Chapter Seven, The Crimson Trial
As he gazed at the moon gradually rising over the eastern hill, Reinhardt felt an indescribable stirring in his heart: "Alin, I think I will apply for the trial tomorrow. In the Divine Nest, there is nothing left for me to learn. I... I want to leave the Divine Nest soon. I want to see Father Dekler, Father Babi, and my few friends."
With a laugh reminiscent of a child, Reinhardt shouted, and his body seemed to spring up like a coiled spring, leaping seven or eight meters high. His right leg suddenly twitched and kicked towards An's head. An let out a hearty laugh, and the long sword, which was a full foot wide, whistled through the air, stirring up a haze of black mist as it advanced towards Reinhardt's right leg. With a thunderous 'bang', Reinhardt's right leg collided violently with the sword, and in that instant, his body appeared to freeze in mid-air. An laughed again, and the sword, a full foot wide, whistled through the air, stirring up a haze of black mist as it advanced towards Reinhardt's right leg. With a thunderous 'bang', Reinhardt's right leg collided violently with the sword, and in that instant, his body appeared to freeze in mid-air.
An's eyes widened in shock as he angrily exclaimed, "A wild boar, how can it be so cunning? ... Hey, Reinhardt, what do you mean by that? If that wild boar's intelligence is even slightly higher than that of an ordinary person, does that mean I am not even as good as a wild boar?" Suddenly realizing this, An fiercely grabbed the back of Reinhardt's neck with his left hand and shook him vigorously a few times.
Hargan smiled: "An, please be mindful of your words. Clergy are not permitted to tease women of the common folk"
Standing close to 1.8 meters tall, with broad shoulders, strong arms, a sturdy yet slightly lean physique, and long hair cascading near his shoulders, this is the sixteen-year-old Reinhardt today. His face, always adorned with a gentle smile, features a pair of eyes that are slightly more expressive than those of an average person, yet there is nothing else about him that draws attention. He gives off an impression akin to a piece of Hetian jade soaked in milk; although inherently precious, it remains somewhat hazy, making it difficult to see clearly. His face, always adorned with a gentle smile, features a pair of eyes that are slightly more expressive than those of an average person, yet there is nothing else about him that draws attention. He gives off an impression akin to a piece of Hetian jade soaked in milk; although inherently precious, it remains somewhat hazy, making it difficult to see clearly
Just as Kafein was about to speak, a shadow wrapped in a whirlwind rushed past. Meanwhile, An swung his longsword and roared as he jumped down from a mountain peak, shouting loudly: "Reinhardt, you bastard, stop right there! ... ... You, you actually said my appetite is bigger than that wild boar's? You, you stop right there!"
"Hahaha," Reinhardt let out a series of clear, long laughs, his body seeming to float like a feather in the wind, gracefully darting forward. At one moment he was at the treetops, and at another he was halfway up the mountain, always choosing the most difficult paths to run. Below, An, unable to climb, was howling in frustration like a wild boar that had just had its tail chopped off.
A bloody pig's tail was violently slammed down in front of Hal and the others, and An rushed past like a gust of wind: "Hal, you all can handle it as you see fit. I have successfully obtained this damned wild boar's tail, so I can leave the Divine Nest without any issues, right? I will leave tomorrow. If I have to stay with Reinhardt any longer, I will go crazy!" Shouting loudly, An truly resembled a wild boar, charging recklessly into the Divine Nest, causing the lower-level apprentices to scatter in panic.
Standing beside Reinhardt, but carefully maintaining a distance of at least two meters, Alin suddenly smiled with her lips pressed together. Her silky silver hair cascaded down past her hips, and her delicate, water-like face resembled a dreamlike beauty. As she stood there, smiling with her lips pressed together, the entire world seemed to fade into obscurity.
From the newly joined Light Wolf Knights to the highest-ranking Light Lion Knights in the Divine Nest, all have been thoroughly beaten by An. The rules of the Divine Court align perfectly with An's preferences: during martial arts exchanges, the use of excessively powerful divine powers is strictly prohibited. Thus, with his divine power only equivalent to that of a Light Leopard Knight, An, relying on his terrifying inhuman strength, thoroughly defeated all the Flame Knights below Durant and Kafien, completely satisfying his long-held desire: once I have power, I will not rest until I have defeated you all.
