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Chapter 152: Misty Forest

Ethan looked at the decoctions before him.

Except for the very first one, all were S-grade.

By combining them with holy water, he was able to draw out all the power of the herbs, and above all, there was a lot of it.

‘At this rate, I could split one decoction into three doses.’

First, he checked the effects of the decoctions.

Since they were made with various herbs, each had different effects.

-Silver Sage Decoction dyed with holy water [S-grade]

Effect: Recovers all health and cures all status ailments. Gains resistance to all poisons for 5 minutes.

The Silver Sage Decoction not only recovered health but also cured all status ailments and granted poison resistance for a certain time.

It was an effect that not only recovered all health and status ailments but also made one invincible against poison for 5 minutes.

And since he could use it three times, it was essentially fair to say he had absolute immunity to poison for 15 minutes.

‘Of course, drinking it consecutively would be difficult.’

There’s a limit to how much decoction one can drink at once.

Ethan checked the next decoction.

-Silver Bell Flower Decoction dyed with holy water [S-grade]

Effect: Recovers all health. Cures all status ailments. Greatly increases defense immediately after drinking.

‘Thanks to mixing in holy water, the effect of curing all status ailments has become a basic feature.’

He had expected to perfectly cure a few status ailments given the use of high-quality holy water. But he didn’t expect to create a decoction that cured all status ailments.

‘It seems the effect of Donguibogam has been applied as well.’

Currently, Ethan’s Donguibogam stored numerous poisons.

It seemed to have had a big influence.

‘The Silver Bell Flower Decoction has the effect of greatly increasing defense for 5 minutes.’

The other decoctions were similar.

They all had the basic effects of recovering all health and curing all status ailments, with one special effect added to each.

These were truly S-grade worthy decoctions.

Ethan smiled and put the completed decoctions into his spatial pocket. With these, he could recover from anything short of instant death.

‘As long as I can recover, I can deal with anything.’

These decoctions would serve as a useful foundation for escaping urgent situations or counterattacking enemies later.

Next, Ethan examined the mastered Heo’s Decoction technique.

After mastering Heo’s Acupuncture, the Pulse Diagnosis skill was added, and the ability to recover health through needles greatly increased.

The same should be true for Heo’s Decoction technique.

“Oh.”

-True Heo’s Decoction technique [MASTER]

-Material Combination: Combines materials to create higher grade materials.

The master effect of True Heo’s Decoction technique was material combination.

“So it combines materials to create higher grade materials?”

It even seemed to guarantee obtaining higher grade materials.

Ethan immediately took out B-grade materials and attempted material combination.

-Combining Lukat Grass [B] and Javanisia [B].

-Combining…

-Heoryu Combination Grass [A] has been created.

The Heoryu Combination Grass created through material combination was A-grade.

“Combining B and B to make A, huh.”

Ethan immediately tried making a decoction with the A-grade Heoryu Combination Grass.

“Oh ho.”

Just like Heo’s Acupuncture, Heo’s Decoction technique, now with ‘True’ in its name, provided a distinctly different sensation.

‘The skill correction has become much better than before.’

The skill was perfectly compensating for areas that were normally impossible to control with human senses.

-You have created a decoction!

The created decoction was A+ grade, despite being made very casually.

“This is truly Heo Jun’s technique.”

Until now, what Ethan had been using was just a part of Heo Jun’s technique. It was just scratching the surface of a watermelon.

‘Now I can properly use Heo Jun’s power.’

Following Heo’s Acupuncture, now with Heo’s Decoction technique as well. He could finally properly use all the power of the god he first subscribed to.

‘Next is Hero’s Breathing.’

Hero’s Breathing had been quite helpful when using Heo’s Decoction technique. If he could master this, he would be able to fully use Hercules’ power.

***

Misty Forest.

The heretic inquisitors of the Holy Empire marched in step.

There were about fifty in total, and excluding the new inquisitors, most were veterans with over 10 years of experience, including the director.

Moving together with a standard-bearer holding a flag with the Inquisition’s emblem, all dressed in uniform, they exuded a majestic aura like a dragon-slaying party.

