted his teeth, and stood up.

The highest priority remained saving his companion's life.

But the moment he moved, he still endured several times the pressure. He glared fiercely at Maria, who was still smiling, yet he could do nothing.

Even his throwing knives fell straight onto the ceiling.

"Crack."

Moving even slightly made him hear the sound of his own bones seemingly breaking internally; it was truly not a pleasant feeling.

Should he use the Heroic Soul settlement to switch to the next Heroic Soul? Li En had felt from the start that this was not a good idea.

Stability and controllability were always the top priority on the battlefield.

Li En could not confirm that after settlement he could immediately draw the next Heroic Soul, and that the one drawn would happen to be usable in this situation. After all, no matter how strong a Heroic Soul was, it still used his physical body; moreover, some Heroic Souls were likely spell-based or even unskilled in combat.

With no other option in this desperate situation, he could only grit his teeth and gamble, but if he still had other possibilities in hand, he wouldn't have to go all-in. Li En did not want to become the next Hero!

Life is only one; he truly could not afford to gamble!

"Is there any way to increase resistance, even just a little...?" Whether they could break through the defense was the difference between heaven and earth; Li En felt he was right at this critical point.

Li En took one step and already felt exhaustion from the depths of his heart.

But when Li En's gaze turned forward to Dimon, who was helping Talia, he suddenly realized.

It turned out the answer had always been right beside him.

"I swear."

The calm words were a resolve from the depths of his heart.

Although he had the level of a Sworn Knight, Li En was not a Sworn Knight; Su Er was.

This was part of the plan; after the Heroic Soul settlement, Li En should also be able to gain Paladin power.

But he had never intended to serve any deity.

Becoming a Sworn Knight to generate one's own holy power was originally their only choice; he had actually already decided on the Oath.

But at this moment, he hesitated a little.

It was not hesitation about whether to take this step early.

"Is the previous Oath still sufficient...?"

Li En had not previously intended to specialize in the Paladin path, and therefore did not want the Oath to bind him too tightly.

The Oaths he selected were all broad, with light restrictions and low costs, which were self-disciplines his personality could accept.

But the stronger the Oath, the greater the buff it could provide. Dimon's (Life and Death) Oath was the confidence that allowed him to fight beyond his level, while Larry's Oath merely served as a supplement to her power.

This holds no hierarchy; it depends only on suitability and whether one is willing to dedicate everything for the oath.

"What suits me is the best." This is the experience given by the Knight of Su Er.

Humans cannot deceive themselves.

Not everyone is suited for ascetic cultivation; only a "promise" born from the heart can be fulfilled for a lifetime.

Without this resolve, the oath will not even be established.

Shaking his head, he decided to continue with the oath he had previously confirmed.

"I oath that I will fight for those who love me and those I love."

These seemingly plain words were a resolute determination to fulfill a lifetime.

Having made the oath, he stepped forward one by one, approaching Talia, who lay motionless in a pool of blood, completely unable to move.

Li En was not a "saint" like Su Er; he could not make an oath to fight for all the weak.

However, for the people around him, for his family, for those he loves and those who love him, Li En was also willing to risk everything.

The oath had been established; he felt indeed a bit lighter, and his path was correct.

"Rest assured, I am here." Supporting the woman, Li En tried to carry her out.

"Boom!"

But the pressure suddenly increased again, causing Talia to vomit blood directly.

Li En glared fiercely at Maria behind him, gritted his teeth, picked up his companion, and retreated, using his own body to bear the pressure for her.

"I oath..." The second oath was also activated; Li En needed higher resistance.

In Li En's previous considerations, this oath needed to align with the morals and bottom line of him, an Earthling, and even offer some help to him.

"... I will keep my word and fulfill the promises and oaths I have made."

Integrity is the foundation of being human to Li En; he extremely despises those who do not keep their word, which is why this is an oath he can accept.

Considering the long term, "keeping one's word" is also a good personal label.

In future interpersonal interactions, it can serve as a displayed sign to gain others' trust more quickly.

