Steampunk: Sixth Era Epic
Chapter 964 - 966 [Power]

Above Huntington City, a mass of ominous clouds unexpectedly obscured the sky. The swirling clouds cast the afternoon into sudden darkness, as if the city had plunged into night. Fierce thunder leapt through the clouds, and all the Circle Sorcerers living there felt a profound power erupting around the city, triggering the clouds that covered the sky.

Mr. Armand Bernhardt, too, watched the suddenly darkening sky with concern from the window of the White King Club. He couldn't understand why this was happening, but he felt it might have something to do with Shard.

The people of this world couldn't fathom the breathtaking sights the Outlander had witnessed in his hometown. It wasn't just the enormous knowledge from systematic education in the Otherworld, nor merely the information conveyed through convenient knowledge exchange systems; it was also the illusions interwoven with boundless imagination, the myriad wonders, all that the Outlander could never forget.

It was a system constructed not just of Knowledge and Wisdom, but also of a deeper, more enduring Power.

Over Lake Cherub, clouds similarly appeared without reason. The sky over the Heart Lake Island Center Lake turned pitch black, resonating with the golden halo of the winged angel.

But the most dazzling thing here was not them, but the dark golden light illuminating the entire water surface.

The divine afterglow on Shard's skin fully revealed itself. In the gale, golden light particles trailed behind him. Among the dense runes, the water bow in his hand turned completely golden, and the arrows transformed into dark golden light traces, bearing increasingly powerful energy.

"Is this your Knowledge, or your Wisdom?"

The angel in the sky didn't speak, but her voice echoed across the lake area.

Shard gritted his teeth, controlling the bow and arrow in his hands; this Power wasn't something he could easily wield, and the arrows filled with Power were far heavier than he had imagined. The Knowledge and Wisdom within himself were far more terrifying than he had thought:

"It is Knowledge, and also Wisdom."

A voice escaped through clenched teeth. The frantically surging runes made the bow and arrow in his hand incredibly heavy. Still drawing the bow, Shard truly felt like he was losing control, the arrowhead trembling wildly up and down, left and right.

[Reflect on your own Wisdom.]

"She" softly reminded him.

Memories from two lifetimes surged in his mind: gazing at the myriad lights in his hometown at night, observing the gas lamps shining one by one along Silver Cross Avenue; his irrevocable homeland held a knowledge system steeped in materialism, while in his adopted home of Tobesk, there was an idealistic blend of steam and mystery.

"But it's more than just Knowledge and Wisdom."

He lifted the arrow and bow once more, and with his utterance, the spot where Shard stood became a golden sun falling in the darkness:

"It is also... technology, technique, learning, culture, morality, faith, and..."

He heard a silver-bell-like laughter, the most familiar laugh since he arrived in this world, causing the Outlander's heartbeat to reach its peak.

The angel, radiating a gentle glow, quietly watched the hint of silver white that emerged in the dark golden light.

A pair of holy silver, semi-transparent bare arms emerged from beneath Shard's shoulders. These phantom arms grasped Shard's hands, as if a gentle woman were embracing him from behind, stabilizing the bow and arrow together with him.

The black clouds pressed down, and the Pure White Angel, cradling the Outlander in the embrace of Silvermoon, matched the dark golden water bow pulled full. The strong wind caused the lights of pure white, dark gold, and Silvermoon on the lake surface to drag in the same direction, a scene reminiscent of the darkest, most ancient myths depicted in the grand churches.

Holding his breath in this light, Shard contemplated his own Wisdom and Knowledge, vaguely sensing he understood something:

"What is this Power?"

"She" gently asked in Shard's ear, her voice tender and easing.

"What is this Power?"

The angel from above inquired, her voice sacred and solemn.

"This is the power of Civilization!"

The mortal on the water gave the answer, his voice serious and resolute.

The Brass Ring spinning behind him, just as when the "Gate of Death" was first opened, seemed to peel off paint, flickering with golden brilliance in the metal cracks. The dense runes emerging on the arrowhead surged toward the ring, the Outlander's most memorable senses of Civilization and Knowledge, transforming Wisdom into the Power of the "Aikenora-Arrow of Knowledge," and the arrow's Power reciprocating to the mortal who brought forth Civilization's power.

Originally, Shard sought a "Dragon" to acquire the final rune for the Four Rings Ascension Words, but at this moment, he finally understood that the Power he should truly seek, his strongest Power, was Civilization.

[Knowledge is Power, Civilization's light illuminates you. May the world bless you, Outlander, I am with you.]

[Relic - Aikenora's Arrow of Knowledge, grants you new Power.]

The rapidly spinning Ring of Fate resounded with the Sage-Level Relic, yet neither the relic nor the Ring of Fate could claim the Power belonged to them at this moment, as the Power hailed from the traveler from afar. Civilization forged the Power; Shard hadn't truly touched Civilization itself, but he had at least grasped at the Power.