‘It’s quite impressive. Just wearing this uniform changes one’s mindset.’

Ethan planned to definitely meet the artisan who designed this uniform later.

He was certain that if he did business with this artisan, he could exert influence not only in the Holy Empire but also in the Demon Empire.

Among the marching inquisitors in uniform, the new inquisitors who had received Ethan’s training stood out.

The new inquisitors were marching together, mixed in with the veteran inquisitors.

The new inquisitors trained by Ethan moved confidently, despite looking quite tense.

Now, none of them thought they should sacrifice themselves to kill even one more enemy.

If they die, their comrades die too.

They realized that to take down even one more Follower of the Moon, it was more efficient to retreat one step or hold the position with their comrades rather than throwing away their lives.

That’s how great Ethan’s training method was.

All 32 new inquisitors felt they had become stronger through Ethan’s training.

At the same time, there was one more thing they keenly felt.

It was the bond with their comrades.

Before, they just thought of their colleagues as fellow new inquisitors, but now it was different.

One.

They all felt that the 32 of them were one team, one unit.

“Who are they? Aren’t they new recruits?”

“They are, but they feel completely different.”

“Something is different, right?”

Inquisitors who came as support from other branches were surprised to see the new inquisitors from Erant.

Until recently, they had been lacking in basics to the point of being difficult to use properly.

Rather than heretic inquisitors, they looked more like mercenaries randomly recruited from here and there, with little sense of unity among them.

But now they were completely different.

“I heard they received training.”

“Wasn’t it short? I heard it was just a week ago?”

Someone pointed to a spot.

“That’s him. That seems to be the instructor from the academy.”

“Ethan Whiskers, I’ve never heard of him before.”

“But this unknown instructor raised these recruits to this level? I don’t know if Ivecar Academy is amazing or if that teacher is amazing.”

The inquisitors from other branches couldn’t help but admire the completely changed new inquisitors and Ethan, looking back and forth between them.

“To train them to this extent in such a short time.”

“Our director certainly has an eye for talent. It’s natural for someone who rose from the bottom to the top.”

While feeling their gazes, Ethan was thinking about how to move in Misty Forest.

Basically, he would follow the Inquisition’s operation, but once inside, there would be times when he had to move alone.

“Stop.”

As they approached Misty Forest, the heretic inquisitors who were outside Misty Forest came running.

“Director, I’m reporting the current situation.”

“In detail.”

“Yes.”

The heretic inquisitors guarding Misty Forest all looked unwell.

Having gone through several battles, their uniforms were torn in many places, and the plate armor parts were shattered.

“As reported earlier, it seems the reinforcement that came is an Apostle from the Followers of the Moon side.”

Someone next to the reporting inquisitor jumped forward and shouted.

“We, we must flee. We must flee, I say!”

“Who is this?”

“They are from the forest tribe. They were helping us, but now they keep insisting we need to flee.”

They were elves with pointed ears.

An elven elder who looked quite old repeatedly said with a face stained with fear that they must flee.

“They are doing something that will incur the wrath of the god. Those bastards will never come out alive. But the blind wrath of the god won’t distinguish between friend and foe. So we must flee.”

The elven elder spoke urgently.

“The wrath of the god?”

“Our tribe has lived in this forest for a long time.”

The forest tribe had lived in this forest for a long time. There was a god overseeing this Misty Forest, allowing the elves to maintain peace without external invasion.

The elves didn’t believe in the god overseeing the forest, but out of gratitude, they occasionally offered tributes and in return received the god’s blessings.

Then those Followers of the Moon bastards appeared at that temple.

“Star fragment. Not content with touching that object where the god stored power, they even invaded inside the temple. That place has been forbidden for a long time.”

“You mean the god’s wrath will fall because they entered the forbidden area?”

“Yes, the forest… will burn. With the god’s wrath.”

Saying this, the elven elder shed tears. He didn’t want to leave his homeland either. He wanted to repel the invaders and reclaim his homeland.

But it was already too late. The god’s wrath was approaching.