Suddenly realizing that he had fallen into a trap, the mutated, blood-red wild boar, whose origin was unknown and had presumably been captured by the divine court, let out an angry roar. Its small eyes blinked fiercely, and it suddenly spewed forth a wave of milky liquid reeking of strong alcohol. A spark flickered from its tusks, and with a loud 'boom,' flames erupted, surging towards Reinhardt in the wind
Harfa let out a piercing scream, turned on his heel and ran, shouting in anger: "An, I am a civilian, I am a bishop, I am not a knight of the Radiant Legion. According to the rules of the Divine Court, a knight must never lay a hand on a cleric! You, you damned wild boar!"
An looked momentarily stunned, nodding repeatedly: "Oh, then it's nothing. When I tease them, I definitely won't be wearing the robes of the Divine Court... However, Lord Hal, I have heard that when students leave the Divine Nest, they are awarded a very prestigious title, which is the first title of their lifetime as clergy leaving the Divine Nest, isn't that right? Ah, you must give me a very impressive name so that the senior officials of the Divine Court can recognize me at a glance!"
Reinhardt also crouched down and looked at that "magnificent" pig's tail, sighing: "That's it. We have been hunting it in the mountains and forests for half a month, yet we still couldn't do anything about it. It is already quite fortunate that we can cut off its tail this time. You have seen its speed; damn it, it is even faster than my full-speed run. Its skin is thicker than your face; what else can we do? Anyway, Professor Hal and the others only need a certain part of it, and this pig's tail will suffice."
A peculiar smile appeared on Reinhardt's face as he murmured, "Hmm, I really wonder what you would become if you continued to survive for hundreds of years. You... you are a creature with 'true energy' flowing within, possessing intelligence comparable to that of a human." He glanced down at Ann, who was jumping up and down in anger at the foot of the mountain, and Reinhardt chuckled a few times before soaring into the air, heading towards the direction of the Divine Nest.
With a long howl, as if seizing the opportunity, a wild boar approximately three meters tall and five meters long, with massive tusks protruding over a meter from its large mouth, charged out from the dense forest, creating a whirlwind. The distance of several hundred meters was covered in just two or three strides of the wild boar, and a bright white light flashed from its two tusks as it fiercely aimed for An's backside.
A fierce gust of wind swept down from the sky, and a tall, robust figure crashed heavily to the ground, shattering a piece of black rock into four or five fragments. Standing nearly two meters tall, An held a heavy alloy longsword, clumsily falling from the cliff. Spitting out the dirt from his mouth in frustration, An howled madly: "Where are you, you blood-red wild boar? I will skin you, strip your bones, and turn you into pork chops to eat!"
The massive hooves stomped heavily on the ground, and the body weighing over ten thousand pounds sprang up as lightly as a bullet. The pig's tail, about a meter long, skillfully curled and flicked backward. This blood-red wild boar surprisingly evaded Reinhardt's swift attack
However, don't you think that the title "Wild Boar Knight" is not much better?" Kafein cautiously glanced around and said in a low voice, "If An were to learn about the naming rules of the Divine Nest, and also find out that we three deliberately chose that demonized wild boar for him to complete the trial, what do you think he would do?"
From the age of six to twelve, over the course of six years, he, with a mind akin to that of a monster, drained all knowledge from Merlin and the others. In the end, Merlin and the others had no choice but to flee in panic from the lair of the gods. Harlox stated quite directly: "If you don't leave now, I will have no choice but to reveal my last resort to you! Reinhardt, it's not that I'm stingy, but such a secret technique cannot be passed on to you." While Harlox was still speaking to Reinhardt, Elvick had already boarded a helicopter with his sword and departed hundreds of kilometers away.
Durant raised an eyebrow, cautiously glanced around, and then said: "Hmm, it has been twenty days. These twenty days have truly been quiet! No more of those blind fools seeking out Reinhardt for a duel over Alin, and no more screams from being beaten by An. Such days are indeed quite leisurely! However, can those two handle that demonized wild boar?"
