Chapter 26: This is the time and life, distilled!

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In front of the old noble warehouse gate.

The massive beetle, having lost its power source, collapsed with a thunderous crash, kicking up a cloud of dust.

Until its death, it still clutched the wooden box tightly in its left hand, never letting go.

“*Huff… huff…*”

Mo Wen knelt halfway on the ground, breathing heavily.

Hank, who had rushed over as the battle ended, was about to lift Mo Wen up when he suddenly noticed the skin on the young man’s hands cracking open. Blood began to drip continuously from the fissures, quickly covering him in crimson.

“Mr. Mo Wen?!”

Startled, Hank’s outstretched hand froze mid-air, unsure of what to do.

Mo Wen lowered his head, gazing at his own grievous condition without surprise.

The “One Form” of the Thousand Wind Sword Technique was immensely powerful but came with an overwhelming toll.

With his current physique, he could barely bear the strain. Forcing it out had caused his skin, blood vessels, and muscles to tear extensively.

It was uncertain how long he would need to recover.

If it were his true body, Mo Wen would never resort to such reckless use except in a matter of life and death.

But this was his dream form… so it didn’t matter.

This dream journey was nearing its end. Given that, risking severe injury for a taste of “glory” was a worthwhile trade.

Mo Wen struggled to turn his head and looked to his side. “Thank you for your trouble.”

Hank looked puzzled but saw nothing unusual. Just as confusion clouded him, his eyes widened in shock at what he witnessed next.

A faint white glow appeared over the surface of the young man’s body. In the next moment, the wounds began healing visibly before his eyes.

Having never seen such “magic,” Hank instinctively gasped, “A miracle?!”

Freya’s treatment had improved Mo Wen’s condition, though he was still far from well.

Her healing could mend physical injuries but could not ease mental fatigue.

Fortunately, he had regained mobility.

Mo Wen exhaled deeply, propping his long sword on the ground as he stood.

—

[Defeated “Weakened Military Automaton Type II: Beetle (originally Bronze, downgraded to Black Iron)” and gained 1000 class experience points (Black Beast Crew Member)!]

[Class]: Black Iron - Black Beast Crew Member Lv.4 (400/800) → Black Iron - Black Beast Crew Member Lv.5 (600/1600)

[Class base bonuses gained: Stamina +0.2, Spirit +0.1!]

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[Class Skill – Balanced Footing (Level 1) → (Level 2)!]

[Attributes]: Stamina 2.7 → 2.9, Spirit 1.1 → 1.2

Skill – [Balanced Footing (Level 2)]: Extended time at sea has granted Black Beast Crew Members the technique to maintain balance and combat effectiveness aboard ships during storms without any decrease in movement speed.

—

The warmth brought by leveling up further nourished Mo Wen’s body and mind, relaxing his once tense and exhausted spirit.

Reaching Lv.5 marked the second milestone in his class progression, and this time, the upgrade enhanced the skill [Balanced Footing].

Though not immediately useful to Mo Wen, this skill would prove invaluable in future naval battles or harsh combat environments.

Taking a step forward, Mo Wen approached the fallen beetle and bent down to extract the wooden box it had been clutching.

The box felt slightly heavy in his hand. It was a ten-centimeter cubic wooden container with an intricate pattern etched on its top—a black background with golden lines resembling a conical flask set upon a circular plate.

It seemed to hold some special significance.

Mo Wen did not understand its meaning, nor did Freya. Although she possessed considerable knowledge of the occult, her understanding of the Principality of Maine was no deeper than Mo Wen’s.

But while they did not know, perhaps someone else did.

Mo Wen glanced at Hank, preparing to ask, but noticed the middle-aged man wearing the plague doctor mask staring blankly at the pattern on the box.

Hank’s entire body trembled slightly, bow in hand, overcome with emotion.

“Hank, do you recognize this symbol?”

Mo Wen’s voice brought Hank back from his daze.

Taking a deep breath to steady himself, Hank finally rasped, “…That’s the emblem of the Alchemy Tower.”

Alchemy Tower?

Mo Wen’s interest was piqued.

Aware that Mo Wen was an outsider, Hank spoke in a low voice, “The origins of these automatons lie with the Alchemy Tower.”

“The first alchemists built the Alchemy Tower with the support of the old nobility.”

Hank seemed to know much about this faction but did not elaborate further.

Seeing Hank’s somber mood, Mo Wen decided not to press him now and thought, “I’ll ask more once Hank is calmer.”

For the moment?

Of course, he would open the box to see what this so-called [Relic – Emblem of the Stars] truly was.

Examining the box closely, Mo Wen soon frowned.

The wooden container bore no seams or openings. Even if he wished to pry it open, he had no way to do so.

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As for breaking it open by force?

This object, called the “Sealed Box,” came from the Alchemy Tower. Whether force could break it was uncertain, but what if the relic inside was damaged?

“Hank, do you know how to open this?”

Hank shook his head.

Seeing this, Mo Wen carefully stowed it away. He planned to return to the sanctuary and ask Ms. Sophia.

As the sanctuary’s manager and a suspected noble, she would surely know more than Hank.

The Sealed Box was crafted by the Alchemy Tower, and as a member of a noble faction that had cooperated with them, Ms. Sophia might know how to unlock it.

With the Sealed Box temporarily unopened, Mo Wen’s gaze shifted toward the door shield embedded in the ground nearby.

Miss Anna had once mentioned that some special automatons carried weapons containing unique materials useful for weapon enhancement.

Mo Wen had suffered firsthand from his weapon’s shortcomings in this battle.

Had his longsword been sharp enough, the first strike piercing the beetle’s chest would have reached its core, eliminating the need to risk his life with sword techniques afterward.

Standing by the door shield, Mo Wen hesitated.

It weighed several hundred kilograms. While he could drag it, the sewer entrance wouldn’t allow such a bulky object through. Taking the land route was too perilous—if they encountered more troublesome automatons mid-journey, losing the shield would be bad enough, but his own safety could not be guaranteed.

At that moment, Mo Wen noticed four nearly transparent, irregular crystals embedded on the inner side of the shield.

He pried out the four crystals and cast a reconnaissance spell. Instantly, information about the crystals appeared before his eyes.

—

[Small Rust Essence Stone]: A peculiar stone imbued with special energy, used for forging and enhancing weapons. It also has other unique applications. Some lifeforms are particularly fond of it.

P.S.: It is the accumulation of time and life.

—

“Rust Essence Stone?!”

Mo Wen’s eyes widened in surprise.

This was not the first time he had heard the name.

The “material sacrifice” required to activate the [Curse Automaton] rare item was none other than the Rust Essence Stone.

He had never expected to acquire it in this way.