“Even if it’s not just the god’s wrath… we should flee. The one who came as reinforcement for the invaders…”

As if recalling the scene, he spoke with a trembling voice.

“Was stronger than anyone I’ve ever seen.”

Seeing this, Jeryd clicked his tongue.

“Take them to a safe place.”

“Yes.”

“You must flee…”

At that moment, the elven elder shouted again.

“Those bastards are trying to destroy the temple and enter the god’s bedchamber inside. We must flee as soon as possible!”

Jeryd ignored those words and asked someone else.

“Do you know which number Apostle it is? They should express their power scale with numbers.”

“I’m sorry. We couldn’t confirm which number Apostle it is, but it’s certainly one of the higher-numbered Apostles.”

“I’m sorry. If we had wrapped things up a little faster…”

“No, it’s too late for regrets now. This might be their strategy. A strategy to intentionally buy time and keep us tied down here.”

Jeryd sighed deeply.

He already knows it’s dangerous.

But even so, he can’t back down. Kazinska, and several other precious inquisitors, each one valuable, have died.

He can’t just retreat after losing them.

“Hah.”

Jeryd made the sign of the cross.

The opponent is a higher-numbered Apostle. In that case, there was a risk of total annihilation on this side.

“Director, you must retreat.”

“This is not an opponent we can handle on our own.”

Those who had directly witnessed the Apostle thought they should retreat, just as the elven elder had said.

“How strong was he? That Apostle, I mean.”

“…Sir Kazinska fell in ten exchanges.”

“Ten exchanges?”

Jeryd exhaled in disbelief.

“That Kazinska…”

Jeryd wasn’t sitting in the director’s seat because he was the strongest in this Inquisition.

He ascended to this position because he was suitable for the director’s role.

There were others who were stronger.

The Inquisition’s combat special forces. The force inquisitors called Combat Specials. Now was the time when they were needed and should step forward.

“I don’t want to push my inquisitors into a pit where they’re certain to die.”

“…”

It was an extremely humiliating thing. To retreat after unilaterally losing troops? And leaving behind the heretics they had almost caught?

But he couldn’t recklessly order a charge either.

After long deliberation, Jeryd made a decision.

“For now, we’ll regroup our forces and call in the Combat Specials inquisitors to launch a proper counterattack.”

As the retreat order was given, all the inquisitors waiting in the forest began to fall back.

But then.

“Sir Jeryd.”

Ethan stepped out from the group.

“Could we have a private conversation?”

***

“…I’ve shown an unsightly appearance.”

Jeryd sighed. Having come all the way to Misty Forest, only to end up giving a retreat order as the director.

Ethan shook his head.

“You made the right choice. It’s correct to retreat when the enemy’s strength is unconfirmed.”

“…”

“However.”

Ethan continued.

“I have a good method.”

Ethan had deliberately called Jeryd aside. He could have spoken there, but the one leading this had to be Jeryd, the director of the Inquisition.

‘And that way, it’s better for saving Jeryd’s face too.’

“A method… you say?”

“I’ll lure them out. Then, prepare an ambush to greet them.”

“But they won’t respond to the lure…”

“I have a way. Please prepare for the ambush. I’ll definitely lure them out.”

“It’s dangerous. If something goes wrong, we won’t be able to easily come to rescue you, Sir Ethan.”

It was a strategy that put too much burden on Ethan.

But Ethan smiled.

“I once received help from the Holylight Order. It seems it’s time to repay that favor.”

“Ah…”

Of course, no such thing had ever happened.

But Jeryd looked at Ethan with sparkling eyes, as if he had seen a holy knight of the Order.

So this was why he had called him aside.

To save his face, and on top of that, to carry out a dangerous operation that could deal with the Followers of the Moon.

“If there’s anything the Inquisition needs, please tell me. Whether it’s the holy water I gave you before or anything else, I’ll get it all for you.”

Ethan grinned.

“For the goddess.”

He needed nothing else. Just for the goddess.

A tear rolled down Jeryd’s cheek.

Of course, the goddess Ethan referred to was not the Holylight goddess, but Moonforce.

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