Chapter 22: The Autumn Offensive

"Many thanks." Mo Xuanyu lightly brushed his fingertips over the blade of the Nightmare Moon.

The reason he expressed his thanks was that he realized Cain gifting him the Nightmare Moon had little to do with the mission he had just completed. In other words, even if Mo Xuanyu hadn't finished the side quest for Cain and his favorability hadn't reached the "Close Friend" level, Cain still would have given him the blade—perhaps just with a less favorable attitude.

Cain shrugged indifferently. "There are hardly a handful of people on this entire continent who can truly wield this blade. You are the most suitable candidate."

"I hope this blade will shine brilliantly in your hands."

"I believe it will," Mo Xuanyu replied with a polite smile.

After leaving Cain’s forge, Mo Xuanyu returned to his room. He placed the Nightmare Moon on the rack before him and retrieved the Blue Equipment Chest, the Hell Fruit, and the Talent Potion from his inventory.

First, he opened the chest dropped by Bishop Sarah.

[You have opened the Blue Equipment Chest.]

[You have obtained: Dim Cross Pendant]

**Dim Cross Pendant**

**Description:** A cross pendant blessed by God, used to suppress the seals of Hell within a monastic abbey for centuries.

**Grade:** Blue

**Rating:** A

**Equipment Effect:** +3 Constitution upon wearing, +10% Stamina recovery speed. Grants the skill "Shelter."

**"Shelter":** Activates the blessing power contained within the pendant, granting a physical shield that can withstand attacks below 25 Strength, or a magical shield against spells below 25 Intelligence. The shield can only be activated to block three attacks; afterward, its durability is exhausted and the pendant shatters.

"A very decent defensive piece; the attributes are exactly what I need right now."

Mo Xuanyu put on the pendant, tucking the cross inside his shirt. He then set to work using the Hell Fruit and the Talent Potion.

The Talent Potion had a volume of about 300ml. Not being a professional alchemist, Mo Xuanyu simply followed the instructions provided by Sacred Geometry for a basic mixture. It was less of a "mixture" and more of a process where he poured the Talent Potion directly over the Hell Fruit. The fruit absorbed the liquid like a sponge, not a single drop wasted. After absorbing the potion, the Hell Fruit shifted from its original pale white to a translucent hue. Mo Xuanyu watched this miraculous transformation, unable to look away.

[You have obtained: Soul Fruit x1.]

**Soul Fruit**

**Description:** A mutated species derived from the Hell Fruit through infusion, converting the demonic bloodline within into a side-effect-free Soul Essence.

**Grade:** Blue Rare

**Rating:** S

It is worth noting that the conversion from Hell Fruit to Soul Fruit was by no means a downgrade. The original Hell Fruit possessed extreme side effects and aggression; users would either merge with the demonic bloodline or be consumed by it. Furthermore, it was only a Blue-grade fruit, guaranteeing at best a C-grade demonic bloodline—only those with high compatibility had a chance at anything better—making it more of a liability than an asset for Mo Xuanyu. After absorbing the Talent Potion, the demonic traits were erased, turning it into a pure Soul Fruit with absolutely no side effects for the user.

Mo Xuanyu picked up the Soul Fruit and finished it in a few bites.

It had no strange taste; it was like eating a mint-flavored fruit, and it dissolved into a cool liquid the moment he swallowed it.

[Sacred Geometry Notification: Due to consuming the Soul Fruit, your Soul attribute +10, Soul Resistance +50%, Soul Strength +50%.]

[Your talent skill has entered a state of metamorphosis.]

Mo Xuanyu rubbed his temples. He could faintly feel a transformation occurring deep within his soul. It was somewhat similar to his previous divinity awakening, but the pace was much slower, accumulating steadily like a flowing spring. The benefit of a stronger soul was that his mental energy grew more abundant, allowing his inherent healing abilities to function better, significantly increasing his self-recovery rate. As for Soul Resistance and Soul Strength, Mo Xuanyu wasn't entirely sure of their specific uses yet, but they would likely prove useful in future battles.

[Sacred Geometry: Appropriate combat can accelerate the metamorphosis of your talent skill.]

Hearing this, Mo Xuanyu felt a sense of anticipation. What kind of enhancements would his talent skill receive once the metamorphosis was complete? He remembered that before entering this world, Sacred Geometry had only performed an initial awakening, meaning his talent skill still held immense plasticity and growth potential.

***

The next day.

Autumn arrived faster than anyone had imagined; the trees and flowers withered and turned yellow overnight.

At this time, the Red Lotus Guild had arrived at the capital of the Kingdom of Nora. Their situation was rather awkward. Originally, they had intended to defect and join the Solar King’s faction alongside the traitor Toronto, but unexpectedly, Toronto had been slaughtered by Mo Xuanyu halfway there. Having failed their mission, they could no longer survive in the Freedom Commune. After internal deliberation, they decided to come to the capital to seek an opportunity to join the Solar Knights.