Moreover, taking a step back, keeping an oath does not mean one cannot deceive.

In fact, quite the opposite; if one truly intends to deceive the other party, "keeping one's word" is actually a beneficial BUFF. This depends on the deceiver's skill level; deception does not require breaking an oath, and a person trusted by others can more easily lead an opponent into an abyss.

"Boom!"

Li En knelt on one knee; this time the oath succeeded, but the pressure he bore was even greater.

Among the Knight Oaths, the second oath was far too fragile; the enhancement was clearly insufficient.

A third one? Li En held no expectations, but he could no longer stop.

There is an unwritten rule for Knight Oaths: two choices for oneself, and one used to "make a grand vow."

To fight for justice, to fight for the kingdom, to fight for the law, to fight for fairness, and so on.

Broad and long-term righteousness is a lasting path of life, and also an evolutionary oath of continuous growth and feedback.

Naturally weak in the early stages, it may not be powerful in the later stages depending on personal achievements.

Many knights treat it as a filler oath; just pick one they are confident they will absolutely never break.

"For justice..." Li En shook his head; he could not confirm that all heroic souls were righteous.

In fact, he was certain there were quite a few villains among them; breaking the oath inexplicably later would make one unable to laugh.

The third oath he had thought of earlier was actually something quite subtle.

"To fight for humanity." This is an oath derived from the last page of the Heroic Soul Codex: 【Ultimate Mission: Find Humanity.】

Since this is the ultimate goal of the Heroic Soul Codex, then, surely this oath is correct? In a world without real humans, can anything be more broad and impossible to break than "fighting for humanity"?

Although the bonus is likely zero, as long as there are no constraints, it is acceptable to Li En, who does not intend to specialize in the path of the Paladin.

After pondering, Li En still could not think of a better oath at this moment, and this step was actually impossible to stop.

"Snap!"

Holding the unconscious Talia, Li En moved closer to the cave entrance.

"I oath, for humanity..." Halfway through the words, the gravity increased again, making every step arduous.

He turned his head sharply, looking at that thing that had completely lost its humanity.

If it is such a thing, no matter which version of himself, as long as he is still "Li En Sudar," a normal person from Earth, he would swing his sword without hesitation.

"... I oath, to fight to the death for humanity and the bottom line of human nature!"

These calm words were an oath to himself, an expectation of desire for change, and a promise to the world and history.

He originally thought that even after this oath was established, the situation would not change.

Because it was too broad, even with the battle declaration "against the bottom line of human nature," it was less substantial than even "punishing villains"... many extreme criminals do not even reach the bottom line of human nature.

Perhaps in his view, this was too light a vow.

But an oath originates from the heart; it cannot be faked.

These are the limits of the lifelong commitments he can make and must keep.

"Eh?!"

But when the light of the oath finally descended, he was stunned.

Light overflowed directly from his body; his whole body was filled with inexhaustible strength.

This oath was not only recognized by his heart but also recognized by the world!

It seemed he had accidentally made a rather extraordinary oath?!

Perhaps only after a long time would he know what "fighting for humanity" and "fighting for human nature" meant.

He did not even realize that his second oath, "I will absolutely keep my word," further strengthened the great source of the third oath, completing the so-called dual oath.

That meant stronger feedback, but also stronger constraints, and a more cruel price for oath-breakers!

But now, he rejoiced that his resistance had increased greatly once more; the power from within his own heart allowed him to save his companions even better.

Finally, with one arm holding Talia and the other dragging Dem, he walked out of that gravity-reversed cave.

Then, Li En stepped back into this hellish scene once more.

Paladin Li En swung his sword at evil again.

This time, he was a true Paladin.

"Die, soulless living corpse!"

Enduring the bone-crushing pressure, Li En stepped forward one step at a time; this time, both sides stood on the same stage once more.

No tricks, no clever moves; facing the authority of the world, only the strong can endure, and only the victor can survive.

"This evil should end here."

The swinging holy sword tore through the restrictions of the gravity field and slashed fiercely at Maria.

(End of this chapter)