The Sacred Artifact

The alley was only three or four meters wide, yet a crowd had gathered within.

The outer ring of the crowd consisted of servants and house guards, all stout and strong. In their midst were two youths dressed as nobles—a preposterous, puffed-up fashion that seemed to strain at their skinny frames—who were brutally assaulting an elderly couple!

The elderly couple didn't look affluent at all, clad in drab, yellowish hemp robes. The man's feet were bare, while the woman wore only straw sandals. By their appearance, they both seemed to be in their sixties or seventies.

A overturned wheelbarrow lay beside them, its load of vegetables scattered across the ground. Clearly, the old couple's cart had just been deliberately toppled.

This was a classic case of pampered noble scions bullying commoners!

It was Francis's first time witnessing such a scene, one he'd only seen in films. He watched, a peculiar delight blossoming in his heart.

Just then, Aliza sprinted to the alley mouth. Francis suddenly clapped his shoulder, leaping from his back and bidding him halt. "Hey, Aliza, do you know those two brats doing the beating?"

"That's Kaman and Ferris! They've been to our estate!" Aliza gritted out, clenching his fists. "Last time they picked on young master, I thrashed them! Young master, want me to thrash 'em again?!"

"No rush!" Francis said, a glint in his eye, as he sized up Kaman and Ferris, his gaze particularly lingering on the fabric of their clothes and their expensive ornaments.

Hmm, clearly sons from influential and wealthy families!

"Aliza, what do their families do?"

"Ferris is the son of the Minister of Finance, and Kaman is the son of the Minister of Rites. He's also a scion of Aruman, the Storm Battle God!"

Following Aliza's pointers, Francis scrutinized Kaman. The boy looked fourteen or fifteen, with sky-blue hair and an orange, form-fitting armored tunic. His pale, delicate face was quite handsome, in a way.

This brat was also a Titled Battle God Scion—a noble among nobles!

Francis asked, "Comparing his father and mine, whose official rank is higher?"

"That would be Lord Anjes, of course!" Aliza replied without a moment's hesitation. "His Lordship is the Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Imperial High Command! Besides the King and the Prime Minister, he's the highest authority!"

Aha! Who knew that cold-hearted Anjes was actually the Lanning Empire's third most powerful figure! Perfect. Performing this good deed wouldn't stir up any trouble now!

Francis made up his mind, pointing into the alley. "Aliza, charge in there and teach them a lesson for your young master!"

"Got it!" Aliza roared, pumping his fists as he lunged forward. "Kaman! Ferris! Young master says I'm to teach you a lesson!"

*Thwack! Thump!*

With a few unexpected, swift punches, he cleanly flattened several of the outer guards. Then, he clashed with the young masters' remaining henchmen—or rather, he abused those seemingly robust but ultimately pathetic men with his bare, monstrous feet.

At this point, Kaman abandoned his assault on the elderly couple, turning to spot Francis. "Huh? Francis, aren't you dead?"

"Your young master isn't dead!" Francis stood at the alley entrance, a playful smile on his face. "Kaman, as a Titled Battle God Scion, how can you bully the elderly? This is an utter disgrace to your ancestors! Release them at once, or I'll have Aliza give you another beating!"

Kaman scoffed, a sneer twisting his lips. "Hmph, Francis, Aliza certainly defeated me three years ago, but back then I was only a First-level Red-robed Battle Warrior! Now..."

He ripped a necklace from his neck. Dangling from it was an egg-sized metallic orb, which he gripped in his palm. "But now," he sneered, "I am a Second-level Orange-robed Battle Warrior!"

Damn it, a miscalculation! Kaman was actually a Battle Warrior?! And a Second-level one at that!

Francis had yet to witness the abilities of Battle Warriors on the Aethelgard Continent, and a retreat quickly formed in his mind. He was a thief, not a hero. After sacrificing himself for righteousness in his past life, Francis was exceedingly fond of his current one.

Just then, Aliza bellowed, "Young master, don't worry! I flattened two Second-level Battle Warriors in the estate today!"

Even as he spoke, Aliza had already dealt with all the remaining house guards and lunged at Kaman.

Francis was secretly astonished. Were the family warriors flattened at the Saint Sigurd Cain Estate gate earlier today also Battle Warriors? Does that mean Aliza...?

Gods, just how many crucial details had that imbecile Francis's memories omitted?!

At that moment, Kaman fixed his gaze on the charging Aliza, clasping the metallic orb with both hands and raising it to his chest. Suddenly, a burst of azure light erupted from his hands. Immediately, the azure glow seeped into the orb, which then began to transform like a mechanical puzzle. In the blink of an eye, it reshaped into a small, golden ram's horn hammer.

"A Transformer!?" Francis blurted out.

Aliza also roared, "Young master, he has a Sacred Artifact! I'll go all out!"