In fact, there were already many non-commissioned personnel within the current Royal Knights—these were the "Chosen Ones" who had joined the Solar King's faction. Originally, their actions had been chaotic and disorganized, but after Mo Xuanyu took power, he immediately set about gathering these Chosen Ones and granting them non-commissioned status to facilitate management and deployment. The Chosen Ones, finding that operating individually was inefficient and that they needed to unite to counter the Freedom Commune's forces, joined up one after another.

It is worth mentioning that Mo Xuanyu’s actions received the approval of Sacred Geometry. His Solar Knights were designated as a checkpoint for joining the Solar King’s faction, and people came in an endless stream from all major cities to sign up.

Thus, after submitting their applications, the members of the Red Lotus Guild didn't have to wait long before being led by a receptionist to an office.

"The Commander is inside; he will conduct a preliminary assessment of your strength," the receptionist said with a gentle smile.

Chi Ming thanked him and led his members into the office.

The office was decorated with a solemn style. Mo Xuanyu sat behind the desk, and upon seeing the members of the Red Lotus Guild, he offered a smile.

"Welcome to the Knights."

The members of the Red Lotus Guild stood frozen, dumbfounded. Why did this person look so familiar? Why did he look exactly like that beautiful NPC who had slaughtered their mission target?

"Guild Master, am I dreaming?" the healer asked, eyes going dark, unwilling to accept the reality.

The corner of Chi Ming’s eye twitched slightly. "No, it’s him."

"Hm? Do we know each other?" Mo Xuanyu laced his fingers, feigning surprise as he looked at them, leaving Chi Ming speechless.

Just as the members of the Red Lotus Guild were about to lose their composure, Mo Xuanyu chuckled softly. "Just kidding. Of course I remember you."

"Commander, we should be able to work together well, right?" Chi Ming sighed with extreme resignation.

"Of course, there is no problem. The Knights never turn away warriors willing to fight for the country."

Mo Xuanyu stood up from his chair, walked to a cabinet, took out several non-transferable medals, and tossed them over.

"Welcome to the Knights."

The members of the Red Lotus Guild finally breathed a sigh of relief. Joining a faction was a good thing; at least now they could accept tasks from the Solar King’s side.

After leaving the office, the team’s healer couldn't help but ask, "By the way, why did this Commander assassinate Toronto? What benefit did it bring him?"

Rona the mage stroked her chin and analyzed, "I think this might involve the internal power distribution of the kingdom. Think about it: if Toronto had joined the Solar King’s side, the power in the hands of this Commander Mora would inevitably have been divided."

The healer whispered, "Then should we keep this secret? Or should we tell the Solar King?"

Chi Ming spoke up at this moment, "I think it’s better to let this matter rot in our hearts. The value of a dead man can never compare to a living one. Even if the Solar King knew Toronto was killed by Mora, he probably wouldn't care."

The healer and the others nodded in agreement. "You’re right, Guild Master."

Given their current status, offending Mo Xuanyu was not a wise choice. None of them wanted to get involved in such a high-risk affair with no visible rewards.

...

After seeing off the Red Lotus Guild, Mo Xuanyu stood by the window and looked toward the royal palace in the distance. The security within the city had been exceptionally tight over the past two days.

Meanwhile, at the headquarters of the Freedom Commune, Peter Manchester slowly lit a cigarette. He picked up a fountain pen and signed his name on the operational orders for the Autumn Offensive.

This signaled that a war had officially begun.

In an instant, all Chosen Ones within the territory of the Kingdom of Nora received the message.

[Attention all Chosen Ones: Large-scale confrontation mission has begun. Current phase: "Autumn Offensive."]

[This phase offers a large amount of contribution points. Please participate actively. The leaderboard settlement rewards have been announced.]

First Place Reward: 8,000 points, Blue Custom Chest x1, Soul Crystal (used for talent/skill upgrades, etc.) x15.

Second Place Reward: 5,000 points, Blue Custom Chest x1, Soul Crystal x8.

Third Place Reward: 3,000 points, Blue Custom Chest x1, Soul Crystal x5.

...

When the Chosen Ones saw the generous rewards for the top three, their hearts boiled over. These rewards were enough to drive them to fight to the death.

Beyond this, an additional message appeared before Mo Xuanyu’s eyes.

[Sacred Geometry Notification: The final ring of your main quest has appeared.]

**Final Ring: "Legend of the Betrayer"**

**Difficulty:** S

**Mission Guidance:** During the Autumn Offensive launched by the Freedom Commune, assist the commune in suppressing the Eric faction, and find an opportunity to kill the Solar King or the Child of the Sun, completely overthrowing the entire Kingdom of Nora.

**Time Limit:** Seven days.

**Mission Reward:** Officially become a Chosen One and receive the S-rank trial reward (S-rank rewards are unique).

**Failure Penalty:** Failure of the trial world main quest. You will lose the eligibility to receive the S-rank trial reward and will only be able to obtain an A-rank reward.

"The real battle starts now," Mo Xuanyu whispered softly in his heart.