This is Reinhardt's first encounter with the group referred to as 'monsters' in China. At this moment, he was still unaware that in the mysterious East, on the rich and magical land of China, the blood-red wild boar, which he perceived as quite powerful, was merely a novice among the countless demons and monsters. Although he felt a bit surprised and did not understand why the wild boar had transformed into such a formidable creature, fortunately, he had not yet experienced what it meant to be shocked
Today, An is fulfilling a ritual that has been passed down for hundreds of years in the Divine Nest. Before leaving the Divine Nest, one must personally select a companion, and then, with the companion's assistance, venture into the deep mountains to hunt a fierce beast released by the Divine Nest. As long as one successfully obtains a symbolic item from the beast, one can leave the Divine Nest smoothly, and the Divine Nest will acknowledge that you have become a qualified priest.
He crouched down, casually stabbing his long sword into a nearby giant rock, gazing longingly at what might be the largest pig tail in the world. He smacked his lips and hesitantly asked, "So, are we just going to take this thing back to report? Wouldn't Hal be furious? The others from the trials all brought back the heads of fierce tigers, and we are bringing back a tail... this!"
The voice of Reinhardt's jest echoed from afar: "An, as a steadfast clergyman, lies will be punished by the divine. Therefore, although I understand the consequences are quite dire, I must still tell you -- all clergymen who leave the Divine Nest have their first title linked to their trial target. If their trial target is a dragon, they are Dragon Knights; if their trial target is a fierce tiger, they are Tiger Knights; if their trial target is a mouse, they are Field Mouse Knights!" If their trial target is a dragon, they are Dragon Knights; if their trial target is a fierce tiger, they are Tiger Knights; if their trial target is a mouse, they are Field Mouse Knights!
Cold sweat trickled down Hal's forehead, and he suddenly stepped back several paces
With a fierce gulp, An expressed with a face full of longing: "Leaving that bastard Reinhardt, going to New New York City to become a high-ranking official in the Divine Court, working only one week a month, with the rest of the time for my own cultivation and rest. Hmm, a salary equivalent to nearly 30,000 RMB each month, oh my god, I am truly so happy! The squadron leader of the Blazing Legion, it is said that over in North America, the squadron leader of the Blazing Legion is equivalent to a colonel or higher in their local military. Flirting with beautiful women in the bustling city, and no one dares to intervene!" Hmm, a salary equivalent to nearly 30,000 RMB each month, oh my god, I am truly so happy! The squadron leader of the Blazing Legion, it is said that over in North America, the squadron leader of the Blazing Legion is equivalent to a colonel or higher in their local military. Flirting with beautiful women in the bustling city, and no one dares to intervene!
Alin said softly, "Wild Boar Knight? In fact, this name is quite interesting and rather amiable"
At the very least, the method he currently employs to track traces in the deep mountains was imparted to him by several so-called ninjas forcibly abducted by the Divine Court from the East. However, Merlin and his companions are absolutely incapable of providing Reinhardt with such knowledge. "With the myriad skills in the world, mastering them one by one is truly difficult!" After three days and nights of pursuit through the forest, Reinhardt, having ultimately utilized the tracking skills he learned to catch up and severely injure several of the test ninjas, expressed his sentiments in this manner. "With the myriad skills in the world, mastering them one by one is truly difficult!" After three days and nights of pursuit through the forest, Reinhardt, having ultimately utilized the tracking skills he learned to catch up and severely injure several of the test ninjas, expressed his sentiments in this manner
It was as if a basin of gasoline had been poured onto the stove, and An let out a frenzied howl, brandishing that terrifyingly large sword, charging at Hal: "Hal, I must kill you today! You, you, you, the Boar Knight? Oh my God, God, strike this damned bastard dead! God, please heed my prayer, let this old man Hal have a heart attack, I want to slay him!"
An Kuang laughed and suddenly shouted: "I have a great idea! Hahaha, I will take you all as my trial subjects. My title will be the Knight of the Knights! Haha, you are not allowed to run away; you all belong to me!"
