Question: How many steps does it take to revive Old Horse?
Answer: Return to Septimont, switch to Encore, imagine Old Horse's body, and recite the line "I say there is, so there is."
Easily solved.
"Righteous One, you seem to have become stronger?"
In front of him stood an Imperator the height of a person.
Although it could not compare to the previous complete form in size, it was already much better than that palm-sized form.
"Sort of."
Noah did not explain much.
A gentleman changes in three days and should be looked at with new eyes. The first time he reshaped Old Horse's body, he only had one chain of Encore in hand.
But now he had three chains of Encore.
The growth in strength meant that this time when he reshaped Old Horse's body, not only did the final size reach the height of a person, but he himself only Overclocked slightly.
"Old Horse, roughly what level has your power reached now? Can you protect Rinascita?"
The familiar question appeared again. Imperator carefully sensed the power inside Its body and gave an affirmative answer:
"Mid Calamity-class. If the situation requires it, I can erupt with full power for a short time without Jué's assistance of Time. As for protecting Rinascita…"
It smiled and shook Its head, then turned around. Its gaze looked into the distance, as if taking the entire Rinascita into Its eyes:
"No one can say for sure what changes the future will bring. I will protect the growth of civilization from the shadows, and I am also willing to believe that these people will lead Rinascita to new heights."
...
"The Sentinel is dead!"
"Wuwuwuwu."
"Sentinel, you martyred yourself for everyone in Rinascita…"
Phoebe informed the public about how the Sentinel had sacrificed Itself to separate Its power. The news that the Sentinel was dead spread throughout the whole of Rinascita as if it had grown wings.
In Ragunna, the Order of the Deep cried into a mess while receiving the people who spontaneously came to pay respects to the Sentinel.
Everyone had heard the heavenly voice of the Sentinel calling for connection. Everyone had contributed their own strength to save Rinascita.
Because of this, after learning that the Sentinel had died, the number of people coming to the Order of the Deep to pay respects almost reached a historical high. Their faces were all filled with sorrow.
The priests wept even harder. Some were truly crying, while others held the intention of performing loyalty—
The louder you cry, the more open the path becomes.
The longer you cry, the higher your status grows.
The fiercer you cry, the smoother the opportunities become.
The higher you cry, the faster your rank rises to the clouds.
"Sentinel, Sentinel ah!" One bishop covered his face and howled loudly.
"Uncle Bishop, don't cry. Let me wipe for you."
In the long line of people paying respects, a child held in a woman's arms stretched out a hand, wanting to wipe the eye sockets of the middle-aged man in white bishop robes beside him.
Not far away, a newspaper reporter holding a camera raised his equipment, wanting to capture the heartwarming scene of the child wiping tears for the loyal bishop.
Even the nearby crowd cast approving gazes.
The bishop subconsciously wanted to step back, but because of the crowded people around him he could not escape. He could only tightly cover his eye sockets with both hands.
The child who had not felt any tears after half a day suddenly shouted:
"Uncle, you're fake-crying!"
The words exploded. The crying Order fell quiet. Everyone widened their eyes and looked over together. The child refused to let it go:
"You're only humming. There's not a single tear."
That bishop stiffly lowered his hands and stared blankly at the child as if looking at a demon seed.
"Members of the detention house, take Bishop Dick away and thoroughly investigate whether he has ever shown disrespect toward the Sentinel in the past!"
"Yes!"
The small farce ended. Phoebe stood beneath the Sentinel's statue in the Tide Church and delivered a solemn speech:
"The Sentinel saved us through martyrdom. Although It has left, Its spirit still inspires us to connect and lead Rinascita toward a better future!"
After the words fell, everyone cheered. The reporter who had raised his camera captured this scene.
In the photograph, beneath the sacred statue of the Sentinel, Phoebe shining with golden light all over her body stood in the center of the crowd. Beneath her pure white round hat, her expression was solemn and earnest.
"We have a front-page story for the newspaper. Only… what title should we give it?"
...
"Hahahaha, in other words, the entire Rinascita is now saying the Sentinel is dead."
In the Black Shores, Cartethyia laughed so hard her whole body shook. Beside her, Noah nodded and smiled:
"If Old Horse suddenly plays dead and then comes back to life, the people of Rinascita would definitely be scared to death."
After those words, Cartethyia's laughter grew even louder. The whole room filled with cheerful atmosphere.
"Mr. You, your examination report is out."
Physician Mo held several newly printed reports, walked in front of the two of them, spread the reports on the table, and pointed at string after string of professional terms while explaining:
"According to the sample Label Curve analysis, the Resonance abilities named Augusta and Iuno on your body are severely Overclocked. It will take about two months to fully recover."
"The Resonance ability named Cartethyia has been overdrawn. With your Resonance power recovery speed, it should recover in about one day."
"Additionally, the Resonance ability named Encore on your body has become much more active in nature compared to the last examination. You have become stronger."
Regarding this discovery, Physician Mo's brows furrowed slightly:
"This is an abnormal strengthening. My speculation here is—appropriate Overclocking may be beneficial to your overall Resonance power. Even so, it is still better to avoid Overclocking as much as possible."
Hearing this conclusion, Noah did not take it to heart.
Overclocking makes him stronger overall? No, no, no. It was because he had filled Encore's chains that this physical examination result was stronger than last time.
"Alright, thank you for the trouble, Physician Mo."
"You're welcome."
Physician Mo wrote and drew on the documents in his hand with a pen while giving medical instructions:
"Your constitution is special, so you don't need to stay in the medical pod. But Miss Cartethyia had better receive treatment in the medical pod."
"But I feel like I'm already fine!"
Cartethyia waved her fists and performed a set of excited villain punches. The movements were lively and cute:
"I can fight ten Threnodians right now!"
"Still better to follow the doctor's orders, Little Ca." Noah advised. "I'll help with the reconstruction on Rinascita's side."
"Alright."
Since it was Noah who spoke, Cartethyia could only obediently listen. She took out the Civilization Casket she had not been able to give earlier:
"Then I'll give this to you. You must carefully choose an excellent seat holder for Rinascita."
Looking at the Civilization Casket with its delicate texture, Noah did not need to think to know where it would belong.
He had previously borrowed a lantern from the Order. Now he could conveniently return a Civilization Casket.
The azure sky has "died." The yellow-haired one shall rise.
In the year of Jiazi, Phoebe chibi!
...
In an edge town of Rinascita.
"As expected of you, Noah. You solved the disaster once again."
Phrolova pinched the Red Spider Lily conductor's baton in her hand. Her gaze lowered, revealing contradictory resentment as she spoke to herself:
"If I had known, I wouldn't have healed Cartethyia."
"That way, maybe you would still have come back once because of Cartethyia, letting me look at you one more time."
"But… according to our previous agreement, you should owe me a favor now… right?"
She had to think carefully about what to exchange this favor for with him.
It also didn't seem right. If he no longer owed her anything, he would probably immediately catch her and lock her away forever, right?
If that was the case, it would be better to let him keep owing her, preferably owing more and more. Only—how could she help him again?
Phrolova fell into conflict.
On a barren mountain outside the town, a craftsman put down the telescope in his hands and opened his terminal to edit a message.
"Report to the Grand Architect. We have found the trail of Overseer Phrolova."