A Sacred Artifact... a Sacred Artifact... Francis suddenly remembered. Someone had once mentioned to the imbecile Francis that a Battle God's power comprised three elements: their battle qi, their Divine Pet, and their Sacred Artifact!

Whether a Battle God possessed a Sacred Artifact drastically affected their strength. At the very least, the two Second-level Battle Warriors Aliza had flattened at the estate gate earlier hadn't utilized Sacred Artifacts!

What a colossal miscalculation! This was all due to his lack of basic knowledge about the Battle God World! Francis chastised himself inwardly, compiling a mental list of lessons learned: Next time he performed a good deed, he wouldn't just consider the other party's background; he'd also scrutinize their Battle God rank, Sacred Artifacts, and Divine Pets.

Aliza and Kaman clashed. Kaman's ram's horn hammer continuously pulsed with azure light, and while his moves weren't particularly refined, they were precise and methodical. Aliza's fighting style, however, was quite... savage and unorthodox!

Aliza, for his part, neither dodged nor evaded, letting Kaman's ram's horn hammer strike him. Even when hit, he merely furrowed his brow and endured. Then, with his iron fists and two massive feet, he relentlessly hammered Kaman. Kaman, wary of Aliza's raw power, dared not launch an all-out assault too quickly.

A well-trained Battle Warrior and a brute, yet they were fighting to a standstill!

Francis chuckled. It seemed this good deed still had a chance of being completed!

But just then, Kaman suddenly roared, "Ferris! I'll keep Aliza busy; you teach that good-for-nothing Francis a lesson!"

Ferris, still taking out his frustration on the two elders, shouted back, "Alright!" He, too, plucked a metallic orb from his neck, which transformed into a short metal staff. "Francis, let young master Ferris show you the might of a First-level Red-robed Fiend Battle Warrior! Hydro Wave!"

*Whoosh!* From his metal staff, a ghostly blue water arrow shot forth, hurtling towards Francis.

This is all my fault! Francis was filled with bitter regret. Why couldn't he have learned more about the Battle God World *before* attempting a good deed?!

The water arrow was swift, but Francis's evasion was no less quick. Pushing off with his feet, he deftly dodged the first projectile, only for a second to follow in rapid succession.

For a moment, Francis was forced to leap and bound frantically. Thankfully, the Precious Lotus Scripture had endowed him with his past life's agility and flexibility, saving him from taking a hit.

"You dare attack young master?! I'll tear you apart!" Aliza roared, feigning madness. He surged forward, using his bear-like body to tackle Kaman to the ground, delivering two vicious kicks before lunging at Ferris.

"Bloody hell, Aliza's even stronger than before!" Ferris had barely registered the thought before Aliza was upon him. A Fiend Battle Warrior, engaged in close quarters by a savage... Tsk, tsk!

*Crack! Thump! Oof! Gods above!*

Ferris was pummeled, his face rapidly swelling and bruising.

Only then did Francis relax. "Heh, this Aliza truly is ace brawler material! Over a dozen men, and two Battle Warriors, yet he took them all down in mere minutes! Impressive!"

He strode over, a casual swagger in his steps, smiling at the two figures sprawled on the ground. Kaman and Ferris's Sacred Artifacts, sensing their masters' defeat, had reverted to metallic orbs. They clutched these orbs tightly, preferring to endure more blows than release them.

"Kaman, Ferris, today Young Master Francis will teach you a lesson: bullying the elderly is wrong! Understand? Heh heh, Aliza, stop now. Tell them to scram!"

Kaman scrambled to his feet, stuffing the metallic orb into his pocket, his eyes burning with resentment as he glared at Francis. "Francis, I can't beat Aliza today, I concede! Ferris, let's go!"

With that, he hauled up a groaning Ferris and turned, stalking out of the alley.

By his look, he planned to seek revenge on this young master later? Should I eliminate him now to prevent future trouble?

The moment that thought surfaced, young Francis's memories promptly reminded him: Kaman was a descendant of Aruman, the Storm Battle God. He could be taught a lesson for his misdeeds, but he absolutely could not be killed. Executing a Titled Battle God Scion required judgment from the Holy Church, otherwise, one would face the pyre!

In that case, he'd just teach him a lesson in a different way.

Francis touched his nose, then swiftly walked up and clapped Kaman on the shoulder. "Young Master Kaman, remember this well: no more bullying the elderly!"

Kaman shot him a furious glare, swatting Francis's hand from his shoulder before turning to leave. "I lost today, so say whatever you want!"

"Then I won't see you off!" Francis said, raising an eyebrow, his smile bright and radiant!

But behind his back, Francis's hand was clasped tight around a metallic orb—Kaman's, to be precise!

That's right! While bidding them farewell, Francis had pilfered Kaman's Sacred Artifact!