In six years, Reinhardt transformed from a small stream into a vast ocean. Although still immature, he already possessed the potential to stir up tremendous waves. The following four years were spent under the harsh training of Hal and others, learning all the knowledge that might be useful from the outside world. Like a powerful water-absorbing synthetic resin, Reinhardt absorbed everything he could learn into his mind. These four years significantly advanced his overall strength.
An blinked for a moment, pondering for quite a while, and then said: "Oh, a dragon is a dragon, a tiger is a tiger, a mouse is a mouse... Hmm, my trial subject is a..." An's neck slowly turned towards Hal, the joints in his spine emitting a terrifying creaking sound
The several Light Lion Knights, a dozen Light Tiger Knights, over twenty Light Leopard Knights, and thirty to fifty Light Wolf Knights saw Hal, who was drenched in sweat, rush in. Suddenly, with a shout, they scattered and fled.
As he rapidly ascended, standing atop a peak that was two to three hundred meters high, Reinhardt gazed at the distant, wildly charging crimson figure, a gentle smile appearing on his face. "My friend, no matter where you come from, and regardless of the terrifying experiences that have led you to become this way, from now on, live well in this mountain range... It must have been quite difficult for you to grow this large and possess such unique abilities!" "My friend, no matter where you come from, and regardless of the terrifying experiences that have led you to become this way, from now on, live well in this mountain range... It must have been quite difficult for you to grow this large and possess such unique abilities!"
Dear, esteemed, noble Lord Hal, great Archbishop of the Divine Court, it seems that you have insisted on selecting the most powerful beast for my trial, and thus, you have chosen a wild boar! Therefore, when I, An, report to the headquarters of the Divine Court in New New York, my title will be ... ...
The moist wind blew in from the distant ocean, and even in the deep mountains, it could not prevent the forests from turning a faint shade of green. The vast, ancient, and dark dense woods, seemingly untouched by human presence, appeared to be moved by this humid and warm breeze, revealing a fresh layer of green at the edges. It was subtle, yet it at least proved that these trees, which looked like stone pillars, were still alive. The large, warm gusts of wind swept through, causing the white snow to vanish.
With a loud crash, along with the new trainees who were in training, not a single shadow could be found in the entire training ground
Naturally, the only companion suitable for An is Reinhardt, as currently, within the entire divine nest, only Reinhardt is capable of engaging An in combat for an hour using martial arts. Moreover, Reinhardt's expertise in various eclectic subjects proves to be quite useful in the deep mountains. If An were to pursue the released beast alone, the likely outcome would be that after exterminating all the wild animals within a radius of several hundred kilometers, An would end up completely lost, waiting for the rescue team to arrive.
With a bang, Hal, who was howling at the sky, was sent flying by a punch from An. Hal was momentarily stunned, blinked his eyes, and suddenly lost the courage to fight against the frenzied An. He retracted the golden light surrounding him and cried out in despair: "Help! I command you, stop this damned guy!" He quickened his pace and awkwardly ran towards a group of high-ranking Flame Knights.
Reinhardt rubbed his sore neck, grimacing as he got up from the ground, and said angrily: "Why can't we just complete the task? Those who faced trials before only had to chase after a fierce tiger or a lion at most, but this time, we are up against such a monstrous wild boar! Ann, do you know? Its tail hit my face, and it was much heavier than your usual punches! You saw its skin a few days ago; my ice blade couldn't cut through it, and lightning couldn't break it. What can we do about it?" Its tail hit my face, and it was much heavier than your usual punches! You saw its skin a few days ago; my ice blade couldn't cut through it, and lightning couldn't break it. What can we do about it?
Endless fury filled the entire training ground, as a humanoid beast was completely provoked. The howling sword light slashed wildly at Hal
Raising his right hand cautiously, Reinhardt gently shushed. An immediately quieted down, dragging the pitch-black alloy longsword that weighed at least 300 kilograms. An glanced left and right with his relatively small eyes compared to his massive head, squatting beside Reinhardt, and asked in a lowered voice, "Hmm, what is it? Have you found something?" His small eyes blinked vigorously, appearing quite comical. However, the cold glint that occasionally flashed in those eyes could not overshadow the terrifying power hidden within An's steel-like body.