[Outlander, you have inscribed the Black Iron Whisper Spirit Rune - Power.]

Core [Space-Time], Miracle [Echo], Desecration [Vibration], Enlightenment [Sleeping Princess], Whisper [Power]. At the moment when the Whisper Element was inscribed as Black Iron [Power] on the Ring of Fate amidst water vapor and steam, everything resonated together.

The Low Fourth Ring Ascension Words were completed, lacking miracles and miracles at the Four Rings. Shard was about to embark on the path to the Inner Ring.

Black clouds pressed upon Lake Cherub, in the sky above the center of the lake, a Pure White Angel spread her arms, and above the lake, a dazzling dark golden light converged into a point aiming at the angel's chest.

The strongest power condensed in his hand, stirred by the knowledge and wisdom brought by the Relic, not only giving Shard the third Spirit Rune of the Four Rings, but also inspiring many more thoughts.

On the stone tablets at the summit of the mountains, the story of [Water of Wisdom] was inscribed. During the Trials of God, Angel, and The Chosen One, he stepped onto different Heart Lake Islands to experience the test of wisdom.

That subtle touch, like a water droplet falling into the heart. After the "Whisper," Shard, in a trance, unexpectedly grasped the "Enlightenment," symbolizing the enlightenment of his wisdom.

Some blurred phantoms flashed through the steam mist behind Shard, yet they appeared as illusions within the dispersing mist. Though [Aikenora's Arrow of Knowledge] hadn't been released, the dark golden light was almost upon the angel's chest in the sky.

"Yes, this is the story."

Shard thought silently to himself.

"Yes, this is wisdom and knowledge."

He looked at the silver-white arm holding his hands.

Shard suddenly understood that if he could truly shoot this arrow over Lake Cherub and defeat the goddess within the lake, then the Maze Lock of the Four Rings might be born.

He closed his eyes, wanting to release the hand holding the bowstring. Yet he was startled, for the pair of warm, delicate silver-white hands held his, stopping him from releasing the arrow.

"Huh? Weren't you here to help me? Why stop... oh, I forgot to tell you, shoot the arrow now."

"She" chuckled lightly:

[Alright.]

However, this arrow was ultimately not shot. As "her" voice fell by Shard's ear, the solemn voice of the white-robed lady with wings on her back came from above:

"Follower of the Recorder, you have won, the third trial is complete."

The angel with white wings, without any defense, descended in front of Shard, her feet touching the water surface, causing the dark golden-illumined lake water to ripple.

She was close, facing the extreme arrow about to be released from Shard's hands.

Under the black clouds, Shard felt quite suffocated at the moment:

"Hmm... may I shoot this arrow and then concede? I promise to shoot just one arrow, that will end it."

He asked sincerely, and the white-robed lady looked at the arrow he was still holding at full draw, regretfully shaking her head:

"This arrow, even with me maintaining the same power level as you, I can't possibly take the next step, nor can I evade. You've found the perfect opportunity to attack and used the most appropriate method. Although your swordsmanship may not be top-notch, it is enough to rival me; while your sorcery and arcane techniques may not be extraordinary, they have touched the master's threshold; your weapons may not be sharp, but you know how to use them correctly.

Follower of the Recorder, you have won, you have defeated me. It was a fair duel, I acknowledge your victory."

The goddess in the lake, radiating soft white light, slightly bowed her head, conceding to Shard.

Shard looked at her seriously, then resisted the feeling of a blood clot that seemed about to spew out, yet had to choke back down in his throat, forcibly letting go of the bowstring and the arrow.

As the glow of the Sage-Level Relic [Aikenora's Arrow of Knowledge] receded, the divine afterglow on Shard's skin dissipated, and the black clouds scattered. Huntington City welcomed the afternoon sunlight again. All the Circle Sorcerers in the city sighed in relief, the sensation of impending doom vanished, and everyone was very pleased.

Of course, upon subsequent statistics, with Huntington City as the center, the fact that areas within 50 miles were all shrouded in black clouds made the Church very displeased.

But at that moment, Shard, who hadn't been able to shoot that perfect arrow, although having obtained the Whisper [Power] and completed the third trial, was even more displeased.

"No problem, no problem, after this arrow, the distance to the fourth Spirit Rune of the Four Rings is thinner than paper. Continuing to challenge these trials of wisdom, the next Spirit Rune isn't far."

He comforted himself like this, the Ring of Fate behind him slowly fading into the water mist. Yet the feeling in his heart of wanting to shoot the arrow and face a formidable foe remained, like being gently scratched by Mia, making him uncomfortable.

Shard even thought, that this itching sensation was no longer like being scratched by one Mia but rather by hundreds of Mia, and he couldn't retaliate against any cat.

"You have completed the third trial, now I will inform you of the content of the final trial."