Modifying the Divine Circuit  

Honestly, Oliver was somewhat interested in modifying The Divine Circuit himself. 

He could use illegal spells now, but doing so recklessly was too conspicuous. Having a divine circuit as a disguise could help him avoid the church's suspicion. 

Only, the divine circuit he currently held belonged to Sister Marta. Even if modified, its origins could still be easily traced. 

So, this acquisition offer from Master Hector at the magic item shop was actually pretty appealing to someone like Oliver. 

With that in mind, Oliver stepped into the magic shop. 

"Boss, I want to buy an illegal spell. Any recommendations?" 

Oliver said in a low voice. 

"Buying an illegal spell?" 

The shopkeeper was a polite, elegant gentleman with a goatee, though a faint whiff of blood clung to him, hinting he wasn't as refined as he appeared. 

His eyes, behind his glasses, sized Oliver up for a second, a flicker of surprise crossing them. "New face—pretty rare. If I may ask, is it for your own use or for someone else?" 

"For myself." 

Oliver replied calmly. 

The boss's expression grew a bit more serious, his tone tinged with respect. "Using illegal spells at such a young age? Impressive!" 

Still, inwardly, the boss remained skeptical, suspecting Oliver was more likely buying for someone else. 

With that, he handed over a list. 

Illegal spells, once used, would be detected by the gods, triggering divine lightning as punishment. Even if you survived, the church would hunt you down. Generally, to evade the gods' gaze, using illegal spells required strict conditions and special techniques. 

Those techniques—and the process of learning them—were insanely expensive, supposedly costing at least 20,000 silver coins, or 20 gold coins! 

That price was far too steep for Oliver. 

Typically, only the strongest among the anti-church faction could afford to use them. 

With the few hundred silver coins Oliver had on hand, buying one was out of the question. 

By comparison, modifying a divine circuit for disguise seemed like a more affordable option—though even that surgery fee would cost at least 3 gold coins. 

Glancing down at the list of illegal spells, Oliver was taken aback. 

Mainly because… they were ridiculously expensive! 

A simple level 1 spell, like a fireball, cost a whopping 200 silver coins! 

Average level 2 spells ranged from 600 to 800 silver coins, some even hitting 1,000. 

But illegal spells were illegal for a reason—beyond being unregulated by the gods, their power far surpassed that of ordinary spells. 

Still, the prices were just too high. 

In contrast, Oliver suddenly felt that divine circuits, at 1,000 silver coins, were a bargain. 

Of course, that was because divine circuits were useless in the hands of ordinary people. If they couldn't be sold quickly, as dirty goods, they might even bring down the church's wrath. 

In the end, Oliver chose to pass. 

Under the shopkeeper's puzzled gaze, Oliver started browsing weapons instead. 

As for spells, he already had Spirit Blade at his disposal. 

His precious silver coins would be better spent on a weapon for now. 

The shelves were stocked with plenty of weapons. 

Oliver had his eye on a few: 

• First was a Spell-Infused Iron Blade Short Sword. 

This short sword was about 70 centimeters long, its blade a dull gray. Though slightly rusted, the sharp edge still gleamed faintly. The hilt was made of sturdy wood wrapped in simple leather, offering a decent, steady grip. 

Its standout feature was that it could amplify his spellcasting while also serving as a melee weapon—pretty unique! 

But its price was steep too, clocking in at 500 gold coins. 

In truth, this short sword wasn't even as good as the silver staff Oliver had sold, but there was no helping it—his staff's shady origins meant it fetched a lower price than clean goods. 

In the end, Oliver picked a small staff called an Amplification Wand. 

He tested it out, channeling Spirit Blade through the wand. Instantly, several mental blades shot out with stunning power. 

Oliver was pleased—this was leagues stronger than the first time he'd cast the skill. 

The shopkeeper, seeing Oliver actually use an illegal spell, was stunned, his eyes soon filling with genuine admiration. 

A young illegal spell user like this—this kid's future among the anti-church faction could be extraordinary! 

Buying the weapon cost Oliver over 300 silver coins. 

His stash of silver coins dwindled back down to just 100. 

Oliver wandered the shop a bit more, realizing he still couldn't afford most things, and quietly slipped away, returning to his cheap rented room. 

By now, night had fallen. In his rundown little apartment, Oliver counted his silver coins by the dim candlelight. 

One, two, three… 

The queen's portrait on the coins was exquisitely detailed, hard to let go of. 

Oliver counted carefully three times—145 coins. 

This amount, compared to the modification fees or the cost of legitimately installing a divine circuit, was still pitifully small. 

Of course, even if Oliver installed a divine circuit, it wouldn't be now. He'd already learned that divine circuits were essentially slave contracts—why would he casually put one in himself? 

Unless… it was modified. 

That's right—divine circuits could be deconstructed and modified, though naturally, this was strictly forbidden by the church. 

But beneath the light, there were always shadows. 

"If I can kill three clergy members and join the anti-church Shadow Covenant, neither modification materials nor fees will be an issue." 

Oliver couldn't help but muse. 

By then, with a divine circuit, he'd have a superior status and social standing in the church-ruled "world of light." 

And in the shadows, as a Shadow Covenant member, he'd be equally respected in the dark world!