With a blink of an eye, Durant and Kafien rushed out like the wind, shouting frantically: "Concentrate, urgent concentration, all trainees with less than five years of experience gather, deep mountain survival training, urgent deep mountain survival training! Hurry, hurry, hurry, everyone follow us, no personal belongings allowed! Deep mountain survival, lasting for one month, hurry, hurry!"
A stream of blood splattered onto the ground, yet the wild boar did not glance back even once, charging forward with its head down. In just three to five seconds, its massive body had vanished into a dense forest over a thousand meters away, quickly disappearing from sight. An, staring blankly at the only remnant left on the wild boar, the still twitching tail, could not help but sigh deeply: "Oh God, what are we to do about this tail when we return to report?"
Over the course of ten years, An has transformed from a rude boy from a rural town into a significant menace in the Divine Nest. If someone displeases An, he beats them; if An finds someone displeasing, he beats them; if someone provokes Reinhardt, An beats them; if Reinhardt inadvertently provokes someone, An beats them; if someone provokes Alin, An beats them... Well, Alin has never actively provoked anyone, so the number of people who have been beaten by An is fortunate to be fewer.
In the Divine Nest, Haar, Durant, and Kafien stood on the training ground, watching a group of young recruits who had just joined the Divine Nest for a year. They were struggling to carry enormous stones while climbing a steep mountain. Several Light Wolf Knights were there, shouting harshly, their long whips cracking down like rain upon the bare skin, producing sharp sounds of "crack".
Although An's other skills, such as mathematics, history, and other subjects, are merely equivalent to the level of a junior high school graduate in the outside world, what does it matter? A certain high-ranking official from the Divine Court, who had inspected the Divine Nest and witnessed An's terrifying power, praised him, which immediately granted An a commendable position within the Flame Legion. As long as An can successfully leave the Divine Nest, he can report to the headquarters of the Divine Court in New New York City. The position of squad leader in the Flame Legion is quite significant for a young man who has just left the Divine Nest.
As for Merlin, he did not meet Reinhardt again; he merely left a badge representing Merlin's identity for Reinhardt, who then did not know where to go. That badge, which represented the highest authority of the Holy See's dark chamber, was wrapped in a layer of metal by Reinhardt and hung on his chest
Haal suddenly jumped up, pointing to the sky, and roared in anger: "O supreme, omniscient, and omnipotent God, strike down the disgrace of these two clergy with Your thunder! You two bastards, how dare you waste over a hundred years of our friendship!"
Hal nodded slightly and said softly, "It seems that we still need to be stricter. Although the elimination rate has increased a bit, the overall strength level has surpassed that of previous cohorts... Hmm, how long have An and Reinhardt been out? It should be nearly twenty days, right? Haven't they called for help?"
Ah! With a mournful howl, Hal, being a mere administrative staff member despite his immense divine power, could not outrun the frenzied wild boar, which kicked him in the rear, nearly causing him to fall flat on his face. Hal finally became enraged, emanating a strong golden light akin to flames. He shouted madly: "Oh God, forgive me, today I must teach this damned wild boar a lesson! An, you are about to leave the divine nest, can't you let me have a moment of peace?" He shouted frantically: "Oh God, forgive me, today I must teach this damned wild boar a lesson! An, you are about to leave the divine nest, can't you let me have a moment of peace? Oh God, are you going to punish me? After letting him trample all of us for ten years, must he now destroy the entire divine nest before leaving?"
Hal pondered for a moment, then nodded and said: "No problem, An still has tremendous potential yet to be tapped, dealing with that wild boar is absolutely not an issue. As for Reinhardt, do you know his specific strength? Although he does not appear very powerful, in reality, perhaps no one in our divine nest can contend with him. Of course, his absolute power should not be that impressive, after all, he is still young, but it is absolutely impossible for that wild boar to harm him." Although he does not appear very powerful, in reality, perhaps no one in our divine nest can contend with him. Of course, his absolute power should not be that impressive, after all, he is still young, but it is absolutely impossible for that wild boar to harm him.
