Chapter Thirty-Six: The Holy Sword Bearer

Unbeknownst to him, Zhao Tianhe had already spent a full month overseeing the cleaning of three dungeons. As he completed his daily tasks, the affinity levels gradually rose: Elaine reached level 6, Artoria climbed to level 7, and finally, Artoria’s experience unlocked her profession system.

So, on this day in the parched Fire Swamp, classified as D+, Zhao Tianhe faced the dungeon boss once again—a terrifying blazing beetle—and summoned the enhanced version of Artoria!

Artoria Pendragon
Race: Fantastical Creature / Heroic Spirit
Base Attributes (Affinity grants +7 to all attributes, Master of the Holy Sword +1):
Strength: 23
Agility: 18
Constitution: 18
Spirit: 28
(Other base attributes omitted)
Holy Swordbearer lv0 (109/10000) (Artoria in her warrior form can share experience absorbed by the main system, allocation adjustable up to half)
Class Talent: On leveling up, all attributes +1, gain one free skill point
Equipment Panel Unlocked (Dungeon equipment can be fused; matches the number of items on the Beginner Hero panel)
Class Skill: Master of the Holy Sword lv1
Holy Sword: Lady of the Lake’s Sword—resonates with this divine armament forged from the essence of stars, amplifying its power and enhancing the wielder.
All attributes +1
Wind King Barrier unlockable, which, when released, adds (skill level × spirit) light damage to attacks.
The holy sword can slice through and nullify magical attacks, but consumes mana.
Mana Release lv1

At the cost of mana, increases one’s strength, with the maximum boost equal to (spirit attribute × Mana Release level); every second, consumes mana equal to the boost amount.

Talent System not yet unlocked (0/5000) (Experience can be allocated to either the Talent or Profession systems, or split proportionally)

Innate Passive Skills
Mana Armor lvmax
Mana transforms into armor enveloping the body, its strength rising with mana limit. Every 10 points of mana grants 1 armor defense; every 100 points grants 1 extra base defense; mana can be spent to instantly repair damaged armor.

Wind King Barrier lvmax
A special barrier to conceal the Holy Sword, Lady of the Lake, with tremendous blocking and nullification power against magic, but consumes mana.
When released, can unleash a powerful shockwave, with various effects depending on operation, shattering all units for up to (spirit attribute × 10) damage, recoverable in two hours.

Nourished by countless delicacies, Artoria’s attributes now surpassed even those of a first-tier powerhouse, not to mention the devastation brought by her Holy Swordbearer’s Wind King Barrier.

“Miss Artoria!” The bald mage Ryan stared at the valiant knight maiden, visibly shaken; it seemed he had fallen in love with her at first sight.

But in the past month, Zhao Tianhe had only deployed support skills and never summoned Artoria in person, so Ryan had never seen her true form.

On the battlefield, Artoria’s figure flashed, moving at astonishing speed to the top of the five-meter-long giant beetle. The Wind King Barrier in her hand twisted and transformed, finally becoming a massive razor-sharp blade!

Wind King Steelbreaker Flash!

This move releases the Wind King Barrier as a gigantic air blade, deadly and with immense cutting force, its power scaling with the wielder’s spirit attribute.

Compared to support mode—where Zhao Tianhe’s all-attribute and affinity bonuses made her attacks even more formidable—the precision of control in her own hands ensured not a scrap of strength was wasted. Two huge air blades crossed and cleaved the blazing beetle’s back, slamming it hard into the ground!

Cracks riddled its massive elytra and carapace. The giant insect raised its head, its enormous compound eyes fixed on the girl wielding the holy sword, its monstrous mouthparts suddenly gaping wide!

Zhao Tianhe tried to warn her, but before any words left his lips, several fireballs streaked toward Artoria at terrifying speed!

Artoria, however, effortlessly sliced the composite fireballs—formed of fire magic and insect fluids—with a few swift swings, her feet tapping ripples in the air as she accelerated toward the giant insect, her holy sword flashing and slashing open its left eye!

“So powerful!” Liu Tie watched Artoria’s skill, stunned. As someone specialized in strength, he knew her display now easily pushed her strength attribute past fifty!

Liu Tie sensed accurately: Although the duration was limited by her mana, Artoria possessed phenomenal combat experience and instincts, activating Mana Release only at the precise moment of attack or defense. With Mana Release, her strength attribute soared to fifty-one!

Truth be told, Artoria’s entire skill set was a voracious consumer of mana—Mana Release, Holy Sword Demon Slash, Mana Armor. She had tremendous explosive power, but if pressed or suppressed, she’d be finished in an instant.

‘Looks like I need to unlock the Talent System. Hopefully, it’ll provide a solution for her mana issues,’ Zhao Tianhe silently shifted all experience allocation to Artoria’s Talent System.

Meanwhile, on the battlefield, most of the fire beetle’s limbs had been severed, its mobility drastically reduced, and finally Artoria pierced and severed most of its neck with a single strike!

Yet as a semi-elemental creature, the fire beetle’s vitality was stubborn; even in this state, it refused to die, spewing torrents of scorching fluid and flames from its mouth and gaping neck wound.

Seeing this, Artoria quickly retreated, for in the blink of an eye, dozens of meters around the giant insect became a sea of fire.

But it was merely the beast’s last frenzy. Amid the blazing inferno, the giant insect charged madly, attempting to pursue Artoria, who now avoided combat, for she had already won.

A minute later, the fire beetle collapsed with a thunderous crash, its body dissolving into drifting ashes...

“A formidable monster—it reminds me of the demonic boars of the mountains,” Artoria nodded in appreciation, then turned and walked toward Zhao Tianhe.

“Miss Artoria! I love you! Will you go out with me?” The bald mage Ryan suddenly rushed forward, shouting loudly.

Zhao Tianhe’s eye twitched, nearly loosing an arrow into Ryan’s face!

“Sorry, you’re not my type,” Artoria replied calmly, her gaze shifting back to Zhao Tianhe.

“Here.” Zhao Tianhe handed her the newly made snacks.

“Hmm, not bad. I always thought dried meat was supposed to be salty enough to kill, rock-hard, and taste of mold, just like military rations. Never imagined it could be so tender and delicious...” Artoria savored the small spiced beef bites, as if recalling some bitter memory from her past...

Indeed, ancient Britain was hardly a paradise for food lovers...

Beside them, Ryan sat on the ground hugging his knees, head tilted, looking half-dead.