Reinhardt exclaimed joyfully: "Haha, I've been waiting for you!" Using the blade of An as leverage, a fierce gust of wind suddenly arose, enveloping Reinhardt and transforming him into a shadow as he lunged fiercely at the wild boar. An, taking advantage of Reinhardt's powerful step, glided two meters forward like flowing water, causing the wild boar's fierce thrust to miss.
In his nose, he detected a faint smell of fishy odor, along with a hint of blood. Reinhardt whispered, "An, do not shout randomly; it is nearby, I can sense it! This creature has a high intelligence, perhaps surpassing that of an ordinary person. It won't foolishly flee through the mountains, ultimately exhausting itself and allowing us to catch and kill it." A playful smile appeared on Reinhardt's face as he continued, "It must be preparing to ambush us. Unfortunately, we have not separated on the road, so it may be wasting its efforts."
Heavy panting sounds came from behind Hal. He suddenly turned around and saw Anbajie, drenched in sweat, bending over and grinning at him: "Lord Hal, as we agreed, I will be able to leave the Divine Nest tomorrow and take up my position at the Divine Court headquarters, won't I? Ah, it is said that New New York is the most prosperous city in the world, ranking among the top thirty cities outside of China. Ah, it must have countless delicacies and numerous beauties, right?"
Reinhardt sighed, clasped his hands over his chest, and murmured a few prayers. Suddenly, he turned to look at Alin and gently asked, "Alin, I estimate that no one in the Divine Nest will be able to sleep tonight. You need not tutor those young girls anymore. Would you accompany me for a walk to Moonview Peak?"
Alin had not spoken for a long time. After a while, she slowly walked towards a distant mountain peak and said softly, "Oh, are you and An leaving too?" Her tone was calm, yet it carried an indescribable meaning. The faint white moonlight illuminated her, and the long strands of her hair reflected a brilliance akin to that of ice and snow.
Just as he stopped, An roared in anger: "Dare you injure Reinhardt?" With a swift motion of his longsword, a golden arc of sword energy whistled towards the wild boar's head. However, this monstrous wild boar was unimaginably fast; although the sword energy was aimed at its head, by the time it reached the boar, it had already darted forward more than five meters. With a crisp 'crack', the wild boar let out a miserable 'ow', as a tail about a meter long and as thick as an arm was severed by An's sword. Yet, this monstrous wild boar was unimaginably fast; although the sword energy was aimed at its head, by the time it reached the boar, it had already darted forward more than five meters. With a crisp 'crack', the wild boar let out a miserable 'ow', as a tail about a meter long and as thick as an arm was severed by An's sword.
A cliff of over twenty meters, Reinhardt jumped down headfirst. When he was less than fifty centimeters from the ground, a sudden force surged through his waist, his scalp grazed the ground as he twisted his body, and he was already standing firmly on the ground. Cautiously, he crouched down, pinched a small handful of soil from a huge hoof print on the ground, and brought it to his nose to smell.
Nodding repeatedly and affirming with his mouth, An suddenly became enraged after hearing Reinhardt's words: "Reinhardt, what do you mean? What do you mean by saying its skin is thicker than my face? Can my face withstand your lightning? You cunning little rascal, come back here, I am going to beat you to death! You bastard, come back here!" Grabbing the pig's tail casually, he drew his long sword, and An was enveloped in a layer of golden light, charging towards Reinhardt like a tank.
Hal, Durant, and Kafein slowly crouched down, staring at the completely blood-red pig tail, looking at each other in confusion. "What is this? Is this considered a successful trial? A pig tail? Oh God, save us! According to our naming customs in the Divine Nest, are we really going to add the wonderful title of 'Knight of the Pig Tail' to An's resume?"
In a state of panic, Reinhardt narrowly avoided the pungent smell of alcohol emanating from the firelight produced by the wild boar. With a swift motion of his blade-like hand, he was suddenly struck hard on the head by the boar's tail, which resembled an iron whip. The impact was at least around one ton of force, causing Reinhardt to let out a muffled groan as his entire body was sent flying for over ten meters, akin to a leaf caught in the wind.